"Investigating the power-grid anomaly, Security. Would you mind pointing me in the right direction?"

>>12549565
"An anomaly you say? Hold your horses for a second..." The screen freezes for a moment, and you faintly hear music. The screen returns to its normal state, and you note that the AI's avatar has returned to its more distinguished appearance. "Ah, I see it now. You can access the maintenance shaft leading to the source through a door just outside the security block.

"If yeh want my advice, boyo, I'd say it's nothin' more than a glitch, maybe some faulty wirin' or sommat. You don' look like no maintenance man ta me, but I s'pose there's no harm in lettin' ya have a look... now hold on jussa minute!"

The screen dismounts from its position above the door, hanging from a rail on the ceiling. It lowers and rushes up to you, a scanner going over your person, a grind of light... it blinks on the ID card NANA gave you.

"NOW WHY DIDN'T YA SHOW ME THIS SOONER? Coulda saved us a whole lotta trouble... procedure's gone all ta hell..." he grumbles a bit more. You hear a 'click' from the row of lockers at your side.

"Well, ye've got NANA's recommendation, so go ahead and have a look-see at the armory. I know there's been some nasty critters runnin' about, so ye might as well arm yaself with sumthin' more than that peashooter and zap stick. And what the hell is that, a harpoon?"

>examine armory
>keep an eye on Security's reaction to each weapon as I handle it

Also, examine the ID badge. What does it say I am? What's my name?

"Uhhh, yes sir."

>>12549665
Sorry, I guess I wasn't clear enough in my post. If you're curious, you can find more details in the previous thread, but the skinny with the ID badge is this: NANA gave it to you after you ran into a nasty motherfucker in the Medical Sub-Block. Your name isn't on it, but you've been designated "That Nice Boy from Marduk Corporation". All it really says is that you have "sponsorship" from NANA and her recommendation, which Security can take into account when deciding what to do with you. Security probably just realized your situation since he's woken up.

In the lockers you discover more rounds for your handgun, a shotgun and shells, a particle beam carbine, and a "disruption rod" which looks kinda like your shock rod. You also find an armor-plated version of your jumpsuit.

What the... you apparently have a HUD now.

BASE FUNCTIONS RESTORED

ALERT: UNAUTHORIZED DELETION OF DATA, POSSIBLE MENTAL CORRUPTION

Your HUD scans your surroundings, identifying the weapons and their basic operation. It also tags the Security AI's screen as your "immediate superior", and the faceless corpse in the back of the room as a comrade. No preservation pack around him, unfortunately.

"Woah!"

Well this is nice. Take the carbine, and the spare pistol ammo.
If it's not to heavy take the shotgun too.

Does the Hud have any more info on the weapons?

>>12549760
Weight shouldn't be an issue.

The shotgun fires solid ammunition which turns incendiary upon hitting a target - fancy tech, that. The particle carbine does have it's own battery packs, but they're fairly large and cumbersome, meant for emergencies. According to your HUD, it runs off of your own internal power supply, as does the disruption rod. Your HUD then informs you that your internal power supply is low - at your current output level, you can remain operational for approximately 437,100 hours (50 standard years).

Your HUD further tells you that your internal power supply can also be used to maximize your healing rate. (Reminder: You have FOUR cellular regeneration packs which you can use that will not draw on this power supply). Your HUD further recommends that you find a recharge station to get back to maximum efficiency.

Confirm: You wish to take the carbine, shotgun, and pistol ammunition. Do you wish to put on the armored jumpsuit? What of your shock rod and the disruption rod?

>>12549825
>Take all
>Equip all

>>12549825
Pending an analysis between the two, replace the shock stick with the disruption rod.
Replace normal suit with armor after checking for contamination.
See about cutting down the shotgun barrel, strapped to the hip. Sling the carbine over the shoulder and holster the pistol on the leg.

>critical meriel

>>12549852
It is done. You have 60 rounds of ammunition for the handgun, 20 in the magazine and two extra magazines in your thigh-pockets. Your shotgun currently has 8 shells in it, and you have an additional 8 on an ammunition holster on the stock, with an additional 16 strapped on your thighs. The shock rod is collapsed and hanging from your belt, as is the disruption rod. The carbine is strapped to your back. The handgun is in a holster on your belt. You are holding the shotgun.

What do?

Weapon information would be nice. Comparison of effect between shock and disruption rod?
Sling carbine on back with harpoon later when you get it back. Ammo, battery pack, charging station?
Pistols, also when you get it back, is hip holsters.
Rods, strapped on thighs.

Combat tactics:
- If one-on-one, harpoon, then dual-rod.
- If one-too-many, dual pistols or pistol and rod.
- If lots-and-lots, open up with carbine.
- Keep one alive, interrogate for info

Overall strategy:
- Keep alive, retreat when necessary
- Ammo, information, and basic needs are premium

>>12549923
The armor passes inspection. The shotgun can be partially disassembled to match your desires.

>>12549932
Ah, hell, I forgot you'd given your weapons at the door.

Security AI gives you back your equipment as you look over the new weapons.

The Shock Rod can stun someone and be used to beat them, or more lethally like you used on Chuckles. The Disruption Rod has a more devastating effect on matter that isn't projecting some sort of field to disperse the effects of the Disruption field. Basically a lightsaber.

and here is how it goes....

>>12549986
I think we're good to go.
Research HUD for additional information. Maps, breaches, additional weapon/equipment caches.
Oh, and any points of note.

>>12550075

Going to have to second a course of action along this route.

Also ask Security AI if he(?) can patch security feed into our HUD. Preferably of areas we are about to enter.

