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>>35872679
"Take it," Anode insists, having caught up and flagged you down, trying to return your flambard again. "If you run into Shiva--"

"Shiva's gone, remember? Besides, if he comes back, I'll be alone, so I'm dead anyway," you reply. ... Anode, too, come to think of it. "Seriously, you keep it. You're more likely to need it than I am."

He pauses a second, clearly not ready to let it go, the stubborn bastard. "...What about the lance, then?"

"Don't you use that for zappy shit?" you ask. "That wouldn't do me much good."

"CAN use it for zappy shit, it's an option. And no, but the phase would," Anode points out. Okay, true. Being able to negate 90% of incoming fire would make your job a hell of a lot easier, but...

[ ] No way. Refuse both. He's still too new to this, he needs options open.
[ ] Take the flambard. It's your heaviest hitter.
[ ] Take the lance. It'd make most defense trivial.

>>35872704
[X] Take the lance. It'd make most defense trivial.

It's back~

Whooo, MHQ!

From a meta perspective, it's unlikely that Anode is going to get killed off when we aren't controlling him, so we should take at least one piece of gear.

But from an IC perspective, that's not what Em would do, and he's a badass anyway. So I cast my vote for:

[x] No way. Refuse both. He's still too new to this, he needs options open.

>>35872704
>[ ] Take the lance. It'd make most defense trivial.
Welcome back HC

>>35872704
[ ] Take the flambard. It's your heaviest hitter.

>>35872679
>Take the lance. It'd make most defense trivial.

Swallow your pride and just take it. Covering your weakness for this one mission doesn't put your brother and sister in any danger, and makes it more likely for you to see them again.

>>35872679
>[ ] Take the lance. It'd make most defense trivial.

>quest starts
>I need to sleep
depressing as always

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>>35872704
>[ ] Take the flambard. It's your heaviest hitter.
Fuck yeah, best quest is back!

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I HAD A BUNCH OF ART I FORGOT TO UPLOAD FUCK

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>>35872928
HUMANZ

>>35872679
Happy Halloween, Command.
>No way, refuse both.
Anode's tough but he needs all the help he can get.

[X ] Take the lance. It'd make most defense trivial.

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>>35872942

>>35872942
Some of those are pretty damn Metal Gear.

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>>35872953
AND THE LAST

>>35872704
>Take the Lance.

Always great to see MHQ running.

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>>35872953
Oh god, my sides.

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>>35872679

Aw yiss, new MHQ

>>35872679
Youuuuuuu motherfucker

TWO MONTHS. TWO MONTHS!

And I bet you expect me to come crawling back like a beaten housewife. Well too bad, because I am going to do exactly that, but in an extremely indignant fashion.

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>>35873046
I'm sorry, man, I really am. I want to run more often than I do, but life keeps happening. This time we had the art ready almost immediately, but then the hangups were all on my end.

[ ] Take the lance. It'd make most defense trivial.
Time to stop being full retard, Em. It's ok to keep a little of it, though.

yay caught one at the start

[ ] Take the lance. It'd make most defence trivial.
time to stab stuff

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>>35873046
>two months

at least it wasn't two years wwwwwwwww

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>>35873207
>planefag
>the year of our lord twenty-hundred and fourteen

>>35873046
I'm saving this post for every MHQ to come.

>>35872704
>Take the lance. It'd make most defense trivial.

Not worrying as much about defense means getting to go all out with other things and surviving for the next mission. All for survival here.

>>35872942
That Spin Jagwire

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>>35872948
>>35872890
>>35872852
>>35872796
>>35872755
>>35873006
>>35873167
>>35873184
>>35873301
You grimace. He's not going to let this one drop. All right, fine, he did listen when you asked him to let the upgrade shit go earlier, though you doubt you've heard the end of it.

"All right, all right," you relent. "But you keep the flambard. That way you don't have to rely on your charge to hit hard." You take the lance and give it a quick roll in your arm, reminding yourself of the balance and feel--this thing is disproportionately heavy, even for a two-hander. Probably all the conducting shit inside. Still, good feel to it, nice heft, and it's going to make your life a lot easier, you have to admit that.

"Thanks, Em," he says. "I worry about you, you know?"

Bleh. "Yeah, you, Schwarz, and Saph and Diamond. While we're worrying about people, just remember to use your mobility if you're under fire, knocking shots out of the air ought to be your last option."

"Yes, mother," Anode replies dryly. "And--hold on, that's Spider telling me to get my ass in gear."

You're probably due for a nastygram yourself, if you don't get in gear. "All right. See you later, Anode. That's an order, okay? Don't die."

"Little dude finally remembered his rank, huh?" Anode says with a grin as he turns to go. "Will do, sir."

Heh. Asshole.

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>>35873417
As you jog back, you stow the lance--Anode wears the thing on his hip, but he's also got like a foot more hip than you do, so you rearrange your back mounts and sling it across one shoulder. You'll be able to grab and lever it for a fast, tight swing, good for close-quarters or sudden defense. It'll work.

As you return to the hunter forward position, you key comms. "You said you had something for me, Spider?" you ask.

"I do," he replies swiftly (and with a faint hint of annoyance). "Your dossier says you have experience with hostage rescue, yes?"

"Uh, if you want to call it that," you reply hesitantly. "But, I mean, I'm not trained for it or anything--"

"Good, because we're not negotiating. Get back here, this isn't going out over comms."

Spider looks as impatient in person as he sounded. You see him eye your banged-up armor critically, but opts not to say anything about it. Instead, he motions for you to follow. "I'm told you have a brother in the Seventh, Captain. Did he ever introduce you to Seek Parrot?"

"Seek? Shi--Er, yes, I know Seek Parrot." You also know he's on this mission--you saw him in the crowd before deployment.

"Right. He's gone missing."

Aw, hell. "KIA?"

"No, that would be expected. We found one of his repeater drones, and had Fifth reverse the feed." He shows you an image on a small portable viewer--a grainy image of a hallway from this facility, covered in scorches and damage. Lying just left of center is Parrot, critically wounded, missing an arm--but alive. "We've been unable to raise him on comms," Spider continues, "him and several other prominent officers. Some are probably dead, but... we have good reason to believe the enemy is attempting live capture."

Jesus. "That is not good news."

Spider sets down the device and folds his arms (the ones with hands, anyway) behind his back. "Quite. Which is why I'm tasking you to investigate Parrot's last known location. Any questions, Captain?"
>?

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And now that the vote for taking weapons is done, Em's character sheet.

Captain Emerald, A-rank, 4th Overland Quartermaster

WEAPONRY:
Dueling Sabers: A matched pair of shorter lo-beam blades, mounted over either shoulder, designed to be quickly drawn, ignited, and used for prolonged melee engagements.
Dual-Phase Rapier: An experimental project, this rapier (worn on the right hip) is a long-bladed hi-beam weapon capable of quick, precise strikes. When disengaged, a secondary battery/emitter assembly in the the hilt can be engaged, producing a lo-beam “bellguard” through a ring. This is still a beam field and can be used defensively or even offensively while the main battery regains charge.
Elbow Kris: As the name suggests, this weapon is mounted on the right elbow, hilt outward. It produces a small but highly cohesive blade. Easily used in a press and designed with a trick-release for snap-draws.
Reinforced Hilt: The hilt of the saber itself has been weaponized, the external casing replaced with a composite alloy, tapered to a murderous point. Aim for vulnerable spots.
Hi-Volt: Boot (left) mount. This short fighting knife, modeled after a dirk, provides both high hitting power and an atypically long-lasting battery. Able to both attack and defend at length, in the right hands this weapon is a match for blades several times its size.
Lightning Prongs: Derived from Thunder Ram’s DNA data, running up twin secondary emitters around the main blade fixture has provided an option for short-lived bursts of electrical energy. The addition of a secondary battery allows this to minimize its impact on overall battery life. However, though the dirk itself may remain operational for some time, the electrical effect is easily taxed and may run down with overuse.

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>>35873472
WEAPONRY (CONT.):
Hertzbalger: A short arming sword, left-side hip, lo-beam, reconfigured with adapted weapons data.
Ultrasonic Frequency: Using the sound modulation data taken from Rock Zombie, the blade produced resonates at high frequency, cutting into targets deeper and more grievously. Successive hits can worry away armor or exact an above-average toll on a phaseshift shielding system. Best used to compromise heavy defense, rather than exploit openings.
Buster: Emerald is equipped with a stock buster, capable of mid-grade charge.
Ascent Lance: Secondary back mount, right shoulder. Borrowed from Anode, this lo-beam has an unusually large projected field and a longer haft, making it necessary to wield two-handed. It's eminently wieldable, however, and the additional leverage allows it to hit with a great amount of force.
Conduit: The Ascent Lance is designed with Anode's C. Capacitor in mind, able to transfer electrical energy through channels along the hilt. Lacking any such weaponry, Emerald cannot make use of this feature.
Phase: The adaptation of Guns Wallaby's experimental phase data creates a crackling wake of distortion wherever the lance's blade passes. The magnetic bubbles that envelop conventional buster shots are destabilized and fizzle out on contact with this trail.

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>>35873493
GENERAL:
Phase Shielding: Emerald’s light armor is supported by a basic energy shielding system.
Emergency Acceleration System: Although a standard-level system, Emerald’s unusually lightweight frame receives considerable momentum from his EAS.
Multiple Redundancies: Nearly every system in Emerald’s body is designed to continue functioning unimpaired despite any level of damage up to total destruction. He can thus continue to function unimpeded despite grievous bodily harm.
Secondary Subprocessor: Nicknamed a “second brain,” this computer suite helps coordinate battlefield information, beam-in telemetry data, global positioning, rangefinding, velocity (both the unit’s own, and of people, objects, or even projectiles), and more. It provides greatly heightened battlefield awareness and boosts Emerald’s already prodigious reaction times to inhuman speeds.
Repulsor Gauntlet: By adapting Tumult Terapin’s considerable defensive systems, Emerald has produced a glove that emits a repulsor field along its major planes. It can serve as a shield against incoming attack or, with care, used to even ‘grasp’ a beam blade for short periods.

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>>35873514
>Multiple Redundancies: Nearly every system in Emerald’s body is designed to continue functioning unimpaired despite any level of damage up to total destruction. He can thus continue to function unimpeded despite grievous bodily harm.

No wonder he's made it all the way up to A from, what was it, C? Now if only he'd stop being so pigheaded about upgrading his systems, he could finally live the dream of being the first S to have started as a C.

