“It turned out alright, though. I mean...” A new and upbeat voice joins the chorus.

“Yes; you managed to unfuck the situation, Isalia, but rigging together a few thousand pounders isn't always the answer. As I believe we've discussed in GREAT detail.”

“But I...”

“Do I really need to explain to you the gravity of leveling several city blocks? Again? That would make it the fourth time.”

“Fifth, you're forgetting the prison bust, should count.” Another voice adds softly.

“...No, Commander... But...”

“No butts, Isalia! I'm still not even sure how or why you had that all set to blow, but please do avoid what I can only describe as wanton catastrophic damage in the future! Where did you even get the supplies? How did you even move that much ordnance? Mara didn't you confiscate all her detonators?”

“I did, Commander.”

“It was a custom rig, a few playstations, a couple cellph...”

“Enough, Isalia! Just tone it down from eleven to maybe a three and maybe you'll earn your C4 back.”

“Really?” The girl asks, wonder in her voice.

“We'll see. Depends on how hard you work at it. So no, probably never.”

A loud murmur follows and you catch a “She worked at it two missions ago and blew the vault door clear through the mansion.”

A solid and distinct clearing of his throat and the Commander quiets the din almost instantly.

“As I was saying before, we're currently at a lack of decisive action command. We need a baller, a play maker, a shot caller. Someone who all he does is win. And I believe I've finally found just the man for the job.”

Realizing that's your cue, you take a deep breath, push the plywood door open, and step into a room full of desks.

Only to promptly receive the half-eaten remains of a ham sandwich to the face.

“WEREWOLF! Take him out!” The pork assailant, literally a pig-man, shouts as he readies another bread stack, this one oozing with mayo. At the shout a few others in the room scramble for sidearms on their belts, or lurch off their desks toward rifles leaning against the walls of the shack.

“STOPPPPP!” The Commander throws his hands up to quell the uproar as he steps in front of you.

Despite that, you can see it plain across everyone in the room. The mixture of dismay, shock, and hatred practically dripping from the smattering of features. It washes over you and simply slides off, nothing you aren't used to. Though more than one safety is moved to fire despite the Commander's word.

The Commander steps forward, continuing to quell the commotion with his hands alone. Eyes moving between his masked visage and your own rather battered one.

“That will be ALL the lunch flinging in my presence, Squeal. And Kukri, put the knife back in the sheath before our good friend here cares to see who's better with it.”

The petite winged girl next to you shifts only her eyes, and the knife pinched between your fingers doesn't so much as twitch. For a moment you're almost certain she's going to overpower your poor fingertip hold and see what color wolves bleed. However after a moment the knife is retracted and again finds its sheath. Her orange eyes never leaving your own even as she steps backwards to once again lean against the wall, her ears still back and her tail coiling angrily behind her.

The Commander glances back toward you, his hands still raised and demanding order.

“You alright, Sulla?”

You place a hand on the older masked man's shoulder as you step forward to face the crowd of scowling faces. This is nothing unexpected, and you had prepared yourself for the brunt of it.

Another few steps and you're right in front of the pig-man, Squeal's desk.

Reaching down you pick up a third sandwich from its resting place upon a cheap paper plate. Raising the food, you sink your teeth into it, canines first, and rip off a chunk.

Chewing slowly as you keep the now half a sandwich in your grip, you gaze around the room, stopping your eyes at each set that stares coldly back.

You take another bite.

SWEET JUMPIN JESUS! He's back!

>>35243546
The question is, for how long! Also welcome back Papa-N!

“I told you all I'd be bringing in someone experienced with actual field leadership, and ladies and gentleman, this is our man.” The Commander gives you a nod.

“Sulla here has been in the thick of it almost since it all started. They don't let just anyone into a DIRE team and this man here spent the better part of his career in one. You've all put your trust in my decisions thus far, have I ever let you down?” He continues, looking about the room.

“That's beside the point. You can't ask us just to accept this.” A Ryu with dark red scales growls while closing a clawed hand into a fist. Her eyes betray the fire you know is likely already welling up in her belly.

“She's not wrong. He may have seen plenty of action but it wasn't with us. It wasn't even on our side.” Complains a Harpy as he shakes his head.

More voices join the chorus; raining complaints, opposition, or outright insult.

“I fought the wolves for three years! Three years! I can't just follow one now!”

“Are you forgetting we had to resort to destroying all that land to stop them?”

“The deadlands!”

“They killed all the catgirls save a few! It was genocide!”

“How do we even know he's not just some spy!?”

More angry voices continue to rise until none can really be discerned through the raucous noise and clatter of bodies leaving chairs to attempt to literally rise above the din to make themselves heard.

You'd had a solid hunch that things would turn out like this. As had the Commander when you'd made that known. As much as you'd like something to easily placate their anger and mutinous shouts, you really don't have much. As much as you'd like to counter, these voices aren't wrong.

>>35243214
So how grimdark is this gonna be?

The werewolves had fought alongside the Panda army shortly after its initial incursion into the Federated Union, throwing in with what eventually would be the losing side. It hadn't been entirely unprovoked, as the FU had been aggressively pursuing Wolf technology that your people had been rather against merely handing over. That and the FU's desire to bring all groups into the fold, willingness aside, had resulted in severely strained tensions that forced a gamble of a hand.

After all, the world left over post-event had been perilous and fraught with conflict. Much of it and more carried over from the old world, Earth, and all its problems. Religious zealots with a new lease on disaster, given the complete disarray of those left alive, had kicked off more than one regional conflict. Food had been a very real and pressing concern that had burned vast swathes of ground to ash in the ensuing riots and looting. Groups split off, keeping mostly to their own species in a new and hostile enviroment.

It hadn't been until the FU had pulled together the bands of survivors, most still held together by racial identity, that a relative peace finally happened. One that would prove both rocky and short lived.

The Pandas had struck soon after. A campaign of shock and awe through massed infantry and complete disregard for life. It had nearly been a fatal blow from the first, and would have been if the FU hadn't pulled together a combined counterattack.

Your people, seeing that it was inevitable they would be drawn in to one side or the other, had eventually been forced to make that choice. The wolf lands sat in what would turn out to be one of the most decimated plots of land on this strange new world. The Pandas had been on the attack, winning, and hadn't demanded the wolves share their new technology nor become a vassal state.

>>35243546
>>35243579
I'm at a point where I'm ready to ease myself back into it.

>>35243649
MC1 (this) storyline is going to be a bit darker than GenA vanilla was. MC2 will be less so most likely.

>>35243656
>>35243598
>>35243495
>>35243356
>>35243273
>>35243214
Goddamn it man, that's too fucking huge.

So you had fought.

Maturing quickly had meant you'd been pressed into service at ten, already past puberty and well on your way to an imposing full size. First in the raiding bands, then in the line infantry. Your own talent quickly being picked up for eventual induction into the DIRE program. There where your real training and career had begun.

Though even by the time you'd first picked up a rifle, defeat had been a very real haze across the mindset of you and yours. Battles had gone well, whereas the war had not. The Pandas proved fickle allies at best, willing to take much and give little. What had begun as a raging blitz toward the FU center had slowed first to a crawl and then to a bloody stalemate of trenches and tunnels.

It may have been because fighting was all you'd known that you'd wound up in a less than honorable band of thieves and mercenaries after the war. It was more likely they'd been the only ones who would willingly cut you in, though only after besting a good half dozen of them in a dive bar brawl on the edge of the channel, where the woods met the water. Most of the remaining wolves had dispersed in much the same fashion, populating the ranks of nearly every group of brigands and cutthroats from the western tall graves to the chopping black waters of the channel.

>>35243759
No such thing.

>>35243759
This post concludes the pre-writing so everything from here on is live.


In such a party of criminals is where the Commander had sought you out through a few backwater contacts. You'd built up a bit of a reputation for being a good fighter with a distinct lack of the necessary back stabbing and looting qualities most rebel bands were looking for.
Needless to say, it hadn't taken much convincing on his part to get you into what he was offering. A leadership position in a relatively new group of peacemakers who were beginning to make themselves known after downing a growing crime syndicate associated with synthetic drugs and the like. The pay wasn't necessarily great, but then you hadn't made much with your distaste for thievery anyways. More than anything, it was a clean slate.

Or so you'd hoped.

>Cut in yourself
[ ]Aggressive
[ ]Placating

[ ] Let the Commander settle things down

[ ] Leave the room

>>35243214
Holy shit I thought you were dead

Again

For like the third time

'I'm gonna come back', and then you run a thread and vanish off the face of the world

Please don't leave me again

>>35243871
[ X ] Aggressive
We gotta take charge. Be the big swingin dick.

>>35243871
>[x]Placating

Holy shit when you said 'Soon' I didn't think that mean't today.

>>35243871
>[X] Let the Commander settle things down

>>35243890
Cocaine's a hellova drug but things have progressively been getting better for me in the last few months.

