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“You got a place I can punch a thing?” Rath growls. The Guide whirs a moment in the air before you.

“Permission granted to visit the testing facil…” Comes the mechanized reply, but she’s already turned on her heel and started storming off.

“I’ll figure it out, thanks.” She says over one shoulder, bounding up a set of stairs embedded in the one side of the superstructure, and moments later she’s gone from sight. The Guide turns to you with a droll expression.

“I have just been informed that the group designated ‘Midnight Crew’ have departed. They appear to have taken shelter when Mara, alias Marrow Dragoon, was spotted flying westwards towards Carroll’s Forest.” The Guide explains monotonously, your stomach going tight with a paradox of hope and dread. Hope for having a clear shot at leaving this place with ease, and dread at Mara’ encroachment on her prey…your insides clenching further at the thought that her success would make your life considerably easier.

Her failure, on the other hand…

“Is there a Haynation here?” Amara asks the Guide, hands behind her back. The Guide merely arcs one hairless eyebrow.

“S-she means a W-Waystation.” Julia elaborates, putting her hands on the little girl’s shoulders and smiling weakly down at her.

“No. We pride ourselves in the utmost security of this development facility. We have no need of the Waystations or their caretaker. The closest one is to the south, from whence your group came.” The Guide explains, and you can’t help the bitter chuckle that shudders through your lungs. After all, West is somewhere in these halls.

You glace over to where Julia’s kneels down, wrapping her arms around your youngest ally. Amara, meanwhile, just looks at you with one blue and one hazel eye, concern set deep within the gaze of someone wiser than their years.

She worried, and she has every right to be.

You can empathize.

>>You need to drop off B’ni’s radar as quickly as possible, so go ahead and volunteer (Rath/Julia/Amara/yourself) for the procedure to get it over with. You have to keep your team safe, and this is the clearest way to do it.

>>Reach out to Gina and Dorian, tell them both to come to the Disassociated Ones’ home as soon as possible. You’re not sure for how long this place will be safe with the Midnight Crew possibly milling about on the surface, but it’s doubtless better than where they are right now.

>>Ask to speak to the leader here and let them know that one of Doctor West’s proxies is currently among them. You’ll keep things calm, but they need to know the threat that lurks in their halls. Also, you have some questions you’d like the answers to.

>You want to navigate this place as a group, with West about and the motives of these people still an unknown. Take Julia and Amara in hand and find Rath, telling Amara a story while you go.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3506532
>>Reach out to Gina and Dorian, tell them Isabelle might be on her way and to find a better place to hide, but not to tell you intil you cut your connection to her.
>>Ask to speak to the leader here and let them know that one of Doctor West’s proxies is currently among them. You’ll keep things calm, but they need to know the threat that lurks in their halls.
>>You need to drop off B’ni’s radar as quickly as possible, so go ahead and volunteer yourself for the procedure to get it over with. You have to keep your team safe, and this is the clearest way to do it.

Keep everyone safe, but dont let Dorian or Gina get ambushed on their way here. Keep the Dos safe too, from wests influence.

Keep us safe, as we cant afford to keep feeding Isabelle information, so long as she may be after us directly.

>>3506535
+1

(Voting shall remain open for the next two hours, Gentlemen.)

>>3506537
>>3506535
Something's telling me that Rath's an anger issue is one that won't subside (we already know she's got anger issues) unless we take a proactive approach that silences a source of her anger that involves her punching it (Dr. West, B'ni, Midnight Crew, etc.), lest she destroys herself from the inside out.

>>3506564
We can give Rath something to punch once we are in a better situation to do that with.

>>3506532
>You want to navigate this place as a group, with West about and the motives of these people still an unknown. Take Julia and Amara in hand and find Rath, telling Amara a story while you go.

>>3506564
We also are in no position to deal with any of those threats except for maybe the midnight crew in Raths a hothead but she also isnt stupid, and would want us to make sure everyone is safe and everything is in order before we go off and let loose on a fist related issue.

>>3506532
Agreed with >>3506535. Supporting. We're done with B'Ni. She's just not worth it anymore. And then after that we can explore this neat new place while we explain who B'Ni is to Amara, and then meet with Rath to figure out something to punch and make us all feel better. The desire to beat the tension out isn't limited to her.

>>3506583
I also think that just seeing Shu do something decisive about the issue will help. Severing the link and making the clear statement that B'Ni is to be treated as an enemy now should at least give her something to focus on.

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>>3506532

You reach out, through dense walls of steel, over the River of Tears, and across the fleshscape to speak urgently into Gina’s mind.

{Hey there, what’s u…} She begins, faltering as events of the past few hours flood into her mind. {Shu, I…I’m so sorry. I’m coming to you right now, you’re hur…}

[Stay there] You reply sharply. [I’m taking the Disassociated Ones’ offer and cutting the cord with B’ni. Take Dorian and get somewhere safe. Don’t tell me where, don’t even think about it until I reach out to you first, okay?]

{…Okay} She says softly, a pulse of worry reaching you from miles away. {Please be safe, and I’ll wait to hear from you, just…just be safe, Shu}

Her presence slips out of your mind as you turn to the Guide, a cold breeze whispering through the impossibly large hall.

“I'd like an audience with the Daughter in charge here. I have information they’ll be very interested in.” You say, and the mechanized torso hums thoughtfully for a moment before voicing their level reply.

“That is a possibility, though it will take some time to arrange a meeting.” She explains, dull grey eyes boring into yours. “In the meantime, we may proceed with the diagnostics and subsequent disentanglement as your payment. Who do you wish to volunteer for the first phase?”

“Myself.” Comes your immediate reply, thrusting out a hand to silence Julia’s protest.

“Very well. Allow me to see if our head physician has an opening for you. Follow me.”

You, Julia, and Amara comply, the Daughter leading you down corridor after frigid corridor, finally stopping before a simple door. It slides open at the Guide’s silent command, revealing yet another sterile cell, stark alabaster tile blinding after an endless labyrinth of onyx metal. The Guide darts ahead as the entrance closes behind you, disappearing behind a set of swinging double-doors with small circular portals set at eye-level.

The Guide re-emerges and tilts in mid-air, a curious sort of bow as she announces the physician’s entrance, the double doors swinging open to reveal a tall, slender woman. She’s clad in an ornate kimono, a choice that clashes with the mechanical helmet that obscures the majority of her face. A trio of robotic tendrils flick out impatiently from underneath the cherry-red cloth, and a tired sigh escapes the woman’s lips the moment she…wait.

The way she moves, the curve of her lips…no.

“Doctor West will see you now.”

“Ah, of course.” West clips dryly, an irritated frown tugging at her pursed lips. "I suppose this is the part where I’d say something terribly clever Darling, but I'm really not in the mood.”

>>Turn down the procedure. You’ll figure something else out if it’s West running the show here.

>>You need to get the hell out of here right now. Take your allies, find Rath, and leave this place.

>>Hold your ground and demand an explanation.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Voting shall remain open for the next two hours, Gentlemen.)

>>3506617
>"For once Dr. Quack, I'm also not in the mood for asking you for an explanation. Let's just get this procedure over with."

>>3506641
I dont trust her for one second not to pull something on us if we let her do this. We simply cannot trust her.

>>3506617
Damn you BHOP and your bamboozlements.

>>Hold your ground and demand an explanation.
As much as i want to take the second option, i think if she was gonna outright attack us or turn the DOs against us, it would already have happened.

>>3506617
>>Write-In
>"Yes, we could say all sorts of droll banter at each other. Guide, Dr. Francine West has no ethical principles that I am aware of, and I am not comfortable with submitting myself to any sort of medical examination or experimentation performed by her. Do you have any other surgeons on staff?"

>>3506644
>>3506645
Yeah i was just about to say add in
>Ask for a different doctor.
But adding this Anons statement to mine works better.

>>3506644
Did you read this proxy's mood? I'd rather treat her like the Ebon Dragon. You're safe if she's scowling, but when she smiling, that's when things are gone to shit.

>>3506658
Which is why the ideal way to deal with West is to keep her as annoyed with the situation as possible by not complying with her. Maybe we should say that we don't just not trust her professional ethics, but also her skill. "Yeah, I've seen the dog's breakfast she made out of those schoolgirls, I don't trust this lady to operate on anything more complicated than a swarmling."

>>3506658
Nah, trusting West ever is a mistake

If we ever get to speak with Mother again we should probably raise the issue of Dr.West's connections and her apparent ability to fly under the radar, as she obviously isn't at the top of Charon's hit list because since we saw Charon prosecuting others earlier, there is no way that this is anywhere near approaching fair or balanced at all especially since having her be effectively all over the place simultaneously is disconcerting especially considering that we right now are hovering at around 50% on the Threat Index considering that she now may have her foot in the door with the Dissociated Ones.This leads me to believe that there is something going on with what West is telling us either she is nowhere near as spread out as she wants up believe or she is masking her presence form Mother somehow witch makes me think that she may be influencing the Chord where ever her main body is.

>>3506658
But Anon, West is almost always smiling.

...Oh, shit.

>>3506673
Anon, we've broached this subject earlier in the previous thread. The reason why Mother approves of Dr. West despite having her main body inside the Cord is that West's MO of ascending the cord and winning the game creates a chaotic world-state that Mother endorses. It's how Mother would like her ideal winning Daughter to win.

>>3506673
Charon doesn't go after West because Charon's task is not to ensure a fair game. Charon's task is to ensure a game at all. A Daughter finding an OP strategy isn't an issue, so long as she still contributes to this being a horrible deathworld that will eventually result in a single Daughter slaughtering all others and becoming the new Mother. It's only a problem if they're like us or (from the comments their leader made) that other group Charon killed, and are trying to disrupt the game. Make peace instead of war, discourage evil tactics, and aim to topple Mother's throne entirely instead of claim it for your own. It actually makes me a little worried for the Monastery, Mother might see them as just inconsequential idlers for now but I would expect Charon to go after them eventually.

>>3506685
No, Monastery's fine. Mother won't touch it because recent events (Elder Uzu's death, Younger Uzu being on the edge of a mental breakdown/succumbing to a Hunger fit) have thrown that place into sprialling chaos.

>>3506688
True, though I was really thinking if it does manage to hold. If the Sisters start pulling things together, I can see Charon being sent in to make sure they fail. They're even built right atop a waystation, it's not good.

>>3506685
Well I think part of why the Monastery has lasted so long is that the daughter's there aren't getting stronger. They aren't lowering their threat level, but not raising it either or at least raise it too slowly for it to be an issue for a long time. They aren't disrupting the game, but rather they're not participating and have removed themselves from it, waiting patiently for someone else to end it.

>>3506692
Sure. Like I said, they're just idling this match out. But I worry that eventually Mother is going to get bored with that and try to shake them up.

>>3506692
The only way the Monastery's threat level would be raised is if Mara somehow caught B'ni.
>>3506694
Mother already shook the game up not 3 days ago by increasing the hunger rate. That alone caused lots of tension in the Monastery with the effect of Elder Uzu's death and Younger Uzu getting overstressed to the edge of succumbing to the hunger.

Shu should just shut the fuck up, gosh she's so annoying.

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>>3506617

"Yeah, we could say all sorts of droll banter at each other. Guide, West has no ethical principles that I am aware of, and I am not comfortable with submitting myself to anything performed by her. Do you have any other surgeons on staff?"

“I beg your pardon!” Guide yells, taking you aback at how her visage of bored serenity is shattered. “This one would not be here today if it weren’t for Francine’s skills in…”

“Celia, it’s fine. I appreciate you standing up for me, but I'm afraid Shu has a point.” West replies, lifting her helmet a fraction to massage one of her temples. “The interactions they’ve had with my peers have been overwhelmingly negative, and I’d assume that one of them’s done something particularly abhorrent to prompt this sort of reaction.”

“You’re goddamn right you did. I saw what you did Maria, Ceres, Dinea, and Maggie. That little girl couldn’t have been older then Amara, you sick fuck.” You growl, a sick, burning heat building in your stomach. “Guide, I don't trust this lady to operate on anything more complicated than a…”

The Guide’s pale face is a mild shade of pink, her body’s attempt at a blush of anger. She opens her mouth once more to scold you for speaking out against West but to your surprise the Doctor places a finger to her lips, silencing the other girl.

“Please leave us, Celia. I won’t be long, I assure you.” After a moment’s hesitation, the Guide leaves the room, backing away while staring daggers at you and your team. With a weary sigh West leans back, the floor rising to meet her as it forms simple stool that she now rest upon.

“My condolences, for what they’re worth…though considering how you must view me then I’d imagine they’re rather worthless.” She says, slipping of the helmet and shaking free her head of dirty-blonde hair. “Allow me to make two things very clear, Miss Shu. First, this form has exactly one offensive tool, being a Fibro-Neuro Hybrid I was installed with at the moment of my creation. It’s level three, so overpowering me would be trivial for you, Darling. Second, we can forego the examination and proceed directly to the severing of the entanglement Celia mentioned. It’s an in and out procedure and your allies are welcome to stay as insurance. The Disassociated Ones’ plans are nearing completion, and I’m afraid I have too much on my plate to consider a pointless tousle with you that I have no personal stake in. Understood?”

You’re not sure what’s more disconcerting; the fact that you’re staring at the face of the woman that killed Ceres’ team, or that your empathic field is telling you that what she just said was in earnest.

>>”…Fine. Let’s get this over with, but we will end you if you try anything.”

>>”…No dice, Doctor. I’ll figure something else out.” Leave and return to Rath.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>kill the doctor, return to Rath

>>3506779
>”…Fine. Let’s get this over with, but we will end you if you try anything.”
Something tells me that Each West proxy has developed their own perspective as their own egos. They're aware of each other, but their personal lives as West's clones leaves them in a situation not unlike Gemma.

>>3506779
>”…Fine. Let’s get this over with, but we will end you if you try anything.”
I don't trust her but I trust our empathic field. Let's get this part over with 'cuz we have shit to do and questions to ask. Like "what plan?" for example.

I figured that the DO would at least try to find a way to disable the "instant death" feature that triggers in all surviving daughters at the Crucible's completion.

>>3506779
>>”…Fine. Let’s get this over with, but we will end you if you try anything.”
I hate west. I despise west.
...but west is not a liar.
Unfortunately, if we do not sever the connection, we are FUCKED. Im not sure what is going on, maybe she is a proxy that split and has its own goals, maybe in a round bout way she is simply saying whatever goal main West gave her is more important than anything else, i dunno.

