>In addition, it has a small transport capability - A lightly-armoured compartment behind the torso (rear-loading) can contain up to five moderately-sized Players at any one time.

This could be fun for hot drops. Still reading over it though. We'll need to put Regios in it anyway.

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>>28077988

The Armoury Guardian's designation - In the flickering lines of alien code that crawl across your HUD, resolving into half-glimpsed meanings - is A-10346.

The unit's name, however, is GARM. It is a name to be roared in a guttural voice, to be written in all-capitals: The great, gleaming chassis looming above you, all layered armour and ozone, the hangar's dim light casting long shadows. Hydraulics hiss, idling - The cockpit's hatch open, evoking a great, devouring maw as fitful violet light flickers within the sensor cluster, telltales winking to life within it's depths.

Not slumbering, but waiting.

"Is that...real?" Bishamon's voice - Even filtered of all emotion - is hushed, awed. His kabuto-helm canted back, taking in the sheer mass of the construct before him: His spined shoulders lifting as a sound catches his attention-

Somewhere, the grind-screech of warping metal catches your attention, carrying across the Holophusikon's armoury. The ground shudders, beneath your feet - Dust trickling from the ceiling. In the distance, there's a low groan...Deep, dire, within the Holophusikon's very core.

"-I'm reading - I'm reading, all systems are functioning at full capacity." Tyrian Edge sounds uncertain, looking up - "...I think. It was - Here, all this time. Waiting for someone to find it, to wake it up-"

Sparks shoot from Volt Regios's shoulder joint - "They're almost through, Joker," he growls; "Whatever you're going to do, make it *fast* - Time's almost out."

[ ] Free

YOU HAVE CONTROL

>>28078158

"Regios, Tyrian, Bishamon; behind it. Passenger bay. I don't know what the fuck is happening, but all I know is it sees me as the pilot. We're taking our good fortune and getting out while the getting is well and good. Stop gawking! Move if you want to get out of here alive!"

Once we're in the cockpit, look for the microphone button. Gotta broadcast SMILERS, COME OUT TO PLAY over GARM's external speakers.

Hello OP, have a good week? Mine was fantastic. I especially like the part where I got a check for $2K.

>>28078158
"Too bad it already has a name. I was going to call it 'Red Comet'.

"Quick, get behind it. I'm going to give the guys at the door a surprise."

Toss the Void Anchor near the door. If we can't gain experience while piloting, we might as well get something out of it. Then climb in and get comfortable. Once the Smilers breach, grab the ones in the lead with the Manipulators and crush them. That should activate the Void Anchor and keep it from damaging too much of the room.

Once we've dealt with the first group we'll load the Tri-Stars and the Halo Shroud into the passenger compartment and plot the straightest course to the server room Tyrian can find.

>>28078333

Even better name. It's called GARM. It's unit designation is A-10346

We're piloting GARMA. We're going to die horribly.

>>28078371
Actually Garm was the hell-hound who guarded the gates of Hel in Norse mythology.

>>28078046
Where did you get this information?

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>>28078371
You cheeky bastard. I love it.

>>28078333
>Toss the Void Anchor near the door.
Dude the Tri-stars live here, isnt a Void Anchor going to make things a bit uncomfortable for them?

>>28078333

It takes you a moment, to prime the Void Anchor - The disc telescopes upon itself, as you fasten it in place: The inner line igniting with a dull, pulsing light, like the uncertain beat of a failing heart. Even from here, you can feel the heat radiating from the bulkhead; The dense metal crimping, denting, a flurry of voices, or activity on the other side-

...They don't sound human.

>>28078240

The voice of command spurs Regios and Tyrian into action, as the GARM's personnel component opens, extruding a ramp - You hear the *clang* of their footsteps, their muffled voices echoing as they settled themselves in the cramped space; They're used to taking orders. Bishamon, however, pauses for a moment - He dips his head in a little nod, one that could mean either:

> You'll make the right decision. I trust you.

Or-

> I hope you know what you're doing.

It's ambiguous.

(Continued)

>>28078426

Pretty sure the OP is subtly trolling us from our discussion last thread. What with us wanting to name it Red Comet.

>>28078466
It took me a moment to realize, but I couldn't stop laughing when I did. Even if the OP was going with the hellhound motif, the coincidental implication that we were piloting Garma had me in stitches.

>>28078512
>...They don't sound human.
Aww, is that Amaglam? I'd hoped to kill it on foot, see if we could get a bizarro level up like the first time.

>>28078513
I feel bad I didn't see it. I spent the day reading volume 2 of Gundam The Origin too.

I got home from work JUST in time. Yes

Query:
Can we put an attack classification on Kaiser's Rust Storm attack? In the off chance that the GARM's variable shielding can block it.

Come to think of it, our AS's Fortress Mode blocked the debuff well enough.
Maybe it's kinetic/physical based?

Because I bet the tank relies on lots of tech sensors just to move around and such.

>>28078629
>Because I bet the tank relies on lots of tech sensors just to move around and such.

>The subliminal chime of acknowledgement pings on your sensors - Control filaments extruding from the Guardian's frame, like the impaling spikes of an iron maiden or a reverse bear-trap.

Fuck no. We're gonna be physically connected to this thing, like we are with the HOLLOW SPHERE.

You know what this means?

Our booster, Nihl sphere, and cybele's emblem are hooked into it. First things first: figuring out if that shit can carry over through the link

>>28078670

Hm.. I wonder if the passenger bay has such features. if it does, we can hook Regios up to it and use Cybele's emblem to heal HIM.

After this is well and done with we do need to see Rook. We've put him off long enough.

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(ARMORY GUARDIAN GUIDE: http://pastebin.com/7vzY4Zp2 )

You can actually *hear* metal boiling away, as you settle into the GARM's cockpit - The hatch clanging down, sealing you in absolute, claustrophobic darkness...But only for a moment. With the whirr of articulating segments, you hear the chassis's servos come to life with a quiet rumble, one that quickly fades to near-silence: A low whine comes from behind you, complex machinery sliding onto well-oiled railed into position...

And then the controls filaments sink into your armour. A monofilament sliver of metal punctures the back of your helmet, and into the fibres beneath: Your vision flickering, as an odd, appalling nausea coils within you, your armoured limbs twitching in reflex as their connections are temporarily interrupted - Vertigo, momentary and dizzying, blurring the world before your eyes...

But then, you *are* the machine. The world lights up, as you look through new sensors - When your limbs flex, your arm - Your *real* arm - remains limp by your side, locked in place by restraints: Instead, sensed rather than see, a heavy manipulator arm - Complete with palm-mounted induction blaster - flexes from the GARM's massive shoulder. The sensation is...It's familiar, yet ponderous; It's like being a giant.

When you try to turn your head, the GARM's optical cluster oscillates and flexes - A massive helm just as responsive to your neutal commands as the real thing. Flicking through the sensor filters, targeting - It's as easy as blinking.

> INTERFACE SUCCESSFUL.

Anti-gravity suspensors hum to life, supporting the GARM's weight as it rises to all four limbs: Built like an upright tank, supported by tall, ankle-jointed lower limbs with caterpillar treads, broad-shoulder arms - And weapon mounts - twitching in time to your phantom commands.

(Continued)

>>28078512
>It takes you a moment, to prime the Void Anchor

I can't help but feel this was a waste of the anchor. We should be making sure that thing SURVIVES. I mean, sure, we can always make another, but its a big setback: if we keep this place, we want to make sure it gets linked up to the hollow sun.

If it does, its possible we can have the Sun send troops to guard its resource extractors.

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>>28078716

There's the blurt of static in the back of your head, a scratchy, shuddering noise: Resolving into voices. The personnel carrier, you realize - You're hearing the Black Tri-Stars.

> "...can't believe he got it working-"
> "-enough firepower to level the block-"

> "We'll need it."

Bishamon's voice is steady.

> "You hear that? They have an entire army out there."

Momentary silence descends. The GARM's armoured digits flex, talons extending/retracting with the snapping sound of bolts being drawn. You exhale, and the machine's fusion reactor thrums to life, the ray-shield emitter smouldering with smoke-light.

> "...the name, anyway?"

That sounds like Tyrian.

> "-ARM, right?"
> "-not a name, it's a designation."
> "...it's unlucky, that's all. What's this thing *called*?"

SHIELDS: 100% (MODE - KINETIC/ENERGY)
HULL INTEGRITY: 100%
MUNITIONS: 100%
ENERGY: 100%

[ ] Free

YOU HAVE CONTROL

>>28078749

(My apologies, a minor mistake - The Shields are currently idle. Select a operating MODE: Kinetic Dispersal/Energy Barrier to activate them.)

>>28078749
Time to give them a nasty wake up call. Fire induction blasters the moment they breach the door, which will hopefully fry their systems before they realize what's happening.

>>28078789
Urgh, I can't remember, but we took out their autocannon support, right? If so the set the shields to energy mode.

>>28078749
Don't wait for the smilers to breach, disintegrator cannon the door and haul ass through their ranks to the server room.

>>28078749

See if we can lower the ramp marginally so the trio in the back can have partial cover while they shoot. They can cover the ass if someone gets behind us so we don't haft to turn around or waste resources. Set the shields to energy for when the Amalgam hits us with it's fusion lance or whatever it was.

"It's Red Comet. We're moving as soon as they breach. Be ready."

>>28078816

Save the cannon for Rust. We'll need it.

>>28078749
Garm is it's designation? You utter tease.

No need to get excited, wait for them to bring down the door, then use the claws to spear the vanguard. Then put up the physical shield and fire the Disintegrator.

We need a one liner. Any suggestions? Maybe: "Smile!"

>>28078789
What kind of drain do the shields put on the VSG?

>>28078816
Armor's weaker in the back. If we run, we take more damage.

>>28078749
>>28078853

And as soon as they breach, launch 2 Fragmentation Shots. I do love grape shot/canister shot derivatives.

>>28078749
Open the cockpit real quick and let our remaining interceptors out so they can rack up meter while we drive.

>>28078886

We do have The Warriors movie clip from last thread. If Garma can place glass bottles over it's manipulators while we use the external vox to voice SMILERS COME OUT TO PLAY that'd be amusing.

>>28078853
>while they shoot
>sword type Players
I don't want to be that guy, but the only ranged weapons they have are Bishamon's Idiot Vulcans and Volt's lightning. The first is an idiot's weapon, the second nothing we want being thrown around inside our guntank.

>>28078918
Remember how Red Joker gutted Bardiel? He was made to open his canopy. I don't think Joker should poke his head out until it's time for close confines.