>>35243971
I figured it would be sometime today. Maybe not as early as it happened, but today.

>>35243871
>[ ] Let the Commander settle things down

Let the guy they trust do the talking for a bit.

And also welcome back. This is should be fun ride as always with you at lead.

At a loss for much to say yourself, you instead look to the Commander to take charge. Which he does, spectacularly.

A “Biden special” from a sawed-off 12ga pulled from a leather holster at his side is more than enough to silence the room and leave your good ear ringing. Dust swirls around the room which is now more aerated.

“Do I have your attention now?” He asks, surveying the room even as he pops open the action and slides in two more red shells, the empties clattering to the floor.

A stunned silence is all he gets in return.

“Allow me to repeat my introduction, preferably without another word from the vice president here.” He emphasizes the shotgun before sliding it back into the leather.

Despite a bitten lips and several nervous glances toward the shotgun, nobody cares to interrupt again.

“As I was saying before, this is the new Alpha team lead. Yes he is a werewolf. Yes, we fought him and his during the war. I'd venture we both ended up losing more than that spat was really worth. You all know that we don't take recruits, we hand pick. I wouldn't have brought him here if I didn't think it was the best thing for us.” The leader sets his fists on the table and gazes across the room.

“Now are you ladies going to keep bitching and moaning or are we going to get down to this like a bunch of professionals?” The Commander waits a few moments before nodding.

All eyes in the room follow him as he gives the board behind him a good look-over. All across it are taped up photographs, tattered maps, hastily scrawled wording, and more red and blue arrows than you can follow.

“You're all well aware by now that this is just a temporary base of operations. I don't care to stay here long and I don't plan on making any friends during our visit. This is lawless country, no two ways about it. But just because it seems an easy hide doesn't mean nobody's watching.” The Commander points to one of the many photos.

You give it a fleeting glance. A long bearded goat-man in ragged woodland fatigues, an RPD resting across his lap and one finger raised, as though the picture were taken during a talk.

“Maqib Al-Zawari. Better known as Billy. Head honcho of a formerly rather irrelevant jihadist sect. I say formerly because as of this morning we finally have confirmation he's been taking jobs from somebody smuggling truckloads of something through these damn hot mountains.” He looks over at you and gives only the faintest of nods.

Time to nut up or shut up.

“I've already been briefed upon arrival and I've got the workings of a plan in order.” You start, “Billy's had command of these mountains and been low man on the pole enough to be ignored, up until now. But two months ago he started bringing in some more serious hardware, stuff that costs more than he can loot from this pile of rocks.”

You point toward a grainy aerial photograph of two identical trucks, each boasting a rather impressive array of rocket tubes. Unmistakable even with the poor quality. Still more recognizable is the relatively good shape of the vehicles. Pre-event, but not some a pair of old Soviet shitheaps, either.

“Now these may not seem like much but those rockets are a big step up from the usual roadside bomb with a cotton fuse. These things cost something serious and those rockets aren't dumb explosive tubes. These things have guidance systems.”

Though you don't make it obvious, you're watching the faces in the room as they remain locked on you. Nobody here is happy or relaxed, but they all seem to be listening, at least.

“So what do we care if some bastard has a few rocket trucks? Lots of old ordnance still out there. Waiting to be found...” This voice you recognize as Isalia, a rather shapely blue tailed lamia.

“Normally we wouldn't, you're right.” The Commander answers, still next to you, “But this isn't stuff you just up and find. These were found, fixed up, and sold for a pretty penny.”

“They're getting their money from somewhere and I don't think it's gold mining. Whatever it is they're bringing over those mountains is worth some money, and the assholes buying appear to have plenty going around. You don't just catch a rabbit, you have to follow his scent back to his hole, first.”

You take back over for the Commander as he stops.

“We might not know what's in those trucks yet, but we know where they're coming from. That's where we start.”

You've seen what little information there was to be had. Bought from an informant apparently all too eager to get his money and run, with little forthcoming information beyond the most basic. The trucks meet at a ruin of massive red brick, and run in a convoy of six, starting at dusk and driving through the night. They traverse what is really little more than a mountainous trail before exiting into the forest beyond, for parts unknown. Aside from the six trucks, each a five ton, only a handful of men on bikes move with the convoy.

The ruin doesn't appear populated at any other time, or so you can guess by what few photographs you have to go on. If you had to guess, it wasn't a human-made structure, but remnants of something else.

You have a few options for a plan on how to move forward.

[ ] Hit the trucks at the meeting point and attempt to commandeer

[ ] Hit the trucks in a mountain pass and attempt to commandeer

[ ] Attempt to follow the trucks while remaining hidden

>>35244908
Forgot the

[ ] Other

>>35244908
[x] Attempt to follow the trucks while remaining hidden
Knowledge is love, Knowledge is life. Before we act, we need to know more about what's going on, what's being shipped, who's buying it, what their agenda is, etc.

>>35244908
>[ ] Attempt to follow the trucks while remaining hidden

Find out where the trucks are going, maybe we'll find out more of the who what's from there.

>>35244908
[ X ] Attempt to follow the trucks while remaining hidden
Who knows what we could find. Also sorry papa but I gotta peace out for a few hours. Good to see you back.

HOLY SHIT
He's back!

As much as I love all of papa-n's work, my fave is still Zombie and Witch

>>35245083
And it's left at such a cliffhanger of a spot too.

“I know there's not much to go on, which is why I'm opting for a less direct approach. I'll lead a two man team on bike after the trucks, we'll stay back and keep high, use thermals to keep the trail. The rest of Alpha will keep a chopper in the area and be ready to act as needed.” You direct.

“Beta will be hanging back this mission because let's face it, you guys pretty much suck.” The Commander adds.

The entire far back row slump in their seats, not a word offered except a quiet “Y-you too.” which is ignored.

One of the advantages to working in an outfit like this is just their tech level. Despite the Commander being quite dismissive concerning it all, it's got to be the best kept collection you've seen since the war. Outside this ramshackle building, three helicopters sit on hastily cleared platforms of dried earth. Two converted Huey gunships and one far more intriguing. A wolf-made Pugio stealth craft.

Short, thin, and more fragile looking than it actually is. A marvel of technology born post-event at the hands of your people. The Pugio, for looking so nonthreatening, had proven itself time and time again evading all manner of detection. Its black, boxy shapes fooled radar. The specialty ducted twin rotors directed sound in such a fashion that it could only be heard perhaps a hundred meters away.

Small wonder it had earned the FU designation “Assassin.”

Though unarmored and packing only a light 20mm autocannon with two interior missile doors, it had interior seating for six men. Or quite often, four DIRE members, though the Pugio lacked the drop-blade capabilities of its bigger brother, as well as its advanced optics and sensors package.

It was the Pugio that the six-member backup team would be waiting on, holding off only a few minutes from you.

Now you just had to make your pick on who would be the other lucky bloodhound with you.

As the meeting breaks you remain behind, giving a personnel file a look-over as the Commander points out certain members exiting through the back set of double doors.

Isalia, the explosives-loving lamia you'd heard talking before making your grand entrance. Plenty of wartime experience in all manner of sappers work. Good with a rifle, better with a rocket launcher.

Mara, whom you'd heard had supposedly been in charge of stripping Isalia of her detonators, to little apparent success. Small of stature compared to larger arachne, being a jumper. Every bit as physical as her small but toned body belayed. Current record holder for fastest killhouse time in Alpha and an alarmingly proficient gunfighter.

Kukri, whom even the Commander knows little and less about. The manticore-succubus half you'd almost had shank you with a rather large knife. Quiet, efficient, and apparently seasoned enough to plop down a bloody sack of heads in front of the Commander to make herself known, eventually earning herself a slot on Alpha. Light of body enough to actually fly with those wings and remarkably deadly with that knife. An amicable marksman, though the worst in Alpha.

Seluth, the hot-tempered Ryu responsible for the spat of outbursts toward you following the ham sandwich incident. A penchant for ruthlessness had followed her even after the war, in which she'd earned a reputation for putting enemies to the torch, literally. A heavy weapon expert with the strength you'd expect from a Ryu, her temper apparently often flaring up and resulting in burning corpses.

These are the four the Commander singles out especially, either because of their impressive skillset and experience or their long length as Alpha team members. The four of them the most senior aside from Alex, who being a five hundred some odd pound minotaur, is ill-suited to riding anything on two wheels.

[ ] Mara is already at it on the makeshift basketball court out back

[ ] Isalia is out talking to the flight crew of one of the Hueys

[ ] Seluth, oddly enough, seems to have gone to the makeshift kitchen under the awning to the buiding's west

[ ] Kukri is nowhere to be seen, but this place isn't big and you doubt she'd be hard to find

>>35245679
>[ ] Kukri is nowhere to be seen, but this place isn't big and you doubt she'd be hard to find

>>35245679
[ ] Mara
or
[ ] Kukri

I don't know. They both sound like fun.