>>12550075

CONNECTION WITH LOCAL NETWORK SUCCESSFUL

You consult your HUD for any additional information about the facility. You have a map of the facility, and you note that there is a recharge station in the barracks. Unfortunately, it is likely inactive due to the reactor's condition. You are unable to access anything further, unfortunately.

>>12550087
"Ya, hold on just a minute...

"Dagnabbit, I can't access anything outside this room I'm afraid. Looks like them hooligans went and mucked about with the security cameras and such. I can't help ye much there."

>>12550112
Damn. Where would we be able to find crew logs? If it's feasible, we may need to get that reactor up and running... if it's safe.
>Problem cialsock
Dammit! It's always the cialsock!

THERE ARE FOUR OR FIVE QUEST THREADS ACTIVE ON /tg/ RIGHT NOW, AT LEAST 4 ARE ON THE FRONT PAGE AT ANY TIME.

PLEASE CONDENSE OR OTHERWISE MANAGE YOUR THREADS. THIS IS NOT INTENDED AS AN ATTACK ON QUEST THREADS, MERELY A REQUEST TO CUT THEM BACK A BIT. THANK YOU

Let's continue on to the maintenance tunnel.

Also ask Security AI if he possesses any functioning sensory equipment. Thermal imaging, audio devices, hell, even sniffers might be useful.

>>12550155
I know. I'm playing in another one too. Where were you when the front page was flooded with WH40K?

>cobellou unbounded

Ask the security AI what it would take to restore its functions.

>>12550155
Hey, man, one of the people playing said last week he'd be able to make to tonight, so here we are.

Speaking of which, anyone following this Quest please tell me when would be best for me to run this (include timezone if you'd be so kind - I'm a Floridafag myself).

>>12550139
ACCESSING SECURITY LOGS: ACCESS GRANTED

The data appears corrupted to some degree, but from what you can gather there was an attack by some transhuman extremist group some time ago, criminals using some stolen technology developed by a rival conglomeration of corporations. This facility has been out of contact with the outside world ever since.

Oh, there's a shotgun too? Nice for dispersal. Hope carbine won't eat alot into our +minimal+ power supply.

Look into personnel files. Try to get our name if possible, and names of all engineers, living, AI, and/or bot.

Then go correct anomalies.

>>12550183

Yes, yes I've heard that one before. However quest threads are far worse for crowding other things out. They have multiple posters who are going to camp on a thread waiting on an update, replying to the quest and other posters in the thread meaning it gets bumped very rapidly compared to other threads. Combine that with long OPs and they end up edging everything else out when there's more than 3 of them running at once.

I'm not debating the legitimacy of quest threads, just wishing they would tone it down a bit. I mean, if you were annoyed by 40k clogging up the front page all the time why would you want to cause the same problem for others?

>>12550231
Singapore-fag here. It's Sunday, 10:50 AM here.
Just do it whenever.

>>12550231
Well, we need to find an uncorrupted source. Back up files, something like that. Security footage of the attack. Where are the ship's servers located? Also, see if there's any communications up since the HUD activated (on a loop maybe?)
>>12550245
Also, this. We need to start taking a head count.

>>12550255
If quest threads are clogging the front page, then the solution is simple: go to the other pages, and stop bothering us.

>>12550231
What kind of weaponry were they using?

>>12550245
This. And see what we can do about locating any intact bodies/corpses of engineers. One of them might have a digital backup copy of his mind that we can restore.

>>12550255
Poster consideration and player consideration both acknowledged. But it is once a week quest anyway, on the time which most quest posters/players affirm as the best timeslot to do it. The number of quests on the front page confirms that too.

We're sorry for the inconvenience, but this is the least random time we can get.

>>12550255
Not annoyed. I'm actually kinda interested in the game (won't shell out the cash for it, being a cheap bastard). I've just never seen anyone jump up and tell them all at once to knock it off and condense. I do get your point, though.
It's why I have a tab open to the first and second page, hitting refresh every so often. It's like every other thread. Some get drowned out due to lack of posting. It happens.

>>12550181
You ask Security if any sensory equipment is available.

"Sorry, boyo, but we ain't got nothin' like that. You'll have to rely on yer own eyes, ears, and nose." He narrows his eyes, and a brief grid of light flashes over you. He chortles a bit. "Boyo, all the enhancements you got, you don't need any. Ye could smell a dog pissin' ten miles away!"

>>12550210
"Repairing security'll take replacin' the hardware, boyo, because it sure ain't anything with the network. Camera's are prolly all smashed ta bits. Only real hope we got is if ye go into the Reactor Block and try to get Maintenance back online. There might be some drones left. O'course, that'll take getting the reactor back online too. Some drones might be able to activate on the back up power."

The "ruffians" who attacked seemed to be using a variety of weapons.

You access personnel files - everyone's dead or in stasis. And the folks in stasis are in critical condition, so trying to wake them up will more likely kill them. In addition to Security and NANA, there's the Research AI, "Oswald", and the Utilities AI was damaged and effectively killed during the attack.

Done with Security, you head out into Corridor A. So far, everything's clear.

You head into the Maintenance shaft to investigate the anomaly...

> the Utilities AI was damaged and effectively killed during the attack
Tsk. There goes our best comm-option.

Go to Maintenance after correcting anomaly. We'll try to find a drone.

>>12550362
>The "ruffians" who attacked seemed to be using a variety of weapons.
Any class 1 critical effect weapons among the bunch?
Regardless, it's time to head out.

>>12550386
FUCK CHUCKLES IS BACK

>>12550305
>go to the other pages, and stop bothering us.

Why don't you go to other *chans and stop bothering us instead.