Besides, the Interceptor System is on Joker's back, and that's currently plugged into Garm.

>>28078749
Induction blast the door.

Turn it back on them.

>>28079003

Ah. woops. I keep forgetting they're melee. Another reason we should have thrown them the Gravity Gun before jumping in. We could have used the additional heavy artillery. Why didn't we do that anyway..

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(Going with Kinetic, as there seems to be preference for using Energy weapons.)

Shifting the shield's frequency is as simple as thinking it. There's a low, oscillating hum - The translucent flicker changing shades to violet.

MODE: KINETIC

>>28078853
> "It's Red Comet. We're moving as soon as they breach. Be ready."

> "Wha-"

There's a *clang* from somewhere behind you:

> "-You can *hear* us?"
> "...told you he could."

Volt Regios's approval comes in a dry, buzzing chuckle.

> "A good name. Now get us out of here, will you?"

>>28078886

The bulkhead has mere moments left, slagging and warping out of a shape beneath ferocious cutting beams - You can make out the emerald flicker of raw plasma on the other end, as you bring the Red Comet's great fists up: Armoured fingers spreading, Induction Blasters charging twin spheres of seething, white-cored lightning...

And then the doors are wrenched apart. For a moment, you hear the triumphant baying of monsters, an ulluating howl from many, many throats-

You fire.

On full charge, the impact is like an azure supernova. The induction blasts hit the doors and erupt in an expanding wash of electric fire: The great metal panels blasted outwards like a battering ram, in an expanding halo of lethal shards.

A splayed column of superheated air roars from the rounded muzzle of the disintegrator cannon - A horizontal fountain that blasts flesh apart like ash in a gale. The Amaglam on the other side boils away, engulfed in the fusion stream - The sick black substance of it's form blistered to sludge, then to foul vapour.

(Continued)

>>28079041

>kinetic shields

Their goes our HP. Great job. The Amalgam is going to hit us with it's fusion lance as soon as they breach guys. Do little thought next time.

>>28078789
>elect a operating MODE: Kinetic Dispersal/Energy Barrier

Whichever works against FUSION blasters - amalgam was right on our tail, so barriers vs energy sound amazing.

Turn that shit on.

>>28079062
Yeah, this is dumb, switch to energy. Amalgam uses primarily energy weapons.

>>28079062
WHAT Amaglam? You mean the gas cloud there that's going to jumpstart the Void Anchor?

>>28079041

Try not to hit our Void Anchor :(

Shit's valuable

>>28079106

There's more than one of them in this funhouse. No way would the Smilers only bring one heavy support.

>>28079041

Essence boils upwards, in swirling clouds of green motes - But before they can be drawn to the Red Comet's accumulators, the Void Anchor absorbs them. The disc hovers, beginning to rotate furiously around it's own axis - Becoming a ghostly sphere of overlapping images, spinning so quickly it blurs-

>>28079080
>>28079073

And then it erupts in a holocaust of white flame, an incendiary mushroom cloud that washes through the bay beyond in purifying waves of annhilation, the heat palpable even through the Red Comet's armoured sacrophagus.

> "HOLY SHIT!"
> "...feel that?"

In an instant: Destruction, all-consuming and inexorable. The shield frequency hums, from violet to blue, as the backwash of the blast wave sweeps against the GARM's flickering shields - A wall of force, of overlapping hexagonal tiles, flaring bright. There's a hail of debris, too - Fist-sized chunks of stone and half-melted metal clanging off the Armoury Guardian's carapace.

Drive motors rumble to life, as you spur the GARM forward: The massive combat chassis's claws digging into the ground beneath, the great weight shoulder-barging through the debris - And out into the great space beyond, over the charred, twitching remnants of the Amaglam, the path scorched black by the roaring inferno.

(Continued)

On a side note, I was just thinking

Next time we visit the sun, we should toggle Essence Core production to Low.

This is for two reasons:
Once we start getting passive income through anchors, we can afford to start making cores while we manufacture artifacts and do research.

The second is actually because of the research: We're starting to unlock extra hellion types, but we have yet to MAKE any.
It would serve us well to create a core surplus that we can jam into command and heavy frames as we need it, when we need them later.

>>28079123
That shits probably pretty hard to make. If I had to guess I would say there would be two at most with the smilers.

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>>28079171
>Void Anchor explodes
And everything is worse than expected.

Hang on though, isn't the physical shield active? Why is debris hitting the chassis?

>>28079191
Essence Core production is already at low, but you are right we should start making VIRTUE shells.

>>28079199

I'm just being devil's advocate and giving the worst possible situation possible. Plus we still have Rust to deal with and we blew our trump card on the small fry. Depending on how long it takes to recharge, well...

>>28079236
>In an instant: Destruction, all-consuming and inexorable. The shield frequency hums, from violet to blue,
We changed it.

>>28079171
So, what, we fed the anchor so much that it exploded?

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One thing becomes immediately clear: The structure of the Holophusikon has changed. The Armoury's long corridor no longer opens to the grand hall - But instead, to the bruised-crimson skies of the Red World, fitful lightning flickering from black clouds. The hangar bay has been cleared of all life - It's impossible to tell how many targets were within, but as the Red Comet lumbers upwards, grinding relentlessly over bones, you realize-

...Bishamon was right. There *is* an army.

Above, the skies fill with a screeching surrusation of wings - A black, boiling swarm surging downwards, a damnation cloud descending to earth. As the path slopes outwards into the cracked iron streets of Dis, you see-

There's a hundred of them. More. Flesh stretched and splayed over pulsing slabs of muscle, wrapped in ragged strands around warped limbs, around arms become thick and branching, ending in flapping tentacles, snapping claws, groups of hands, in vast splaying roots of flesh, in circular pods with a hundred fronds waving in unknowable patterns, with ape-heads, with arachnid eyes, necks topped by skulls crushed and whole - An impossible number of Correctors, with impossible forms.

And there, in the distance, past this parade of anatomical atrocity: Flanked by the looming, molten shapes of Amaglams, lumbering into position-

There's a Player on a nightmare, a steed right out of hell.

Kraken raises his great axe in a mocking salute, and - With a sweep of his destrier's wings, his chitinous tentacles folded behind him like a great cloak - signals the attack.

(Continued)

>>28079273

I'm not sure.

I thought we were suppose to use it as it was originally intended?

Or was the priming making the Void Anchor into its BOMB configuration? Because I was expecting the first case.

>>28079236

You know how pilots track the number of enemy planes they've shot down? Joker tracks how many world shattering explosions/sanity destroying events/panties soiled.

It needs an entire wall of the Joker Cave just to fit. The entire thing.

>>28079273
>So, what, we fed the anchor so much that it exploded?

No, you twat, you deployed it in a vulnerable state near the frontlines of combat.

It was collateral damage. It takes MINUTES to reach invulnerability.
(though to be fair, we should have planted it when we planted the mines the first time, when we DID have time to prime it)

I was hoping to stab it into RUST KAISER's back, so it sucks up ALL his essence so he can't come back.

>>28078333
>Toss the Void Anchor near the door. If we can't gain experience while piloting, we might as well get something out of it. Then climb in and get comfortable. Once the Smilers breach, grab the ones in the lead with the Manipulators and crush them. That should activate the Void Anchor and keep it from damaging too much of the room.

You asshat!

Thanks for wasting the void anchor!

We were going to set it up so the tristars base was connected to the hollow sun, but nope you got first word in and it got wasted.

There's a metric fuckton of corrector and player based XP here we SHOULD be feeding to the hollow sun, but no, you wanted to use it as a bomb when we had a mech instead.

GREAT GOING.

>>28079304

Plasma fire retches at you. Great, searing beams of emerald light, splashing against the Red Comet's shields - The great, cackling ogres lumbering in your direction, gun barrels slurping out of their elbows and shoulders. You can make out the weapons forming within their fleshy forms, an unnatural fusion of flesh and liquid, guns take shape with moist alacrity, like melting wax seen in reverse...

-And before them comes the swarm. From above, leathery wings churning the air - And from below, pounding towards the great mechanical shape of your combat chassis, scuttling and crawling and charging.

SHIELDS: 88% (MODE - ENERGY)
HULL INTEGRITY: 98%
MUNITIONS: 100%
ENERGY: 90%

YOU HAVE CONTROL

>>28079304
Um... shit.
I think now would be a good time to haul ass back to the joker cave.

>>28079376

Guys. Full stop.

Do we want to FIRE THE SUN now?

Granted, this might be a diversion and they want to launch an attack on IT once the shot is wasted, but....

Could be useful.

>>28079363
I tried to stop him bro. i didn't realize we were going to set it up anyway but I was too late to matter.

>>28079371
Huh.
So now we know how it feels to be an Arms Fort being sieged by numerous Cthulhu NEXTS.

On the Corrector army's approach, engage with Frag Launchers en masse.

Can we somehow put the targets into a bottleneck? We may be big, but we can only shoot so much dakka at a time, unfortunately.

>>28079304
>There *is* an army.
...I kinda thought the sequel to Nara Dreamland would be the play.

>>28079319
Problem is that the Void Anchor damages everything in the area when activated, and needs a full Player's worth of Essence before it starts sending energy back.

>>28079363
No, I wanted to use Amaglam to start the energy absorption process. Unfortunately it was caught in the backblast of the Disintegrator.

>>28079388
No you idiot. Thats for the end game not for a crappy little corrector army.

>>28079371
Question: since the mech is part of us, can we cast an EXEC_BARRIER on it for double defense?

>>28079371

We're in Energy Shield mode, yes?

which means we have kinetic weapons at our dispersal.

Alright, here's how this goes donw.

Fire ALL our AOE ballistic weaponry Go for massive damage.

Do not target things we can shield tank - the guys with plasma/fusion we can take for now.
Those ogres, though? Big guns for big threats.

Give me a second to parse over guns and targeting priorities....

>>28079371
Get in kinetic shield-there might be a few energy blasts, but less than kinetic ones.
Lob a bunch of Inductions into the swarm, then ready the lasers to take out the fliers. once this softens them up, fire the ramjet, get us the hell out of here

>>28079371

We're completely surrounded. Fire canister shots en mass. Use the manipulators to bat aside or crush any Corrector that gets close enough.

If the Tri-Stars are feeling particularly daring, excluding Volt, he can shoot from the personnel bay, they can deploy inside the protective shield to intercept any Correctors that get passed the fusillade.

>>28079425
Guys, GUYS. I 'm wondering something.

If we can get the Red Comet out of this alive, what would happen if we assimilate it into the Hollow Sun?