>>35245679
[ ] Mara is already at it on the makeshift basketball court out back

>>35245679
>[ ] Kukri is nowhere to be seen, but this place isn't big and you doubt she'd be hard to find
>>>
> Anonymous 10/01/14(Wed)19:34:42 No.35245736 ▶
>>>35245679
>>[ ] Kukri is nowhere to be seen, but this place isn't big and you doubt she'd be hard to find
>>>
> Anonymous 10/01/14(Wed)19:34:56 No.35245740 ▶
>>>35245679
>[ ] Mara
>or
>[ ] Kukri
>I don't know. They both sound like fun.
>>>
> Anonymous 10/01/14(Wed)19:35:30 No.35245754 ▶
>>>35245679
>[ ] Mara is already at it on the makeshift basketball court out back

>>35245679
[X] Mara is already at it on the makeshift basketball court out back

>>35245763
Having issues there, anon?

>>35245679
>[x] Kukri is nowhere to be seen, but this place isn't big and you doubt she'd be hard to find

2/2 tie. Rollbreaker?

And damn Wednesdays seem pretty slow now. I thought they used to be one of the better evenings.

>>35245679
[x] Kukri is nowhere to be seen, but this place isn't big and you doubt she'd be hard to find

Rolled 77 (1d100)

>>35245895
kukri is best waifu

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>35245895
1 Mara

2 Kukri

>>35245954
We have a verdict.

>>35243214
HOLY SHIT FIRST PLANEFAG, AND NOW YOU. What next, TheHoboKing?

>>35245194
I know. Papa, when is Z&W continuing?

>>35246188
___Never.___

>>35246211
Aawwww.

File: Z&W.png (323 KB, 1000x1000)

323 KB PNG

>>35246188
>>35246211
>>35246263
Eventually

>>35243214
Holy fucking shit I thought you'd actually died. Where the hell have you been bro.

The makeshift briefing room now clear aside from yourself, you give the personnel file one more quick glance-over before figuring out who it is you potentially want along with you.

Though perhaps a bit quicker to go for her knife than you would have liked as a first impression, and the newest of the four Alpha initially selected, her skillset is nevertheless more in-line what you're looking for over explosives and fire. Though Mara had been a close second for what you need.

Closing up the file, you figure to go give this place a once-over and hopefully find her along the way.

An hour goes by, fruitless, and leaving you scratching your head. Fingers brushing over what little remains of your stub of a left ear.
For as easy to find as the rest seemed to be, Kukri remained quite elusive.

Giving up for now, you resign yourself to checking out your sleeping arrangements. A small cluster of high-top tents, camouflage sides rustling in the stiff , hot wind that howls down the nearby mountains, along with a few trailers and a number of pole barns.

You're directed to your own by a few grunts and a point, a conversation you don't seek to prolong.

Well at least you aren't in a tent, though from the looks of it, though the dingy interior of the barn might prove less accommodating. Not the worst hole you've slept in, not by a longshot.

The only sources of light are a few old LED lanterns hanging around by rope. What little light they do cast dim and of a bluish hue.

Enough light, however, to illuminate your old friend in the center.

The old, beat up, dinged and scratched, DIRE armor. Missing paint, now boasting a few mismatched parts, but nevertheless, the most advanced combat armor the wolves had ever put out.

>>35246276
Yes!

Oh how many missions you two had been through together. The mud and the blood and the bullets. And oh how many you both had left behind.

As if it had chosen that exact moment on purpose, to find you reminiscing, one of the lights dances gingerly in the darkness. You snap your head around to look but can make out nothing in the black.

A second light bounces where it dangles and you're almost caught off-guard.

The boot still caught in your hand from the flying kick twists quickly and is wrenched away before a viscous mouth snaps toward your face, white teeth practically glowing in the lighting. You catch it in one hand before you're forced to duck a whistling blade that even still nearly takes your good ear.

Kukri doesn't miss a beat and the follow-up of razor sharp claws manages to draw a line of four bloody scrapes across your chest.

However the close proximity allows you to catch her arm, and with a grunt you intend to hurl her in an over-the-shoulder throw. This succeeds but only results in a flapping of wings before she disappears from your sight again.

Though damn can you smell her.

It isn't your first time meeting a succubus, or at least half of one. Their pheromones might only be charming to some, and scentless to most, are a barrage against your advanced olfactories. Lesser wolves might have been sent mad, but you maintain composure and listen.

You can hear her heartbeat, but seemingly from everywhere and anywhere as she both moves and the sounds echo against metal siding.

>talk/question/action

>>35246557
"Why is it never catgirls?" (Too soon?)

>>35243871
>[x] Let the Commander settle things down

Oooh man I've been waiting soo long for your return! You took Karla and left! It hurt but the chosen one has returned!

File: But not catgirl.jpg (47 KB, 500x500)

47 KB JPG

>>35246557
Find a chance to counter and pin her... some how. After that maybe we can talk.

>>35246612
Pic.

>>35246668
And you're late.

>>35246557
"You're a hard woman to track down. "

>>35246557
"Not bad. Now, do you want to know more about the mission you just got assigned to or do to want to play around some more first?"

Hey Papa-N. He's back.

>>35246465

>>35246557
"You finished yet? We got briefing to do"
>>35246699
I know, I realized that after I posted, I got excited.. I'm sorry.

>>35246905
Has anyone seen Papa-N and Planefag in the same room together?

“And here I was thinking you were hard to track down. I suppose all I had to do was wait...” You step your left foot back and remain at the ready.

Good timing, too, because another flurry of strikes quickly follows your words. The tail with its nasty teeth, easily caught, serves as yet another feint for that rather nasty knife. Again you hold off the blows while managing a leg sweep which proves rather fruitless as she seems to barely touch the ground before she's off of it again, attacking with both legs.

There is no pattern or methodology to most of the attacks, which forces each counter to be quick. However you're slowly succeeding in wearing her down, it would seem. The blade grows slower, the kicks more infrequent, and more and more she leaps back up to avoid you as she tries to vie for a better angle.

It is after one such attempt that she commits too much to a lunging thrust and you finally manage to get one of your large hands clear around her bicep in a firm grab. Though she spins away you move up and at the same time reach out with your other hand. This one succeeds in stopping the blade mere inches from your face, but now you have her by that wrist as well.

It is no chore, afterward, to sweep her feet with your right leg and bring her to the ground. Kukri doesn't so much as grunt in pain as you sprawl on top of her and pin her against the uneven concrete below. Her small frame might be agile and quick, but it can't possibly hope to win out in a feat of strength.

She does, however, nearly bring her tail around for a bite out of your backside before you secure it with your left foot, holding the flailing appendage down.

“Alright,” You grunt as she continues to struggle, “I think you've made your point. Now we can keep this up or we can get to work starting on this next mission.”

Though she stops struggling, Kukri offers no word in return.

Papa did you draw the op pic? If so your drawing is getting better.

Only after she's out into the open air beyond the dim barn do you turn and offer her back her weapon, handle first. She reaches gingerly, as though expecting you to pull it back, until her hand clasps around the wooden handle and she retracts her arm quickly.

Those orange eyes give it a once-over before fixing back to you as she returns the blade to its sheath on her tall boot. Never once do they reveal anything except a deep distrust.

“If you're half as good with a rifle as you are with that knife, I'd hate to find out firsthand.” You offer, and again are only met by a hard wall of silence.

She stares at you, and you just stare right on back.

You see now why she's so quick with that knife, built more like a gymnast than a soldier. Her arms, though small and smooth, are strong. The legs underneath her thick for her otherwise small size, deceptively powerful. Two wings from her back, though not large, are enough to at least allow her to leap something fierce. You wouldn't be surprised if she could outright fly as you'd seen both succubi and manticores do. Though manticores the lesser able of the two.

You look toward the horizon then back at her.

“Sun's going down, it'll be time to go as soon as it's dark enough for those trucks to move. We need to be there before that happens.”

Kukri just stares right on back.

[ ] Take Kukri on the mission

[ ] Try someone else
>who?

>>35247219
>[ ] Take Kukri on the mission
Grab your rifle and lets roll.

>>35247033
That's my attempt at the DIRE armor while I was trying to sketch out ideas for it. A few other sketches just came out looking too bulky whereas I wanted the armor to be more mobile while still looking like powered armor.

Also drew my take on Kiara
>>35246276

I might be getting a little better but I don't have as much time to practice as I'd like.

>>35247219
>[x] Take Kukri on the mission

File: Noble Team.jpg (1.23 MB, 1920x1080)

1.23 MB JPG

>>35247256
Honestly it looks like HALO armor. Not a bad thing mind you.

>>35247219
>[ ] Take Kukri on the mission

>>35247219
>[ ] Take Kukri on the mission

>>35247219
[x] Take Kukri on the mission
>>35247256
Woah dang, you drew that Kiara pic? Your drawing is getting a lot better. And yeah the armor does seem inspired from halo, not a bad thing I like it.

“You're going with me.” You power on through her silence, eager yourself to just get this started.