>>12550362
We should check on Oswald. Maybe he can help assist in the rehabilitation of critical-stage survivors.
Then the reactor.
For now, the anomoly. With Security on point, if he doesn't pull rank.

>>12550414
Harpoon him to Kingdom C-- Wait, he alone?
Bracing harpoon for a charge, question his intent first.
We have more arsenal now.

>>12550491
You ask him his intent, holding your harpoon at the ready.

"What is my intent, you ask? You brain me with your zap stick, I get repaired, and you ask my intent? I want your head!"

Declare action, roll d100

rolled 72 = 72

>>12550543
Shotgun. Aim for the head. Fire.

>>12550575
Nice. If he falls, follow up with a double tap from the handgun. Otherwise, light him up with the shotgun again.
Then dissect with the disruptor rod.

>>12550575
You didn't know Chuckles could move that damn fast. You manage to got a shot off, but it goes wide as he side-steps and rushes you - you managed to get him on his left shoulder, and it burns just a bit.

Your HUD highlights his joints and his eyes... a label appears over him, "SILICON BASE - SAFEGUARD DERIVATIVE(?)"

He slams into you, his massive claw gripping your torso, and he tosses you into a wall as the incendiary pellets burn into his shoulder. He roars.

Declare action, roll d100

rolled 33 = 33

>>12550644
Disruptor rod. Aim for decapitation or dismemberment, whichever opportunity presents itself.

rolled 20 = 20

>>12550543
Toss back straight-faced banter, "You didn't respond the first time. Had they given you a voice or a brain this time?" Follow up with harpoon, AND a second volley of incendiary pellets when he dodges.

>>12550674
Your arm moves in a blur, the shotgun dropping and hitting the floor just as you rip the disruption rod from your belt and swing at Chuckles as he rushes at you again, claw going for your face - the rod collides with his arm with the claw centimeters from your nose. The disruptor field wreaks havoc with his arm, and it deforms, twists, and almost shatters completely.

Chuckles' arm smashes into the wall, just next to your head, and he's sprawled in front of you.

You boot him in the chest, sending him away from you. He writhes on the floor, trying to get up, his arm in ruins.

What do?

rolled 83 = 83

>>12550748
Dismember him. Remove the braincase and take it with us, to prevent him coming back.

>>12550769
Second this. We have a talkin', cussin', an' chucklin' companion case (of brain?)!

See power level remaining. Disruption field looks strong.

Burn the body to prevent cellular memory reading and future safeguard manifestation.

(holy shit, it's a BLAME! quest! Woo haa!)

I guess we haven't found a Graviton Beam Emitter yet? Does NANA look like attached pic (top)?

You manage to take his head off, leaving the remainder of his body limp and useless. You deactivate the disruption rod, and you consult your HUD - 437,098 hours of operation remaining.

Not such a big deal for now, but you might wanna be more conservative until you get to a recharge station.

Chuckles glares at you from your hands.

"You, sir, are an asshole among assholes. Nobody else tried pulling this shit." Joy, he can still speak.

>>12550896
"How many others were there, Chuckles? I need to know what you know. Things can get a lot worse if you don't cooperate."
Also, loot the body.

>>12550896
"Just a precaution. I'm sure you'd do no less for me. Now, I don't believe we've been properly introduced; who are you, and what are you doing here?"

>>12550882
Welcome to the party.

You manage to burn the body to almost ash with the incendiary shells - still recognizable, but you doubt it's useful from a chemical standpoint.

NANA more closely resembles a component of GlaDOS. Accessing the Network, you find that Marduk's approach to AI was less liberal than Toha's (a rival company).

Can we plug into chuckles's braincase to extract recent memory images?

>>12550931
Wouldn't recommend it. He's still conscious, and very much uncooperative, meaning he might hack us.

>>12550924
>>12550929
>>12550931
You lack any equipment for "linking" with him, and you doubt your language base is similar enough for any meaningful connection and communication through such a medium. Or at least that's what your HUD tells you, if that's what "Language Base Compatibility unlikely" means. Looks like your stuck with jawing at him.

This guy was a bruiser, didn't have any weapons you could use on him.

"Others? Heh, I'll tell you this much: There's plenty. You're in for a hell of a ride, freezer-meat. As for my name, you can call me Hroddard."

>>12550896
"Charmed, I'm sure. I suppose I will be collecting more heads then? Why are you here, anyway?"

Chuckles is most probably broadcasting our position to his allies. Do we bring it to Security or Research to hack?

>>12550978
"Nah, I can't pronounce Hroddard, so we're going with 'Chuckles'." Make sure to pronounce Hroddard perfectly.
Time to interrogate. Bring out the shock stick and our dick.

>>12551031
Huh, use shock rod as we walk, no sense in wasting time. Report to Security? Or straight to Maintenance? I worry either way. A massed attack may ruin either drone or AI.

Your HUD discourages inserting your genitals into hostile cyborgs.

You suddenly here a 'BzzzzzzRRRRRRRRRRRRT" coming from further down the maintenance hallway.

"Fuck." Chuckles seems less than happy with the sound - if it isn't with him, what is it?

"What do we have, Chuckles? Like it or not, I'm your ride now, and you're taking point."

You hear an electronic voice coming from where the noise originated.

"Hello? Hey! Did ugly kill you? Come on, man, I've been stuck down here for years!"

>>12551149
Strap Chuckles to ourselves and head towards the voice, shotgun at the ready.

"If by ugly you mean my disembodied dick cover here, no. If you meant me, we have a problem. Name and designation, please."

>sometimes mcbard

>>12551177
Keep in mind, I'm not for actually sodomizing Chuckles. But he needs the fear of us put into him.

>determined throutie
no, seriously. I'm not.