I do not trust her one bit, but we have just learned the DOs cant be trusted, even if this West is somehow technically innocent. Our best bet is get what we need and get out.

>>3506799
For all we know she can trick our field, however the minute the guide took her side, if she had any true ill intent against us, she could've easily had something done.

Instead she defended our position. Unfortunately, it does show she is probably beings honest. Worse case is she wont do anything simply to get us out of the way peacefully as soon as possible.

>>3506824
You know... I keep on wondering about West. If she's made it to the Cord, but took the time to make clones and disperse, why? And has there been an incident among West's proxies where a case of Split personality conflict (aka Gemma's Situation) has occurred amongst Dr West?
Also, I've got an earlier and longer work shift than usual today. I'd hate to leave this early but work is work, and I need to bring food on the plate.

>>3506779
>>”…No dice, Doctor. I’ll figure something else out.” Leave and return to Rath.
>>Write-In
"God, you can't even see how you've been compromised, can you? Your creator did a real number on you. Makes sense, don't let a spy realize it's a spy and it can't be interrogated. I wonder why she bothered to keep you remembering you're Francine West, though? Odd. Well, best of luck on your endeavors, Doctor. I hope the core doesn't gloat too badly when it all comes crashing down."

She responded to us as if she had a personal knowledge of prior interactions with us, despite claiming to not be connected with the other Wests. And the core West is using her as an information source on the Disassociated. She's clearly in contact with the rest of the collective, her being honest just means that she can't consciously realize that. She's a plant, it doesn't matter if she's earnest, it just means that she'll act against us without even knowing why she's doing it.

(Voting shall remain open for the next one and a half hours, Gentlemen.)

>>3506779
>Dr.West, your creator self has been using you as a spy without your knowledge

>>3506837
Easy, because the cord is hard as fucking hell to climb, and multiple West can collect resources faster than one.

>>3506843
You have a point, but we also dont know when she was created, nor how the connection works. Maybe she has her own metal plate in her head.

Begrudgingly, the issue here is, we cannot do anything else until we sever the connection to Isabelle. Shes made herself a direct threat and until we can be sure she isn't one, or are safe enough from her finding us, thats the priority. And we have no other way to cut or surpress the connection. I hate it, i despise west, this fuck even if innocent can go shove it up her ass for all i care....
...but she also is our only way to get done what needs to get done. Again, even if subconsciously comprimised, if she wished to fuck us over...or west from afar, the best moment for it has passed. Im more than positive the DOs could kill us, if only by merit of we don't even know how to leave here, so home field advantage plus trapped.

>>3506871
>You have a point, but we also dont know when she was created, nor how the connection works. Maybe she has her own metal plate in her head.
The fact that she believes our relationship with the rest of the Wests to be a negative one means that her last update was at minimum when we destroyed West's lab. Up until then it was neutral, that was the point of definite transition between "West is dangerous, but useful enough to maintain a working relationship with" to "West is a monster that needs to be killed at the soonest possible opportunity". So unless this West is less than three days old, and she doesn't appear to be with how she's worked her way into the Disassociated's good graces, there's no way that she's running on old intel. She clearly has the ability to both send and receive information to and from the rest of the West collective. She is compromised. I'd rather keep the connection with Isabelle, risky as it is, then let a West clone that doesn't even realize it's still working for the Doctor fiddle around in our brain meats.

>>3506871
Also, I'm not worried about this West killing us. You're right, she already had an opportunity for that while the Vault was swallowing us. I'm worried about her doing brain surgery when she just said "oh, hey, I've got Neuromancer powers". Because then SHU is going to be the one compromised. There are all sorts of nasty things she could do to us.

>>3506910
Although she's only a level 3 neuromancer and we're linked to one that's 4 levels higher and counting.

>>3506953
No, she thinks she's a level three Neuromancer. She's a plant, she doesn't know what her level is.

>>3506891
>>3506910
I disagree, keeping the connection is a death sentence.

However, ill compromise a bit.
>>3506779
>>3506812
Add in;
>Question her harshly on what she means and why we should trust her. She talks about the other proxies like they are not her, yet knows our relationship with them.

>>3506779
>>>”…No dice, Doctor. I’ll figure something else out.” Leave and return to Rath.

>>3506974
>I disagree, keeping the connection is a death sentence.
Less of a death sentence than letting West fiddle around in our brain, in my opinion. But you're right, let's compromise. Ask West some questions, probe her brain to see if the core West bothered to give her the ability to provide coherent answers or if the logic just breaks down.

>>3506779
Changing my vote.

>>Write-In
>"Uh huh. You reacted to my presence here even before I started laying accusations. How do you know who I am and that I'm upset with the rest of your hive, West? It can't be the Disassociated's own intelligence, they would have known not to put us together, then. And it can't be old information, because the time frame between you becoming our enemy and now doesn't give this iteration enough time to work your way into the Disassociated's good graces. You have to have some connection to the other Wests, what is it?"

>>3506993
Actually, change that "old information" to "legacy information", that works better.

>>3506993
We have some reason, no matter how small, to believe that this West might not harm us. We have no reason at all to think Isabelle wont harm us. Pretty cut and dry which is the bigger threat to me.

>>3507060
And if motive was the only factor, then I'd agree with you. But there are also issues of how easy it is to evade the threat, and even with a telepathic link to us we can hypothetically stay ahead of Isabelle long enough to get strong enough to kill her. We can't stay ahead of whatever West implants in our brain.

>>3507068
If Isabelle knows where we are, she's gonna reach us before we are strong enough to face her if that is her goal. We survive if she cant find us, no other way. So long as we have the connection, that isn't an option.

>>3507081
Yes, but for now the connection is intermittent. In theory we can change course after every bleed-over and stay away from her that way. We're trading one big problem that we have trouble avoiding to one big problem that we're still probably going to have trouble avoiding and one big problem that we can't avoid at all.

>>3507086
I disagree. We dont know sues gonna mess with our head, she has a chance she will not, and even if she did, if it was to harm us, she already had a better chance, if its something else, we already know Gina can interrupt such plans.

The connection is already too big a problem and will only become a bigger one. Not cutting it while we can regardless of who, is a stupid move.

>>3506779
>”…No dice, Doctor. I’ll figure something else out.” Leave and return to Rath.
She has literally always been trying to look under the hood of us, I do not trust her one but.

>>3507098
If you think West isn't going to mess with our brains then I'm sorry, but you're living in a fantasy world. There is zero chance she's trustworthy, you're just convincing yourself she is because you want to be rid of B'Ni that badly. And I get that, I want B'Ni gone too. But we're not going to solve that problem by throwing more problems on top of it. B'Ni will still be hunting for us and we'll have to deal with whatever West did to us too. Gina being able to disrupt West's dreamscape attacks doesn't help if she does any of the many other things that could be done by meddling with our brain. For example, here's a nasty thought, what if West could track us now? She wants to kill Shu and Gina, too. And Gina can't solve that problem, or we wouldn't be here in the first place.

We should at least ask if there is someone else that can do the Procedure

While we could change course every bleedover it might be difficult to always notice them in time and it will probably become very inconvenient or downnright dangerous if it happens during a time sensitive matter

IF West truly is the only one that can do the Procedure we should consult with the others first

If she is and we agfree to it. We should get the crew and ask Gina to be on Overwatch in case West tries something with neuromancy during the procedure though i would rather not let West mess with our Head

>>3507112
No, see, with that logic i can just say you are trying to convince yourself because you want to keep the connection, as West has not actually ever lied aswell as our empathic field having been extremely accurate and even noticable when not working right. Your entire argument is based off the assumption this West MUST be comprimised, while we have little proof of that and there could be many other explanations, while mine is based on the very real threat of a dangerous individual we know will kill us on sight at the very least if we end up near her.

I hate West, i want nothing more than to KILL this individual. But the connection and Isabelle are simply bigger and more imediate threats to us.

i can’t shake the feeling that ever since my new employment, the tone that Shu and anons have been taking has become more and more murderhobo-esque

>>3506779

“…Fine. Let’s get this over with, but we will end you if you try anything.”

She ignores your threat, instead gesturing languidly to the reclining table that assembles itself out of the stool she rises from. You hesitantly take the offered seat, watching West open a hatch in the far wall and pluck a selection of instruments from within. A glance to your right reveals Julia on edge, having already ushered Amara to the far corner of the room where she holds her whistle at the ready, holding her breath with cheeks puffed full of air, ready to blow.

“West, I’d imagine you’d like to know that your creator has been using you as a spy without your knowledge. I wonder why she even bothered to keep you remembering you're Francine West, though.” You muse, watching her face closely as you speak, searching for any fluctuations in your empathic field.

“Your attempts to needle me are admirable, but I’m fully aware of my connection to the West, Darling.” She says with a grim smirk, returning to your side and placing a variety of wires and metal fragments on the arm extension of your chair. “Each Proxy is tasked with either information or resource gathering, and are expected to upload data at regular intervals or in the event of occurrences of note. We send that information to West, as I did when you arrived, then she sends us a truncated update of what’s happened that may come sooner or later, depending on urgency.”

“Hm.” You murmur, watching her fiddle with the objects she’s gathered, her electric blue eyes intent on her craft. “You mentioned that the Disassociated Ones’ plans are almost complete. What’s that entail?”

“Escaping the Crucible, if their name wasn’t enough of a clue.” She say with a droll tone, closing one eye as she leans close to your ear, taking rudimentary measurements with thumb and forefinger. “They’re none too terribly concerned with the state of things outside their little box, here. Their leader was familiar with this place, so after gathering many like-minded Daughters of skill such as myself, they started work on disassembling the warheads that were held here.

“W-warheads?” Julia sputters, taking a step forwards. “D-do you m-mean…”

“Of the nuclear variety, Darling.” West replies as her slender fingers work the wire into a particular curve. “Mother tried her damnedest to scrub all conventional weaponry from the face of the planet before waking anyone up, but the weapons here escaped her notice, it seems. There was some debate early on as to whether or not to fire them at the Cord in an act of defiance or repurpose them into fuel for the shuttle, and they eventually settled on the latter.”

“Shuttle? As in…space shuttle?” You ask, and West merely hums in acknowledgement.

“Oh, indeed. They’re almost ready to launch the shuttle that will allow them to pierce Mother’s womb and escape to the stars.”

(Continued)

>>3507141

“I thought they’d d-die the moment someone wins the C-Crucible, though?” Julia asks, and West simply chuckles under her breath.

“Ah, if they were anything resembling Daughters at the point the win-condition was me, then you’d be absolutely correct, my dear.” She says, holding the mass of wires and steel next to your ear with a measuring eye. “As of now, most of them are entirely machine-based lifeforms, ghosts in the shell, and all that. They’d be exempt when the Crucible’s kill switch is triggered for the sole fact that most of them have thrown away their humanity.”

“So what’s your purpose here, then?” You prompt, keeping a watchful eye on her dexterous hands and flicking tendrils.

“Providing exposition to you on a regular basis, apparently.” She replies sourly, a crackle of electricity arcing along the wires at her fingertips.

“I’m serious. How do you know who I am and that I'm upset with the rest of your hive, West? It can't be the Disassociated's own intelligence, they would have known not to put us together, then. And it can't be legacy information, because of the time frame between you becoming our enemy and now.”

“You annihilated the Sparagmos Engine and destroyed West’s lab. It doesn’t take a hive mind of geniuses to realize you and West are on opposing sides after that bridge was burned.” She says coolly, striding back over to the cabinet to retrieve another assortment of bits and bobs. “The latter of those incidents is the latest update I’ve received, so I’d not be surprised if you’d done much more to irritate West in that interval. Now, regarding the other half of your question, I’ve been here five months give or take. I came onboard at West’s behest to serve as back-up in case her attempt to win the Crucible fails…then at least there’d be some aspect of herself that survived this.”

“So why are you so different than the other proxies we’ve encountered? They’ve done some monstrous things, but you seem to be well respected here, if Gu…Celia’s words are anything to go by.”

There. A shift in emotions, a blend of pride and shame warping together in her mind.

“I’d like to think my time disconnected from the others has given me something akin to perspective, I suppose.” She replies with another shrug of her angular shoulders. “At least enough to realize who and what I am…or maybe I’m just kidding myself. Your condemnation of me may be frustrating given that I’ve never met the people West took from you, but I cannot deny that those acts were performed by aspects of myself that I’d much rather keep at arm’s length.”

You’re caught off guard when she chuckles, a soft, sad noise drifting across the room as she makes her way back to your side.

“It’s amusing, really. We can be through with our pasts all we like, Darling…but as long as we’re alive our pasts aren’t through with us.”

(Continued)

>>3506779
…No dice, Doctor. I’ll figure something else out.” Leave and return to Rath.

>>3507129
No, you couldn't say I'm trying to convince myself because I want to keep the connection. That's completely unconnected to the things I've been saying, I've at least been taking your motivations at your word. Come on man, keep it together. Now, you could say it's that I'm overestimating the threat West poses compared to B'Ni. Which is possible, but I don't think I am. This West iteration has been acting extremely suspicious, we're all fucked, because it looks like "let her fiddle around in our brain meats" won >>3507141. Fucking yay.


>>3507141
Okay, but that is cool for the Disassociated. They're making an Orion drive? Nice. It's probably not going to work, because two years is not enough time to perfect the pusher plate design and focused nuclear pulse system, but nice.

>>3507146

“Here, it’s done.” She sighs, handing you a compressed ball of wire and metal. You take it reluctantly, arcing an eyebrow at West as you watch her gather her instruments.

“You barely touched me.” You say, testing the palm-sized orb’s weight in your grasp.

“I didn’t want to lose a hand.” West chirps back. “I’ve learned a great deal since I helped sever Dragoon and Magpie’s entanglement. Hold this next to your ear and it will travel through your ear canal to attach itself to your frontal cortex. It will immediately target and disrupt the source of the bleed-over, while leaving all other neurological abilities and ties active.”

You just stare at her, holding your puzzled expression long enough for her to give you an irritated scowl from beneath her sweat-clumped bangs.

