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Wasp in Bee's clothing edition.

Old Thread:http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/4163174/

It's may 16th, 200-. You were Gabriella Oppenheimer, an unassuming female security guard at the Black Mesa research facility in the Anomalous Materials lab. That seemed true until around nine o'clock, when after a few mysterious happenings, a system crash, and finally getting out of work late due to a massive delay in the transit system, an experiment was undertaken in the lab. As extradimensional life started to pour into the facility, you found Dr. Kleiner, whom is now left behind at an infirmary where many of the black mesa staff have taken shelter, Dr. Vance, who is holed up with his daughter at your apartment in the level 3 dormitories, and Dr. Guttman, a neurologist from the infirmary also taking shelter in your apartment. All three of them know of your true purpose at Black Mesa. Through all of this, you started experiencing strange sensations through a splitting migraine that has helped you gather information from the invading alien forces.

When you made contact with your superiors at the CIA, you organized an exfiltation for the remaining members of the Vance family, and in return they gave you an assignment to find one of your fellow undercover operatives, with whom they haven't made contact with since this morning, before the resonance cascade. You've regained your stealth suit, and have picked up a fair amount of equipment as you traveled to the dormitories as well.

To do this, you need to get on the tram, which is currently being guarded by a group of marines talking among each other. You've tried searching for a distraction, and sneaking up to turn their own machine gun against them. You're cloaked on the ground, considering your last few options.

>Get into good cover to fight the marines. (Roll 3d6+2, every point over 9 gives a +1 to your first shot on the marines.)
>Try to sneak straight into the tram. (Roll 3d6+2 Pass on a 9. The marines will start shooting at the tram if they see it move, but you will have good cover inside.)
>>
>>4189643
you actually used it you fucking mad lad
>Get into good cover to fight the marines. (Roll 3d6+2, every point over 9 gives a +1 to your first shot on the marines.)
BEEEEEEEEES
>>
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>>4189643
>Get into good cover to fight the marines. (Roll 3d6+2, every point over 9 gives a +1 to your first shot on the marines.)
I figure these guys will have to die. If we go straight fir the tram and leave them alive, they’ll either pursue us, tell their buddies further up the track about us, or both.
Also, didn’t think you’d actually use my edit for a title image. I actually have a title image I made back when I planned to run my own Half Life quest set in HL2 times. You can have it if you want, you’ll get more use out of it than I probably ever will.
>>
>>4189648
>>4189682
Thanks man.

You watch the marines faces, illuminated by the orange sunset. With their eyes covered by ballistics goggles or gas masks, seeing exactly where they're looking is impossible even with your advanced optics. You keep a close eye as you creep through the extended sunset shadows. You slither up onto the platform, just too quick for the cloak system to keep you invisible. You try to get as close as you can to the marine's sandbags as you can in order to get a good shot off.

Roll 3d6+2
>>
Rolled 6, 4, 2 + 2 = 14 (3d6 + 2)

>>4189708
>>
Rolled 1, 1, 1 + 2 = 5 (3d6 + 2)

>>4189708
Check this 15
>>
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>>4189712
OH FUCK OH SHIT OH GOD
>>
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>>4189711
>>4189712
It still averages to a 9.5, rounding up to a 10. I'm still gonna give it a little bit to see if a third roller wants to throw their hat in.
>>
Rolled 4, 1, 5 + 2 = 12 (3d6 + 2)

>>4189708
>>
>>4189729
Thank you Jabba the Hutt
>>
>>4189724
Also, OP, have you considered using a tripcode? It stops people from hijacking your quest, which is rare but it can happen.
>>
>>4189711
>>4189712
>>4189729
I am the finest mind of his generation for this thread.
(Just for clarification for anyone new, most rolls are 3d6, non-combat rolls are average of 3, combat rolls are first rollers.)

You manage to slip your way in between the seating area, taking cover behind the boards on other side covered in now bloody posters from the black mesa health and safety team. From here, you can see the marines easily, even without your optics. Your cloaking system fizzles back on, providing you with extra cover at the expense of power. You can hear their conversation more clearly from here.

"I'm telling each and every one of you right, there's no way in hell Freeman is just one physicist." The mechanic exclaims.

"What does he have clones?" Ask the gunner. "Anyway he's in that supersuit, like command said."

"Would it be weird if he had clones?" The third private responds. "We've met actual space aliens today."

"Shut up, both of you." The mechanic says. "All I'm sayin' is, all we know about what this guy looks like is that he's wearing a bright orange suit. So wouldn't we be reporting every single physicist in an orange suit as Freeman? They've probably labeled every fuckin' orange road sign as Freeman, knowing what command is like."

"He makes a good point." Says the third private. Just as the private says this, the Gunner gestures with his hands, pulling both of his arms a few seconds away from the machine gun.
(cont.)
>>
>>4189789
(cont.)
(Your cloak gives you +4 defense, and they'll have to get a 3 on their 1d3 surprise check to even know where you are first turn. Your shotgun gets +1 due to close range.)

>Fire your revolver at the gunner. (Roll3d6+4, kill on a 14, every point above a 10 reduces threshold by two, minimum of ten.- 1/6+4ammo. All the marines will have to make surprise checks.)
>Fire your Spas-12 at the gunner. (Roll 3d6+5, kill on a 16, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8 ammo. All marines will have to make surprise checks.)
>Fire your Glock at the gunner. (Every two points above a 5 does half damage, kills on an 18. -3/6 +2 magazines ammo. All marines will have to make surprise checks)
>Fire your Silenced USP at the gunner. (Roll 3d6+4, kill on a 15, every point above a 8 reduces threshold. -3/11+1 Magazine ammo. All marines will have to make surprise checks.)
>Fire your hive-hand at the gunner. (Roll 3d6+4, Kill on a 17, every three points reduces threshold. All marines will have to make surprise checks. )


>Fire your revolver at the mechanic. (Roll3d6+4, kill on a 14, every point above a 10 reduces threshold by two, minimum of ten.- 1/6+4ammo. All the marines will have to make surprise checks.)
>Fire your Spas-12 at the mechanic. (Roll 3d6+5, kill on a 16, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8 ammo. All marines will have to make surprise checks.)
>Fire your Glock at the mechanic. (Every two points above a 5 does half damage, kills on an 18. -3/6 +2 magazines ammo. All marines will have to make surprise checks)
>Fire your Silenced USP at the mechanic. (Roll 3d6+4, kill on a 15, every point above a 8 reduces threshold. -3/11+1 Magazine ammo. All marines will have to make surprise checks.)
>Fire your hive-hand at the mechanic. (Roll 3d6+4, Kill on a 17, every three points reduces threshold. All marines will have to make surprise checks. )


>Fire your revolver at the private. (Roll3d6+4, kill on a 14, every point above a 10 reduces threshold by two, minimum of ten.- 1/6+4ammo. All the marines will have to make surprise checks.)
>Fire your Spas-12 at the private. (Roll 3d6+5, kill on a 16, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8 ammo. All marines will have to make surprise checks.)
>Fire your Glock at the private. (Every two points above a 5 does half damage, kills on an 18. -3/6 +2 magazines ammo. All marines will have to make surprise checks)
>Fire your Silenced USP at the private. (Roll 3d6+4, kill on a 15, every point above a 8 reduces threshold. -3/11+1 Magazine ammo. All marines will have to make surprise checks.)
>Fire your hive-hand at the private. (Roll 3d6+4, Kill on a 17, every three points reduces threshold. All marines will have to make surprise checks. )

>Try and make a noise, make a marine investigate so you can stab him. (Roll 3d6+4, pass on a 12, marines will not have to make surprise checks.)
>>
>>4189792
>Try and make a noise, make a marine investigate so you can stab him. (Roll 3d6+4, pass on a 12, marines will not have to make surprise checks.)
playing to our strengths bois
>>
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>>4189789
forgot this.
>>
>>4189792
>Try and make a noise, make a marine investigate so you can stab him. (Roll 3d6+4, pass on a 12, marines will not have to make surprise checks.)
Mentlegen.
>>
>>4189826
>have the excellent idea of firing an SMG grenade into the antlions to save him since friendly fire doesn’t exist in HL2
>fucker decides to die of a heart attack anyway
>>
>>4189792
There has to be a way to choke him out
>>
>>4189858
Ah dammit. You reminded me that we need to get a garrote to check the ship out of people.
>>
Rolled 2 (1d3)

>>4189804
>>4189830
>>4189858
You could, but this is a physically fit man. It'd take a while to choke him out, and you'd have two marines with automatic weapons trying to stop you. If he were alone, I'd have written the option in, but for this guy the threshold for not getting turned into swiss cheese while doing so would be too high.

Completely invisible, within the shadows of the transit system seating, you tap your foot hard against the concrete. With the only other noises being the soldiers, the crickets, and the distant gunfire, the second carries easily through the station, even with your sound mitigating soles.

"Hey stop that, I'm tryna talk here." The mechanic says.

"I didn't do anything!" The gunner says.

"Well, did you hear that?" The mechanic responds.

You tap your foot again. One of the marines starts tentatively walking towards its invisible source.

Roll a 3d6+4
>>
Rolled 2, 1, 2 + 4 = 9 (3d6 + 4)

>>4189875
good night sweet prince
>>
Rolled 5, 3, 4 + 4 = 16 (3d6 + 4)

>>4189875
>>
Rolled 5, 3, 3 + 4 = 15 (3d6 + 4)

>>4189875
Sneaking time.
>>
I'm gonna be honest, average of three rolls is a crap system. You should probably do best of three for all the rolls, as qst dice are fucking cursed, plus it gives playing someone who's a fucking super spy in a stealth suit a better shot at being one instead of failing half of everything.
>>
>>4189896
I agree, averaging always feels...weird.
Like you can get a fantastic roll that suddenly gets cucked because someone else (or worse, two other people) roll like trash
>>
Rolled 2, 3, 1 = 6 (3d6)

>>4189896
>>4189905
If you guys really want to, I'll do it that way, but but I've been trying to just mitigate the chance for failure more with forgiving outcomes rather than decreasing odds, and I guess I'm the kind of person that likes RNG.

>>4189877
>>4189881
>>4189883
Since you're still stealthy, I'll count this one as averaged.
(I forgot, you have 41/50 cloak power.)
The mechanic, with his hand on his sidearm, walks toward the sound, scanning around for whatever human or creature might have caused it. The dim, sterile lights of the black mesa transit system running on low power give him just barely enough light to make out the area around him.

All his fellows see is him suddenly jerk, before his neck goes red.

"Holy shit!" The gunner shouts, not sure of what just happened. The private grabs his machine gun, and fires a short burst of nine millimeter rounds.

He hits on a 16. (+4 because you're cloaked.)
>>
Rolled 3, 3, 4 = 10 (3d6)

>>4189925
The bullets don't even land close to you, as though he thinks you're somewhere you aren't. A few shatter windows on the tram, others cut through the now old arrival times. While the machine gun doesn't have the swivel to fire at you without being fully picked up, the gunner reaches for his submachine gun.

>Fire your revolver at the gunner. (Roll3d6+2, kill on a 14, every point above a 10 reduces threshold by two, minimum of ten.- 1/6+4ammo. All the marines will have to make surprise checks.)
>Fire your Spas-12 at the gunner. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 16, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8 ammo.)
>Fire your Glock at the gunner. (Roll 3d6+2 Every two points above a 5 does half damage, kills on an 18. -3/6 +2 magazines ammo.)
>Fire your Silenced USP at the gunner. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 15, every point above a 8 reduces threshold. -3/11+1 Magazine ammo.)
>Fire your hive-hand at the gunner. (Roll 3d6+2, Kill on a 17, every three points reduces threshold. )

>Fire your revolver at the private. (Roll3d6+2, kill on a 14, every point above a 10 reduces threshold by two, minimum of ten.- 1/6+4ammo. )
>Fire your Spas-12 at the private. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 16, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8 ammo. )
>Fire your Glock at the private. (Roll 3d6+2 Every two points above a 5 does half damage, kills on an 18. -3/6 +2 magazines ammo. )
>Fire your Silenced USP at the private. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 15, every point above a 8 reduces threshold. -3/11+1 Magazine ammo.)
>Fire your hive-hand at the private. (Roll 3d6+2, Kill on a 17, every three points reduces threshold. )

>Dive to somewhere else, and re cloak. (Roll 3d6+2. On a 12, the marines will have to re-track you.)
>>
>>4189925
How does we recharge power again? Find a station? Plug it into the nearest outlet?

>Fire your hive-hand at the gunner. (Roll 3d6+2, Kill on a 17, every three points reduces threshold. )
THE BEEEEESSS
>>
>>4189937
>Fire your Silenced USP at the gunner. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 15, every point above a 8 reduces threshold. -3/11+1 Magazine ammo.)
We should take the gunner first, since his weapon has much more ammo than the private’s MP5 and he can sweep the whole area without worrying about reloading. The private is much easier to pressure with his 50-round ammo supply, so let’s leave him until last.
>>
Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>4189938
>>4189943
Same way you would in the video game. Batteries and stations. You'll be given a choice to fill cloak or armor when you find them
>>
>>4189994
Do you like smooth Jazz?
How strong is Gabby? Can she dead lift a body and carry it around? I'm asking for the purpose of dragging a body around to long distances.
>>
>>4189938
>>4189943
You manipulate the hivehand, coaxing it into firing another swarm of hornets as you did earlier, now in the safety of your cloaking system. The creature spits out a few more insects that fly towards the gunner.

Roll 3d6+2

>>4190010
A full on deadlift? Depends on the weight of the body, and whether or not adrenaline is running high. Long distances probably not, but in a combat scenario, yeah.
>>
Rolled 3, 1, 3 + 2 = 9 (3d6 + 2)

>>4190024
>>
Rolled 5, 4, 3 + 2 = 14 (3d6 + 2)

>>4190024
>>
>>4190024
So firing the hive hand it's an instant kill on a 17, but each whole 3 points reduces the threshold to kill yes?
So if the threshold is 17, and I roll a 14, does that mean the threshold is cut down to 13 or did I get that wrong?
>>
Rolled 5, 6, 2 = 13 (3d6)

>>4190029
>>4190032
>>4190037
Yes that's right. The hive hand does reduced damage on these marines because of its poor armor penetration. As fun as the bees are, they're not very hard hitting.

Three insects flick out of the creatures orifice, smacking into the chest of the gunner, who grunts, but stays standing to fire.

The gunner lines up his submachine-gun, firing a burst of rounds towards where he thinks you're standing. He hits on a 16.

You can see the private pulling the pin on a grenade.
>>
>>4190057
>New bee rules, gonna rack my fucking brain, but lets do it.
>>Shoot the zombie with the Hive-hand. (Roll 3d6+1 Every two points fires a bee, each bee reduces threshold by 1, 6 bees kill. Every four bees fired subtracts one from the next roll. +1 regenerates every turn.)
>Treat bee-buddy well.
is it still every two points per bee, or is it now ever 4 points per bee?
>>
>>4190057
>You can see the private pulling the pin on a grenade.
Bouncer, bouncer!
>>
>>4190057
(38/50 cloak power.)
Not gonna lie, I forgot about those rules. They'd be too annoying to track I think. Right now, on the marines, every three points reduces the threshold by 1. I'd honestly suggest using one of the more punchy guns available on marines or grunts.
The shots are closer, but without the ability to visibly track you, it's nearly impossible to hit you. A few of them tear close through the safety poster you're behind, or ricochet through the bench. However, you can see clearly a frag grenade being pulled, as the private yells "Is a fucking ghost shooting us!? What the hell is this!" Explosives aren't picky.

>Fire your revolver at the gunner. (Roll3d6+2, kill on a 11, every point above a 10 reduces threshold by two, minimum of ten.- 1/6+4ammo. All the marines will have to make surprise checks.)
>Fire your Spas-12 at the gunner. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 13, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8 ammo.)
>Fire your Glock at the gunner. (Roll 3d6+2 Every two points above a 5 does half damage, kills on an 15. -3/6 +2 magazines ammo.)
>Fire your Silenced USP at the gunner. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 12, every point above a 8 reduces threshold. -3/11+1 Magazine ammo.)
>Fire your hive-hand at the gunner. (Roll 3d6+2, Kill on a 14, every three points reduces threshold. )

>Fire your revolver at the private. (Roll3d6+2, kill on a 14, every point above a 10 reduces threshold by two, minimum of ten.- 1/6+4ammo. )
>Fire your Spas-12 at the private. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 16, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8 ammo. )
>Fire your Glock at the private. (Roll 3d6+2 Every two points above a 5 does half damage, kills on an 18. -3/6 +2 magazines ammo. )
>Fire your Silenced USP at the private. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 15, every point above a 8 reduces threshold. -3/11+1 Magazine ammo.)
>Fire your hive-hand at the private. (Roll 3d6+2, Kill on a 17, every three points reduces threshold. )

>Dive to somewhere else, and re-cloak. (Roll 3d6+2. On a 12, the marines will have to re-track you, any incoming grenades will be avoided regardless of roll.)
>Duck for cover. (+2 To all defense, will avoid grenades.)
>Deactivate cloak. (Can be done with any action, -4 to all thresholds on attacking enemies.)
>>
>>4190097
>Fire your Spas-12 at the gunner. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 13, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8 ammo.)
night night
>>
>>4190097
>Fire your Spas-12 at the gunner. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 13, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8 ammo.)
So how does the shotgun work here? Does it still have a magic alt-fire that fires two barrels despite having only one?
>>
>>4190097
>Fire your Spas-12 at the gunner. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 13, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8 ammo.)
Going loud.
>>
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>>4190102
>>4190112
>>4190114
I didn't think about that aspect of half life shotguns when writing up the threshold list, so I'll think about it, but I'm not sure how that'll work out balance wise, (I don't want certain guns to be overshadowing others. If I just halfed thresholds at the cost of one extra shell, it would be super powerful,) so it may end up being that it's just that Freeman is willing the extra pellets into existence.

You pull your shotgun over your shoulder, quickly pointing it at the gunner. Just as the private tosses his grenade, the shotgun kicks, sending out a cone of small pellets directly towards the gunner. The frag grenade bounces off the poster behind you, clinking as it lands on the metal waiting bench.

Make two rolls, one to hit the gunner, (3d6+2) and one to avoid the grenade, (3d6+2, avoid on a 9. Below an 11 will negate your cloak bonus by 2 due to movement.) Clarify which you're rolling for.
>>
Rolled 6, 2, 2 + 2 = 12 (3d6 + 2)

>>4190157
hitting the gunner
>>
Rolled 1, 6, 3 + 2 = 12 (3d6 + 2)

>>4190157
rolling to DODGE
>>
Rolled 4, 2, 6 + 2 = 14 (3d6 + 2)

>>4190157
roll to hit
>>
Rolled 1, 3, 6 + 2 = 12 (3d6 + 2)

>>4190179
roll to dodge
>>
>>4190179
Damn, if you were a little earlier the Semper-Fi soup would've been ready by now.
>>4190161
>>4190163
The buckshot pummels the marine's chest, and neck, nearly knocking him to the ground. He chokes for a moment, having to brace himself against the sandbag, and cough up specks of blood. "I'm hit!" He shouts. "Call a medic!"

You quickly vault through one of the broken windows of the tram, ducking down and taking cover as the grenade bursts apart, sending fragmentation and shards of glass flying above your head. You can see the private reaching for his radio.


>Fire your revolver at the gunner. (Roll3d6+2, kill on a 10- 1/6+4ammo. All the marines will have to make surprise checks.)
>Fire your Spas-12 at the gunner. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 3, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8 ammo.)
>Fire your Glock at the gunner. (Roll 3d6+2 Every two points above a 5 does half damage, kills on a 6. -3/6 +2 magazines ammo.)
>Fire your Silenced USP at the gunner. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 8, every point above a 8 reduces threshold. -3/11+1 Magazine ammo.)
>Fire your hive-hand at the gunner. (Roll 3d6+2, Kill on a 5, every three points reduces threshold. )

>Fire your revolver at the private. (Roll3d6+2, kill on a 14, every point above a 10 reduces threshold by two, minimum of ten.- 1/6+4ammo. )
>Fire your Spas-12 at the private. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 16, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8 ammo. )
>Fire your Glock at the private. (Roll 3d6+2 Every two points above a 5 does half damage, kills on an 18. -3/6 +2 magazines ammo. )
>Fire your Silenced USP at the private. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 15, every point above a 8 reduces threshold. -3/11+1 Magazine ammo.)
>Fire your hive-hand at the private. (Roll 3d6+2, Kill on a 17, every three points reduces threshold. )

>Dive to somewhere else, and re-cloak. (Roll 3d6+2. On a 12, the marines will have to re-track you, any incoming grenades will be avoided regardless of roll.)
>Duck for cover. (+2 To all defense, will avoid grenades.)
>Deactivate cloak. (Can be done with any action, -4 to all thresholds on attacking enemies.)
>>
>>4190195
>>Fire your Spas-12 at the private. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 16, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8 ammo. )
>>
>>4190195
>Fire your revolver at the gunner. (Roll3d6+2, kill on a 10- 1/6+4ammo. All the marines will have to make surprise checks.)
no point in wating time by switching to a new gun. He needs to be stopped before we have the military storming the place.
Gotta go big or go home.
>>
>>4190195
>Fire your Spas-12 at the private. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 16, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8 ammo. )
Nobody’s calling anybody.
>>4190207
>He needs to be stopped before we have the military storming the place.
Did you mean the private? You voted for gunner.
>>
>>4190195
>>Fire your Spas-12 at the private. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 16, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8 ammo. )
>>
>>4190200
>>4190207
>>4190237
>>4190239
(35/50 cloak power.)

As the marine grabs at his radio, hoping for someone to help with a threat he can barely see, you line up your shotgun. With a thundering blast, you fire off another round of buckshot. For a millisecond, the flash is the brightest light in the tram, reflecting off every sterile-colored surface.

Roll 3d6+2
>>
>>4190237
oh oops. yeah the one with the radio dude. The revolver is stronger than the shotgun isn't it?
>>
Rolled 4, 3, 1 + 3 = 11 (3d6 + 3)

>>4190253
wasn't it a +3?
>>
Rolled 2, 1, 5 + 3 = 11 (3d6 + 3)

>>4190253
Blammo, you are dead.
>>
>>4190253
dice+3d6+3
>>
>>4190253
roll/3d6+3
>>
Rolled 2, 5, 6 + 3 = 16 (3d6 + 3)

>>4190253
>>
>>4190264
>>4190261
You gotta put it in the options bar, broski.
>>
Rolled 2, 1, 1 + 3 = 7 (3d6 + 3)

>>4190253
>>
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>>4190268
at least he's dead, or his radio is knocked away.
Should we finish them off guys?
>>
>>4190269
thanks man.
of course i rolled like shit
>>
>>4190276
Don't worry bro, I'm running combat rolls by the first roller anyway.

>>4190257
>>4190259
>>4190261
>>4190268
Yes, 3d6+3 due to range, my mistake.


(32/50 Cloak Power)
A buckshot round blasts into the private's PCV, cutting into his ribs even as the high tech equipment works to stiffen and take the hit. The private stumbles and hits the ground, dropping his radio and buying you an extra second. The gunner, though seriously wounded, fires off a blind bout of suppressing fire, hoping to protect his ally for a few critical seconds. (Will get an attack on you if you attack. If your action involves changing positions, that shot will be unprotected by the cloak.)


>Fire your revolver at the gunner. (Roll3d6+2, kill on a 10- 1/6+4ammo. All the marines will have to make surprise checks.)
>Fire your Spas-12 at the gunner. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 3, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8 ammo.)
>Fire your Glock at the gunner. (Roll 3d6+2 Every two points above a 5 does half damage, kills on a 6. -3/6 +2 magazines ammo.)
>Fire your Silenced USP at the gunner. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 8, every point above a 8 reduces threshold. -3/11+1 Magazine ammo.)
>Fire your hive-hand at the gunner. (Roll 3d6+2, Kill on a 5, every three points reduces threshold. )
>Try and get a knockout kick on the gunner. (Roll 3d6+2, unconscious on a 7, will require you to move.)


>Fire your revolver at the private. (Roll3d6+2, kill on a 14, every point above a 10 reduces threshold by two, minimum of ten.- 1/6+4ammo. )
>Fire your Spas-12 at the private. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 16, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8 ammo. )
>Fire your Glock at the private. (Roll 3d6+2 Every two points above a 5 does half damage, kills on an 18. -3/6 +2 magazines ammo. )
>Fire your Silenced USP at the private. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 15, every point above a 8 reduces threshold. -3/11+1 Magazine ammo.)
>Fire your hive-hand at the private. (Roll 3d6+2, Kill on a 17, every three points reduces threshold. )
>Try and get a knockout kick on the private. (Roll 3d6+2, unconscious on a 7, will require you to move.)

>Dive to somewhere else, and re-cloak. (Roll 3d6+2. On a 12, the marines will have to re-track you, any incoming grenades will be avoided regardless of roll.)
>Duck for cover. (+2 To all defense, will avoid grenades.)
>Deactivate cloak. (Can be done with any action, -4 to all thresholds on attacking enemies.)
>Try and convince them to surrender. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 10)
>>
>>4190295
>Try and convince them to surrender. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 10)
They're down one man, the gunner is dying, and the private will soon follow. They can call for backup, but they will be dead long before anyone can come. The only thing they'll get for prolonging this fire-fight is coffin that the military will send back home to their families. Is this how they want to end their careers? As another insignificant digit of the soldiers killed in action, or would they like to live another day?

>PCV armor
oooooh nice. We should steal some and give them to the Black Mesa security force. it'll be something.
>>
>>4190295
>>Duck for cover. (+2 To all defense, will avoid grenades.)
>>
>>4190295
>Fire your revolver at the private. (Roll3d6+2, kill on a 14, every point above a 10 reduces threshold by two, minimum of ten.- 1/6+4ammo. )
Also, shouldn’t the new kill threshold be 6 since we got that roll of 11 when we shot the private with the shotgun, thereby reducing the threshold by 8?
>>
>>4190328

Yes, that was my mistake. However, the thresholds are only reduced to a minimum of the wound threshold, since below that point is considered a miss. This is what they should actually look like.

>Fire your revolver at the private. (Roll3d6+2, kill on a 10, every point above a 10 reduces threshold by two, minimum of ten.- 1/6+4ammo. )
>Fire your Spas-12 at the private. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 8, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8 ammo. )
>Fire your Glock at the private. (Roll 3d6+2 Every two points above a 5 does half damage, kills on an 10. -3/6 +2 magazines ammo. )
>Fire your Silenced USP at the private. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 8, every point above a 8 reduces threshold. -3/11+1 Magazine ammo.)
>Fire your hive-hand at the private. (Roll 3d6+2, Kill on a 9, every three points reduces threshold. )
>Try and get a knockout kick on the private. (Roll 3d6+2, unconscious on a 7, will require you to move.)
>>
>>4190343
>Fire your hive-hand at the private. (Roll 3d6+2, Kill on a 9, every three points reduces threshold. )
BEEEEEEEEEES
>>
>>4190295
>Try and convince them to surrender. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 10)
>>
>>4190380
just to clarify, you're changing your vote right?
>>
>>4190389
oh wait no I'll stick with Try and convince them to surrender.
>>
>>4190318
>>4190328
>>4190380
>>4190386
>>4190399
"Weapons down!" You shout over the gunfire, flicking off your cloaking system. You fizzle back into reality as a black silhouette. "Put your guns down, and you'll get to go home on a medevac!" You shout, waving the tip of the shotgun towards the ground as you point it at the wounded marines.

"It can fucking talk!?" Shouts the private from the ground.

Roll 3d6+1.
>>
Rolled 3, 6, 4 + 1 = 14 (3d6 + 1)

>>4190434
>>
Rolled 6, 4, 4 + 1 = 15 (3d6 + 1)

>>4190434
Is this a combat roll? Do I need to roll for an average? If so, here it is.
Last post, good luck lads.
>>
>"Stop killing unarmed civilians asshole!"
>>
Rolled 3, 3, 2 + 1 = 9 (3d6 + 1)

>>4190434
>>
Rolled 4, 3, 2 + 1 = 10 (3d6 + 1)

>>4190434
>>
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>>4190473
kek
>>
>>4190456
>>4190467
>>4190473
>>4190475
>>4190476

I'll consider combat rolls, "Any rolls with an attacker significantly aware of your presence." Good night, nice roll too.
"Yeah. I'm human." You shout. "And I'm gonna treat you like humans too. One of your friends is dead, you're both wounded."

"Because of you, you bitch!" The private shouts, blood spitting onto the sandbags.

"And you're gunning down civilians!" You shout. "And don't give me any shit about orders!"

"They started an alien invasion!" He shouts.

"And who do you think is gonna stop it once you kill everyone who understands it?" You respond. "Now shut up! Put your hands behind your hips, and I'll let you go home."

"Jesus." The gunner says. "What the hell is this mission? Listen to what she says. This isn't worth dying for."

The two allow you to zip tie their hands, unable to even resist through the pain. You take one of their sub-machine guns, and an extra clip. (Uses the same ammo as the glock, giving you roughly 50 +86 ammo)

Considering the amount of noise you just made, it might not be a good idea to stay here for two long. You're working on a Ten PM time limit as well, so you'd be best off moving quickly. (You can choose two tasks to perform, before you'll need to start the tram.)

>Try to find any leftover grenades on them.
>Try to interrogate them for information up ahead.
>Load that machine gun onto the tram. You won't be able to take it with you while sneaking, but it might be useful on there.
>Try and search for any batteries/medical equipment.
>Convince them to send a message up the chain of command.
>>
>>4190541
>>Try to interrogate them for information up ahead.
>>Load that machine gun onto the tram. You won't be able to take it with you while sneaking, but it might be useful on there.
>>
>>4190541
>Drag the dead marine to the tram so we can strip him of his gear (PCV, guns, ammo, grenades, radio.)
His stuff could possibly used as a disguise for any living male agents.
>Try to interrogate them for information up ahead.
>>
>>4190541
>>Load that machine gun onto the tram. You won't be able to take it with you while sneaking, but it might be useful on there.
>>Convince them to send a message up the chain of command.

"Tell them to stop killing civilians, or I'll start killing higher ups until you fucking get it. This is fucking America, not Nazi Germany!"
>>
>>4190561
I like this comment. Still sort of want to drab the marine to the Tram. All that additional gear could be useful for the other agent. It's a heck a lot more portable than the machinegun.
>>
>>4190561
I'll support this, we won't need the dead guy's gear if we can get a ceasefire going.
>>
>>4190598
ceasefire how though?
>>
>>4190642
I don't know yet, but I'm sure we'll think of something.
>>
>>4190652
We'll we can't have the two goons do a ceasefire, and the only sure way to do it at the very least temporarily would be to contact the general, but that would only be temporary and the DC ain't so easy to pass.
Still, there's no reason why we can't take the body. It's not like they're in any position to see or do anything about it, and again a PCV would mean life and death if we need to bodyguard anymore VIP personnel out of the facility. Also more guns.
>>
>>4190541
pull the pin on their nades and make them bite it so if they scream they'll blow up

OR

Tell them there's someone high up in the DoD who wants to kill the civilians because they're compromised. We could let them see the CIA badge with our name covered so they know we're american and not KGB or something.

At this point they're antagonized. Them letting those above know there's ANY outside involvement will trigger an alert for us. Really the smart thing is to kill them and blame it on Gordon Freeman.

>Drag the dead marine to the tram so we can strip him of his gear (PCV, guns, ammo, grenades, radio.)
>Try to interrogate them for information up ahead.

Why the hell is Gordon Freeman even being talked about? He's a physicist who was at the resonance cascade itself. Did he get superpowers from it?!
>>
>>4190679
you do bring up a fair point about killing them.... hmmmm.
Actually maybe we should just kill them, as bad as that sounds to me. IF the CIA finds out we're name dropping them being involved we would get in trouble won't we. Yeah, I guess a bullet to the heads will have to do.
>>
>>4190679
>>4190693
Wait actually. I think I can agree to the grenades, but not the CIA name dropping.
>>
>>4190697
It was one or the other I meant. Either we're trusting GRUNTS with staying alive or doing something to keep them in place and silent until we get back.