For her part, Kukri only offers the slightest of nods in return before stepping a good distance away, still watching, before at last turning away from you and heading off toward the tents.

You reach down to your chest and pull back your hand, a few drops of blood on your fingertips, and shake your head. First time anyone's drawn blood in a good while. This Alpha team must be a cut above the average at the very least.

But now comes the real test to see if this particular outfit is for you. Something you ponder as you slip into one that most certainly is.

Putting on the armor is now as easy as slipping into a light jacket, your fingers work meticulously and without pause as you secure it piece by piece. Pieces close and snap together to lock over the under-suit as you add part by part. The chestpiece secures to the back with a bit more struggle, as you'd had to replace several of the fasteners with spares that had never been properly fitted.

This DIRE suit, while yours, is well past its recommended service duration.

The last thing you do is slide the helmet down, making sure to fit your right ear into its proper slot. With a small click, the visor closes.

A series of rapid blinks and a softly spoken name serve as your password, and without a sound the systems begin to boot.

You don't even bother to scroll through most of it, well aware it isn't by any means new or at its best. The rapid red blinking in the top left corner reminds you that you aren't currently connected to HOWLnet, though you haven't been in years now.

>>35247346
>>35247286

Even if I have gotten slightly better, it still seems really difficult to draw anything I like.

I can see the Halo resemblance yet, probably mostly where my subconscious pulled from.

>>35247640
Being too hard on your self, artists man.

>>35247640
We'll compared to some of the stuff you did for the HLQ these are much better. The Kiara pic is great example of that.

>>35247696
They're always like this.

Even the battery if well past its prime, barely charging to 68% of its full capacity. Still more than enough juice, but not as reassuring as a full 100% on that drop-down.

The last step is to secure the load-bearing webbing over the front, thighs, and back. The pockets and holsters already full of gear, grenades, and ammunition.

Before you exit you pick up one last thing, a beaten and battered MK2 4ga shotgun. A tough old bitch of a weapon. This secures nicely to your back with a locking-lug system that matched up with wolf produced arms.

As you step back out into the quickly fading daylight, you're well aware that all eyes turn to you. Many gazes curious, but several knowingly cautious and fearful.

It was one thing to listen to a story about a DIRE.

It was something else entirely to have seen one before.

You're well aware at how imposing you look, having seen firsthand the astonished terror as you and yours descended atop drop-blades or kicked in a door. Over six feet tall and nearly as thick as a werebear which you're often mistaken for. While perhaps not quite as brutishly strong as a bear, you're faster and leaner. More conditioned.

For their part, just as professional as you had hoped to find, the attachment of Alpha assigned to the helicopter are already geared up and waiting as the pilot runs through his list. Their eyes meet your visor and you stare back through it.

“We're all set to spin up, Alpha-one.” One of them offers, and you think you recognize the voice as the arachne Mara.

At the very least she has the courtesy to refer to you properly through the comms.

You find that Kukri has fallen in only a few steps behind you. A dark camo parka hanging loose over her thin frame and covering up the skin she'd been showing rather excessively earlier.

>>35247937

What does DIRE stand for?

>>35247975
Direction
Intelligence
Raiding
Eradication

The big dirtbike you hoist yourself onto is one of only a few pieces of wolf equipment you have left. Itself designed much like the Pugio and your DIRE armor, shaped out of materials designed to limit detection. Despite being rather powerful, the bike is electric and nearly silent. A preferred choice of transport for DIRE teams needing something that could go places other vehicles could not when a drop-blade wasn't an option.

You offer a hand to Kukri, who ignores it and boosts herself up behind you with seemingly little effort. The bikes are made to handle a passenger and there is plenty of room, along with handholds and a provision for a mounted weapon, of which you have none. The wolf-built system to connect one not so crude as to easily accept some ancient pre-event machinegun.

Though you spot the Commander, watching behind his gray mask, he offers no last words.

Which is as plain a statement as if he had said much.

This is your mission now. It's in your hands.

“Good luck, puppy...” The words come to the forefront of your mind, before you bury them again, face forward, and flip on the electric motor.

Given the speed of the bike, it isn't long before you're well up into the mountains. The thin red dust being blown about covers you but the coating on your visor keeps it clear. With enough illumination from the stars above, you don't have to rely on your nightvision or thermal imaging to navigate even a rather treacherous trail.

More than once Kukri is thrown forward into the back of your armor as the bike catches in sand or bounces through a hole. Yet for her part, she doesn't so much as grunt from the rough ride.

Atop one particularly high ridge you stop to use it as a vantage point. You're rewarded through your thermals by the obvious outlines of half a dozen heavy trucks lumbering across a high mountain path some three hundred meters from you. Their struggling engines lighting them up hot and easy to see.

“I've got the trucks, in pursuit.” You relay before twisting the handle and quickly descending the rocky mountainside before picking up on the telltale tire trails of those trucks.

[ ] Close in, you don't want to chance losing them if they make it to the forest too far ahead

[ ] Hang back, let your equipment do the work while you track

[ ] Other

>>35248406
>[ ] Close in, you don't want to chance losing them if they make it to the forest too far ahead

Silent after all.

Are we downwind?

>>35248406
>[x] Close in, you don't want to chance losing them if they make it to the forest too far ahead

>>35248406
>[ ] Close in, you don't want to chance losing them if they make it to the forest too far ahead

>>35248428
>Are we downwind?
Yes.

>>35248500

Then closing in is fine.

>>35248406
>[x] Close in, you don't want to chance losing them if they make it to the forest too far ahead

Downwind of the trucks means two things. One, they can't smell you. Two, you can smell them, quite well, in fact.

Perhaps a bit too well as the sour stink of very unwashed goat fills your nostrils, their own abilities only further amplified by the suit. It is, to put it lightly, a pungent odor. Goats aren't well known for their sense of smell, especially compared to a wolf, so you have serious doubts they could even sniff you out over their own stink were you only feet away.

So as the column of trucks winds up and down mountains, you traverse them with ease, closing the gap with each peak. You get close enough to be confident you couldn't possibly lose the trucks, but stay far enough away that they'd have a hard time picking you out against the rocks even with a spotlight, which you see no signs of them having.

Thus leading you to believe they've been at this for quite some time. Even the guards on bikes you were initially warned about are absent. There would be no other reason for them to be so lax unless this had all become quite routine.

Kukri, still silent, offers no insight of her own.

It seems an eternity, the sun a forgotten memory, by the time you start seeing trees. Sparse at first, but more and more numerous as the ground begins to flatten and mountains give way to hills. Eventually you find yourself with forest on all sides, still pursuing the trucks.

Though you ease the bike to a quick stop when you see a clearing up ahead and confirm through your thermals that the trucks have stopped. Moreover, they have found some friends.

“One... Two... Three extra trucks.” You count through the comms.

The drivers all get out and several immediately light up cigarettes and begin talking. Anyone else would be out of earshot, but you can hear. Unfortunately you don't speak goat which seems to involve a lot of grunting, grumbling, and spitting.

However you don't have to know the words to grasp the conversation as what you can only imagine to be either bars of gold or fat stacks of currency are brought out from the three waiting trucks.

“This looks like the exchange point.”

“Copy that Alpha-one. We're on standby.”

Off the bike now, leaning it against a tree, you stalk silently into the forest as you continue to watch. Tracking several of the goats from the first truck as they head back to their vehicles and open rear doors. At the same time, they raise their weapons and begin yammering quickly, gesturing with the muzzles of their rifles.

You watch as figures being to stumble, slither, or ooze out of the truckbed. Though you can't get much detail with your thermals at this range, you can tell that the folks in the back of the truck were manicled and chained together at hands, tails, feet, the like.

“Possible hostages, can't verify.” You whisper.

As you continue to watch, the parade of figures in irons are brought before the goat who'd you'd seen start the exchange of whatever had passed as currency.

Until all at once the man shouts, grabbing one of the figures from the line and yanking them hard to the ground. Two other goats scramble and quickly unlock the figure, pulling them away from the rest of the group. As the two you assume are the lead-goats begin exchanging a flurry of rapid, high voices. The one points toward the unchained figure, whom you notice appears lamia in nature, while the other raises his hands in exclamation.

What happens next is over in the blink of an eye.

The two guards that had dragged the figure aside both raise their rifles.

And the lamia dies.

“One hostage executed.” You bite.

>talk/question/action

>>35249208

Shit.

Can we patch the conversation into the alpha channel? See if Kukri or someone else speaks goat.

We have to hold fast, we need more intel.

>>35249208
Should we save the hostages?

Or are we trying to follow the trucks back to whereever they came from?

>>35249400
They're not part of the mission, doubt it. We need intel and with MC being ex-SF, hes not going to be very moved by the plight of the hostages.

>>35249208
Hell if I know boss. Getting intel really is what we are here for... Kinda just want to try and capture them all then sort it all out from there.