>>12551011
You don't detect any transmissions from Chuckles through any channels you're aware of. As far as you can tell, he isn't talking to anybody besides you.

>>12551164
>>12551177
With Chuckles hanging from your belt, you head further down the corridor. The voice seems to be coming from above you - the lights don't work so well down this far, so you turn on your flash-light.

>"If by ugly you mean my disembodied dick cover here, no. If you meant me, we have a problem. Name and designation, please."

"Whoo! I was worried for a second. The name's Callahan, my friend." You train your flashlight towards the source of the voice. "Little to your left- there you go."

"Callahan" is a dried up hunk of meat, bone, hair, and cybernetics stuffed up in a nook in the ceiling. You note that he appears to be hooked into the power grid and network hardware.

You step on something and it crunches beneath your foot. Looking down and directing the light, you see a corpse... dressed in a jumpsuit similar to yours. His skull has been smashed in and his arms are missing.

"Yeah, he showed up a few... I don't even know anymore. Ugly there cut him up good."

>>12551237
Take Chuckles and rub his nose in the corpse. "Bad Chuckles. BAD Chuckles!"
Make sure there's nobody coming up on our six as we talk. I'd hate to end up like that guy.
"Nice to meet you, Callahan. What can I do for you? More importantly, what can you do for me? I need the reactor back up and more of a clue as to what the hell is going on around here."

>>12551237
"This one has no back-up? Memory point? Did Chuckles let you live to serve as bait of some kind?"

Ask if he can be pulled down safely and if he is an Engineer. Try to find Dead Guy's ID.

>>12551275
>>12551292
"Man, I'm just as confused as you are.

"A few years ago I signed up for an expedition into here - facility's been inactive and locked up for as long as anyone could remember, so we figured we'd go in and try to get some tech designs. I'm an engineer, so I was all over it.

"We manage to bust in, and we almost get fried by security bots. Nothin' we weren't expecting of course. Silicon Creatures like your cod-piece their? BIG SURPRISE. They get the drop on us once we're in deep, kill the whole team. Except me. I managed to get away and stashed myself up here, busted up all to hell, so I plug in and go into hibernation hoping they don't find me... which, apparently, they did. Why they left me here I don't know."

His sensor eye on his cybernetics zooms in on you.

"Hey... you have a brother? I think you stepped on him."

>>12551346
"Unsure. Trauma and amnesia. Know anything about Marduk? I am supposedly an agent, about five centuries ago."

Pack down Cal, return to Security with both him and Dead Guy. Leave Dead Guy and Chuckles on AI custody. Try to minimize Cal to bring to Maintenance.

Jumpsuit is from this facility or Marduk? NANA is a bit off, so it might have been cloning us for all we know.

>>12551346
"Don't worry about him, he won't be getting up. Let me get a look at you." CAUTIOUSLY, inspect Callahan. Outgoing communications (hacked feed), bombs, sensors, etc. If it's all clear, get him down.
>take backhust

>>12551379
Oh, someone more cautious than me. Seconding this.

"Marduk? Can't say that I have.

"500 years you say...? That's... interesting..."

You don't detect any wireless signals coming from him. You climb up towards him and look over everything. Your HUD does a scan, and you cautiously poke around. Nothing of concern, as far as you can tell.

You take Cal down from his not so silent grave, hop on down, and strap him down to your back using some of the wiring that hooked him into the power grid.

Suddenly, you hear a dull roar in the distance.

And then... someone clapping?

The lights flicker on, and seem steady.

"The fuck is this...?" asks Cal.

>>12551455
Consult Chuckles. Then, using a piece of the dead body's jumpsuit, gag Chuckles. Silence Cal and find some cover, inching toward the clapping.

You see a figure standing several meters away from you. Your HUD indicates that he is Silicon Based, similar to Chuckles... however, appears more refined, quality materials and construction. He is standing with an air of smugness, dressed in some approximation of a suit and fedora. He grins at you, a skull-like face and pitch black eyes.

"I think it's time the game switched gears. How are you feeling, Hroddard?"

"How do you think, Doc?"

>>12551455
"Huh. Either a welcoming committee or your being plugged there causes a shortage in energy supply in this shaft."
Ready pistol and shotgun anyway. Wait. Then return to Security for update?

>>12551485
"I like your style." Aim the carbine for the face. We want the fedora and suit.

>>12551485
Ready the distortion rod, but keep calm and cool.
Ask this Doc fellow what he thinks he's doing here.

>>12551485
Carbine out, toss harpoon, ready disrupt-rod. Retreat while firing.

Fly! Fly, you fools!

>>12551510
This guy is on a first name basis with Chuckles. We know what he's doing here. He probably fixed Chuckles the first time. We need to take his overconfident ass down.

>>12551542
If we hadn't gotten the disrupt-rod, we would have been chewed by Chuckles' speed. This is probably the one who repaired him.

We need good rolls to beat him, if not better tactics. Anything in terrain we can use?

>>12551542
More importantly, we need to take his dapper clothes for ourself.
It's murderin' time!
Carbine it is!

The "Doc" snaps his black, bony fingers and you suddenly can't move - your slump, your joints locked up. You're numb.

Whatever you were about to do, it seems you're not going anywhere for now.

"Please allow me to introduce myself. I am a man of wealth and taste. You can call me Doctor Cialsock."

He strolls over to you, cane in hand. Cal is silent, and Chuckles is chortling from your belt.

Cialsock is a very toll creature, you note, as slumps down a bit to meet your eyes.

"Hello, my little mouse. You and your predecessors have been oh so much fun... so informative. Truly, Marduk Corporation was a power in its time, to produce your kind." He reaches into his coat, and pulls out a data pack. "You see this? This is your history, little mouse. Marduk Corporation, your creation, everything.