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And since it ate the formatting, here's a more digestible look at Em's weapon loadout:

Dueling Sabers
Dual-Phase Rapier
Elbow Kris (Reinforced Hilt)
Hi-Volt (Lightning Prongs)
Hertzbalger (Ultrasonic Frequency)
Buster
Ascent Lance (Conduit, Phase)

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>>35873010
I got a bit lazy with the middle one, but I didn't want to take the time to color gale's one image. Im no good at that.

>>35873568
If only Anode knew that, we could look into getting him some redundant eyes.

>>35873435
>Speculation of unit disposition?
Something is better than going in blind.

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>>35873435
>Do we know what mav forces are in that area?
>Anyone else I should be keeping an eye out for while I'm at it?

>>35873514
>Multiple Redundancies: Nearly every system in Emerald’s body is designed to continue functioning unimpaired despite any level of damage up to total destruction. He can thus continue to function unimpeded despite grievous bodily harm.

oh so Em is a robot zombie good to know

>>35873435
I just realized I'm retarded...
Didn't notice that this was an input promt.

>>35873435
Who's missing? Any sort of pattern to it, traits or skillsets they seem to be prioritizing?

>>35874085
Knowing who's been grabbed also tells us something about who's doing the grabbing. What sort of enemy could beat people with these skills?

>>35873900
Seems pretty legit considering it's Halloween and all, nice touch.

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>>35873863
>>35873889
>>35874085
>>35874155
You stop and think this one over. Every single hunter on this op is an A-rank. Shit, an A-rank or higher. Anyone (or several anyones) capable of grabbing them is bad news. "Any guesses on enemy layout over there?"

"It's deeper within the facility," Spider says. "The teams that have made it the furthest in have reported heavy-duty mechaniloids. Very heavy duty. Very well entrenched."

Okay, mechaniloids you can deal with, even the obnoxiously tanky ones. You saw some head gunners--the custom ones, with the secondary weapons and the better armoring. You can probably expect more of those. Probably more nasty surprises than that, too.

"Anything else to look for in the area?"

"Any signs that can tell you what you're up against. And, of course, for any captured hunter forces. Personally I'm not expecting much--my first hunch is that they have a data retrieval specialist and they're getting intel via... intrusive methods." Oh boy, mindfucks.

"Who's missing? Do we know?"

"Not well. Intel is a ragged mess," Spider explains. "The only confirmed MIAs are Parrot and Planck, with--"

"16th R&D," you say with a nod. "Schw--err, Major Schwarzhund told me about him. He's an anti-plasma specialist, right?"

Spider raises an eyebrow. "In as many words as you'll get about classified abilities, yes. He's sometimes called in for cover against heavy plasma fire."

"And Parrot was missing an arm. Clean cut, too. Makes me think it's a melee specialist. I'm guessing either very large, very powerful, or both, given the lack of any roughness to that wound. Could it be Shiva?"

"Negative," Spider replies. "From his prior behavior, we don't think it likely. And I don't know that anyone would survive a cut from his melee weapons. Shield overload."

"Good point."

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>>35874494
"As for more intelligence, I'm attempting to determine confirmed killed versus missing, but I'm relying on reports from units on the ground, and comms this deep into enemy territory are spotty. I have at least ten reports to sift through, but I would imagine more of them are killed than captured."

Great, 10 A (or S) hunters gone, in one form or another. "Any patterns to them?"

"None. They all have remarkably different capabilities. Part of the reason I'm sending you is the possibility of specialized stun weaponry. And your high-mobility, low impact tactics make you less likely to get captured yourself." He casts another critical look at your damaged chassis. "Or so I'm told."

Yeah, thanks, asshat. "Will you be updating me as I go?"

"No. Casualty reports and the possibility of captives are not information I'm willing to disclose over comms. Likewise, try to avoid specifics if you can get into contact with me at all. Feel free to report enemy markup and a verified sighting of the maverick or mavericks responsible. Otherwise, engage at your discretion."

Now visibly impatient, Spider turns back to his temporary desk. "If there's nothing further?"
>?

>>35874516
>Do we have any support on this one?
I didn't see any mention of allied forces.

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GOTTA GO TO WORK SOON SO I DIDN'T GET MUCH DONE ON THIS

BUT HERE HAVE ANOTHER EM ATTEMPT

>>35874494
this pic bother me because Juno has nothing to do with zero or bass

>>35874516
I'm guessing extreme prejudice? but what's the main goal allies extraction or enemy termination?

>>35874516
>I'm going in alone?

>>35874516
How big is Parrot compared to Emerald? If he's a fatty, our skinny ass is going to have fun trying to evac him. Assuming he's not dead when we reach him.

>>35874516
>Do we have clearance to take these guys out if we have to engage?

>>35874516
I can't think of anything.

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>>35874578
>>35874724
>>35874721
>>35874754
"Just a bit before I'm on my way, anything nonclassified I'll shoot to you over comms," you say.

Spider sighs. "I'd rather you didn't, but very well."

"I'm going in alone, yeah?"

"Correct. If you don't report back I'll task a fireteam after you, but that won't be for some time. And their priority will be securing a presumably enemy-held ingress route."

Lovely. "What's my priority, rescue or neutralizing hostiles?"

"Whichever you can do best with the situation at hand. Use your agency, Captain."

"Right. So I take it that also means I'm cleared to engage?"

"As I said, use your discretion as well." You can practically see him bite back an additional comment. "If it does happen to be Shiva, you're to fall back, as before." Not that it'd probably make much difference if it was just you and him.

"Gotcha. I'm on my way." You throw in a salute (not that you think he really earned one) and make for the position he marked for you.

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>>35875063
He wasn't joking about it being deeper into the facility. You run for a good five minutes. You know Planck is S-rank, from what Schwarz told you, so this isn't good news. Then again, it sounds like he went up against something against his specialty, or so your gut tells you. Your gut also tells you that they're not "extracting intel," but you don't know what they're doing. Capture and conversion? They're not likely to try a hostage exchange. It's going to be ugly, whatever it is--you'd rather die than get captured by mavs. You suspect, grimly, that any hunter they have their hands on probably thinks (thought?) the same.

You pause midstride as you feel a faint vibration through your boots. For a moment, you think it might be Shiva doing some high-power excavation again, but the frequency is too low--and too weak--to be his giant fuckoff plasma cannons. You come to a halt and put a hand to the stone floor. Low and constant sound, no variance. That's a drill waying, and you're close to it. Are they going to collapse tunnels, or--

Or maybe they're blocking off a path. No hunters have been here since Parrot came through.
>Stop and look for signs of battle.
>No time to delay. Battle's going to be ahead, not here.

It's so good to be back!

>>35875126
>Call in the drilling
>No time to delay. Battle's going to be ahead, not here.

>>35875149
Good to have you back

>>35875126
>Where there's one drill waying, there's more. Investigate to make sure you don't get cut off if you need to pull out.

>>35875149
Welcome back!

>>35875126
>Call it in and listen for more drills as you move. Investigate if it comes closer or you get the jist something's coming. We've got people to attempt to save here.

>>35875126
>>Stop and look for signs of battle.

When battles often come down to rock paper scissors you can't pass up a chance to know what the enemy is going to throw.

>>35875126
>Stop and look

>>35875411
>Stop and Look

I agree with this. I don't want to get ruined because of a lack of information. Again.

>>35875126
>Stop and Look

Nothing is gunning for us specifically, but it would be bad to be caught in the crossfire of another battle or a Maverick with a plan. Exercise caution, and report everything suspicious, no matter how mundane.

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>>35875243
>>35875411
>>35875473
>>35875547
You can practically hear Schwarzhund in the faint tremor through your fingertips. Look around, it/he barks. Use your head.

...Heh, barks.

True enough, though, you weigh the possibilities and decide it's best not to risk being captured or killed yourself in the hopes of saving a few seconds. Or a life. Ergh.

The walls are mostly more factory. No assembly in here, just a hastily-built tunnel with reinforcement all the way through, top, bottom, and sides. Up ahead--you recognize a rent in the wall from the footage of Seek's drone, a small bit of rocky soil crumbling through the broken metal surface. That was where it was. You move ahead, listening for the waying (the vibrations having finally stopped).

The site of Parrot's battle has very little to say for it. Still, you recognize a few things--a few scraps of destroyed drones, a metallic "feather" or two, and some scorch marks, presumably from Seek's weaponry. Running a finger across it and picking up the soot, wall beneath unharmed, you wonder if he sent that drone away to bring word of his fate to command.

There are a few damaged sections of wall--not heavily so, but they look as if they took strikes from a beam weapon, probably a decent hi-beam. You don't remember Parrot having much in the way of a close-quarters game, so your hunch about an enemy melee specialist is still bearing out. Even with very little to go off, calling on what Schwarz taught you has let you piece together, roughly, how the battle went.

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>>35875766
Seek is a flyer, but this tunnel doesn't have enough vertical clearance for his maneuverability. Same deal with his drones--he probably couldn't bring them to bear in full effect without more space. The battle zig-zagged a little, but Seek was either unable or unwilling to disengage. He got caught near a wall and hit, hard, probably by the big chunk of missing metal where the saber blow impacted. That's probably what took off his arm, and presumably, took him out.

Nasty way to go.

Your little forensics lesson comes to an end, however, as you're about to comm info back to Spider. The only warning is the faint whoosh of ordnance leaving its tube. You spring to the side as a small explosive charge impacts out of the darkness in front of you. Even if you hadn't heard the distinctive sound of it landing, that weapon is currently carried by only one mechaniloid type, the ever-annoying, ever-purple Notor Banger.

The little thing is like someone strapped a mortar to a snail and gave it grasshopper legs. All it can really do is jump and shoot. Sad, really, but there's never just one of them around.

Drill Wayings and Notor Bangers. Light harassing forces, not good for much other than stalling for time.
>Go in with the dueling sabers--they're versatile enough to keep you covered against most threats.
>Hit hard and fast with the hi-volt. If they're stalling, you need to unstall.
>Lance is no good against solid projectiles, but you may as well get familiar with it before the heavy stuff hits.
>Other?

>>35875809
>Go in with the dueling sabers
Coverage is good; these things might be bait of some sort.

>>35875809

>Hit hard and fast with the hi-volt. If they're stalling, you need to unstall.

If they are taking captives, they need to guard their rear until they make a getaway with their prisoners, presumably for interrogation, or worse. Lets not let that happen to our comrades, but also keep an eye out so the same doesn't happen to us...