>>35249547
But we do this and we miss the chance to trail the group back to their base of operations...

Unless we continue to tail the trucks while we call in Alpha to rescue the hostages when they're left behind.

>>35249576
This sounds like a decent plan. Tho maybe we should bust in if another hostage is going to get taken out.

>>35249208
We need to gather more intel before we act, but there's no reason not to strike now. I thought the entire purpose of following was to bust both parties after finding some stuff out. After that eliminate the armed goats then have Kukri capture Billy.

>>35249685
I was assuming he was there I just realized he probably isn't. If we want to trail them back we'll just have to assume Billy hate lamia girls and the rest of the hostages are safe.

>>35249685
Just rechecked brief and we want their bosses it seems, who's supplying them and such. Following them would work but, we might be able to get the info from these guys.

>>35249324
>>35249400
>>35249494
>>35249547
>>35249576

The next action is literally yours to make. Leaving some of these sections more open because I liked that about Z&W.

“Copy, Alpha-one. We're working on translations but we're the middleman here. Can't advise on situation, ball is yours.”

With your shotgun at the ready now you inch ever closer, the better to pic up the conversation with your exterior mic. The better for it to be heard and understood.

Still the goats argue, while you draw closer still.

And you can smell it now, as the wind picks up again through the trees. Even over the awful rank odor of the goats, you can make it out. The smell of fear. Of sweat and urine and tears. And your nostrils bring to light another piece of information. These hostages are all women, or at least the ones you can smell.

You can smell Kukri close behind and hear the leaves behind you letting you know she's merely inches behind. You can hear the knife leave its sheath.

“Alpha-one, they're apparently arguing about the quality of the goods. Our terp doesn't quite have a grip on their dialect but apparently some of the goods are past expiration and the second group doesn't want them.” Command relays.

Continuing to observe, a second hostage is dragged off. This one with four flailing legs and requiring four goats to drag. You can hear this one struggling against what must be a gag as she tries to shout while struggling to no avail.

You don't get the words out of your throat before there is another clatter of gunfire. The second hostage flails, legs kicking against the dirt for several moments, before her powerful legs slowly lose their strength, the kicking finally stopping.

>talk/question/action

>>35249718
And we'd also miss out and intercepting these missiles. If we just watch and follow them back then the deal went down. Are we scouting or striking, I saw we open fire and take some alive. From both sides, whoever is buying missiles with slaves is into some serious shit.

>>35249724

But they might just be delivery boys. In which case we can't afford to hit them since they might not know anything except the rendezvous. Too much to lose.

Oh and just in the event this is too grimdark for anyone, MC2 will be more noblebright. Sort of.

>>35249764
Fuck this we took too long let's just bust them and take THEM hostage.

>>35249764
Welp, looks like these fucks are dying. We can get any info we need by interrogating/torturing them.

Prep for assault, plan out where to place our allies, try to take a couple of them alive.

>>35249764

Hold position.

The hostages aren't our concern.

>>35249812
Not sure if we can do that.

Not if we're trying to save the hostages. We'd have to put the goats down as fast as possible to save them.

>>35249882
Typically injured soldiers are out of commission. You wont really be doing much if both your legs are shot. Yeah they could hit the deck and open fire on the hostages but they're merchandise, they have no value as people but they're worth something to these goats. If they're arguing about quality then they only want to kill the defective ones.

>>35249882
Could knee cap em with the shotty.
>>35249790
Whats our kit exactly? I know we have a shotgun and nades but what kind? Also what kind of ammo for the shotty we got?

>>35249780
Have we put eyes on the primary yet?

>>35249973

No sign of that anywhere.

>>35249948

Point. I just hope we don't gun down the one or two who might actually not just be muscle.

How many baddies are there, exactly? There were six trucks, plus three more, so it's at least 9. We have the element of surprise, and we're probably better at this than they are, but this'll be over before the chopper can get here.

>>35249951
>Whats our kit exactly?

The DIRE suit is fairly well armored, capable of shrugging off most small-arms fire, though it isn't some impervious superarmor. The plates are quite tough but the joint/underneath armor is more susceptible.

The MK2 4ga shotgun is a wolf design that is equal parts shotgun and grenade launcher. It boasts a plethora of loadings from breaching all the way up to HE. The double-tube design allows quick next-shot selection along with greater capacity (8 shells).

Currently you have 4 shells of tungsten flechette and 4 rounds of 3000gr tungsten penetrator/slug loaded.

Along with 4 grenades. 2 nova flashbangs and 2 HE shrapnel types.

>>35250019
The six trucks had two men apiece for a total of twelve, ten of which are armed with rifles, two of which appear unarmed. The additional three trucks have two men apiece for a total of six, all of whom are carrying handguns.

For a total of eighteen armed goatmen.

Sulla's 60s CQB record is 32.

He got a trainload of approx 120 men with a portable rocket once, but that doesn't count.

I dont think we intervene. If we stop them now, maybe we save the 'hostages' that are here. However we dont catch the boss, and this shit can just happen again with more 'hostages'. It sucks but I think we need to wait for the boss to show up.

>>35250124

I voted to hold off but if anons vote to assault, I'm ok with it.

>>35250122
Ok, how about this:
Ignore the hostages; they're not worth it right now. Split up, and have MC and Kukri each sneak into/near/on top of a truck from each group. When the deal's over and they go their separate ways, we interrogate the driver of the truck, then kill him, crash the truck to make it look like an accident, and rendezvous back here.

>>35250167

Thats not much of a point.

If we're tailing, we tail them back to their base. Find out where these trucks are coming from.

The hostages must be the payment for the guided missiles.

Alpha can neutralise the missile trucks if we're worried about them falling into the wrong hands.

FUCK YES HE'S BACK

Also, Papa, you forgot to put 'quest' in the subject line, I missed this thread because it didn't pop up in my filters, might want to put quest in the subject line next time.

>>35250122
Mmm theres that /k porn.

>>35250122
Apprehend the unarmed goats and eliminate or incapacitate all armed guards. Open with a flashbang and shooting each of the unarmed goats in the leg while Kukri begins killing guards. Toss an HE grenade at the men around the additional trucks assuming they're grouped closely and are far enough from the hostages. Then begin eliminating guards.

[ ] Direct action: Assault. Take any captives you can while trying to save the remaining hostages. Attempt "enhanced interrogation" of captives afterwards.

[ ] Direct action: Eradication. Eliminate the hostiles with extreme prejudice.

[ ] Hold: The hostages, while concerning, are not the main point of your mission. Continue to tail.

[ ] Infiltrate both sets of trucks and seize them upon the split. Attempt interrogation of surviving hostiles. Meet back at clearing.

I think I found all the current plans.

You can add additional plans/make changes/etc, or just vote on which you prefer.

>>35250249
Well shit, I guess I did. Will make a note of it for the next thread.

>>35250285
It may not be a 4ga but I'm giving my Browning Gold 10ga some real sensual looks right now.

>>35250378
>[ ] Hold: The hostages, while concerning, are not the main point of your mission. Continue to tail.

>>35250378
>[ ] Direct action: Assault. Take any captives you can while trying to save the remaining hostages. Attempt "enhanced interrogation" of captives afterwards.

>>35250378
>[X] Hold: The hostages, while concerning, are not the main point of your mission. Continue to tail.
>[X] Infiltrate both sets of trucks and seize them upon the split. Attempt interrogation of surviving hostiles. Meet back at clearing.
I'm going to split the difference on these: hitch a ride on the truck, but don't kill the baddies.

>>35250205
Is right, there's not much point to my original plan if we don't find out where the trucks are going.

>>35250443
Or, rather, have Kukri hitch a ride with one set, and MC follow the other on the bike.

>>35250443
Im not sure how thats gonna work though. If we hold, we should be tracking them all the way to where they came from.

>>35250378
[ X ] Hold: The hostages, while concerning, are not the main point of your mission. Continue to tail.
Sucks that we can't do anything right now. That action hero shit doesn't really work out well.

>>35250378
Got an idea, what if we have the rest of Alpha make noise or some shit at the edge of the forest, to spook the deal and have em pack up to be safe, then we tail one and Alpha the other? Hostages wont be killed and we can still tail.

>>35250537

That does nothing and put them on guard.

They're not going to abandon the hostages and maybe even scoot. In the worst case scenario, they might even just kill them off before running for it.

>>35250378
>[ ] Direct action: Assault. Take any captives you can while trying to save the remaining hostages. Attempt "enhanced interrogation" of captives afterwards.

>>35250669
I didn't mean they were going to abandon them I ment they'd pack em up they are still worth money and leave. and I mean a subtle distraction so they pack up and leave thinking someone is gonna stumble in on them.

>>35250521
Yeah, we would be. MC follows one all the way back, and Kukri and the helo follow the other one all the way back.

>>35250537
This might work, but I wouldn't want to expose our operations here just yet. Not sure what sort of distraction they could make without doing that.

>>35250723

Theres no need for us to split up. Then helo can't follow both groups.