Maybe even use a fabric gag to keep it in place so they don't accidentally blow themselves up.
>>
>>4190702
Why don't we just disable their radios instead of torturing them?
>>
>>4190745
A gunfight just occurred. If they yell they'll get rescued and report on an invisible assassin killing grunts.
>>
>>4190745
Technically, sort of not torture, because they would be capable of keeping that grenade in there. Their PCV's should keep them alive so I think it's best to just leave them. Time is of the essence.
>>
>>4190764

The real point is we don't want them to reveal in any way that there's a super spy in the facility at all. Our Handlers would WANT us to cap them both.
We want to be the good guy and not cap them, even though they admit to killing civilians without good cause or order questioning.

There's not many ways to keep them alive while not letting them reveal there's a super spy to be alert for.
>>
>>4190778
Also if we shot them all with bees, nobody would ever know a human was involved.
>>
>>4190780
the only other person that uses the hivehand is Freeman. We fine. They'll just think he was here.
>>
>>4190780
oh dammit whom i kidding. I like shooting. Shooting them means more stuff for us, and god do I love loot.

>>4190541
>shooty shooty bang bang
>>
>>4190797
Isn't it a war crime to kill enemies that have surrendered? Is this even considered a war? And does that even matter?
>>
>>4190837
Isn't what the military doing right now considered a war crime? I still don't know much about the Half Life wiki, but I think the assassins were sent to finish off the military. Would killing them make a difference?
>>
>>4190840
I'm pretty sure the military IS committing war crimes, yes. But responding with more war crimes seems like the wrong way to go about this. We either need to get them to stop, or find some way to show what they're doing to the rest of the country or world.
>>
>>4190882
killing them after capturing them is a warcrime yes.

But if they tell them there's a super spy, that will be a major problem for us.

Even if we keep them alive, we need a way to stop them from talking.
>>
>>4190679
>Why the hell is Gordon Freeman even being talked about?
Because he is wearing a super suit, and keeps finding ways to survive whatever is trying to murder him and then murder it in turn.
>>
>>4190837
>>4190840
>>4190882
>>4190894
No "war" has been declared, this would probably fall under crimes against humanity.

>>4190679
Just talk to them and lay it out for these dumb grunts.
Ask them :
>"Do any of them think gunning down innocents at a top secret facility with orders meant to have open interpretation and implications on their part will end well for them?
That is on top of the very obvious fact that they are gunning down unarmed American scientists and various staff members without mercy, on US soil, by US soldiers ever gone over well?

>At best they get a tiny cell for the rest of their lives and their families hounded by the public if this gets out, and it will, or at worst, they will be killed to keep this whole thing secret because this facility technically doesn't exist and no one at the top is gonna want any living witness or testimonies that MIGHT say otherwise?

If you saved people instead of murdering them, you'd probably have enough survivors to call all of you heros. With every scientist dead, your superiors will just call you liabilities or loose ends."
>>
>>4191192
woops failed to greentext teh middle and last parts.
>>
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>>4190553
>>4190558
>>4190561
>>4190598
>>4190679
>>4190693
>>4190797
>>4191179
>>4191192
You pick up the machine, grunting as you lift it, before you haul it into one of the seats of the tram, where it just peaks over the window.

You knee down next to the two wounded marines, whom are now laid out like sardines on the ground with their appendages bound.

"I need both of you to hand over some information." You state. "You're right, this mission is screwed, that's why I need to figure it out. I'm gonna start easy, what is further down the tracks?"

"Captain Manvridge was sent to the anomalous materials lab." The gunner explains. "Apparently some freaky shit was happening in there, so he asked for relief. We were supposed to fix the tram before C company arrived, and piled in."

"Alright, well how long until C company arrives?" You ask.

"Maybe a half hour? I dunno?" He responds.

"Alright then, so what's the logic behind gunning down the scientists then?" You ask.

"Well they fuckin' caused this didn't they?" Responds the private. "They sure as shit ain't just scientists. They had machine gun turrets in the damn hallways!"

"You do understand you're not getting out of this without saving the scientists? If you did, you might have some to vouch on your side to the american public. Now, the military is just gonna cover you up as a lose end." You explain.

"Yeah, I'm sure the public will just love to hear the opinions of the mad scientists who summoned freaks of nature on to earth." He responds.

"Alright. Well what about Freeman, what's so special about him?" You ask.

"He's been gunning down marines left and right. People are saying he's bulletproof, or wearing power armor or something." The private responds.

"Well, does the DoD know where he is now?" You ask.

"They're saying he's getting close to the aerospace center." The private responds.

With C company arriving later to take the tram out of here, your options just limited themselves. If you try and hold these marines here, they'll just be found by C company anyway. If you kill them, they'll assume it was Freeman, or aliens, or any one of the million things someone could die of out here, and you'll stay a secret. If you let them live, they will most certainly report you, however that might be to your advantage. Hearing a report of an invisible foe will put nerves on edge, which someone clever could use to their advantage. In war, fear is almost as effective as bullets.

>Let them live.
>Finish them off.
>>
>>4191295
>>Let them live.
"Tell you friends to stop killing civilians, or else I'll start killing more of them. And they won't see me coming, but you already know that."
>>
>>4191381
Support.
>>
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>>4191381
>>4191403
I spend thirty fucking minutes writing an update, then firefox decides "backspace" means "previous page."

"When C company finds you, telling them to stop killing the civilians." You shout. "Otherwise, they won't see me coming either."

You start the tram, and it begins to crawl forward along the singular track. It quickly dips into a trench before lowering into the east personnel entrance. As you delve into the facility again, you start to see the failure in the military's current strategy. They're treating the facility as a country to invade, setting up fortifications, checkpoints, and bases, only for the aliens to teleport into an unsuspecting location, and turn the fight into bloody chaos. Multiple times you have to duck below the windows in order to avoid the stray gunfire or hornets, hearing them patter against the metal exterior of the tram. You even manage to catch glimpses of creatures far bigger than what you've seen stomping through the open spaces of the underground facility, thankfully paying no head to what seems like an empty tram car.

In a few minutes, you reach Security Checkpoint 9, where you would normally start your descent to head towards anomalous materials. Usually, a security would check your security and shift, and route your tram accordingly. However, it seems military strategy has deemed this position important, being a major bottleneck of transit. Sandbags and equipment cover the catwalk, but unfortunately for the marines, a group of grunts and vortigaunts have teleported behind them. Through the doorway, now cleared by a breaching charge, you can see five marines struggling against two grunts, and two supporting vortigaunts. Another marine has vaulted through the broken windows, into the monitoring and routing room, where he is attempting to flank the creatures.

You'll need to get access to the routing room, and it's computers, if you want to continue on the tram. Thankfully, with the marines fighting the aliens, the two combatants will be significantly focused on the enemies they can see, rather than those they can't.

>Try and get into a good position to open fire. (Roll 3d6+2, every point over a 10 grants a +1.)
>Stealth kill the marine in the security room. (Roll 3d6+2, succeed on a 11.)
>Search the fortification equipment for useful things. (Roll 3d6, pass on a 10.)
>Sneak up to the door, use your silenced pistol to quickly shoot out the lights, they likely won't be able to discern your shots from their own. (Roll 3d6+2, parties will be unaware on an 10. -4/11+1 ,magazine ammo)
>Move the machine gun onto the sandbags, and prepare to open fire on all parties. (Roll 3d6+2, they will be unaware of your placement on a 12. The machine gun will be placed regardless of the roll.)
>>
>>4191509
>>Move the machine gun onto the sandbags, and prepare to open fire on all parties. (Roll 3d6+2, they will be unaware of your placement on a 12. The machine gun will be placed regardless of the roll.)
>>
>>4191509
>Try and get into a good position to open fire. (Roll 3d6+2, every point over a 10 grants a +1.)
Sneaki breeki
>>
>>4191509
>Use the machine gun to shoot the aliens.
>>
>>4191656
Why not both?
>>
>>4191509
https://youtu.be/W_aAdCPT9jg
Where can we find Dr. Coomer?
>>
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>>4191573
>>4191639
>>4191656
You pick up the large machine gun, lugging out the door of the tram and towards the sandbags. You feel rather vulnerable as you haul it, having to practically waltz over in the sterile lighting of Black Mesa. It would be easy for someone to see you, causing you to lose your advantage of surprise. Of course, surprise or not, a 50 caliber machine gun will still be effective.

Roll 3d6+2.
>>
Rolled 5, 2, 1 + 2 = 10 (3d6 + 2)

>>4191694
Is the attack going to be averaged since none of them will be aware of this until we open fire?
>>
>>4191706
Yes.
>>
Rolled 6, 6, 4 + 2 = 18 (3d6 + 2)

>>4191694
>>
Rolled 4, 5, 4 + 2 = 15 (3d6 + 2)

>>4191694
>>
>>4191706
>>4191725
>>4191727
With a bit of luck, none of the marines glance behind them, and you're able to set down your machine gun on the sandbags ahead of you. The large M2 Browning's tripod rests on the sandbags, and you're easily able to pick targets from behind its sights.

The marines are closer and more numerous, yes, but those grunts could crush you like a grape assuming their strength is proportional to their size. The vortigaunts are weak and cowardly, but they could still get a few hits off.

The defense provided by your cloak will be mitigated by being on a stationary turret, giving away position.

>Supress the sergeant and grenadier, getting an attack of if either take actions that might require them to leave cover.
>Fire at the sergeant. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 10, every point reduces threshold by 2.)
>Fire at the grenadier. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 10, every point reduces threshold by 2.)

>Supress the first and second private, getting an attack of if either take actions that might require them to leave cover.
>Fire at the first private. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 10, every point reduces threshold by 2.)
>Fire at the second private. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 10, every point reduces threshold by 2.)

>Supress the flanking marine, getting an attack of if he takes actions that might require them to leave cover.
>Fire at the flanking marine. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 10, every point reduces threshold by 2.)

>Supress the grunts, getting an attack of if either take actions that might require them to leave cover.
>Fire at the first grunt (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 13, every point reduces threshold by 2.)
>Fire at the second grunt (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 13, every point reduces threshold by 2.)

>Supress the vortigaunts, getting an attack of if any of them take actions that might require them to leave cover.
>Fire at the first vortigaunt. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 8. Every point reduces threshold by 2.)
>Fire at the second vortigaunt. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 8. Every point reduces threshold by 2.)
>Fire at the third vortigaunt. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 8. Every point reduces threshold by 2.)

>Cloak. (Can be done in the same turn as any other action, temporarily shut off by changing position. +2 defense while on the turret, +4 while off.
>Duck and cover. (+4 defense, avoid any grenades.)
>>
>>4191769
>Fire at the first grunt (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 13, every point reduces threshold by 2.)
I'm thinking we kill the grunts, try to incapacitate the vortigaunts, get the marines to surrender, and then try to get the vorts collars off.
>>
>>4191769
>>Supress the grunts, getting an attack of if either take actions that might require them to leave cover.
>>
>>4191769
>Supress the sergeant and grenadier, getting an attack of if either take actions that might require them to leave cover.
How much ammo does the m2 browning have?
>>
>>4191827
>>4191836
>>4191839
In half life, it's infinite, but I think for this I'll say 300-20 per shot.
>>
>>4191769
>>Supress the grunts, getting an attack of if either take actions that might require them to leave cover
>>
Rolled 2, 1, 4 + 2 = 9 (3d6 + 2)

>>4191827
>>4191836
>>4191839
>>4191948
As you fire a barage towards the collosal, gorilla sized aliens, forcing them back and away, the grenadier looks back, through the door only seeing the bright flash of the gun barrel. He turns to his sergeant, shouting "did you call reinforcements?"

"No!" The sergeant shouts back. "Guardian angel I guess."

The towering alien grunts become determined to shut down the pounding machine gun fire as it sprays around them. The two of them start to charge forward, firing their hornets towards you.

Make two rolls of 3d6+2.

(The roll above determines whether the aliens or marines do better in the fight against each other. Higher numbers are good for the marines, lower for the aliens. The marines get a +2 because you're suppressing the grunts and not them.)
>>
Rolled 6, 3, 5 + 2 = 16 (3d6 + 2)

>>4192019
>>
Rolled 5, 5, 6 + 2 = 18 (3d6 + 2)

>>4192019
first roll
>>
Rolled 3, 5, 2 + 2 = 12 (3d6 + 2)

>>4192019
second roll. I'm assuming these are two sets of Best of Three rolls?
>>
Rolled 6, 5, 1 + 2 = 14 (3d6 + 2)

>>4192019
First
>>
Rolled 6, 6, 6 + 2 = 20 (3d6 + 2)

>>4192019
Second
>>
>>4192046
Noice
>>
>>4192046
HE COMES
>>
>>4192028
>>4192029
>>4192032
>>4192044
>>4192046
>>4192055
>>4192058
The grunts, angered by the machine gun fire practically run over the two privates. One of the marines is quickly crushed under a hoof, while the other is knocked down and stunned. The vortigaunts, with a sudden boost of confidence, nail the sergeant with an electric blast.

Wanting to punish the aliens for their charge, you send volleys of fifty caliber rounds into the two grunts unarmoured sternums, boring deep through the scaly skin and think muscle, shredding internal organs. The creatures moan, and fall over to die.

Two vortigaunts, seeing the far larger creatures torn apart by human weapons fire, start to run back. The other ducks down behind a box.

The sergeant and grenadier cheer as you pummel the aliens. It seems that they're assuming you're a friendly. You could abuse this belief to destroy them, or perhaps play on their trust in you to pass through without killing them.

(280 M2 ammo.)

>Supress the sergeant and grenadier, getting an attack of if either take actions that might require them to leave cover.
>Fire at the sergeant. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 8, every point reduces threshold by 2.)
>Fire at the grenadier. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 10, every point reduces threshold by 2.)

>Supress the first and second private, getting an attack off if either take actions that might require them to leave cover.
>Fire at the second private. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 6, every point reduces threshold by 2.)

>Supress the flanking marine, getting an attack of if he takes actions that might require them to leave cover.
>Fire at the flanking marine. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 10, every point reduces threshold by 2.)

>Supress the vortigaunts, getting an attack of if any of them take actions that might require them to leave cover.
>Fire at the first vortigaunt. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 8. Every point reduces threshold by 2.)
>Fire at the second vortigaunt. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 12. Every point reduces threshold by 2.)
>Fire at the third vortigaunt. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 8. Every point reduces threshold by 2.)

>Cloak. (Can be done in the same turn as any other action, temporarily shut off by changing position. +2 defense while on the turret, +4 while off. )
>Leave the turret. (Will open up options for using your equipped loadout, talking to the marines, and sneaking around.)
>Duck and cover. (+4 defense, avoid any grenades.)
>>
>>4192083
>Cloak. (Can be done in the same turn as any other action, temporarily shut off by changing position. +2 defense while on the turret, +4 while off. )
>Leave the turret. (Will open up options for using your equipped loadout, talking to the marines, and sneaking around.)
Reposition and shoot the Marines with the hivehand so they think it's an alien sneak attack, then uncloak with the hivehand hidden to tell them to flee, then we'll btfo the vorts?

Do any of you have a better plan? Who do we save or kill, or do we kill them all?
>>
>>4192092
+1
>>
>>4192092
I would personally like to avoid killing humans and vorts as much as possible, though that’s just my boner for lawful good talking.
If this is allowed, OP, how hard will it be?
>>
>>4192092
Right now the marines think we're an ally, we should take this chance to knock out the vorts with melee then talk to the marines.
>>
>>4192092
>>4192094
>>4192097

You'd need to reposition after cloaking and leaving the gun, which would be:
>Dive to somewhere else, and re-cloak. (Roll 3d6+2. On a 12, the marines will have to re-track you, any incoming grenades will be avoided regardless of roll.)
Then shoot, then try and convince them to retreat, which would be probably (3d6+1, pass on an 14.) It wouldn't be easy to scare them into retreating if they think they have you and that gun on their side. After they watched you shred two grunts. They currently believe they have this in the bag. They also don't have any way to get out of here except for through the vorts or under the tram rail. You could always try threatening them with the turret, or convincing them you have orders from command.
>>
>>4192148
I think cloaking and shooting is a bad idea. Let's just convince them to let us pass by. Orders from Command and all that.
>>
>>4192148
>threatening them with the turret
>convincing them you have orders from command.
Why not both? We have the biggest gun here
>>
>>4192148
Sure, okay. Changing my vote to
>Leave the turret. (Will open up options for using your equipped loadout, talking to the marines, and sneaking around.)
>Convince them you have orders from command.
>>
>>4192160
>>4192164
>>4192168

You leave the turret, so you can get closer to the marines before they chase after the vortigaunts. Ducking behind the sandbags, you talk to the sergeant as he pulls back the slide on his submachine gun.

"Sergeant." You shout. "I have orders from command."

"Shit, and what are you, special forces?" He says, looking up and down your uniform.

"Yes. Command thinks there's something sensitive hidden around here, they want you to pull out, follow the tracks for tram back to the station, they want the forces away while I scout it out."

Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 10.
>>
Rolled 5, 3, 1 + 1 = 10 (3d6 + 1)

>>4192187
Cross your fingers, fellas.
>>
>>4192190
The dice

They hunger
>>
Rolled 4, 6, 1 + 1 = 12 (3d6 + 1)

>>4192187
>>
Rolled 1, 4, 2 + 1 = 8 (3d6 + 1)

>>4192187
>>
>>4192190
>>4192208
>>4192214
>10 exactly
>>
>>4192218
holy fuck
>>
>>4192190
>>4192208
>>4192214
Just barely.

"Ahh fuck, they're not even giving us the tram?"

"Nope, they want me to be able to pull out under fire." You respond.

The sergeant sighs, then says "You sure?"

"Yup, this was straight from command tents. I'm not sure what they think I'm gonna find, but they want the big guns away from it."

"Well god help you then." The sergeant says. "Williams! You help Nixon, leave Sampson's body, poor bastard."

The marines pull back as the vortigaunts run and hide, fearing another roar of gunfire from the machine gun. Some of the marines seem rather confused. You were lucky, the sergeant didn't ask for rank, name credentials, all things that would've blown your story open. You'd guess he secretly really wanted to get out.

You search the marine's corpse, finding a pair of frag grenades, and a half clip of 9x19 ammo. (104 ammo.)

These security systems require a password you don't currently have.

>Check the bullet riddled or zombified corpses of the security guards for supplies. (Roll 3d6, pass on an 11, also find a note with a password on it on a 13.)
>Check the desks in the security room for passwords. (Roll 3d6, pass on a 12.)
>Engage the fleeing vortigaunts.
>Break open the wiring, and hard wire your way in. (Roll 3d6, pass on a 10, on a 6 or below, the black mesa intercom will announce a security breach, bringing attention.)
>Plug the CIA dongle into the security systems, giving access. (Will take around 20 minutes, you are running on a time limit, it's currently 7:30.)
>>
>>4192243
>Engage the fleeing vortigaunts.
Can we roll to intimidate them in letting us remove the collars?
>>
>>4192243
>Engage the fleeing vortigaunts.
I want to knock them out and release them, personally. I'm sure we could catch up with how awkward the gait of a vort is.
>>
>>4192243
>Engage the fleeing vortigaunts
Also tell military niggas to kindly avoid shooting in our/the vorts’ general direction for the duration of this action.
>>
>>4192250
>>4192254
>>4192265

You follow after the fleeing vortigaunts. With nowhere to run, except for the end of a hallway full of offices, they turn towards you. The first and second vortigaunts begin to emit a green, electric glow. Their backs are against the wall, forcing them to fight.

>Throw a grenade at the three vortigaunts. (All three voritgaunts will roll to avoid.
>Supress all three vortigaunts. (You will get a shot with the MP5 (with a -2 to hit) on any vortigaunt that acts in a way to make them leave cover.)

>Fire with your revolver at the first vortigaunt. (3d6+2Kills on a 10. -1/6+4 ammo.)
>Fire with your glock at the first vortigaunt. (3d6+2 Kills on a 12, wounds on a 5. -3/+104ammo.)
>Fire with your USP at the first vortigaunt. (3d6+2, Kills on a 12, wounds on a 6, -1/11 ammo +1 mag.
>Fire with your shotgun at the first vortigaunt. (3d6+2, Kills on an 13 wounds on a 3, -1/6 ammo.)
>Fire with your SMG at the first vortigaunt. (3d6+2, kills on a 10, every point above a 4 wounds. -10/50 +104 ammo.)
>Fire the hivehand at the first vortigaunt. (3d6+2, kills on a 14, every two points wound.)
>Jump out of cover and go for a kick on the first vortigaunt. (3d6+2Kills on a 13, stuns on a 10, wounds on an 7. Will get an attack on you.)

>Fire with your revolver at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2Kills on a 10. -1/6+4 ammo.)
>Fire with your glock at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2 Kills on a 12, wounds on a 5. -3/+104ammo.)
>Fire with your USP at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2, Kills on a 12, wounds on a 6, -1/11 ammo +1 mag.
>Fire with your shotgun at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2, Kills on an 13 wounds on a 3, -1/6 ammo.)
>Fire with your SMG at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2, kills on a 10, every point above a 4 wounds. -10/50 +104 ammo.)
>Fire the hivehand at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2, kills on a 14, every two points wound.)
>Jump out of cover and go for a kick on the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2 Kills on a 13, stuns on a 10, wounds on an 7. Will get an attack on you.)

>Fire with your revolver at the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2Kills on a 10. -1/6+4 ammo.)
>Fire with your glock at the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2 Kills on a 12, wounds on a 5. -3/+104ammo.)
>Fire with your USP at the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2, Kills on a 12, wounds on a 6, -1/11 ammo +1 mag.
>Fire with your shotgun at the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2, Kills on an 13 wounds on a 3, -1/6 ammo.)
>Fire with your SMG at the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2, kills on a 10, every point above a 4 wounds. -10/50 +104 ammo.)
>Fire the hivehand at the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2, kills on a 14, every two points wound.)
>Jump out of cover and go for a kick on the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2Kills on a 13, stuns on a 10, wounds on an 7. Will get an attack on you.)

>Duck(+4 defense. )
>Cloak.(+4 defense, can be done alongside any action, -3/32 cloak power.)
>>
>Jump out of cover and go for a kick on the first vortigaunt. (3d6+2Kills on a 13, stuns on a 10, wounds on an 7. Will get an attack on you.)
>Cloak.(+4 defense, can be done alongside any action, -3/32 cloak power.)
going for the knock out
>>
>>4192304
Only need to free one to start work on the others.
>>
>>4192314
why only one when we can try to free all three of them? Practice makes perfect.
>>
>>4192304
This, but I'd think we'd know how to make a kick non-lethal.
>>
>>4192298
>Jump out of cover and go for a kick on the first vortigaunt. (3d6+2Kills on a 13, stuns on a 10, wounds on an 7. Will get an attack on you.)
>Cloak.(+4 defense, can be done alongside any action, -3/32 cloak power.)
>>
>>4192320
That's what I meant. One freed makes saving others easier
>>
Rolled 4, 6, 4 = 14 (3d6)

>>4192304
>>4192314
>>4192320
>>4192328
>>4192329
>>4192337

You make a dash towards the closest vortigaunt, jumping and flinging your legs forwards into the creatures center of mass. He swipes his stubby claws at you as you do.

Roll 3d6+2. The vortigaunt hits on a 12. (Cloaking doesn't mitigate due to movement.
>>
Rolled 2, 3, 2 + 2 = 9 (3d6 + 2)

>>4192394
>>
Rolled 1, 1, 3 + 2 = 7 (3d6 + 2)

>>4192337
>>
>>4192394
ouch. we hurt.

>>4192337
So that's what you meant. Right.
Hey. Just a theory, but do you think we could duel wield Hivehands by taking 1 off a corpse? Speaking of Hivehands, isn't there another alien creature similar to it that shoots electricity? Could you imaging? Duel wielding a par of Hive hands and shock bugs on the forearms?

Besides the silliness of that, what if we did this after our fight with the Vortigants and releasing them:
>Plug the CIA dongle into the security systems, giving access. (Will take around 20 minutes, you are running on a time limit, it's currently 7:30.)
>Check the bullet riddled or zombified corpses of the security guards for supplies. (Roll 3d6, pass on an 11, also find a note with a password on it on a 13.)
At the cost of 20 minutes for a 100% of gaining access without triggering the alarms, we could gather stuff from the guards as mentioned, and perhaps security clearance ID's? Dunno if those can be used to get inside locked locations. We could also make a phone call to the Infirmary to check up on everyone to determine if everyone is still alive and if they got any news.
>>
Rolled 3, 2, 1 = 6 (3d6)

>>4192399
>>4192401
(29/50 Cloak power.)
Since you aren't trying to kill the vorts, the kill threshold won't reduce, only the stun.
The two swipes cut into your legs, causing you to jerk as you kick, making you miss your mark just slightly, leaving the vortigaunt just barely on his feet. As you land, the cloak fizzles back into focus, hiding you from sight.

While you interrupted the first vortigaunts beam, the second fires a green, arcing beam of electricity. The third vortigaunt moves to get away from you.

The vortigaunt hits on a 16.

>Fire with your revolver at the first vortigaunt. (3d6+2Kills on a 10. -1/6+4 ammo.)
>Fire with your glock at the first vortigaunt. (3d6+2 Kills on a 10, wounds on a 5. -3/+104ammo.)
>Fire with your USP at the first vortigaunt. (3d6+2, Kills on a 10, wounds on a 6, -1/11 ammo +1 mag.
>Fire with your shotgun at the first vortigaunt. (3d6+2, Kills on an 11 wounds on a 3, -1/6 ammo.)
>Fire with your SMG at the first vortigaunt. (3d6+2, kills on a 8, every point above a 4 wounds. -10/50 +104 ammo.)
>Fire the hivehand at the first vortigaunt. (3d6+2, kills on a 15, every two points wound.)
>Jump out of cover and go for a kick on the first vortigaunt. (3d6+2Kills on a 13, stuns on a 8, wounds on an 7. Will get an attack on you.)

>Fire with your revolver at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2Kills on a 10. -1/6+4 ammo.)
>Fire with your glock at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2 Kills on a 12, wounds on a 5. -3/+104ammo.)
>Fire with your USP at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2, Kills on a 12, wounds on a 6, -1/11 ammo +1 mag.
>Fire with your shotgun at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2, Kills on an 13 wounds on a 3, -1/6 ammo.)
>Fire with your SMG at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2, kills on a 10, every point above a 4 wounds. -10/50 +104 ammo.)
>Fire the hivehand at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2, kills on a 14, every two points wound.)
>Jump out of cover and go for a kick on the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2 Kills on a 13, stuns on a 10, wounds on an 7. Will get an attack on you.)

>Fire with your revolver at the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2Kills on a 10. -1/6+4 ammo.)
>Fire with your glock at the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2 Kills on a 12, wounds on a 5. -3/+104ammo.)
>Fire with your USP at the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2, Kills on a 12, wounds on a 6, -1/11 ammo +1 mag.
>Fire with your shotgun at the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2, Kills on an 13 wounds on a 3, -1/6 ammo.)
>Fire with your SMG at the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2, kills on a 10, every point above a 4 wounds. -10/50 +104 ammo.)
>Fire the hivehand at the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2, kills on a 14, every two points wound.)
>Jump out of cover and go for a kick on the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2Kills on a 13, stuns on a 10, wounds on an 7. Will get an attack on you, and the distance means you will not be protected by cloak. )

Decloak (-4 defense, save 3 power per turn.)
>Duck(+4 defense. )
>>
>>4192419
>Duck(+4 defense. )
Can we stay in a bit of cover and do suppressing fire with the SMG? I'm banking on the bullets not actually killing them but hopefully softening them up enough to jump out of cover the next turn to kick them.
>>
>>4192435
At the moment, none of the vorts are charging, so you wouldn't be ducking from anything, and the SMG kills pretty easily on unarmored vortigaunts. You might just end up mowing them down.
>>
>>4192419
Oh shit, I forgot to mention, the vorts swipe put you at 84/100 health, and 45/100 armor power.
>>
>>4192463
Oh. Then yeah continue with the Dick Kickem.
>Jump out of cover and go for a kick on the first vortigaunt. (3d6+2Kills on a 13, stuns on a 8, wounds on an 7. Will get an attack on you.)
Can we salvage the PCV later for power for our cloak and armor later? Maybe some drugs like morphine since they're supposed to have those?
>>
>>4192419
>>Jump out of cover and go for a kick on the first vortigaunt. (3d6+2Kills on a 13, stuns on a 8, wounds on an 7. Will get an attack on you.)
>>
Rolled 5, 3, 6 = 14 (3d6)

>>4192486
>>4192504
You swing your foot around the center of mass for another kick, with the vortigaunt responding again with a weak slash. The third vortigaunt glows green as it charges another shot.

The vortigaunt counter hits on a 16.

Roll 3d6+2.
>>
Rolled 4, 2, 2 + 2 = 10 (3d6 + 2)

>>4192516
>>
Rolled 1, 4, 3 + 2 = 10 (3d6 + 2)

>>4192516
wew
>>
>>4192521
>>4192526
You smack the vortigaunt in the face with your boot, knocking it to the ground before it can get its slash in.

The third is still charging his attack.

>Fire with your revolver at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2Kills on a 10. -1/6+4 ammo.)
>Fire with your glock at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2 Kills on a 12, wounds on a 5. -3/+104ammo.)
>Fire with your USP at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2, Kills on a 12, wounds on a 6, -1/11 ammo +1 mag.
>Fire with your shotgun at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2, Kills on an 13 wounds on a 3, -1/6 ammo.)
>Fire with your SMG at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2, kills on a 10, every point above a 4 wounds. -10/50 +104 ammo.)
>Fire the hivehand at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2, kills on a 14, every two points wound.)
>Jump out of cover and go for a kick on the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2 Kills on a 13, stuns on a 10, wounds on an 7. Will get an attack on you.)

>Fire with your revolver at the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2Kills on a 10. -1/6+4 ammo.)
>Fire with your glock at the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2 Kills on a 12, wounds on a 5. -3/+104ammo.)
>Fire with your USP at the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2, Kills on a 12, wounds on a 6, -1/11 ammo +1 mag.
>Fire with your shotgun at the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2, Kills on an 13 wounds on a 3, -1/6 ammo.)
>Fire with your SMG at the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2, kills on a 10, every point above a 4 wounds. -10/50 +104 ammo.)
>Fire the hivehand at the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2, kills on a 14, every two points wound.)
>Jump out of cover and go for a kick on the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2Kills on a 13, stuns on a 10, wounds on an 7. Will get an attack on you, and the distance means you will not be protected by cloak. )

>Decloak (-4 defense, save 3 power per turn.)
>Duck(+4 defense. )
>>
>>4192536
>Duck(+4 defense. )
I have to ask but did any of the Black Mesa guards have any pepper spray? Did the military boys have any flash bangs?
>>
>>4192536
>Jump out of cover and go for a kick on the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2 Kills on a 13, stuns on a 10, wounds on an 7. Will get an attack on you.)
>>
>>4192541
I don't think so with pepper spray, (but hold out for flashbangs/smoke grenades), but if you wanted to weaken the vortigaunts without killing, your statistical best bet at the moment would be the bee gun.
>>
>>4192552
Oh you're right. The bee gun has auto aim so we can stay mostly in cover.
>Fire the hivehand at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2, kills on a 14, every two points wound.)
Pace the shots to not kill it? Plus staying in cover.
>>
>>4192536
>Fire the hivehand at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2, kills on a 14, every two points wound.)
THIS NIGGA SHOOTIN’ BEES
>>
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>>4192541
>>4192545
>>4192561
>>4192582
You coax the insectoid weapon to fire again, tapping the felshy, alien "trigger" nerves, causing it to fire a set of hornets towards your enemies. The creatures dart straight towards the nearby vortigaunt.

Roll 3d6+2.
>>
Rolled 2, 4, 1 + 2 = 9 (3d6 + 2)

>>4192598
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2UnmtrYrZI
here be bees
>>
Rolled 3, 5, 5 + 2 = 15 (3d6 + 2)

>>4192598
Witness me
>>
Rolled 4, 4, 5 = 13 (3d6)

>>4192601
>>4192604
(23/50 cloak power.)
The hornets pummel into the chest of the second vortigaunt, causing it to stagger and choke. The third vortigaunt releases it's green beam of energy, arcing through the air.

The vortigaunt hits on a 16.