>>35875809
>Go in with the dueling sabers, but be prepared to switch quick to the hi-volt and finish this sooner rather than later.

>>35875809
>Go in with the dueling sabers--they're versatile enough to keep you covered against most threats.

Thanaroa
> All it can really do is jump and shoot.

Even if this is the case, deep in a maverick factory where new kinds of threats emerge from every corner is not the place to get complacent. These could be Notor Banger Customers, or a distraction for a more serious threat. We need to dispatch these guys quickly (the dueling sabers would be a good choice), but also be wary of some kind of trick.

>>35875809
>Go in with the dueling sabers--they're versatile enough to keep you covered against most threats.

Man, I needed this. Good to see the quest itself still kicking.

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>>35876127
Yeah, I kinda needed it too. Thanks and welcome back, Sky. Good to hear from you.

Back now and writing, made a coffee run.

>>35875809
Go in with the dueling sabers. This is likely their first wave of defense. If we rush too fast, we will waste our gear against these guys. Still, try and do it strategically. Push through, disable, and keep moving. We don't need to be flashy or strong, just efficient.

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>>35875849
>>35875884
>>35875940
>>35876108
>>35876127
>>35876217
You keep listening to the advice your unfriendly local ace drilled into your head, and play to versatility. The notor banger angles its cannon on you and fires, but you've already moved, dashing underneath the lobbed explosive's arc as you draw. Rather than commit to a punchthrough, you opt to take a shallow cut, striking it on the side as you move past it, then turn and make a counterstroke, cutting the thing in half. No others attack you--probably just a scout, but it probably managed to report what it saw, too.

"Enemy contact," you send back to base, hand hovering over your other saber to snap it alight for defense. "Light 'loids and drill wayings. Not sure if they're behind me, care to send someone to check?"

"When I can spare them," Spider replies crisply. So, probably never. "Proceed as planned."

You advance ahead, and sure enough, you see the first of the wayings, barring the way through a narrowing in the tunnel. Behind it, your gaze is met by intelligence in the eyes of the enemy--maverick Reploids. Not terribly well-armored, but they know they have a choke point. You can see them training their busters to fire the instant you go through the Waying. At least two you can see, probably another. All weaponized civ models.

>Go in fast, they're buying time to dig in further.
>Take it slow--they can't fire until the waying's down, you'll be ready for them.
>Other?

I'm partial to a short omake at the end of the thread about spoopy shenanigans at Hunter HQ, since it's Halloween and all.

>Grach and India scaring some rookies during an exercise
>Ghost stories with Schwarz

>>35876349
>Go in fast, they're buying time to dig in further.
A moment stalling is a moment Parrot remains a Maverick POW, and that's unacceptable.

>>35876349
>Go in fast, they're buying time to dig in further.
Giving them any sort of extra time opens up a whole fucking universe of unpleasant possibilities for them to set up, and does very little for us due to not many reinforcements to spare.

>>35876349

Civ models probably are not up to spec to take on us, but we shouldn't let our guard down. There could be a real threat mixed in with the group. If I were planning an ambush or counter-offensive, I'd lure us in with a soft encounter like the Mechaniloids, then a slightly tougher wave to get the victim into a false sense of security. Then hit 'em with my A-Class goons.

>>35876349
>Go in fast, they're buying time to dig in further.

>>35876349
Wait, they are all close together, in a choke hold, with likely low level guns en mass plus little real armor?

Get the lance ready, rush in, and clean house. Any fire they try will be wiped away. Dash and Slash!

>>35876349
>Go in fast, they're buying time to dig in further.

There's a point in waiting but that's probably a waste of time at this point. Take them out before they have time to warn others.

>>35876349
>Go in fast, Ascent Lance at the ready.

>>35876349
>Go in fast, they're buying time to dig in further.

Mobility is our asset here.

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>>35876437
>>35876445
>>35876459
>>35876473
>>35876475
>>35876482
>>35876496
Not a hard decision. Once you start moving, you have to stay moving.

The Waying is the toughest obstacle, actually taking two full hits as the lance snaps back and forth. The phase does its job as well as you'd hoped--none of those mavericks were charging. They open up with a full salvo, filling the air with a wall of plasma that peters out miserably before it even comes close. You tear through it, none the worse for wear.

It's not even close, really. One broad slash and their meager shielding collapses, the lance powering through in a sweeping two-handed swing. The last remaining civ model tries to level his buster on you again, but by now you're in close. You lower the blade flat and skewer him.

It doesn't feel good. He didn't really stand a chance, but you can't stop and dwell on it.

In the distance you feel more vibrations--a whole line of drill wayings. It seems as though you caught the very end of a new line they're trying to fortify. That would explain the lack of resistance, but it's sure to ramp up as you go, as they have time to set up. You can already here the mechaniloids massing down the hall. And more than that, you have to make another decision. Waiting out each of the drill wayings and safely destroying them will take a long, long time--time enough for reinforcements and time for them to do... something, with their captives.

>Nothing catches you on the move. Attack on the run.
>If you don't come home, nobody comes home. Go slow.

>>35876891
>Nothing catches you on the move. Attack on the run.

>>35876891
>Nothing catches you on the move. Attack on the run.
Can't really afford to stall in enemy territory like this. Trust our mobility and redundancies.

>>35876891
>Nothing catches you on the move. Attack on the run.

We need to get whoever we can out of here before something worse happens.

>>35876891
Attack on the run. If need be, use what you can to minimize damage and possibly slow them down or take a few down. I'm not liking how this is turning out.

>>35876891
>>Nothing catches you on the move. Attack on the run.

I hate making this decision because I know it will get Em beat to shit, but we really don't have the time!

Hell yeah, it's back.

>>35876891

>Nothing catches you on the move. Attack on the run.

>>35876891
>Nothing catches you on the move. Attack on the run.

I at least get to cast one vote before I have to leave >__<

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>>35876963
>>35877008
>>35877029
>>35877087
>>35877155
>>35877342
>>35877393
Okay. Enough. The stall stops now.

Start moving, stay moving. Keep moving. Play to your strengths.

You build momentum as you stow the lance, a walk into a trot into a sprint, triggering your EAS and launching into the air. You catch the first of the wayings in your path as its "face" is rocketing up the pole to lock into place. Your hi-volt punches clean through it and its bar, and you clear the thing amid a swarm of scrivers. Still light chaff--you don't even stow the dirk, instead making a broad sweep around you on the move. One is cut in half as it jumps at you, another falls away, clearing your path. You clear the rest with another dash and come up short, landing at the base of another drill bar. This time you wheel your saber and cut down a notor banger--another opens fire from behind you, forcing you to kip backwards, twist, and bear down on it. That gives you time and distance enough to vault and cut down the waying. No more Reploids, yet--that was probably a scouting party, maybe trying to recon and place those drills, maybe looking for remnants Parrot might have left behind.

The last of the Wayings has already returned to a resting state, content to just be cut down with a quick one-two of your left hand saber. You stow it, leaving the dirk at the ready as you advance.

You feel the walls open out away from you, retreating into the dark on either side. Only a few electrical lights from equipment in the darkened room strobe through the black. There's--

You react as soon as you hear it, wheeling around and bringing your dirk up to answer a threat from behind. Startled (if not exactly surprised), the maverick levels his weapon on you. A Lanceteamer Bingo.

"Freeze." He didn't say it. There's another one. Behind you.

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>>35877500
You look back and forth, each training their bulky shoulder/arm combination P880 busters on you. You can hear them building charge. "Drop it, hunter." You glance left and right--you can see two more shapes at the edges of your vision. A full squad of maverick LTBs, well-trained and coordinated. This is going to be ugly.
>What do you do?

>>35877544
Time to put that lance to use, well trained means they will react immediately to movement and follow where we go.

Since they are all around us... the only way to go is up.

Is it possible we could leap the fuckers, use the lance's phasing to soak the brunt of it, and make for the nearest hallway? Would stop them from having us surrounded, which would simplify matters.

>>35877544
We have the elbow kris and the repulsor knuckle along with our other hidden weaponry. We won't be able to block the charge with the spear, but throwing a LTB at the lot and forcing them to lose charge can help.

Basically, lure one in, then grapple and throw the bugger at the enemy so you can get into melee range and deal with them.

>>35877544
The only reason they aren't shooting yet is that they want you alive, use that you your advantage. You have your Elbow Kris, that's pretty concealed. Pretend to surrender and gut whoever gets close with it. Whip out the lance and defend with it once the remaining start shooting at you.

>>35877544

The lance seems ideal given the circumstances.
And we can't have them surround us, time to dash to safety.

>>35877755
This is good, but they may be expecting us to actually drop our weapons which could be a hassle.

>>35877876
Not if we drop the lance near our feet, so we can kick it back up into our hands swashbuckler style.

>>35877755
>>35877970
Liking these so far, so we've got a lot to work with.

>>35877544
If he wants you to freeze, that is the last thing you should be doing.

We are one durable squirt, so we could probably take these guys without too much trouble.

On the other hand, we could ask a couple probing questions... find out what they're going to do with us when we do "drop it," and then weigh our options. If they want to take us in, we could send a text-only to Spider, letting him know we've decided to play along and infiltrate.

>>35877724
This, pretty much. Gank the immediate threats with your hidden arsenal, then clear out.

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>>35877724
>>35877755
>>35877863
>>35877970
>>35878673
>>35877876
>>35879200
You don't want to hear what the Schwarz in your head has to say for this scenario.

You know it's exactly what you're going to do, though.

You drop your dirk, ready to move if they decide to open fire anyway. They won't, though--they saw the state of your armor and assumed you're already injured. Either an opportunity grab, or they're trained specifically to make captures. You doubt this is the bunch that got Parrot, though--no damage on any of them, and no A-rank would go down without a fight.

"The rest too," the lead LTB orders.

"Can't," you reply, not needing to fake the tension in your voice. "Elbow mount's a trick release."

After a moment, one of the four advances to disarm you, reaching out. The other three keep their weapons up. You stare down the point man's barrel, silently tallying up the megajoules building that charge. And, all at once, you lash out.

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>>35879345
You drive your elbow into the face of the "disarming" LTB, feeling the click of the knife's release mechanism. The LTBs pull their triggers, but you're already moving--your other arm snaps your beam-rapier up from your hip, catching him in the midsection as he stumbles backwards. You split him across the middle, the room falling to slow-motion as you take in each Reploid's position, each projectile launched your way. The rapier blade dies as quickly as it came out as you engage the secondary emitters, rounding out the motion and catching one of the two charged shots. You twist around, catching it square on the projected bellguard--it sparks and strains, clearly taxing the system, but it holds. The second charged shot narrowly misses you as you engage your EAS. Rapid-fire plasma comes from the third LTB as he attempts to get distance from you. Unfortunately, another mode change on your rapier, and the very edge of the long blade catches him through the middle as it ignites. He falters as your dash outstrips his flight and shunts the beam through to the hilt.