>>28079394
>>28079412
>>28079421
>>28079425
Why don't we just run away?
we have a tank now yes, but we have killed these things with minimal support and Kraken has Rust Kaiser *and* an army of correctors.
We need to bail and get some more support.

>>28079450
... we get a giant jokermobile in our jokercave?

>>28079371

(Gentlemen: A quick clarification of the tactical situation. You've just exited the Holophusikon's main structure, with the first wave of Correctors completely incinerated by the Void Anchor/Your weapons.

There's a massive cleared space around Holophusikon, beyond which is the city of Dis - However, there are swarms of flying Correctors circling the top of the structure, which are beginning to descend in response to your emergence.

There's also a substantial number of landbound Correctors moving towards the entrance you've emerged from. Kraken is leading from the rear.)

>>28079388

(Unfortunately, you need to be present at the Hollow Sun to launch the Hellions.)

>>28079409

(Unfortunately, you're cut off from your 'own body', because you're currently controlling the Armoury Guardian. However, the Variable Shield Generator is a rather extensive defence.)

>>28079402
>>>28079319 (You)
>Problem is that the Void Anchor damages everything in the area when activated, and needs a full Player's worth of Essence before it starts sending energy back.
>>>28079363 (You)
>No, I wanted to use Amaglam to start the energy absorption process. Unfortunately it was caught in the backblast of the Disintegrator.

When why didn't you deploy it in Rex's bay? Or in the crew compartment?

You deliberately said to throw it at the door. In the line of fire.

>>28079405
Thats why i was ASKING.

>>28079412

Mass Driver A: 10 shots @ 5%: Nail the ogres with it. If it allows independent targeting, spike them all with one shot.

Mass Driver B: 10 Shots @ 5%: if the first cannon can hit the ogres by itself, let it and shot kraken. Otherwise, shoot the gun-ogres.

Fragmentation Launcher: Lots of bombs @ 3%: Hit everyone with this, mainly the swarm.

30mm Chaingun x 4 @ 1%: Explosive Shells, AP use: Left shoulder hits the swarm, right shoulder shoots kraken. Soften that bitch up.
= 17% reduction.
Acceptable ammunition uses.

Fire that frag launcher as fast as possible though.

>>28079450
Upgrade it into a proto-Dominion hovertank.

Barring that, we scrap it, dismantle it, research the fuck out of its weapons, then use it to make the Dominion.

>>28079450
SUPER DOMINION

FLYING TANK + REGULAR TANK = 2STRONK4SMILERS

>>28079450
>>28079456

We still have Dominion down in the basement.
>>28079457

Frag/Canister Shot. Clear a path. Need to retreat out of this mess.

>>28079455
>We need to bail and get some more support.

Smartest thing I've seen all day.

As volt regios if he can logout - he's the most wounded - and get natsumi and Rook to come help us out.

Or use the NIHL SPHERE to try something really nice - since its connected to our real body, its a physical link, use it to override our Autopilot Mode - and make a phonecall for help.

>>28079456
Are you thinking of the possible mass produced Hellion version tanks we could make? Or the possibility of uploading a Hellion A.I. into the tank and bringing it around with us?

>>28079457
>(Unfortunately, you're cut off from your 'own body', because you're currently controlling the Armoury Guardian. However, the Variable Shield Generator is a rather extensive defence.)

Question for you: Can any of the Joker's unique systems empower Garm in any way?
Our cobalt booster is part of an armory guardian IIRC - shouldn't it be like a fifth reactor for the thing?

Anyway, turn the vidscreens on in the crew compartment - let them know/see what's going on.

>>28079483

I have this mental image of Joker playing fetch with the Guardian. And I love it.

>>28079480
>We still have Dominion down in the basement.

We have yet to manufacture the DOMINION. Because its -really- energy intensive.

I think you're thinking of the golden sarcophagus, tho.
We DO need to check in on that.

>>28079504

Dominion was in the middle of production when we gained control of the Joker Cave. We halted the fuck out of it. It's still down there.

Waiting.

GUYS
GUYS LISTEN
GUYS I HAVE
AN IDEA
GUYS WHAT IF
WHAT IF
WE
GUYS
WE TAKE THE RELIC FROM PANZER GALIENT
AND WE PUT IT
GUYS
INTO THE RED COMET

>>28079371
Fragmentation Launchers it is. Scatter the swarm.

>>28079409
Barrier blocks codebursts, not attacks.

>>28079450
If assimilated, it'll be taken apart and turned into energy. If added to the Hollow Sun's ranks, hard to say. Potentially it'd be upgradeable, potentially it'd be the basis of upgrades to the Dominion.

>>28079455
Why? Because whatever the Smilers are doing is happening now. If we leave, they'll finish and be gone by the time we get back. We're in a decent position here, all things considered. So long as the Correctors don't get in minimum range we have a chance of making it to the next block.

>>28079461
It has to be in range of Essence to activate. When activating, it damages everything around it, Players included. Putting it IN the crew compartment would hurt the Tri-Stars and the Red Comet. Putting it by the door was the only way it was going to get used. Going off like a bomb apparently helped us, and while I'd prefer a longer term benefit, it's better than it not doing ANYTHING.

>>28079480
Not yet we don't. It's to be constructed, and actually building it will destroy the Hollow Sun.

>>28079497
>let them know/see what's going on.
Nope, no need for them to see how serious the situation is.

>>28079462

So we're X-Com now? OldCom. Not that pussy-fied NuCom bullshit.

>>28079461

Sound firing plan. Do it

Actually
.>>28079457
>There's a massive cleared space around Holophusikon,
swarms of flying Correctors circling the top of the structure, which are beginning to descend

>There's also a substantial number of landbound Correctors moving towards the entrance you've emerged from. Kraken is leading from the rear.

it seems like a lot of these guys are melee-based swarms - use sensors to clarify their armament.

If that's the case....?

Then the best defense really IS a good offense.

Here's what we do: After our initial Kinetic attack blunts their approach, turn OFF the shields and open up with the energy guns as WELL.

We can probably take one round of fire - but we need to do as much damage as possible before they close to melee range.
That means using energy guns.

>>28079528
>PANZER GALIENT
Who was he again? We kill so many people it gets hard to keep track.

>>28079528

I was actually wondering myself if the Tankman relic would help with any sort of vehicle based combat.....

Then again, that bounty was partially stolen by Asuna, so we may not have enough to put him in the grinder.

>>28079565
Player who was half tank-half robot all dakka.
We smoked him right after we went to the Church where Kotone was supposedly laid to rest.
With some help from a certain Player with foresight.

(See Watashiwa's Episode Guide, search for his name.)

>>28079565
He was literally the red joker on tank treads, he had analogues of nearly all our weapons.

>>28079514

I seriously think you're mixing up hollow sun relics.

The Dominion had -blueprints- in the armory. It was stated to be such an exorbiantly expensive project it would permanently drain all the energies from the red world in multiple locations to fuel its construction.

You're ~definitely~ thinking of the golden sarcophagus that we stole/rescued from Kraken in the Spire - the one that ended up in the armory and started self-assembling itself.

That being said, we should start that thing back up.

>>28079548
>We're in a decent position here, all things considered.
No we're not. We are surrounded by a corrector army with Amaglam support led by two players who we can barely beat when they are on their own. Just because we have a tank now does not mean we are strong enough to handle all of them at once.

>>28079376

The Hollow Sun. The city of Dis lies beyond the Holophusikon's killing fields - There's a substantial distance to cross, over the cracked iron ground...And an army in the way. You could reach it.

If you survive the next few minutes, that is.

>>28079497

(Not at present. There'll be an upgrade for that.)

Somewhere in the personnel bay, screens flicker to life. The response is less than salutory.

> "OH SHIT WE'RE ALL FUCKED-"
> "GET US OUT OF HERE-"

Everyone's speaking at once, in a babble of voices, even as the blinding flash of the first plasma volley fades: Cising sparks crackle from the Red Comet's ray-shield, the fragmentation launcher spitting warhead after warhead, with a dull *chunk* of a solid launch - Mid-air, guided by a rudimentary AI, they fragment - scattering flechettes in an airburst volley, the expanding spread of munitions shredding the first wave of Correctors swarming towards you.

As you kick the drive chassis into a lumbering run, the beam fusillade keeps coming - Raw, retching rays of hellish green light, fired with startingly accuracy; One of the beams falls short, blasting a molten gouge through the Correctors, bisecting and incinerating - But the fallen forms are trampled beneath the hooves and claws on the onrushing mass, like a single mindless entity.

They're savage predators, but their will is not their own. They seemed frenzied, insane - Driven on by a greater power, a greater mind. A second wave of flechette warheads bangs and rattles, sowing a churning line of destruction: Bodies are hurled into the air, already disintegrating, the plosive bangs like a sledgehammer impact of sound.

You open up with the 30mm cannons: The ripsawing sound coming moments before the quad lines of tracers, spitting into carapace and flesh and bone - Correctors rupture like overripe fruit, the explosive rounds pummeling them to nothing...

(Continued)

>>28079594

Huh. Could have swore we stopped Dominion in mid-production. It's been a while.

>>28079556
>We can probably take one round of fire - but we need to do as much damage as possible before they close to melee range.
>That means using energy guns.

Hnnnnng.

I guess you're right.
Fire kinetics, then kill the shields and fire kinetics and energy blasters.

Kraken's leading from the rear?
Disentrigator Cannon his ass - and blast through anything inbetween him and us.

Torso-mounted cobalt lasers?
Sweep the flyers. Lasers are good at long-range combat due to being lasers.

induction-blaster anything the frag launchers don't clear up.

Alright I have to go to sleep. Please don't fuck things up guys.

>>28079638

>lasers are good at long-range

Not really. Lasers are limited by the curvature of the Earth. Can't shoot over a horizon. Nor are they effective in space. Power limitations.

>>28079620
>The Hollow Sun. The city of Dis lies beyond the Holophusikon's killing fields - There's a substantial distance to cross, over the cracked iron ground...And an army in the way. You could reach it.
>If you survive the next few minutes, that is.

If we survive the next few minutes....

We need to retake the holophusikon.

Its probable they will try to use the Siege Perilous to take the hollow sun or pre-emptively strike against Argent Prominence, because of getting the wrong impression about Rook.

>>28079681
Have sweet dreams then, because shit was fucked from the start.

>>28079686

In this case, though, when the target is visible and the lasers are high-powered, hitscan weapons that don't have to deal with bullet travel time are pretttttty sweeeeeet

>>28079691
Shame we can't build meter, we could erase the Holophusikon with the Quantum Singularity Cannon if only we had the meter.