“What’s that look for? I thought you’d prefer to have someone other than myself look it over before you fully commit.” She huffs, gathering her armful of scrap and shuffling back to the cabinet. “If you’re willing to let someone like me rifle around in your head then I’d advise you re-assess your priorities, my dear.”

You’re…not really sure how to respond to that.

“Let’s go everyone.” You declare, slipping the device into the pocket of your scrubs as you rise from the chain that disappears back into the floor. “Goodbye for now, West.”

You turn to the exit, nodding towards Amara and Julia that your time entertaining this woman is over.

“Francine.”

You pause.

“I’m sorry?” You say, half-turning back to the woman behind you.

“If it’s all the same to you, I prefer to go by my first name here…though it doesn’t really matter, I suppose. Just a personal affectation.” A mirthless smile spreads in a line across her face. “Ha, I’m quite certain that you’d much rather never see my face ever again, Darling.”

…Somehow you don’t think you’d ever be that lucky.

>>Visit the leader of the Disassociated Ones.

>>Find Rath and regroup.

>>Speak with West...or Francine, a little longer.

>>Write-In

AND

>>Use the implant immediately. B’ni’s connection to you is too large a threat to ignore.

>>Wait to use the implant until you’ve had it looked at by Gina or someone else you trust.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3507150
>>Write-In
>"Enjoy the time you have left, West. I assure you, one way or another, it won't be long."
>>Find Rath and regroup.

>>Wait to use the implant until you’ve had it looked at by Gina or someone else you trust.

>>3507150
>>Find Rath and regroup.
And
>>Wait to use the implant until you’ve had it looked at by Gina or someone else you trust.
Well, with this we got a good compromise anyways id argue.

>>3507149
I was pointing out with that first statement you were jumping to unfair conclusions that id sacrifice everything just to cut it, so why shouldn't i make the same about you?

>>3507131
I think the issue is that the stakes keep sky rocketing by major steps in relative rapid concession, putting a strain on each decesion and making it feel like we're struggling heavily to keep up at all with what we need to succeed in beating the crucible.

>>3507161
>I was pointing out with that first statement you were jumping to unfair conclusions that id sacrifice everything just to cut it, so why shouldn't i make the same about you?
Because my unfair conclusions were based on your stated motivations. It's not the unfair part that I'm upset with, it's the inaccurate part.

>>3507150
>Find Rath and regroup.

>Wait to use the implant until you’ve had it looked at by Gina or someone else you trust.
Preferably dont use it.

>>3507165
Yeah, there's no way that thing is safe. If Gina knew enough to vouchsafe it, then we wouldn't have come here in the first place. But there are going to be a lot of people who insist that we have to do anything for the sake of removing the bond to B'Ni, but at least this will put off their stupid decisions for a bit longer.

The Implant might be dangerous lets only use it once we had it confirmed by Gina and maybe even a third party(preferably a crafter) that it will be harmless to use

(Gentlemen, voting shall close in the next two hours. There may be a delay after the voting period closes, as I shall be heading home from work. Thank you all for participating, and I hope you're having a good day.)

>>3507163
Doesn't matter, don't jump to conclusions if you want to be taken more seriously, especially if you're gonna say things like
>>3507149
>Fucking yay.
Whenever your way does not succeed. Trust me, ive lost out on and had to compromise on things i thought just as important as this, yet as much as im an asshole through and through i dont yell at folks to 'keep it together' and other nonsense.

I suck at wording so ill apologize if this sounds more snarky or dickish than i mean, i really honestly do not care, i enjoy both calm and heated conversations, all im trying to say is its a difference of opinion, we both want whats best for the characters, just keep that in mind.

>>3507150
>"...Have fun in space, Francine. Send a phone call from the moon sometime or whatever. But all the same, I still hope your creator doesn't fuse with a space parasite to devastate more worlds and civilizations."
>Find Rath and regroup.
>Wait to use the implant until you’ve had it looked at by Gina or someone else you trust.
Waiting seems to be the popular consensus right now.

>>3507173
Yeah, West wining would probably result in her destroying the Disassociated on her way out. She doesn't even have to be doing it intentionally, something the size of the Crucible parasite moving around is going to disrupt orbits catastrophically.

>>3507177
Yeah, we both want what's best for the characters, but your risk-assessment is really messed up. You're scared of the super-Daughter that wants to kill us, so your solution is to get help from the other super-Daughter that wants to kill us. It's just compounding the problems.

>>3507150
>"Later Franks"

>Visit the leader and have Gina look at the tech ball first.

>>3507185
Id give you an legitimate response but honestly?
>>3507171
>but at least this will put off their stupid decisions for a bit longer.
You're just an asshole who doesn't like not getting their way.

>>3507172
>>3507178
Its still best to use it, but this West seemed very disturbingly genuine. Still, we have a chance to let Gina look it over perhaps. Maybe.

The big issue is this still does not make it safe to communicate with her, as the whole point of the device in part is to make that safe again.

Niku might be able to help us, maybe Magpie as she has her own?

>>3507178
>>3507190
Can we not call her Francine? I don't want to give her that. She's West. Even if she by some bizarre chance actually isn't just playing the Disassociated and really is doing good, she's still not our friend.

>>3507195
>You're just an asshole who doesn't like not getting their way.
I'm not just that, I'm also an asshole who doesn't want us to get our brains melted because you're all so desperate.

>>3507198
Did I vote to call her francine or did I vote to call her FUCKING FRANKS

>>3507204
Not even that. That sort of irreverence implies friendly familiarity.

>>3507198
It's a really small thing, and doing something just to be spiteful isn't productive. It just puts us in a bad headspace. And if she really is doing good, than it's unjustly spiteful at that.

>>3507210
She doesn't deserve it. We're not her friend, we are at best a neutral party, and maintaining distant formality will help affirm that. It's not even about spite, it's about "don't get used to this asshole being someone we can trust".

>>3507210
Eh, i mean i actually agree with >>3507198
I think she might actually be what she says she is, but that hardly makes her deserving of a different name. Lets not call her anything but West.

>>3507209
Well then I'm just going to disagree with you. Like other anon said, it's small and spiteful.

>>3507210
>>3507218
Im jist gonna say, if we don't trust her enough to use her device, there's no reason to trust she isn't just another West deserving of being called such.

>>3507223
No, there's a pretty big difference between letting someone fiddle with your brain and merely calling them one name over the other. Even Franks said so.

>>3507223
Also, the device is almost without a doubt safe. Regardless of your opinion on getting it, she already had the chance to shove it in our head and have anything negative be done. She has literally no reason to trick us on it not being exactly and only what she says it is, because if it was not, it would already be in our head.

>>3507217
I'm sorry, but I'm not getting the logic here. If she's what she says she is than how is she undeserving of being called differently? In that scenario, would we really want to keep associating her with the Dr. West we hate and plan to eventually take down?

>>3507233
The name is symbolic of her being different from the other Wests. If we're not going to treat her as trustworthy, then it makes no sense to call her by any other name.

>>3507236
Or she's just surprised we were that desperate. "Shit, she would have let me operate on her right here? I was not expecting her to give me that chance, I already the self-administering version. Ah, crap."

>>3507242
So we can't have two different people we don't trust? I guess we'd better start calling Bni West. The whole Midnight crew too. Also the second half of your post is just silly.

>>3507239
Because she still could've and probably did do horrible things. At best, she sounds like shes trying to make up for it, nothing else.

>>3507242
We literally saw her building it. And even if we didn't, she had ample time to change it or build one that was different, as we had no idea what to expect but had submitted to letting it happen. Shes also not the type to really be caught off guard in that way id imagine. If she wanted something bad in our head, it would be there.

Now whos just trying to used messed up logic to convince themselves of what they want, eh?

>>3507150

>>Write in
>I hope that you truly are as different as you claim to be. But if these daughters are only safe from the Killcommand because they stripped themselfes of there Humanity and Biomass what will happen to you will you go the same Way?

> Bid her Goodbye without dropping a Name and leave

>>3507210
>what is not telling the truth
as long as she a part of West, she's not trust worthy, just because we haven't caught her in a lie doesn't mean she is truthful all the time.

>>3507254
Yeah, okay. Though I'd still call her Francine as a show of having benefit of the doubt at least. Innocent until proven guilty and all that.

>>3507255
I'm fine with adding that to my vote.>>3507178

>>3507250
Not when those two different people are literally two iterations of the same person, no. This West wants to be called Francine to set her apart from the rest of the Dr. Wests. If we're going to treat her as not any different from them, then the symbolism of letting her use a new name is contrary to that.

And no, I don't think it's silly. We voted for something desperate, other people in the quest should be surprised by the normally-composed Shu doing something desperate.

>>3507254
She sure seemed surprised to me. She didn't have ample time after she already handed it over to us and we made it clear we genuinely expected her to operate on us. It was too late then. I still don't trust it.

But you're right in the abstract. I am being kind of a jerk over this. I don't know why I'm getting so frustrated over this vote, I apologize to everyone else. I'm pretty sure I'm not just voting based on an emotional response and that I have actual logic backing it up, but it was definitely unkind and immature to call the people voting the other direction idiots. I'm sorry, you don't deserve that.

>>3507258
>>3507267

Yall are letting your west hatred seriously distort your judgement. She seems different from the West collective. We respect this name choice and lose nothing. If she's legit we get in the good graces of a benevolent West. If she's evil we mislead her into believing we trust her more than we actually do. As for the tech ball, us being in the room when she built it means nothing. We don't have the technological knowhow to detect mischief.

And we're already treating her different from the west collective by having this civil conversation. Like I said, there's a pretty fucking massive gap between name choice and brain surgery. We're on good terms with Mara but we're not about to let her poke around in our head. Same with Magpie. This doesn't mean they're on the same level as west. Just because we don't trust someone 100% doesn't mean we can onpy trust them 0%. There are shades of grey, it's not all black and white.

>>3507266
Another thing is, she really hasn't earned us listening to her request

>>3507267
Thats silly. By actually both our statements last vote, if she wanted to fuck us over, we were fucked the second we layed down on the table. The simple fact is, if she wanted to implant something bad into our head, we literally had agreed to let her do it.

She didn't. The device is safe, or at least safe from her meddling.

>>3507290
Are you listening to yourself? On the one hand you say she had the chance to kill or lobotomize us right here, knowing we'd interfere with central west plans in the future, and she didn't. And in the same post you say she hasn't earned enough trust for us to respect a simple name preference. By those standards it's literally impossible for her to prove herself.

>>3507267
(Anon, I know things have gotten heated, but that just makes me appreciate the last part of your post even more. Well played, and I respect you taking a step back and making a post like that.)

(Gentlemen, this Vein's opened on some tough calls, and more will doubtless follow after the last 19th Vein's rather subdued events. I appreciate heated discussions almost as much as I admire the civility you all continually display, so thank you for your participation, one and all.)

>>3507312
Oh no, you misunderstand. On the name part, im fully and totally being petty, as i despise west.

The difference is, the connection cutting is important, so i use logic there and despite my disdain of her, have to admit to what she is really doing and has really done.

The name part isn't, so im using it as a bit of cathartic arguing against her simply to get back at her in some way.

>>3507283
We've had civil conversations with Wests before, even after realizing how evil she was. Shu's generally pretty civil. And like I said, it's symbolic. Using a different name means accepting this West at her word. You do have a point that if she is malevolent (a different question from if she's evil, because she definitely still is no matter what), then at least this tricks her. But I'm not sure it matters. Worst case scenario for her, she dies in a ball of nuclear fire as the Disassociated's fission pulse drive malfunctions, whether from Mother attacking it on its way out or simply flaws in the design because what experimentation can they possibly have done on it? Best case scenario for her, she's away in space forever and we never deal with her again. Either way, there's no benefit to be had by tricking this West, because the remaining Wests will know that we are definitely not cool with the rest of them and they're the ones we'll be dealing with.

>>3507290
Based on her surprise, I think she thought that we knew more than we did, and that we were expecting to only be scanned and given a less-invasive option rather than to be cut open. If she was working under those assumptions, then she'd have to leave it as a delayed trap, because she expected that if she started cutting into us our friends would attack. And it's not like we can vouchsafe this, if we're coming to West in the first place that means we don't have access to anyone else with in-depth knowledge of cybernetic neuromodification. If this isn't a trap, then I think we need someone other than Gina to analyze it. I'm not sure who, though. Maybe someone else in the Disassociated, is there any chance we could make friends here?

She will fuck us over, should've just killed her.

>>3507326
It's an exceptionally bad idea to shed blood in your host's home and kill one of their own with no provocation.

>>3507322
Pretty sure Shu has been built up as a character who isn't the slightest bit petty, so this seems pretty OOC, but vote how you want I guess. Maybe she could use a bit of pettiness.

>>3507323
Not sure why you want to be a jerk if there's no major upsides or downsides. Pretty small hill to lose our moral paragon status over.

>>3507323
She wasn't surprised at all, she actually just seemed disinterested and showed little to no emotion based on our decision to let her do it. She showed no surprise, literally just pointed at the recliner and started her work. I think you just don't like that it is a thing that happened in the first place, so want to justify doing the closest to what you wanted that didn't happen, regardless of logic.

Also, the DOs trust her and are about to leave. We already made ourselves probably vert unwelcome here by our outburst at her, and with them getting ready to jet off, i doubt due to both of those anyone will give newcomers who aren't sticking around any attention, let alone friendship.

Also im thinking November got kicked out for trying to force them to attack the cord rather than flee, is my guess.

>>3507336
Eh, its less about IC pettiness and more i think Shu is allowed her anger and IC West has gotten her angrier than anything else. Even Shu is not infallible, its not unfair to say shes no less a good person for a moment of not giving the face of her enemy a favor, no matter how small.

But you do make a good point too. Like i said, its kinda my way at getting back at the fact id like to think ive made good Argument for the device being safe, but that means we have a reason to be slightly kind to a version of west, and i do not like that.

>>3507336
>Not sure why you want to be a jerk if there's no major upsides or downsides. Pretty small hill to lose our moral paragon status over.
If being slightly insulting to an iteration of a mass-murderer who wants to mass-murder even more is enough to lose moral paragon status, then moral paragon status was never worth anything in the first place. Besides, there is a benefit, that being pride. Shu is in a bad space right now, I think it would be quite satisfying to not be nice to an awful person .