The remaining two are already loosing two more charged shots, aimed in deadly tandem, but not fast enough. You cut the rapier beam, freeing yourself from the second body as you leap clear of the two shots. The two of them realize that they won't be able to catch you in a crossfire with their preferred charge shots, not without the two men you downed. One switches to rapid-fire, trying to hedge you in so his friend can line up a heavy hit.

Anode's lance comes up and to the ready. You can see the shock, and then the understanding, and then the resignation flash in his eyes. You should be thankful that you took this from Anode, because this could have been a very different battle. Should.

Neither gives up, one lunging for your dirk as he sends a barrage at you. The other snapping a beam bayonet active, building another plasma charge as he does.
>

>>35879376
Finish this. Fake them out and spear them through with the lance.

>>35879376
>Time to finish them. Spear at least 1 if not both through and failing that, lance one to use as a shield against the other and take them out.

>>35879376
Take care of the dirk grabber first. Not sure if we can fling the dirk at the other guy, but throwing his team mate at him might work as well. Really, don't let them decide the course, force them to follow you and take them down then and there.

>>35879605
> Dirk grabber

Misread that for a moment, was about to read Hunter Command the riot act.

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>>35879517
>>35879596
>>35879605
It's almost automatic at this point, just simple, practiced motions. You solve the fight like a puzzle, now that it's been declawed by the sudden loss of half its combatants. The two remaining LTBs are very well-practiced in covering one another--each time you attempt to close on one, they attempt to dissuade you with supporting fire. With the ascent lance, you cannot be suppressed, and with half the shooters, they can't overwhelm you from all sides. Rather than be deterred, you bear down on a selected target and prosecute your attack. The third--trying to destroy your dirk, you realize dimly--goes down with another swift one-two and crumples. The fourth and final LTB gets one last charge shot off, the last he'll ever take as you bring the lance around and up, hacking through the shoulder linkup, sending a chain of explosions through his side. He collapses as your dash comes to an end and you turn back to see him struggle to face you.

His entire body twitching and sparking, rage in his eyes, the lone remaining LTB tries to fire again, killing himself as it sends a chain-reaction through his damaged buster and finally overloads his core. Silence falls as the light of the death-explosion fades from the walls, leaving you in the dark, broken up only by those blinking lights on the walls.

"... Sorry," you find yourself murmuring faintly.

"Captain," your comms crackle. It's Spider. "Status? You stopped moving."

You can't stay here. You still have a job to do.

"Enemy fireteam," you report. "Damage negative," you reply.

"Get moving then, would you please. There is something of a time crimp." Click.

...Yes, sir.

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>>35880476
You recollect your dirk and stow it. One last check--the lance is fine, but catching a charged shot with your rapier's bellguard shorted the thing. It'll have to function as a regular hi-beam for now.

Clearing your head, you get back into the game. Ahead, the lighting has improved. And with it, you can see the heavy mechaniloids you were warned about.

Two Hamma Hammas, positioned and dug in well to defend the corridor. The LTBs and Drill Wayings did buy enough time for that. Behind them, you can see a pair of Head Gunners, armor gleaming red. Customs, of course.
>Bypass and take out the gunners. The hammas are slow and predictable.
>Take it as it comes. You can't afford to leave anything behind you.

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>>35880401

>>35880498
>Bypass and take out the gunners.
We've decided on speed. Stick with it.

>>35880498
>Bypass and take out the gunners. The hammas are slow and predictable.

>>35880498
>Bypass and take out the gunners. The hammas are slow and predictable.
Gotta go fast

>Bypass and take out the gunners. The hammas are slow and predictable.
This plus continued Scwarzhundesque wariness,

>>35880498
>Bypass and take out the gunners. The hammas are slow and predictable.
Hamma Hammas aren't exactly famed and revered for their turning speed, assuming it even exists.

>>35880401
Don't be silly. We aren't even fighting Dongle Duey Duct yet. Or Corkscrew mallard.

>>35880658
God damn it, you owe me new sides.

>>35880498
>Bypass and take out the gunners. The hammas are slow and predictable.

>>35880498
Bypass, but be wary. The slow moving bugger may be slow, but he could simply cut off escape or try to wreck shit.

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>>35880583
>>35880587
>>35880598
>>35880606
>>35880615
>>35880745
The hammas are big, stupid, annoying tanks, and you hate them. Wailing on one while making sure it doesn't punch your sternum in with a spike flail, or knock you on your ass when it retracts one, is obnoxious. Easiest way to deal with them is usually to just go around.

With a bit of a hurry on, you decide to circumvent them--first drawing their opening attacks, and then quickly scaling the wall and running straight over their stupid little heads. You land on the far side as their follow-up strikes thud into the wall at your heels, just in time to dash beneath the head gunner mortars. You lash out with your rapier again, cutting down their missiles as they fire, and raking the first of the sturdy mechaniloids with the edge of the beam stroke. It holds up against the strike, forcing you to quickly cut another pair of missiles out of the air and retreat from another mortar bombardment. Rather than disengage, you move on the next one, driving into it elbow-first and spring-releasing the kris from its mount. You snatch it as you retract your arm, having done minimal damage, and quickly engage the blade for a sudden and forceful gouge.

And the thing still doesn't frigging die. Christ, these things are fucking tough. You press the attack, bringing your rapier back in for one last strike and finally bring down the first. You're chased away by another pair of missiles, only narrowly avoiding them as they track you upward and practically graze your boots. You throw your knife behind you and finish the second head gunner with it, coming down just in time for the Hamma Hammas to trundle their overwrought asses around to attack again.

A quick sweep to collect the kris and click it back into place on your arm, and you're off. Stupid fucking--

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>>35881334
You almost run straight into another airborne bomb, stopping short only just in time. Up ahead is a mechaniloid twice your size and ten times your weight. It looks like an angry pink linebacker, with prominent launchers built into its up-armored shoulders, giving it a hunched and glowering appearance. This is only made worse by a low-set visor optic, and a laser emitter gem on its weapon larger than your entire arm. It's a Victoroid, and a customized one at that. If it's anything like the stock model, this thing is obscenely sturdy.

It raises its weapon and sights you, emitter gem flashing. You're not going to be able to run past this one.
>?

>>35881370
Go for the optic. It can't fight if it's blind.

>>35881370
Maybe time for some thunder and lightning? They may not be insulated from your electric trick,and the Hertzbalger could shake something needed inside.

>>35881370

>>35881447
Would the Hertzbalger be able to stun this thing? If so I support this.

And I'll take the fact that I started typing out the directions to the pub I'm meeting my mates at tomorrow into this reply -instead of our skype chat- as a sign that I'm too tired to keep going. Good Night guys, don't die.

Custom Victoroid... okay. It hits hard, and we need to hit hard. It's big, so it's probably slower than we are. We can count on it having heavy-duty shielding.

Let's do a little skirmishing, and go for the important spots. Optics, emitter lens and joints. Make sure it doesn't hit us, and worry it down if necessary.

>>35881370
The hertzbalger is designed for something like this. Carve open a spot in a blind spot, then insert the electric blades into said weak spot. Go shadow of the colossus on it.

>>35881594
Gotta go with this. We need to fight smart, not hard against the big guys.

>>35881370
Blind it or destabilize its foundation, anything to skew its shots and keep it from training a reliable bead on you.

>>35881370
Optics first is a big deal and then hit things that can hit us. >>35881594 has a good idea to go at this.

Brief pause-ish thing here for a bit, will probably pick back up for at least a while before the end of the night.

That said, how's everyone doing? Happy with how things are going? Enjoying the alternate character(s)?

>>35882341
I am enjoying it quite a bit. Glad to see the quest up again and Emerald is quite a change from anode.

>>35882341
Happy to see things back up and running and a nice segway to what else is happening while we normally run around as Anode.

>>35882341
Seeing this quest run again always brightens my day.

I'm happy, and this is great. It's a good change of pace, but I personally prefer playing as Anode.

>>35882341
>That said, how's everyone doing? Happy with how things are going? Enjoying the alternate character(s)?
Nice to see there's still life in MHQ. Em is always fun, but it'll be nice to get back to Anode.
Hope we get to do some shenanigans back at base soon.

>>35882341
Man, its always nice to see this run, even when I am too busy to pay much attention.

>>35882532
Honestly, I am picturing the pay day for this to be HUGE. Running into Shiva, fighting mavs, helping a lot and the sheer fact this was a special mission. We will probably have more than enough money to create something amazing with the saetoes data we have.

>>35882341
I like playing as other characters, mostly because I like that thing where everybody splits up and gets their own fight.

So, anyone have stories of Megaman homebrews?

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>>35881403
>>35881447
>>35881564
>>35881594
>>35881878
>>35881884
>>35881890
>>35882062
You drop into a loping stride, able to slow or accelerate quickly, and circle around. It pivots to track you, sighting ahead slightly before firing a laser bolt your way. You jump it, then come down and narrowly clear a follow-up mortar barrage with your dash. You put yourself against the wall and jump again, waiting--

This time, when it fires, you drop low--your hunch pays off as its explosive shells sail through the air overhead, on a clear path for where you would have been had you jumped. That's when you remember the dossier on victoroids. "Almost as intelligent as a Reploid," they said. "The most advanced mechaniloid brain ever created."

Well, it definitely shows it. It thunders forward, slowly but powerfully, clearly aiming to charge you down and force you up the wall, where it can burn you down with a third mortar/laser salvo. You draw your hertzbalger and counter its charge with your own. It raises one arm to strike, even as the other sends a laser bolt your way, too fast to dodge.

You don't have to, sailing by its outstretched arm and driving the hertzbalger into its face. The jolt of impact is multiplied a thousand fold as you engage the ultrasonics, sending a tremor through its entire frame for a brief instant. Something breaks, but you don't have time to figure out what, leaping backwards as it swings its arm like a club, warding its front. It flails for a moment as a chain of explosions run up its sides.