It'll make more sense for the helo to follow one group while MC and kukri trail the other.

>>35250717
>they are still worth money
Evidently not seeing as they are killing them without a second glance.

If they were worth money, they wouldn't be doing that.

You've elected to hold rather than opt for an assault.

[ ] Tail the truck that gets loaded with the currency back to its destination

[ ] Tail the three new trucks to where they are taking the hostages

And then whichever you choose...

[ ] Have Kukri follow the other

[ ] Have the remainder of Alpha follow the other

>>35250750
I'm just not sure how well the helo could follow one without losing it or being spotted.

>>35250779
The "expired" ones aren't worth anything, but the rest are.

>>35250816
>[ ] Tail the truck that gets loaded with the currency back to its destination
This is our mission, we need to stick with it.
>[ ] Have the remainder of Alpha follow the other
We do our job right and we don't need backup, but it would be good to follow those hostages to break them out at a later date.

>>35250817
>The "expired" ones aren't worth anything, but the rest are.
Then why would they have been brought out, why would they have them to begin with if they are worth nothing? That does not make sense, even to some random goat fucker bandits

>>35250816
>[X] Tail the three new trucks to where they are taking the hostages
>[X] Have Kukri follow the other
>[X] Have the remainder of Alpha follow the other
We'll take the bike. Have Alpha stick with Kukri in case she needs to bug out quick.

>>35250817
or just have the remainder of alpha team assault the other group then.

>>35250816
>[ ] Tail the truck that gets loaded with the currency back to its destination


>[ ] Have the remainder of Alpha follow the other

>>35250816
[X] Tail the three new trucks to where they are taking the hostages
[X] Have the remainder of Alpha follow the other
>>35250779
They are being examined then the ones not making the cut are killed. If they pack up now the others not yet examined would most likely be spared as they are potentially worth money still.

>>35250891
>Then why would they have been brought out, why would they have them to begin with if they are worth nothing?
They mixed the bad in with the good in hopes of fooling the buyer into thinking it was all quality merchandise.

>>35250816
Seconding >>35250907

the rest of Alpha can assault the group with the hostages once they are out of sight and hearing range while we follow the currency

>>35250816
>[ ] Tail the truck that gets loaded with the currency back to its destination
>And then whichever you choose...
>[ ] Have the remainder of Alpha follow the other

Alpha should assault and rescue the hostages.

>>35250907
>>35250964
The entire point of not assaulting now was to keep a low profile going forward, so that the people in charge wouldn't know we're here. It wasn't to simply delay that discovery by a few hours.

>>35251035

The groups have split up already though.

>>35251071
As I understand it, we don't know where either side is getter their trade goods from yet, so we don't want to alert either of them until we find out.

>>35251109

One side is fixing up the missile trucks and selling them, the other is trading currency for them.

We tail the sellers, hit the buyers.

>>35251189
yep, pretty simple as far as hitting deals like this goes

Putting an arm out, hand balled into a fist, you let Kukri know you're going to hold for now even as you sink down to a knee from your already low crouch.

“We'll continue to observe and tail. Recommend the remainder of Alpha diverge and pursue three trucks after hostages are loaded. Advise you assault en-route and rescue the hostages.”

As you continue to wait, more and more hostages are brought out.

Most seem to pass initial inspection as they're shoved forward.

Some aren't so lucky.

You watch as another is unchained and pushed aside, a larger and winged woman this time. She manages to clip one nearby goat with a clawed hand before three others open fire. Her body twitches and writhes on the ground as they continue to shoot.

Another, curvy and horned, is gunned down after working out her gag and managing a scream, backing away from her attackers on hands and knees even as they start shooting.

One, easily recognizable as a slime, is shot at for a good thirty seconds before you surmise that they finally manage to hit her core.

Again and again, another and another.

Twelve, by your count, now lying still in the forest clearing. There had been no response over the comms when you had called in the final tally.

The rest, stinking even more of fear now, are loaded into the three trucks. Some requiring shouts, kicks, and prodding at gunpoint. Though most offer no such resistance.

“Following the buyer trucks, don't lose track of the sellers with that chopper.”

“Rodger, Alpha-one. Maintain pursuit.”

>>35251189
Buyers get spooked, go into hiding, and we don't find out where they're getting the hostages from. They start up again later and more people get sold into slavery or worse.

>>35251263

Wait, we're following the buyers?

Fuck.

>>35251318
Wait I think I got it mixed up.

>>35251334
sellers seems to have won from my count

>>35251276
Also, Billy's apparently just the middleman here. The person we really want on that side of the equation is whoever it is that hired him.

>>35251318
>>35251334
Yeah, I was a bit worried about that; the phrasing was a little confusing. You might want to double check which one people wanted to follow.

>>35251345
Yeah following the initial six trucks that now have the currency. I goofed. Writing now.

>>35251263
>Recommend the remainder of Alpha diverge and pursue three trucks after hostages are loaded. Advise you assault en-route and rescue the hostages.”
They are following the buyers

>>35251263
>“Following the buyer trucks, don't lose track of the sellers with that chopper.”
And now its reversed? I think that line is where ya goofed

>>35251401

see >>35251375

>>35246276
so karwayee

File: 1391394122133.jpg (9 KB, 275x183)

9 KB JPG

>>35251375
I have to go to bed, but it's nice to have you back, Papa. Hopefully you'll be able to stick with it for a while this time.


Also, since I will have no more input on the decisions this thread: for the foregoing reasons, I think it's a mistake to follow the currency, and a bigger mistake to attack the sellers.
Our doom is not on my hands!

>>35251661
>I think it's a mistake to follow the currency
You think its a mistake to complete the mission?

Wut

>>35251661
>and a bigger mistake to attack the sellers.
Uhh, the currency guys are the sellers...

Go to bed anon, you clearly need it.

Back on the bike you begin to follow the initial six trucks, maintaining a bit more distance for a while while they retrace their steps back over the mountains. Your companion still as silent as ever. You don't attempt to strike up conversation.

When at last the six trucks finally meet back at the ruin of massive red bricks, they each split off heading on a different vector. You'd already marked the truck carrying the currency, recognizable by a large dent in the front passenger quarter panel.

It takes a rather perilous heading for you when it turns toward village lights in the near distance. You relay that to command and are promptly informed it's a moderately populated agricultural village with no other notable information.

Thankfully, watching from afar, you see the truck skirt around to the northern side of the village, where it scales a small rise and enters a nondescript three story cinderblock and rebar building. The trucks stop and their lights go out.

“Command it looks like we've found the location. Northern edge of village, large walled compound. Six trucks parked outside now.” It's times like these you wish that HOWLnet hadn't died with the wolf government. You could have relayed a picture along with coordinates accurate down to centimeters.

“Copy, Alpha-one. Remainder of Alpha team still in pursuit of vehicles.”

Looks like they're still leaving things in your hands. The Commander had insisted thus when he'd first come to you with the proposition of joining Alpha. You hadn't believed him entirely, and have thus far been wrong.

You know there are at least twelve armed goatmen now inside the building. You glimpse two thermal signatures before those twelve enter, however. Bringing the count up to at least thirteen if you had seen the same individual pass by two separate windows.

An hour ticks by as you continue to watch. Dawn blossoms and gives you what you need, enough light to switch out of thermal and instead use the internal magnification to search for Maqib Al-Zawari. The two Hueys are waiting and ready to go on the tarmac back at command should you find him here and capture him alive.
And at last, some two and a half hours after you had setup watch, you finally see him.

Sitting nearby the one of the top windows, sipping from a clay mug, while a veiled lizardgirl opens the shutters before backing away from him. On the table in front of him, a large stack of standard Union bills.

“Target confirmed, Billy in sight.”

“Alpha group is currently assaulting, you're on your own, Alpha-one. Prove to the rest of them you're the man for this job.” This time instead of the previous droning command-com operator, you recognize the voice of the Commander himself.

“Rodger. Alpha-one moving to seize HVT Billy.”

[ ] Kick in the front door, toss a flashbang, and get to work. Tadaima, motherfuckers.

[ ] That's a real nice wall you've got there. Shame if someone blew it on in all of a sudden

[ ] Enter through the roof. Death from above.

[ ] Other

>>35251902
>[ ] Other
We're with our tarin Expy.

This is a sneaking mission.

Time to go full big boss without a shot fired.

>>35251902
>>35251919

Why the hell not.

>>35251902
>[ ] Kick in the front door, toss a flashbang, and get to work. Tadaima, motherfuckers.

>>35251902
[ ] Kick in the front door, toss a flashbang, and get to work. Tadaima, motherfuckers.

Have Kukri go in through a window and slit their throats while we go in through the front, wreaking havoc and drawing attention.

>>35251902
Seconding >>35252087

But have Kukri infil before us, and setup a distraction

>>35252087
>>35252229

Isn't that just using her as bait?

We just go in together. Many enemies, we can cover each other.