"And I'm going to tell you a secret... everything up to now, was devised by me. And you are far from the first to run this little maze. You are not the first to relieve Mr. Hroddard of his body. You are not the firs to find Mr. Callahan. You are not the first to awaken in this facility, to meet with NANA or the Security. There is a small mountain of your brothers' and sisters' bones hidden deep in this facility.

"My and my brood's time here is done, however. One last experiment." He places the data pack into his coat again, and runs his finger along your cheek.

"When I leave, you will regain control of your body in ten minutes. You will then have a limited amount of time to reach the Reactor, recharge your internal batteries... oh, by the way, I should probably fix that..."

Your HUD now indicates that you have 10 hours left.

"You will then have a limited amount of time to either shut down the Reactor before it explodes or escape this facility... however, you should know that Security will not be so friendly to you now. The world has moved on, as he always says, and he will not stand for the dead to walk."

He backs away, and gives bow.

"Farewell, young man! I do sincerely hope you survive, and find me. As for you, Hroddard... I leave you in our young friend's care. If you should ever find yourself bodily well again, I recommend you join another brood."

Chuckles, you note, is now silent.

Doctor Kialsock presses his cane against your forehead, tipping you over. You land on your side. You hear the Doctor's steps as he walks away, and Chuckles's cries of outrage.

As soon as we can move:
"Fuck this Just As Planned shit. Chuckles, man up. Cal, watch my... back. We're getting the fuck out of here and shooting that asshole in the fucking finger."
Get our ass to the reactor, keeping an eye out for security.
>should whomptux
Well, we tried.

> Your HUD now indicates that you have 10 hours left.
Well, fuck. No using rods or carbine now. Move to Reactor, keep stealth, conserve ammo. 1 hours could stretch for long if we are careful.

You regain control of your body ten minutes after Doctor Cialsock left, just as he said. Chuckles has lost coherency at this point, and has fallen silent.

"Seems our friend isn't taking the news well," remarks Callahan dryly.

Your access to the Network is still intact, and you locate a route towards a recharge station. Since the reactor has apparently been functional for quite some time now, it should be operational.

You have nine hours and fifty minutes to live.

You have dried up, halfway dead engineer, the head of a silicon creature, a shotgun, shock rod, pistol and two weapons that'll literally drain your life, and who knows how long until that won't matter if you don't stop the reactor from going boom-boom. Security wants you back in your grave.

Let the good times roll.

You make your way through the maintenance tunnels to try and avoid security. You can hear them milling about all around you, however, and have Callahan looking out behind you. Unless you can get him into another body, he won't be much use.

You're getting close to the recharge station...

9 hours, 32 minutes to go.

A section of wall ahead of you explodes, security drones skittering in.

Declare action, roll d100

rolled 39 = 39

>>12551880
Number? If low, spray with shotgun and melee with shocker. If high, jump over them and try to lose them while firing back with dual-pistols.

>>12551941
You count four targets, two swinging in from above, their claws sinking into the grills of the ceiling, two below skittering on all fours.

You shoot twice with the shotgun, hitting one of the ones above in the joints - his arms rip apart, and he falls on top of one of the other security drones. They roll around, a tangled mess, while the other two head towards you. One swings from the ceiling, somersaults your way. The one on the floor deploys two automatic weapons from his shoulders and fires at you, over his companion.

Roll d100

rolled 86 = 86

>>12551981
Rush in to avoid being tracked by both machine gun. Jump midway to meet somersaulting drone, stab it with rod, ride it down to the gunner. Open fire with shotgun at the other tangled drones.

rolled 31 = 31

>>12551981
Charge at the somersaulting drone, flipping over it for cover against the firing drone before releasing a shotgun round into your new shield.

>>12552093
You manage to avoid being shot to ribbons by the drone hanging back as you leap towards the somersaulting drone. Before you can get him with the shock-rod, however, he drives a fisted claw into your face, pounding you into the floor. Callahan's cybernetics dig into your back. You're pinned.

The drone's other claw tears into your midsection, and you hear the others skittering towards you.

Roll d100

rolled 81 = 81

>>12552128
Damn my high roll. Hope Cal is not broken, kick the drone off toward the others. Open with shotgun when you have the chance.

Can we run? How fast are these drones?

>>12552171
. . . /tg/ dice.

>>12552171
You struggle beneath the drone, but soon you're just flailing in the air as it lifts you up, claws digging into your torso. You try not to scream.

Machine gun fire, your body riddled with holes.

The drone tosses you down the hallway, and you slam into the wall. You can barely move.

Across from you is a door, and it hisses at it slides open as you lie in a puddle of your own blood, Callahan yelling at you to get up. You can't feel your legs.

You drag yourself towards the door, the drones are coming. You've managed to hang onto the shotgun.

roll d100

rolled 62 = 62

If inside the room: Fire as they come around the corner.

If still crawling inside: Fire a shot at them.

Kinda ended with a whimper. Huh.

>>12552267
You fire the shotgun at the oncoming drones, still dragging yourself towards the doorway. You manage to get one in the legs, and he stumbles, limbs burning and melting. One immediately behind him collides and they roll into a tangle of molten limbs. Another drone leaps over the other two, and lands just behind you... only to slip on your blood and slide further down the hallways, skittering as it tries to regain its balance.

The fourth is running, now, two of its limbs missing.

You get through the doorway. You appear to be in an elevator.

You put yourself against the wall, shotgun towards the doorway.

what do

>>12552328

close the door and look at panel. what are my options?

>>12552342
Fortunately, it seems your shotgun provides the extra reach you need to press buttons.