Well, shit, that was eas--

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>>35884197
You realize just in time that it's not dead as a laser streaks through the smoke and fire, very nearly pinning you to the wall from your right shoulder. You scale the wall again as it barrels through the haze, slamming into it beneath your feet. You see now that the shoulder armoring was cowling for its explosive batteries, fitted over the regular victoroid chassis like a harness. You dashjump off the wall as it tries to shoot you off it, switching from the hertzbalger to your hi-volt.

Unfortunately, the world's most advanced mechaniloid is continuing to live up to its name, charging at you again at once (with no wall to escape up this time), intent on preventing you from getting ready to attack. It keeps its laser at the ready, but withholds its shot, clearly aiming to aim where you evade to. You stare into its optics, unusually Reploid-like, beneath that destroyed visor.

Okay, Schwarzhead, what have you got this time?

>Find the opening. Exploit it.

>>35884225
Can the lance nullify his laser? If so dash through it and try to attack before it can get it's bearings.

>>35884225
>Find the opening. Exploit it.

I'd suggest using the lance to get help shield an attack and damage/destroy that laser and/or optics.

>>35884362
if not the lance how about the Repulsor Gauntlet same plan.

>>35884225
Go in, use the Repulsor Gauntlet to block the laser if we can't dodge it. Either bash it apart with the Hertzbalger or zap something important with the Hi-Volt.

>>35884225
> the shoulder armoring was cowling for its explosive batteries, fitted over the regular victoroid chassis like a harness.

Probably opened holes in some of the armoring on its actual chassis, on the underside of the, "harness," when the batteries went up. Probably a lot of very, very fragile electronic components in there.

>>35884362
Lance is strictly plasma-based weapons only.

>>35884362
>>35884392
That laser is a bit too strong for the lance phase to parry.

>>35884225
He's huge. Em is not. Those legs are looking mighty unarmored. Slip underneath his charge between the legs, hobbling him in the process.

>>35884225
Can we throw a beam saber os something at the emitter? It won't be expecting that, probably.

>>35884433
That arm doesn't look incredibly flexible. As smart as it is, feints and decoys can likely work as well. As for weak spots, the legs, back and the shoulders seem weak, though the shoulders also hold explosives. Might need to use the buster on them once they are open.

>>35884433&>>35884403
seem like a good plan Imo

>>35884592
Under, then over? Go between his legs, and immobilize him, then about-face and assault from above into the hole in his shoulder?

I like this plan.

>>35884637
yah that was the plan that seemed to emerge.

>>35884637
Sounds fine to me as well.

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>>35884403
>>35884433
>>35884588
>>35884592
>>35884637
>>35884756
>>35885909
If there's one thing you're good at, it's sizing up a threat--those huge fuckoff shoulder plates are gone, and so is its mortar-chucking, but the 'loid itself is none the worse for wear. It's strong--strong enough to take you out in one, maybe two hits--but it's clumsy. The articulation is good, and it's fast enough once it gets moving, but it lacks finesse.

Whatever it was expecting as it lunges, it wasn't an alley-oop. You dash and use your compact form (fuck the haters) to dive between its legs, lashing out with your hi-volt as you pass. The blade bites hard, but it meets the flash of a very, very powerful shielding system. Christ, it's built tougher than some B-ranks you've met.

As it wheels around, trying to smash you with that streetpole of an arm, you adroitly leap over the arc and bring your hi-volt down in a broad overhead swing, catching it full in the face with the end of the stroke.

And that's when you trip the secondary trigger and flood the motherfucker with a dose of lightning. Its shields sputter and pop in protest, the blinding flare of its defenses battling the chaotic staccato of the prongs' electrical arc. Unfortunately, though you connected solidly, it remains standing, and you only just clear it safely as it tries to bat you out of the air.

It...you definitely hurt it, but the fucking thing won't take a hint and just god damn die. That shield can't hold up to another hit like that, though.

Taking another page from Schwarz's playbook--"never fall into a pattern--" you calmly twist your kris free from your elbow and throw the fucking thing into its face. It raises an arm to defend itself, but all it manages to do is critically overload its shields as the blade bites into it. Explosions chain across its surface as it finally goes down. You sidestep a final, futile laser shot, catching your knife as the force of the blast rockets it back over your head.

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And if my agonizingly slow posting rate didn't tip you off, I've run down. Archiving the thread and then pausing for the night. Continuation will be tomorrow!

Questions, comments, etc., feel free to ask.

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>>35886407
Good to see you back in form.

>>35886407
Archive already taken care of Boss. And its good to have you back.

>>35886407
Want us to keep it going for tomorrow, or pick up a different time, HC?

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>>35886573
>>35886611
Thanks, and thanks again.
>>35886634
We'll see what happens, I guess--/tg/ is faster than it used to be, but it's not summer and it's never been the fastest board. This is only 160 posts, so it should have plenty of life in it for tomorrow assuming it doesn't fall off page 10.

Play it by ear, I guess. If it's not here I'll be making another thread, so you'll get MHQ either way.

>>35886683
I eagerly await the thread's continuation.

This was nice. Too bad I missed the last part, but I wonder what kind of fight that victoroid customer was. Mid-boss?

I wish they'd been more like that in X3.

>>35888893
>X3
NICE WALLS YOU HAVE HERE.
IT WOULD BE A SHAME IF SOMEONE WERE TO... RAM INTO THEM.

Has anyone made a Megaman X CYOA before?

>>35891535
I remember there being a lot of old megaman x fan games floating around the net. Including a cyoa and a IRC game, but I think those are lost in time.

>>35891730
I made one some time ago, but it's part of that jumpchain offshoot. It can be done on its own though. I drew a lot of inspiration from this quest, even putting in a kinetic coil option. It's not my best work though, and I'm not entirely happy with it.

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>>35886380
You clear out before the Hammas at your back can even get close to attacking again, leaving them behind you as you key comms.

"Anyone care to tell me what this place is doing with all this heavy gear?" you call. Static. "Didn't think so," you mutter aloud.

Any further relief sarcasm has to wait, because the floor is trembling again. This one's different--it feels like giant mechanisms, bay doors or the like. Definitely from up ahead, and you doubt it's anything good. You double-time it, an eerie quiet filling the hall, all except for that steady rumble. Ahead is a resealing chamber door, and almost assuredly, the source of that noise. Drawing one of your dueling sabers, you step closer. The lock cycles and releases, admitting you entrance.

The walls and ceiling stretch away in either direction, but your focus lies at the far end of the room. A massive, cylindrical core turns slowly, embedded in doors over a hundred feet high, possibly thicker than the ones Zero blasted in. It's some kind of time lock on a cycle. More pressing, however, are the figures--you count six and one--at its foot.

You recognize Parrot among the six, along with five other injured and disabled maverick hunters. You quickly scan face to face--

Seek Parrot, 7th Air Cav, former 2nd, A-rank. Diamond introduced you to him personally.
Bast, cat model without the usual namescheme. 14th Grapple, S-rank. You've never seen her fight, weirdly enough. Schwarz had to deal with rumors that the two of them were an item until he "helpfully" suggested you ask her out, not that you ever did. Too intimidating. Ah, Schwarz, you sneaky bastard.
Rosemary, A-rank. He shuttles between the 12th and 17th a lot, which is most of what you know about him. Has some sort of experimental weapon domain system that's still under testing.

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>>35892280
Shift Salamander, 13th, A. Now him, you've run on missions with. His thermal lacing tricks make him valuable for any operation under extreme temperatures of either variety. He jokes that the "shift" in his name is for "shift work." Good guy. You like him.
One you don't recognize--given his armaments you'd wager he's 15th Artillery, though. Some kind of antelope or horned gazelle or fuck it animals were never your strong suit. You don't remember his name on the list of S or A-ranks, so he's either a specialist A or a new promote. He's new either way, though.
And then there's Planck, whom you only know about by name. Again, thanks to Schwarz. You know he's 16th, you know he's S-rank, and you know he specializes in anti-ranged of some fashion. The rest's all classified, of course.

And then, with his back turned to you, waiting in front of the time lock door with lifeless patience, a figure cut in red and yellow armor. The crimson cuts in angular streaks along his limbs and the crest of his helmet. Along his legs, with slightly off-color tracks running down the outsides, matched by a pair on his arms. A single saber rests in one of his hands--impossible to tell the make from here, but you'd wager a hi-beam. He presents a sleek, cut-down figure, primed as much for speed and agility as you are.

You know this one as Slide. Former 17th unit. Now a hostile, and your hunch confirmed. He slowly turns to examine you, his expression unchanging. He says nothing, only advancing to attack, striding by the six ailing maverick hunters he (or others) subdued.

Despite the stakes, you grin to yourself. You've always wanted to see how well you could handle a melee specialist from the Elite Unit.
>Go.

>>35892299
>Feign the defensive for a few moments. Not long, just long enough to get him to turn his saber on. Once you know what kind of blade you're up against, you can figure out how to get inside his guard and take his arms off.
>Also, contact Web Spider and pass this location on.

Even if we fuck up, bringing the Hunters down on this site is pretty critical.

>>35892299
Test him out with the Dueling Sabres, try to get a read on what sabre(s) he has.
When we got a bit of an idea how he fights we can try to catch his blade with our Repulsor Gauntlet and hit him with the Hi-Volt.

>>35892469
>>Also, contact Web Spider and pass this location on.
>
>Even if we fuck up, bringing the Hunters down on this site is pretty critical.
Yeah, adding that to my suggestion >>35892505

>>35892469
>>Also, contact Web Spider and pass this location on.
>Even if we fuck up, bringing the Hunters down on this site is pretty critical.

Adding to this, don't do any sort of verbal call-in, just mash the "oh shit" button that the comm system hopefully has. Some frantic beeping ought to give them the idea that you found something. If they hear you call it in, there's not gonna be anything for the cavalry to charge in for, because it's gonna move house.

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>>35892280
>Bast, cat model without the usual namescheme. 14th Grapple, S-rank. You've never seen her fight, weirdly enough. Schwarz had to deal with rumors that the two of them were an item until he "helpfully" suggested you ask her out, not that you ever did. Too intimidating. Ah, Schwarz, you sneaky bastard.
?

>>35892831
No comment. But remember that guy who tried to get Schwarz into the barfight back in like thread 6 or 7?

>>35892469
>>35892505
This, more or less. Get a read on what he can do before committing to anything. The first rule of any engagement is to gather intelligence.

>>35892299
So this is likely the guy who pushed back Parrot. So chances are the guy is probably someone who plays the pressure game. The good thing is that we are really versitile with our specialty so we can switch our style up in case one doesn't work. Hell, we can likely throw a few surprises as well if need be with the elbow kris.