>>3507343
No, I'm talking about her surprise after the examination. Telling us to sit down in the chair is in line with both sets of expectations, either way we need to be examined first. But she definitely seemed confused as to why we expected there to be more.
>You just stare at her, holding your puzzled expression long enough for her to give you an irritated scowl from beneath her sweat-clumped bangs.
>“What’s that look for? I thought you’d prefer to have someone other than myself look it over before you fully commit.” She huffs, gathering her armful of scrap and shuffling back to the cabinet. “If you’re willing to let someone like me rifle around in your head then I’d advise you re-assess your priorities, my dear.”

And as for whether I'm trying to justify not doing this...I don't know, maybe. I think that my logic for never trusting West ever is sound, but I can't deny that there is an emotional aspect. That's why I want more than just Gina to verify this, it would put my mind at ease. I think there's at least a chance one of the other Disassociated Ones working here could be convinced to look at the neural suppressor first, you're right that they probably don't have time for us but we can at least try.

As for November, possibly. It fits with her being ex-military. Other possible explanations are her also opposing West or just her rejecting the total mind-machine uploading part. Maybe we can find out while we're here, Rath will have been asking questions while she was away.

>>3507359
Oh don't get me wrong, we should look the device over a bit yes, but honestly she doesn't sound surprised really, only annoyed. Shes actually outright saying she could've done it herself but wanted to give us a reason to trust it. But if it was not safe and her not sincere, then she wouldn't care about that. Shes not surprised, just annoyed she did something nice for us to put us at ease, and we look at her like she spat in our face for it.

My biggest worry like i said is, we need the device to 100% safely get to Gina, which kinda makes having Gina look it over not a good option.

As for November, i dont know if she even knows anything about West outside the DOs. But you could be right on the second part, as she did say she is still very mildly organic i think?

>>3507359
I don't think we should hold a divergent clone to the sins of their original.

>>3507150
>>Thank Francine, only slightly begrudgingly
She seems nice, I hate West as much as the next Anon but this is a separate person who wants to be called something else because she wants to distance herself from West. We don't have to be totally comfortable with it but Shu is kind and reasonable.

>>Visit the leader of the Disassociated Ones.
We don't need to any more but it might be interesting and it would be a shame not to before we leave.

>>Wait to use the implant until you’ve had it looked at by Gina or someone else you trust.
It's safe to give Francine the benefit of the doubt as far as being civil to her is concerned but trusting her over something this important would be foolhardy.

>>3507369
>Shes not surprised, just annoyed she did something nice for us to put us at ease, and we look at her like she spat in our face for it.
West seems to express surprise as annoyance at things not going her way, though. I guess I'm just not willing to take the supervillain at her word and trust that she didn't slip something dangerous in. Or am I too willing to take her at her word that she's got all these plans within plans? Hmm, now I don't know how to feel, my paranoia has looped around on me.

>My biggest worry like i said is, we need the device to 100% safely get to Gina, which kinda makes having Gina look it over not a good option.
Yeah, that part is true. I mean, we're probably safe so long as no (HEY, WHAT IS THIS, AM I SEEING SHU'S THOUGHTS AGAIN?) bits get added to file names, but it's still a risk. That's another reason why I'd like a Disassociated One to check it, they're closer.

>As for November, i dont know if she even knows anything about West outside the DOs. But you could be right on the second part, as she did say she is still very mildly organic i think?
Yeah, West had some organic parts, at least enough left that she needed life support for it. I'm guessing she's still got a biological brain instead of uploading. I'm betting that the Disassociated Ones' uploading process probably had a lot of losses that November thought were unacceptable. They've only had two years to work on this, and electronic data storage isn't nearly as good as biological (yet), so there would have to be a lot of stuff cut for room even if they were perfectly efficient. Everyone in these massively compressed file formats, losing so much of who they are.

>>3507372
She's not that divergent, and even if she was she's complicit with the crimes of the original. She's connected to the network and instead of trying to stop the other Wests is giving them a backup plan just in case it doesn't work. So fine, maybe she doesn't deserve treatment at full West levels, but she's at least the Kurt Blome to her Josef Mengele.

>>3507369
(am WorkAnon now Home.)

>>3507413
>my paranoia has looped around on me.
honestly? i think you just dont want to trust her no matter what is logical or true, which i understand, but i still think if she was gonna fuck us over with it, she would already have done so. she just has had too many opportunities to screw us hard for it to not actually be safe to use. still a bitch tho, like even if shes 100% what she says she is, her attitude is still bitchy in alot of ways.

>but it's still a risk. That's another reason why I'd like a Disassociated One to check it, they're closer.
in all fairness, my DO statements were not exactly meant to say im 100% against trying to get someone to double check, only it was unlikely anyone would.

>November
actually, November said that the process of entering her new body scrambled alot of her brain, so i guess her brain is not organic. or did she just mean the augments she does have scrambled her brains, in which only part of her brain might be organic? hrm, i really cant remember exactly how she said it on on this topic.

also, for what little it is worth, i have enjoyed out discussions greatly despite any heated words, and dont hold anything against ya.

>>3507456
>honestly? i think you just dont want to trust her no matter what is logical or true, which i understand, but i still think if she was gonna fuck us over with it, she would already have done so. she just has had too many opportunities to screw us hard for it to not actually be safe to use. still a bitch tho, like even if shes 100% what she says she is, her attitude is still bitchy in alot of ways.
I think it's more that I'm having trouble figuring out what is logical or true. There are so many unknowns about Dr. West that I don't feel confident making any predictions about her behavior, and assuming everything is a threat is therefore safer. At the very least, it means that when she pulls an inevitable "ha ha, what a fool you were for even making assumptions at all!" on us I'm already mad at her instead of getting any whiplash.

>actually, November said that the process of entering her new body scrambled alot of her brain, so i guess her brain is not organic. or did she just mean the augments she does have scrambled her brains, in which only part of her brain might be organic? hrm, i really cant remember exactly how she said it on on this topic.
I think it's that she's partially organic. I can't see what else she would have retained of her biology if she's going to go cybernetic on her brain and at least

>also, for what little it is worth, i have enjoyed out discussions greatly despite any heated words, and dont hold anything against ya.

Yeah, same. I've gotten heated sometimes, you've gotten heated others, regardless we're all still trying to have fun here. The fact that we can move past our differences to still focus on the neat story is one of the things that makes this horrific and deeply disturbing premise one of the highlights of my day.

>>3507413
I think she's more divergent than that, if she only has one ability at level three she had to have been split off long ago.

>>3507497
she said 5 months. makes sense, given that, plus being stuck with people who upgrade via tech, not consumption.

>>3507487
>First Part
probably wont help you much, but one thing to remember is West is a 'Greater Good' person. she has an end goal, and every action is solely for that goal. this specific Wests only goal is to go with the DOs into space, and to make sure she and them survive said journey, and i think its is VERY safe to say, she is not lying on that. it is a VERY West thing to have a backup plan like that. but the thing about that then is, we do not matter to that plan, nor is she in any way trying to do anything with any other Wests plan. harming us does nothing to help her goal here, if anything fucking us over may hinder it by making the DOs a new enemy, regardless of how likely it is for us to be a threat. getting us out of here as happy and content as can be helps her goal the most, and even for the main West, helps her goals the most, due to that specific Wests entire Existence being said backup plan.

even West has clear and visible things you can expect from her, and 'anything for the end' goal is one of them. aiding in the main Wests goals would not make sense even by West standards, as any such actions that are revealed or go awry could potentially make said DO West seen negatively to the DOs, so it is best even by West logic for her to be the best person she can be, even to us.

and disturbingly, i think ive just made it to where she could both be telling us 100% the truth while not being any different actually than any other West, which is somehow terrifying.

>November
makes sense, its just a matter of how much and what its side effects were. like i said, i know memory scrambling was one of them, aswell as losing all but i think it was 25% efficiency with her Abilities(which does imply organic components), but other side effects and how they may of driven her to leave is up in the air. hopefully West has not killed her too and we will see her again.

File: West's Helmet.png (1.42 MB, 1280x1168)

1.42 MB PNG

>>3507150

"I hope that you're truly as different as you claim to be." You say, giving the doctor a once-over. "But if these Daughters are only safe from the killswitch because they stripped themselves of their humanity and biomass, will you go the same way?"

"It's what I was created for. My raison d'etre, I suppose. " West replies, one hand on the double doors opposite you. You nod in contemplation before meeting her cool blue gaze.

"Thank you, Francine." You say, turning away and leading Amara by the hand as the three of you exit.

There.

Just before you withdraw your empathic field, you sense something very faint flicker within the construct you've walked away from. It's a feeling quite familiar to you, an emotion you've felt when, for a fleeting moment, you're referred to as 'Shu' by one who's known you when you were called a monster's name.

It's a flicker of hope.

It takes you longer than you'd care to admit to find Rath, but eventually your wanderings and collection of distinctly unhelpful directions given to you by hurried cyborgs allow you to find the weapon's testing area. You approach the chamber from the walkways above, running the length of the multitude of honeycombed, identical rooms, each holding a different weapon or training regiment. You catch sight of her after a quick search, spying a faint ginger figure at the bottom of one of the chambers.

(Continued)

File: Training Rooms.jpg (471 KB, 1280x935)

471 KB JPG

>>3507540

The sight of the redhead below gives you pause, your step down the staircase retracting as you realize Rath isn’t throwing her arms around like a wild brawler, but rather she’s working on a deliberate form, repeating it over and over as you watch from above.

You realize she’s begun to shift in a way, when you weren’t looking. Her light, her inner fire remains unchanged, but now…she’s not this wild, undirected fury, not anymore. Purpose alights in her eyes, flowing through every strike, every motion as she practices with focused intent. She’s snapped out of her routine as Amara bounds down the stairs to meet her, throwing herself at the older girl who promptly catches her in an eight-armed hug.

“What’s crackin’, kiddo?” Rath says contentedly, ruffling the girl’s hair as you arrive at the base of the stairs.

“Doctor West gave Miss Shu a brain ball!” Amara replies happily, and you grit your teeth for impact as you watch Rath’s smile run away from her face with frightening speed.

“It’s fine, Rath. This iteration was actually the most civil one we’ve met thus far, though I’m still not going to use this unless I get a second opinion.” You say, giving the Device a gentle pat in your pocket. “Once I know it’s safe to use we won’t have to worry about B’ni seeing through my eyes anymore, so there’s that.”

“Alright…good, cool.” Rath replies, still a little shaken at West’s sudden appearance as her extra limbs slide back to her body, leaving her slight, muscular arms hanging awkwardly at her sides.

“Have you found out anything about persons of interest here?” You ask her, sensing a vague aura of embarrassment that flares when the question leaves your mouth.

“No, I was, um…just here, for a little while.” She stammers, shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other. “Hey, uh… I’m sorry I just ran off like that, I don’t…I’m sorry, that was really stupid and risky. It won’t happen again, man.”

You blink.

First a tolerable iteration of Doctor West, and now a timid Rath…you’re not sure what to make of this, but it’s really throwing you off.

>>Reach out to Gina and meet with her to inspect the Disruption Device. It’s a risk, but you’re betting that you can get to Gina before B’ni can catch up, allowing you to sever the bond and disappear once more.

>>Try to explore the Facility and find someone you can run the Device by, just to make sure it’s safe. After all, you surely can’t be the only person her who’s reticent to put full faith in anyone wearing West’s face.

>>Even though the Proxy known as Francine had a lot to say about the Disassociated Ones, you still have some questions you’d like the answers to. You’ll find The Guide and visit the Daughter in charge here.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Voting shall remain open for the next one and a half hours, Gentlemen.)

>>3507543
>>Try to explore the Facility and find someone you can run the Device by, just to make sure it’s safe. After all, you surely can’t be the only person her who’s reticent to put full faith in anyone wearing West’s face.
well it cant hurt to try, eh? better to do this first at least, before we risk Gina at all. its also the safest we will ever be too to look for such a person, funnily enough. i also really dont have any questions about the DOs, seems pretty cut and dry honestly, one of the few things like i said she very much wouldn't be lying about for sure.

>>3507543
>>Try to explore the Facility and find someone you can run the Device by, just to make sure it’s safe. After all, you surely can’t be the only person her who’s reticent to put full faith in anyone wearing West’s face.
>>Even though the Proxy known as Francine had a lot to say about the Disassociated Ones, you still have some questions you’d like the answers to. You’ll find The Guide and visit the Daughter in charge here.
I want to know about West's device, but I also want to know about this spaceship plan they've got. They've really got an Orion drive? That's awesome, if it works. Hey, if we don't have the Crucible all wrapped up by the time they get to the asteroid belt, could they toss a few back down the gravity well towards us? I don't want to die from orbital kinetic bombardment, but if we haven't solved everything within a year of in-game time it's because we're already dead, so I don't have a problem.

>>3507581
you know, Orion Drive or not, it is pretty impressive what they have done in just two years time. shame they are fleeing the problem instead of fighting to beat it.

but if we do fail, destroying earth and the crucible along with it is a good alternative yes. better the crucible dies and ends this ones cycles if we cannot turn it into a way to fix or at least stabilize the earth.

>>3507584
You know, that's the thing I find odd about the premise of the Crucible. Both Karma and Mother herself have said that such cosmic parasites are common. However, the Crucible only ever produces a single offspring at each generation. It can't propagate, it only goes in sequence from world to world. It should be easy for any given world-parasite's line to be broken, over enough cycles it's near inevitable. So if these things are common, does that mean that something else is making and distributing them? Is there another level up, a Grandmother that spawn the Crucibles? Or is the Crucible just broken, and it's supposed to make multiple Honored Daughters but just can't?

>>3507584
I kind of want to wish them luck before we go. They're said to have discarded their humanity, but if all else fails then they'll be all that's left of humanity. Shoot for that stars, robot girls, while we try to have a world to come back to and to prosper again.

>>3507593
could be any number of things really. the grandmother idea is quite nice. the last part could also be true. remember, the new mother gets to make one big change, so long as that change does not end or stop the crucible/cycle. maybe one bitch out there decided to be greedy, and didn't like seeing all of a planets resources get split into weaker crucibles, aswell as the cords collection, and so for this instance at least, changed it to a super crucible as it was. it also could be an out of control experiment or weapon from another race, though with how it operates, i dont think that is true.

i also wonder what 'common' means in this case. depending on how common sentient life is in this universe, that could mean millions, or it could mean 5. it seems very likely there are far less crucible than sentient, biological life holding planets, as they would need to make sure their food source always exists afterall, and it seems far too focused on continuing the cycle to over indulge.