>>28079620
>> "OH SHIT WE'RE ALL FUCKED-"
>> "GET US OUT OF HERE-"

"Working on it. You still have the cloaking relic, right? What are the odds one of you can log out and go for help in the real? I know some people who would love to be here right now. "

Once we get the holophusikon back under control, can we frog-march that shit over to the hollow sun's entrance?

>>28079711

Yeah. laser batteries are devastating in an Aegis Shield setup. No leading the target. No recoil. No nothing except watching your battery. Point and shoot and wait for it to burn through your targets armor.

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>>28079589
He also had chaff launchers, heh. Here's the episode guide in case anon needs it. (It's also in the OP) http://pastebin.com/DNGtTt04

>>28079594
The thing in the basement was a giant, wasn't it? I thought that was Haurvatat's replacement.

>>28079621
Not quite. The Dominion is like one of Red Joker's guns in mid-summoning: A potential needing energy to become manifest. It hasn't been started yet, but when it does it's going to take so much energy that it'll kill the Hollow Sun.

>>28079620
>There'll be an upgrade for that.
...We get to KEEP IT?!

>>28079724

Yeah, no erasing it.

That's a base we want for ourselves.

As long as Volt Regios is with us, their system access IS a bit contested.

OOOH!

A better plan is to shoot the holo's auxiliary power source.

That will kick system control back to Volt.

And the tertiary power source is still a generator - its likely to be in a room that can't be moved because its linked to a bunch of important shit in important ways.

What this means is.....

We ask him where it is, and then we just shoot it with our main gun.

That should flip system access to us, and then we have the holos security on our side.

>>28079620
>(Not at present. There'll be an upgrade for that.)

What we really need is a way to rewire the essence accumulators to the pilot's chair instead of the ammo fabbers.

>>28079620

Bishamon's on the channel, somehow.

> "Joker, WHAT'S GOING ON? I can't see any-"

His voice is drowned out in a whirring screech, as the first of the Amaglams closes in - It's firing indiscriminately, seeming to swell with each step: In a moment of sickening realization, you realize that it isn't forging a path through the crowd - With each step, Corrector flesh vanishes, melts into the thing's substance, giving it mass; The cluster of masks protruding blindly from the blistered flesh of the thing's torso gyrating, their jackal-laugher nearly drowned out in the rattling bang of explosions, the hellish cancophy of gunfire...

>>28079638
>>28079556

Raw, unfocused shots - Small-arms, a sickening organic variant of missiles, erupting in pustulant explosions - explode against the Armoury Guardian's chrome carapace: Within the cockpit, you feel the Red Comet shudder beneath the shots, static fuzzing over the connection as the nearest Amaglam continues to retch high-yield fusion beams against the fizzing shield. There's at least three of them within reach, shelling you - Alternating between energy blasts and a rattling fusillade of kinetic weaponry...

You ride out the next furious exchange - The GARM's clawed feet grinding Correctors underfoot, turning the ground into a sick welter of gore - and drop the shields, bringing energy weapons to bear.

(Continued)

>>28079763
>>There'll be an upgrade for that.
>...We get to KEEP IT?!

Eeeeeeeeeeeeehehehehehehe

Omg omg omg omg omg i'm SO GLAD I suggested the Nihl Scan now.

Squeeeeeeeeeeeeee

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>>28079763
>...We get to KEEP IT?!

That, my friend, is the million essence question.

The Red Comet will be our best prize out of this episode IF we manage to get out alive, with it in tow.

Crossing fingers for eventual upgrades to turn it into a giant red suit of armor with guns-

Oh. Wait.
Pic related.

I still say all of you fucked up going for the armoury. With full control of the holophusikon they can launch their strike teams as we're tied up here. In case you haven't noticed, Kaiser and Bell aren't out here with Kraken and the swarm.

>>28079835

We did fuck up. The ones that actually care are trying to salvage it.

>>28079809
>The Red Comet will be our best prize out of this episode IF we manage to get out alive, with it in tow.

Yeah. This. Its not a guaranteed win button, especially if rust kaiser close enough to blow it up.

>>28079865
>>28079835
>I still say all of you fucked up going for the armoury. With full control of the holophusikon

I'm on team salvage. I'm the one that's been saying we need to get outside help to retake this.

And they don't necessarily have full control - we really do need a hack-off update from volt

>>28079879

Instantly, you regret it: Three rockets explode against the Red Comet's left side, engulfing the turreted autocannon in a fireball - The chassis lurches to the right with a complaining groan, and red lights wink up on that combat container. You swing the Guardian's head around, and reply with the Disintregrator Cannon: The heat-blast fumes forth, like a cutting torch - The superheated geyser shears right *through* your tormentor, both halves crisping away to nothing before they hit the ground.

The fusillade of destruction doesn't quite reach Kraken, but his destrier takes to the air, wings fanning, rising upwards at the chitinous rider's command. Cobalt lasers slash skyward, at the black cloud swarming down towards you - Like vultures, like carrion-feeders around the field of battle.

Claws scrape and slash at the Red Comet's armoured chassis, doing little more than to the marr the finish: But there's too many to count, their wings a visual barrier, even as the ice-white beams carve through them in flashlights of annhilation-

Another explosion, as the Amaglam - Closing in on you - unleashes a wrist-thick scarlet beam from one of it's many mouths: The ray splashes against the dense metal of the cockpit, rattling you like a die in a cup as the inertial suspensors momentarily fail - But then you answer, swinging one of the Induction Blasters in line; Discharging a furious, searing blast that incinerates it, the charred form reeling back with grotesque rents in that pitch-black mass, masks moaning the chorus of the damned.

Your second shot throws up a vertical plume of rubble, pelting the Correctors trying to close the distance - The cohered electromagnetic force sweeps through their ragged ranks, a slowly-descending sphere that flares out in a crackling wave, chewing a massive crater out of the ground.

(Continued)

I wonder if the massive, world shattering explosion the Void Anchor created alerted Enfer, our friendly neighborhood bomberman, that the Joker was up to his usual antics. He has a bone to pick with the Smilers after they fucked him

>>28079901

(My apologies for the delay - There's a lot of things going on at once in this fight.)

As the Amaglam reels to it's feet, the Mass Driver makes sure. A volley of depleted-uranium stakes slam through the thing, like stakes through a vampire's heart: Punching into it, through it, with such force that they go on to smash holes in the raw iron of the ground, clearing a path through the scattered Correctors like scattershot-

> "I can *hear* them - They're trying to get in!"

Bishamon shouts - You can hear the snap-hiss of his Apex Blade igniting, the crackle of leaping electricity as Regios sends a charge surging through the hull. The winged Correctors are raking, clawing at the personnel compartment, rending at the metal with filthy talons - the armour's holding, but for how long?

Beneath you, the ground heaves - Rumbles. Cracks spiderweb across the earth, a seismic shudder from within the depths: The Armoury Guardian nearly stumbles, as you correct for the uncertain footing - A whirring sound meaning that one of the leg actuators must have been damaged.

The tremors are getting worse. The aftershock makes the air vibrate, your footing unsure - Even the Holophuskion, behind you, shudders in a seeming spasm.

SHIELDS: 81% (MODE - OFF)
HULL INTEGRITY: 83%
MUNITIONS: 78%
ENERGY: 82%

YOU HAVE CONTROL

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>>28079799
You're awesome.

>>28079835
On the other hand, we have a giant robot, there's a chance we might be able to wrest control back, Kraken is coming towards us, and Rust Kaiser's nowhere to be see--Fuck, that last one's actually bad.

>>28079865
Now that's not fair, we all care, we just have different priorities.

>>28079922
Enfer isn't going to fight the Smilers on a vendetta. He's a merc, and until he's paid his natural inclinations run towards them anyway.

>>28079938

I just realized that we're piloting Metal Gear Rex.

>>28079938

OH GOD. OH GOD WYRM. HIT THE FUCKING DECK.

>>28079969

Fuck, we seriously need to get out of here. Haul ass for the Jokercave, and got help anyone in the way. Can we switch mode so we can rollin' deep?

>>28079938
Switch to Kinetic shields to throw the correctors back? Concentrate energy fire on the Amaglams, just trample the smaller correctors.

Try and get distance between us and the Holophuskion, I think Kraken called something big.

>>28079938

Tank-mode. Trigger the ramjet. Get the FUCK out of there.

This has to be how the Spirit of Motherwill felt. Quantity trumps Quality if you can throw enough shit at the dude with the guntank.

>>28079938
>The tremors are getting worse. The aftershock makes the air vibrate, your footing unsure - Even the Holophuskion, behind you, shudders in a seeming spasm.

TANK MODE

DRIVE DRIVE DRIVE HIT THE AFTERBURNERS PILOT.

Take to the air and give us a chance to get all the landbound grubheads off the crew doors - flyers only for a few moments should save us.

Shield Mode to KINETIC. Physically block off the boarders, and trap the ones closest to us inside.
Then launch frag rounds INTENTIONALLY into them in order to create deadly shrapnel richochet off the hull.

All E-blasters to sweeping Amalgams, flyers, and boarders.

Use the kinetic shoulder-turrets to sweep boarders too. Ammo cost is low, and intentional-richochets are a good thing. in this situation.

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>>28079938
> "I can *hear* them - They're trying to get in!"
Oh, that's bad.

Let's make Garm *jump*. We're not here to fight Correctors, they're a distraction. We want to find block F and unload the Tri-Stars directly into the server room, then make sure none of these Correctors can follow them in. Switch to energy shields, use the chaingun to keep the Correctors down, Amaglams get stake (Mass Drivers) to go with their whine.

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>>28079945
>You're awesome.

>>28079901
>Three rockets explode against the Red Comet's left side
>>28079772
>nearest Amaglam continues to retch high-yield fusion beams against the fizzing shield

>>28080038
I like this plan. We have a solid goal.

However, i question your shield choice: See above.

Which are the biggest threat right now? Rockets or fusion?
Which is more effective at ending those threats?
Kinetics or E-blasters?

>>28079993
>>28080026
Please, no. The energy weapons the Amaglams are packing are MUCH more dangerous than the physical attacks of dozens of Correctors. The Tri-Stars CAN defend the crew compartment, so we need to focus on the bigger threats and the overall goal of reestablishing control of Holophusikon.

>>28080069
Going by the entire battle? The energy shields block most of the incoming damage, and the physical munitions kill Correctors pretty good. A single stake killed an Amaglam and squished some nearby Correctors.