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>>35892469
>>35892505
>>35892582
>>35892678
>>35893031
You decide to test the waters before committing to anything serious. You roll your dueling saber around in your hand once, twice, then snap it alight, the short green blade (argh) cutting a streak in front of you. Your practiced eye sees through without disorientation. Slide doesn't even move his eyes--you're not sure the lights are on upstairs, but you also get the feeling he wouldn't have fell for that kind of trick even before he was... "upgraded," or whatever the hell they did to him.

The two of you meet in the center of the room--rather than let the first attack go to him, you launch a probing strike, trying to open the battle on your terms and set the momentum. His own saber comes up as he sidesteps, evading rather than parrying the first thrust. Still no blade engagement, definitely a hi-beam dueling trick--you tuck into a narrow profile, ready to duck or jump a sudden swing to your midsection.

It never comes. You re-angle your own thrust into a shallow side-cut, aiming to exact an early, light hit, as you hear and feel his own saber snap alight.

You mean a solid wall of beam energy as that discolored track down his arm suddenly turns his saber into a blazing crescent of death, catching your lo-beam on it and sliding harmlessly away. You leap back as he presses forward, body shielded by a line of blinding white energy.

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>>35893284
Great. Those tracks are field extenders. You put together the mechanics in a heartbeat--the saber is designed with them in mind, letting them take over the duties of the envelope projector. The beam emitter ramps up--expensive but doable, with specialty equipment--and his entire flipping limb turns into extra saber length. Good offense. Good defense.

CHEAP AS SHIT.

http://youtu.be/4EdEryFQy6k

He pulls the saber back out of the mooring it fitted into, and leaps into the air, making a broad slash around himself as he sockets the weapon into the one running down his leg. A moment of hangtime, and Slide streaks down at you like a meteor, his entire front guarded by a blazing blue-white saber dive kick.

>?!

>>35893302
So, wait. He attaches the saber handle to one of his limbs, and the ENTIRE LIMB becomes a super-powerful saber?

This is some Bayonetta shit.

Well, if the saber limb is on one side of his body, then his opposite side has to be unguarded. Keep circling around him to keep the guy's body between you and his saber limb.

>>35893302
Well fuck. And I'm guessing where a saber has a dedicated emitter, you can't fizzle it with Anode's phase lance?

It's sounding like we need to either catch him when he unsockets, or maneuver around his beaminess to hit where he is vulnerable.

If we can get a killing blow out of it, it may well be worth exploiting our multiple redundancies, sacrifice an arm to take his head or some such. We survived an elephant in a trash compactor, we can survive this guy.

>>35893302
Dodge and strike from behind. It takes a second for him to switch what limb the saber is on; that's when he's vulnerable.

>>35893431
We don't necessarily have to sacrifice an arm to get in a hit. Use the Repulsor Gauntlet.
>Repulsor Gauntlet: By adapting Tumult Terapin’s considerable defensive systems, Emerald has produced a glove that emits a repulsor field along its major planes. It can serve as a shield against incoming attack or, with care, used to even ‘grasp’ a beam blade for short periods.

>>35893302
Well, in terms of weaponry, we need something that can go through the shield/sabre. The high frequency blade can work if the thing acts like a shield, but we might want to short circut the saber itself. As is though, he looks like a DNA res, so his mind might not be all there. Think smart, keep changing it up, and try to avoid a head on collision.

>>35893431
We can also try and score cuts on his arms and legs. If there's discoloration on them then whatever system he has must be near the surface. I think if we can score at least one good cut across a limb we could stop his field extender nonsense.

>>35893366
Then lets Jetstream Sam that shit. It can't pop in all at once, if we can determine how fast it happens we can de-limb him right ahead of it.

Of course, when Sam did that he ended up with a sharpened stump in his shoulder. But Em's advantage is that he is already a robot man.

>>35893486
If this guy's any good, we aren't gonna get much surprise value out of catching his saber, not the least because it requires actually grabbing for it, which he's gonna notice.

Losing a limb to set up a killing blow has the tactical advantage of him thinking he's just gotten ahead. Unless Mav intel on Little Guy is good enough they know about our redundant systems, anyway.

If I had to weigh in, I'd say skirt around just outside of his reach and, when he starts really getting into it, go in with the lance's anti-plasma phasing, along the entire length of the extender on his limb, by feigning a counter-swing, then reversing the swing into his now-exposed body.

Losing a limb being the main part of a plan, even if it won't immediately kill or debilitate us, is never, ever a good idea. At the very least, it throws off the body's balance, causing you to over- or uncercorrect at key moments due to the sudden decrease in weight.

>>35893923
>Losing a limb being the main part of a plan, even if it won't immediately kill or debilitate us, is never, ever a good idea.
There's a reason I'm suggesting it only if we can trade a killing blow for it.

>>35893923
Agreed. Why would you ever purposefully dismember yourself in a fight? Especially during an assignment as dangerous as this? We still need to be able to get back to Spider, after all.

>>35893967
Even then, if he has reinforcements..? Or if we happen to run into another maverick on the way back..? He may be networked to a bunch of other mavericks and calling in for backup.

Even for a killing blow, it's not really a fair trade, because we could end up, well, like one of the others in the floor there.

>>35893923
To expound a bit, I'm imagining we can force him to over-commit by keeping on the move with the lance out, wait for an opening, and punish him for over-committing by feigning an attempt at a crossing of blades and engaging the phase emitters. Disengage the entire blade extender while cutting along its length to permanently disable it.

If we're lucky, we might even hit the grip of the blade while it's slotted into that limb and damage it enough that it can't be used.

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>>35893366
>>35893431
>>35893437
>>35893486
>>35893652
>>35893683
You dash aside as he impacts where you stood an instant ago, kicking up debris as he scores a nasty hole in the floorplate. You take advantage of his hard landing, circling around and trying to take a swing at his exposed back--

He pivots and aims, hand disappearing into a buster barrel, and you're forced to re-angle your strike into a guard. A dense orb of plasma lands square in the middle of your saber, before the envelope ruptures and a pressure wave bursts across you like a tsunami. You rebound away, flung across the room like a ragdoll, only just managing to twist backwards in midair and hit the far wall boots-first.

Kinetic buster. Low damage and middling refire, but primed for a high kinetic shear. At least it wasn't as painful as nulling out Shiva's saber wave.

You drop to the ground to see Slide already pressing the advantage, bearing down at you again across the ground, saber-beam carving a shallow furrow in the floor as he goes. You clamber over his head and dash-jump from the wall, narrowly avoiding another buster shot. You sense more than see him bear down on you again, twisting away and only narrowly sidestepping as he streaks past you. You spin on your heel into a full backswing, but he's already sailed clear, turning to level his buster on you again.

You line up the angle of the cut along the floor, and with a start you realize that he wasn't aiming to hit you along the middle. He was aiming to cut off your arm.

He's trying to take you alive. Fucking Saber Shoes is trying to take you alive.

You feel a spike of rage at the realization, even as he lines up his next attack. He has initiative and momentum, screening his advance with a pair of kinetic buster shots, before launching into the air and slotting his saber into his leg again for another dive.
>?

>>35894462
Of COURSE he would have a keepaway tool.

First order of business: kill that kinetic buster. Doesn't matter how. Just feint him into committing, and shred the buster so he loses his keepaway.

>>35894462
Go for a counter slash as he dives again

>>35894462
Oh boy, here we go. Do we know how a kinetic buster will interact with the lance's phase envelope? If we can still fizzle the shots, we've got a decent shot at this, otherwise we need to get creative.

>>35894462
So, wait, one hand is a Buster and the other hand is the Sword?

That's almost convenient, that means that he'll have openings on the Buster side if one can get past that blast, and he'll have problems shooting people on the Sword side. It does mean that his strategies and style is probably very firm, though.

Or do you mean that he can switch back and forth between gun and sword willy-nilly?

>>35894669
He can switch, and he can change which limb the saber is attached to.

>>35894617
>>35894630
Both of these. Keep the phase up when we counter his dive kick sword, and remove his ability to do that by carving the blade emitter on his leg out.

>>35894704
That implies he's got at least one more weapon somewhere in there. Careful, careful.

That being said, taking advantage of when he's switching weapons is critical.

>>35894811
And HOW do you intend to counter the saber-divekick?

>>35894848
Swing straight up into it with the phase active. At the very worst, we get a boot to the head after disabling the blade.

>>35894848
Not that guy, but

>Repulsor Gauntlet: By adapting Tumult Terapin’s considerable defensive systems, Emerald has produced a glove that emits a repulsor field along its major planes. It can serve as a shield against incoming attack or, with care, used to even ‘grasp’ a beam blade for short periods.

We could punch it in the side.

>>35894880
>Swing directly up on a guy coming down on us
>A guy who has a Kinetic blast attached to one arm

We know he's essentially got the ultimate "push" button, it might be a really good idea to avoid situations where he can "push" us into an undefendable position. Straight up, straight down, and into corners.

>>35894848
Well, the thing about a dive kick is that once you commit to it, you can't really stop half way through. Unless he has verner thrusters, he can't change his direction. So, we have options. Dash or roll out of the way, use our buster to try and direct him away, or try to alter his path by redirecting the force, like in many fencing and martial arts styles.

The spear is going to be handy, same with our sonic frequency weapon, but we should also try those shock prods. Maybe we can overload his rails? They do seem pretty delicate.

>>35894880
Phase does not disable sabers. If it did, the lance would be disrupting other saber attacks all the time.

>>35894903
Grabbing an amplified saber doesn't sound like a hot idea, either.

>>35894924
So, sidestep the dive kick and cut his leg off at the knee, using the phase to keep the blade from bouncing off of his leg.

>>35894954
I didn't suggest a grab. I suggested a shield bash to divert that kick.

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>>35894951
>Emerald
>buster

>>35894969
Or we could go for a limb that's not currently a sword.

>>35894954
I actually love the idea of grabbing the amped saber but you're right, it's probably a terrible idea.

What about grabbing the foot-saber? Grab, Mario-spin that bitch into a wall, profit.

>>35895048
You mean like the one that's currently a gun? That could work, too, I suppose.

>>35895048
Now there's a thought.
>You're not using that limb?
>GUESS YOU DON'T NEED IT

>>35895015
He does have one even if it's simple. Even if he doesn't like the gun, it's better than throwing a rock at him and right now, we need to use everything we have to prevent capture by DIVE KICK!