>>3507596
fair enough. im very indifferent as i kinda see them as cowards honestly. all this tech and strength, and they run instead of fight.

>>3507596
We can hope. Give them access to the asteroids and the outer planets and they'll have mineral and energy resources beyond what humanity ever imagined. So long as the Crucible doesn't destroy them on its way out, they'd be the best hope for us.

That said, once we wish them luck we actually should get out of here, people talk about how nuclear rockets aren't that radioactive but they're still pretty radioactive. The optimal fallout zone for a nuclear pulse drive is eighty kilometers, we're probably more radiation-resistant than humans are but I don't want to test it.

>>3507612
>it seems very likely there are far less crucible than sentient, biological life holding planets, as they would need to make sure their food source always exists afterall, and it seems far too focused on continuing the cycle to over indulge.
Oh, that's an idea, maybe they communicate between each other to limit their population? If there are too many Crucibles relative to the current number of inhabited planets, they'll limit their offspring to only maintain their population rather than expand it. Though we know that at least in the last cycle there were enough of them that the Hexane both knew the Crucible was coming and knew what it was in advance. That suggests that there were enough civilizations around at that point that planets could talk to each other and give warnings about the world-eaters.

>>3507626
Ah. How far away is the Monastery? Because now I feel like asking if their liftoff will have devastating fallout and how far. Granted they're starting their liftoff from deep underground, but still.

>>3507631
(The Monastery is well out of the blast zone, no worries.)

>>3507626
well they could've just been really advanced, but yeah they would've had to have at least seen it in action to know what it was. i mean, even if they saw the giant deadly planet sized flesh thing heading their way, without some other knowledge they wouldn't of known what to expect when it arrives.

the idea Crucibles communicate with eachother is outright terrifying but entirely possible.
mfw the Crucibles keep a collection from past worlds they have eaten.
mfw the Crucibles have a sense of pride in their cycle in a way.
mfw we beat this one, and several others head towards us excitingly hoping to add a world that could beat another crucible to their collection, not to mention the delicious meal of eating a dead crucible and this worlds biomass.

>>3507638
Hopefully we'll be able to mine Mother's corpse for interesting technologies like the Hexane wanted to do before Charon's partner betrayed them. Other world-eaters show up and between us reverse-engineering Crucible biotech and the Disassociated getting a space-based civilization going we'll be able to fight them.

Also, just a random thought that occured to me, but "Charon" is pronounced with a hard "ch", so Amara probably thinks that her name is just us pronouncing "Karen" weirdly. It's our fun space alien buddy, Karen.

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>>3507656
pff, haha.

>>3507654
this is the future you choose.

>>3507551
actually, before voting ends, add in;
>Ask Amara if she is ok and how she is faring.
girl recently just saw, heard, and went trough alot of shit here, and for once looked pretty shaken up. not a good sign we should ignore.

>>3507343
You do know what deep cover spies are right? Francine as you guys like to call her might be able to be remote controlled by the main West, or any other amount of bad shit. She's a neuromancer, the possibilites of fuckery are endless.

>>3507707
Dude, let it go. It's past, let's just move on.

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>>3507661

"It's fine, Rath. I get it, that was a lot." You say with an understanding smile. "I had some trouble stomaching all of..."

Two sharp taps on the wall behind you prompt you to turn.

"Ey, lass. You done with this room?" Comes the Scottish brogue of a towering figure clad in a patchwork of ornate armor. The doorway that opened silently behind you must be at least four feet wide and twice as tall, and yet the hulking warrior dominates every inch of the frame. A cannon almost as large as the woman herself is hooked onto her left shoulder, though the seems ignorant of its weight as she saunters into the blank white space of the training cubicle.

"Name's Beira. Saw you practicing an' didn't want to disturb you." She says, giving the four of you an appraising once over, replete with a warm smile through strands of the long ashen hair draped over the twisted metal that girds her frame. "Like I said, are you done?"

When no response comes, you turn to find Rath slack-jawed, eyes darting over the woman's features, both natural and man-made.

"...big." She murmurs softly as the gunner before you cocks her head to one side, puzzled.

Huh.

"It's all yours, Beira." You say, prompting your red-haired companion to pick her jaw up off the floor and re-assemble herself into coherency.

"...Y-yeah, s'all yours." Rath mutters in agreement, still unable to take her eyes off the massive cannon attach to the woman's pauldron.

"Now, I don't mean to cause you to leave if you're not wanting to." Beira intones, holding up an armored hand in deference. To your surprise Amara steps forwards, giving you a small wink before turning full to the towering woman. "I get plenty of practice here, so fair's fair."

"Are we safe from Doctor West here, Miss Beira?" Amara says fearfully, holding her whistle up in front of her face as she feigns nervous shake. The woman gives a deep, boisterous chuckle as she kneels, still looming over your youngest ally as she speaks to her in a stage whisper.

"Ha, if you're scared of West then you have a good head on your shoulders." She replies, and Amara bashfully trots back to you before giving you a knowing wink.

Clever girl, that one.

"You lot are more than welcome to take your time, 'specially if you're tryin' to avoid one of West's more aggressive projects." Beira says as she rises to full height. "I'm captain of the guard, so I keep an eye on things 'round here. You all are fresh faces, and I'd like for you to feel welcome. We're all Daughters here, an' that puts us all in the same sinkin' boat."

>>You're not sure if Beira has anything that might help you determine the safety of the Device, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

>>Ask Beira if she knows anyone that would be willing to inspect the Device, just to be safe.

>>Urge Rath via empathic channel to talk to Beira and see if she'd be willing to help. Meanwhile, you'd like to take Amara aside and check in on her after everything that's happened.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Voting shall remain open for the next one and a half hours, Gentlemen.)

(Also, my apologies for any bamboozling, as my phone somehow mass auto-corrected Beira's name to a different spelling.)

>>3507719
>Urge Rath to chat with Baira while you have storytime With Amara.

>>3507719
Oh, man, this lady is awesome. One post worth of content (two if you count the near-bamboozle) and I already think she's the best. Please don't go to space with the rest of the Disassociated Ones, Beira. Please stay on Earth with us so that Rath can be all awkwardly tongue-tied around you until we finally get her to ask you out.

>>Urge Rath via empathic channel to talk to Beira and see if she'd be willing to help. Meanwhile, you'd like to take Amara aside and check in on her after everything that's happened.
I don't even care about whether Amara is alright (okay, that's a lie, I love our precious little sister and want her to be happy), I just want an excuse to make Rath talk to this cyber-amazon.

>>3507719
well...i mean, Shu doesn't have to do EVERYTHING herself, so...

>>Urge Rath via empathic channel to talk to Beira and see if she'd be willing to help, or knows anyone else willing to check over the device. Meanwhile, you'd like to take Amara aside and check in on her after everything that's happened.
i mean, maybe we can ask Julia too, but she could help with Amara better, and i have a feeling Rath will connect with this gal well. also, maybe i was wrong on Amara haha, but to be fair, she did show her first signs of genuine worry earlier, so a brave face or no, i think checking in on her is the right thing to do.

>>3507717
her may of had the page not refresh correctly and thought that was a new message. happens sometimes.

>>3507727
i think Rath was interested in her for different reasons than attraction to the girl...or, maybe shes interested in her because of those reasons? Rath does seem to like weaponry, and i cant help but wholly agree with that sentiment.

>>3507733
>i think Rath was interested in her for different reasons than attraction to the girl...or, maybe shes interested in her because of those reasons? Rath does seem to like weaponry, and i cant help but wholly agree with that sentiment.
I think it's that she's interested in her because of those other reasons. Rath likes big weapons, she likes strong women who take charge, give her this badass security chief with a giant gun and she's going to be drooling.

(Also as an aside, is there anything you wish to bring up to Amara, or perhaps a story from the last Vein's post-script that you wished to impart to her now? I would have put a (write-in) at the end of that particular option, but I had only two more characters to spare for the limits.)

>>3507747
Rath likes big weapons and she cannot lie.

>>3507749
>>3507719
>Ask Amara if she is ok or scared.
>Ask her what may be bothering her, and try and quell them.
>Reassure her that while things are dangerous now, you wont stop, and you are working to get things UNDER CONTROL.

thing is, for the story, it just...doesn't feel like the right moment. unless she asks us about Isabelle more in depth BHOP, in which case, sure, we can use the story to do that/use that as an excuse to tell it.

>>3507754
Yeah, it's not story time. If she asks about Isabelle right now, then we can get into that story, but otherwise save it for when we're out of the bunker. For now let's just focus on keeping her spirits up. Not to say that we expect her to be scared, she's a tough girl and we're proud of that, but if she is we understand because we know how stressful today was.

>>3507733
>>3507747
I remember Kosi say Rath has a hardcore Dominant/Submissive fetish? Emphasis on the submissive part

>>3507760
she apparently gets VERY turned on whenever Shu gives her orders, so yeah, shes quite the submissive.

>>3507760
Yep. Rath likes to be ordered around. I imagine that is Beira was actually wearing a uniform instead of just techni-organic armor then Rath would be blushing so hard the metal beneath would melt. Which is an actual possibility given her fire powers.

>>3507761
>”...Y-yeah, s'all yours." Rath mutters in agreement, still unable to take her eyes off the massive cannon attach to the woman's pauldron
Yeah Rath has a weapon fetish.
As Alucard would say: “Bitches love cannons”

>>3507770
(I appreciate that reference.)

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>>3507770
>>3507772
BHOP what is Raths raifu?

>>3507775
(It's a good thing guns aren't more common-place, or else Rath would never get anything done. She's at wit's end with all the dominant women she's constantly surrounded by, so giving them more of them firearms would really just push her over the edge.)

>>3507779
interesting, but dont side step the question BHOP!

>>3507775
>>3507784
(If you're asking for her firearm waifu, her aunt once took her shooting and let her try her hand at the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle, and she fell in love at first kick. She didn't get that much experience shooting since her parents frowned on it, but she loved what she tried with her aunt.)

>>3507779
the moment Shu pulls a Kabedon (wall slam) is the moment Rath starts swooning

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>>3507792
>Rath got to shoot a BAR
i didn't know i could be jealous of a fictional character. good taste, and a good aunt.

>>3507779
We should have brought her on the hunting trip instead of Julia, she would have been so horned up from Magpie that the despair field wouldn't have done anything to her.

>>3507802
(It's a magnificent piece of work, and one of my favorites I've fired next to the Thompson Submachinegun.)

>>3507812
and now i am double jealous of you, you lucky bastard.

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>>3507719

"Rath, I'm going to have a girl's chat with Amara for a second, so I'll leave you both to it. Care to join me, Julia?" You ask pointedly, feeling a modicum of guilt when the three of you leave a terribly flustered Rath behind, the imposing security chief towering over the much smaller girl at nearly double her height.

Once you've given the pair a safe distance across the surprisingly spacious training room, you kneel down in front of Amara, putting the two of you eye level as you give her a kind, warm smile.

"Today's been kind of rough, hasn't it?" You ask, and Amara gives you a rapid nod after a moment's reflection. "How're you doing? You've been awesome and so, so brave, and I just wanted to see how you were feeling."

"I'm okay! Really, I am!" She grins, and you share a subtly doubting glance with Julia.

"Alright, are you sure? You seemed pretty worried earlier, are you sure there's nothing you want to tell me?" You prompt, trying to ease past any brave front she may be putting up as you reach out with your empathic field, testing her feelings. To your pleasant surprise she seems alright, save for a lingering concern for you, of all people.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine!" She replies sweetly, beaming up at you. "It's just that you both were getting so mad, I couldn't tell you apart anymore."

Your smile falters as you stare into her heterochromatic gaze.

"...What?"

"The girl who lives here got really mad, and you did too!" She says, prodding your sternum with one small finger. "She's always mad, so it's easy to tell you apart, but not when you're both super-mad, 'cause then it gets confusing."

You swallow hard.

"Amara, who are y..."

"Again!?" Beira growls irritably across the space, making you turn to see her tapping an illuminated portion of her oversize gauntlet.

"W-what's wrong?" Julia asks as Beira strides up with Rath, the latter of whom is wide-eyed and red-faced.

"Marrow Dragoon just did another fly-by, this time back east." Beira explains with a sigh, the glow on her forearm fading as she lets the massive limb go slack at her side. "That dragon of hers makes the sensors light up like crazy, and I get alerts whenever she buzzes us, which is often. She keeps requesting an audience with the higher ups to delay the launch, but they keep shooting her down."

"...Uh, why is that?" You ask, trying to reel your whirling mind back to the present and away from what Amara just said.

(Continued)

>>3507882

"Knowing's above my paygrade. I was hired to shoot and guard, and I get paid in upgrades. S' a good life, by comparison." Beira chuckles, patting her gigantic cannon as Rath's eyes practically sparkle. "All I've heard is that Mara keeps sayin' she's got a plan with the Crucible, but she won't elaborate. 'Least that's what I've picked up 'round abouts."

"Anyway, like I was telling your little friend here," Beira continues, oblivious to Rath's face going a deep, burning shade of scarlet at the woman's choice of adjective, "Professor Pendra in R&D should be able to give you an accurate assessment of the little gizmo West gave you. Pendra's an odd bird, but she knows her stuff. Got a disdain for West almost as strong as her respect for the woman's work, so she'll steer you straight."

She nods towards your pocket before placing one massive hand on Rath's shoulder with a wide smile, causing the younger girl to go stiff under her commanding presence.

"I'm afraid I need to get to shooting practice, and this room has the targets I like best, so..." Beira trails off, and far be it from you to keep the nicest person you've met in this bunker from her pastime. "It was a pleasure meeting you all, and be safe when you head out, understood?"

"Y-yes Ma'am." Rath replies, voice cracking slightly. You all say your goodbyes before Julia gives Rath a pat on the back and a knowing wink, making her blush deepen as the four of you depart the testing area. Maybe you'd be more in the mood to make light of Rath's interest in the cannon or the woman wielding it if your mind wasn't churning with what to do next.

>>Visit Head Researcher Pendra in the R&D Lab to examine the Device before rejoining Gina.