>>28080038

Still have the giant Dune Worm to deal with. If that's what the rumblings are. Gotta avoid it before we can hit F Block.

Momentary reminder that the GARM has much weaker armor plating *behind* and *at the sides*.

Huh, a thought.

Weapons off + shields at full capacity and concentrated at the front + tank mode + afterburners at full throttle = BREAK FIELD/SONIC BREAKER?

I mean, even with the GARM, we're still outgunned and outnumbered here. Better cut our losses while we can.

>>28080107
Hence making like a tachikoma and JUMPING to Holophusikon.

>>28080110
Aren't we facing away from Holophusikon? We're looking at the Hollow Sun. We'll have to turn around into order to do that, and leave our flanks exposed while we turn and while we change modes.

>>28079993

Kinetic shields-

The emitter flickers, before the barrier coheres - It doesn't just appear, it surges forward as it expands, a battering-ram of force that smashes through the swarming Correctors. Bodies are hurled back, still kicking; It doesn't shake them *all* off - just the ones directly in front of you - but it buys you a moment. A moment to-

Something's happening.

For a moment, you think it's a heat-mirage, some kind of wavering illusion - There's a visible *ripple* to the effect, one that churns outwards through the Corrector mass. Winged forms tumble from the sky, lifeless; They fall without grace, like mayflys at the abrupt end of their lives - The wet, ripping sounds of their fleshy impact bruising, wince-inducing, their forms rupturing...

The air boils with Essence, a typhoon of it - Drawn inexorably towards Kraken, as he gorges himself on stolen lives. His form bulges, swells, even as the Red Comet reconfigures itself: Hydraulics grinding, bringing treads to bear, as you swing one Manipulator Arm in a vicious arc that crushes a Corrector like a bug beneath a heel-

And then there is fire.

It comes in a roaring shaft of violet-hued flame, a massive blast that spears through the air and engulfs the Red Comet-

> "AAAAAAAAAAAA-"
> "BURNING-"

The sound is shattering, and the skies dim behind the fury of the blast: Your right Manipulator Arm explodes, cored down to nothing by that abyssal bolt - The Armoury Guardian actually *rocks* nearly flung over onto it's side by the titanic impact, feedback slicing into you as the red flavours of ruin surge over your HUD -

(Continued)

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>>28080026
>DRIVE DRIVE DRIVE HIT THE AFTERBURNERS PILOT.

Oh god my sides. I love that game but oh god that mission opening

>>28080102
>Going by the entire battle? The energy shields block most of the incoming damage, and the physical munitions kill Correctors pretty good. A single stake killed an Amaglam and squished some nearby Correctors.
>>28080069

Alright. Lets go with Energy Shields + a JUMP.

That should deal with a lot of our current damage and being boarded issues.

>>28080164
AND THIS IS WHY WE SHOULD HAVE KEPT THE ENERGY SHIELD UP.

>>28080164
Wow. Hey, maybe energy shields would have stopped that!

Note heavy sarcasm.

>>28080187

I was JUST in the middle of changing my vote when the post dropped :(

I was going to make a post pointing out how switching to kinetic was a bad idea, but every one else already beat me.

And damnit typing the captcha is hard while drunk.

>>28080187
The shield were off when the vote for kinetic came. Too many opinions all of a sudden.

Your shield emitter shatters. The kinetic shield fractures, energy tiles scattering like cobwebs in the wind: Your vision actually blacks out for a moment, beneath the overwhelming surge, only to return, violently askew - You must've lost half of your sensors, burnt out by that single titanic bolt.

You don't know how many lives he hit you with. It feels like all of them. But the hellbolt may have done for his army, too - Twisted forms coil upon themselves in fetal huddles, flash-burned to nothing; The wailing cries of the winged monsters strung-out, ragged, more than half of the flock boiled away in one terrible instant.

-But then the GARM completes it's mode shift, and the treads bite into the charred ground as the ramjet engine roars to life. The blue-fire backwash incinerates a knot of loping Correctors, driven against all reason to attack you - The acceleration punching you back in the cockpit, exerting a terrible pressure against your armour, as the Red Comet's drive reactor guns to life-

Seared, trailing black smoke, the combat chassis surges forward, with a violence that lurches you in your seat. You gun it, pluming a white tail of dust out behind the machine as you bury the throttle - Turning the Red Comet into a battering ram, ploughing blindly over anything in the way, crunching bodies flat as the great mass accelerates into high gear.

(Continued)

>>28080282
>Your shield emitter shatters
>your sensors, burnt out

Fantastic, guys.

Really good move, setting the shields to kinetic.

>>28080282

My fucking sides. It really is a Red Comet now. Edward Mass would be proud.

>>28080326
>The Armory Guardian is all *chromed* armour and jointed legs...

No, it's not red yet, so it's not completed.
But if we're already going breakneck speeds without the red paintjob, just imagine how fast we'll be after a makeover.

BTW, this would be the second time we stole some big weapon under Kraken's nose, I think?
We'll be taking back the Holophusikon later on, I hope.

>>28080282

Even with the ramjet engine at full blast, the Red Comet doesn't have enough thrust to take flight. It's not designed for that - But then the tremor comes again, as you speed away, cracks skittering across the ground as a great fissure widens-

> "OH MY GOD-"
> "NO NO NO-"

The Holophusikon teeters, as the ground surges out from beneath it. It lurches violently to one side, as one-half of the earth gives way: Your combat chassis judders in the seismic vibrations, nearly spinning out, but - with an effort that sends adrenaline bursting through your brain - you wrench it back into line, fighting for control.

The world *bucks*, the spontaneous quake wrenching through the foundations - Trailing a caul of violet flame, like a bat out of hell, you put everything you can into blind acceleration, the edges of the combat chassis smashing against the side of an onyx building. A savage effort keeps it on the road, ahead of the wave of destruction - Everything going *downwards*, all at once, local gravity shifting suddenly and catastrophically as great stone spikes tear through the ground, thrusting upwards like accusing fingers towards the sky-

It's not just an earthquake.

It's a new Hive.

(Continued)

>>28080378

I want off Mr. Bones Wild Ride.

>>28080378
KRAAAAAAAAAKENNNNNNNNN

>>28080378
Oh for fuck's sake, not only did we nearly lose Garm, they managed to pull a Hive out of the ground and claim Holophusikon.

At least we know Kraken thinks killing Joker is worth losing half an army of Correctors. It means he's STILL underestimating Joker.

Really hoping we're not getting ejected yet. Then again, that would mean Bishamon survived to the end...

This is why we can't have nice things.

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>>28080378

The surge is primal, apocalyptic - Like the formation of a new mountain range. The great spires *smoke*, steaming with vapour as they punch their way into the world above: A great haze washing across the iron city, from the violence of it's emergence. It's smoke, in vast quantities, but it's also vapour - Steam - moiling clouds swathing the skyline, as if an entire dead ocean condenses above the city.

Thunder rolls through the glowering skies, and it begins to rain torrentially - The air convulsing in response to the massive amounts of energy, of matter, dumped into it: Filled with circling black specks, thousands of creatures rioting upwards into the Red World from the hell beneath.

The cacophony - You can barely hear yourself think. It's all you can do to keep GOING, keep driving - Ahead of the roiling wave of destruction that swells outwards to engulf the vase space where the Holophusikon was: The last you see of it is the great structure tumbling to the side, breaking into pieces, before vanishing into the swirling, clotted mist like a drowning man behind the waves.

> "...happening out there?"
> "-can't see anything!"
> "-ll gone, it's all gone-"

[ ] "Keep your heads down."
[ ] "-We're heading for the Hollow Sun."
[ ] "Shut up!"
[ ] "Is everyone alive back there?"
[ ] Free

YOU HAVE CONTROL

As much as I hate to say this, retreating was probably the smartest move. Trying to fight our way out of THAT after gaining control of F Block would not have been pleasant.

>>28080494
>[ ] "-We're heading for the Hollow Sun."

Fuck this. Fuck that. Fuck Kraken. Fuck the Smilers. Fuck the Correctors.

Seriously, just fuck everything. We need to get the GARM back to the Hollow Sun so we can upgrade the shit out of it and ruin Kraken's day.

>>28080494
"Hell's breaking loose. And I'm not speaking metaphorically"
"Either way, everyone still alive there?"

Argent will want to know what happened. Should head to him with all do haste.

"Jesus. Did they fucking pull a Hive out of the ground? Argent will want to know if he doesn't already. I'm heading to the Hollow Sun. You three are invited. I'll be sure to give you adequate clearance so the staff don't ventilate you on sight."

"For what's it's worth, sorry about your base. At least we're alive."

>>28080494
"He'll writhe, before this is all done. Everyone alive?"

There's a lot more to be said. Red Joker can't say it; he doesn't have the right to.

OP, did we recover the Halo Shroud, or did it go down with the building?

Huh, I just realized: No way a Void Anchor would have survived that.

Kraken's 100% meter is to pull a hive out of the ground? The more of his troops that die the more his meter grows. That or he found himself a relic. Speculation of course.

>>28080494

Guys.

The thing is....

if we're gonna take this hive down, doing it while its just forming - before its breeding, before it spitting creatures, before it GROWS - killing it in its infancy is the way to do it.

Yeah, we're retreating.

But we're coming back with our own army.

make sure to get this on video.

>>28080639
We don't have video capability, Bishamon is the only one we've seen with it. And we are NOT using the Hollow Sun on this. We have much, much more work to do with the place.

The Smilers won this round outright. Embrace the fact that Bishamon survived despite raising every death flag he could (we need to thank Asuna). Now we need to debrief the Tri-Stars. Later, if we have time, we need to use the Sphere to track down the casette player/Megumi/our wallet. It's hard to get around in (not!)Japan without a rail pass.

>>28080696
>We don't have video capability, Bishamon is the only one we've seen with it. And we are NOT using the Hollow Sun on this. We have much, much more work to do with the place.

Sorry, yes.

I didn't mean with the hollow sun.

I meant with rook, and argent, and asuna and the tristars and everyone we know because FUCK this shit it needs to end now.

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>>28080518

> [X] "-We're heading for the Hollow Sun."

"A good plan as any," Regios growls. "Against something like *that*-"

A pause. "Son of a *bitch*."

>>28080531

> "I'm alive."
> "I'm here."
> "I'm not sure, but...I'm alive, too. I think."

That's all three of them. They sound shaken - You guess it hasn't sunk in yet, not entirely, though the dust cloud blots out the sky. The ominous black orb of the moon seems closer than ever, despite the fog: The Red Comet's treads grinding, the ramjet engine's flames dying down to nothing as you begin to slow.