There are several floors you can access from here. You can go to another floor and go through an alternate route to the recharge station - however, security would no doubt be able to track where you're going and beat you there.

The door buckles a bit as the security drones shoot and smash at it.

"Uh, boss," Callahan says, "hope you got a plan here..."

Oh, and don't forget you have those Cellular Regeneration Packs so you don't have to use your now waning internal power supply to spike your healing.

>>12552277
Bad rolls. Now that we have time, Regen pack.

Spike the door, or imply leave. We need to move.

>>12552381

Use one regen pack to heal. Move to corner facing elevator door. Preferably one closest to buttons. Keep shotgun trained on the door.

"Cal, you need a body right? Any idea if these drone bodies might be compatible with your head?"

>>12552430
Agreed regen.
Then check to see if we can climb up and out of the elevator to find an alternate route.

You dig into your pockets and find a CRP - it's operation is fairly intuitive, and you stab it into your torn up innards and inject the quick-metabolizing materials. Your guts and spine are repairing themselves now.

The door is buckling further.

You look up and see small door leading outside of the elevator. You try to stand, but you barely get to your feet. You're just not up to it - you're not sure if you'll regain your strength to climb out before the drones get you.

A thought occurs to you.

You have a shotgun with incendiary shells. If you recall the installations schematics correctly, there's an empty shaft beneath the elevator floor.

Security will no doubt be tracking where the elevator goes if you try going anywhere.

>>12552445
"Uh, I guess so... but you sure you want to try leaving any of them in tact enough for me to hijack?"

>>12552488
How many are outside?

>>12552499
Maybe we can shock them for a temporary paralysis effect?

If no one else is willing to attempt this then lets shoot the floor and climb down.

>>12552547
There were only four when you were out there. Your shock rod may be able to stun them, but even if you manage to stun one the others will no doubt tear you apart.

>>12552569
Hmm. Make a hole in the ground with the shotgun in front of the door, then if we can climb down, do so.

>>12552569

Does our HUD or any implants have x-ray vision mode?

(Not an action) Otherwise, Might suggest bailing out and picking up something later unless you guys want to try using the disruptor and lightsabering them chancing battery drain.

check health status.

"Could you theoretically talk me through repairing the reactor? Or would it be possible to use my hands?"

To chuckles. "Got anything useful to say?"

Check

>>12552488
Not sure what you are suggesting with the incendiary, but thanks anyway. How do we wire the elevator to move if we leave the car?

>>12552609
And indeed, you do so.

You manage to work your way out and onto a maintenance ladder beneath the elevator. You can hear the drones clawing their way through the door, but it seems they've yet to get through.

You see an access port on the bottom of the elevator, perhaps something Callahan could hack.

I'm thinking a trap of some sort might be in order. I just can't think of anything right now.

>>12552644
Well, I guess that's it. Give some rounds to the drones. Drop down, hide as elevator rockets off. Hope it goes up, instead of down...

>>12552660
No time and no boom-booms. :(

>>12552660

maybe something like, climb down, hide under bottom of elevator, have cal hack the elevator to go alternate route, wait under elevator to make it seem like we went alternate way, climb back down shaft to original door, obtain body for cal, proceed to reactor?

>>12552681
Unfortunately.

Anywho, ask Cal what he can do with this panel and how we can use it to our advantage. Cover him while he tinkers with it.

Also taking a name for no important reason.

>>12552699
"If I hook into the elevator, I can make it go wherever we want. Pro'lly confuse the hell outta those security drones, at least as long as they don't see the hole you made... which could be a while, if I can get it to keep movin'. Hold on a sec..."

A prehensile cable extends from Callahan's cybernetics, jacking into the elevator. You hear metal tearing - the drones are almost through.

"Hold on a sec... got it!" The cable drops from the jack, and the elevator speeds off above you. You look up and see the elevator door torn to shreds, the drones looking up towards the elevator, and then giving chase.

You ask Callahan if he can help you with the reactor.

"From what that Silicon Creature was saying, it sounds like he mucked around with the Reactor's programming to set it to meltdown at some point. If you can get me in there, I can set the whole thing back to normal. Probably.

"I hope."

Chuckles is still silent.

It's too bad we destroyed Chuckles' body instead of taking it to medical or someplace closer and switching to his body. Might have provided an advantage.

Also taking a name.

Climb up and get out of this shaft. Then proceed quietly towards the recharging station.

Can Cal use any weapons? Or is he THAT messed up right now?

>>12552830
Cal is essentially a corpse. The only "living" parts of him are the bits of his brain that his cybernetics work with and preserve to keep his personality and mind around.

You could possibly get him a new body if you head to medical, or perhaps the research labs. You recall the logs stating that cybernetics and the like were a subject of interest.

You climb out of the elevator shaft and proceed down your original route. Security appears to have been diverted by Cal's magic with the elevator, but there's no telling how much time that'll buy you.

You make it to the recharge station without incident.

>>12552884
Damn.

Recharge. I'm assuming this will alert security so keep on alert. Then check schematics for what the surrounding areas are.

>>12552884

Recharge anything that needs to be recharged. Look around the room/station. Check time remaining.

Sha-ZAAAAAAAAAAAAM!

>Internal Power Supply: Maximum Charge
>Hours of Operation: 43,710,000 (5000 standard years)

You hear klaxons blare in the distance... security will no doubt be here soon.

A message pops up on the recharge station terminal:

"Little Mouse,

Splendid, simply splendid! You have five hours until the reactor collapses, ripping this facility apart and sucking it into oblivion. I wonder... will you run? Will you try to shut down the reactor? Perhaps undo my little gift to this crypt?