>>Mara's haste has you concerned. Follow her east and see if her hunt's come to an end.

>>You need to get some clarification from Amara. Was she talking about B'ni, or...?

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(Gentlemen, I shall be pausing here for the evening. Voting shall close in the next eleven hours, with posting to resume in approximately thirteen, give or take. Also, since tomorrow is Wednesday, we'll be primed for an evening of rapid-posting if everyone's schedules permit, with one-hour voting intervals until evening's end. I shall be around a little longer this evening to address any questions, comments, or criticisms you may have, and thank you all for being fantastic as always. I wish you a good and restful evening, and take care.)

>>3507884
>>Visit Head Researcher Pendra in the R&D Lab to examine the Device before rejoining Gina.
So Amara can hear Sam and Mara wants to delay the launch. And it's only now that I've said their names together that I realize how similar they are and that we found Amara in one of Mara's old hideouts. Aww. We should tell Mara that we named the kid after her and that she's the honorary Aunt.

>>3507884
>>Visit Head Researcher Pendra in the R&D Lab to examine the Device before rejoining Gina.
As much as i want an explanation from Amara, we have more imediate concerns.
As curious as i am about Mara too, again, more imediate concerns. We probably will catch her attention anyways once we leave, so that can wait.

>>3507889
Fun as always BHOP!

>>3507889
Thanks for running, BHOP. See you tomorrow.

>>3507884
>Mara's haste has you concerned. Follow her east and see if her hunt's come to an end.
>"Amara, the girl who lives in me...has had...a rough life. And she knows B'ni. I know you haven't met B'ni, but this girl and B'ni... has a tragic story between them.
>Begin the storytime while you head east.
>>3507895
Also, I have a feeling that Mara's hunt is a little too successful. It's too good to be true. Isabelle might be pulling a page out of West's handbook and started making proxy clones of herself, letting Mara get a false impression of isabelle.

>>3507891
You know, i just had a thought.
BHOP said Sam wasn't a threat to us, but what if she counts as a consumed/dreamscape daughter, so what if we somehow come to terms with her, then we get a swarmling upgrade, or another of the starting abilites? I have a feeling though it wouldn't be as easy as the other daughters who happily just handed our party said upgrades for nothing. Said price would almost certainly not be worth it too.

>>3507911
I don't think Mara has killed Isabelle or even fought her yet. She may just be trying to convince them to stay and help via having proof Isabelle exists, and/or found something new out that could help her defeat the crucible, but requires the DOs tech or something.

>>3507911
I'm not sure that timeline fits. It's been maybe an hour or two since our last vision of B'Ni, and it sounds like Mara's been bugging the Disassociated for a while. I think she's changed her plan from hunting B'Ni so everyone can eat eternally-regenerating Rabbit and deal with the Hunger that way. That would fit with her coming here, because what point is there in talking to the cyborgs who no longer feel the Hunger about a cure she has for it? She wants something else. B'Ni may still play into that, but I don't think she's caught one yet.

>>3507889
oh, BHOP, might be spoilery question, but just how much influence do dreamscape Daughters have? id assume it varies of course, but still.

because we have seen;
>Holly(?) make Shu fall asleep, though Shu was already tired. she also implied she could've done it sooner.
>Had Sam make us go nuts and write on a tree, but Sam might be special and it may of been because it triggered a memory.
>Kosi outright activated an ability in Ginas steed, though Gina is a Phantasmal User, she still isn't the Dreamscape based one.
and...i think there was at least one more instance, but im not sure. the first one is the most interesting though, as even if the conditions were still perfect for her, she still outright forced something upon us, or at least sped the process up, and most importantly, unlike the other two theres no other explanation besides thats just something Dreamscape Daughters can do.

>>3507922
Interesting theory.
Lets discuss the spoiler theory further. If I'm understanding this correctly and from what has been shown so far:
>Isabelle brained Sam with the Lava lamp, but didn't "kill" Sam outright.
Sam was in the middle of dying (aka, blacking out from severe head trauma) when the Crucible nommed the entire planet and placed all the women into pods)
>Because of Sam's health (Dying in process) that must've mean that the Crucible treated Sam as a "loser" of the Crucible and killed her off while converting Sam's body into a Daughter vessel.
>Logical error occurred. Sam's mind had died in the process but now there's a daughter with blank memories and a blank personality yet to be defined.
>Sam's persona becomes a separate entity and Crucible logic treats her mind as "deceased/dream daughter" because the Crucible started immediately after Sam and her body got put into a pod.

>>3507943
i can see that being how it worked. getting your brains splattered on a door probably causes some errors in the process, heh.

>>3507943
Makes sense to me. And if you're going to come to terms with your past misdeeds manifested as a separate personality, you really should get a power-up out of it. It's just not proper, otherwise. Sam being someone we can get a new skill from makes good dramatic sense.

>>3507938
(I'll try to avoid spoilers, but Dream Daughters can influence the Carrier Daughter if circumstances are favorable, or they can seriously push themselves to trigger their CONSUMED abilities at high risk of erasing themselves in part or in whole. Their chance of doing so successfully depends on the emotional connection to their Carrier. Holly is incredibly thankful to Shu and very fond of her, so lulling her to sleep when she was tired was a trivial thing. Sam's influence was precipitated by a shared memory in the garden and the trauma of seeing Rath almost die, losing Bella, and B'ni's suspicious behavior. Finally, Kosi took great risks to save you and Gina from the latter's breakdown, and made the saving throw to remain whole by the skin of her teeth.)

>>3507967
>Kosi remaining whole by the skin of her teeth to break Gina out of the Depression.
God DAMN.
Cancer girl is such a trooper. Gina should've said "thank you" to Kosi instead of becoming a nervous wreck.
>Sam coming out from the trauma of almost seeing Rath die.
>Coming out only to mock Shu.
Bitch please get your priorities straight.

>>3507967
ah, well that is quite interesting actually. didn't actually think that much went into Sam taking control, but it does make sense. godamned Kosi was the real MVP then of that fight, we'll have to thank her sometime.

thank you for answering.

>>3507978
Yeah Kosi has a knack for survival, and being dead apparently does not stop her from telling death to fuck right off.

also Sam is a bitch, and though she actually has good reasons for it, is super petty against us, it does make sense.

>>3507978
>Cancer girl is such a trooper. Gina should've said "thank you" to Kosi instead of becoming a nervous wreck.
Given that her nervous wreck was about feeling like she was using people, that was actually probably part of it. "My best friend nearly killed herself so I wouldn't accidentally kill my girlfriend" would have just contributed to the shame spiral. But yes, Kosi is awesome. She went crazy for a while, but I love sane Kosi.

>>3507978
(It was more Shu's fear and trauma making her extremely vulnerable to the negativity inherent in Sam's mental state. Also, Sam's pettiness is equal only to Kosi's ridiculous determination to keep hanging around to bug her best friend.)

>>3507989
to be fair, literally rotting to death while trapped in place due to an issue not even being rebuilt by the fleshscape could fix probably would eventually make anyone go crazy for at least a little bit. the fact she broke herself out of the hunger probably says alot about her too. even went down fighting as best she could.

>Also, Sam's pettiness is equal only to Kosi's ridiculous determination to keep hanging around to bug her best friend.
well i mean, what more reason do you need?

>>3508001
Oh, yeah, I'm not blaming Kosi for going crazy. Perfectly understandable, and she's more than established herself as trustworthy since then. Kosi's a cool person, I'm glad she's in Gina's head and not Mara's. For one thing, Mara would be disappointed on how few levels she ultimately turned out to provide.

>>3508010
im actually curious on that bit, as her Consumption was highly unique. id say arguably the Quality of the Passives she provided could be argued to be above the 'level amount' they appeared to be via number we got.

said passives are hardly bad either, though im not sure Mara would've gotten them due to not having the connection to her like Gina did.

>>3508014
Yeah, I'm mostly making a dumb joke, they're actually pretty good powers. The Consume option is the least predictable in how useful it is, especially if the eaten Daughter had hybrid skills. Some abilities are just better than others, you can get a lot of reward for only a single level in this system.

>>3507884
>>Visit Head Researcher Pendra in the R&D Lab to examine the Device before rejoining Gina.
>> On the Way tell Amara a bit of Sams/B'nis story an try to impress onto her that what she feels is probably the Specter of Sam

We should probably visit the Researcheras we probably will not get a chance to come back anytime soon but Amaras little Lesson(sadly) also can not wait

(Writing now, Gentlemen.)

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>>3507884

Rath’s luminescent blush practically steams up the elevator on your way to the basement level, where the bunker’s R&D facilities and Head Researcher Pendra await. When the stainless steel doors of the cramped chamber open, it’s to vast space teeming with movement of all shapes and sizes. Mechanized swarmlings dart to and fro among the sea of bodies shuffling around hurriedly, reminding you of the Monastery’s central chamber at the height of its population.

“Beira said you’d be expecting me, yes?” Comes a clipped, needlepointed voice from your left. Turning, you crane your neck up along the centipede-like neck of a sharply dressed woman, looking down at the four of you with glittering black eyes to match the bio-organic chitinous plating of her body.

“C’mon, man.” Rath moans miserably under her breath next to you. “Why’s this gotta be like Dark Souls, with some people just being big as fuck for no good damn reason?”

“Head Researcher Pendra, I presume?” You say, ignoring Rath’s comment as you grant a courteous bow to the twitchy, multi-armed woman that towers over you and your allies.

“It’s *Director* Pendra, though I’m sure Francine failed to address me as such when she touched on my contributions here.” The woman declares haughtily, rising another inch or two in height as she straightens her already ramrod strict posture.

“Oh don’t worry!” Amara pipes up at your side, a wide, innocent grin on her face. “That Doctor didn’t mention you at all!”

Julia goes stiff with second-hand embarrassment as Pendra’s smug grin falters, just a fraction.

“Then you must not have spoken with her for any length of time.” The Director deflects, extending one of four mechanical arms out with an open palm. “Now, the device Beira informed me of, if you please.”

You extract the ball of wire and metal from your pocket, placing it gently in the Director’s outstretched hand.

“She’s improved.” Pendra hums reluctantly, four sets of fingers turning it over in front of her leering face. “I could obviously have made a better one if my Artemis Drive wasn’t demanding every second of my precious time, but as far as a solution to bio-entanglement, it’ll suffice. I’m sure it took her quite some time to craft something like this.”

“It took about two minutes! She was really fast.” Amara corrects before Julia can put a hand over her mouth, and Pendra’s eye twitches slightly as she regards the smallest among you with a scowl.

“S-so there’s nothing like a…t-trap, or anything?” Julia asks, wrestling with Amara as Rath fist-bumps the little girl behind your back.

(Continued)

>>3508672

“A trap? There’s nothing of the sort in Francine’s funny little ball, I assure you.” Pendra replies irritably. “Come now, I know she’s the proxy of a war criminal but what enterprising scientist puttering about the apocalypse isn’t one, these days? You can’t simply expect to install kill-switches in everything you craft. Your client base would dwindle, and most importantly your credibility as a researcher would take a terrible hit. It simply isn’t worth it.”

She tosses the ball up and down idly, and you feel a lump in your throat as you watch it arc through the air before landing safely back in her hands.

“So no, there are no ‘traps’ installed here. It’s primed to counteract your entanglement perfectly, and it’s really quite impressive, if I do say so myself…pity.” Pendra adds, casting a withering stare at the orb before giving a four-limbed shrug.

“…Good to know. Thank you, Director Pendra.” You say as she returns the device back to your open hand.

“You’re…*quite* certain Francine didn’t mention…?” Pendra begins before shaking her head free of the thought. “Never mind. Now, considering my time is of utmost value to our organization, I’m afraid I must put a strict timer on further social interaction. If you have any questions then I must insist you ask them now. I’m scheduled to lead a numbers run of the Artemis Drive in less than ten minutes, so make it snappy, if you please.”

>>You think you’re through here, so activate the device and then reach out to Gina. You’ve no time to waste if B’ni’s on your trail.

>>Follow Mara east and see what’s prompted her haste. Maybe this was for nothing, maybe her hunt is over…but you have to make sure, first.

>>Ask Director Pendra something that’s on your mind (Write-In).

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

>>3508674
>Follow Mara east and see what’s prompted her haste. Maybe this was for nothing, maybe her hunt is over…but you have to make sure, first.
>"Thank you for the time, "Director"."
>Jam that sucker up in your ear!

Also,
>“Come now, I know she’s the proxy of a war criminal but what enterprising scientist puttering about the apocalypse isn’t one, these days? You can’t simply expect to install kill-switches in everything you craft. Your client base would dwindle, and most importantly your credibility as a researcher would take a terrible hit. It simply isn’t worth it.”
That's an interesting way explain Francine's logic.

>>3508674
>>You think you’re through here, so activate the device and then reach out to Gina. You’ve no time to waste if B’ni’s on your trail.
This is our most imediate and pressing concern.

>>3508674
While I am not a fan of using the device the good Director made a good point
I vote
>Use the Ball
>Thank the Director for her time
> Contact Gina about the whole thing so she does not need to worry about our prolonged silence and then inform her that we are taking up Maras Trail to try and find out what happened

>>3508679
I really don't think Mara managed to kill Isabelle yet, which means whatever she has planned can wait til we are a bit safer from her.

Plus if she's still after Isabelle the last thong we need to do is follow her, though it does seem very possible her plans have changed a but, considering her fly bys of the DOs.

>>3508690
On the other hand, we have the latest intel and info on Mara's quarry. We can use that information to barter with Mara.

>>3508679
>>3508686
Actually, is east towards the Carrol Forest? If it is, Without Gina here with us following Mara would be a very bad idea if what we have heard of it is true.

>>3508697
What would we even barter from her though? We dont need or really want anything from her, or at least nothing id think we would need to barter for.

>>3508674
>>You think you’re through here, so activate the device and then reach out to Gina. You’ve no time to waste if B’ni’s on your trail.

(Voting shall remain open for the next one and a half hours, Gentlemen.)

>>3508699
(Carroll's Forest is westward, while east leads to the River of Tears.)

>>3508699
Well then.
>>3508726
>Mara coming towards the mountain heading west from the River
Well that might narrow down the reasons on why Mara's here.