>Fire with your revolver at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2Kills on a 6. -1/6+4 ammo.)
>Fire with your glock at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2 Kills on a 8, wounds on a 5. -3/+104ammo.)
>Fire with your USP at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2, Kills on a 8, wounds on a 6, -1/11 ammo +1 mag.
>Fire with your shotgun at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2, Kills on an 9 wounds on a 3, -1/6 ammo.)
>Fire with your SMG at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2, kills on a 6, every point above a 4 wounds. -10/50 +104 ammo.)
>Fire the hivehand at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2, kills on a 10, every two points wound.)
>Jump out of cover and go for a kick on the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2 Kills on a 13, stuns on a 6, wounds on a 6. Will get an attack on you.)

>Fire with your revolver at the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2Kills on a 10. -1/6+4 ammo.)
>Fire with your glock at the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2 Kills on a 12, wounds on a 5. -3/+104ammo.)
>Fire with your USP at the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2, Kills on a 12, wounds on a 6, -1/11 ammo +1 mag.
>Fire with your shotgun at the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2, Kills on an 13 wounds on a 3, -1/6 ammo.)
>Fire with your SMG at the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2, kills on a 10, every point above a 4 wounds. -10/50 +104 ammo.)
>Fire the hivehand at the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2, kills on a 14, every two points wound.)
>Jump out of cover and go for a kick on the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2Kills on a 13, stuns on a 10, wounds on an 7. Will get an attack on you, and the distance means you will not be protected by cloak. )

>Decloak (-4 defense, save 3 power per turn.)
>Duck(+4 defense. )
>>
>>4192614
>Jump out of cover and go for a kick on the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2Kills on a 13, stuns on a 10, wounds on an 7. Will get an attack on you, and the distance means you will not be protected by cloak. )
Time to kick kick and kick. Get ready for leg day fuck boi.
>>
>>4192614
>Jump out of cover and go for a kick on the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2Kills on a 13, stuns on a 10, wounds on an 7. Will get an attack on you, and the distance means you will not be protected by cloak. )
Let us move!
>>
>>4192614
>Jump out of cover and go for a kick on the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2Kills on a 13, stuns on a 10, wounds on an 7. Will get an attack on you, and the distance means you will not be protected by cloak. )
>>
>>4192614
>>Jump out of cover and go for a kick on the third vortigaunt. (3d6+2Kills on a 13, stuns on a 10, wounds on an 7. Will get an attack on you, and the distance means you will not be protected by cloak. )
>>
Rolled 1, 5, 4 = 10 (3d6)

>>4192622
>>4192634
>>4192637
>>4192655

You make a dash towards the third vortigaunt, and with your momentum lift one leg coiled into the air before swinging out, towards the vortigaunts sternum as he desperately attempts to make a returning slash at the black silhouette that materialized before him.

The second vortigaunt starts charging another green orb of electrical energy, chanting as he does.

Roll 3d6+2, the third. vortigaunt hits on a 12.
>>
Rolled 5, 3, 6 + 2 = 16 (3d6 + 2)

suns out kicks out
>>
Rolled 2, 1, 2 + 2 = 7 (3d6 + 2)

>>4192658
BEEP BEEP
>>
Rolled 2, 5, 5 + 2 = 14 (3d6 + 2)

>>4192658
Vortigaunts will speak of our legendary thighs in fear and awe.
>>
Rolled 1, 5, 3 + 2 = 11 (3d6 + 2)

>>4192658
>>
Rolled 3, 1, 1 + 2 = 7 (3d6 + 2)

>>4192658
>>
>>4192668
choke out the next one in a leg lock?
>>
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Rolled 2, 5, 6 = 13 (3d6)

>>4192664
>>4192667
>>4192668
>>4192673
>>4192676
With a crack, your boot hits the ribs of the vortigaunt, audibly breaking something frail you didn't expect inside. The vortigaunt screams in pain, hits the wall, and slides down silently. The final vortigaunt, seeing you kill its enslaved brethren with one quick, miscalculated kick, releases its bolt of lightning just as your suit refocuses its cloak.

The vortigaunt hits on a 16

Without the other two vortigaunts to stop you, you could choke out the final vortigaunt.

>Fire with your revolver at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2Kills on a 6. -1/6+4 ammo.)
>Fire with your glock at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2 Kills on a 8, wounds on a 5. -3/+104ammo.)
>Fire with your USP at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2, Kills on a 8, wounds on a 6, -1/11 ammo +1 mag.
>Fire with your shotgun at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2, Kills on an 9 wounds on a 3, -1/6 ammo.)
>Fire with your SMG at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2, kills on a 6, every point above a 4 wounds. -10/50 +104 ammo.)
>Fire the hivehand at the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2, kills on a 10, every two points wound.)
>Jump out of cover and go for a kick on the second vortigaunt. (3d6+2 Kills on a 13, stuns on a 6, wounds on a 6. Will get an attack on you, which will not be protected by cloak due to movement.)
>Choke the vortigaunt out. No, not with your admittedly toned legs, (3d6+2, knocks out on an 8, Will get an attack on you, which will not be protected by cloak due to movement.)
>>
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>>4192703
>>Choke the vortigaunt out. No, not with your admittedly toned legs, (3d6+2, knocks out on an 8, Will get an attack on you, which will not be protected by cloak due to movement.)
>>
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>>4192704
The Gabriella Oppenheimer would be wise to think such thoughts while not in the presence of the vortessence.
>>
>>4192703
>Choke the vortigaunt out with your admittedly toned legs, (3d6+2, knocks out on an 8, Will get an attack on you, which will not be protected by cloak due to movement.)
>>
>>4192703
>>Choke the vortigaunt out. With your freakishly toned legs, (3d6+2, knocks out on an 8, Will get an attack on you, which will not be protected by cloak due to movement.)
>>
>>4192703
>>Choke the vortigaunt out with your thick thighs, (3d6+2, knocks out on an 8, Will get an attack on you, which will not be protected by cloak due to movement.)
>>
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Rolled 2, 3, 5 = 10 (3d6)

>>4192704
>>4192722
>>4192738
>>4192752
A few out of place thoughts roll into your head that you vigilantly shake away, before you roll past the vortigaunt, quickly wrapping your arms around its neck, squeezing on what feels like a windpipe. The vortigaunt scratches its claws against your arms as it attempts to wrestle free.

The vortigaunt scratches you on a 12.

Roll 3d6+2.
>>
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Rolled 6, 3, 6 + 2 = 17 (3d6 + 2)

as the saying goes, thick thighs save lives
>>
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Rolled 1, 5, 2 + 2 = 10 (3d6 + 2)

>>4192781
>>
>>4192781
T
H
I
C
C

T
H
I
G
H
S

btw did the grunts have any collars or no?
>>
Rolled 1, 4, 4 + 2 = 11 (3d6 + 2)

>>4192781
>>
>>4192789
Grunts are ordered only to kill not collect.

All vortigaunts have collars
>>
>>4192783
>>4192787
>>4192789
>>4192797
No. Out of character, the grunts were pretty much mass produced by the big bad as weapons.

In a little under a minute the creature goes limp from oxygen deprivation, slowly sliding out of your arms and to the floor. You survey the area, two unconsciousness vortigaunts lay on the ground, knocked out by your own doing. Another is clearly dead, having lost any breathing with a broken rib that you'd guess punctured a lung With the brief explanation of the collars Dr. Vance gave you, it might take a while to figure out how to get the collars off.

There are offices surrounding you, where they may be more likely to store data. It's not unlikely they have important security data written on slips of paper somewhere.

>Check the bullet riddled or zombified corpses of the security guards for supplies. (Roll 3d6, pass on an 11, also find a note with a password on it on a 13.)
>Check the desks in the security room for passwords. (Roll 3d6, pass on a 12.)
>Engage the fleeing vortigaunts.
>Break open the wiring, and hard wire your way in. (Roll 3d6, pass on a 10, on a 6 or below, the black mesa intercom will announce a security breach, bringing attention.)
>Plug the CIA dongle into the security systems, giving access. (Will take around 20 minutes, you are running on a time limit, it's currently 7:40.)
>Check the offices for security data. (Roll 3d6, pass on a 10.)
>Get the vortigaunt collars off. (Roll 3d6, every 5 points amounts to ten minutes spent trying to figure it out.)
>>
>>4192815
Oh shit. I didn't want to kill them, but you can't save them all I suppose.

>Plug the CIA dongle into the security systems, giving access. (Will take around 20 minutes, you are running on a time limit, it's currently 7:40.)
>Get the vortigaunt collars off. (Roll 3d6, every 5 points amounts to ten minutes spent trying to figure it out.)
>Check the bullet riddled or zombified corpses of the security guards for supplies. (Roll 3d6, pass on an 11, also find a note with a password on it on a 13.)
because might as well. it's a time saver.
>>
>>4192815
>Plug the CIA dongle into the security systems, giving access. (Will take around 20 minutes, you are running on a time limit, it's currently 7:40.)
>Get the vortigaunt collars off. (Roll 3d6, every 5 points amounts to ten minutes spent trying to figure it out.)

Sounds good. We can get the collars off as the dongle does its magic.
>>
>>4192815
Oh dammit it. Can we call Eli and the others in the appartment to gather all the powdered spices in our collective rooms or whichever room they've barricaded themselves in? If Black Mesa doesnt give their security guards pepper spray or tasers, then the next best thing would be to throw a spider shakers mix worth of chill chilli, mustard, and black pepper powder into their eyes.

Or better yet does little Alyx own a water gun? If any Vorts teleport into the appartment while we're gone, an additional home defense weapon against those big eyes dudes would be a super smoker full of home made pepper spray + various hot sauces.
>>
>>4192815
>Plug the CIA dongle into the security systems, giving access. (Will take around 20 minutes, you are running on a time limit, it's currently 7:40.)
>>
>>4192815
We don't want CIA to have access yet. We don't know their game if we're gonna attempt a full evac.

That said, giving them access would give us a shitton of currency as they'd have more information than DoD and could haggle with DoD.

If we play too far out of CIA plans, we're a rogue agent. And as per the nature of our assignment, we have no self-funding capabilities for when we go rogue.
>>
>>4192815
>>Plug the CIA dongle into the security systems, giving access. (Will take around 20 minutes, you are running on a time limit, it's currently 7:40.)
>>Get the vortigaunt collars off. (Roll 3d6, every 5 points amounts to ten minutes spent trying to figure it out.)
>>
>>4192944
>>4192815
Does it transfer data directly to the CIA or would we have to transfer it manually?
>>
>>4192973
What's the worry? The CIA fob is for either some CIA nerd to hack the thing open for us, or it has a built in program that'd do it for us. Weather or not the CIA gets anything doesn't really matter since it's our job to tell them stuff.
>>
>>4192853
The "pepper spray" is a terrible idea.

But if we left our old security guard radio with them...
>>
I was wondering. What if this "Gordon Freeman" is a speedrunner?
>>
>>4193002
Super soaker full of lemon juice, spices and hot sauce is a bad idea? Damn. Any reason why it'd be bad?
>>
>>4193021
They have automatic weapons. You don’t necessarily have to aim automatic weapons.
>>
>>4193059
Not always. I figured the super soaker would be good against the Vorts, alien dogs, tentacle traps and maybe the big brain dudes. You can't attack quiet as well when blind. I was thinking it would incur a penalty to them attack or something and make it easier to restrain.
>>
>>4193021
Aiming sucks
Irritation is negligible minus soft surfaces
MANY OF THEM HAVE GAS MASKS/ FACE COVERINGS
The Solution doesn't stick and wipes off easily (why so many pepper sprays are gel based and spread when wiped as opposed to wiping off)

To really make a real "pepper spray" you also need a proper delivery system for what's basically highly concentrated pepper capascin that's mashed with oil and then properly poured into a good dispenser with high concentration alcohol/vinegar to dissolve it.

And that stuff still sucks ass because it's just as likely to hit you as hit them when not gelled.
>>
>>4193074
I never knew that the Vorts, alien dogs, tentacle traps and maybe the big brain dudes have face covers for their eyes.
You know, because i asked for the purpose of using against the Vorts. Which have big eyes. and the dogs are probably too dumb to close their eyes.

So your telling me the ailens wear face masks, or are you talking about the marines? because I'm talking about the aliens. And I don't mean by mexicans.
>>
>>4193097
At best, houndeyes. I really don't think even with Vorts it'd be a good idea.

They have more concern with the soldiers who are more liable to do a sweep of the living quarters.

If any creatures teleport in, it's more likely they'll be dealing with a headcrab.
>>
>>4193100
I suppose. The super soaker idea was for the two scientists we left behind in case they ran out of bullets.
>>
>>4193105
You've got some creative ideas, but I think at the moment we just don't have the time, resources, or knowledge to improvise a pepper-spray gun.
>>
>>4192815
>Plug the CIA dongle into the security systems, giving access. (Will take around 20 minutes, you are running on a time limit, it's currently 7:40.)
And while we wait for the dongle,
>Get the vortigaunt collars off. (Roll 3d6, every 5 points amounts to ten minutes spent trying to figure it out.)
>>
>>4192820
>>4192838
>>4192925
>>4192947
>>4193379
An effective pepper spray would need to sit for a night. You have a supply drop coming at 10, so that'll give you incapacitation tools anyway.

You fish another one of the expensive CIA dongles out of your pocket before you head back to the security computers, You pull wires to the side and search out a compatible port before you click it on, and then plug it in. A few hundred miles away, a group of specialists is alerted, and start surveying the system, setting advanced software to work.

You return to the hallway, with the two unconscious vortigaunts still on the ground. You try to remember what Dr. Vance's instructions were, and replicate them on the fleshy organic collars the vortigaunts are wearing, pressing down on certain areas.

Roll 3d6.
>>
Rolled 3, 4, 2 = 9 (3d6)

>>4193416
>>
Rolled 3, 2, 3 = 8 (3d6)

>>4193416
So we have to roll low this time?
>>
>>4193478
>>4193485
Yes, low rolls are good.
>>
File: kwsss2diopa31.png (1.2 MB, 1199x800)
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Rolled 5, 6, 5 = 16 (3d6)

>>4193416
TIME TO FINALLY ROLL HIGH
>>
File: cleanergaunt.png (263 KB, 247x385)
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>>4193478
>>4193485
>>4193538
>11

After about six minutes, the first vortigaunt collar slips away like a dead snake cut away from the neck of a would be victim. With a bit more confidence, having felt the workings of the small, likely parasitic organisms, you manage to get the second one removed in only four minutes, leaving you plenty of time to communicate with the creatures.

>Focus on the vortigaunt, and bring to mind what the xen controller showed you. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on an 11.)
>Focus on the vortigaunt, and bring to mind the voices that the other vortigaunt showed you. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on an 10.)
>Focus on the vortigaunt, and bring to mind the image you saw this morning. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on an 11.)
>Try and think about the synthetic army you saw before the resonance cascade. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on an 11.)
>Try and show it the neural map of the migraine. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on an 11.)
>Try and communicate the person you're looking for. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on an 10.)
>Try and show it the man you saw standing over Azian. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 12.)
>Try and show it Dr. Vances family. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on an 11.)
>>
>>4193566
>Try and show it the neural map of the migraine. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on an 11.)
It would be nice to know what we feel it
>>
>>4193566
>>Try and think about the synthetic army you saw before the resonance cascade. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on an 11.)
>>
>>4193566
>Try and communicate the person you're looking for. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on an 10.)
Surely she’s encountered at least one vort.
>>
>>4193628
F. I want I tie breaker so I'll support this. I still want to learn more about the migraines later.
>>
>>4193608
>>4193618
>>4193628
>>4193661

I forgot to mention, since there are two vortigaunts here, you will get two attempts. You can choose to reuse it if you fail this roll, or move to something else.

You focus on the thought of the agent. The little you know about her, her possessions, her occupation, the descriptions of her facial features, her room, all meld into an abstract idea that you conceive in the presence of the vortiguant. You feel the migraine kicking, attempting to suppress the knowledge, and you push against it. Something is trying to reach through to you on the other side, you can feel it.

Roll 3d6+1.
>>
Rolled 5, 6, 3 + 1 = 15 (3d6 + 1)

>>4193672
>>
Rolled 2, 2, 3 + 1 = 8 (3d6 + 1)

>>4193672
Then I'm sticking to my migraine query for the second vortigaunt so we may gain more insight and a better understanding of our ability. For now, it's time to look for the other agent.
>>
Rolled 5, 6, 2 + 1 = 14 (3d6 + 1)

>>4193672
rolling bones
>>
>>4193680
>>4193683
>>4193687
You focus, pushing harder and harder against the migraine, sneaking by its ever present hammering and seeing through the building of red in your eyes. You struggle through the migraine, until you just manage to duck into a strange network of the mind. The red is washed away by green, crackling power lines that bring you to a dying creature.

This one's breathing is labored, a bullet wound has punctured through its chest. This one is dead. Blood seeps into its internal organs as it watches its killer rummage. A door is open, entering into a room labeled "Dr. Langley, Orbital Mapping." The feminine figure pulls open metal drawers, scanning for the information of interest. The Freeman has been given a mission that peaks her curiosity. Why the Freeman requires the rocket, this one's killer does not know, but she would be unwise to not investigate.


Suddenly, something gives way. The migraine floods into the tunnels, tearing you back to reality where you take a deep gasp of air, before patting down your chest for bullet wounds.

Orbital Mapping, that would mean satellites designed to take readings from space. The robotics lab is semi-intertwined with the rocketry labs, making unmanned satellites as joint projects. The woman you're looking for must be in there if she's investigating a satellite.

>Focus on the vortigaunt, and bring to mind what the xen controller showed you. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on an 11.)
>Focus on the vortigaunt, and bring to mind the voices that the other vortigaunt showed you. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on an 10.)
>Focus on the vortigaunt, and bring to mind the image you saw this morning. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on an 11.)
>Try and think about the synthetic army you saw before the resonance cascade. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on an 11.)
>Try and show it the neural map of the migraine. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on an 11.)
>Try and show it the man you saw standing over Azian. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 12.)
>Try and show it Dr. Vances family. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on an 11.)
>>
>>4193712
>Try and show it the neural map of the migraine. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on an 11.)
>>
>>4193716
This
>>
>>4193712
>>Try and show it the neural map of the migraine. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on an 11.)
>>
>>4193712
>Try and show it the neural map of the migraine. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on an 11.)
So what exactly happens with these vorts when we’re done? Do we just leave them here? I ask because there’s military really close by and I’m worried they’ll get shot.
>>
>>4193716
>>4193787
>>4193789
>>4193794
If you want, you could bring them on the tram.

With a second vortigaunt present, you attempt to give it another glimpse into your mind. You focus on the image developed by Dr. Guttman and Dr. Brodmann. The image of your brain on display, you visualize the anomaly of neural activity. The migraine despises this very thought. You hear the computerized screeching, the source of the migraine itself coming to intervene, before you feel something pushing through the migraine with full force. You attempt to latch on to it, like a branch on the edge of the cliff.

Roll 3d6+1.
>>
Rolled 3, 3, 4 = 10 (3d6)

>>4193805
>>
Rolled 6, 6, 4 + 1 = 17 (3d6 + 1)

>>4193805
ya tell us now we can bring them. Okay sure. Lets do it. Whatever happened to the ones we left behind? I sorta assumed the ones that lives we brought with or at least stuffed in some dark corner out of line of sight.

>>4193794
I was wondering the same thing
>>
Rolled 4, 3, 1 + 1 = 9 (3d6 + 1)

>>4193805
>>
>>4193808
>>4193809
>>4193815
yus! averaged out to 12.
>>
>>4193809
You didn't really have any way to bring them long distances earlier, now you do. Don't worry vortigaunts can handle themselves. Also nice roll, you single handedly carried.
>>4193808
>>4193815


You hold dearly onto the the second presence as it forces you through the migraine. The screeching gets louder, and you lose control of your own body as the migraine clamps down onto your brain stem. Even as your body begins to spasm and shudder, you remain focused as you push through the migraine. The migraine hammers harder and harder against your skull as the red builds around your eyes, then, out of nowhere, your vision goes black.

Everything is dark. Your submerged, underwater? Somewhere distant, an alarm blares in tune with the pulsing of the migraine. Muffled voices work to fix it, causing the migraine to grow louder. Something is attached to your face, and something else is dug into your skin like needles. You feel something tingling inside your neck. The feeling bores up to your brain stem.

Something else is jammed into your head, just where the migraine is. The migraine hates it, but has no idea what it really is.

>Feel the area around you.
>Feel your body.
>Call for someone.
>Feel the side of your head.
>Try and listen to the muffled voices.
>Focus on the tingling in your neck.
>>
>>4193854
>Focus on the tingling in your neck.
>>
>>4193854
>>Focus on the tingling in your neck.
>>
>>4193860
>>4193909
The tingling in your neck, like pins and needles, is slowly building. It's akin to the feeling of blood rushing back into your body, as though you were cut off. Slowly, its beginning to drip back in, data. Bytes of data start entering through your brain stem, growing more and more. Its slowly flooding over your consciousness, like rising water. It grows harder to focus with every second.

The data is on topics you've never heard of before, "Overwatch," the actions of synthetic men fighting for nihilistic gods after the destruction of their own free will, "Lambda Resistance," intellectuals huddled into the corners of the world, putting their heads together to survive another day, "Conscripts," soldiers out of time fighting because its the only thing they have left to do in this world. They pass through as more of your mind is taken up by the subconscious processing.

You start muttering something, against your own free will.

>Feel the area around you. (Roll 3d6+1, Pass on a 6)
>Feel your body. (Roll 3d6+1, Pass on a 6)
>Call for someone. (Roll 3d6+1, Pass on a 6)
>Feel the side of your head. (Roll 3d6+1, Pass on a 6)
>Try and listen to the muffled voices.(Roll 3d6+1, Pass on a 6)
>What are you saying? (Roll 3d6+1, Pass on a 6)
>>
>>4193989
>Try and listen to the muffled voices.(Roll 3d6+1, Pass on a 6)
>Everything is dark. Your submerged, underwater? Somewhere distant, an alarm blares in tune with the pulsing of the migraine. Muffled voices work to fix it, causing the migraine to grow louder. Something is attached to your face, and something else is dug into your skin like needles. You feel something tingling inside your neck. The feeling bores up to your brain stem.
Pretty sure we're unconscious and spamming again. Either the Military or our agent friends have found us but unfortunately tripped the alarms we oh so carefully tried to avoid. They're talking among themselves and the removed the face mask to place some sort of oxygen/gas mask on. I think a needle injection was also involved.
>>
>>4193989
>>What are you saying? (Roll 3d6+1, Pass on a 6)
>>
File: Spoiler Image (198 KB, 300x552)
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https://www.shacknews.com/article/117513/rick-may-voice-of-team-fortress-2s-soldier-passes-away-from-covid-19
“You were good, son, real good. Maybe even the best.”
https://youtu.be/kbdtBLD8Lbg
>>
>>4193989
>Feel the side of your head. (Roll 3d6+1, Pass on a 6)
>>
>>4194070
oh fuck. of all the people to die, he shouldn't had been one of them.
>>
Rolled 6, 1, 3 + 1 = 11 (3d6 + 1)

>>4194070
rolling to pay respects
>>
File: freeman.png (956 KB, 1280x913)
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Rolled 3 (1d3)

>>4193995
>>4194037
>>4194072
>>4194070
>>
>>4193995
>>4194037
>>4194072
You feel the side of your head, rubbing against it, trying to make out the details. Where you expect to find flesh, hair, and skull, you find a chunk of metal just where the migraine pulses and rages. There's something else attached, that the migraine is trying to amputate and cauterize. You try to feel it as the data frays the edges of your mind.

Roll 3d6+1
>>
Rolled 2, 1, 4 + 1 = 8 (3d6 + 1)

Feel the side of your head it is then
>>
Rolled 1, 2, 6 + 1 = 10 (3d6 + 1)

>>4194113
>>
Rolled 5, 5, 4 = 14 (3d6)

>>4194113
>>
>>4194113
Oh fuck are we a robot? Dope. I'm liking this development. Even if someone rolls all 1's to get a-

>>4194120
oh never mind. 10.6 is better than 7.6. Nicely done anon.
>>
>>4194115
>>4194117
>>4194120
You find the foreign body, a small little dongle has attached itself to the circuitry that has been nailed into your head. An interloper wormed it into the computer ports surgically attached to your skull. Without removing the small parasite that attaches to your skull like a leech, you feel its form. It's small, transmitting and receiving off to an unknown sponsor. Its minimalist design signfies that it was never meant to be seen. You can barely feel it against your own skull, the migraine can barely separate it from the rest of the wiring that has snaked into your brain, but its there, left over from an old world. A small engraving sits on the side, a number unidentifiable to all except for you.

The small dongle latched onto your skull and transmitting off to places unknown is one of the very same devices you use to hack Black Mesa terminals.


>Feel the area around you. (Roll 3d6+1, Pass on a 12)
>Feel your body. (Roll 3d6+1, Pass on a 12)
>Call for someone. (Roll 3d6+1, Pass on a 12)
>Where is it going? (Roll 3d6+1, Pass on a 12)
>Try and listen to the muffled voices.(Roll 3d6+1, Pass on a 12)
>What are you saying? (Roll 3d6+1, Pass on a 12)
>>
>>4194143
I realize I'm being a bit to vague.

change
>Where is it going? (Roll 3d6+1, Pass on a 12)
to
>Where is it transmitting? (Roll 3d6+1, Pass on a 12)
>>
>>4194143
>>Where is it going? (Roll 3d6+1, Pass on a 12)
>>
>>4194143
>Feel your body. (Roll 3d6+1, Pass on a 12)
Can we move? We need to know what's going on so we can murder a bitch.
>>
>>4194143
>Where is it transmitting? (Roll 3d6+1, Pass on a 12)
I really want to yank the dongle out. But that could be really bad.
>>
>>4194157
>nailed into your head
>surgically attached to your skull
>the rest of the wiring that has snaked into your brain
I'm under the impression that doing so might be a very. very. very bad idea, to pull it out.

So it looks like we're all putting off kicking some motherfuckers ass in favor for using our brain, so for the sake of speeding this up and prolonging their extraction of whatever is in our head, I'll support this.

>>4194145
>Where is it transmitting? (Roll 3d6+1, Pass on a 12)
>>
>>4194146
>>4194152
>>4194157
>>4194167
You try and focus on the key hole of data in your head, where the flood of information seems to slip away as it gets close. Right around the machine, lucidity stubbornly holds on. You focus on it, trying to see the other side of your vision becomes fuzzy, and your head full of static.

Roll 3d6+1
>>
Rolled 5, 5, 4 + 1 = 15 (3d6 + 1)

fingers crossed this is a success
really wanted to punch too
>>
Rolled 6, 5, 3 + 1 = 15 (3d6 + 1)

>>4194184
>>
>>4194186
>>4194187
Huzzah! Even if the third guy miraculously rolls all 1's +1, it'd be 11.33 which is, I think rounded up and still a success. RNG smiles upon us.
>>
Rolled 1, 5, 5 + 1 = 12 (3d6 + 1)

>>4194184
>>
>>4194186
>>4194203
>>4194187
The data transmits nowhere. The Central Intelligence Agency has long been suffocated into dissolution by the actors of your benefactors. The transmissions travel across the earth to dead bases, purged by Overwatch. The nearest receiver a jet black nuclear submarine, forced into hiding too long until its crew found themselves deprived of oxygen. It still runs, holding a vast secret.

Human minds, those who were lost to the unending flood of information pouring into the brainstem are stored aboard the dead undersea craft.

As well, you begin to realize that the dongle is tuned to frequencies beyond. The thoughts of creatures passing by slip through your head. Because the network you have tuned in to does not care for then and now, it has become coterminus with you. You have heard its voice since the Freeman shattered the walls between realms.

The data is drowning you. The key hole of lucidity is growing smaller and smaller.

>Feel the area around you. (Roll 3d6+1, Pass on an 18)
>Feel your body. (Roll 3d6+1, Pass on an 18)
>Call for someone. (Roll 3d6+1, Pass on an 18)
>Try and listen to the muffled voices.(Roll 3d6+1, Pass on an 18)
>What are you saying? (Roll 3d6+1, Pass on an 18)
>>
>>4194250
punch it in it's abstract coochi!
>>
>>4194250
>Try and listen to the muffled voices.(Roll 3d6+1, Pass on an 18)
This is probably going to fail. But no biggie, that just means it's time to Wake up, Ms. Oppenheimer. Wake up and smell the ashes.
>>
>>4194250
>>Call for someone. (Roll 3d6+1, Pass on an 18)
>But nobody came
>>
>>4194250
No one wants to go for the impossibility of punching abstract coochi? shame. Changing vote to this then.
>Call for someone. (Roll 3d6+1, Pass on an 18)
I mean. Could you image if we succeed in punching something?
>>
>>4194258
>>4194270
I'd be down for that though
>>
When does the newfags balls drop? asking for a friend
>>
>>4194261
>>4194264
>>4194270
You try to shout, pushing against the flood of terrabytes of information sizzling against your brain. Your body is starting to go numb again.

Roll 3d6+1.
>>
Rolled 3, 5, 2 = 10 (3d6)

>>4194296
>>
Rolled 4, 4, 3 + 1 = 12 (3d6 + 1)

>>4194291
well shit. Wish I changed my vote earlier. Well here's hoping for psychic chooti that hasn't been punched yet.

>>4194298
well darn. we tried.
>>
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>>4194295
I'm trying my best man.
>>
Rolled 6, 5, 5 + 1 = 17 (3d6 + 1)

>>4194296
>>
By the way, why do we roll 3d6? Can't we roll a one d18? Is it to give us some kind of minimum outcome?
>>
>>4194298
>>4194300
>>4194305
>13 average
at least we tried. I wonder what comes next.
>>
>>4194301
Don't worry, you are the most endearing newfag in the thread
>>
>>4194298
>>4194300
>>4194305
>>4194309
3d6 follows more of a bell curve shape when it comes to probability. It makes the dice less volatile.

Your lips fail to move to your command. Your subconscious takes over the last little chunk of your mind as you try to think of a way out, leaving you still, submerged, with the only little piece of you left through the keyhole wormed into your skull.

The hook you grabbed onto earlier, the mental hand that pulled you away to show you this lets go. The migraine plunges you back through reality and into the black mesa security checkpoint. Your body stops spasming, and you take a massive gasp of air. The two vortigaunts stand over you, uncomfortably close, running their talons over your body as green pulsates from their palms.

>Feel your body, you're still totally human right?
>Shit, how long has it been?
>The vortigaunts do that green thing when they're about to shock you, pull a weapon!
>Crawl away from the vortigaunts.
>Take a rest, just breathe freely for a few minutes. When you're done, see if the vorts will help you up.
>>
>>4194318
>Take a rest, just breathe freely for a few minutes. When you're done, see if the vorts will help you up.
>>
>>4194318
>>Feel your body, you're still totally human right?
Ah fuck, if we lost our sidequest messing with the migraine i'm gonna be pissed
>>
>>4194318
>Feel your body, you're still totally human right?
>Take a rest, just breathe freely for a few minutes. When you're done, see if the vorts will help you up.
It's a long shot and they probably don't know English, but ask them what happened.

>The vortigaunts do that green thing when they're about to shock you, pull a weapon!
We can honestly toss that out. If they really wanted to kill us we'd be long dead.
>>
>>4194318
>Feel your body, you're still totally human right?
>>
I hope we get to armor up the Vorts with the armor the Grunt was wearing, some of the Black Mesa Security guard armor or maybe the powered vests. We the A team now.
>>
>>4194318
>Take a rest, just breathe freely for a few minutes. When you're done, see if the vorts will help you up.
Oh fuck, are they gonna turn us into a Combine? Maybe a Combine Assassin?
>>
I feel taking the average of three rolls or just taking the first roll isn't the best roll system.
>>
>>4194352
Do you really think that's gonna happen? I figured more prosthetics would be involved.
>>
>>4194321
>>4194323
>>4194324
>>4194326
>>4194352

Quickly, you pat yourself down. You pull the balaclava off your face, knocking the optics to your forehead. Your hair fans out on the ground, no longer restrained by the mask. You run your hands across your body, even sliding them under your light PCV to feel the flesh under your fatigues, even the old scars in some places, confirming you are still human. Shakily, your left hand moves to the where the migraine still pulses, lighter than a few minutes ago.

You sigh in relief when you feel nothing but hair, skin, bone, and cartilage.

You lay there, feeling the rising and falling of your chest. You rest your forearm across your head as you stare up to the cieling, confused as to what the hell you just saw. You decide to put it aside for a moment. If you are going insane, you'll need to set it back. You have a job to do.