And what of your brethren who still slumber...?

Regards,

Doctor Cialsock"

Forgot my pic

What's the approximate time to reach the reactor if we don't run into any obstructions?

There are still people alive, we gotta shut this place down. Approximate fastest route. We should be able to use the Carbine now. Run and gun method is my vote.

>>12552968
Assuming you can avoid running into more drones, you could make it there in an hour, according to the schematics you access for the rest of the Reactor Block.

However, being the Reactor, there is quite a bit of security surrounding it.

You'll have to make it to the Reactor Access Lift on the far end of a corridor leading from this room. The lift will take you to the Reactor, but will no doubt alert security. There really isn't any other way of getting there, unfortunately.

>>12553001

Go to reactor access lift.

If lift has hatch on ceiling, open it, climb out of lift, then climb up shaft.

Else, wanna pull elevator trick again?

Gather gear and prepare to head out.

>>12553022
I concur.

>>12553040

Just to be safe, I might suggest making two holes; one top and one bottom. Just in case they learned from the last time.

Would suggest hiding on top and be ready to shoot down through the hole if we had room enough not to get squished at the end location.

>>12553022
>>12553040
As you head for the Lift, carbine in hand, Chuckles finally speaks up.

"Hey... listen. The Doc, he's a tricky bastard, I'm sure you know that. I've known him a long while now, and I can tell you this much: He always lies. Always. He tells the truth just as much, though, always throwing in some bullshit to keep you confused. So far things have gone according to what he told you, at least it seems so, but just be careful, alright? I wanna get out of here as much as you do."

>>12553064

Also, stick with shotgun or switch to carbine?

>>12553083

Carbine sounds good for now.

>>12553077
Definitely carbine and disrupt-rod.

Now that Chuckles mentioned it... I worry about Cal being hacked. Can we run a terminal to talk to Security or Nana? They already know we're here.

>>12553077

"Shut it, Cum Fart! Cal, could you rig the lift to go to the place we need to get to, pause for a moment, and then open the doors?"

Go inside the lift, check for ceiling hatch. Like I said before, if there's a hatch, open it and then use shotgun to blow a hole in the floor and then climb on top of the lift slightly out of sight of the hole but ready to shoot through it if necessary.

If not, make a hole in the ceiling and proceed as the first suggestion allowing Cal to program it first.

>>12553147

Hmmm, good idea. I second this.

>>12553147
Security most likely wants to kill you, if the actions of the drones are any indication.

Accessing the Network to try and talk to NANA or Security would most likely draw the Drones to your location.

>>12553160
"Can do, boss."

While Cal gets to work fucking around with the elevator, you blow a hole in the elevator floor and climb up and out of the elevator through an access panel. You take Cal up with you, his cable still jacked into the Elevator's computer.

"Ready when you are. Just say the word."

So, we good to go with the plan guys or should we do something else?

>>12553169
Would we be willing to take this risk?
If we could contact NANA and have her communicate with Security to override whatever Doctor Shitface did.
If you all aren't cool with that then lets keep heading towards that lift, also ask Chuckles more about the Doctor.

>>12553221

Supposedly the security already knows we're at the recharge station, right? We could try before we take off just to see.

Also, how long would it take us to reach the location if we climbed there? Would it be possible to open the elevator doors by hand?

>>12553259
You're already at the elevator, actually. Security has likely showed up at the recharge station already, and is possibly heading your way searching for you.

If you were to climb up the shaft to reach the Reactor, it would take you two and a half hours, assuming Security didn't find you - you theorize they will split to go up and down the elevator to find you. Better keep your gun handy.

>>12553271

No time to do checks right now.

"Do it."

Keep guns ready and alert.

>>12553286
I'm game. Though I wish there was a faster way.

>>12553169
Eh, looks like the DM wishes us to go right into the reactor straight away.
. . .
I don't have that reaction image for railroad and it's a trap. Nor am I saying that it is, just that the Chuckles' comment is inserted at an awkward moment...

/rant

Let's rocket off!

The elevator whines and rumbles, rocketing off towards the Reactor. According to your HUD, there's four and a half more hours until the Reactor destroys the facility.

Looking down through the holes, you see security drones flooding up towards you.

You've almost reached the Reactor Block.

"Hey, boss," Cal says. "Looks like Security AI is trying to stop the elevator. Shouldn't be a problem, I don't think, but he might have some command codes to shut this thing down. Get ready."

>>12553323
The Elevator stops.

Two floors from your destination.

Climb up the rest of the way or go out through the door and try to lose the Security drones?

>>12553323

When the elevator stops, either at destination or because of security, grab on to wall and make the elevator fall on the drones coming up, maybe?

How close to the elevator are they?

>>12553297
I was just pointing it out, man. If you guys wanted to try contacting NANA, go ahead. Just know you're letting everyone know where you are.

>>12553339
They'll probably reach your location in a couple minutes.

As for making the elevator drop on them, Cal says he can try and screw up the magnet rails on the elevator.

>>12553363
Or you can try shooting the magnet rails.

I vote for shooting the magnetic rails.

You guys?

>>12553394
At this juncture I'm incredibly unsure. I do know that we need to get our hands on some serious explosives.

But for the hell of it. Shoot dem rails.

A few well placed shots from the particle carbine melt the magnetic rails of the elevator. Unable to remain suspended in the shaft, it drops, crushing the horde security drones beneath you.

You can try climbing up the rest of the way or look for an alternative route to the Reactor.

Hmmmm, two floors away.

Option 1: Climb rest of way.
Option 2: Get out where security stopped us.
Option 3: Climb 1 floor, get out there and find way to reactor.
Option 4: ???
Option 5: Top hats and profit!!!!