>>35252255
Not as bait, that implies she herself will be the distraction, if she can slip in unnoticed, she can set something up to catch their attention away from the both of us so she can slit throats and we can kick the door in and go to town.

>>35252087
Not a bad plan, but make sure she enters from outside our line of fire and after the flash bang goes off.

>>35251902
>>35252087
This. With her going after billy

Well this anons heading to work now, good to see you back Papa, I'm looking forward to catching up on the thread when I get home tonight, so thanks for the thread.

“You ready?” You ask the succucore still laying beside you watching the compound intently. Her orange eyes turn toward you and she nods.

“We're going to hit them before they have a chance to figure out what's going on. You go in from the top and secure the HVT. Make a little noise and then I'll go in the front and make sure nobody comes up to bother you.”

Whether or not she has any insight, complaints, or the like, you're unsure. Still wordless she rises alongside you as you both start making your way quickly down the rise toward the low wall. Running at full-tilt in the DIRE armor means that by the time you reach the hill, you're already absolutely booking. The last you'd been clocked at was fifty miles an hour. You're not one to brag, but you're pretty sure you're even faster now, even with the degradation of the armor's enhancement systems.

Thus leaping the ten-foot wall isn't so much an obstacle as it is a speed bump. Still, you make sure to land quietly and press your back to the wall, shotgun at a high ready.

Kukri has elected to use her wings, taking flight about halfway down the hill and soaring. She's only a few seconds behind you, landing lightly atop the roof of the structure.

Crouching beside the door and readying one of your nova flashbangs, you wait.

Perhaps two minutes go by while you stay poised. Your heart beat is quick and you know the reason why. It's been a long time since you had a real mission. A long time since you were this wired.

So when you hear a sudden rise of shouts from inside, you know it's time to act.

The door, a rather pitiful thing of plyboard and cheap screws, explodes apart as you give it the boot. Not half a heartbeat later the nova grenade goes sailing inside.

I really need to sleep. Hope the after thread is up still when I'm awake again. Always cool to read your shit papa.

A series of screams follow as those unfortunate enough to be looking directly at it are rendered temporarily blind and deaf. Unlike a standard pre-event flashbang, the nova effects can last as long as half an hour before the senses begin to return. To you though, the grenade does nothing. The systems of the DIRE suit kicking in and blocking out any such negative effects.

Instead you're faced with seven disoriented goatmen. Only one so lucky as to somehow have been shielded from the grenade, standing some twenty feet away and having been behind an island stacked with Union bills.

He goes for his gun and finds himself quite less lucky when about a half pound of tungsten flechettes rip through his torso. Blood spatters across the far wall and you can see light through the wounds before he collapses.

Another of the goatmen throws his hands up and begins babbling something in a language you still don't understand. You don't wait to ask command for a translation before caving his face in with a fist.

The seven die fast. Fast and bloody.

You can hear things thumping against the ground two floors above and start making your way up the stairwell toward the second story. Another goatman confronts you by sticking his AK around the corner and firing blindly. You fire a shell of flechettes which ricochet wildly, some finding their way around the corner. Though the man shouts in pain, he exposes his rifle again.

You toggle the selector switch, rack the action, and send a three thousand grain spike of tungsten through the wall. This time there is no scream, but you can't hear his heart anymore.

The second story proves more of the same. The goats prove poor fighters at best and you're almost bored as you step over a fresh corpse while shoving another shell of flechettes into the left tube of the MK2 as you top it back off.

But still you hear things hitting the floor above, as well as what to you sounds like a blade on meat.

That's more concerning than the last goatman on the second level, who proves no more slug-proof than the last had, the exit wound through his chest about the diameter of a softball.

Leveling the shotgun you check your corners as you reach the top of the stairs, hearing nothing now except three heartbeats. Two fast, one slow and methodical.

What strikes you first aren't the limbs scattered about, the blood awash on the walls, floor and ceiling. Instead it's Kukri, standing silent as she glances over at you before finishing a cut severing a spine from a ribcage clutched in her other hand, before dropping the mess of stringy meat to the floor where it rests with the rest of the few goatmen unfortunate enough to have been up here when she'd come in through the window.

The lizard girl is screaming, backed as far against the most distant wall as she can get, until she finally faints. She too is covered in blood and bone fragments, though she appears unharmed save potential psychological damage.

You spot Billy face-down on the floor with all four limbs popped out of socket and a red welt on the back of his balding head. His eyes follow you but for the moment it doesn't appear he can put up any sort of fight.

Seven on the bottom floor, four up top... You start counting right hands, the only thing you can really discern from the rest.

Eight up here, apparently.

Looking back at her, Kukri does nothing as she meets your gaze and wipes the blood off of her likely substantially dulled knife. Not that it matters much, considering it looks as though she took a hot bath in blood before powdering herself with brain, sinew, and bone fragments.

>>35252990
forgot

>talk/question/action

Anybody still awake? Didn't realize it had gotten this late already.

>>35252990
If we have a knife sharpener somewhere in our gear we should toss it to her after radioing command that we have the target.

>>35252990

To kukri: "Good work."

Call it in: "Alpha One, package is secure, all hostiles down. requesting evac."

>>35252990
Er
Yeah these
>>35253053
>>35253054

>>35253028
I'm here and I'll toss in with >>35253054

>>35253054
This. In the unlikely case she expresses surprise I think this killing is justified. Goons are goons, cut off the head and the body will find a new one. They'll be working for some other villain in a month,

Kukri is love.

Giving the room one more quick-over, you nod your head a few times.

“Nice work.”

Keying the comms you get back on with command.

“HVT Billy confirmed alive and taken. All other threats neutralized. We're ready for the chopper anytime, command.”

“ETA on evac is twenty, Alpha-one.” Command follows.

“Hang tight ya'll, we're a comin.” Confirms the Huey pilot over the sound of screaming rotors.

Paying no mind to the gore beneath you even as you crush what had once either been a pelvis or upper torso perhaps underfoot, you walk over to stand above Al-Zawari. The goat glares up at you but says nothing.

“Don't worry, you can save your breath for now. But,” You tilt your head in the direction of Kukri, “I'm pretty sure she'll get you to talk later.”

“Talk is boring.” She, at long last, puts her thoughts to voice, “Screaming is much better.”

“I was starting to wonder if you had a tongue. You do all this with that little knife?”

You see her tail rising from where it had been, low over the ground, and the mouth of it turns toward you. A mouth with bloodstained teeth, more than one of which still has flecks of muscle stuck to it.

“No.” She offers as the faintest of sly smiles flickers over her lips, “Not all.”

Al-Zawari for his part says nothing, even as the chopper sets down outside nearby. The townsfolk had perhaps known some serious shit was going down, or had heard the initial gunshots and had not gotten curious. Either way, there wasn't another soul to be seen as you loaded on up.

>>35253354
im writing a paper right now...

>>35253354
kukri is dangerous and that makes my heart go doki doki

It's a relatively quiet helicopter ride. The two geared-up commandos across from you exchange a knowing glance which begins and ends their conversation.

You note that Kukri, still dripping, is soaking the seat of the helicopter in the mess. Though judging by a smattering of brown stains all around the interior of the Huey, you venture a guess that it isn't the first time.

There is a small crowd waiting for you when you finally arrive back at the base you'd left a good many hours ago. They hang just at the edge of the rotor wash as the helicopter slows to a land before cutting the engines.

You depart the craft, shoving a hesitant Billy along in front of you as you walk.

The Commander is there to meet you at the edge of the crowd.

“No issues, I see.” He says as his masked face rises to meet your own helmeted one. You think you detect a faint amusement.

“Had you expected any?”

“No.” He laughs once, “Can't say I had.”

Out of the left side of your vision you see an arachne of a small stature come bounding quickly toward you, more jumping than running. She stops short of you, two main eyes sizing you up along with the six smaller ones that resemble little more than blue dots.

“You still look like a wolf to me, but maybe one who isn't quite so bad. And you...” She turns to Kukri and nearly rests a hand atop the shorter girl's head before stopping abruptly.

“Ahh~ahh...” She retracts her hand with its short claws another few inches, “Look like you usually do after a mission. We're giving you a bath, girl...”

Reaching up you trigger the release for your helmet and pull it from atop your head. The sunlight on your skin feels good as does the heat, in stark contrast to the controlled interior temperature of your suit, which you always run a bit on the cool side.

“Mess will be ready in half an hour.” The lamia you recall from earlier, Isalia, says to Mara and Kukri. Though she does turn her head toward you as well.

You find your way back to your own temporary residence after the group disperses enough for you to pass through. Your armor now at 35% charge and ready enough to be plugged in.

Thankfully a large enough generator to charge it had been parked outside your private barn, and you waste no time in beginning to strip. Piece by piece you remove it, until, at last, you're out. It isn't that the armor is uncomfortable in any way, but there isn't a wolf in this world that doesn't prefer the air against his real skin.