>>3508674
>“A trap? There’s nothing of the sort in Francine’s funny little ball, I assure you.” Pendra replies irritably. “Come now, I know she’s the proxy of a war criminal but what enterprising scientist puttering about the apocalypse isn’t one, these days? You can’t simply expect to install kill-switches in everything you craft. Your client base would dwindle, and most importantly your credibility as a researcher would take a terrible hit. It simply isn’t worth it.”
Wait, hold up, they know she's part of a hive mind? So they have the context on whose lab we destroyed? Because that's what I meant by the Disassociated Ones' own intelligence allowing them to understand that we were enemies with West. I assumed they had to not know that particular, and it was only Francine who had the necessary context to understand that we were enemies with the collective, because otherwise they would have warned us before they brought her out. But no, apparently the Disassociated Ones knew we were enemies and still brought us before Francine without any fanfare, no effort put into reassuring us first. Okay, I'm feeling rather poorly inclined towards these people now. I was getting all paranoid making conclusions based on them being rational actors who make smart decisions, but no, they're just idiots. I guess one of the bits of the humanity Francine said they lost was the bit that let them understand what "enemy" means. Great.

>>Follow Mara east and see what’s prompted her haste. Maybe this was for nothing, maybe her hunt is over…but you have to make sure, first.
Ugh. Fuck it, I'm done here. Let's just go.

>>3508726
Ah, well then fair enough there. Only issue then would be if we need to cross, but party composition wont help much there.

>>3508728
The issue you are ignoring is in their very name. Dissociated Ones. They literally do not care, to the Point they are fleeing the planet. Shes useful to them, they don't take sides, so so long as she is behaves herself they do not care.

>>3508726
Well now I'm confused. Corroll's Forest and B'ni who had crossed it are West but Mara's moving East. Weird.

>>3508734
no no no. Mara's approaching the Mountain from the East heading west from the River to the Mountain.

B'ni was last seen in Carroll's forest which is southwest of the Mountain.

>>3508734
Yeah, like i said, I think her plan has changed.

I suppose im ok with following her, so long as we use the device and make sure Gina abd Dorian are safe first.

(To clarify, B'ni and the Forest are to the west of the DOs. Mara was headed west in pursuit of B'ni and she crossed over the DOs shortly after your arrival there. After that, she was seen moving back east in short order.)

(She went one way, then the other in a short span of time.)

>>3508732
It's not about taking sides, it's about minimizing unnecessary conflict. I'm not assuming they're automatically our allies, I'm assuming that they're interested in avoiding wasting time on squabbles instead of getting work done. Warning us ahead of time would have been advantageous to them, it means less of West's time being spent fielding "yeah, but how can we trust you" questions and enabling her to get back to her apparently very critical work sooner. Or what if we had gotten into a fight with her, seen our enemy and immediately moved to attack? We've got a track record of destroying her projects, what if we just assumed that this was something sinister and started sabotaging the Disassociated Ones' work? We wouldn't be able to derail it entirely on our own, but we could have done some damage. We could have even killed that West. They risked an asset that by their own admission is quite valuable to them, just because they couldn't be bothered to spend thirty seconds to tell us "Yeah, we've got one of Dr. West's proxies, but Francine is actually almost decent and you don't have to worry".

>>3508740
Wait...shit.
Isabelle was heading West, but then potentially is now after us, which would entail turning around.
Mara was after Isabelle, heading west, but just turned around, aka east.

It is possible she is still following Isabelle then, who has gone backwards after us, though other explanations could exist.

>>3508745
(You're absolutely correct. They're so detached from basic human emotion the fact that you might hold a grudge against this particular proxy or react negatively to her face didn't even cross their collective minds.)

>>3508745
I actually don't see evidence they knew we directly had any opposition to West, all that one Ladies comments mean is they know west isn't innocent. Though they have some info on us, said info has not been explained in detail. For all we know, its just rumours they have heard.

Not enough info has been put forward to accurately say if they knew how we would react to West.

>>3508752
Ah, well fair enough. That's just outright dangerous for everyone yeah. Maybe them leaving at this point isn't such a bad thing afterall...

>>3508746
There's also the fact that the Midnight Crew is somewhere around the Mountain. And I think they're here to hunt Beira because of her station (Captain of the Guard of the DOs)
>B'ni coming to Hunt Shu
>Mara following/hunting B'ni (or hot on B'ni's trail
>Midnight Crew coming up to the DO stronghold to bash in Beira's face
>Shu and co. looking to flee B'ni/Midnight Crew.

This is gonna be fucking messy.

>>3508746
Possible. Depends just how fast B'Ni is. She hasn't been moving as fast as she could be, despite her speed enhancements and her lack of detours we're not that far behind her. I guess having West bugging her every five minutes killed her speed.

>>3508752
Wow. Great. Here I was so excited about the cool cyborgs starting their own space civilization, but apparently the conversion process is so lossy that they've literally forgotten basic self-preservation of their goals so I can't see them lasting long. Oh well, I guess it wouldn't be a proper post-apocalyptic deathworld if people's plans for escaping it weren't ultimately doomed.

>>3508674
>>3508684
Ill add in to the end of my vote;
>If Gina thinks things on her side are good, go and follow mara and see what she's up to.

>>3508757
The Midnight Crew cant reach the DOs, and were said to be leaving until they took shelter to avoid being seen by Mara.

Id say maybe Mara spotted them and went after them, and it is possible, but I can't see her giving up on hunting Isabelle over it.

>>3508761
Isabelle also was kinda in a Muck and depressive state, clearly struggling with her commitment to her goal a bit. But now she has doubled down and it and found new conviction, except now we might be part of that too in a bad way.

>>3508770
>Isabelle also was kinda in a Muck and depressive state, clearly struggling with her commitment to her goal a bit. But now she has doubled down and it and found new conviction, except now we might be part of that too in a bad way.
Yeah, that too. B'Ni's presented herself even in her own thoughts as constantly moving forward, but she's done so at a crawl. We have done nothing but detours and we could probably catch up with her within the day.

>>3508761
Also hey, at least the DOs retarded over bearing logic only stance means we can at least trust what the director said about the device being safe.

Better than nothing good at all at least.

>>3508781
True enough, at least we have that. If they don't have the ability to consider that we might be upset about things they don't have the ability to lie to us to make us less upset.

>>3508776
>nothing but detours
The Detours are there to help promote Amara expanding her Word Library due to the SkinTalker playstyle.

>>3508788
(You'll be pleased shortly, then.)

>>3508795
Pastebins when?

>>3508788
Well, I'd say they're to expand the party in general. Literally, we've doubled in size since B'Ni last saw us (which is going to help a lot, she has a rough idea of Julia's abilities as a Flesh Artisan but has no idea what Amara can do and doesn't even know Dorian exists), but we've also gotten a lot of valuable information and level-ups from the missions we've undertaken and even made some friends. The ones West didn't eat, anyways. Despite my word choice, they're really only detours if we're looking at it as a straight competition of travel time, they were definitely smart decisions.

>>3508799
(Soon, as I've been prioritizing the story progression as of late. Tonight will more than likely be devoted to dumping the Swarmling sheets, the new Dual techs, and Dorian's 4th Form since it'll be a story-appropriate time to run through all that.)

(Got delayed, writing now, Gentlemen. It's a larger update than usual.)

>>3508788
Since all of her Lexicon words are single syllable, I'm sure there's a word out there that's pronounced SHU. RATH too perhaps.

>>3508903
Shu is gonna mean something about TAKING CONTROL isn't it?

>>3508674

“What’s that say?” Amara demands, pointing over Pendra’s shoulder as you’re about to say your goodbyes. Pendra turns, eyeing the curious set of symbols Amara’s spied engraved on their lab’s ceiling.

“A helpful study tool, left by one of our senior researchers before her untimely demise.” Pendra clips. “Brilliant woman, but terribly clumsy. It’s be expected, though.”

“You know what they say about Skintalkers.”

HOLISTIC LEXICON - UPDATED

>>FOL (10%): A word from an alien tongue that refers to single-minded pursuit of a far-off goal. Use of this word on a foe has a high chance to disrupt their concentration of a particular ability they’re sustaining, while using it on a class-modified patch of Fleshscape will revert it back to its natural shape. Meanwhile, directing it towards an ally allows you to bolster their concentration, preventing it from shattering except under the most grievous of circumstances.

“Thank you for your time, Director.” You say brusquely, giving her a stiff bow before turning as one with your friends to re-enter the elevator’s reflective cage. Rath’s startled when you bring the orb to your ear the moment the doors slide shut.

“Dude, right now?” She asks in bewilderment as you fix her with a determined gaze.

“No time like the present.” You reply grimly, pressing the sphere next to your ear. A shudder rolls down your spine as you feel the wires unfurl, slithering into your auditory canal. A pain erupts at your temples, your vision flaring with light before…nothing. You’re vaguely aware of a space, an empty spot in your consciousness your bond with B’ni once occupied. You push, straining to reach out to your oldest friend, but all you find is a cold emptiness in the corner of your mind.

It’s done.

[Gina? The connection’s been severed. Are you and Dorian alright?] You ask, a few agonizing moments passing by until she replies, relief flooding your mind from both ends of your connection.

{Shu! Yeah, we’re fine. You remember that diner we stayed at in Kosi’s City, a little ways from the first waystation we discovered? We’re hunkered down here}

[Good, stay there. Mara went west to hunt B’ni, but then she went back east. We’re going to go see what’s up. Could you give me a shout if she does a fly-by that far out?]

{Of course} She replies, and you can feel the warmth of her smile in the voice that fills your mind. {I can’t wait to see you, Shu}

Gathering your belongings from the stark white rooms you occupied only a little over an hour ago, you’re ushered out of the Disassociated Ones’ bunker and back out onto the hard, blustery beach. You’re somewhat relieved to find you don’t have to find your own way back down the cliffs, but the harsh, bone-chilling wind that blows along the length of the beach forces the four of you to huddle together as you march stalwartly back down to the closest waystation.

(Continued)

>>3508931
>“You know what they say about Skintalkers.”
No we don't. Wait, hold up, what do they say about Skintalkers? What is this stereotype, do Skintalkers have a reputation for clumsiness? Amara, don't listen to her, you're a perfectly graceful young lady. Actually, I think you're the most graceful member of the party, it's down to you and Dorian and he cheats by being more amorphous than you are.

>>3508948
Honestly i have not pictured the words 'Amara' and 'graceful' together at all. Maybe she isn't clumsy but she certainly is no lady. Hell only Julia id say fits the description.

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>>3508931

You have little breath left in your lungs for conversation as you march, holding in as much warmth as you can against the unnaturally cold winds that buffet your shaking forms. A glance eastward reveals a massive storm pelting Dorian’s demolished homestead with sheets of thick grey rain, the powerful downpour rolling towards the swamp and the mountains beyond.

When you reach the merciful shelter of the waystation you’re chilled to the bone, Julia and Rath huddled together as you carry Amara piggy-back. The four of you approach the long, pitch-black tunnel of the waystation, and you find yourself disheartened at the attendant’s absence as you slowly let the little girl back down to the ground. Amara trots forwards, placing one hand on the sleek wall before turning to you for direction.

“Monastery. If she’s not there, then we’ll catch up with Magpie and then run by the town of Rust to check th…what’s wrong?” You pause, noting the little girl’s dark eyebrows scrunching up her brow in confusion.

“It won’t go.” She pouts, and a shudder of cold runs through your bones once again.

[Gina, can you do your thing through me to help us get back to the Monastery? Amara’s having an issue getting the tunnel to work] You ask, and a flicker of amethyst lights up your vision, a tingle of electricity running down your fingers and into the walls. A tremble, a shudder, and the tunnel begins to shift around you, carrying you onwards to your destination.

{There you go!} Gina says happily, and you can’t help but smile at the sound of her voice, feeling a little bit of the chill leave your marrow as the tunnel carries you forwards. You wait a few moments, the four of you traveling at high speed through the fleshscape, surrounded by utter darkness, until…

Dull grey light surrounds you, streaming down from the open sky overhead as a harsh wind buffets you once more. Before you lies a vast crater, shattered bone and oozing flesh torn asunder in the massive depression you stare out on.

“Amara…where are we?” You breathe, the gathering storm rumbling overhead as you speak. Amara’s utterly confused, leaning close to the walls of the waystation and whispering frantically as Julia steps forwards numbly, placing a hand on a crumbled support to your left.

“T-the walls…” Julia murmurs, drawing your attention to the ornate filigree on the broken slab, its intricate patterns ending abruptly in empty space.

“…Shu, this is t-the Monastery.”

Rath stands in stunned silence as you stare out at the empty space, Amara whispering frantically to every surface she can find, looking for something to tell you otherwise.

A peal of lightning, a rumble of thunder, the roar of…

…no.

(Continued)

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>>3508962

A terrified, baleful howl of impossible magnitude shudders across the landscape, the earth beneath your feet trembling as you watch something move behind an adjoining mountain. It is a colossal, ruinous thing…body a twisted and spiraling mass of landscape, Daughters, and rubble. It passes into your field of view at you watch the mountain itself spiral into it, fueling further growth as it swells to such a size that it could crush the conglomerate underneath one warped trunk of a leg.

Julia’s hands move to her mouth, covering her mouth in a silent scream as Rath’s jaw pops, her teeth grinding together as hot tears run down her cheeks. It still hasn’t hit Amara, still whispering frantically and casting pleading glances your way, searching for some explanation, some navigational mistake she’s made.

She doesn’t want to face the truth. None of them do.

There is no Monastery. Not anymore.

There is only THE SPIRALING FEAR.

“Amara…is anyone else around? Anyone aside from us?” You say, trying to maintain your composure as you place a hand on the girl’s shoulder.

“T-the ground says…no, there’s no-one else. It’s just us, Miss Shu.” She says, face lacking its ever-present smile as she studies your eyes, fearfully. “Um…Mara and the crow lady were here, but they flew off northwest. They said they’re going back home to find you.”

You glance towards the lumbering abomination, its body twisting tighter, ever tighter as it moves away from you, intent on a very specific destination.

It’s going west, as any hunger-mad being would.

It’s moving towards the Cord.

>>Mara’s going North, and you suspect she’s returning to her home in the Town of Rust. Follow her, and see and Magpie were able to save anyone from this Catastrophe. You have to hope they were able to save someone, at least.