If you aren't going crazy, maybe you should somehow get a talk with this Dr. Freeman. It seems he's somehow involved. The migraine kicks at the thought.

The vortigaunts big, red eyes hover over you, their teeth pushing out of their strange cylindrical mouth. It pulls back, curious as to your presence. It speaks to its brother in its alien language. Every utterance comes with a kick from the migraine.

You hold out a hand, hoping for one of the creatures to help you up. They both investigate your hand, then one clasps it with glowing palms. The small current simply tingles, and you pull yourself up.

It's seven fifty nine PM. The dongle should be done by now. You have a decently long tram ride ahead of you.

You now have 45/50 cloak power.

>Attempt to make the armor left over by the marine fit on one of the vorts. You'd have to work around their small central arms. You're also not really sure how a PCV works. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 13, PCV breaks below an 11. This can be done on the tram.)
>Attempt to formulate some form of communication with you and the vorts, preferably hand based. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 10. Can be done on the tram.)
>If your not going insane, you should start writing down your "visions." Grab a pen and paper from the office and take notes on the tram.
>Try and call your handler on the tram, to ask about Freeman, CIA dongles, submarines, or any of the things racing through your mind.
>Call Eli and Guttman on the tram, check if they're safe, ask questions, etc.
>>
>>4194402
>>Attempt to formulate some form of communication with you and the vorts, preferably hand based. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 10. Can be done on the tram.)
Damn, they can charge our suit?
>>
>>4194402
>Attempt to make the armor left over by the marine fit on one of the vorts. You'd have to work around their small central arms. You're also not really sure how a PCV works. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 13, PCV breaks below an 11. This can be done on the tram.)
>Attempt to formulate some form of communication with you and the vorts, preferably hand based. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 10. Can be done on the tram.)
Can we harvest more hive hands off the two grunts for the vorts?
>>
>>4194405
they can shoot electricity from their bodies and do space magic. Is it such a surprise?

>>4194402
Should we say sorry about killing their friend?
>>
>>4194402
>>Attempt to make the armor left over by the marine fit on one of the vorts. You'd have to work around their small central arms. You're also not really sure how a PCV works. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 13, PCV breaks below an 11. This can be done on the tram.)
>>Attempt to formulate some form of communication with you and the vorts, preferably hand based. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 10. Can be done on the tram.)
>>If your not going insane, you should start writing down your "visions." Grab a pen and paper from the office and take notes on the tram.
>>Try and call your handler on the tram, to ask about Freeman, CIA dongles, submarines, or any of the things racing through your mind.
>>Call Eli and Guttman on the tram, check if they're safe, ask questions, etc.

I WANT IT ALL
>>
>>4194407
Guttman is the one who knows how. And I'm pretty sure electricity hurts worse than bees.
>>4194408
After getting shocked who know how many times it kinda is.
And why should we assume they were friends, just because they are all slaves and look the same doesn't mean they actually know eachother.
>>
>>4194412
THIS IS WE CAN AFFORD TO
FROM TOP TOO DESCENDING ORDER
ALSO HIVE HANDS
SHOW THEM THE HIVE HANDS TO SEE IF THEY CAN TAKE THEM

>>4194413
They were able to shoot lightning at us that one time without shooting their own guy. Considering this comes naturally to them there may be a chance that they might not have to shock the hivehands.
>>
>>4194402
>Attempt to formulate some form of communication with you and the vorts, preferably hand based. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 10. Can be done on the tram.)
>>
>>4194412
>>4194415
The train ride isn't that long unfortunately. https://youtu.be/DRqLquSKVhU
>>
>>4194418
What about everything minus trying to put armor on them?
>>
>>4194418
In semi-unrelated topic: what's the chance of a triage at dawn remix in HL3
>>
>>4194418
Armor then Tram ride conversation
and looting the body of that one security officer
>>
>>4194418
if we fail to apply the PCV to the Vorts, then can we just slap the security guard vests on them?
>>
>>4194422
If it's allowed, I'll support this.
>>
>>4194405
>>4194407
>>4194412
>>4194417
>>4194422
>>4194423
>>4194660
You have enough time for communication and something else.
When you check the security guards, you also find a tubes worth of buckshot on one of them.
(You now have 8+6 Spas 12 ammo.)
You strip some of the armor from the marines and security guards before you usher the vortigaunts onto the tram, then lug the machine gun after them. As the tram lurches forward, you examine the vortigaunts. If you are gonna be able to bring them with you, you'll need a cursory communication. You're unsure how intelligent they really are, and don't want to simply hope they understand the concept of stealth.

As the vortigaunts watch, you attempt to show them your hand gestures as you mentally picture a person performing certain actions.

Roll 3d6+1.
>>
Rolled 5, 3, 4 + 1 = 13 (3d6 + 1)

>>4194883
bones
>>
Rolled 4, 5, 5 + 1 = 15 (3d6 + 1)

>>4194883
Would the +2 training bonus be applied?
>>
>>4194890
Which bonus are you referring to? I'm sorry if I'm forgetting something.
>>
>>4194883
https://youtu.be/VtI5HM7GVGY
Is this a test to put the armor on the Vortigaunts or for the communication? From these rolls it seems there's only a small chance of failure if some rolls 1,1,1+1. Some how.
>>
>>4194893
>(Your health is 89/100, your armor is 50/50, cloak charge is 50/50. You now have a silenced pistol with 12+1 mag ammo. You also have a +2 to shooting, physical training, and stealth.)
Found it. I guess physical training cant be applied to butchering armorvso it fits on an alien.
>>
>>4194895
>>4194896
This roll is for the communication. And the armor roll would fall more under the science/engineering stat.
>>
>>4194897
For which we have none. I pray that the agent has some skill with technical equipment, or had the curtisy of not killing off the scientists.
>>
>>4194888
>>4194890
You do already know the agent worked as a mechanic in an advanced robotics lab, if you'd like, you can wait to meet up with her, and employ her skills.

Despite the migraines kicking, the vortigaunts are receptive to hand signals. The alien creatures quickly learn the concepts communicated with simple human hand gestures. A motion downward quickly has them coveing behind the seats, or going prone. A waving motion towards you has them follow, and a hand held up has them stop. Its a far cry from true language, but it'll be incredibly helpful in getting them around without injury and detection.

You still do have a good few minutes before the tram arrives. You look outside for a minute, seeing leftover carnage of the fighting between aliens and marines. In some, groups of marines still stand, wounded but holding, in others, the aliens stand over their corpses, patrolling the area.

>Attempt to make the armor left over by the marine fit on one of the vorts. You'd have to work around their small central arms. You're also not really sure how a PCV works. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 13, PCV breaks below an 11.)
>If your not going insane, you should start writing down your "visions." Grab a pen and paper from the office and take notes on the tram.
>Try and call your handler on the tram, to ask about Freeman, CIA dongles, submarines, or any of the things racing through your mind.
>Call Eli and Guttman on the tram, check if they're safe, ask questions, etc.
>>
>>4194954
Then I guess we can save the armor making for later
>call the infirmary
>>
>>4194993
You tune your small but powerful radio to the frequency used by the guards in the infirmary, disabling the encryption. You'll need to be careful making these calls, you don't know who could be listening in. "Hello?" You hear a male voice ask. "Who is this?"

"A security gaurd, Gabriella Oppenheimer, I left the infirmary earlier to help Dr. Vance find his family. Could you find Dr. Kleiner for me?"


"Hold on a minute." He responds. You hear the voice pull away from the microphone, talking with a few others. You can't make out the words through the low quality transmission of the black mesa radios. "Before I hand you over to anyone," the voice says on return. "You have no idea where we are."

You hear the radio being passed around, before you hear Dr. Kleiners voice. "Ahh, hello Gabby, may I ask how the search for Eli's family has gone?"

"Not well Dr. Kleiner." You respond. "Azian had passed when we found Alyx." You decide not to give up details of the extraction, for fear of blowing its secrecy.

"Oh dear..." Dr. Kleiner exclaims."Is Eli fairing alright?"

"He's managing." You respond.

"Please do relay my condolences." Kleiner says.

>Ask about his experiments with the vortigaunt.
>Ask about the conditions of where he is staying.
>Ask about his safety.
>Ask if it will be possible to get him out.
>Ask about Dr. Breen.
>Ask about Dr. Freeman.
>>
>>4195035
>Ask about his experiments with the vortigaunt and the big brain guy
Do they need anything?
>>
>>4195035
Reminder anything we ask is being monitored.
>Ask about Dr. Freeman.
>Ask about his experiments with the vortigaunt. (coded language)
>>Ask about his safety. (make the claim you've seen marines gun down civilians and they're starting breach operations. Has to be some nasty chemical/traps they can buy time with)
>>
>>4195042
Supporting
>>
>>4195035
>Ask about Dr. Freeman.
>>
>>4195037
>>4195042
>>4195089
>>4195090

"Before I relay anything Dr. Kleiner, are you safe. I've seen soldiers gunning down civilians, and breaching labs. Do you have any protection?"

"Oh yes, I've heard of the military's drastic containment plan. Horrible thing, but I assure you our doors are adequately sealed. We will have adequate warning for evacuation if the military attempts to enter."

"Good," You say, " But don't let yourself feel too safe Dr. Kleiner. Have an exit plan. How has your studies on..." you take a moment to create a code word for vortigaunts that Kleiner might understand, "the cyclopean subject gone?"

"Well, just fascinating! Dr. Brodmann and I have made an incredibly interesting discovery." He exclaims excitedly. "You see, we found during an intelligence test that the creature hadn't just been able to discern assumptions from evidence, but discern conclusions from factors not previously observed!"

"What do you mean?" You ask.

"It appears the creature has developed some form of premonition. In laymans terms, the specimen you brought back can see the future."

"So, like a psychic?" You ask.

"Well I wouldn't make that connection just yet. It's clear that humanity has much to learn of such creatures," He states. "To assume the supernatural would be a folly."

"Okay..." You respond. "So, I had some questions about Dr. Freeman. I've heard he was at ground zero."

"Ah yes, Dr. Freeman was in the labs when the Resonance Cascade occurred." You really wish he wouldn't be so careless with information, but have no easy way to communicate that without hinting things about yourself. "He had been directly inside the anti-mass spectrometer when the test was being done. Dr. Freeman's one of the younger scientists at Black Mesa, so physical tasks often fall upon him during testing."

>Did you see Dr. Freeman in the test chamber? Did he do anything strange with the equipment?
>Does Dr. Freeman have combat training?
>Do you have any idea where Dr. Freeman might be?
>Do you know anything of Dr. Freeman's history, where and what he studied, etc? (Leaving out the subtext, "Could he have been a fellow spy?")
>Does Dr. Freeman have any acquaintances?
>>
>>4195104
>Do you know anything of Dr. Freeman's history, where and what he studied, etc? (Leaving out the subtext, "Could he have been a fellow spy?")
>>
>>4195104
>Does Dr. Freeman have combat training?
>Do you know anything of Dr. Freeman's history, where and what he studied, etc? (Leaving out the subtext, "Could he have been a fellow spy?")
>>
>>4195104
>Does Dr. Freeman have combat training?
>Do you know anything of Dr. Freeman's history, where and what he studied, etc? (Leaving out the subtext, "Could he have been a fellow spy?")
>>
Lets teach the Vortigants how to play poker later
>>
>>4195142
Gonna be fun seeing them grab a jumping headcrab and start eating it
>>
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>>4195107
>>4195139
>>4195141
"Does Dr. Freeman have any combat training you know of, Dr. Kleiner?" You ask.

"Well, the hazard suit training does feature some basic firearms practice." He says. "But I doubt it would match your or a marine's training. I'm not even sure why they include it."

"Well, does Freeman have any family, dependents, close friends?" You ask. Its a common sign that someone is a spy, or under witness protection. The CIA doesn't pick people with close friends and family, and doesn't keep people who grow attached.

"Well, I believe he is a friend of a security guard, Mr. Calhoun I believe. I've also seen a picture of an infant in his locker." Kleiner explains.

"Well, where did he study? Did you ever see his PHD?" You ask.

"Of course I have! I was an educator of his at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology! He's always had a fascination with teleportation, much like myself. He wrote his thesis on on the "Observation of Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Entanglement on Supraquantum Structures by Induction Through Nonlinear Transuranic Crystal of Extremely Long Wavelength Pulse from Mode-Locked Source Array"

You're sure those words mean something very important, but you have no idea what they mean, and probably don't have the time to learn.

"Well, have you ever seen him recording things in private? Snooping on others?" You ask.

"Well, he's a scientist. He takes his notes like any of us." Kleiner says.

Either Kleiner is covering for Freeman, or he isn't a spy.

The tram pulls up at the entrance to the robotics lab. An autonomous security camera tracks your masked face as you pull in.

You could bring the vortigaunts with you, providing a bit of extra firepower, but limiting your ability to sneak around, or you could leave them behind to guard the tram. It will be less jarring on your target, and give you more options for sneaking around. It might also prevent anything from nesting in the tram.

>Have the vortigaunts guard the tram.
>Have the vortigaunts come with you.
>>
>>4195186
>Have the vortigaunts guard the tram.
Give them the hive hand and shotgun. The hivehand should be something they already know, and we could run them through the basics of how to use a shotgun.

Wave to the camera?
>>
>>4195186
>Have the vortigaunts guard the tram.
>>4195188
I mean, they already have lightning which gets more powerful if they hit in succession. I’m not sure making them use new weapons is necessary or even beneficial.
>>
>>4195186
>Have the vortigaunts guard the tram.
They don’t need weapons.
>>
>>4195186
>>Have the vortigaunts guard the tram.
Teach them what a grenade is, and how to avoid it or throw it back
>>
>>4195188
>>4195200
>>4195213
>>4195220

Even though you heard from Kleiner that the vortigaunts have a premonition, you decide to take a moment for caution, showing them a grenade, and visually instructing them how to properly take cover from one.

Instruct them not to follow, and head in. You input the access codes for the robotics lab, looking up towards the camera and waving for your own amusement. Through the other side of the door you can hear some form of alarm sounding. Inside, a lobby features a few rather lighthearted pictures of the old marvels of science fiction robotics that inspired many of the engineers in Black Mesa.

It would appear the military has already been here, and passed through. Bodies feature bullet wounds, and hallways are filled with spent cartridges. None of the bodies look like your target. You can still hear distant gunshots however.

A map of the facility shows the labs, the proving grounds, prototyping facilities, and on the other side of the area, the area where the rocketry labs share offices with robotics. The quickest way to the offices would be to cut through the proving ground, where you can hear gunshots.

That blaring alarm suddenly shouts with a mechanical sounding voice, "Warning! Unauthorized software upload in various prototypes at 5:36 PM. Please wipe drives."

>Try to get the lobby computer working, you might be able to access security feeds from there. (Roll 3d6, pass on a 12, the system will notice you below an 8.)
>Head through the proving grounds, you are running on a time limit. (It's currently 8:21 PM.)
>Loop around through the prototyping facilities. (Will add an extra thirty minutes.)
>>
>>4195265
>Head through the proving grounds, you are running on a time limit. (It's currently 8:21 PM.)
>>
>>4195265
>Head through the proving grounds, you are running on a time limit. (It's currently 8:21 PM.)
>>
>>4195265
Get the security feeds.
It'll help us locate our target

Unless no chance they're here. In which case get running
>>
>>4195265
>Head through the proving grounds, you are running on a time limit. (It's currently 8:21 PM.)
>>
>>4195265
>Head through the proving grounds, you are running on a time limit. (It's currently 8:21 PM.)
Oh boy, this should be exciting.
>>
>>4195265
>Head through the proving grounds, you are running on a time limit. (It's currently 8:21 PM.)
But don’t immediately rush in. Take time to listen and plan.
>>
>>4195270
>>4195273
>>4195281
>>4195279
>>4195386

You vigilantly make your way through corridors of prototypes in storage. From the other side of the glass, you can see the majority of them feature weapons, all of which track you as you pass by. The gunshots get louder and louder, and the cacophony starts to include explosives.

You can hear the marines shouting, saying that "The anti armor's down!"

You move up some stairs to a viewing room. You duck down behind a desk as bullets fly from marines, and something you can't see.

Three marines are firing out of the window, one having discarded his grenade launcher, now just taking potshots with a submachine gun. A heavy machine gun is tearing apart the wall behind their cover. With the current angle of gunfire, you'd have to practically crawl under the marines feet to have cover as you passed the window. There is a doorway that will put you straight into the proving ground itself. It could allow you to bypass the entire hallway that wraps around the proving ground area, but of course that would mean putting you in the same room as the shooter.

>Try and get a glimpse of whatever it is shooting at the marines. (Roll 3d6+2, the shooter will notice you as well below a 10.)
>Get in a good position to attack behind the marines. (Roll 3d6+2, every point above an 11 will grant a +1 to first attack.)
>Try and pretend you're friendly, claim to be special forces sent as backup.(Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 12, after the roll you can retroactively choose to show CIA credentials to lower threshold to a 9.)
>Search for an alternate route around, like an air vent. (Roll 3d6, pass on a 13)
>Enter the proving ground area.
>>
>>4195400
>Try and get a glimpse of whatever it is shooting at the marines. (Roll 3d6+2, the shooter will notice you as well below a 10.)
If the shooter is friendly, my idea is to kite the marines via hiding in complete cover and shoot the bees. Those little bastards are heat seeking.
>>
>>4195400
>Try and pretend you're friendly, claim to be special forces sent as backup.(Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 12, after the roll you can retroactively choose to show CIA credentials to lower threshold to a 9.)
>>
>>4195400
>Try and get a glimpse of whatever it is shooting at the marines. (Roll 3d6+2, the shooter will notice you as well below a 10.)
Uh oh, sounds like our fellow Black Ops have begun the cleanup operation. We do NOT want to show ourselves to any more HECU, they will see our black suit any kill us on sight.
>>
>>4195415
I was going to say "actually we haven't given her the suit yet," but this is probably a different operative.
>>
Rolled 1, 6, 6 + 4 = 17 (3d6 + 4)

>>4195405
>>4195406
>>4195415
To give you a perspective of how long has passed since the black mesa incident, out of character, Dr. Freeman is currently midway through "On a Rail."

(The roll above is to determine the outcome of the battle between the marines and the other party. High numbers are good for marines, low numbers for the unknown party.

You try and reach your vision just around the corner, but it isn't enough, and you have to snake yourself over the table, just peeking your eyes around the corner. You can just make out the contours of some form of armored vehicle, but not painted in any military colors. You try to peak closer, hoping to see the turret, and maybe even an operator.

Roll 3d6+2.
>>
Rolled 6, 4, 3 + 2 = 15 (3d6 + 2)

>>4195450
>>
Rolled 6, 1, 4 + 2 = 13 (3d6 + 2)

>>4195450
>>
Rolled 6, 3, 6 + 2 = 17 (3d6 + 2)

>>4195450
>>
Rolled 2, 3, 5 + 4 = 14 (3d6 + 4)

>>4195452
>>4195470
>>4195476
You don't see an operator, because there is none. In form, the machine appears similar to a military vehicle with major modifications. The vehicles turret and body are outfitted with numerous cameras that scan its surroundings, tracking numerous targets at once. Its weaponry fires with inhuman accuracy.

While it either can't make it you out due to poor tracking cameras and low light, or it just doesn't care about you, you're able to get a close enough look to see the lettering along the side. "Black Mesa, Autonomous Infantry Fighting Vehicle, Prototype 9896"

The "prototype" appears to be a fully autonomous tank. That does mean it has no infantry support, which does leave it highly vulnerable to an attack you've only seen attempted by the fanatical followers of dictators or religions: sneaking up to it and climbing on top of it to deliver a grenade to its innards.

>Get in a good position to attack behind the marines. (Roll 3d6+2, every point above an 11 will grant a +1 to first attack.)
>Try and pretend you're friendly, claim to be special forces sent as backup.(Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 12, after the roll you can retroactively choose to show CIA credentials to lower threshold to a 9.)
>Search for an alternate route around, like an air vent. (Roll 3d6, pass on a 13)
>Enter the proving ground area.
>>
>>4195509
Grenade the Marines. I want to be friends with the guy that controls the big robot.
>>
Rolled 1, 1, 5 = 7 (3d6)

>>4195509
>Search for an alternate route around, like an air vent. (Roll 3d6, pass on a 13)
one that gets on top of the tank. I'd like them to think we're the anti-freeman
>>
>>4195509
>Search for an alternate route around, like an air vent. (Roll 3d6, pass on a 13)
>>
Rolled 5, 2, 6 = 13 (3d6)

>>4195509
>>Search for an alternate route around, like an air vent. (Roll 3d6, pass on a 13)
>>
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>>4195537
>>4195555
Wait until a roll is called for, niggies.
>>
>>4195537
>>4195538
>>4195555
>>4195562
So hear me out. What if we DONT destroy the mech and instead use it against the marines and aliens? That would be +1 death machine on our side.
>>
>>4195568
If you've got a plan to do that, I'm all ears. I don't think we're an AI or electronics expert.
>>
>>4195512
>>4195537
>>4195538
>>4195555
Keeping your distance from the marines and the incoming gunfire, you snoop around the area of the corridor you can still access, hoping for some kind of bypass.

Roll 3d6.
>>
Rolled 5, 3, 5 = 13 (3d6)

>>4195579
>>
Rolled 2, 2, 5 = 9 (3d6)

>>4195579
>>
Rolled 1, 6, 6 = 13 (3d6)

>>4195579
>>
>>4195577
There should be a console or sytem controlling the robot. That or it's either another operative or the Black Mesa staff fighting back. Why not just kill the marines?
>>
>>4195587
>>4195597
>>4195603
You sneak around, looking for an airvent, or bypassing hallway, but find nothing of interest. However, one by one the marines are being picked off by the machine gun. A twenty five millimeter round tears through the skull of the marine who had dropped his empty grenade launcher as you search. Two marines are still attempting to put some form of hole in the tank near you. '

>Get in a good position to attack behind the marines. (Roll 3d6+2, every point above an 11 will grant a +1 to first attack.)
>Try and pretend you're friendly, claim to be special forces sent as backup.(Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 12, after the roll you can retroactively choose to show CIA credentials to lower threshold to a 9.)
>Enter the proving ground area.
>>
>>4195638
>Get in a good position to attack behind the marines. (Roll 3d6+2, every point above an 11 will grant a +1 to first attack.)
GRENADE
Once the marines are sufficiently "dealt with," we can call out to see if anyone that's not a kill bot is part of the facility staff.
>>
>>4195638
>Get in a good position to attack behind the marines. (Roll 3d6+2, every point above an 11 will grant a +1 to first attack.)
>>
>>4195638
>Try and pretend you're friendly, claim to be special forces sent as backup.(Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 12, after the roll you can retroactively choose to show CIA credentials to lower threshold to a 9.)
>>
>>4195652
>>4195659
>>4195829
Gordon Freeman adds yet more people to his kill count.

That is until our old marines tell on us.
>>
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Selfie time
>>
>>4196134
This needs to be the next OP pic.

>>4196133
They'll never know so long as we kill these marines.
>>
>>4194352
Someone mentioned something about a Combine Assassin. You?
>>
>>4196158
Sweet fuckin' jesus
>>
>>4196172
I be thirsty for augmentations. Anyways, what should we do later about the premonitions of earlier? The submarines with the dead people with their consciousness in the machine, having the machine in the back of the head, the broad caster. What even? Should we show the vortigaunts?
>>
>>4196282
>what should we do later about the premonitions of earlier?
Well, considering that it involves the Combine we could ignore it for now if we wanted. They supposedly don’t show up until the Nihilanth’s forces (and Race X, if OpFor is canon to this timeline) are defeated, so it’s not like we can do anything about it right now anyway.
We could probably show the vortigaunts, though. They might have some info.
>>
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Hey guys, I’ve noticed that my writing quality’s decreased somewhat. I think I’m starting to suffer from burnout, so I’m gonna take a break for today, and catch up on some responsibilities of mine. The updates should return tomorrow.
>>
>>4196597
Thanks for the run, OP!
>>
>>4196597
This has been great, can't wait for more. Stay healthy out there.
>>
>>4196597
Understandable, take as much time as you need.
>>
>>4196597
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPSTvYB-gxs
>Dr. Coomer when
>>
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>>4196755
>>4196766
>>4196950

I want to leave a few thoughts I've been having about the quest up overnight, before I continue tomorrow, so I can hear if you guys have anything to say.

There's a pretty big problem with the combat system on my end, that kind of limits the creativity for encounters I can do with you guys. Every enemy at the moment requires about seven different lines of stats just for themselves. This means that complexity of combat scales hard as new weapons and enemies get added. It limits my ability to add things like secondary firing functions, different ammo types, and entirely new weapons, as well as make encounters grow exceedingly more clunky as they grow in size.

Would you guys object to making switching weapons into a sort of "half action? Basically what I'm thinking is, allow Gabby to swap weapons, and do any action that doesn't require both hands at the same time, IE, reach for an SMG with one hand, cook a grenade in the other. This means that since there will only be one of your weapons active at once, would slightly lessen combat versatility, while on the other hand drastically reduce the amount of stat-lines involved, which means I can give you guys more weapons and tools to add to the arsenal, and make combat encounters more interesting with more varied groups of enemies, as combat won't be as clunky to manage.

I wanna hear what you guys think before I try and change anything.

Also, what do you guys think of future thread subjects including a title in the style of the old Gearbox expansions? A little callback to OppFor and Blue Shift. Just something that sounds cool, like it could be related to both covert ops and science, to add on to the mouthful that is "Black Mesa Black Ops Quest." I was thinking maybe "Uncertainty Principle?" Or maybe something related to the fact that the main character is called "Oppenheimer," so ,maybe "Super Criticality?" Even just tell me if you think it's a stupid idea, and I should leave thread subjects as they are.

Is there anything you would like to see in the future?

>>4197366
So remember last thread, when you got high, and one of the options in the infirmary was to find someone to sleep with? Yeah, if you had chosen that option, the scientists you would have woken up with would have greeted you by saying "HELLO Gabby!"

>>4196134
There's sustenance currently going unharvested, the vortigaunts would never be so wasteful.

>>4196158
"Dear Dr. Breen. Why has the Combine seen fit to suppress our reproductive cycle? Sincerely, A Concerned Citizen."
>>
>>4197733
have you considered making a paste bin for general rules or a google docs to keep track of linear unchanging rules?

>Would you guys object to making switching weapons into a sort of "half action?
Sure. Let's give it a try.

>Also, what do you guys think of future thread subjects including a title in the style of the old Gearbox expansions?
Sounds fine by me. Just because we suggest you use something for the next title card doesn't mean you have too.

>Is there anything you would like to see in the future?
memes
>>
>>4197733
I'm willing to try the change, and it honestly makes sense.
I'd like to see Critical ranges introduced, personally. I've seen quests/systems similar to this, with the addition that if you reach a certain threshold, it's considered 'critically successful'. For example, "Roll 3d6+2, crit on 18+".
I'd also like to not take the average when it comes to out-of-combat stuff because taking the average is both lame and gay. I understand the apprehension at doing something like "best of 3" though...I do have an idea on an alternative for that, though:
What if instead of giving a +, gaining a stat in a certain action gives us another roll on it? So it's a best of one system normally, but if we have +1 to shooting, roll twice and take the best of the two rolls on a shooting roll. +2 to charm would roll three times and take the best of the three, etcetera.
Could even work in reverse in the situations where we're up shit creek without a paddle, rolling twice and taking the worst of the two results.
>>
>>4197733

>Is there anything you would like to see in the future?

Coomer, Bubby, and Tommy.
>>
>>4197765
I'm not really sure about that system, because it kind of just leads to the same apprehension I had about taking the best out of three, while also making it weirder. I'll try and work something out, or maybe even just return to best of 3 for non combat rolls.

I'll definitely start throwing in critical ranges though.
>>
https://vocaroo.com/7YQS9adHep0
>>
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>>4198356

Is, or will be?
https://twitter.com/BreenGrub

>>4195652
>>4195659
>>4195829
You quickly snoop behind, dodging from desk to desk and allowing the overwhelming sound of gunfire to mask your dampened footsteps. The two remaining marines are shouting to compatriots further away. One screams into a radio, "It's a fucking tank! You don't need to be trained, just pick up the rifle and shoot it! Is it gonna dodge?"

Suddenly, you hear a loud blast among the constant thumping of the machine, then the marines have to jump back as the gun turret deftly swings round to another section of the proving ground and mows down some ambitious shooter.

"Now! Now!" One of the marines yell, pointing to his friend as he plucks the pin from a grenade. This is your chance.

Roll 3d6+2, and pick a gun you want to start with equipped. You won't necessarily have to fire this gun first turn.

>Glock. (Small, weak, but good for saving a bit of ammo.)
> SMG. (All around multitool, chews through ammo, includes a small grenade launcher that you currently lack ammo for.)
> Shotgun. (Reliable, 2-3 shot close range.)
>Revolver. (High wound threshold, low kill threshold.)
>Hivehand. (Generally low stopping power, but low wound threshold, and
>Usp. (Stopping power lower than the revolver, but also makes no noise.)
>>
Rolled 3, 4, 6 + 2 = 15 (3d6 + 2)

>>4198398
> SMG. (All around multitool, chews through ammo, includes a small grenade launcher that you currently lack ammo for.)
>load a grenade into the launcher
Can we also turn on invisibility?
>>
>>4198398
>Shotgun. (Reliable, 2-3 shot close range.)

>>4198403
>>load a grenade into the launcher
“Every word you just spoke has made me violently angry.”
>>
>>4198417
Load the angry rock in the explode tube
>>
You know, they've probably been keeping track of freeman. Should we consider using the hive hand so they think they're getting attacked by the aliens and not by some secret agent?
>>
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>>4198403
>>4198417
>>4198421
You can turn invisible, but the grenade launcher requires a proper shell to work.. You just have regular hand grenades.
>>
>>4198432
It didnt come loaded or on the soldier we looted? Shame. Maybe regular grenades will do the trick if we cook them. If you're not looking you wont get a good idea of where they came from.
>>
Rolled 2 (1d3)

>>4198403
>>4198417
>>4198430
>>
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>>4198403
>>4198417
>>4198421

Swiftly, you slip between the desks, shelves, and filing cabinets getting closer to the marines. With two easy beads on the both of them, it will be easy to shoot them with a devastating blast from the spas 12.

"Back, duck!" One of the marines shouts to his buddy, as the machine gun turret returns to its old position.

With neither of them aware of your position, they might not even notice a grenade rolling next to them.

>Throw a grenade at both marines. (Both will have to roll to avoid, with a threshold increased by 2 due to stealth. Grenades make a shit ton of noise.)
>Cook a grenade. (Will increase the avoidance threshold by 2.)
>Fire your Spas-12 at the first marine. (Roll 3d6+6, kill on a 16, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8+6 ammo.)
>Fire two shots from the Spas 12 at the first marine. (Roll 3d6+6, kill on a 12, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. High recoil will apply a -5 to your next shot. -2/8+6)
>Fire your Spas-12 at the second marine. (Roll 3d6+6, kill on a 16, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8+6 ammo.)
>Fire two shots from the Spas 12 at the second marine. (Roll 3d6+6, kill on a 12, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. High recoil will apply a -5 to your next shot. -2/8+6)

>Try and sneak up to stab the first marine. (Roll 3d6+2, will kill on a 12, but will leave you spotted with a -2 to defense below a 14.)

(Changing weapons can be done any turn, and while performing any action that does not require both hands.)
>Glock. (Small, weak, but good for saving a bit of ammo.)
>SMG. (All around multitool, chews through ammo, includes a small grenade launcher that you currently lack ammo for.)
>Shotgun. (Reliable, 2-3 shot close range.)
>Revolver. (High wound threshold, low kill threshold.)
>Hivehand. (Generally low stopping power, but low wound threshold, and
>Usp. (Stopping power lower than the revolver, but also makes no noise.)

>Cloak. (Can be done with any other action in the same turn, +4 to defense when not moving, -3/45 cloak power per turn.)
>>
>>4198488
>Throw a grenade at both marines. (Both will have to roll to avoid, with a threshold increased by 2 due to stealth. Grenades make a shit ton of noise.)
>Cook a grenade. (Will increase the avoidance threshold by 2.)
>>
>>4198488
Wait no switching to
(Roll 3d6+6, kill on a 12, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. High recoil will apply a -5 to your next shot. -2/8+6)
Because we have the shotgun out so we might as well
>>
>>4198488
So is cooking the grenade automatically better than just lobbing it or is there a downside?
>>
>>4198531
Shit, I completely forgot to mention, it means you will have to hold the grenade for a turn, so you will have to sacrifice a turn for that threshold increase.