>>12553480
Climb a floor seems good. They know it stopped there and they may know where we're headed, but they may not suspect that we'd show up on the next floor.

>>12553480

Also, such an awesome victory needs an awesome one-liner.

"Your mother's were toasters and I fucked them all! The crumb-scabies and cock burns were worth it!"

I'm bonked that the mission control hasn't decided to call me i-i-iin-nsect-t-t yet.

>>12553508
Chuckles snorts.

"Your one-liners suck, freezer-meat."

"Eh, no comment," says Callahan.

So, you climb up a floor?

>>12553535

Sure. Climb up a floor, open door. Look around and if it's clear, go through.

Keep alert for more drones.

>>12553502
Sir, do you live in Florida? I think I know you.

>>12553549

We could try a feint.

Contact Nana/Security inside from the floor we stopped at to try to reason with them. And then climb to the next level.

>>12553550
I live on the other coast. Califag.

"Aw shucks Chuckles, I love you too. Now shut it before I drop you down this shaft too."

Wanting to lose the drones, you climb up to the next floor and go from there.

Your HUD displays the next shortest route - a maintenance ladder leading from this floor directly to the Reactor Control Room.

You detect energy emissions up ahead...

>>12553572
A quick drop back down to do this wouldn't take too much time.

Does anyone else wanna go for this?

>>12553601

Sure, why not?

What say you, Hawkes?

>>12553601
I actually thoroughly enjoy this idea. Try to lead them away from the area we're heading for. Then double back and escape upwards.

You drop back on down to the floor you were originally stopped at - looks to be a workshop level of some sort.

You access the local network, getting Security and NANA's detection.

What say you, adventure seeker Anon?

>>12553575
DLI?

>>12553640
No, sir.

"NANA, can you talk some sense into security? He's out for my blood."

"Also, are there any records or information of a Callahan, engineer?"

>>12553719
"I-i-I've trriiiiiEEEED sweet-heARt, but he is q-qquite adamant about th-thisssss. H-he willlll-ll no-t listEN to reas-son I-I'm afraid.

"However, if you get Oswald online, he and I can discuss Security's current state. If we conclude that he must be relieved of duty, we may override his authority in the security block and related matters and shut him down.

"P-pleazzze be c-carefu-ful, for NANA."

Security cuts in.

"Don't you try an' talk me outta this, boy! You don't know the whole truth! You been asleep all this time, while the world grew up and around us, swallowed up everythin' in the sky! This is a crypt, boy! You're the last, dead son of Marduk, and I'll put ye back in yer grave if it's the last. THING. I. DO."

>>12553771
>Reminder: Callahan told you when you asked about him that he is not from the installation, but from an archeological team of some sort that infiltrated the facility several years ago.

See for details: >>12551346

>>12553781
"What about the others that freak was talking about? Were they lies?"

Check schematics for fastest route to research center. I think if we mess with the reactor first we'd be killed.

That's weird speech. But then again, I haven't seen how NANA has spoken in past threads. Also, Security seems to be channeling Zelda's dad with all the MAH BOOOOOOIIIIII!!!!

lol

>>12553788
"I-I have sc-scanned the other cha-chambers in Hibernation, and yessss... there are oth-thers heerrre. I-I lack the auth-authority to awaken the-them, howevevever... the-they, annnd yooou are Oswald's con-conccerrrnn."

>>12553805
Oswald now. We need to save them before Security screws too much up.

>>12553822

Okay. Also, what was Oswald in charge of?

>Time to Reactor Collapse: 4 hours, 12 minutes
>Calculating route to Research Block, "Oswald" AI
>Time to destination; est. 45 minutes

Do you wish to proceed to the Research Labs?

>>12553838
Oswald is in charge of the Research block, administrating all of the projects.

According to the records you accessed back in security, the Utilities AI (Reactor, maintenance drones, etc) was destroyed during the attack. Given NANA's advice, she seems to believe this to be true as well. Whether this is further manipulation by Cialsock's part you cannot be sure.

Is Oswald functional or in need of repair?

Too bad we don't have more time. It'd be pretty sweet to repair/investigate the utility AI.

Off to see Oswald, I guess!

>>12553846
Let's think here, 45 there, 45 back. That's an hour 30. Plus at most 2 hours to get to the core. That's three and a half hours. Leaving us a few minutes for unexpected shenanigans. But it also means getting rid of Security issues.

I say we do it.

>>12553900
Agreed! Also, nice doubles thar

>>12553900
Unless Oswald can get us to the reactor quicker. If he's just as fucked up as Security, though, we're screwed.

>>12553895
>>12553900
You head for the Research Block.

As far as Oswald goes, all you know is that he's been MIA since you woke up. Most likely inactive since you haven't gone and bugged him, kept offline by Doctor Cialsock.

Or maybe he's dead, and you're wasting your time, JUST AS PLANNED.

You've got time.

And I need to go to bed. 7:25 AM here.

G'night, folks. If this thread is still up when I wake up later I'll start posting, but if you guys aren't on I can run this on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Tell me when is the best time for you guys and I'll make a new thread then. If you can make it tomorrow, I can run this for a bit but not this late.

Later folks.

>>12553917
At this point, while we have quite a lot to lose(the entire structure), What fun is it to not take risks sometimes?

ONWARD. TO OSWALD.

>>12553925
I think Saturday is best for me, but I haven't contributed much, so its up to others.

>>12553925
I archived the thread.

I can't make it tomorrow. But I'm game for any of those days. Preferably Friday though.

Fri/Sat/Sun is good with me.

This has been fun! =D

Also, tempted to just go do reactor, but messing with AI's seems fun!

Saturday, please.