>>28080558

> "Appreciate it."

You're not sure who said that. A silence descends, as the GARM rumbles down the empty streets: It feels like the entire city is holding it's breath. Before you, the dust-choked air fizzles, slicing open against a jagged diagonal scar - Corporeal reality peeling back on either side, like excised flesh, opening up into the clean lines of the Hollow Sun.

The combat chassis descends into it. Is swallowed by it.

Reality flickers, as the portal yawns open-

The Red recedes.

***********************

Inside the Hollow Sun, in a space you never knew existed - Vast, cool, steel-walled, neon lines tracing mutely across the metal - the GARM comes to a halt at last. The armoured hatch opens, steam coiling from the chassis: The engine dying to a grumble, as the machine seems to judder one last time...Then go still.

With a ratcheting sound, the control filaments retract: Your limbs spasming once, as the hatch swings open, cool air rushing in. As the cockpit lowers itself to ground-level, you can hear the back panels sliding open-

(Continued)

>>28080752

It's not tidy back there. The personnel compartment is scarred, holed in places, as the ramp extrudes: Bishamon limps out first, sparks shooting from his knee-joint, half of his kabuto-helm broken off. The Halo Shroud glides and mutters, circling Volt Regios - He's still missing an arm, and the Shroud's missing most of it's circumference, barely managing a hover. Tyrian's last - Deep gouges showing in his metal cuirass, his eyes flickering fitfully in his helmet.

He sinks to his knees - Like a pilgrim making landfall - hunching over onto himself. "We're alive, I can't believe we're *alive*," he manages, a thick, clotted sound coming from his voxponder - It sounds like he's retching, trying to throw up.

Bishamon drops a hand onto his shoulder. "It's hell out there," he mutters, looking up - His armour speckled with dust. "-How he did *that*, I can't begin to imagine-"

"We need to *kill* that bastard," Regios crackles, abruptly. "We need to find him, and kill him dead. That was our hom-"

Bishamon shakes his head, wearily - "Volt," he says. "-Give it a rest."

The plate-armoured knight subsides, as Bishamon glances over at you.

"Joker - A word?"

[ ] Free

YOU HAVE CONTROL

>>28080725
Unfortunately, we don't have that kind of pull. This is a fully formed Hive; Argent's going to want to approach it carefully or not at all.

>>28080782
"Say it here. Secrets get in the way--trust me on that one."

... aren't Real World places that are Hives in the Red World really dingy and messed up places?
(Akira's place and the abandoned factory we found Natsumi way back then come to mind.)

I wonder if the theater we were watching in before all this is still standing now.
And I hope our body had auto-piloted away from that place already.

>>28080782

"You're welcome to the place. Hell, I know it's not home, but it's as much as yours as it is mine. You three helped in the taking and sacking of this joint."

"And sure Bishamon. Hit me. Figuratively or literally. I'm ready. Just not with your new toy."

I just realized we've finally gotten ourselves a giant robot.

We can finally perform "BIG O! IT'S SHOWTIME!"

>>28080796
>"Say it here. Secrets get in the way--trust me on that one."

I'lll second this

>>28080796
>>28080870

Bishamon considers this - He cants his head to the side, then speaks.

"-You did good, back there." he says, without inflection. "We lost the Holophusikon, but - We're still here. We're still *alive*, all three of us." A pause - "But - I may have been hasty."

Light flickers within the eyeslits of his helmet. "This is some serious shit," Bishamon says, frankly - You can't remember when you last heard him swear. "This is exactly that kind of thing I didn't want for them. I see, too, that this...It can't be avoided. I can't walk away from it."

The vanes of his helmet twitch.

"-Staying alive...It's going to take everything we have."

His hand comes to his shoulder emblem, twists - It detaches, and he tosses it to you, underhand. The symbol's simple: Three black stars in a horizontal row, against a white four-pointed one.

"So." He coughs, with a clunk of internal mechanisms - Sounding almost embarrassed. "You've been marked by a Hyades, like me." Tyrian starts, and Bishamon holds up a hand to forestall him: "-I realize, this might not last...But until then, you're one of us, too. No-one could do more."

He clears his throat again.

"For the save...It's the least we could do."

[ ] "-What does that mean?"
[ ] "You've changed your mind?"
[ ] "Well, I need all the friends I can get."
[ ] "I can't accept this."
[ ] "What will you do now?"
[ ] Free

YOU HAVE CONTROL

>>28080983
>[ ] "Well, I need all the friends I can get."

One more friend we gain is one less target we'll need to train our sights on with our arsenal. And then:

>[ ] "What will you do now?"

>>28080983

Looks like he doesn't want to step down any more. Ah well.

>>28080983

Hold up your hand to forestall him from handing his badge over.

"Kou, think long and hard about this, alright? This is a dangerous and very demanding task. If I join there is no turning back. Once it's done it's done and you can never undo it."

Pause for gravity.

"We'll be the QUAD-stars, Kou. How the Hell is that for a name?"

>>28080983
>"I can't say I'm not glad you changed your mind. I'm not really leader material, you know? You're much better suited for that than I am, even if you don't think so.

>Either way, we're in this together now. I'll watch your back if you watch mine, eh?"

>>28080983
I'm going to make damn sure that time doesn't come. I may have accepted the mark, but I'm not going to fight you over it. I refuse. I won't be forced into murdering you as some sort of trivial pre-requisite for a hyades to ascend. I'll find a way around that, I'll make a way if I have to.

>>28080983
[X] Free

"I've missed an important meeting thanks to all this, but given the circumstances I don't mind so much. But first things first. Before I try and salvage that situation I need to find out if the Sun can repair the equipment we salvaged. We also need to see if you guys can use hellion weaponry without my priming it first. It's good stuff, and it will help you.

>>28080983
"You've changed your mind? Good. You can't trade your heart for your heart's desire.

"As for the Hyades... I think the only way to win is not to play. Come on, let's see about getting this stuff fixed up."

I don't think it's been asked before, but can the Joker Cave actually relocate? We've seen it burrow underground, but can it physically move locations?

>>28081183

(It doesn't really relocate: It's more like you open a portal to access it, as it exists on a different frequency.)

>>28081089
>>28081078

Regios makes a sound that might be a laugh. "He's got a point," he sniggers, his voice crackling with cohered electricity. "-The name only works for *three*."

Bishamon glances at him - Then back at you, gesturing to the badge. "They can't - We can't fight the way you do. But we can watch your back. Keep you informed." His helm flickers, with internal light. "...While you help keep us alive, if it comes down to it."

>>28081023

> "Either way, we're in this together now. I'll watch your back if you watch mine, eh?"

"Exactly." Is that the trace of a smile in his voice.

The badge clicks into place, mag-locking. "Press once for 'gather'. Twice for 'fall back'. Three times for 'SOS'," Bishamon explains - It's fairly concise. "...There's more to it than that, but for now - That's how it works."

>>28081160
>>28081116

Bishamon's quiet, for a long time. "Maybe," he says, at last - Then rouses himself. "But you're right. For now, there's more important things to think about."

>>28081095
>>28081160

"...What is that?" Tyrian cuts in, uneasily. "Koui...Bishamon, what's he talking about?"

Bishamon exhales. "It's a long story," he says. "-I'll tell you all about it, but it'll take some ti-"

The world flickers. Your vision jumps, out of alignment - Then back. You see Bishamon double over, as if seized by a sudden convulsion; His form blurring at the edges, as does yours. He nearly topples - You manage to remain standing, but it's an effort - for a moment, you're seeing two things at once, a blur of visual confusion through your HUD - then back.

[ ] "What was *that*? Did you feel that?"
[ ] "Bishamon, are you all right?"
[ ] "-We need to log out. Now."
[ ] "...I think we might be in trouble."
[ ] Free

YOU HAVE CONTROL

>>28081265
Oh dear

Is it time to go into the real as the Red Joker again already?

>>28081265
>[X] "-We need to log out. Now."
"I think they got what they wanted."

>>28081265
"This is definitely not a good sign. We need out, pronto!"

>>28081095
>I'll find a way around that, I'll make a way if I have to.

I had some epiphanies at work.

We know from cybele that (one of the hyades "has her silver angel", which means AP - i think.
And the question has been raised that 'we wonder what AP needs all that essence for'.

I think he's trying to find a way to bring a hyades to earth WITHOUT engaging in the game.
That explains his interest in the manifold towers, and why he wants to bring them offline.

He doesn't want all of em to fire. Just one, at the right space, and a fuckload of essence to make her real

>>28081265

"Alright. I've got a really bad feeling about this. Set your login points here and we'll reconvene at a later time. I need to make a couple calls before then and give Argent a rundown of what happened. Kou can set up the meet between us. I might be able to recruit another Player if he hasn't gone and gotten himself killed out of revenge."

"Be safe you three."

>>28081265
[X] Free
Nihl out, check Garm. We didn't bring anything with us did we?

>>28081352
That was Psyche--Mirage Sylpheed. They dead, and Red Joker killed them. Well, dunno about Psyche, but it sure seems likely.

Wait, only Spaghetti-san and us had that lapse? Could it be our lady friends are *pissed*?

>>28081308
>>28081337
>>28081363

Reality flickers, slides sideways. Red gives way-

Black.

The world returns, in a rush. The floor's beneath you - Smelling of linoleum, black. Your throat is raw, smoke swirling above you: Fitful light strobing across a scene of chaos, a babble of dozens of different voices at once-

Where are you? You try -

A projector screen, the movie still playing. A freeze-frame catches a doomed swordsman in mid sword-slash, as the credits roll - His face contorted in rage, as if he could cleave the world entirely in two-

There's a ringing in your ears. Your limbs feel weak - Dust casting a weird pall over everything -

...It's not just in your ears. You can hear, in the distance, the wail of the fire alarms, as you struggle to your feet. Shapes blur before your eyes, your lungs burning as you struggle to breathe.

[ ] Free

YOU HAVE CONTROL

>>28081414
Get Kouichi, get out. Keep an eye peeled for Megumi, we'll want our stuff back if at all possible. Thank God she couldn't lift the sphere; that would have been the worst.

>>28081414

Only three things need to be said.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!"

Stay low and pull our shirt up over our mouth and nose to limit smoke inhalation. Grab Kou or start yelling, whichever works. Look for the bright red EXIT signs plastered over the fire doors.

>>28081426

We have her number. We can call her.

>>28081414
[X] Free
Find the others. Stay low to avoid smoke inhalation. Get the hell out.