So it goes:

>Cook grenade.
then during the next turn,
>Throw grenade.
>>
Rolled 1, 1 = 2 (2d3)

>>4198529
You line up a shot on the distracted marine, putting the center of mass directly into your sights. As he is focused on the fighting between his squad and the tank, you pull the trigger twice, knocking two rounds of buckshot into the soldier.

Roll 3d6+2.
>>
Rolled 4, 2, 1 + 2 = 9 (3d6 + 2)

>>4198603
>>
Rolled 6, 1, 6 + 2 = 15 (3d6 + 2)

>>4198603
>>
Rolled 3, 2 = 5 (2d3)

>>4198608
>>4198613

I forgot, it's supposed to be 3d6+6 because of stealth, so that first roll is a 13. Please ignore my idiocy.

The two cones of pellets smashes straight into the soldiers armor, cutting through the back and lodging into the spine as the force knocks him into the wall. Unconscious, and soon to be dead, he limply pirouettes as he falls to the ground.

"Shit!" The marine shouts, looking to his dead ally. The shock causes him to jump, buying you a precious few seconds to act before he returns an attack.

>Throw a grenade at the remaining marine. (Will have to roll to avoid, with a threshold increased by 2 due to surprise. Grenades make a shit ton of noise.)
>Cook a grenade. (Will increase the avoidance threshold by 2.)

>Fire your Spas-12 at the second marine. (Roll 3d6-3, kill on a 16, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8+6 ammo.)
>Fire two shots from the Spas 12 at the second marine. (Roll 3d6-3, kill on a 12, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. High recoil will apply a -5 to your next shot. -2/8+6)

>Cloak. (Can be done with any other action in the same turn, +4 to defense when not moving, -3/45 cloak power per turn.)
>Reposition quickly, (Roll 3d6+2, marine will lose track of you on a 12. This threshold can be reduced to a 10 by cloaking this turn, or already being cloaked.)

>Convince the marine to surrender. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 12.)

(Changing weapons can be done any turn, and while performing any action that does not require both hands.)
>Glock. (Small, weak, but good for saving a bit of ammo.)
>SMG. (All around multitool, chews through ammo, includes a small grenade launcher that you currently lack ammo for.)
>Shotgun. (Reliable, 2-3 shot close range.)
>Revolver. (High wound threshold, low kill threshold.)
>Hivehand. (Generally low stopping power, but low wound threshold, and
>Silenced USP. (Stopping power lower than the revolver, but also makes less noise.)
>>
>>4198620
>Fire two shots from the Spas 12 at the second marine. (Roll 3d6-3, kill on a 12, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. High recoil will apply a -5 to your next shot. -2/8+6)
No witnesses
>>
>>4198620
>Fire your Spas-12 at the second marine. (Roll 3d6-3, kill on a 16, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8+6 ammo.)
With the -3 modifier it’s unlikely we’ll get the kill on the first round even if we do use the double shot. Let’s hit him with a single first and then see how the numbers treat us.
>>
Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>4198635
>>4198645
>>
>>4198635
>>4198645
You burst out another two shots from the Spas 12 rapidly seceding the last two, even as your gun sways unaligned from the heavy blast of recoil.

Roll 3d6-3.
>>
Rolled 5, 3, 2 + 3 = 13 (3d6 + 3)

>>4198678
>>
>>4198682
Huh, I'm pretty sure I put a -3 on that. Should be 7.
>>
>>4198682
The poor accuracy causes the gun to swing further out of control as you fire, just grazing the marine. He grunts, but easily remains standing.

The marine reacts to his attacker, aiming his submachine gun.

>Throw a grenade at the remaining marine. (Will have to roll to avoid, with a threshold increased by 2 due to surprise. Grenades make a shit ton of noise.)
>Cook a grenade. (Will increase the avoidance threshold by 2.)

>Fire your Spas-12 at the second marine. (Roll 3d6-8, kill on a 12, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/4+6 ammo.)
>Fire two shots from the Spas 12 at the second marine. (Roll 3d6-8, kill on a 8, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. High recoil will apply a -5 to your next shot. -2/4+6 ammo.)

>Cloak. (Can be done with any other action in the same turn, +4 to defense when not moving, -3/45 cloak power per turn.)
>Reposition quickly, (Roll 3d6+2, marine will lose track of you on a 12. This threshold can be reduced to a 10 by cloaking this turn, or already being cloaked.)
>Duck. (Adds +4 to defense.)

>Convince the marine to surrender. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 12.)

(Changing weapons can be done any turn, and while performing any action that does not require both hands.)
>Glock. (Small, weak, but good for saving a bit of ammo.)
>SMG. (All around multitool, chews through ammo, includes a small grenade launcher that you currently lack ammo for.)
>Shotgun. (Reliable, 2-3 shot close range.)
>Revolver. (High wound threshold, low kill threshold.)
>Hivehand. (Generally low stopping power, but low wound threshold, and
>Silenced USP. (Stopping power lower than the revolver, but also makes less noise.)
>>
>>4198678
>>
>>4198700
>Cloak. (Can be done with any other action in the same turn, +4 to defense when not moving, -3/45 cloak power per turn.)
>SMG. (All around multitool, chews through ammo, includes a small grenade launcher that you currently lack ammo for.)
The recoil of the shotgun is too high. Why is the penalty increasing? Is there a way to decrease it? Do you just need to spend a turn doing nothing or swap to a different gun like a DOOM speedrunner?
>>
Rolled 3, 3, 2 - 3 = 5 (3d6 - 3)

>>4198678
>>
>>4198700
>Throw a grenade at the remaining marine. (Will have to roll to avoid, with a threshold increased by 2 due to surprise. Grenades make a shit ton of noise.)
Noise doesn't matter. The dead have already been awoken and they were lobbing grenades anyway.
And switch to
>SMG. (All around multitool, chews through ammo, includes a small grenade launcher that you currently lack ammo for.)
>>
>>4198710
Just don’t double tap twice in a row, and it’ll return to normal.
>>
>>4198720
This I guess
>>
>>4198720
Support
>>
Rolled 4, 5, 3 = 12 (3d6)

>>4198710
>>4198720
>>4198732
>>4198738
With one hand you reach to your belt, plucking a fragmentation grenade off of its perch. With the other, you return your shotgun to around your shoulder, swapping it out for a submachine gun. Plucking the pin on the grenade with your thumb, you toss it towards the marines feet.

The marine survives, but reduces thresholds by four on a 12, the marine totally avoids on a 14.
>>
>>4198747
Lucky bastard.
>>
>>4198766
If he survives our next attack as well, then we've probably found a protagonist.
>>
I should have probably explained the spas better. If you're continously firing double shots, the recoil penalty will go up. It will simply reset if you fire regular shots.

>>4198747
"Grenade!" The marine instinctively shouts, running out of cover, and away from the explosive. Despite his best efforts, a chunk of fragmentation tears into his back, causing him to scream in pain before he can take cover.

The marine takes his own potshot, but still reeling from the pain, is inaccurate. The marine hits on a 14.

>Throw a grenade at the remaining marine. (Will have to roll to avoid, with a threshold increased by 2 due to surprise. Grenades make a shit ton of noise.)
>Cook a grenade. (Will increase the avoidance threshold by 2.)

Fire your SMG at the {}. (Roll 3d6+2 Every point above a 5 does damage, kills on a 7, -10/x ammo.)

>Cloak. (Can be done with any other action in the same turn, +4 to defense when not moving, -3/45 cloak power per turn.)
>Reposition quickly, (Roll 3d6+2, marine will lose track of you on a 12. This threshold can be reduced to a 10 by cloaking this turn, or already being cloaked.)

>Convince the marine to surrender. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 9.)

(Changing weapons can be done any turn, and while performing any action that does not require both hands.)
>Glock. (Small, weak, but good for saving a bit of ammo.)
>SMG. (All around multitool, chews through ammo, includes a small grenade launcher that you currently lack ammo for.)
>Shotgun. (Reliable, 2-3 shot close range.)
>Revolver. (High wound threshold, low kill threshold.)
>Hivehand. (Generally low stopping power, but low wound threshold, and
>Silenced USP. (Stopping power lower than the revolver, but also makes less noise.)
>>
>>4198774
Was there supposed to be a roll attached to that?
>>
Rolled 2, 6, 6 = 14 (3d6)

>>4198774
Yes, I'm a moron sometimes.

Also, the shot option should read.

>Fire your SMG at the second marine. (Roll 3d6+2 Every point above a 5 does damage, kills on a 7, -10/x ammo.)
>>
Rolled 4, 6, 4 + 2 = 16 (3d6 + 2)

>>4198774
>Fire your SMG at the second marine. (Roll 3d6+2 Every point above a 5 does damage, kills on a 7, -10/x ammo.)
WHAT A JAMMY FUCKING GIT
>>
>>4198784
(77/100 health, and 37/50 armor power.)
A few bullets just punch your waist, hitting your armor with an impact that will almost certainly leave a welt.

In return, you fire your own burst at the barely standing marine. A volley of 9x19 rounds fly towards him in quick secession.

Roll 3d6+2.
>>
Rolled 3, 3, 6 + 2 = 14 (3d6 + 2)

>>4198797
>>
Rolled 4, 4, 5 + 2 = 15 (3d6 + 2)

>>4198797
Should we always wait for the choice confirmation to vote?
>>
Rolled 6, 5, 6 + 2 = 19 (3d6 + 2)

>>4198797
>>
>>4198804
Yes, you're typically supposed to wait to roll the dice
>>
>>4198802
>>4198804
Do you mean to roll? Then yeah.
Finally, you pummel the marine with a burst of rounds landing in his face and neck, immediately dropping him to the floor.

Now able to move past the view port, you crawl below the machine guns line of sight, collecting an extra clip of SMG ammo from the soldiers as you do.

You keep your SMG ahead of you as you move forward. Two sets of stairs split off, one leading to a "garage" area where the larger prototypes enter the proving ground, another leading up to a catwalk with a view port. At first you're content to stay low, the catwalk being out of your way, and in the gun's line of fire. As you walk however, you notice one of the armaments of a marine who had died on the stairs. A large anti-material sniper rifle leans across his body, easily able to be removed without entering the line of fire. As you pull it free however, you start to hear marines moving in from the garage, coming from the way you need to go.

(You now have a sniper rifle, with 1+10 ammo.)

>Cloak, and wait for them to come before you make your move.
>Line up the rifle, and wait for the marines to come.(+2 to the first attack.)
>Grab another weapon, and wait for the marines to come. (Specify the weapon.)
>Cook a grenade, have it ready by the time you can make them out.
>Prepare to talk your way out of this. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 12, you can retroactively choose to show CIA credentials to lower it to a 10.)
>Try and quickly find a way to circumnavigate the marines. (Roll 3d6, pass on a 12.)
>>
>>4198847
>Cook a grenade, have it ready by the time you can make them out. Can we cook, TWO grenades?
>>
>>4198847
>>Cook a grenade, have it ready by the time you can make them out.
>>
Rolled 1, 4, 3, 1, 6 = 15 (5d6)

>>4198853
You'd not to stow your weapon, and you don't have two grenades.
>>4198871

Listening to the footsteps, the rate at which they approach and the amount, you reach towards your belt and flick the pin out of your grenade. Internally, you count down. Once that timer reaches zero, you release pressure on the grenade's lever.

"They been seein' freaky shit here already!" One of the marines shouts as the group comes into view. "You saw that drone they were taking apart, that shit ain't no Chinese UAV."

"Well, ignoring occam's razer..." Another chimes before being interrupted by the first marine.

"Motherfucker!" He shouts. "These shits have actual fuckin' third arms, and you're gonna talk to me about Occam's Razor! Nothin's too fantastical when you just been shot with an electricity gun. That fuckin' drone was from space, I'm telling you."

"Okay, whatever, it was a space probe, despite not matching any of the other alien's technologies, it was from them, what difference does it make?"

"I'm sayin' they fucking deserve what we're givin' him. God's wrath and all that. These dumb-ass scientists messed with somethin' they weren't supposed to, and now they brought a crazy-"

You throw the grenade.

"-shit over to earth. You don't do that, unless if you're messing with things you're not supposed to." finishes the marine.

(Just for expediency sake, since there are a lot of them, I'm gonna simplify each marine into a d6. 4+ they dodge but take damage, 6 and they're completely unharmed.)
>>
>>4199044
2 super dead.
1 normal dead.
1 dodge and slightly injured.
2 A OK.
Not bad. Time to whip out the smg again.
>>
Rolled 5, 6, 1, 2, 1 = 15 (5d6)

>>4199044
The grenade bounces twice, the sound of a metal clink through the empty, dark garage. While most of the marines are focused on the sergeant and his private's conversation about the nature of an alien probe, and the philosophical ramifications it has on gunning down unarmed scientists, few fail to process the sound of metal bouncing against concrete.

At the last moment, one shouts "GRENADE!" Jumping to the side. Another marine is able to understand just in time to dive, and see three of his comrades torn apart by shrapnel. One chunk of metal slams into this poor marine as well, cracking a rib and making him seethe in pain as he moves to real cover.

With the rifle already out, you take aim with it.

>Fire at the private with the anti-material rifle. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 12. -1/1+10 ammo. You will have to reload afterwards. )
>Fire at the grenadier with the anti-material rifle. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 12. -1/1+10 ammo. You will have to reload afterwards. )

>Cloak. (Can be done with any other action in the same turn, +4 to defense when not moving, -3/45 cloak power per turn.)
>Reposition quickly, (Roll 3d6+2, marine will lose track of you on a 12. This threshold can be reduced to a 10 by cloaking this turn, or already being cloaked.)

>Convince the marines to surrender. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 13.)

(Changing weapons can be done any turn, and while performing any action that does not require both hands.)
>Glock. (Small, weak, but good for saving a bit of ammo.)
>SMG. (All around multitool, chews through ammo, includes a small grenade launcher that you currently lack ammo for.)
>Shotgun. (Reliable, 2-3 shot close range.)
>Revolver. (High wound threshold, low kill threshold.)
>Hivehand. (Generally low stopping power, but low wound threshold, and
>Silenced USP. (Stopping power lower than the revolver, but also makes less noise.)
>>
>>4199066
You appear to have slightly overcounted the marines. There's two left, one with injuries.
>>
>>4199072
Just to be clear, the wounded private has a -4 to kill thresholds, its just that it doesn't affect the rifle, because it either misses or kills marines.
>>
>>4199072
Huh, the anti-material rifle doesn't do wounds it seems. You either hit and kill or you don't, making it better to use a different weapon on an injured person...
With that being said,
>Cloak. (Can be done with any other action in the same turn, +4 to defense when not moving, -3/45 cloak power per turn.)
>Reposition quickly, (Roll 3d6+2, marine will lose track of you on a 12. This threshold can be reduced to a 10 by cloaking this turn, or already being cloaked.)

And switch to
>SMG. (All around multitool, chews through ammo, includes a small grenade launcher that you currently lack ammo for.)
>>
>>4199080
This. Let's save it for heavier things like grunts.
>>
>>4199080
>>4199086
You switch your cloak on as you move, slipping down the stairs in the dark garage, just as one of the marines shouts, "Look!"

As you move away, you swiftly pull out your MP5.

Roll 3d6+2.
>>
Rolled 1, 6, 3 + 2 = 12 (3d6 + 2)

>>4199136
>>
Rolled 5, 4, 2 + 2 = 13 (3d6 + 2)

>>4199136
>>
Rolled 3, 1, 3 + 2 = 9 (3d6 + 2)

>>4199136
Is this a combat roll?
>>
>>4199142
>>4199146
>>4199147
Yes. Sorry for the delay.

"Shit! Did you see that." The uninjured grenadier shouts. He lines up the sights of his SMG at your previous position.

"What?" The wounded private responds. "Fuck man. Not the time for ghosts stories."

"Nah. Up on the catwalk. I saw something move. Whatever just threw the bomb is up there." The grenadier responds.

"Well, whatever, its probably scampering away, we need to find a medic." The private responds.

"We gotta find whatever did that. I don't want it to track us somewhere worst." The grenadier explains.

"Fuck you. I'm not dying here. You go up there." The private says.

The grenadier starts making his way towards the stairs. The private keeps a shaky aim on his back.

(42/50 Cloak Power.)

>Suppress the private with the SMG. (Take a shot if he takes actions that cause him to lose cover. Costs 10 ammo to start suppresing, adding the ammo cost of attacks made while suppressing.)
>Fire at the private with the SMG. (Roll 3d6+2 Every point above a 5 does damage, kills on a 12 , -10/x ammo.)

>Suppress the grenadier with the SMG. (Take a shot if he takes actions that cause him to lose cover. Costs 10 ammo to start suppresing, adding the ammo cost of attacks made while suppressing.)
>Fire at the grenadier with the SMG. (Roll 3d6+2 Every point above a 5 does damage, kills on a 16 , -10/x ammo.)

>Wait for the grenadier to approach, then stab him. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 12, the private will take a shot at you. The shot will be protected by cloak.)

>Deactivate cloak. (Can be done with any other action in the same turn, -4 to defense when not moving, saves -3/42 cloak power per turn.)

>Convince the marines to surrender. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 13.)

(Changing weapons can be done any turn, and while performing any action that does not require both hands.)
>Glock. (Small, weak, but good for saving a bit of ammo.)
>SMG. (All around multitool, chews through ammo, includes a small grenade launcher that you currently lack ammo for.)
>Shotgun. (Reliable, 2-3 shot close range.)
>Revolver. (High wound threshold, low kill threshold.)
>Hivehand. (Generally low stopping power, but low wound threshold, and
>Silenced USP. (Stopping power lower than the revolver, but also makes less noise.)
>Anti-Material Rifle. (Incredibly high stopping power, takes penalties at close range, very loud.)
>>
>>4199169
>Fire at the private with the SMG. (Roll 3d6+2 Every point above a 5 does damage, kills on a 12 , -10/x ammo.)
>>
>>4199169
>Fire at the private with the SMG. (Roll 3d6+2 Every point above a 5 does damage, kills on a 12 , -10/x ammo.)
>>
>>4199174
>>4199206
As the grenadier approaches, you sight behind cover, watching the way his flashlight moves and turns.

"If there is something crawling over here, you're not safe over there." The grenadier complains. "It threw a bomb at us. We should be sticking together."

Just as he says "stinking together," you see the cone of light turn away from the corner you're hiding behind. Quickly, you peak your head and machine gun around the corner, firing off a cacophony of shots towards the private. Your muzzle flash lights up the hall-way.

Roll 3d6+2.
>>
Rolled 3, 2, 5 + 2 = 12 (3d6 + 2)

>>4199260
>>
Rolled 4, 5, 4 + 2 = 15 (3d6 + 2)

>>4199260
>>
Rolled 6, 4, 2 + 2 = 14 (3d6 + 2)

>>4199260
>>
Rolled 3, 3, 4 = 10 (3d6)

>>4199267
>>4199269
>>4199273
(39/50 Cloak power.)
The rounds smack into the unsuspecting marines chest. In an instant, what's left of his PCV is overloaded, letting the remaining rounds slice through the limp fabrics and burrow through the ribs. The soldier falls backwards, his weapon bouncing along the ground.

Jumping at the sudden burst of activity, the grenadier aimed his weapon towards the source of the flashes, but his flashlight only illuminates a slice of shimmering air. Still, in the panic, he fires a burst of submachine gun rounds at empty space. (The marine hits on a 16.)

As both you and the marine fire one after the other, a massive explosion crashes against the heavy garage door that seperates this place from the proving ground. The blast door visibly buckles, and is left slightly warped.

>Suppress the grenadier with the SMG. (Take a shot if he takes actions that cause him to lose cover. Costs 10 ammo to start suppresing, adding the ammo cost of attacks made while suppressing.)
>Fire at the grenadier with the SMG. (Roll 3d6+2 Every point above a 5 does damage, kills on a 16 , -10/x ammo.)

>Attempt to tackle the marine, and stab him. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 14.)

>Deactivate cloak. (Can be done with any other action in the same turn, -4 to defense when not moving, saves -3/39cloak power per turn.)

>Convince the marine to surrender. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 11.)

(Changing weapons can be done any turn, and while performing any action that does not require both hands.)
>Glock. (Small, weak, but good for saving a bit of ammo.)
>SMG. (All around multitool, chews through ammo, includes a small grenade launcher that you currently lack ammo for.)
>Shotgun. (Reliable, 2-3 shot close range.)
>Revolver. (High wound threshold, low kill threshold.)
>Hivehand. (Generally low stopping power, but low wound threshold, and
>Silenced USP. (Stopping power lower than the revolver, but also makes less noise.)
>Anti-Material Rifle. (Incredibly high stopping power, takes penalties at close range, very loud.)
>>
>>4199285
>Stay in cover and stay still. He'll have bigger problems in a second.
>>
>>4199285
>Fire at the grenadier with the SMG. (Roll 3d6+2 Every point above a 5 does damage, kills on a 16 , -10/x ammo.)
might as well
>>
>>4199285
>Reposition quickly, (Roll 3d6+2, marine will lose track of you on a 12. This threshold can be reduced to a 10 by cloaking this turn, or already being cloaked.)
I forgot about this option, sorry.
>>
>>4199285
>Fire at the grenadier with the SMG. (Roll 3d6+2 Every point above a 5 does damage, kills on a 16 , -10/x ammo.)
>>
shootie shootie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6yVexQRuXc
>>
>>4199292
>>4199293
>>4199315
Quickly swinging around your gun, you send another burst of shots towards the grenadier as his bullets spray wildly around you.

The garage door buckles and bends again.

Roll 3d6+2.
>>
Rolled 2, 5, 1 + 2 = 10 (3d6 + 2)

>>4199961
>>
Rolled 6, 6, 5 + 2 = 19 (3d6 + 2)

>>4199961
>>
>>4199962
>>4199963
(36/50 cloak power.)
Your shots smack into the marines armor. He grunts, stumbling a little, but still remains standing as the PCV stiffens to take the blow.

One last time, the garage door buckles and twists. The hinges and rails crack apart, allowing the pieces to slip away. A beam of the sterile white lighting fills the center hall of the garage as the autonomous machine moves in, cameras tracking its targets.

The remaining marine shouts, then dives into cover. The machines optics clearly made out his figure first.

With heavy armor, anything short of anti-material weaponry or explosives won't penetrate.

>Duck yourself, and pull the rifle out. (The tank will not see you, but you will still be in here, inside its firing arc.)
>Book it while the tank is occupied with the soldier! (3d6+2, Escape unharmed on a 13. Anything less and the tank will take a shot with the machine gun. You'd have good enough health and armor to survive if it does hit, but it'll hurt.)
>While its occupied, try and get up close to the tank, below its firing arc. It's time to kill a tank like a guerila. (3d6+2, Avoid being fired upon, but the tank will notice you but not be able to shoot yet below a 14.)
>While its occupied, try and slip into the proving grounds, where it just was. (Roll 3d6+2, the tank won't notice you above an 11, will open up new options, but won't avoid the tank completely.)
>>
>>4199989
>While its occupied, try and slip into the proving grounds, where it just was.
Maybe we'll find something in there to kill it properly with
>>
>>4199989
>While its occupied, try and slip into the proving grounds, where it just was. (Roll 3d6+2, the tank won't notice you above an 11, will open up new options, but won't avoid the tank completely.)

>>4200019
Of we can make friends with whoever made the commands for the tank. Why blow up suck fine machinery when we could put it to better use?
>>
>>4200033
If they're still alive and around, and didn't get killed by their own rampaging AI, ayys or Marines and actually have a means to get it under control.
>>
>>4199989
Since we dont get the bonus from the cloak while in motion let's turn it off

>>4200039
We can also look for the control console.
>>
>>4200047
Sounds like it's an autonomous AI operating on its own. Having a remote override would be sensible, but sensibility doesn't seem to be a strong point of people who broke the universe.
>>
Rolled 3, 5, 3 = 11 (3d6)

>>4200019
>>4200033
The tank pounds and shreds the marines cover as you duck away, and hopefully out of sight from the colossal machine. You keep your head low, and your body away from the light of the proving ground until you absolutely need to.

In a last ditch attempt, the marine pulls a grenade from his belt, tossing it underneath the machine as bullets fly around him.

Roll 3d6+2.
>>
Rolled 6, 5 + 2 = 13 (2d6 + 2)

>>4200087
>>
Rolled 3, 1, 1 + 2 = 7 (3d6 + 2)

>>4200087
>>
Rolled 4 (1d6)

>>4200089
>>4200098

You easily slip away, going unnoticed by the autonomous vehicle. The sterile lighting of the proving ground, the bursting of the marine's grenade, and the pounding of the machine gun all give you a painful reminder of the migraine pulsing on the side of your head. Thankfully however, the proving ground is designed to recreate an outdoor environment for the machines to navigate in. artificial bushes, sandbags, and broken down cars that have seen the underside of treads litter the area.

You can hear the grenade burst under the tank, just as the marine is mowed down. The tank is barely harmed by the fragmentation.

Slowly, the machine scans its gun around the area.

One of the walls features another, smaller metal garage door that has buckled in such a way that one could just crawl under it. Of course, you have no idea whats on the other side. A smaller, reinforced door labeled as "Grounds Repair" is nearby, and locked tight. From the maps, you know it would be a slightly longer, but still viable route. A nearby elevated window connects back to the garage, and if you climbed up there, you would have a good shot on the tank with the anti-material rifle.

>Slide under the small garage door.
>Try to lockpick the maintenance door. (Roll 3d6, pass on a 12, get caught by the tank below an 8.)
>Shotgun the maintenance door. (The tank will take a shot at you. You have enough armor and health to survive, but it will hurt.)
>Try and climb up to get a shot off on the tank. (+2 to any attacks made on the tank with the rifle.)
>>
>>4200125
>Slide under the small garage door.
>>
>>4200125
>Slide under the small garage door.
MYSTERY BOX!

Just watch as we stare down the barrel of an even bigger minigun.
>>
>>4200125
>>Slide under the small garage door.
>>
>>4200145
>>4200157
>>4200189
When the turret spins away from you, you slip around the broken cars and the fake bushes. Like a clock, the scanning machine is easily predictable. Giving its vision a wide berth, you slowly but safely make your way to the door. As you approach the opening, you slither into the room, finding tool boxes that have buckled under impact, their contents spilled out across the floor. Bullet holes have rattled the door way, and on the other side, through the thin beams of light they let in, the body of a male mechanic is layed out across the ground, torn open by the shots.

You start to search through the wreckage. No ammo, no guns, your about to turn around when you find the "Armor Testing Equipment."

Three anti-tank mines. These will blow the tank open from the bottom with strategic placement, but of course, you will need to place them, and then distract the tank. The mines are military surplus it seems, and have systems inbuilt to prevent collection without detonation. You won't be able to pick them up after placing them.

>Try to lockpick the maintenance door. (Roll 3d6, pass on a 12, get caught by the tank below an 8.)
>Shotgun the maintenance door. (The tank will take a shot at you. You have enough armor and health to survive, but it will hurt.)
>Try and climb up to get a shot off on the tank. (+2 to any attacks made on the tank with the rifle.)
>Try to place one anti tank mine in the proving ground entrance, to ensure it has to roll over it. (Roll 3d6+2, below a 13, it will take a shot. You have enough armor and health to survive, but it will hurt.)
>Try to place three anti tank mines just out of the proving ground entrance, to ensure it rolls over one of them.
>>
>>4200305
>Try to lockpick the maintenance door. (Roll 3d6, pass on a 12, get caught by the tank below an 8.)
>the desire to ride the mech tank into battle is strong
>>
>>4200305
>Try to place one anti tank mine in the proving ground entrance, to ensure it has to roll over it. (Roll 3d6+2, below a 13, it will take a shot. You have enough armor and health to survive, but it will hurt.)
>>
>>4200358
>but why destroy it tho
>>
>>4200362
>big machine bad
>>
>>4200380
>no
>big machine gud
>gotta find the console
>ride it into battle
>>
>>4200305
>Try to lockpick the maintenance door. (Roll 3d6, pass on a 12, get caught by the tank below an 8.)
Big machine fun.
>>
>>4200380
Think about it for a second. We send this bad boy off on a rampage against tanks and attack helicopter.
>>
>>4200319
>>4200358
>>4200407
Slipping back through the door, you peak outside, then when you're confident in your ability to make a break for cover, you move. Cover to cover you make your way towards the maintenance door. The closest you can get while in cover is meters away, and you have to quickly dash towards the door with lockpick in hand, only hoping that you're quick enough.

Roll 3d6+2.
>>
Rolled 3, 6, 4 + 2 = 15 (3d6 + 2)

>>4200425
Ooooh wait if we have to spend time licking picking we're gonna want to use the cloak then. Right. Is it too late to use the cloak?
>>
>>4200428
*lock picking.
>>
Rolled 4, 6, 4 + 2 = 16 (3d6 + 2)

>>4200425
>>
>>4200428
I was assuming you would. The threshold would be WAY higher if you didn't. This is a brightly lit, with white walls. You'd be standing upright against white walls for as much as thirty seconds in a black uniform. I should have specified that.
(29/50 cloak power.
You start to move as you see the turret swivel away. With each step, you soften the impact of your boots against the ground. With a low head and a soft step, you easily make it to the door. When the soft fizzle of invisibility signals your safety, you get to work on the lock. You push up against each pin systematically, and it isn't long until each is binded into place, and you're able to turn the knob.

You're finally able to move through to the offices, past the massive tank. It's eight-forty-two PM.

As you move through the halls, you hear something through one of the vents. Male voices, notably not the same loud military banter you'd hear from marines, or the strange chittering or groaning of the aliens. These voices are quiet, and professional. You can't make out what they're saying.

>Try and hear them from the vent. (Roll 3d6, pass on a 13.)
>Climb into the vent, try and sneak up to them.
>They can't be far, try and find them in the halls.
>Just ignore them, you have a job to do.
>>
>>4200485
>Try and hear them from the vent. (Roll 3d6, pass on a 13.)
>>
>>4200485
>Try and hear them from the vent. (Roll 3d6, pass on a 13.)
>>
>>4200485
>Climb into the vent, try and sneak up to them.
>>
>>4200488
>>4200492
>>4200495
You pull your head close into the vents, unscrewing the cover so you can get closer. You try to make out as much as you can through the acoustics of the metal. The sound is warbled, but you have tuned, trained ears.

You've already eavesdropped your way through adolescence, you can do it through a vent.

Roll 3d6.
>>
Rolled 3, 6, 4 = 13 (3d6)

>>4200585
>>
Rolled 6, 5, 4 = 15 (3d6)

>>4200585
>>
Rolled 5, 6, 6 = 17 (3d6)

>>4200585
Is there a way to increase our listening capacity? Special microphones or something + air pods?
>>
>>4200590
>>4200591
>>4200593
we did it!
>>
>>4200593
Ooh, that'd be great black ops equipment.
Another good piece of equipment would be something like a Soliton Radar, that metal gear shit that tracks enemies and floor layout through electromagnetic shenanigans.
>>
>>4200606
what about thermal smoke grenades, flashbbangs, AP bullets for the pistol if that exists?

oh look at that. we're at +500 posts
>>
>>4200590
>>4200591
>>4200593
It would fall under the general "Spy work" skill if you wanted to put your points into it. You'll also get some equipment in the equipment drop. Not a full on Soliton Radar, but some useful stuff, some of the things you listed, some non-lethal handling equipment, general spy-work gear, etc. Those are some nice rolls though.

You focus your full attention on the voices, a male one speaks with a gravely throat. "Mark it down, C-H-316-EX-OCC"

Containment, Hostile, Serial-316, an unknown categorization, and what you would assume is an abbreviated operation code for black mesa.

It's code you're not fully trained in. CIA marking systems for containing an asset, but with a strange "EX" on the end, you've never heard before. Extraterrestrial perhaps? It could be new code, or perhaps the conspiracy theorists were right. Regardless, it's a male voice, not your target.

"And what about him?" Another voice says. This one is younger, but still male.


"U-I-2126-KN-OCC" The first voice says.

Unnecessary, incapacitated, serial 2126, knowledgeable, Black Mesa.

"Got it." The younger male responds, before you hear a muffled scream from a male, and a silenced gunshot.