Firing up the generator is easy and you leave the armor to charge while you sniff out what can only be the familiar smell of food.

A battle hardened veteran capable of surviving on nothing but any scraps you might dredge up in the wild you might be, but every dog's a sucker for some real chow.

The meal, heaped atop a tray for you by a bored looking dullahan, is still steaming hot. Eggs, sausage, toast, the works. You almost catch yourself drooling.

[ ] Seluth and some rather hardened looking veterans are off at a table near the window. Rather silent as they consume.

[ ] Isalia, ignoring her food, appears to be piecing something together at the table instead. Much to the apparent dismay of those seated near her.

[ ] Sit at a table yourself and see if anyone cares to join you.

>>35253819
>[ ] Sit at a table yourself and see if anyone cares to join you.

>>35253819
>[ ] Sit at a table yourself and see if anyone cares to join you.

>>35253819
>[x] Sit at a table yourself and see if anyone cares to join you.
Lone wolf and all that shit but, really no need to impose.

>>35253819
>[ ] Isalia, ignoring her food, appears to be piecing something together at the table instead. Much to the apparent dismay of those seated near her.

she sorta directed the message to us too. Wonder what her game is.

Looking back on MC's background, he seems to be abit of the good hearted sort. We should inquire about the hostages.

Still new to the crew and not wanting to press them on perhaps beginning to accept you as one of their own, let alone the leader of Alpha, you choose a seat at one of the few empty tables and dig in.

Though there are a few expected stares, for the most part it seems you're being ignored. Or perhaps sized-up.

Either way, you're halfway to a full stomach by the time Mara makes her way into the mess hall, which is actually the briefing room as well.

“It's just a temporary command post while we're in the area, we usually have much nicer accommodations.” The Commander assured you. He is notably absent from the meal, though judging by the lack of reaction to that, you guess it commonplace.

Despite picking up on every tidbit of conversation in the room, you find that little to none of it concerns the mission that had just taken place. And less of it is about you. Though you try to tone it out, you catch pieces here and there.

“I'm so fucking sick of eggs.”

“Dude, Mara totally kicked your ass at basketball. No, being a pig man against a spider doesn't change the fact that you got your ass kicked by a girl.”

“It's 2033 and the Lions still haven't won a superb owl...”
“You hear about that crazy Frost bastard out west? Yeah, stabbed himself right in the chest. No fucking shit it shouldn't have worked, Sherlock. That's what makes it so fucking crazy.”

“18-1.”

“Be honest with me, do these Crye pants make my ass look fat?”

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>>35254005
>“You hear about that crazy Frost bastard out west? Yeah, stabbed himself right in the chest. No fucking shit it shouldn't have worked, Sherlock. That's what makes it so fucking crazy.”

>>35254108

oh, this is post gen-a? excellent. news of the cat girl survivors should be commonplace then

>>35254108
>“You hear about that crazy Frost bastard out west? Yeah, stabbed himself right in the chest. No fucking shit it shouldn't have worked, Sherlock. That's what makes it so fucking crazy.”

yeeeeessss

what does wolf semen taste like

Mara enters from the side door, flanked by two others she seems to be conversing with. You catch her gaze once as she looks a bit hesitantly toward you, food tray in hand, as though concerned. Her frontmost leg... Things... Appendages, working nervously it would seem.

She's pulled away when someone at a table shouts out to her, and her eyes leave you as she spins to address the call.

You see Squeal, the pig-man who had flung his sandwich at you yesterday, glance over your way but make no further hint of interest.

A piece of egg is nearly in your mouth when the far door flies open and all conversation dies a very abrupt death.

All eyes, including your own, turn toward the intruder.

Kukri is still visibly wet. Everything from her fluffy ears and messy hair to her wings and tail still dripping water. Adorned in a white t-shirt and woodland camo cut off into shorts, just revealing enough to leave the best parts to imagination, much of which you detect as most of the men in the room begin practically oozing various mixtures of pheromones.

Despite the obvious elephant in the room being herself, Kukri seems unperturbed as she strides confidently in your direction.

Though you're only really sure she's here to see you when she drags a seat back from the table with the toes of her right, bare foot, and seats herself. Before you can so much as react she has grabbed your cup of milk, given you a hard stare, taken a sip, and proclaimed loudly enough for all to hear:

“You...” She licks the milk off her upper lip and continues to stare, almost squinting as her tongue worries at one of her prominent canines, “I think I like you.”

Someone at a separate table coughs loudly as they nearly choke on their food.

>talk/question/action

>>35254326
Okay.

>>35254326
are we going for the joker character or the stoik and professional one?

>>35254391
Considering this is supposed to be a bit more of darker mood, stoic and professional might fit better. But that's me.

And it was pretty cold thing we did there just watching, what, twelve people getting capped. Mission, blah, blah. Still cold.

>>35254391
A professional with a sense of humor?

We should grin and say at least one of them has taken to us.

>>35254439

Show em them pearly canines

>>35254326

>Action
Finish off the egg. It's not polite to talk with food in the mouth.

>Talk
"Really? Why?"

Well maybe I'll leave that last bit for the next thread. Thread is pretty quiet and I'm winding down myself.

~5pm to almost 3am and if my whismical word machine is right, about 8192 words after all the pre-writing was done. Not bad for the start of MC1 I guess.

I plan to make MC2's portion decidedly lighter and I want to try to take advantage of the relatively unestablished fantasy world setting. Also rolling.

I mean it's fantasyland monstergirl ice vikings, how can that NOT end up lighthearted?

>>35254326
"Would you like some eggs with my milk?"

>>35254525
Also the rum is officially gone.

>>35254541
That's never good.

>>35254525
Give it time, they will realize you're back and things will get crazy once again. Thanks for the run, glad to see you back I've been waiting. This is going to go places I can feel it

>>35254525

Thanks for running Pops.

Good to see you again.

>>35254550
No but I think it did its job in powering me up until it finally ran dry.

>>35254564
It's been a rocky road to recovery but it feels good and too long in the making.

I'll lurk for a while as I eat. After that I'm going to pass out on my Canadian and probably not wake up in time and be dragged to class.

>>35254663
Its good to be back with a real new(ish) quest started that I already have lots of ideas for.

>>35254775
>Thread 1 wrapped up. MC1 2nd thread or do you want a taste of ice viking fantasy with MC2? Weigh in because I can't decide.

Either or, Boss. More operating/get to know the team would be fun but ice viking fantasy seems like it would be a riot.

Also, anyone Archive this yet?

>>35254940
It isn't on suptg yet

>>35254900
Ice Viking quest will probably be [spoilers]fluffy[/spoilers]

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>>35255050
You have failed at spoilers. Also fluffy you say?

>>35255050
>s
Hot damn did I fuck that up. I blame Jerry, that fucking sailor.

>>35255082
Yes fluffy

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>>35255106

>>35255106

kukri is a chimera or a succubus?

>>35255176
Half manticore half succubus

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>>35255176
>manticore-succubus

This anons at work and just caught up, haven't been able to participate but wanted to say thanks for running Papa, fun as always

For the next thread I'd say maybe spend some time with MC1, know the team a bit better then switch to MC2

>>35255208
This is better than what I had pictured mmmm.. First minotaur/lamia gf now this.. you anons are great..

As for MC's I'd prefer to stick with this one and either finish it or have the other mc be like a once a month thing or something. Just so things don't get confusing. But really I'm fine with what ever.

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>>35255374
>This is better than what I had pictured
What did you have pictured?

>>35255408
Skimpy looking lion girl with bat wings. Didn't know what a Manticore was tbh.

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>>35255427
>Didn't know what a Manticore was tbh

There's always Google.

>>35255427
Now imagine these

>>35255408
>>35255208
Only flatter, a bit less fluffy all over, and with a thiner tail and horns.

My basic idea of Kukri. Was trying to draw it a few days ago. Didn't get that far. Previous attempt that I posted to Twitter was shit.

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>>35255472
>a bit less fluffy all over
Well that's no fun.

>>35255498
It's only a bit. And in a good exchange for succubus benefits.

>>35255447
I did google it, thats where the lion part came from.
>>35255472
Thats what I pictured when I saw these pictures.

I gotta say that tail sickens but also makes me curious... I don't think I'd last long in monstergirl land.

>>35255520
[touch toothy spike-covered tail]

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>>35255514
I guess... succubus a shit

Alright, someone don't forget this >>35254940

Once more thanks for running mate. Catch you next time.

>>35254940
Time to learn how to archive.

Alright I'm crashing hard. See you all in the next thread.

>>35255648
Night bro

>>35255628
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Generation%20A

And done hope its right.

http://imgur.com/a/iM4w3#0
I'll...Uh, just leave that there for anyone who wants it....

>>35255648

Next thread when, Papa-N?

Also, what exactly is this outfit? A group of peacekeepers? Under whos auspice and whats the goal?

>i missed it
Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck

>>35255648
>Finally woke up

Thanks Papa-N, this was fun.