>>35895067
wait, if he needs to take the saber out to use it in the other arm, why don't we attack the saber mid change? Force him to keep shifting his sides and destroy the thing before he can reattach. It is specially made so if it's gone, his rails are shot.

>>35895130
Also a good idea.

>>35895130
That's what everyone's been saying. Mid-saber-transition is when he's at his most vulnerable, but that's what his kinetic busters are for in the meantime. The busters maintain space while he transitions. Hence my suggestion to wreck the busters first.

>>35895067
I'm just saying, he's got one limb currently wreathed in plasma and three that aren't.

So basically, GET DAT FUKKIN BUSTER.

I would recommend slagging it with Em's buster, but his ranged game is so poor I doubt that is really possible. Find a way to disable it though. We cannot allow Slide to choose the pacing of this fight.

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>>35894462
The attack is like an oncoming train, but you weave to the left and the right, nimbly skating past his kinetic shots.

You force down your anger and focus on what you know in the split-second before Slide bears down on you. He's able to effectively cover the half of his body facing you, and shield the half that isn't. He's going to try to control the distances and present no openings, but it's got a flaw--those tracks and the saber. If you could bust up either, that leaves him at a crippling disadvantage.

And the really goddamned annoying this is that fucking Twinkle-Toes over there doesn't even have to try. You've seen more technique from... shit, from Anode.

Hey, that's an idea. You leap away as you stow your saber and draw his. An instant later, and you're chasing him across the field as his kick carries him forward. He runs out of steam, and once again, hits the ground hard, another plume of rubble parting around him from impact.

He left a shot free to ward you off, sending it at you as you lean forward into your own dash. Anode's lance snaps alight as you push forward into a leading thrust. The very tip strikes the projectile and it's like you struck a bridge column. The lance rebounds high overhead from the force with your arms--you're only just able to hold on to it, and even then only one-handed.

Fortunate, then, that it frees you up. You snap a dueling saber from off your left shoulder as you bring your arm down, bringing it across in a diagonal stroke. He raises his back arm to ward off the strike, but too late, you've soundly connected.

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>>35895749
The impact feels glorious, but not for long--your already-short saber blade dims down to half its length as it sweeps across the beam extender on his back arm. His shields flare, but you can tell that the extender blunted the worst of the damage. A glancing hit at best.

But hey, it was a fucking hit. Suck on that, Blade Ballerina. You step forward to press the attack, sweeping Anode's lance down and your dueling saber up in a harsh scissor. With the pressure on, he can't answer in time--you score another hit between the flickers of his shield fading. The cross cut rakes across another extender, shielding him from the worst of it.

You stow your dueling saber at the end of that attack, disengaging as his saber wheels up and around, warding off any further ingress. You've stung the bastard, now--but he's winding up again.

>Try to worry away at his extenders with your hertzbalger. Maybe you can leave one side of him naked.
>The saber's his offense and defense. Try to focus on that.
>Target that buster. Maybe a direct hit with the hi-volt can put it out of commission.
>Other?

We can't really get at this asshole till we take away his tools. Aim for the buster.

>>35895766
>>Target that buster. Maybe a direct hit with the hi-volt can put it out of commission.

Bust that buster!

>>35895766
>Try to worry away at his extenders with your hertzbalger. Maybe you can leave one side of him naked.

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Away with the buster I say! No range control for this fucker.

Also, for shiggles, my robutt

>>35895749
>You've seen more technique from... shit, from Anode.
APPLY ICE WEAPON DATA TO BURN

>>35895766
>>Try to worry away at his extenders with your hertzbalger. Maybe you can leave one side of him naked.
His extenders are his gimmick, take away his toy.

>>35895766
>Target that buster. Maybe a direct hit with the hi-volt can put it out of commission.
While destroying the extenders puts an end to his gimmick, we can't effectively do that if he's still got the range to keep us away. The buster has got to go.

>>35895766
>Set a trap - Use his excessive force and bulk against him

Noticed that whenever he lands, he lands real hard. The freakin' ground is parting under him. It doesn't seem to be too difficult to play a running game, how difficult would it be to wait until he's about to kick and land again, figure out where he's going to be, then blow the hell out of his landing zone? Maybe as we're dancing around the battlefield stab up his potential LZ's to force him to trip up.

Em's got the skill this clown never learned, so let's put it to use. Take out the buster, and then steal his sword. Prizes!

>>35895766
The guy is mighty gear heavy, but his entire plan can be broken down into components. The buster keeps us away from attacking his extenders and saber. It also gives him range so he can dive kick. Remove his range and he's forced into melee. We're more agile and skilled compared to him, so we can start knicking and cutting down his defenses once the range game is gone.

>>35895900
We have a second brain that should (may?) be able to calculate his speed and trajectory. Let's put it to work on that.

He has a weird edge over us. The extenders will cut the force from our initial attack, so we need to put the real force in our follow-up.

Most importantly, we cannot underestimate this guy. We need to cool it and keep fighting smart. Don't assume that just because we're probably better that he's not holding something back, or something even FUCKING CHEAPER back.

Like Schwarz says, never fall into a pattern, but Slide seems vulnerable after a big movement. Continue to exploit that.

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Damn it you people give me the worst ideas.

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>>35896278
I need a plaid beam saber, stat.

>>35896369
He may be small, but his saber is the largest around. Even Anode can't help but use his giant flaming rod. Then again, Emerald is enjoying Anode's spear quite a bit tonight.

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>>35896436

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>>35896475
>filename
More of husbando posting, really.

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>>35896369
Sorry, I can only do a plaid Schwarts on short notice.

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>>35896620
I give myself the worst ideas.

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>>35895770
>>35895796
>>35895846
>>35895880
>>35895907
>>35895940
You disengage again, getting the ascent lance ready as you size up his next move--for now, nothing. He's keeping on the defensive. After a moment staring into his unblinking, unchanging expression, he makes another move. Rather than take to the air for his dive-kick, he catches the saber with his leading leg and slides (of course) along the ground--less powerful, but less recovery time. He's learned that lesson, at least.

You dodge aside, but you realize he left his buster shots free, and this time, all three are cycled and ready. You skid back across the room again under a barrage, only barely able to catch one with the length of the lance across your front. It arrests your momentum, sending you skidding to a halt. He fires a second, actually giving you lift. The third practically drives the lance into your chest, only experience keeping you from carving yourself a neat little scar. You launch backwards into the air, the wall rushing up to catch you as you tumble.

He's on the move again, in pursuit--that defensive sure didn't fucking last long--you haven't even landed yet as he makes a broad sweeping stroke with his blade--and all four emitters catch it, secondary generators in each limb coming online to sustain the beams.

Oh, shit.

Once again his attack is completely artless and terribly effective. All he has to do is jump at you. And given the angle, he is no longer aiming to disable.
>Counterstrike and parry.
>Gauntlet.
>Wall recover. Fast.
>Other?

>>35897036
>Wall recover. Fast.
That's too much beam saber to parry or deflect. Let him get his dumb ass stuck in the wall.

>>35897036
>Wall recover. Fast.
Mobility is our greatest asset.

>>35897036
>Wall recover. Fast.

>>35897036
Time to haul ass.
>Wall recover. Fast.

>Wall recover. Fast.
We are not going to let this guy hit us with a frigging screw attack, shit hurts

His objective changed from disable to destroy. There must be a reason for that. We've done something to indicate we're a serious threat.

>Wall recover. Fast.
But, stay sharp for some serious speed on his end. Be ready to combine our gauntlet with our high volt for a mid-air counterstrike.

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>>35897036
This guy is starting to sound like something out of the star wars expanded universe.

>Wall recover. Fast.

Do we have any idea how much power this would be consuming, compared to how long a reploid can typically go between recharges?

>>35897260
He seems to have limb generators just to screw with that estimate.

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>>35897087
>>35897103
>>35897113
>>35897142
>>35897169
>>35897171
>>35897260
You twist around as well as you can, thudding into the wall on one knee and one foot. As soon as you feel the shudder of impact you trigger your dash and kick off--if you dropped down you'd catch it straight in the chest. As it stands, you're still going to get clipped. You bring Anode's lance back down as hard as you can--the beams cross with a snap and a clash, and it gives you the barest moment of leverage you need to clear him as he slams into the wall. Slide drops down, the beams fading, as your flight carries you across the room again. He's already sliding across the floor to catch you, hot on your heels. You come down a bare instant before he strikes, turn on your heel, and do a full-360 swing as he passes barely, barely aside. You catch him with the back of it, let the move carry you around, and spring forward again.

You press again, refusing to let another exchange go with only glancing hits to show for it. His charge carried him clear, but you dash in with the rapier blade leading, the long point catching him in flight again. His shields hold, but this time you manage to tag him square in the back, before he's able to twist around and blunt the strike. The hit's that much harder, though still not telling. The shielding holds strong--you flick the rapier blade away and dash aside as he sends kinetic shots back at you, then come in with another stab, this one blocked by his extender as he starts slotting the saber in again.

>>35897295
Plus he's the living dead. Who knows how long he could go.

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>>35897999
At this rate, it looks like it could become a game of back and forth. When you win the race, you get a brief window and a chance to score a hit on his back. When he wins the race...well, he could put you out in one solid hit, if you're not lucky. Either way, this engagement is taking too long, too much strain. Your dash system's overtaxed and you're bound to make a mistake. All he has to do is hold steady and let his shielding do the heavy lifting.

>Go on the defense for a bit. Try to let your EAS cool down for more.
>Try for a gambit. Backing off is too obvious a sign of vulnerability.
>Other?

>>35898028
>Go on the defense for a bit

>>35898028
>Try for a gambit. Backing off is too obvious a sign of vulnerability.
He's not going to let us rest, and he's moved to "shoot to kill." We need to get crazy.

>>35898028
>Try for a gambit. Backing off is too obvious a sign of vulnerability.

>>35898028
>Try for a gambit. Backing off is too obvious a sign of vulnerability.
this bastard has more endurance then we do, we're going to have to try something or we're just not going to win.

>>35898028
We're struggling with this amateur hour fuckhead purely on the strength of his equipment.

We have lots of sabres. If we can force him to switch again could we throw one of our swords to destroy his sabre?

>>35898028
>Try for a gambit. Backing off is too obvious a sign of vulnerability.

>>35898028
Go for the Gambit. This guy is going to keep pushing. That's his entire fighting style so backing off won't work. However, we have a lot of weaponry on hand. Go full dervish and use EVERYTHING we have.