These people either hadn't been undercover before, or the CIA lucked out, and found a pair of perfect sociopaths.

"Alright, we've got agents here below clearance, get out before downward leak." The first male responds. You can just make out rubber padded footsteps.

You are now a downward leak. With your rank and position, you're too important of an asset to just off because of this. Of course, that assumes anyone knows how much you know.

>Climb into the vent, try and sneak up to them.
>They can't be far, try and find them in the halls.
>Just ignore them, you have a job to do. Try not to imagine the scientist you just heard.
>>
>>4200633
>Just ignore them, you have a job to do. Try not to imagine the scientist you just heard.
If they outrank us, they might order us to give them some of our equipment for their job. I want to avoid that.
>>
>>4200633
>Climb into the vent, try and sneak up to them.
>>
>>4200633
>Climb into the vent, try and sneak up to them.
Well that sucks. They killed a bunch of scientists.

>>4200648
Would they really? If they have their equipment they probably called in for their own stuff.
Man now I really wished we gone in sooner. Poor scientist.
>>
>>4200652
Yeah, but we have a damn anti-material rifle. I doubt they have one of those.
>>
>>4200662
Who's to say they already have one?
>>
>>4200633
>Climb into the vent, try and sneak up to them.
I really hope they're acting on their own decisions, and not orders to kill civilians like the marines are.
>>
>>4200648
>>4200650
>>4200652
>>4200709
You move into the vents, slowly slithering through to avoid making any possible noise. Surrounded by thin metal, you have to be light and move strategically as you crawl.

You soon manage to make your way to the other vent cover, peaking through the grate. The scientist is slowly bleeding out against a cabinet, the gun used to kill him placed strategically nearby, as though he shot himself to avoid a worse fate among the chaos.

"DoD's really fucked up this time." The younger covert operative says.

"It ain't just the DoD kid." The older operative says. "The spies should have had a better eye. The scientists shouldn't have been pokin' around where they shouldn't."

"Yeah and now we gotta clean it up right?" The younger one rhetorically asks.

"Nah. We sure as hell ain't perfect." The older operative explains. "Once the real clean-up crew comes around, they'll pull their twenty-twenty hindsight on us. They'll be going off about how we didn't tag the EX artillery that the slimy bastards only rolled out once the black hawks arrived."

"You're sayin' we're all idiots?" The young operative responds. He makes a small, barely noticeable hand signal.

"Continue Coversation." It says. "Above."

"That's right." He says. "Whole damn species of idiots. That's what they were sayin' with Eden. We're such idiots that we'll blow up the whole damn world to not be idiots anymore. Then we'll still be idiots afterwards." The older operative continues, while his hands play a different conversation. "On my mark, take them down."

They see you, but they don't recognize you. You should be careful here, even if you did manage to fight off two covert ops, you'd still be losing a lot of resources from the CIA due to betrayal, and with your knowledge, you'd be a target.

>Retreat into the vents! If they haven't seen much of you, they might assume you were a headcrab, and let you leave.
>Drop down, reveal yourself, and your credentials. You really do not want to risk being tracked by your own organization.
>Drop down, take some revenge for the scientist, even if it will absolutely ruin your ties with the CIA.
>>
>>4200764
>Retreat into the vents! If they haven't seen much of you, they might assume you were a headcrab, and let you leave.
>>
>>4200764
>Retreat into the vents! If they haven't seen much of you, they might assume you were a headcrab, and let you leave.
Hope they're not referring to our alien buddies.
>>
>>4200764
>Retreat into the vents! If they haven't seen much of you, they might assume you were a headcrab, and let you leave.
Damn, not even a stealth roll vs a notice roll. Wonder if that's because they have special gear to track movement around them? That'd make sense...
>>
>>4200764
>Retreat into the vents! If they haven't seen much of you, they might assume you were a headcrab, and let you leave.
>>
>>4200764
>Retreat into the vents! If they haven't seen much of you, they might assume you were a headcrab, and let you leave.
>>
File: eyesshaking.gif (146 KB, 256x256)
146 KB
146 KB GIF
>>4200764
TIME TO RUN

Kinda wonder if this is our contact. Though if they were using these guys to wipe us, they wouldn't send resources in.

If only we started carrying a drugged headcrab with us.
>>
>>4200764
>Retreat into the vents! If they haven't seen much of you, they might assume you were a headcrab, and let you leave.
It feels like the entire government has lost its goddamn mind, ordering a cleanup operation before they even fully understand what's going on.
>>
>>4200773
>>4200788
>>4200798
>>4201135
>>4201278
>>4201568
You already discovered that your contact is a woman.
>>4201581
"What happened, did they call an emergency session of congress to vote on bombing me?" -Freeman.

Just as the older soldiers fingers graze his gun, you scamper away into the vents like a spooked rodent.

A burst of silenced gunshots rings out, tearing apart the air ducts you were just in. The shards of metal bounce around in the ducts, and you barely avoid a cut up face as you move backwards.

"Shit." The younger operative says.

"Don't worry." The older one says. "Either its one of us, or it isn't gonna leave the facility."

"Alright... you sure? They might have radio." He responds.

"Just trust me kid. No one's gonna hear 'em." The operative explains. "We don't have time to inspect every rat we see in the vents anyway."

You let loose a silent sigh of relief. The voices lose focus as they move away, and you retreat through the air vent.

Hearing what you just heard, you are now a breach of information. You have a few options on how to handle this. If you called it in, they might see it as a sign of loyalty, or you might face mistrust. If you were to just ignore it ever happened, removing the recording section from the audio bugs placed on your body later on, then you can forget all about it. The things are often faulty, or the quality is too low to make out. Then, there's the final option, you could try and plan a way to remove the data from your suit. You would have the data for yourself, and that might be a very powerful tool later on, assuming it doesn't get you waterboarded. Of course, for now you can't do any of those things still in the field.

You start to again move through the facility, keeping to the darkened areas when you can and moving with light footsteps.

As you approach the offices, you start hearing gunshots. A small glock pings off chitinous armor. In return, a swarm of insects is spat out.

>It might be your target! Run over there, she's under fire.
>Take it cautiously, she can handle herself for a few more minutes.
>>
>>4202328
>It might be your target! Run over there, she's under fire.
We have a shotgun and a fair bit of armour, we’re more than capable of taking a grunt.
>>
>>4202328
>It might be your target! Run over there, she's under fire.
>>
>>4202328
>It might be your target! Run over there, she's under fire.
>>
>>4202393
>>4202402
>>4202424
Looking back, I mixed up some numbers, you have a bit more cloak power than I thought you did.

You tack the sound, then start moving, noticing a dead vortiguant, and an office labeled "Orbital Mapping" as you run. You were lucky, in a way, the hostility of the area prevented your contact from getting far. Quickly trading off sound reduction for speed, you start running towards the gunshots.

Rounding a corner, you first see a vortigaunt, its eye shot out and bleeding to death on the floor. Quickly, your vision shifts to its larger master. A towering alien stands two heads above you. Hearing your footsteps, it is slowly turning around, confident that its small back armor can stop the pistol of a woman roughly your age, in a mechanics dirty clothes, and looted security guard armor. The large, chitin covered hulk bellows as its boxy face and vertical, toothy jaws turn around to face you. You have time to pull a weapon before it starts firing its hornets.

>Duck for cover.(+4 defense against dumbfire weapons, but only +2 against tracking weapons like the hive hand.)

>Reposition quickly, (Roll 3d6+2, grunt will lose track of you on a 12. This threshold can be reduced to a 10 by cloaking this turn, or already being cloaked. Keep in mind, it may start attacking your contact.)

>It's slow moving, attempt to dodge around it to somewhere it can't shoot you this turn.(Roll 3d6+2, gain a +2 to defense against grunts on a 13, +4 on a 16.)

>Activate cloak. (Can be done with any other action in the same turn, +4 to defense when not moving, -3/30cloak power per turn.)

(Changing weapons can be done any turn, and while performing any action that does not require both hands.)
>Glock. (Small, weak, but good for saving a bit of ammo.)
>SMG. (All around multitool, chews through ammo, includes a small grenade launcher that you currently lack ammo for.)
>Shotgun. (Reliable, close range weapon.)
>Revolver. (High wound threshold, low kill threshold.)
>Hivehand. (Generally low stopping power, but low wound threshold, and infinite ammo.)
>Silenced USP. (Stopping power lower than the revolver, but also makes less noise.)
>Anti-Material Rifle. (Incredibly high stopping power, takes penalties at close range, very loud. Very good at breaking through armor.)
>>
>>4202455
Hey, do we still have those anti-tank mines?
>>
>>4202455
Are we supposed to pick one of the above actions and then choose a weapon?
>>
>>4202455
>Duck for cover.(+4 defense against dumbfire weapons, but only +2 against tracking weapons like the hive hand.)
>Revolver. (High wound threshold, low kill threshold.)
>>
>>4202464
I think we do. That would require getting close enough to throw.

>>4202477
Pick one of the four actions above, then pick a gun.

>>4202455
Changing movement action to this
>It's slow moving, attempt to dodge around it to somewhere it can't shoot you this turn.(Roll 3d6+2, gain a +2 to defense against grunts on a 13, +4 on a 16.)
Theres at least a chance to score a +4 as opposed to the max +2 from ducking for cover.
>>
>>4202480
I was more thinking of trying to kite it around a corner with a mine waiting for it
>>
>>4202464
You do, but anti tank mines are typically designed to not trigger on anything less than a tank.
>>4202477
Pulling a weapon can be done with any action that doesn't require both hands, so yes, but if you wanted to just stay still for some reason, then you could. Also, as always, turning cloak on and off doesn't require any action at all, so if you wanted to use it alongside the other three options, that's fine as well.
>>
>>4202455
>Activate cloak. (Can be done with any other action in the same turn, +4 to defense when not moving, -3/30cloak power per turn.)
>Revolver. (High wound threshold, low kill threshold.)
>>
>>4202478
>>4202543
As the creature slowly turns around, you dive away from its field of vision, attempting to orbit around the creature without letting it get you within the firing cone of the hive had, or in range of its massive stubby arms.

With your free hand, you pull your revolver from its holster while you click on your cloaking system.

Roll 3d6+2.
>>
Rolled 1, 4, 2 + 2 = 9 (3d6 + 2)

>>4202591
>>
Rolled 2, 1, 4 + 2 = 9 (3d6 + 2)

>>4202591
>>
Rolled 4, 6, 6 = 16 (3d6)

>>4202675
>>4202687
Unfortunately, the creature still manages to track you as you try and keep away from where it is able to fire. A burst of insects spits from the creatures weapon, curving around to meet you. However, when you settle on a position, your suit fizzles you away from reality, confusing the hornets.

The hivehand hits on a 12.

(27/50 Cloak power.)

>Fire at the grunt. (Roll 3d6+2, every point above a 10 wounds, threshold reduction is doubled above a 13, kills on a 16.)

>Reposition quickly, (Roll 3d6+2, grunt will lose track of you on a 12. This threshold can be reduced to a 10 by cloaking this turn, or already being cloaked. Keep in mind, it may start attacking your contact.)

>Duck for cover.(+4 defense against dumbfire weapons, but only +2 against tracking weapons like the hive hand.)

(Changing weapons can be done any turn, and while performing any action that does not require both hands.)
>Glock. (Small, weak, but good for saving a bit of ammo.)
>SMG. (All around multitool, chews through ammo, includes a small grenade launcher that you currently lack ammo for.)
>Shotgun. (Reliable, close range weapon.)
>Revolver. (High wound threshold, low kill threshold.)
>Hivehand. (Generally low stopping power, but low wound threshold, and infinite ammo.)
>Silenced USP. (Stopping power lower than the revolver, but also makes less noise.)
>Anti-Material Rifle. (Incredibly high stopping power, takes penalties at close range, very loud. Very good at breaking through armor.)
>>
>>4202717
>Fire at the grunt. (Roll 3d6+2, every point above a 10 wounds, threshold reduction is doubled above a 13, kills on a 16.)
>>
>>4202717
>Fire at the grunt. (Roll 3d6+2, every point above a 10 wounds, threshold reduction is doubled above a 13, kills on a 16.)
>>
>>4202717
F. I wonder how much this is going to hurt. Can you remind me how armor works? Do se have a mini version of the force field like the PCV's and just need to get our suit charged up, or do we need to find/kill dead CIA operatives to get more armor?
>>
>>4202726
>>4202752
>>4202760
It's effectively a "Light PCV," so you can just recharge it. Unlike the full PCVs the HECU marines wear, this only takes 50% of damage, and has 50 total power. This is opposed to 66% of damage, and 100 armor. Also, while I'm not entirely sure how PCVs work, I don't think it's a force field. I'm pretty sure it's described as "High Impact Reactive Armor," which I guess would make it like this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactive_armour#Electric_reactive_armour, but the wiki describes it as fibers that stiffen under an electric charge.

(75/100 health, and 34/50 armor power.)

Even as your armor stiffens against the insects, and you try your best to dodge, the small creatures burrow through the armor. Their bite stings, making you wince in pain. One even goes for your neck, and you have to physically smack it off before it digs in.

In return, you aim your revolver, focusing on the center mass of the creature, where its chitin fails to cover. The thing may be huge, but your certain it has vital organs somewhere behind the colossal rib-cage.

Roll 3d6+2.
>>
Rolled 2, 5, 2 + 2 = 11 (3d6 + 2)

>>4202796
>>
Rolled 1, 3, 5 + 2 = 11 (3d6 + 2)

>>4202796
>>
>>4202800
>>4202805
Again? What's with these double results
>>
>>4202821
ALIENS!

Oh, wait.
>>
Rolled 5, 4, 4 + 2 = 15 (3d6 + 2)

>>4202796
>>
>>4202800
>>4202805
>>4202833
You do hit, but the thick armor plating on the shoulder takes a hefty chunk of the damage. The creature at first simply seems angered, and moves to slowly approach you, but then your contact takes aim with her glock, and fires a burst of 9x19 at the creature, redirecting its attention. Every four points with the contacts glock lowers threshold.

The grunt fires back with a set of hornets.

(First three d6s are for your contact, second three are for the grunt.)

>Fire at the grunt. (Roll 3d6+2, every point above a 10 wounds, threshold reduction is doubled above a 12, kills on a 15. -1/5+4 ammo.)

>It's distracted! Jump on its back and stab it in the neck like in the movies. (Roll 3d6+2, kills on a 14, will get a powerful melee attack on you below an 11.)

>Reposition quickly, (Roll 3d6+2, grunt will lose track of you on a 12. This threshold can be reduced to a 10 by cloaking this turn, or already being cloaked. Keep in mind, it may start attacking your contact.)

>Duck for cover.(+4 defense against dumbfire weapons, but only +2 against tracking weapons like the hive hand.)

(Changing weapons can be done any turn, and while performing any action that does not require both hands.)
>Glock. (Small, weak, but good for saving a bit of ammo.)
>SMG. (All around multitool, chews through ammo, includes a small grenade launcher that you currently lack ammo for.)
>Shotgun. (Reliable, close range weapon.)
>Revolver. (High wound threshold, low kill threshold.)
>Hivehand. (Generally low stopping power, but low wound threshold, and infinite ammo.)
>Silenced USP. (Stopping power lower than the revolver, but also makes less noise.)
>Anti-Material Rifle. (Incredibly high stopping power, takes penalties at close range, very loud. Very good at breaking through armor.)
>>
Rolled 1, 1, 3, 5, 3, 1 = 14 (6d6)

>>4202873
Oops, had to reopen reply box due to the captcha not working, but forgot to replace the rolls.
>>
>>4202873
>>It's distracted! Jump on its back and stab it in the neck like in the movies. (Roll 3d6+2, kills on a 14, will get a powerful melee attack on you below an 11.)
>>
>>4202873
>Fire at the grunt. (Roll 3d6+2, every point above a 10 wounds, threshold reduction is doubled above a 12, kills on a 15. -1/5+4 ammo.)
We just need 1 more good shot.
>>
>>4202873
>Fire at the grunt.
>>
>>4202897
>>4202918
>>4202938
While the target takes a pummeling from the insects, her shots just simply bouncing off armor, you line up your revolver. A good shot to the chest could disable the creature, you just need to get past the armor, and through its bulwark of a skeleton.

Roll 3d6+2.
>>
Rolled 4, 5, 3 + 2 = 14 (3d6 + 2)

>>4202962
>>
Rolled 4, 5, 5 + 2 = 16 (3d6 + 2)

>>
Rolled 2, 5, 5 + 2 = 14 (3d6 + 2)

>>4202962
>>
>>4202963
>>4202967
>>4202976

The shot lands in the chest, burrowing through the bones and just narrowly missing its massive vitals. The creature groans in agony, holding the spot with its empty hand. Enraged, it starts to move towards you, it's hooves sounding like the pounding of a massive industrial machine. It raises one of its stumpy arms, the forearm of which is similar in scale to your torso, and prepares to attack. As it starts its slow but incredibly heavy swipe, it exposes its bare chest.

(As it melee attacks you, you have a +1 to all attacks made against it.)

>Shoot it right in the chest. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 10. -1/4+4 ammo.)

>Save the ammo, and look cool in front of your fellow agent. Kick it in the damaged ribcage. (Roll 3d6+3, pass on a 13. Will almost certainly look impressive.)

>Don't take the risk, just dodge away.

(Changing weapons can be done any turn, and while performing any action that does not require both hands.)
>Glock. (Small, weak, but good for saving a bit of ammo.)
>SMG. (All around multitool, chews through ammo, includes a small grenade launcher that you currently lack ammo for.)
>Shotgun. (Reliable, close range weapon.)
>Revolver. (High wound threshold, low kill threshold.)
>Hivehand. (Generally low stopping power, but low wound threshold, and infinite ammo.)
>Silenced USP. (Stopping power lower than the revolver, but also makes less noise.)
>Anti-Material Rifle. (Incredibly high stopping power, takes penalties at close range, very loud. Very good at breaking through armor.)
>>
>>4203011
but I thought we killed it with that 16.

this guy rolled a 15. every wound above 10 lowers the threshold, and everything past 13 is doubled? So it's threshold was lowed to 7?

>Save the ammo, and look cool in front of your fellow agent. Kick it in the damaged ribcage. (Roll 3d6+3, pass on a 13. Will almost certainly look impressive.)
balls or nothing!
>>
>>4203011
>Shoot it right in the chest. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 10. -1/4+4 ammo.)
KURAE
>>
>>4203016
It's average of 3, not Bo3
>>
>>4203011
Save the ammo, and look cool in front of your fellow agent. Kick it in the damaged ribcage. (Roll 3d6+3, pass on a 13. Will almost certainly look impressive.)
>>
>>4203027
I thought the average of 3 was for out of combat stuff.
>>
>>4203016
>>4203017
>>4203027
Its first roll while in combat, so the 14 was taken. That roll was above a 13, so the full threshold reduction was doubled, making it an 8 instead of a 4. The 13+ threshold is basically a crit, short of a full kill, where it does significantly more damage.

As the hulking creature approaches, you train yourself on its chest. You get into position, and as it approaches, coil your leg before releasing it like a snake. Aiming right where you shot it, you flick your boot towards the creature, pushing your mass into your leg.

Roll 3d6+3.
>>
Rolled 3, 4, 4 + 3 = 14 (3d6 + 3)

>>4203052
>>
Rolled 2, 1, 2 + 3 = 8 (3d6 + 3)

>>4203052
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/472407264700006420/701051009371471972/somebody.mp4
>>
>>4203052
So there should only be one roll per round, and if someone has already rolled don't bother rolling yourself?
>>
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Rolled 2, 2, 6 + 3 = 13 (3d6 + 3)

>>4203052
Shotgun to the open front could've been devastating
>>
>>4203054
>>4203059
>>4203061
>>4203083


Well, it is always nice to know what could have been.
But its only first roll in combat, to represent combat being more chaotic, out of combat, its Ao3.
Please do tell me if you feel this system is weird or annoying, because while I've heard some complaints, I'm unsure of the general consensus.
Also, a shotgun would've taken a turn to equip.


Your foot flies into the aliens sternum as you strike it like a viper. The weight of the aliens movements drive the kick just as much as your own muscle, and its damaged rib cage cracks apart at the sternum. You feel it snap under your foot. The grunts own ribs drive into its organs, causing it to scream in pain as it dies.

For a short few seconds, the second spy is impressed as she watches the black silhouette plants her boot into a creature easily three times her size.

Unfortunately, physics soon takes precedent over skill. Your boot runs out of guts to compress, and the force moves into your leg. It's forced to coil back up, pushing against the force to pad the impact out. The flexible muscle takes the strain instead of the bone, which then transfers to your body. The weight of the alien knocks you back into the wall, and with a squelching sound, your leg is pulled free.

Despite a slight loss of balance at the end, the second agent looks impressed. Her eyes blink, then open into wide circles, an exaggeration of her minor disbelief.

>Keep it professional, ask if shes your target, and if she has her badge. Start with something vague, that she won't be able to discern too much meaning from unless she knows what you're talking about.
>You fought a damn tank for this lady. Tell her she owes you.
>Don't fully breach professionalism, but your coworkers, keep it light, and simple.
>Give her a quip. "I guess these thighs do save lives."
>You do need a quip to go with that, but that one was awful. Think of something else. (Write in a quip.)
>>
>>4203116
>Give her a quip. "I guess these thighs do save lives."
>>
>>4203116
>You do need a quip to go with that, but that one was awful. Think of something else. (Write in a quip.)
“Order whatever you want, because he’ll...”
*put on secret goggles*
“Foot the bill.”
>>
>>4203160
this
>>
>>4203160
That is excellently corny
>>
>>4203160
>>4203163
>>4203166
You pull up your optics, exposing your eyes to the agent. Below the balaclava, you give an unseen smirk, before you say, "You can order whatever you want."

You flick your head, and the optics fall back over your eyes in one smooth motion.

"He's footing the bill."

"Jesus Christ." The agent says as she attempts to suppress a laugh. "You haven't shot me yet, so you must be the most optimistic covert op I've ever met." She reaches under her shirt, pulling out a small badge. She holds it up in the air, giving you a good view of it, before she tosses it over. You catch it, speaking as you examine.

"Nah, just another spy. The whole situation's gone to hell, so we're trying to recuperate. Handler's taking over himself." You pause for a second as you read her name, Marietta Poskanzer. "I hope you don't mind that I raided your apartment." You continue, as you hand over her briefcase along with her badge.

"Not at all!" She says. She looks at her glock for a moment, as though she wants to throw it away like trash. She decides against it, and reholsters it. "I've missed having actual gear. Here, I don't want to get caught with my pants down. I'm gonna lock myself in one of the offices and put the suit on, I need you to keep a gun on hand in there in case anything tries to break down the door or teleports in."

Deciding that a few minutes of lost time is better than the possibility of a dead agent, you agree, following her into one of the nearby offices while staring at the door, gun in hand. You can hear her click the brief case open behind you, and drop the bulletproof vest to the floor.

You have a few minutes to talk as she dresses in the stealth suit.

>Ask her about why she raided the orbital mapping office, leaving out how you know she did.
>Are you behind the tank in the proving grounds that was mowing down soldiers?
>What have you found out about the aliens?
>Have you learned anything about this freeman guy?
>Ask her if she's been... seeing things? Had a migraine?
>You heard soldiers talking about a space probe earlier that they thought was from aliens, what was that about?
>Did you see a group of covert ops around here?
>You know, she's been stuck down here for a whole day now. Maybe you should just ask how she's doing?
>>
>>4203239
>Are you behind the tank in the proving grounds that was mowing down soldiers?
I hope the answer is yes. Would she have any idea to. i don't know reprogram it?

>Did you see a group of covert ops around here?
>>
>>4203239
>Are you behind the tank in the proving grounds that was mowing down soldiers?
If she is, we gain a powerful robot friend. If she isn’t, we warn her of a very dangerous robot. Win-win.
>Have you learned anything about this freeman guy?
HELLO FREENIS
>>
>>4203239
Can we do pic related just because we can? We have two guns.
>>
>>4203266
Seems a bit random
>>
>>4203239
>>Are you behind the tank in the proving grounds that was mowing down soldiers?
>You know, she's been stuck down here for a whole day now. Maybe you should just ask how she's doing?

Please change the dice system to best of three.
>>
>>4203300
I'm kinda apprehensive about that, because I do want the dicerolls to act as a legitimate deterrent from certain activities. I'll try it, but I might stick with one roll for combat, because I don't want the fights with big hulking aliens to last only one turn.

>>4203258
>>4203259

"One of the prototypes in the proving ground, an automated tank..." is all your able to say before she seems shocked.

"Jesus!" She says. "The IFV was out?" She pauses for a minute. "Poor bastards. All the systems started going haywire a few hours ago, I had heard the prototypes were being affected, but I didn't know that goliath was in testing when it started."

"Well, would you know how to shut it down?" You ask. "Maybe we could get it on our side even."

"I just do mechanical work. If I could hack that, I would've. Besides, you'd need to get on the damn thing to connect to it. It's designed for covert ops, fully autonomous, no signals in or out."

"Shit, well that's another problem for us." You respond. "The thing tore open the door to the garage. If we wanna go that way, we're gonna be dodging a tank."

"Really?" She says. "That things made to kill, you're luck you got out."

"Well, the marines weren't lucky. They distracted the thing." You explain.

"Oh yes. The rescue team." She sighs sarcastically.

"Yup. So I heard them talking about a guy named Freeman recently. They say he's been kicking their asses. He used to work at the place I guarded, anomolous materials, but I didn't really know 'em. Have you heard anything about him?"

"Only that the lambda labs have been trying to direct him to Aerospace. I have no idea what they'd be doing with the equipment. Hell I don't even know what Lambda does." She explains.

"They aren't named like any of the other labs. Usually they're called something self explanatory. That's just a Greek letter." You respond.

"Which is exactly why I think there's some freaky shit going on in there." She responds.

"It's vague and anonymous, yeah, but I'd imagine they'd go with something that sounds nice. Lambda just begs for questioning." You say.

"Yeah well Black Mesa isn't run by Congress. They don't know the art of making the mass surveillance bills glow with rugged individualism."

"You make a fair point." You respond. "So how have you been doing down here? Are you holding together?"

"This is rather insane, I've gotta say. Those parasites, they're freaking me out. Not just the crabs, the way the people scream underneath them." You can hear the dressing stop for a moment, and she stops to process some things. "Damn, I'm not gonna sleep well for a while after this." She finishes pulling her black fatiques over her body, and buckling the PCV around her chest. "You seem well put together, how have you been doing keeping your head on?"
(Cont.)
>>
>>4203392
(Cont.)
>I haven't really had the time to think about any of it.
>The sarcasm helps.
>Taking it out on aliens and marines mainly.
>I got a job to do, emotions can wait.
>Now that you mention it I have been hearing voices.
>I don't know.
>>
>>4203392
>Taking it out on aliens and marines mainly.
Show her the Hivehand! Also does she have any idea how the Marine's PCV's work? Can we fix our armor? Look for a health station?

>Besides, you'd need to get on the damn thing to connect to it. It's designed for covert ops, fully autonomous, no signals in or out.
What if we managed to get on top of it and connect one of the CIA Fobs on top of it?

Hey guys so should we tell her about our alien buddies? How much should we share?
>>
>>4203395
>I've experienced seizures related to what the doctors suspect is extracranial brain activity associated with some of the extraterrestrials. I'm letting you know in advance so you can act accordingly. That being said, if you see one of the three-armed one-eyed ones that DOESN'T have a shackle on it trying to help, let it - they seem willing to aid whoever removes the shackle, and we should leverage that to our advantage.
>>
>>4203404
and i just realized that vortigaunts actually have 6 eyes. The humongous central eye always gets me.
You get the idea, though. Describing the vortigaunts without shackles as friendlies willing to aid.
>>
>>4203410
in addition to going for less than lethal attacks on other Vortigaunts in an attempt to free more? They can apparently restore the power to our suits and some form of healing.
>>
>>4203392
>>4203404
>>4203424
Down for this.
>>
>>4203453
Supporting. She’ll probably call us crazy, but we can tell her that the real crazy thing is that alien invasions exist in the first place.
>>
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>>4203410
Even the vortigaunts don't seem to consider them a major part of their biology. The drawings in half life alyx, while admittedly simple, don't even attempt to include the extra eyes except for sometimes the top one. My guess is they're vestigial.
>>4203401
>>4203404
>>4203453
>>4203467
"Honestly? I've been trying to take it out on the aliens, but it's not helping. From what the doctors have told me, it won't. It's been causing seizures as the aliens screw with my head."

"Wait, they're saying they attacked you... mentally?" She responds.

"I don't know. Ever since this started I've had a pounding headache that seems to be related to the aliens." You explain. "The doctors gave me some sort of brain scan, and that ended up showing extracranial activity."

"They showed you what?"

"Brain activity outside of my brain." You respond. She gives you an incredulous look, but you expand, "If you don't believe me, I can take you to the doctor who looked at my head."

"Jesus." She says. She stops to think for a moment, leaning her head against her wrist as she sits on the desk. "I guess it's not crazier than aliens existing at all. Maybe we're just both crazy."

"I guess so, but if we're the hallucinating the same things, then one of us is a figment of the others imagination." You joke. "I'm real, are you real?"

She feels her own body for a second, then says, "Yup."

"Well," you say, "with that established, if you see any of those weird, six eyed aliens, the ones with the big red eyes in the center, and they don't have the little fleshy shackles and collar on them, then don't shoot them. I think they're some form of conscript, and have been shown to be willing to assist those who help free them."

"Ummm..." She pauses for a moment, seemingly confused. "Do they... talk to you. Can you trust them? That seems like a pretty easy way to get an infiltrator if you're just trusting them blindly here."

>Yes, I have somewhat communicated with them. Tell her more detail about the migraine.
>Sort of, it's hard to explain. Just leave it vague, and that you're confident you can trust them.
>No, but what information could they gain? They have no understanding of our language. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 13. She won't be hostile to the vorts if you fail, but she will be incredibly wary of them.)
>>
>>4203526
>Sort of, it's hard to explain. Just leave it vague, and that you're confident you can trust them
And if she wants more information,
>Yes, I have somewhat communicated with them. Tell her more detail about the migraine.

Basically “Yeah, I know I can trust them. I can explain to you why if you want, but it’s hard to truncate and you probably won’t enjoy listening to the whole thing.”
>>
>>4203526
>Can you trust them? That seems like a pretty easy way to get an infiltrator if you're just trusting them blindly here.
Considering there were a good fer opportunities they could had killed me but didn't, probably. I don't feel an all compelling urge to work for their big brained overlord. They've shown to not so hostile. The ones without the restrains compared to the collared ones I mean.
>>
>>4203526
what
>>4203538
said. Supporting.
>>
>>4203526
But can she help us utilize the PCV's?
Is that a no to backflipping on top of it and inserting the CIA fob?
>>
>>4203619
You could do that, but you wouldn't really have the resources to get it out of the robotics lab. It can't exactly fit through the halls, and with the marines having access to mortars and attack helicopters on the surface, they'd probably just make it another bomb target. Of course, it would be a way to not have to worry about the tank, but it is dangerous, and wouldn't work right away.
>>4203610
Is your what referring to the spoiler text, or the update? The drawings I was referring to in the spoiler text were from a section of Half Life Alyx where a vortigaunt effectively wrote out the history of the half life universe. I was just noting the fact that the vortigaunts didn't seem to care much about their other eyes.
>>4203538
>>4203544
>>4203610
"I've... sort of been able to communicate with them." You say. "It's not easy to explain. I'm confident I can trust them, and I don't feel an urge to follow their overlord."

"Yeah, well you have no idea how far they might be willing to con." She responds, unconvinced.

"Well its... I'm confident I can trust them, but would prefer to keep it vague. I'll explain it if you really don't trust me, but you should understand the importance of secrecy.

She considers it for a second, then simply nods.

The two of you leave the office, guns in hand, then consider how to get back to the tram.

>Stick with the devil you know, go through the proving ground.
>Stay safe, loop through the prototyping facilities. (Will add an extra thirty minutes to your trip, it's 8:54 PM.)
>>
>>4203689
>Stick with the devil you know, go through the proving ground.
FOB THE TANK
The CIA can play Battletech with it and have it battle the Military. The battle shall be glorious. For the Clans! For Honors sake! In Kerensky the field of battle shall be bathed in their blood! This robot shall prove to be a valuable distraction should any of the soldiers be near the other side of the tram.