>>28081437
>We have her number. We can call her.

Text Natsumi - "Can't make appointment yet. Players just MADE A HIVE at the HOLOPHUSIKON. Tell AP and watch out for gangs of smilers".

>>28081503

We should also text Rook and tell him to meet at X,Y coordinates when we're not in the middle of suffocating. X,Y being the Joker Cave.

>>28081503
Holophusikon won't mean anything to her, and everyone in Dis can see the new Hive. There's absolutely no point to this message.

>>28081526
Actually, given that the movie's still going, there's a chance we could still make the meeting with Rook. We should meet him at the place he suggested anyway, but only because the Hollow Sun is located in the bombed out wreckage of the Spire, which no one is supposed to know Joker blew up.

>>28081426
>>28081437

Where's Kouichi? It's hard to make out anything in the blur of motion - Or maybe that's just you. Dark spots dance in your vision; Getting to your feet is Everest. You can't be that far away-

-There. The twitching light illuminates him - He's on his hands-and-knees, clutching at a a seat-back, moving like an old man as you pull your shirt up and over your mouth; There's a vile chemical reek in the air, like rubber burning, as you stumble over to him - The ground scraping your hands and knees.

"Anon-" he gasps out - turning his head, at the sound of your voice. Things seem to unfolding in slow motion, as you stagger towards the exit - You're dimly aware of Kouichi wrenching at your collar, giving you a push from behind...Or is that the other way round? as the doors swing open-

You nearly fall down the flight of stairs, beyond - But the rush of cool air is like a cyclone, clearing your head as you turn back to look; The building is *really* on fire. It's almost all smoke, thick plumes of it rising up into the air - The first fire-engines already on the scene, the doors thrown open wide...

There's a small crowd - Not too large - at a distance. By some miracle, no-one seems to notice either of you; All you smell is smoke, as you sink down against the cool marble of a distant column. Next to you, Kouichi is nearly doubled over - His hands on his knees as he pants/dry-heaves, his face gleaming with sweat.

"Just...got out," he rasps, his voice hoarse - "Think they...something to do with it?"

>>28081503

You fumble for your phone. It's a complex process - Your body doesn't seem to listening to your commands, and it's just hellishly clumsy. You're trying - Rather fuzzily - to remember what the buttons do, when it begins to ring.

The sound is sharp, startling - Piercing in it's intensity, so sudden that you nearly drop it. One glance at the number-

...It's Megumi.

(Continued)

>>28081567

>think
>realization

Oh shit I had completely forgotten about that. About the nobody knowing part.

>>28081581

Her voice sounds tinny, as it crackles across the line - There's a lot of noise in the background. She can't be far away.

> "Anon-kun..."
> "-It's you, isn't it?"

A low, long sigh that sounds oddly regretful. Her voice catches -

> "After everything - You're still here..."

[ ] "Despite your best efforts."
[ ] "Did you *do* this?"
[ ] "I see you made it out, too."
[ ] "I'm glad you're safe, at least."
[ ] "...You wouldn't happen to have my wallet, would you?"
[ ] "-I want my stuff back."
[ ] Free

YOU HAVE CONTROL

>>28081567
Either way, we're not as late as we figured.

I kinda don't want to let Rook down.

>>28081612
"You know, there ARE better ways to tell someone you want to see him again. I'm grateful for what you tried to do, but I'm still going to need my things back."

Cover the mouthpiece, say to Kouichi: "Indirectly. Hives corrupt a stage's real world equivalent. The entire neighborhood will start decaying as it spreads. We need to split up, I'll answer as many questions as I can tomorrow, at school."

In the meantime, palm the Nihl Sphere and have it point the way to the tape deck.

>>28081612
[X] "Despite your best efforts."

And [X] "I'm glad you're safe, at least." for contrast.

>>28081616
Well, now we've got something to direct Rook's rage at. A brand new Hive!

>>28081612
[ ] "-I want my stuff back."

"And not just my wallet."

>>28081612

Cup the receiver and mouth to Kou, "Smiler."

"Well, you certainly caught my attention. Do you always cause multiple city blocks worth of property damage, nearly cause his friends to suffocate in a fire, steal his things, and not even give a goodbye kiss on the cheek? Not even a hug! God! Women. I swear."

>>28081612
>[ ] "Despite your best efforts."

>"You were going to kill my friends, but you tried to save me? Don't insult me. We're enemies, you and I. Don't you dare pull your punches or show any mercy, because I'm sure as hell not going to.

>Oh, and I want my stuff back."

How do you guys pronounce "Holophusikon?" The part that really gets me is the "phusikon".

>>28080570
>Huh, I just realized: No way a Void Anchor would have survived that.
...Actually, isn't an activated Anchor indestructible?
Consider this: We'd have the Anchor INSIDE OF A CORRECTOR HIVE.
It would have been the most glorious thing ever.

>>28081742
Hol Oh Foos Ee Kon

>>28081612
"You know, that was a bit of a dirty trick you pulled back there, and I'm still not exactly sure whether I should be flattered or insulted by it."

>>28081742

haul-oh-foo-si-con

>>28081612
[X] "You act as though this surprises you."'
[X] "You have my things. I expect to have them back soon, one way or another."
>>28081730
... Doesn't really seem appropriate right now.

>>28081612
>[ ] "Despite your best efforts."
"You know, if my friends had died because you pulled me away, the first thing I would have done is gone on a rampage and left a trail of bodies a mile long, right? I don't like it, but I'm pretty sure that's how I would react.

I don't deal well with losing people who are close to me. *Especially* if they're killed by other people who I thought were close to me."

>>28081612
"I'm still alive and kicking. I also intend to stay that way"
"Anyway, mind giving back my stuff? I have to eat too, you know."

>>28081730
Fuck no.

No flirting.

Any friendship or affection went out the window when we found out who's colours she's wearing. Not to mention the whole "Killing our friends" thing.

>>28081777

Joker would be pissed, rightfully so, but he would definitely play to his strengths. And that is getting women to do what he wants. Turn up the charm, have her meet us, then jam the knife squarely between her ribs.

>>28081730
Only the movie theater is on fire, and she DID try to pull Anon away before everything went down.

>>28081738
Cool it.

>>28081750
No, actually. The Red World functions like a videogame, remember? If a stage is destroyed its data would be erased, not carried over to its replacement, unless that were a property of the stage.

>>28081807
Why?

Frankly, if I were RJ, the thing I'd be most pissed off about is that she thought saving us from the ambush would make things okay, even if the Tri-stars still got put in an early grave.

Fuck that shit, yo. Live together, die alone.

>>28081798
Joker can be short-tempered but only in fights or when his girls are involved. Otherwise, weshouldn't foget that the guy is someone who lived through hell for 100 years and is a passive playboy. It's best to stay levelheaded and joker around.
This is the "Joker" we're talking about, after all. Gotta keep the charm up.

>>28081836
Okay, fine, as long as the boiling rage comes out to play when we next meet her in the red.

I like to think RJ only has two settings: Smooth but otherwise thoroughly normal, and furious bloodlust.

>>28081730

He stiffens - His eyes widening - but he has the sense to stay quiet.

>>28081692

Kouichi nods. His face is lined, streaked with sweat - His clothes stained with smoke - which is why he doesn't argue; He turns, and limps off - Finding his footing at last, vanishing into the streets.

You touch the Nihl Sphere - The cold, dead light revealing nothing. Not here, at least.

>>28081698
>>28081703

On the other line, there's a low sigh - Static blurring, as Megumi breathes out.

> "Anon-kun...It's - It's not like that."

Where is she? She can't be too far away - Somewhere in the area, perhaps? Suddenly, the cold of the day seems oppressive. Close by, the fires continue to burn - You hear the hiss as streamers of water are poured onto the inferno, smothering it - producing another choking wave of smoke.

> "I..."
> "...I really meant it. I really wanted to go out with you."
> "-So you'd be *away*, when it happened..."

You can't be sure - But she sounds a little sad.

>>28081759
>>28081793
>>28081795

> [X] "You act as though this surprises you."'

Megumi makes a sound - A sob, or a laugh. It's hard to tell.

> "-I thought..."
> "I thought, it was really the end for you."
> "Anon-kun...I just wanted something to remember you by."

In the background, you hear a faint rustle; She must be turning your wallet over and over again in her hands.

> "I...know I'm a terrible person. But - I have to do what's best for everyone. Not just for myself, but for Kou-kun, too..."

Her voice trails off.

> "Anon-kun...If only I'd met you earlier."
> "-If I'd met you earlier...Would it still be like this?"

> [X] "-I want my stuff back."

(Continued)

>>28081864

A hushed pause, on the other line. Megumi says something, to someone - Or shuffles away, because the background noise is gone when she speaks again.

> "-You know I can't do that."

Then, softer-

> "...Anon-kun, please run away. I won't-"
> "I won't tell them...who you are. But if they know you're here..."
> "They'll kill you. They'll...really kill you."
> "So please - While you still can..."
> "Just *go*."

[ ] Free

YOU HAVE CONTROL

Man, you're breaking her. We could have had a double agent inside the Smiler's organization.

>>28081874
>"They can try."

>>28081875
>Man, you're breaking her. We could have had a double agent inside the Smiler's organization.

Good like of questioning, actually

>>28081874
"Why did you choose them, anyway? from what i've seen... they don't seem like good people "

>>28081874
Give a deep sigh

"Did you really think asking me to walk away was going to work? You know me better than that. This is just the way things have to be, now.

For what it's worth, I wish I'd met you earlier as well.

...See you on the battlefield, Megumi."

>>28081874
>> "-You know I can't do that."

"At school, then. Not here. If you really want something of mine, I'll leave it in my will. But not while I'm still breathing, okay? "

>>28081874

>>28081919
Not the original poster, but adding.

" do you REALLY want to be my enemy?" could turn things towards >>28081875

>>28081874

"Oh~? You can't give them back? Not even for a new stuffed animal~? Well, okay then. Be that way. I can understand when I'm not wanted anymore."

Bitches love stuffed animals.

>>28081874
>Not just for myself, but for Kou-kun, too..."
"So he really is who I thought he was."
> "-If I'd met you earlier...Would it still be like this?"
"Dunno, but most likely nothing would have changed. After all, everything depends on your own choice. Life is cruel like that."
>"They'll kill you. They'll...really kill you."
"I've lived for 9 decades too many to actually be worried about people trying to kill me."
Pause
"Hey, Megumi?" sigh "Make sure you leave before it's too late. If you keep this up... I can't guarantee that I won't do my best kill both you and Kou."