>>35898264
Meh. Everyone has a strength. There's no need to get hotheaded about this one. We've got experience and finesse. We can get past his brainless defenses and go for the kill. An offensive push is a wise choice right now on account of our predicament. Make use of our gauntlet, get technical, but strike hard.

>>35898028
>Try for a gambit. Backing off is too obvious a sign of vulnerability.

>>35898028
>Try for a gambit.

>>35898087
>>35898220
>>35898227
>>35898264
>>35898537
>>35898932
>>35898971
>>35898975
>>35899182
All right. Enough of this stupid bullshit.

You charge again, bringing your rapier down--

And this time you catch the salvo of kinetic buster shots with it, rather than Anode's lance.

The difference is enough, and this time, he's angled more smartly--instead of launching you airborne, the recoil sends you rocketing away at a nearly flat angle. You hit the far wall hard, unable to flip around in time for this one. Slide bears down on you, this time taking to the air--no time to get beneath him, no way to get above him. You punch forward with the rapier, trying to dull the incoming strike as much as you can, before--

That.

That one...

That one fucking hurt.

Your rapier clatters to the ground, forced out of your hand by the impact, the blade dimming under the strain of exhaustive use. His foot, ringed in a full, unchecked saber beam, slams into your chest, carving in deep as your shields spark once, twice, and then die. Diminished but not dissolved, the weakened beam scores across your midsection, carving a long brand across your torso. You feel it bite through armor and into the systems below--shallowly, but a clean breach.

The attack finally dies, leaving you pinned against the wall by Slide's boot. He releases it, letting you crumple to the floor.

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>>35899755
He ignites the saber again, holding it high for a moment and then reversing it, ready to socket into the leg extender. Still won’t even fucking swing the thing right.

And that's when you lunge forward, the repulsor planes on your gauntlet glowing a cool, steady blue as you seize his weapon by the beam. He struggles against you for a moment, trying to wrench his arm out of your grip, even as you snatch the hi-volt with your other arm, ignoring the snap of damaged circuitry in your chest at the move. You slam the weapon into his chest and trigger the voltage.

His expression doesn't even betray surprise as he tries to twist his arm free. You rear back, ready to stab again, as he maneuvers his other arm in, trying for a close-press buster shot into your face. You slap it aside with a harsh cut, forcing him backwards and pushing off the wall, sending his fire into the ceiling. His shielding sparks, weakening visibly between the first and second strikes. The saber blade--frictionless, like smooth glass--tries to slip free of your grip even as the gauntlet begins to strain against the demand. By the time Slide finally thinks to cut the beam, leaving you with a deathgrip on the air, you lash back across his chest with your dirk, finally leaving a mark on his armor. In the same move, you slash the head of his saber clear off the hilt. It sputters and dies in time with your hi-volt, the electrical charge exhausted. You drive him back one last time, throwing off his aim with another round of kinetic shots as you shunt him backwards with your dash.

>>35899792
It all happens in an eyeblink. With the gauntlet free, you snap up your hertzbalger, and drive it into his chest, shields finally flickering and dying as you ram the ultrasonic blade clear through the middle of his breastplate. Through it all, that same unworried, unfazed, unliving gaze meets your own, even as you pull the weapon free and let it fall, stumbling backward until you hit the wall. Slide's body boils away with explosions from within, LIFE cell overexerting and entering critical failure as it tries to replenish his shields through fatal damage. The world goes white as the explosions cascade across the maverick's body, and finally it all fades.

----

"Can you move?" Is the first thing you think to ask, neglecting to look down and see how deep Slide cut into you with his last attack. Instead, you focus on carefully ruining the binders and locks each captured hunter was slapped with.

"Yes," says the one you didn't know--Torpedo Oryx, 15th Artillery, he said. "If you give us a moment we can clear our weapons of any locks."

"Most of them," Planck adds.

"Were there any more prisoners?" you ask. They exchange dark looks.

Parrot speaks up. "We arrived just as they were escorting the last group through. I didn't get a look at how many, but there were at least two."

"I left some hamma hammas behind me, but the way should be pretty well clear. If we move together as a group--"

A loud mechanical ticking and clatter resounds through the room. The time lock just finished cycling.

You look up as the massive cylindrical mechanism twists around and slowly begins to pop free, massive bars on the doors unpinning from all four sides. "Nevermind, that answers that. Go. Get back to Spider. Report what you've seen. I'll make sure our back is clear."

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>>35899826
You've got a strange feeling about what's waiting on the other side of that door. If it's a time-lock, it must be protecting something. Maybe they're vulnerable in there. Maybe it's not too late to recover the other prisoners. Either way, you've got a hunch.

You roll your saber in your hand as you turn and face the open lock, as the massive double doors slowly stretch open.

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And that's the thread! Big thanks to 4chan for shitting the bed and misrepresenting the character count and then not uploading pictures on two pieces of that finale.

As always, thanks for reading, and I'll be around to answer questions and what have you. Next time is currently unscheduled (I know, I know), but you'll be on one last side-mission, as Major Warhead Wisent!

>>35899885
Thanks for running.

>>35899885
Thanks for running

>>35899885
Always fun and it'll be interesting to see how Wisent fights with us on a mission as well. Thanks for running as well, a nice Halloween treat for sure.

Please don't be friendlies behind that door.

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>>35899885
Thanks again, Command. Always a pleasure.

>>35899885
Got any plans for after this storyline is resolved? More "Fun around the Base" type shenanigans before things get serious again?

How close are we, timeline wise, until the events of X3 begin?

Thanks for running, HC

>>35899885
Just make the next thread isn't another two months away, bro. I need my MHQ fix and reading the archives can only work so many times.

>>35899885
can Em throw metal spikes hard enough to make climbing holds?

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>>35900192
I can't make any promises, but I can tell you Cain Labs and I have been discussing plans for filling space when we're unable to run MHQ proper. We were thinking of getting some flashback missions and events going on, let you play as other hunters and characters during definitive moments in their lives. Backstory filler, so to speak, for when we can't run the show proper.

>Firefly fought a bird
>Em fought a melee expert
>inb4 Wisent fights a big lug
>inb4 Anode fights a lightning bruiser (no pun intended)

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>>35899979
> How close are we, timeline wise, until the events of X3 begin?

>>35899979
>>35900405
We may not make it that long, Anon.

>>35900405
So... Not even close, then? I kinda figured, but considering we're more or less at the Quest's "Sigma Stage" equivalent, I didn't think it'd hurt to ask.

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>>35900195
Nope. ... Why?

>>35900311
Wait, there was a thread with Flares?
Shit, I got a thread to catch up on.

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>>35900441
Screw that nonsense, we're going to fucking live.

>>35900483
I'm just seeing all these different bladed weapons, and wondering why he doesn't have concealed knives or anything.

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>>35900441
You'll know when it happens, Anon, I promise you that.

>>35900517
Wadif we go mav?

>>35900562
That ain't living

>>35900473
I don't know, we could be right at the beginning of it, too. This could be the opening act of X3, with Doppler being corrupted by research into the viral spread of Mavericks.

Don't get me wrong, I hope it's not, because holy shit, things will only get harder from here if it is, but the option's not off the table.

And even at that, Hunter Command and Cain Labs confirmed that the quest was only going to get harder from there on after we took out Saetos.

ok this is probably going to get my crucified but I'm shit with names so I can't recall anything without some details, what happens in X3 again?

>>35900840
A lot of bosses ramming walls.

>>35900765
Our opening eight mavericks were, as they put it, the "tutorial."

>>35900306
HC, just because we were using Em, mind if I ask a question concerning load out for him?

Basically, while I know his buster is shit, what stops Em from changing out to something like Cerantanium dart launchers, Kuwanger's boomerang, or a coil like Anode's or Jagwire's to attach to, say, a kusarigama type of setup, or something sharp and pointy and so very Em? Just general curiosity, since Skipjack did offer something like option 4, and I could see Em liking something stabby over his gun.

>>35901004
I'm not sure if Em's babby busters even have VWES to be able to get goodies like that.

>>35900441
Oh please, we're going to live so long we'll end up tutoring the four guardians!
And then die to them when we inevitably join the rebellion.

>>35901004
He's stubbornly opposed to logic. Even Schwarz can't get him to change.

>>35901050
On that note, has he ever tried making a VWES saber so it can swap between nasty setups like Zero's, or link to an internal VWES?

>>35901082
We will become biometal AN.

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>>35901004
What's stopping him is mostly (but not all) stubborn pride, like >>35901090 said. Also, >>35901050 is correct. Em's buster can't even support a VWES module.

>>35901091
He has, actually. The tech you're describing doesn't exist yet.

>>35901256
I think you mean Biometal -

>>35901265
Noted. Now, would he get annoyed by a melee weapon that wasn't a sword being given as a gift? Just wondering about stuff like the beam whip in Zero Two. Mostly wondering if we can ever give him something fancy that widens his game up without it being offensive or discarded, hence the ideas that can be mainly melee but either easily retrieved or replaced if he needs to toss it.

Well, that and I think he'd have fun with ninja gear.

>>35901675
Think of the possibilities if we could make a recoil rod.

>>35901265
With the current tech level, would it be possible to slap together a Phase Beam Shield device, sort of like the beam shields seen in stuff like Gundam F91 and Victory?

>>35901921
Almost definitely not. Any shield would be solid material, possibly with an energy field projector over the surface.

>>35901938
hey this is probably far off but once we finish up with this siege how far away are we from Anode's sister's birthday. Kinda want to see how she flips her shit once we give the comic book nerd an actual working utility built with a grappling hook.

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>>35901938
This is kind of what I'm talking about. You got your device in the center, and emitters that project the separate sections of the shield to create one whole shape. Of course, the latter of what you're talking about is what's more or less in SEED Destiny... at least in the Infinite Justice's case.

>>35902396
It might be theoretically possible, but it'd be the very beginning of emergent tech. Even the level of shielding tech that Terapin used was only possible because of his DNA being built specifically for it.

>>35902554
But what about the bell-shaped guard on Em's rapier? What if we did something like that, but wider and flatter?

>>35902651
The bellguard is basically a specialty beam "blade" field. Making it larger would necessitate both a larger power supply and a better emitter/envelope assembly to properly pressurize and contain the field.

>>35902554
Makes sense.

This is more directed to you AND Cain Labs, but have you ever had people present you guys with their own OC DONUT STEEL in the hopes of seeing them in the story? If that is the case, on a scale of 1 - 10, how would you rate some of the OCs you guys have been presented with? with 1 being "What the hell is this shit" and 10 being "This is actually pretty good".