>>You need to get your team back together before you meet with Mara. You all had a stake in the Monastery, and they deserve to be there to see who could be saved…not to mention you’re not comfortable with leaving Gina and Dorian alone for long, regardless of the entanglement’s suppression.

>>You just…you need a minute. Talk to your team before moving on…they all tried to keep this from happening, but they also need to know this isn’t their fault…this *thing* isn’t their fault.

>>Write-In

YOU ARE IN CONTROL

(I'm sorry, Gentlemen. Voting shall remain open for the next two hours.)

>>3508903
I did notice something about her lexicon but thought it wasn't important.
Gra (double)
Ter (terrain)
if you put the two together it sounds like the word "Grater"

>>3508956
>>3508948
I've browsed the Lexicon, and I noticed a disturbing fact. There is no word that denotes the concept of "self". Amara can't buff herself with her spells. We need to find that word.

Also, I've thought up of a more advanced Relic for Amara.
>HARBINGER'S HORN: The two note instrument of the Remembrance Whistle has been reinforced and outfitted with a twisting chromatic Horn of blood, brass, and bone. Now allows Amara to store 3 words into the Instrument. On top of that the Horn allows Amara to use 2 additional abilities with the relic. Solo Improv and THE BROWN NOTE.
Solo Improv (concentration): Sacrificing 40% Health and 2 Actions, Amara can spew forth a blistering fast-paced solo improv song using her lexicon words into an 8-word/note
THE BROWN NOTE: Expend all actions and 20% HP for the current round to blow out a crippling sound wave of the most horrible sound ever played. All daughters and Amalgams capable of hearing (barring the instrument player) are affected with the following status debuff for: deafness (1 round), weakness (attacks decreased by 40% for this combat), slow-witted (lost 1 action for this combat, confusion (actions have +30% chance of backfiring), and soiled (movement range is decreased to 1 zone barring special movement options, lasts until new change of pants).
The horn's creation heralds the coming of the endless doots. May Mother save you all.

>>3508964
Mother fucker. Why did we convince Magpie to hold her fire?

>You need to get your team back together before you meet with Mara. You all had a stake in the Monastery, and they deserve to be there to see who could be saved…not to mention you’re not comfortable with leaving Gina and Dorian alone for long, regardless of the entanglement’s suppression.

>>3508975
BHOP. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED!?

>>3508964
>Contact Gina, tell her what happened and that Mara is looking for us. Have her and Dorian meet you in the waystation to the shanty town, then all of you together will see if you cant find and meet Mara and Magpie.

Fucking...ok, well, i hate to be that guy, but im beginning to think its time to indulge in dangerous behavior for Shu, as it seems like letting anyone else be a leader of a group ends in disaster.

>>3508964
> If there ever was a time to curse it is probably now even with Amara here but we are in Control so we wont, even if Emotions threaten to overtake us but we have to try to make everyone stay calm

> Go to the old mining town and tell Gina to meet you there if possible to try and find Dragoon and Magpie
>>3508964

I think someone just callenged us

>>3508975
bhop... what class amalgam is Uzu at?

>>3508980
(Uzu failed a Hunger check in the middle of a large gathering and when Niku tried to stop her she was killed by Uzu, cementing the process and triggering practically everyone present. Magpie can fill you in on the rest when you see her, but she tried her best. That nature of Uzu's powers and the snowballing of the Daughters present prevented her from dealing enough damage to stop everything. These rolls are what took some time to resolve.)

>>3508988
(Colossus, though that may change in due time. Saying more would be spoilers, I'm afraid.)

Geezus christ.
West is already at the cord and otherwise basically a cancer.
Isabelle has doubled down on her goals and very well could be after our heads.
The Midnight Crew has it out for us.
The Disassociated Ones are cowards who plan to flee and otherwise lack the human emotion to care.
And fucking Uzu just lost it and destroyed the monestary.

Goddamned and on top of that we are nowhere near strong enough to even approach half these issues, let alone stop the crucible. Fucking hell this has started to feel hopeless, there won't be anything left to save at this point even if we do succeed.

>>3508964
>Contact Gina, tell her what happened and that Mara is looking for us. Have her and Dorian meet you in the waystation to the shanty town, then all of you together will see if you cant find and meet Mara and Magpie.

Shit. Before this, I thought that we would debate relocating the monastery because that's the first place B'ni would look for us, and if she didn't find us there then she might consume the daughters there to get stronger, and that moving would bring us into conflict with Uzu.

>>3508964
Damn it, Uzu. You couldn't have waited an hour? No, no, I shouldn't blame you. By the file name, Mother was accelerating your breakdown somehow. I guess I was right that the Monastery was too boring for her, I just didn't expect her to correct that this way.

Okay, so I think I understand why Mara was bugging the Disassociated. She wants to nuke this. In fact, the nuclear devices modified to fuel the pulse drive would be perfect for killing a giant monster, they focus the energy of the blast into a thin cone instead of radiating it in all directions. They're basically one-shot death rays at this point. If we can identify a vital spot (probably Uzu's original body, at the center of the spiral, I'd guess), then we can kill this thing.

>Contact Gina, tell her what happened and that Mara is looking for us. Have her and Dorian meet you in the waystation to the shanty town, then all of you together will see if you cant find and meet Mara and Magpie.

First we regroup, get everyone together and start planning. One team goes to convince the Disassociated, the other starts working on a back-up plan. Maybe between Neuromancy and Skintalking we can get in contact with this thing without being eaten by it, treat it as a walking dungeon instead of a monster. Fight our way past constructs spawned inside the spiral, make our way to the center and fight the Uzu core.

>>3509007
I think this was a clear lesson we can no longer let things wait. If we want something done, like saving the monestary and/or setting up a new hold out to relocate those willing. Every time it feels like, we have arrived AFTER something, it constantly feels like we wait just a bit TOO long to do something. Its frustrating as all hell and damn it all it needs to stop.

>>3509015
I dont think that will work. The DOs already wish to just flee the conflict, why would they waste fuel on something that is basically a prime example of why they wish to leave?

>>3508964
>[Gina, Something's happened. We need you here. now. Get to the waystation, we'll meet up with you at Kosi's city Waystation and then we'll head to Rust Town via Waypoint.]


>>3509026
You're right about this. Why else would Mother taunt us with an image file that basically says "YOUR MOVE DEFIANT, I'VE PLAYED MY HAND BY BUFFING THE HUNGER, AND YOU DID JACK SHIT IN STOPPING THE FALL OF THE MONASTERY. WHERE'S YOUR DEFIANCE?"

>>3509026
>>3509015
Can anybody remind me why we voted to convince Magpie to hold her fire?
It feels very contradictory that we had told Magpie to not shoot Uzu and then basically fucked off and did nothing about it instead of assisting Niku and help Uzu snap out of her mental state.

>>3509026
>I dont think that will work. The DOs already wish to just flee the conflict, why would they waste fuel on something that is basically a prime example of why they wish to leave?
I think we can make the argument that this thing is so huge and so destructive that it poses a threat to their launch. With how they've been talking, their launch window must be pretty close. Do they want a giant monster rampaging outside their doors when they're trying to get a ship in the air? This thing is enormous and only growing, by the time it gets to the other side of the river of acid it will be the size of of a mountain and dragging the entire fleshscape around it into a vortex. Besides, an Orion launch is going to use thousands of nuclear devices. They can't spare one tiny little Casaba Howitzer?

But yeah, I expect they'll probably say no anyway. That's why I also want to work on Plan Dungeon Crawl.

>>3509038
Yeah, we underestimated the threat the increased Hunger posed. But, as was often commented, we just don't have the skill set for solving that problem. I'm not sure what we could have done, save murder Uzu. Should we have murdered Uzu? I don't want to say the answer is yes, but from a consequentialist perspective I can't deny the appeal of that now.

Why do we need to kill the spiral monster? Let it keep going to the cord. Let it ruin Wests day.

>>3508964
>Contact Gina, tell her what happened and that Mara is looking for us. Have her and Dorian meet you in the waystation to the shanty town, then all of you together will see if you cant find and meet Mara and Magpie.

>>3509046
We didn't just fuck off and did nothing. That is an unfair description of the events that fails to take into account the time frame. It's been like, six hours in-character since we left the Monastery. We said something to piss Uzu off, went to talk with Niku about it, Niku said that she was going to try to calm her down, and then we gave her some space to work on that. We were going to let the tension let out between us and Uzu before we tried again, Uzu just turned out to be a lot more tense than we realized. Nobody expected things to get this bad this fast, we underestimated the threat and we're paying for it but it's not because we were lazy.

>>3509053
A couple reasons. For one thing, it's suffering and we want to end that. For another, it may cause undesirable collateral damage in its path towards the Cord. For a third, what if West kills it and eats it and gains a huge amount of levels?

>>3509046
We had already fucked up sorta, and put ourselves in a position where Uzu would not listen to us, but Niku asked otherwise asked to be given time, so we asked Magpie to give her that one chance.

Clearly, she failed, and the results of that failure were quicker than we thought.

>>3509048
If it's even heading down a path that will make it a threat to them, and even then they may just try and launch early rather than risk not being able to launch at all via wasting fuel.

>>3509053
Because it reaches the cord and then wins the crucible then we have lost, as despite what it is that is still its goal. It will only grow stronger as it rampages and consumes its way forward.

>>3509062
>If it's even heading down a path that will make it a threat to them, and even then they may just try and launch early rather than risk not being able to launch at all via wasting fuel.
That would make them waste more fuel. There are pretty narrow launch windows for interplanetary travel, if you don't do it at the right time then you have to expend a lot more energy.

>>3509046
Because at the time, we wanted to try saving uzu as well and likely thought we would have a chance to definitively deal with the monastery issue when we got back.

I also proposed to have Amara use SUTH (soothe) on Uzu, but that was met with rebuttal that she would take it badly if we forced her to calm down and repress her hunger.

>>3509066
Still, launching early is still a more logical move than making yourself unable to launch at all, if your goal is to leave.

The simple fact is, they won't see it as their problem unless its a direct threat, then won't see the logic in wasting resources to stop it if any other alternative can be had.

Any extra fuel they ever had, minus necessary reserves fir unpredictable fluctuations, was probably already used to test the engines and theories on if they could leave at all.

>>3509062
Big assumption that it's gonna win

>>3509077
But I agree that it will probably be killed by and endgame daughter, giving them a boost, maybe enough to win the Crucible, and if it's one that runs against our goals like West or B'ni than it's not a chance we should take.

>>3509083
Guess it's time to hold a raid then. It's colossus sized for now, but if Uzu's powerset is to be believed, by the time we get everyone ready for the raid it's gonna become a Behemoth class Amalgam.

>>3509077
I mean, like
>>3509083
Said, even it itself does not win, its gonna be alot if levels for someone we probably do not want getting those levels.

>>3509083
>>3509091
I'm all for taking it down if we can, but it seems to be well out of our weight class.

>>3509073
The issue is that if their safety margin on fuel supply is so low that they can't spare even one nuclear device, then they can't spare the fuel needed to launch outside their ideal window. An nuclear pulse drive uses thousands of nuclear devices, sparing one would be less than a tenth of a percent of their fuel. They're going to expend a lot more if they miss their launch window. The launch window to anywhere they would want to go only shows up once a year at most, too. So if they do have a fuel shortage, it's either help us kill this thing and have to adjust their mass ratio slightly, or wait for it to go away and have to spend another year on this terrible planet.

>>3509097
We did take a Colossus-class Conglomerate with three teammates and Magpie before. With all of our team, Magpie and Mara, I think we can pull it off. Let's not rush into it, of course. It's important to have a preparation round, where we have a cloaked scarlet drone latch on to analyze its abilities and fears while others set up traps and defenses, or methods to retreat to safety.

>>3509097
It is, but id hope Mara has an idea.

>>3509099
Maybe, but im still positive they will take any route that is not actually helpful to us. It just from their perspective would make no logical sense to waste any resources helping us if this is not coming towards them, and then no logical sense to waste any fuel that they cant replace on it either.

Best case scenario they have really big cannons or some other tech, and all they do is divert its course around them, doing little to actually stop it then not doing anything else. Logically it would waste the least amount of their resources and do the least to put them on Mothers radar, something they probably try to avoid.

The simple fact is helping as little as possible is in their best interest, especially if it costs them even a single drop of fuel.

>>3509103
This one was described as being big enough to crush the last one we fought under a single tentacle. But of a power jump there despite being the same amalgam class.

I mean, we gonna do what we gotta do, but this is literally, physically literally, a mountain we gotta get over.

>>3509108
I mean, you're not wrong. I'm not really expecting them to lift a finger to help, they'll deny the potential threat it poses towards them. Best case scenario, Beira and maybe a few of her own team come to help the assault. At this point I'm really just laying out the logic for why it's foolish for them to stick their heads in the sand, I'm sure they're going to anyway. But hey, maybe we'll both be proven pleasantly wrong.

>>3509120
So far, with how things have gone with EVERYTHING lately, i think having any hope at all is just asking to be disappointed.

>>3509135
Although that's a big target for Shu to take out all of her recent frustrations on. The whole fight may have Shu cussing out the Spiraling Fear with all of her rage the entire time.

>>3509148
Up until she gets Spiraled because Uzu is huge and has swallowed everyone in the monastery.

(Gentlemen, my apologies but I shall be extending the voting period for an additional two hours, and the reason is twofold. The first is that I can't access the Dual Tech list due to technical difficulties, and considering you'll have the choice to alter your team composition at the upcoming vote, it wouldn't be fair to ask you to move forward without that very pertinent information. Second, work is mounting so I'd like to knock some of that out so I can proceed with a clear mind. Apologies for the wait and I hope you'll understand. Thus, voting shall close two and a half hours from now, and I hope youre having a good day, one and all.)

>>3509148
Oh i have no doubt our entire team has some pent up emotions to let loose. I think at this point even Julia might drop her manners.

And honestly i think im right there with them. I dont see any actual hope left here, but by all damned hell will we let the crucible and mother win. No hope? Fine, we will fuel ourselves with anger and defiance and make sure if our hones going down, at the very least mother and the crucible are too.

>>3509156
That's fine and understandable, though this seems like quite the big issue to leave anyone behind from.

You focus on what you need BHOP, hope work doesn't crush your soul too hard!