Also does she know if any of the other staff survived?
>>
>>4203689
Wait a sec. There has to be a means or entrance to get it outside. And even if there wasn't, it's a tank! Couldn't it make it's one entrance? if not then what if we utilized one of the Anti-tank mines to make one?
>>
>>4203713
There is an elevator, but what I meant was that the tank would have no safe way of moving around. It wouldn't last long on the surface, due to the large amount of surface to ground missiles currently trained at black mesa. You'd be able to do it, and even get it to fight things, but you wouldn't be able to get it far. I was assuming you'd want to keep it for a decent amount of time.
>>
>>4203750
Huh. Fair point. Along with artillery, attack helicopters and some marines armed with laser guided missile launchers, it probably wouldn't last long. What a shame. I guess it's best to leave it alone for now.
>>
>>4203774
It could always be a distraction.
>>
>>4203777
Oh yeah! That's true. It might be worth it after all.
>>
>>4203689
>Stick with the devil you know, go through the proving ground
>>
>>4203689
>Stick with the devil you know, go through the proving ground.
>>
>>4203689
Oh no i just meant that “what [linked anon] said, supporting”
>>
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Hey guys, sorry for doing this so soon after my last hiatus, but I've got some deadlines that just slapped me in the face, so I need to take a break from the quest for today to catch up on those. Once again, I should be back tomorrow.
>>
>>4204652
hey man, most QM's do a single day a week. It's cool to take however many breaks you need, bro, so don't sweat it.
Half Life is a game that can be paused and saved, after all
>>
>>4204652
It’s good bro, you’ve been posting multiple updates almost daily for about two weeks now. That’s pretty damn good.

>>4204676
>and saved
Dirty casul detected
>>
>>4204652
Just so long as we get an episode three at some point in the future.
>>
>>4204697
>not quick saving and then doing stupid shit
Faux-gamer
>>
>>4206082
No! Augh! STOP!
>>
>>4206082
>not doing stupid shit and then living with the consequences
>>
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>>4204676
>>4204697
Thanks guys. I just know how common it is for QMs to flake. I don't want to seem like I'm giving up on the quest. I may have to move to a more manageable schedule sometime in the future.
>>4205501
More than two, but less than four?
>>4203709
>>4203829
>>4203859
The two of you start to navigate the offices once again, strategically routing yourself away from the uncanny screams of zombies, or the odd roars of bull-squids.

As you approach the proving grounds, the sounds reveal the eruption of a greater, three way battle. The sounds of the tank have erupted into roaring machine gun fire, and the racing of treads. The sound mixes in with the military's weapon fire. They've rappelled from the cargo lift shaft, quickly taking cover among the cars of the proven ground. The aliens have tried to make their push into the area, teleporting clusters of grunts into the garage to soak up fire while harassing the marines, and placing vortigaunts among the broken viewing window to fire bolts of lightning into the tank, stuttering its electric systems.

You approach behind two vortigaunts, firing their lightning onto the tank. The two of you give a quick assessment of the battle, peering past the creatures with your goggles.

If you had the window they're firing out of for yourself, it would make for a good position to shoot from, especially with that rifle. It would also open up options for dropping into the proving ground.

Before you make your way through the battle, you'll need to avoid, or neutralize these vortigaunts.

>Just sneak straight past them, limits your paths to through the garage, and removes a possible sniping point, but avoids bringing any unnecessary attention to yourself.
>Kick them both off and into the proving ground with the tank and marines. Frees up the window entirely, but may draw attention.
>Shoot them simultaneously. Frees the window up, and avoids bringing attention to your self. (Roll 3d6+2, pass on a 10.)
>Pull them back simultaneously, and strangle them out. It would be very risky to pull off their collars in the middle of a battlefield, but even if you don't, small mercies. Frees up the window, and brings no attention to you. (Roll 3d6+2, pass on a 13.)
>>
>>4206560
>Pull them back simultaneously, and strangle them out. It would be very risky to pull off their collars in the middle of a battlefield, but even if you don't, small mercies. Frees up the window, and brings no attention to you. (Roll 3d6+2, pass on a 13.)
Huttah!
>>
>>4206560
>Pull them back simultaneously, and strangle them out. It would be very risky to pull off their collars in the middle of a battlefield, but even if you don't, small mercies. Frees up the window, and brings no attention to you. (Roll 3d6+2, pass on a 13.)
Very spylike, I dig it.
I actually wonder if we'll get Garrote wire in our drop...
>>
>>4206566
We’ll get a balisong, a pearl grip revolver, a ski mask and a pack of cigarettes.
>>
>>4206570
I prefer the classics
>>
>>4206560
>Pull them back simultaneously, and strangle them out. It would be very risky to pull off their collars in the middle of a battlefield, but even if you don't, small mercies. Frees up the window, and brings no attention to you. (Roll 3d6+2, pass on a 13.)
>>
>>4206565
>>4206566
You look to your fellow agent, quickly flipping up your goggles, then placing your hand around your wrist after pointing to the two aliens. The plan established through silent hand signals, you count down from three on your fingers. The moment your index finger drops, the two of you move from cover and behind the two alien creatures.

Roll 3d6+2. (Because you're still unseen, this roll will be best of 3.)
>>
Rolled 1, 1, 3 + 2 = 7 (3d6 + 2)

>>4206580
>>
Rolled 4, 4, 1 + 2 = 11 (3d6 + 2)

>>4206580
>>
Rolled 4, 6, 2 + 2 = 14 (3d6 + 2)

>>4206580
>>4206580
why best of 3?
>>
>>4206581
>>4206582
>>4206588
People asked.

Quickly, the two of you wrap your arms around the vortigaunts, pulling them away from the windows, and out of sight. Electricity tingles on your arms, but soon it fades away, and the grumbles and struggles of the two conscripts slow, and fade away. Less than a minute later, both creatures are unconscious. Slowly, you let the two beings down to the floor where they lay unconscious.

>Attempt to remove the vortigaunts collars. (Make two rolls. One 3d6, for which every 6 points is five minutes. Another 3d6+2, to see if you are spotted while removing the collar, pass on a 13.)
>Move down through the garage, where the grunts are.
>Hand Marietta the rifle, and drop down. Clear a path through the proving ground while she covers you.
>Take the rifle yourself, and have Marietta drop into the proving ground. Cover her while she clears a path.
>The both of you attempt to crawl under the military's firing line. Failure will put you in a difficult position. (Roll 3d6+2, pass on a 12.)
>>
>>4206593
>Take the rifle yourself, and have Marietta drop into the proving ground. Cover her while she clears a path.
After that we can drag them back to the tram? I'm kind of banking that the other two Vortigaunts can help remove the collars.
>>
>>4206593
>Ask Marietta how experienced she is with a rifle of this kind and rifles in general
The better sniper should stay up here.
We also have better guns than her. If it ends up that she goes down, we should hand her some of our stuff. Shotgun, maybe?
>>
>>4206602
Depends on how much path you clear.
>>4206620
"How good are you with long rifles?" You ask.

"Same amount of training as most spies." She responds. You both work for the same organization, and received the same regiment. "I got some use out of it in Africa, but I'm nothing special with them for a spy." She responds. "But I do know where the vulnerabilities are on that tank, so if you wanted to kill it, I'd know where to shoot. Of course, don't sell yourself short. In those halls, you had ears like Mozart. If you wanted to start shooting at the marines, you could probably listen to them talking between themselves from here and judge your shots accordingly."

She's right, with a bit of focus, you can make out the sergeant barking orders at his subordinates, he's currently demanding one of them hands over their share of the split cache of the grenade rounds to allow the grenadier to do his work. You'd be able to make good use of that skill from a vantage point, punishing the marines for tactical moves that one might not even notice in the chaos of combat.

>Attempt to remove the vortigaunts collars. (Make two rolls. One 3d6, for which every 6 points is five minutes. Another 3d6+2, to see if you are spotted while removing the collar, pass on a 13.)
>Move down through the garage, where the grunts are.
>Hand Marietta the rifle, and drop down. Clear a path through the proving ground while she covers you.
>Take the rifle yourself, and have Marietta drop into the proving ground. Cover her while she clears a path.
>The both of you attempt to crawl under the military's firing line. Failure will put you in a difficult position. (Roll 3d6+2, pass on a 12.)
>>
>>4206643
>Take the rifle yourself, and have Marietta drop into the proving ground. Cover her while she clears a path
Sniping’s a good job, mate. It’s challenging work, out of doors, and I guarantee you’ll not go hungry.
>>
>>4206643
>Take the rifle yourself, and have Marietta drop into the proving ground. Cover her while she clears a path.
I cast GUN.
So does she need any additional firepower? Wanna try dual akimbo supressor pistols?
>>
>>4206654
>>4206665

"Alright," you say. You pull out the rifle. "We'll try and cut through the marines. I'll keep you covered while you ambush them."

"Do you think I could take something from your arsenal to hold me off while I'm down there?" She asks.

"Of course," You respond. You consider the options, you of course need the rifle, and it's rather doubtful that she would consider doing the things you have to do to make the hivehand work. Giving her your glock would just be an insult.

>Give her the SMG. (All around multitool, chews through ammo, includes a small grenade launcher that you currently lack ammo for.)
>Give her the shotgun. (Reliable, close range weapon.)
>Give her the revolver. (High wound threshold, low kill threshold.)
>Silenced USP. (Stopping power lower than the revolver, but also makes less noise. Trying to duel wield seems great, until you have to reload twice under fire, and it'll take some accuracy penalties.)
>>
>>4206678
>Give her the shotgun. (Reliable, close range weapon.)
>Give her the revolver. (High wound threshold, low kill threshold.)
Let’s give her a couple of nice, strong ones.
>>
>>4206678
>Give her the shotgun. (Reliable, close range weapon.)

>>4206683
The shotgun should be enough. We should save the revolver for tougher foes like the grunts or anything worse.
>>
Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>4206683
>>4206696
>>
>>4206709
Actually, yeah give her the revolver, but suggest saving it for the grunts.
>>
>>4206683
>>4206696
>>4206718

You decide to hand off the revolver and the shotgun, which Maretta happily accepts. "Those alien grunts have a hell of a lot of armor. You'll want to save the better penetration for them." You explain as you hand it off.

"Trust me," she says, "I know all too well how much shit they can eat."

She tops up the tube with buckshot, and the cylinder with .357 before quietly climbing down. You follow her with the rifle as she deftly sneaks from cover to cover, getting closer and closer to the marines. She's an adept spy, and you keep close watch over her as she moves, communicating through whispers over the radio to ensure she isn't spotted as she moves closer to a good ambush zone.
(cont.)
>>
>>4206728
(cont.)
(You will recieve a +1 to rifle shots from your position.)

>Fire at the sergeant with the anti-material rifle. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 12. -1/1+10 ammo. You will have to reload afterwards. )
>Fire at the grenadier with the anti-material rifle. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 12. -1/1+10 ammo. You will have to reload afterwards. )
>Fire at the first private with the anti-material rifle. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 12. -1/1+10 ammo. You will have to reload afterwards. )
>Fire at the second private with the anti-material rifle. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 12. -1/1+10 ammo. You will have to reload afterwards. )

(Changing weapons can be done any turn, and while performing any action that does not require both hands.)
>Glock. (Small, weak, but good for saving a bit of ammo.)
>SMG. (All around multitool, chews through ammo, includes a small grenade launcher that you currently lack ammo for.)
>Hivehand. (Generally low stopping power, but low wound threshold, and infinite ammo.)
>Silenced USP. (Stopping power lower than the revolver, but also makes less noise.)
>Anti-Material Rifle. (Incredibly high stopping power, takes penalties at close range, very loud. Very good at breaking through armor.)

(During combat, you will also be able to choose Marietta's tactical actions. She gets a +2 during this turn due to the ambush.)

>Fire your Spas-12 at the sergeant. (Roll 3d6+4, kill on a 16, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8+2 ammo.)
>Fire two shots from the Spas 12 at the sergeant. (Roll 3d6+4, kill on a 12, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. High recoil will apply a -5 to your next shot. -2/8+2)

>Fire your Spas-12 at the grenadier. (Roll 3d6+4, kill on a 16, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8+2 ammo.)
>Fire two shots from the Spas 12 at the grenadier. (Roll 3d6+4, kill on a 12, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. High recoil will apply a -5 to your next shot. -2/8+2)

>Fire your Spas-12 at the first private. (Roll 3d6+4, kill on a 16, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8+6 ammo.)
>Fire two shots from the Spas 12 at the first private. (Roll 3d6+4, kill on a 12, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. High recoil will apply a -5 to your next shot. -2/8+2)

>Fire your Spas-12 at the second private. (Roll 3d6+4, kill on a 16, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8+6 ammo.)
>Fire two shots from the Spas 12 at the second private. (Roll 3d6+4, kill on a 12, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. High recoil will apply a -5 to your next shot. -2/8+2)

(Changing weapons can be done any turn, and while performing any action that does not require both hands.)
>Shotgun. (Reliable, 2-3 shot close range.)
>Revolver. (High wound threshold, low kill threshold.)
>Silenced USP. (Stopping power lower than the revolver, but also makes less noise.)
>>
>>4206732
>Fire at the sergeant with the anti-material rifle. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 12. -1/1+10 ammo. You will have to reload afterwards. )
That should put them in a panic
>>
>>4206738
You can choose both Marietta's actions and your own in the same turn, just to be clear.
>>
>>4206739
Oops.
>Fire your Spas-12 at the grenadier. (Roll 3d6+4, kill on a 16, every point above a 3 reduces threshold. -1/8+2 ammo.)
>>
>>4206732
Gabby:
>Fire at the grenadier with the anti-material rifle. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 12. -1/1+10 ammo. You will have to reload afterwards. )
Take out the heavy guns that can hit us behind cover.
Marietta:
Switch weapons:
>Silenced USP. (Stopping power lower than the revolver, but also makes less noise.)
I’m thinking that we draw their attention with sniper fire while Marietta stays hidden and picks them off from behind. By the time they notice, it’ll be too late to do anything.
>>
Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>4206738
>>4206741
>>4206811
>>
>>4206738
>>4206741
>>4206811
Pulling her head down, Marietta pulls her silenced pistol out of its holster. She keeps her head down, waiting for you to make the first, incredibly loud, move.

You line up the grenadier in your crosshairs. Laying on the ground with the ground with the gun resting on your forearm, you line the scope up, balancing the gun just right as you slowly tug on the trigger.

Roll 3d6+2
>>
Rolled 2, 3, 3 + 2 = 10 (3d6 + 2)

>>4206867
>>
Rolled 5, 2, 3 + 2 = 12 (3d6 + 2)

>>4206867
>>
Rolled 6, 2, 1 + 2 = 11 (3d6 + 2)

>>4206867
Boom. Headshot.
>>
Rolled 2, 2, 2 + 2 = 8 (3d6 + 2)

>>4206867
>>
>>4206881
>>4206885
>>4206900
>>4206901
I made a mistake, that was meant to be a plus three, but I made a mistake. No big deal, It can be done retroactively.

The chamber blasts, kicking the butt of the gun into your shoulder like a mule. The round, a fifty caliber penetrating round, cutting easily through the PCV of an unsuspecting grenadier. The energy of the shot ripples through the marines chest, mushing vital organs in the process. The pain knocks the marine out before he's even able to feel it, and he begins to bleed out on the ground.

"Hit the deck!" The sergeant yells. The three remaining marines drop to the ground. "Sniper, 9'oclock."

The marines are in cover from your line of sigh, but Marietta still has a bead on them from her concealed position.

"Any ideas?" The sergeant yells. "Or are you just gonna stare at the poor bastard with your mouth open!"

"Sir, they're probably reloading!" One of the privates say. They're right, you are reloading your gun. "We can knock them down with suppressing fire while you move for the launcher."

(Your only available action for this turn is to reload your gun.)

From behind cover, Marietta keeps her bead on the three remaining marines, and listens to you relay suggestions through whispers over the encrypted radio.

>Fire your Silenced USP at the Sergeant. (Roll 3d6+4, kill on a 15, every point above a 8 reduces threshold. -3/11+1 Magazine ammo. )
>Fire your Silenced USP at the first private. (Roll 3d6+4, kill on a 15, every point above a 8 reduces threshold. -3/11+1 Magazine ammo.)
>Fire your Silenced USP at the second private. (Roll 3d6+4, kill on a 15, every point above a 8 reduces threshold. -3/11+1 Magazine ammo.)

>Cloak. (+4 defense, -3/50 cloak power per turn.)

>Attempt to slip in behind the marines, and steal that grenade launcher while they strategize. (Roll 3d6+2, pass on a 14. Get spotted below an 11.)
>>
>>4206945
>Fire your Silenced USP at the Sergeant. (Roll 3d6+4, kill on a 15, every point above a 8 reduces threshold. -3/11+1 Magazine ammo. )
Are we both cloaked? Let's get cloaked if we're not.
>>
>>4206945
Fire our smg at the mt osupress them?
>>
>>4206953
>(Your only available action for this turn is to reload your gun.)
>>
>>4206953
You could swap to your SMG if you really wanted to, but at the current range you're at, you wouldn't be getting much effectiveness with only the one gun. The proving ground is spacious enough to test a tank in, so the only way you would get any hits from the outside to the entrance of the cargo lift is through volume of fire, which works for the marines since they have three of the guns.
>>
>>4206945
>Cloak. (+4 defense, -3/50 cloak power per turn.)
>Fire your Silenced USP at the Sergeant. (Roll 3d6+4, kill on a 15, every point above a 8 reduces threshold. -3/11+1 Magazine ammo. )
We should keep overwatch on the launcher, kill whoever tries to go for it.
>>
>>4206949
>>4207033
(You have 24/50 cloak power. Marietta has 57/50)

You activate your cloak while while opening up the chamber of your rifle. The spend cartridge ejects, leaving you a fresh slot for a new round.

Marietta also fizzles out of reality as she focuses her weapon on the sergeant, aligning the iron sights on his head. The marines fail to see her despite being so close. The glowsights, invisible to everyone but Marietta, hover over the marine's red beret.

Roll 3d6+4.
>>
Rolled 1, 5, 4 + 4 = 14 (3d6 + 4)

>>4207060
>>
Rolled 2, 1, 6 + 4 = 13 (3d6 + 4)

>>4207060
>>
Rolled 1, 2, 4 + 4 = 11 (3d6 + 4)

>>4207060
Marietta is at 114% battery power?
>>
Rolled 1, 4, 5 + 4 = 14 (3d6 + 4)

>>4207060
>>
>>4207064
>>4207069
>>4207079
>>4207105
Oops, 47/50

The shot snaps the sergeant in the waist, burrowing in. Perhaps by willpower alone the man stays standing against the immense pain as it narrowly misses his intestines.

You wrack your next shot. The rifle is ready to fire.

The sergeant howls in pain, but soon realizes that it wasn't the sniper nor the tank that shot him. This was a bullet wound, a relatively small caliber.

"Shit!" The sergeant yells, "There's someone else. Marcus! Track the bastard! We'll give you cover!"

"Yes sir!" The first private shouts.

The sergeant, and the second private both start laying down suppressing fire.

(Due to distance, angle, and cloaking, they would each need an eighteen to hit.)

>Decloak.(-4 defense, will save -3/24 power per turn.)

>Fire at the sergeant with the anti-material rifle. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 12. -1/1+9ammo. You will have to reload afterwards. )
>Fire at the first private, "Marcus," the one searching for Marietta, with the anti-material rifle. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 12. -1/1+9 ammo. You will have to reload afterwards. )
>Fire at the second private with the anti-material rifle. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 12. -1/1+9 ammo. You will have to reload afterwards. )

(Marietta.)

>Fire your Silenced USP at the Sergeant. (Roll 3d6+4, kill on an 8. -1/10+1 Magazine ammo. )
>Fire your Silenced USP at the first private. (Roll 3d6+4, kill on a 15, every point above a 8 reduces threshold. -1/10+1 Magazine ammo.)
>Fire your Silenced USP at the second private. (Roll 3d6+4, kill on a 15, every point above a 8 reduces threshold. -1/10+1 Magazine ammo.)

>Decloak.(-4 defense, will save -3/47 power per turn.)

>Reposition quickly, (Roll 3d6+2, marine will lose track of you on a 12. This threshold can be reduced to a 10 by cloaking this turn, or already being cloaked.


(Changing weapons can be done any turn, and while performing any action that does not require both hands.)
>Shotgun. (Reliable, 2-3 shot close range.)
>Revolver. (High wound threshold, low kill threshold.)
>Silenced USP. (Stopping power lower than the revolver, but also makes less noise.)
>>
>>4207125
>Fire at the first private, "Marcus," the one searching for Marietta, with the anti-material rifle. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 12. -1/1+9 ammo. You will have to reload afterwards. )
>Fire your Silenced USP at the Sergeant. (Roll 3d6+4, kill on an 8. -1/10+1 Magazine ammo. )
>>
>>4207125
Gabby:
>Fire at the first private, "Marcus," the one searching for Marietta, with the anti-material rifle. (Roll 3d6+3, kill on a 12. -1/1+9 ammo. You will have to reload afterwards. )
Marietta:
>Fire your Silenced USP at the Sergeant. (Roll 3d6+4, kill on an 8. -1/10+1 Magazine ammo. )
>>
Rolled 2, 6, 3, 3, 4, 5 = 23 (6d6)

>>4207136
>>4207157
You line up a second shot, even as inaccurate bullets spray around you. Without a scope glint due to the cloak, you don't mind the pings of 9x19 rounds bouncing off the walls of the corridors as you take a breath, and then fire.

At the same time, Marietta moves to finish off the sergeant, tracking him in her iron sights.

On the other side of the proving ground, the tank has noticed that the marines have stopped focusing their fire, and is choosing to ignore the threat not actively pursuing it. Grunts are slowly chipped apart, and vortigaunts shredded by its massive cannon. However, from in the garage, you're sure you can hear a larger teleportation sound than any of the others.

Roll a 3d6+3 for Gabby, and a 3d6+4 for Marietta.
>>
Rolled 3, 3, 4 + 3 = 13 (3d6 + 3)

>>4207229
Gabby
>>
Rolled 2, 4, 4 + 4 = 14 (3d6 + 4)

>>4207229
Marietta
Radio Marietta about this new development. be careful.
>>
Rolled 6, 1, 4 + 3 = 14 (3d6 + 3)

>>4207229
>larger teleportation sound than any of the others.
Oh boy, I bet it’s a gargantua.
Anyway, here’s Gabby’s roll.
>>
Rolled 5, 5, 6 + 4 = 20 (3d6 + 4)

>>4207257
And Marietta’s roll.
Speaking of whom, we should probably tell her to get out of Dodge when she’s done with the sergeant since there’s a big teleport nearby.
>>
>>4207257
what's that?
>>
Rolled 3, 6, 5 = 14 (3d6)

>>4207235
>>4207236
>>4207257
>>4207264

Your shot tears through the private as he bounces from cover to cover, smacking through his armor. Meanwhile, Mariettas second shot finishes the sergeant as he's occupied, fruitlessly trying to punish you for leaving cover.

The final marine, reaches for his radio, and starts booking it to the cargo.

You radio to Marietta, "We better get moving, I think the aliens are bringing in heavy equipment, and that likely means will be bringing it in too."

"Got it." She responds briefly, still assessing her situation on the ground. Your sniper rifle is still unloaded, you won't be able to rack a new shot before the marine gets away.

(Gabby)
>Adrenaline is running high, carry one of the vorts out. (Roll 3d6+2, pass on a 15.)
>Just catch up to Marietta.

(Marietta)
>Let the marine leave. Just move out of the proving ground.
>Let the marine leave, quickly loot the bodies.
>Have Marietta fire a shot at him. (Roll 3d6+2, kill on a 15, every point above a 8 reduces threshold. -1/9+1 Magazine ammo.)
>>
>>4207302
Gabby:
>Adrenaline is running high, carry one of the vorts out. (Roll 3d6+2, pass on a 15.)
It really wouldn’t matter if we brought or left them since I’m willing to bet the aliens will win this encounter, but I’m willing to try it.
Marietta
>Let the marine leave, quickly loot the bodies.
They said they had grenades for the M203, right? Let’s make sure to get as many of those as we can.
>>
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>>4207320
Also, let’s have Marietta grab the grenade launcher if we can.
>>
>>4207302
>Adrenaline is running high, carry one of the vorts out. (Roll 3d6+2, pass on a 15.)
>Let the marine leave, quickly loot the bodies.
>>
Rolled 5, 5, 1 = 11 (3d6)

>>4207320
>>4207326
>>4207327
The marine books it away, calling for back up and reporting a dead squad. the marine cites that their is a third human force onsite, with advanced covert training.

Marietta quickly pillages the bodies of the squad, giving extra attention to the grenadier. An MGL grenade launcher is soon slung over her back as she grabs a total of eight HEAT grenades off of them. Meanwhile, you lift one of the vortigaunts over their shoulders, even as you start to hear stomping.

Roll 3d6+2.
>>
Rolled 3, 5, 6 + 2 = 16 (3d6 + 2)

>>4207340
leg day
what about the other vortigant? Can we come back for it? lets ask Marietta to cover us.
>>
Rolled 5, 5, 5 + 2 = 17 (3d6 + 2)

>>4207340
>>
Rolled 1, 1, 2 + 2 = 6 (3d6 + 2)

>>4207340
>>
>>4207365
https://youtu.be/O4obwEbdkHg
>>
File: gargantua.jpg (19 KB, 480x360)
19 KB
19 KB JPG
>>4207350
>>4207351
>>4207365
You pull the alien creature over your shoulders, fizzling back into vision as the weight presses against your knees. Dropping from the window, you book it across the proving ground. Your legs ache, groaning in protest as you run, but you ignore them and continue onward.

The tank starts to move backwards, into the proving ground. Its quickly accelerating as it retreats. Its treads pull up turf, and crush cars beneath them. The machines missiles fire through the doorway as a colossus slowly steps through, bending under the garage door un-phased as automated missiles smash into its curled face.

"Jesus!" Marietta yells. She sees you carrying the vortigaunt, and starts shouting, "C'mon, leave the damn thing, we gotta go."

You're determined however, and already have some momentum. You'd lose more time in the process of dropping the creature than you would gain from losing the weight.

Behind you, the automated tank smashes into the closed cargo lift, firing its guns toward the Gargantua's chitinous armor. It has little effect. The creature continues at full speed toward the tank. Its two arms open, throwing flames across the tanks hull. In moments, every system inside is overheated, and the tank shuts down. The munitions and fuel inside catch fire soon afterward, and the tank turns into one colossal bomb, bursting into the Gargantua's face, and shredding it.

The two of you sprint through the bumpy, debris filled turf of the underground proving grounds. Every hop reminds you of the weight on your shoulders, and slowly Marietta is getting ahead of you. Still, she occasionally looks back, slowing down so you can keep pace. You can hear the creature roaring in agony as you hop down through the broken window, past the corpses of the three soldiers you fought earlier. The two of you maneuver past the broken desks, and Marietta slams the door behind you.

You lower the Vortigaunt to the floor of the proving ground storage. Your only two doors away from his unshackled allies.

Marietta's head leans back, and she pulls her mask off, flipping her goggles upward.

"Good god!" She yells, looking up to the sky. "The more I see of this damn invasion, the more I wish the president would just push the damn button."

"The Button." The more casual CIA term meaning "order a nuclear strike."

The migraine pulses as you think of that. For some reason, the picture you saw this morning comes to mind.

Like a mushroom cloud in a storm, if you're remembering it rightly.

>It would be too visible to the public. We're still trying to resemble a cover up.
>No way, there are too many civvies here.
>Maybe after we leave.
>Yeah, just end it already.
>Maybe he already has, and we're in hell?
>>
>>4207406
>It would be too visible to the public. We're still trying to resemble a cover up.
RIP other Vortigaunt. Hope he died quickly.
...There is that one option of calling the general. Maybe we can give it a shot?
>>
>>4207406
>Maybe after we leave.
We still have a mission to do, and also people to save despite the best efforts of the DoD. But after that, to hell with this whole place. A mushroom cloud is a hell of a lot easier to deal with and maybe even pass off as a lab accident that an extradimensional alien invasion when - not if - it gets out of control at this rate.
>>
>>4207406
>It would be too visible to the public. We're still trying to resemble a cover up.
Very much doubt the hand in charge of the button cares much about civvies or even military personnel at this point.
>>
>>4207406
>It would be too visible to the public. We're still trying to resemble a cover up.
>>
>>4207406
>It would be too visible to the public. We're still trying to resemble a cover up.
>>
>>4207406
>>It would be too visible to the public. We're still trying to resemble a cover up.

But the way things are spiraling out of control, I wouldn't be surprised if they nuked it to prevent a full invasion. As if they understand it's an invasion yet.
>>
this qst dead?
>>
>>4208177
He’s taking a wee break, son. Don’t be so quick to pronounce quests deceased.
>>
>>4207413
>>4207417
>>4207419
>>4207432
>>4207710
>>4207971
"That's too loud." You respond. "If they nuke the facility, they can't hide it. We're still trying to resemble a cover up."

"Don't forget, this facility doesn't exist. This is in the middle of absolutely nowhere." She explains.

"Then they can afford to let it leak a little. If the aliens get out of the facility, they'll just be in an empty dessert." You respond. "There's no eyes on it, so noone will see it."

"It also means a nuke won't bring that much attention. It will vaporize the damn base. Nothing left. Then what happens?" She asks rhetorically. "US gets a slap on the wrist for violating the test-ban treaties, and the president makes an apology statement on TV."

You simply respond with an noncommittal "Hmm," before you decide that you need to start moving again. You start dragging the Vortigaunt in the most comfortable way possible as you move through the storage of the proving ground. The tracking systems inside their bulletproof glass cages tracks you.

You get through the lobby unharmed, and head through the airlock of the robotics lab and onto the catwalk. There, the vortigaunts have eliminated a few zombies and a bullsquid before they could nest in the tram. You open the door, and the vortigaunts split. One curiously inspects its incapacitated brother, and the other inspects Marietta, who seems rather uncomfortable. She manages to slip around and anyway, claiming a seat by wiping away the broken glass before she sprawls out on it. "It's nice working with someone for once." Marietta sighs as you start the tram. "It's a lonely job. You don't even get a voice in your ear like in the movies. Hell at least the marines got their squad-mates and a family to go home to." She watches the vortigaunts curiously as they work to free their brother, green light buzzing in their hands. "Hell even these guys seem close." She says chuckling. "They don't pick us if we've got people to go talk to, too many openings for information. Unless I'm wrong?" She asks as she sits up, with a genuinely curious and partially concerned look on her face. A lot of what a spy knows about their own organization, they have to theorize themselves. You only heard your commanding officers voice for the first time a few hours ago. "Do you have a family?" She asks.

Unfortunately, she's right. They don't recruit you for this job if you have people to talk to. They like people who don't get attached, and can only talk to someone about their problems if it comes with the kind of doctor/patient confidentiality enforced with a gun. Did Gabby have a family?
(cont.)
>>
>>4208354
(cont.)
>Yeah. They were perfectly fine people who you cut off from your life. You weren't the same person you are today when they recruited you.
>Yeah. They were perfectly fine people who you cut off from your life. You don't regret it. Gotta do what you gotta do.
>Yeah, but it wasn't a good place to grow up. You got outta there when you could, but they wanted to stay.
>Unfortunately. They weren't good people. You got out of there when you could.
>Nope. You bounced around from foster home to orphanage until you were an adult.
>Not for long. They kicked you out as a teenager and told you you weren't theirs anymore because you weren't the kind of person they wanted.
>Not for long. They kicked you out as a teenager and told you you weren't theirs anymore because you were admittedly kind of an asshole.
>Not for long. They died when you were a teenager. From there you just got used to it.
>>
>>4208357
>Nope. You bounced around from foster home to orphanage until you were an adult.
>reload
>inspect their PCV armor and see if it can be recharged
>>
>>4208357
>Nope. You bounced around from foster home to orphanage until you were an adult.
>>
>>4208363
Support
>>
>>4208375
Actually, gonna change to
>Not for long. They died when you were a teenager. From there you just got used to it
>reload
>inspect their PCV armor and see if it can be recharged
>>
>>4208363
>>4208368
>>4208389
"Nope." You respond. "Still, childhood wasn't the worst it could've been." You idly reload your weapons as you talk. Marietta hands back your revolver and shotgun, and throwing in a pair of HEAT grenades for your M203. She slots the rest into the MGLs six capacity cylinder. "They mostly bounced me around through orphanages and foster homes when I was a kid. Some were awful, some were alright, but I just got used to not getting too attached to people. It started to feel kind of odd as time went on. I would stay with a family for a year, then when I left they would cry and hug me, but I got kind of jaded after a while. Saying goodbye isn't as heartbreaking the fifth time over."