Damn typos.

>>28081933
Maybe add the following

>...See you on the battlefield, Megumi. If you're certain you want to be my enemy, that is."

>>28081833
What the hell does she know about the Red Joker and the Black Tri-Stars? Whatever Kraken told her about seeing them together, which could be jackshit all since he's a dick. All she could see was Anon going to a movie in an area that her faction was going to get involved with, and when they made their move he'd be pulled in.

>>28081874
"You... you DO realize that my wallet has my student ID in it? And my rail pass and my cash? I actually CAN'T leave this place without it. And the cassette player is at least that important to me."

>>28081892
She chose them because she grew up with them. The Smilers are the disaffected youth of the city, the ones abandoned by the system. They had each other, and no one else, so when one of them found a way to change the system, of course they'd go together.

>>28081935
Women also like people who can read the mood.

>>28081966

Mood... The moods been ruined by her nearly getting Kou and his bros killed.

>>28081960
>>28081964
>>28081919
>>28081933
Holy shit, STOP. You aren't helping at all. Threatening her won't do anything but make her less inclined to help, or do the right thing here.

>>28081966
>"You... you DO realize that my wallet has my student ID in it? And my rail pass and my cash? I actually CAN'T leave this place without it. And the cassette player is at least that important to me."

OOOh. Good one
>She chose them because she grew up with them. The Smilers are the disaffected youth of the city, the ones abandoned by the system. They had each other, and no one else, so when one of them found a way to change the system, of course they'd go together.
Memory lapse, my bad, ignore >>28081892

>>28081966
>She chose them because she grew up with them. The Smilers are the disaffected youth of the city, the ones abandoned by the system. They had each other, and no one else, so when one of them found a way to change the system, of course they'd go together.

Is there any way we can use diplomancy to get Megumi/Kou over to our side ?

>>28081981

+1 objection.

Threats do nothing now.

>>28081981

I have to agree with this. As one of the threatening posters, i have to agree - and I like your tact and angle currently.

Joker op, please use that one instead. i wanan see where he steers it

File: 1383474667161.png-(2.08 MB, 1920x1200, 1328459178140.png)

2.08 MB PNG

>>28081981
>>28081993
Agree.

>>28081966

This. No threats please.

Rolled 46

fuck her

She choose them over us. Left us to die.

No way this will meld.

It will only end in her and the rust fucker death.

She stole our shit, left us to die and she wanted a fucking memento. Fuck her.

>>28082002

Ew. No. Veto'd :(

>>28081874
[X] "Megumi, what you said earlier... About how you had to do what's best for everyone... So do I."

"I have a debt that I must discharge, and I will see the world burn before I leave it unpaid; so let them come, for I have descended into the abyss, and fought far worse than the Smilers."

"Joker is trumps."
>>28081935
What the fuck dude.

>>28081874
"You really think letting them turn these places into hellscapes is really what's best for anyone but that weirdo on the horse? I know the alternative isn't pretty either, but you can't tell me you can look at those THINGS and say they're on the right side of it.

And besides, if you think even someone like me is worth saving, who's to say that ANYBODY'S got to die?"

>>28082016
Yeah, I can see where the whole diplomacy angle is coming from, but it's still a tad selfish to send somebody to their death and steal their shit before you do it so that you can have a memento.

>>28081885

Silence.

>>28081892

She laughs, a sad little sound.

> "Neither am I."

>>28081941

> "I..."
> "...I can't."

Her breath hitches, as if there's something in her throat.

> "I - don't expect you to understand. But, sometimes...There really isn't a choice at all. Sometimes, there's just us - And all we can do..."
> "-The only thing we can do-"
> "...Is to keep going forward."

>>28081966

> "You... you DO realize that my wallet has my student ID in it? And my rail pass and my cash? I actually CAN'T leave this place without it. And the cassette player is at least that important to me."

Megumi says, softly:
> "You'll manage."
> "You'll have to."
> "Until then...Goodbye, Joker-kun."
> "Even when we reach the Promised Land - I'll still miss you."

The line cuts out.

Close by, the roar of flames grows louder. A sound - Equal parts sigh and groan - rises from the watching crowd, as the roof falls in. The fire flares brighter, against all odds; It has a momentum of it's own, now, threads of heat around a charred, blackened heart.

For a moment, you glimpse a vision through the leaping flames, the blaze rising up, fuelled from within: The skies shading, once again, towards crimson - As the worlds move ever close to becoming one.

JOKER QUEST

EPISODE 67

TO BE CONTINUED

Rolled 99

>>28082042
>send someone to die
>steal their shit
>just a TAD selfish

This bitch is dead. Fuck it. Kill her right now. One less to worry on the battlefield. We going to kill her anyway. Why not do it right now. Less people to kill during the incoming battle

>>28082016

You realize what we have here? A fucking INTELLIGENCE goldmine. Something we have lacked since thread 1. A proper intel stream. If we can get her to work for US, we will have a mole on the inside of the Smilers. Swallowing your pride and not going off on a revenge killing spree because she nearly got us and our bros killed, which happens in a near daily basis for us, will not help us. GETTING HER TO TURN WILL HELP US AND PROVIDE VALUABLE, MUCH NEEDED DATA.

Rolled 99

>>28082060
....promised land huh.

We killed them all before they get there.

If it exist, destroy it out of spit if it not useful.

Rolled 28

>>28082071
...she left us to die. She not going to be a mole for us.

It over. We are enemies. To the death.

>>28082063
Easy there, Khorne. She made some mistakes, but is hestitant to fight us. She can still be saved

>>28082060
Right, I think we can all agree that at this point, their idea of the promised land is to bring the red into the real, right?

I think that's most likely what they're trying to do.

>>28082060

(Gentlemen: I'd love to continue, but it's that time again - I'm entirely exhausted, and I'm afraid that I won't be able to stay up for too much longer.

I'll go on to say that this was an extremely lethal encounter, which could have gone very badly for everyone involved. /tg/'s actions, however, never fail to surprise me.

Good night and god bless: You've been a wonderful audience, and I hope to see you again soon.)

>>28082060
>>28082071

Well shit. I stand corrected.

>>28082087
>It over. We are enemies. To the death.

Its not that simple. You're trying to black-and-white this situation when its deeply dark and complex, and frankly Joker Quest OP runs his social game on a whole higher level than that kinda thinking.

Rolled 40

>>28082093
Saving huh.

She choose this path. She lied to us. Stole from us and left us to die.
DIE.

That not a "mistake".

>>28082093
Evidently not.

They're part of a cult. Golden Rule: You can't negotiate with zealots.

>>28082060
Poor, poor deluded rank and file.

There have always been promises, and there have always been lands, but there has never, ever, not once, been a Promised Land.

Kind of sad, really.

>>28081990
In the here and now? No. Down the line, provided we don't cut contact here, possibly. We've got a faction or a coalition starting to come together, particularly if the meeting with Palladium Rook goes off as I think it might.

>>28082063
>>28082075
What the fuck. That's directed both at those rolls and the sentiments you expressed there.

>>28082071
Yeaaaaah no.

>>28082096
Don't think so. They want the ship.

>>28082098
Night.

>>28082060
>JOKER QUEST
>EPISODE 67
>TO BE CONTINUED

HOLY FUCK dude, shit's getting real.

Thanks for the game! its always a pleasure.

And hey, i just gotta know: would it have been possible to save the tristar's base if we'd been on top of things?

>>28082098
>I'll go on to say that this was an extremely lethal encounter, which could have gone very badly for everyone involved. /tg/'s actions, however, never fail to surprise me.

You say that a lot! or at least in recent memory. the last one was, i think, the negotiations with Cybele?

Like. I'm curious how you expected things to go instead. Mind sharing?

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>>28082075
Calm yo tits son.
>>28082093
But I really doubt this is going to happen. She wants to give Kou his freedom to be Kaiser, we've seen the red world as it truly is and won't let that happen.

>>28082130
>Don't think so. They want the ship.

Wait, what?

>>28082063
I wonder:
Is it more humane to kill a player avatar or the real person?
Because killing the avatar removes essence, which might be a form of eating their soul.

Rolled 81

>>28082116
SMT taught me that. If your best friend is a zealot that helping the end of the world...kill him.

Or if he tries to kill us, defend self and kill.

>>28082098
>I'll go on to say that this was an extremely lethal encounter, which could have gone very badly for everyone involved. /tg/'s actions, however, never fail to surprise me.
I wonder what happens if we die.

Rolled 7

>>28082144
>>28082144
It matters not. Dead is dead. Murder is murder.

If we can't fight em in the red world. Kill them in thr real world.

>>28082144
You kill the real person behind the Player: you're the one doing the dirty job.

You kill the Player's Avatar: poor guy's luck runs out and the world (in the real) kills him.
It's a pretty clean job since there's nobody to prove that you're the cause of death in the real, even if you're caught near the person.

The world wills the loser to die, is how I see it.

Rolled 73

>>28082156
GAME OVER

Fox girl cries

Bitch girl get memento and then move on from our death in like a week or 2.

Bad shit happens.

>>28079304

Holy shit, Kraken has one of the most annoying powers ever. He has a literal infinite number of mooks, and can use them to do broken shit.

He's basically invincible while there are correctors in the area, and his powers CALL UP MORE MONSTERS.

>>28082168
I mean:
Are all players that we killed inside of us?
Are our clothes self-aware?

Also, seems like the Smilers are semi-Jews. Except that they don't want to steal a country - They want to force everyone to live in the Red.

>>28082174
>infinite number of mooks
I call this:
Power Grinding

We really need to start destroying one or two hives.

>>28082174

You realize that he might be one of the most powerful players of all time. He can just keep harvesting his own correctors. They obey every order he gives, so why not have them just stand there while he beats them to death.

>>28082190
In a different timeline, I can totally see RJ supporting that goal.

Ultimate survival of the fittest. Everyone starts with a level playing field, killing another player makes you stronger, now FIGHT.

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>>28082137
Megumi wants her friends to be safe. She's standing with her faction regardless of serious, probably justified doubts about their mission and the means they're using accomplish those missions. She's fond of the person who heads her faction, and has a soft spot for Anon.

She's the Smiler equivalent of Natsumi.

>>28082145
You've learned the wrong lessons from SMT. Each and every instance of that happening is a tragedy, the failure to communicate, to understand. It's playing out the cycle, rather than having the strength to do something different. It's the tragedy of blind idealism and believing in something so strongly you'd give your life for it, and the lives of others.

The lesson you should have learned from SMT is that there's always a choice.

>>28082158
No.