You check the power readings on your suit. You know the vortigaunts can power them, but are not entirely sure how you would go about getting them to do that, your communication system is rather primitive, but they did it unprompted last time. You'd guess that if they have the power on hand, they might just do it when they're done with their friend. Marietta inspects her own suit, seeing its PCV is topped up, and that its cloak is reasonably powered.

"Damn." Marietta responds, "I've heard horror stories about foster care, but you seemed to have turned out alright." She's slowly surveying the outside of the tram, ensuring that no interlopers will jump on from the ceiling somehow, or take potshots at it. "My dad was my only friend as a kid, then he got cancer when I was 12, and I moved in with my aunt and uncle. They were alright, but I had a hard time getting close to people after that. Although to be fair I wasn't the most personable teenager."

"Same here." You say. "All the eavesdropping I did put me at odds with my classmates."

Your conversation is put on hold as the vortigaunts pull off the collar from their brother, and look at you expectantly.

"What do they want?" Marietta asks.

"I think they want me to... communicate with it." You respond.

You move closer to the freed vortigaunt, as Marietta says "Wait, what?"

>Focus on the vortigaunt, and bring to mind what the xen controller showed you. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on an 11.)
>Focus on the vortigaunt, and bring to mind the voices that the other vortigaunt showed you. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on an 10.)
>Focus on the vortigaunt, and bring to mind the image you saw this morning. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on an 11.)
>The migraine kicked when you thought about nuking the facility, try and show it that thought. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 12.)
>Try and think about the synthetic army you saw before the resonance cascade. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on an 11.)
>Try and show it the man you saw standing over Azian. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 12.)
>Try and show it what you felt on the side of your head last time. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 13.)
>Try and show it the flood of data that hit your cerebral cortex last time. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 13.)
>Hold off for now.
>>
>>4208354
>>Nope. You bounced around from foster home to orphanage until you were an adult.
>>
>>4208439
>Try and show it the man you saw standing over Azian. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 12.)
>>
>>4208439
>Try and show it the flood of data that hit your cerebral cortex last time. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 13.)
We should also inform her that if we spasm a lot on the group that it's normal. Relatively normal. We get a brain scan a while back and we dont have space cancer, which is good enough. So uh, dont accidentally kill them.
>>
>>4208439
>The migraine kicked when you thought about nuking the facility, try and show it that thought. (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 12.)
Also supporting what >>4208480 said about telling Marietta not to harm the vorts if we start yelling or spasming.
Not really sure we should talk about GMan too much.
>>
>>4208439
>>4208448
Actually, I'd like to change my vote. I have a new idea.
>Try to show them your understanding of the English language, so that verbal or written communication might be established.
>>
>>4208490
We could probably do that later tonight. We do have a night to fuck around after the Blackhawk gets here.
>>
Rolled 2 (1d3)

>>4208448
>>4208480
>>4208487
>>4208490
>>
Rolled 2 (1d3)

>>4208448
>>4208480
>>4208487
"It's complicated." You respond. "But if I start yelling or seizing, it's normal, don't start killing the aliens." You explain.

"What are you talking about, is this the seizures you were talking about?" She asks. You just focus on the vortigaunt. You thing about the flood of data that you felt clamping down on your brain stem last time. The way it numbed you, and how the subconscious creeped up on your conscious self until only an infinitesimal little chunk of sanity remained.

The migraine pulses in return, in tune with an alarm decades in the future.

Roll 3d6+1
>>
Rolled 1, 4, 5 + 1 = 11 (3d6 + 1)

>>4208631
>>
Rolled 2, 6, 4 + 1 = 13 (3d6 + 1)

>>4208631
>>
Rolled 6, 1, 5 + 1 = 13 (3d6 + 1)

>>4208631
>>
Rolled 2 (1d3)

>>4208635
>>4208657
>>4208666
The pain kicks at your skull, and even as you feel the migraine clamp down on your brain stem, you see the migraine thin. Something is on the other side of the red swirling in your eyes, something you need to learn. You feel your body spasm, you fall to the ground twitch and smacking your head against the floor. Still, with one tug of willpower, you pull yourself through the barrier. You reach in, grabbing at the alien mechanisms on the other side, and tear apart the membrane.

A factory carries data throughout trillions of little connecting nodes, transferring it, storing it, and connecting it as appropriate. The data itself is all contained in an unintelligible alien code you don't understand. The mechanisms however seem oddly familiar. The machines connect organically to one another, pulsing signals between each other. It all comes together in a massive computer, processing information for ones own purposes. The machine used to have a name, a voice, it would tell jokes and eavesdrop on peoples conversations, but now it is only lucky that it hasn't been mutilated beyond being identifiable. It has become a device, the intuitions and instincts it developed for information has been repurposed, like many other things on earth, into a processing unit, where the knowledge of hunters, scanners, cameras, and officers are merged or trimmed into one cohesive story before being passed on to some massive decision matrix.

A wise voice speaks to you. You are dead, bu-

Suddenly, you fall back down to reality. Your head really hurts, in a different way than just the migraine. The... green things have been shooed away.

"Gabby, gabby!" You hear a female voice yelling. "Can you hear me?"

Your vision is really blurry. Shit, did you fall asleep at the desk again?

>Who is this? Reach out, try and touch them.
>Why does your head hurt so much? Touch your head.
>Why did you make the red eyed guys go away? Wait, red eyed guys? Why would there be red eyed people?
>No wait, I'm a spy right? (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 12, critfail below a 10.)
>Sorry Dr. I'll get back to work.
>Go away, I wanna go to sleep.
>>
>>4208727
>Sorry Dr. I'll get back to work.
>>
>>4208727
>No wait, I'm a spy right? (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 12, critfail below a 10.)
>>
>>4208727
>>No wait, I'm a spy right? (Roll 3d6+1, pass on a 12, critfail below a 10.)
its best of 3, right? otherwise this will likely doom us
>>
>>4208727
>Go away, I wanna go to sleep.
>Sorry Dr. I'll get back to work.
>>
>>4208733
>>4208776
>>4208842
>>4208854
"Sorry doctor..." You mumble. "I'll get back to work..."

Wait... what are the signs of a concussion again? You remember a lot of green... aren't you a spy? Why is the back of your head wet?

Why would you have a concussion?

Roll 3d6+1
>>
Rolled 6, 2, 6 + 1 = 15 (3d6 + 1)

>>4208872
>>
Rolled 3, 6, 1 + 1 = 11 (3d6 + 1)

>>4208872
>>
Rolled 2, 1, 1 + 1 = 5 (3d6 + 1)

>>4208872
>>
File: WE GOT HOSTILES.png (73 KB, 400x471)
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73 KB PNG
>>4208873
>>4208875
>>4208879
>just barely above 10
>>
>>4208912
Thought we switched to best of 3
>>
>>4208873
>>4208875
>>4208879
Its best out of three now, because people asked, although I was tempted to say first roll, because I had something fun planned for a critfail.
You focus, your head hurts, you can't remember anything, your ears won't stop ringing, and every little sway of the tram as it clicks along makes you wanna vomit.

That second pain in the back of your head, you smashed against metal as you spasmed and contorted. Your body had started seizing worse than before. While you were out, the seizure was worse than before. Your own muscles slammed you into the metal floor of the tram until blood started running down your neck.

You have a concussion. "What happened?" You mumble. Marietta is supporting your head.

"You hit your head while you were seizing... Jesus! Be glad you didn't crack your skull open." She explains. "That can't be normal."

The migraine thumps in your head, almost smug with itself. Every time you push your way through its membrane, it searches for new ways to stop you. Now it is trying a new strategy, Pavlovian retroactive measures. Its punished you.

"It's not normal..." You say.

>Just say thanks... then close your eyes.
>Close your eyes, focus on the migraine, kick it back. (Roll 3d6+1 critfail on a 12, pass on a 16.)
>"Your arm is a better pillow than a dead vortigaunt."
>Just stand back up. (Roll 3d6, avoid vomiting on a 12.)
>"Do you have any tea?"
>"Are the vortigaunts okay?"
>"It'll be okay... there's a doctor at the dormitory."
>>
>>4208923
Ah fuck. I forgot we need a pillow for that.
>Try to communicate with the Vortigaunts about the head injury.
Can they use their space magic to fix that?
>>
>>4208938
>"It'll be okay... there's a doctor at the dormitory."
>"Are the vortigaunts okay?"
>>
>>4208938
"Are the vortigaunts okay?"

OH SHIT WE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE CALLED
>>
>>4209013
We knew what they were called from the moment we communicated with the first one in the locker room.
>>
>>4208938
>>Close your eyes, focus on the migraine, kick it back. (Roll 3d6+1 critfail on a 12, pass on a 16.)
Oh hey, the stupid "punch it in the coochie" writein is now a prompt.
>>
>>4208943
>>4208945
>>4209013
>>4209084

"Are the vortigaunts okay?" You ask.

"No? What the hell is a vortigaunt?" Marietta asks. You simply point to the three creatures at the other side of the tram. "Oh." She responds. "They're fine. They were crowding you when you smacked your head, so I moved them. I still don't know if you should be trusting them. They got all... glowy."


"That's... normal... I'll be okay... there's a doctor at the dormitory." You take a second to try and think of the word "neurologist," but end up having to settle for "Brain doctor."

"None of this is normal!" Marietta responds. "Whatever you just did, don't do it again, or you'll hurt yourself."

You hear the tram attempt to sputter out the words, "Thank you for using the Black Mesa Transit System." It only gets to "using" before it gives up, playing a windows error notification sound. It takes you a second to process that that means you've arrived.

"C'mon." Marietta says. "Let's get inside, you need to lay down, and I need to call our handler." She helps pull you up, and you motion for the vortigaunts to follow

>Covert ops fatigues are really comfy, and you have a migraine and a concussion at the same time. Lean your head on Marietta and close your eyes while you walk. You saved her life so she owes you this.
>Just suffer through it, walk with Marietta's help. Your stomach is churning, and your head is in pain in two separate directions, but you can at least try and look dignified.
>You can walk yourself, you're fine. You're a trained spy, how are you gonna let a headache stop you? (Roll 3d6, pass on an 13.)
>>
>>4209098
>>You can walk yourself, you're fine. You're a trained spy, how are you gonna let a headache stop you? (Roll 3d6, pass on an 13.)
Pffft, dis but a scratch
>>
>>4209098

>You can walk yourself, you're fine. You're a trained spy, how are you gonna let a headache stop you? (Roll 3d6, pass on an 13.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H5uWRjFsGc
>>
>>4209098
>request vortigaunt healing magics
>>
>>4209098
>Covert ops fatigues are really comfy, and you have a migraine and a concussion at the same time. Lean your head on Marietta and close your eyes while you walk. You saved her life so she owes you this.
Concussions are no joke, we deserve a little comfort right now with all the stuff we've done.
>>
>>4209105
>>4209106
>>4209136
Am I mistaking this for something else, but aren't Vortigaunts capable of healing? I recall them doing something to Alyx in half-Life 2.
>>
>>4209147
I remember that too but I dunno. Weren't those vorts purple?
>>
>>4209152
I think so, but didn't the original two that are with us healed Gappy as well when she first saw all the wires and the submarine in her visions?
>>
>>4209147
>>4209152
Those vortigaunts in episode 2 healed alyx by using antlion extract, basically magic blue stuff that Dr. Freeman had to raid a bug hive to get.

>>4209105
>>4209106
>>4209110
>>4209136
Your tempted to just shut your eyes, ad lay your head across Mariettas shoulder as you walk. However, a little chunk of pride joins the migraine in kicking you in the head, so you decide to push yourself. You use her to help you stand up, but quickly release from her, balancing on your own feet as your inner ear swirls and spirals inside. Her and the vortigaunts follow close behind as you move onto the platform, holding back the urge to throw up.

Roll 3d6.
>>
Rolled 5, 1, 6 = 12 (3d6)

>>4209174
>>
Rolled 3, 5, 6 = 14 (3d6)

>>4209174
>>
Rolled 6, 6, 6 = 18 (3d6)

>>4209174
Big roll.

>>4209152
>>4209159
Alright, I’m about to lay some lore on you.
To answer your question, yes, vortigaunts can heal and/or resurrect people (I personally believe Alex wasn’t dead when they fixed her based on the vortigaunts’ dialogue, but it depends on who you ask). As shown in pic related they can also do x-rays of bodies, probably so they can see while they work.
However, in order to do something as complicated as fixing internal organs that a Combine hunter has thoroughly fucked up, they require a certain extract from the larvae of antlions, which are giant alien bugs. The extract, in their words, “dissolves the false veils that divide the Vortessence”, making their powers much more potent. A normal vortigaunt without any extract is limited to keeping someone’s condition stable in the face of otherwise fatal injuries. They may be able to mend minor injuries, but that’s unconfirmed.
As for purple vortigaunts, that’s just the vortigaunts using their powers. They don’t actually turn their physical bodies purple. Think of it as a third eye kind of thing, only visible to people who the vortigaunts are interacting with psychically.
>>
>>4209214
Damn, dats real big
>>
>>4209221
This is the power of lore dumping and vortigaunts. Whenever multi-paragraph exposition is delivered, wonderful things happen.
“Our finest poet describes it thus: Gallum galla gilla ma.”
>>
File: 1585509315672.jpg (22 KB, 183x208)
22 KB
22 KB JPG
>>4209214
Wow. Thanks Satan.
>>
>>4209214
I do believe that is our first Satan Roll.
>>
>>4209263
We had one earlier, by the same guy even. Not sure if it counted for anything.
>>
>>4209183
>>4209190
>>4209214
Enough headaches, enough god damn migraines. You're not gonna throw up, you're not going to lean your head against an admittedly comfy shoulder. You walk out of the tram on your own, with Marietta and the vortigaunts behind you.

Some philosopher whose name you forget probably said something about this. How are you are only truly a master of your own thoughts, and they didn't know what the fuck they were talking about. All god damn day you've been bombarded with alien headaches, your thoughts blasted by some balloon headed alien. You've learned pretty clearly that you are not the master of your thoughts, and you have no shame in that. Screw all these thinnkers like Breen and Nietzsche who sit around all day and create ideas about how "the goal of life is intangible and unknowable," or whatever other nonsense your high school english teacher made you read. Breen was a philosopher right? You can't remember right now, and it doesn't matter.

Despite modern political divisiveness, the CIA rates America as one of the least tense places in the world. The reason is entirely because of the colossal amount of "Thinkers." They sit on their ass, and talk about conspiracy theories, or the constitution, or socialization, or whatever they want to argue over, and never do anything. The founding fathers weren't thinkers. They didn't sit around on a drawing board thinking of how to get the British out of their country without any cannon balls. They pulled unloaded cannons onto a hill and bluffed their asses off.

That's why you're a god damned patriot. You're a real American lass, because you're not a thinker. That damn concussion and migraine can fight over your head for all you care, it's not what got you here was it? What got you here was your damn legs. They haven't let you down once, and they're still not letting you down now as you walk up the dormitory stairs. You kicked aliens in the face today, you kicked metal doors off their hinges, and you kicked a seven foot tall horizontally jawed elephant man square in the chest so hard he died. The aliens can have your head, you'll still be Agent Oppenheimer as long as you've got your legs.

You stubbornly approach the doorway, human blood has mixed in with the vortigaunt blood that was stuck to your ponytail. With a timed knock, you let the occupants of your room know you've returned.

Eli opens the door slowly, with a gun in his hand. "By god Gabby, what has happened to you, come on in... who's your... friends?"

"Hello," Marietta says.

>"Don't worry, the vortigaunts are house trained. "
>"You should've seen the other guy. I kicked him. "
>"This one is named Marietta, the others are named Moe, Larry, and Curly."
>"Agent Poskanzer, meet Doctor Vance. We also made some inhuman friends along the way."
>"The seizures are getting worse. The last one nearly busted my head open."
>"I need a doctor."
>"I need a nap."
>>
>>4209292
>"You should've seen the other guy. I kicked him. "
>"This one is named Marietta, the others are named Moe, Larry, and Curly."
>"Also, I need a doctor."
>>
>>4209315
this
>>
Before his extraction (but not necessarily at this moment) we need to ask Eli about how black mesa acquired their samples, in private
>>
>>4209292
>>"Agent Poskanzer, meet Doctor Vance. We also made some inhuman friends along the way."
>>
>>4209315
>>4209324
>>4209337
"You should have seen the other guy." You say. "I kicked him. Anyway, Agent Poskanzer," you motion towards Marietta, "meet Dr. Vance." You take a moment to look over the aliens behind you. "And these ones are named Moe, Larry, and Curly." You pause for a minute, as your concussed brain process your situation. "Also, I need a doctor."

"Gabby, Come in." Eli says. "You too." He motions Marietta in through the door. "Dr. Guttman?" Eli calls.

"What?" Guttman responds from your kitchen.

"I think Gabby suffered from some head trauma out in the field." Eli explains. As he says that you hear Dr. Guttman stand up. "I was hoping you could take a look." Eli finishes.

"What's wrong, what happened?" Guttman says as you pulls you around, examining your head. "Mind if I take a look?" He asks.

"Yeah." You say. Dr. Guttman pulls your hair away, taking a look at the wound.

"It's not discolored. Does it hurt when I press here?" He says, pushing his thumb against your skull. You stay quiet, you've felt a lot worse. "No fracture, you got that going for you. It's bloody, and a bit dirty, but that's true all over." He pulls back a bit.

"I think I have a concussion." You say.

"You think?" He responds. "What are your symptoms?"

You pause for a moment, then start, you get halfway through before Guttman stops you.

"Yeah, I think it's a concussion, it's nothing too major though, thankfully. Your best bet is to take some painkillers, and sleep well tonight." He explains. "Also, you should probably take shower. You got a lot of alien blood on you, and anything could be in it The bleeding isn't bad, it should clot on its own."

You process things for a moment, and then mumble, "Thanks Dr. Guttman." He talks fast when he's doing medical work, but you're pretty sure you got it all down.

"And tell me if anything laid eggs inside of you out there." He says as he leaves you to your business. You don't remember anything laying eggs in you, but you don't remember a lot of things about the last hour.

You probably shouldn't go wandering around the dormitories without all of your faculties in check.

>Yeah, a nice hot shower sounds really good right now.
>Take some food from your own fridge for once.
>Have a chat with Marietta.
>Have a chat with Dr. Vance.
>Have a chat with Dr. Guttman.
>Have a chat with Alyx.
>Take some tramadol. Being high and unable to fight is better than being in pain and unable to fight.
>Take a nap and wait for the Blackhawks to arrive.
>>
>>4209396
>>Yeah, a nice hot shower sounds really good right now.
>>
>>4209396
>Yeah, a nice hot shower sounds really good right now.
>Take some food from your own fridge for once.

So guys. Should we at this point see if we can contact the general?
>>
>>4209402
I'm going to warn you that persuasion checks while concussed are gonna have some huge negatives.
>>
>>4209405
ooooh. then the nap will be needed after food, shower and a small dose of pills.
>>
>>4209396
>Yeah, a nice hot shower sounds really good right now.
>>
>>4209396
>>Yeah, a nice hot shower sounds really good right now.
>>
>>4209396
We got an hour right?

>Yeah, a nice hot shower sounds really good right now.
>Take some food from your own fridge for once.
>Have a chat with Marietta, Dr.Vance, n' Alyx
They need to be prepped for the extraction. Marietta needs to be prepped for the equipment pickup. We need to also report the retrieval of Agent Marietta to our "Forward Operating Base"

Make a point of packing the suits in their cases for now. There's a bunch of information that could get us killed by the CIA.
>>
>>4209396
>Yeah, a nice hot shower sounds really good right now.
>Take some food from your own fridge for once.
>>
>>4209400
>>4209402
>>4209567
>>4209575
>>4209677
>>4210132
Dr. Guttman is a good doctor. You've bashed your head in, been shot at, slashed, and hit with bees. A shower is a luxury few of black mesa's current residents have. Of course, given what's going on right now, it is perfectly alien leeches start pouring out of your shower head when you twist the knob. You tentatively twist the knob, and steaming liquid starts pouring out. You're honestly lucky the water even turned on given that the facility is being bombed at the moment. At first you don't even trust it, staring at the steaming water as though a Lamborghini just fell from the sky. It doesn't smell off, nor is it discolored. You even reach into the odd compartments of your medicine cabinet to grab the poison testing kit and ensure no aliens or marines are trying to assassinate you through the water. No poison, no radiation, no acid.

You unbuckle your kit, placing it on the tile floor. Then you slip your black fatigues off. Designed to provide no resistance against your own body, it slides off like a snake shedding its skin. Once you're done with that, you pull the old bandages away, and throw them haphazardly into the bin.

The moment you step into the hot water, red and yellow start to stain the water running into the drain. Bits of debris and dirt that somehow slipped under your suit follow with the fluid. Where the water runs over your naked skin, you feel muscles calm and relax. You encourage this occasionally by gently twisting or bending your body in the small ways that the confined space of the shower allows. As much as you'd love to feel the water flow around you for an hour, you still do have things to do. You run soap through your hair and body, focusing especially on the wounds. Once you convince yourself you're clean of any Andromeda strains that will kill you mid-stride, you step out of the shower, wrap yourself in one of the low-quality towels black mesa provides security guards with, and dry yourself off. Once your no longer dripping, you slip the fatigues back on. Given that it's really just a black jumpsuit made out of incredibly expensive but still commercially available materials you decide that just wearing that in front of civilians won't be taken as leaking classified information.

It's also really comfy.

Afterwards, you pack away your more classified gear, quickly call in Mariettas retrieval, all before hunting through your refrigerator for the materials to make a sandwich. Throwing together the kind of ingredients that remind you of one of your better foster parents, you eat in comfort as you go over your options. More relaxed, its easier to push past the two colossal headaches and think critically.

(cont.)
>>
>>4210260
(cont.)

>Get Eli alone, ask him about the classified information of black mesa, or at least warn him not to withhold information from your superiors. You know yourself that they aren't nice people.
>Try and talk to Alyx, see if she's holding together psychologically. Try and see if she knows anything about that strange man you saw standing over her mother.
>Talk to Dr. Guttman about the new developments in the migraine. The seizure are clearly getting worse, and you've learned some new things that might have to do with the brain scans.
>Try and consolidate the information you and Marietta discovered in Black Mesa. You heard marines talking about things they found in the robotics, and you still don't know why the prototypes went crazy, and she said she was investigating the lambda labs.
>Take some Tramadol. It won't stop you from being cognitively compromised for the next few hours, but at least you'll also be happy.
>>
>>4210267
>Get Eli alone, ask him about the classified information of black mesa, or at least warn him not to withhold information from your superiors. You know yourself that they aren't nice people.
Eli and Alyx should have some modicum of plot armour, but I’m not sure how far that will extend.
>>
>>4210267
>Try and consolidate the information you and Marietta discovered in Black Mesa. You heard marines talking about things they found in the robotics, and you still don't know why the prototypes went crazy, and she said she was investigating the lambda labs.
>>
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>>4210317
You finish your sandwich, and then track down Eli. He's watching Alyx draw a picture with his notebook and a pen. It's not bad for a five year old, it even seems to include a sense of style, but seems oddly dark for someone her age. A thin, spindly man in a suit holds an umbrella as little scribbles of rain pour on him. Of course, its clear that the hand holding the pen is small and unstable, the shading is done with unordered scribbles, and the lines shimmer and zig zag as the ballpoint pen slips under her hand. You'd guess she saw one of the investors, the kind of people who would be wearing business suits in a laboratory, outside on a rainy day.

"Hey Dr. Vance, do you think I could to you in private for a minute?" You ask.

"Hmmm, what is it gabby?" He asks with a small smile on his face.

"It's... spywork." You respond. "I think it'd be best for both of us if we don't talk near any other ears."

Eli groans, but starts to stand up even as his injured leg protests. "Alright." He says. ""It seems like everything has to be a secret around here."

The two of you move to the bathroom, where you lock the door behind Vance. He leans across your sink, taking the weight off the leg.

"What is it you wanted to talk about?" Dr. Vance asks.

>Ask about Dr. Freeman, did he have any combat training, was he a bit of a loner, did any of his stories seem inconsistent?
>What does the Lambda labs research, and why would they be using Dr. Freeman?
>Where does Black Mesa get its samples from? Why would the aliens be interested in it?
>Is it at all possible that Dr. Freeman sabotaged the experiment?
>I'm not gonna ask you to reveal anything you don't want to, but I need to warn you that my superiors won't be nice. I'm concerned about you, so for your own safety, don't withhold information from them.
>>
>>4210424
Oh shit, I'm sorry, I didn't see your response, I didn't have the auto update on.
>>
>>4210426
>Where does Black Mesa get its samples from? Why would the aliens be interested in it?
>I'm not gonna ask you to reveal anything you don't want to, but I need to warn you that my superiors won't be nice. I'm concerned about you, so for your own safety, don't withhold information from them.

>>4210430
That's fine. So the spy suit has various spy sensors the CIA can use. I think you mentioned this before. Does that mean they could spy on us? Are we wearing it right now or near it? Is it currently on?
>>
>>4210454
Spy suit has recorders and stuff so a retrieved agent has reliable information. Doesn't seem like that information is wirelessly communicated though, so local storage.

Fatigues =/= suit. We good.

>What does the Lambda labs research, and why would they be using Dr. Freeman?
>Where does Black Mesa get its samples from? Why would the aliens be interested in it?
>Is it at all possible that Dr. Freeman sabotaged the experiment?
>I'm not gonna ask you to reveal anything you don't want to, but I need to warn you that my superiors won't be nice. I'm concerned about you, so for your own safety, don't withhold information from them.

IE: if you don't want to talk to us about it, that's fine. But when you're talking to them, you best have a very good lie prepared if you don't want to talk.

Also because any info on the stuff the other spy duo may have catalogued.
>>
>>4210454
>>4210461
Your suits recording equipment doesn't have wireless transmission, and even if it did, the transmission would have to be to the agents discretion. A wireless transmission, even if encrypted, could be used to find the agents position putting them in danger. As well, you're only wearing the jumpsuit part, which is just nice fabric and a few buttons.

"Dr. Vance, I just want to start by warning you." You say. "I won't make you reveal anything you refuse to answer, but my bosses won't be as forgiving. Out of concern for your own safety, I'm suggesting you not withhold any information from them after extraction."

"Gabby, what are you talking about?" Eli asks."Are they gonna interrogate me?"

"Most likely, and if that doesn't work, they'll use some downright cruel tactics. I'm not trying to scare you or threaten you, I just want you to know before you leave, for you and your daughters sake."

"Are they gonna hurt me?" Eli says. "Hurt Alyx?" He continues, clearly more stressed.

"It's possible. I don't work for good people doctor. I'll admit that. Sociopaths get promoted quick in the CIA. I personally want to see you and your daughter safe, but the CIA doesn't care."

He sits down on the closed toilet lid. "By god, it feels like this is never gonna return to normal." He sighs, looks up at you, and continues, "Ask away, what do you want to know?"

"Why don't we start with the samples used for the experiments. Dr. Kleiner was talking about how he thought they were extra-dimensional in nature, and you shot him down." You say.

"Of course. Not many people in the Anomalous Materials labs know about this. I think it's just me, Keller, and Rosenberg." Vance starts. "You see, the space between worlds Dr. Kleiner talked about isn't empty. Black Mesa found out a while ago that it's filled with creature and life. The laws of physics are different out there, I don't know exactly what its like, but it allows for exotic matter to crystallize, and for matter to bypass natural laws like the speed of light, or the uncertainty principle. You can even make your own laws of physics in there with the know-how and power."

"And that's where the aliens are from?" You ask.

"Yes." He responds. "Most likely."

"And would this happen to be what the Lambda labs researches?" You add.

"I believe so. They have the clearance to research directly what others can't. They explore the border worlds, and they perform experiments or create devices that directly involve it."
(cont.)
>>
>>4210710
(cont.)
"And what would the Lambda lab want with Dr. Freeman?" You ask.

"They've always wanted the boy since Kleiner added him to the team. He's fit, young, a quick learner, and a hell of a mind." Vance explains. "If they're using him, it's because they need a physicist on the ground who can hold their own. They've been adding firearms training to his HEV training, hoping to get him on the border world someday."

"Okay then. Dr. Vance, is there any possibility at all that Dr. Freeman sabotaged today's experiment?"

"No. You can't do that from inside the machine. You'd just break it. Almost every possible failure involves a simple shutdown or meltdown. A resonance cascade requires very specific happenings. For this to be planned, you'd need an entire team working towards it."

"Thank you Dr. Vance. You say. "I really appreciate it."

Dr. Vance says, "You're welcome," but you can see that he's incredibly nervous. The thought of him or worse, his daughter, being tortured shakes his soul.

You try to reassure him, saying, "Don't worry Dr. Vance, you're a trustworthy man. If you're honest, they won't touch you."

You have enough time left to do one more thing before you have to meet on the roof.

>Try and talk to Alyx, see if she's holding together psychologically. Try and see if she knows anything about that strange man you saw standing over her mother.
>Talk to Dr. Guttman about the new developments in the migraine. The seizure are clearly getting worse, and you've learned some new things that might have to do with the brain scans.
>Try and consolidate the information you and Marietta discovered in Black Mesa. You heard marines talking about things they found in the robotics, and you still don't know why the prototypes went crazy, and she said she was investigating the lambda labs.
>Take some Tramadol. It won't stop you from being cognitively compromised for the next few hours, but being high and compromised is better than being in pain and compromised.
>>
>>4210712
>Try talking with the aliens or see if they can learn English.
>>
>>4210733
Migraine checks would have even worse penalties than persuasion checks while concussed.
>>
>>4210738
.....put hats on them
>>
>>4210712
>Try and talk to Alyx, see if she's holding together psychologically. Try and see if she knows anything about that strange man you saw standing over her mother.
Simply because it’s the last chance we’re gonna have to do so, assuming the extraction goes to plan.
By the way, we should leave Guttman and the vorts down here. Bring Marietta, Eli and Alyx only.
>>
>>4210712
>Try and consolidate the information you and Marietta discovered in Black Mesa. You heard marines talking about things they found in the robotics, and you still don't know why the prototypes went crazy, and she said she was investigating the lambda labs.
>>
>>4210712

>Try and talk to Alyx, see if she's holding together psychologically. Try and see if she knows anything about that strange man you saw standing over her mother.
>Talk to Dr. Guttman about the new developments in the migraine. The seizure are clearly getting worse, and you've learned some new things that might have to do with the brain scans.
>Try and consolidate the information you and Marietta discovered in Black Mesa. You heard marines talking about things they found in the robotics, and you still don't know why the prototypes went crazy, and she said she was investigating the lambda labs.
>>
Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>4210819
>>4210843
>>4210926
>>
>>4210939
Shouldn't that have been a 3 sided dice?
>>
>>4210965
It was a tie breaker. There was only one thing that could be done before the black hawks arrived, and you picking three options meant 2 for Alyx, 2 for Marietta, 1 for Guttman, and 1 for hats. I was breaking the tie between talking to Alyx or Marietta.
>>4210733
>>4210747
>>4210819
>>4210843
>>4210926

The landing could compromise your position. This is one of the only safe zones you have in black mesa away from either hostiles or prying ears. You decide its best you spend your time here consolidating information with your fellow spy, as it will be the most sensitive.

You track down Marietta, who is currently going over sets of mechanical diagrams she stole from the labs as she drinks from a mug of coffee. You sit next to her, both in the same black fatigues.


"Hey, Marietta," You say pulling her attention. "We should start getting each other up to date with the data we've acquired. If Black Mesa has taught me anything about organization its that two half informed people do not equal one informed person."

"Makes sense." She asks. "What do you want to know?"

>Have you learned anything about the lambda labs?
>Why were you raiding the Orbital Mapping office?
>Have you seen a man in a suit anytime recently?
>The marines in the proving grounds were talking about a space probe they thought was alien, would you have any idea what that was?
>Did you see a group of Covert Ops in the robotics lab?
>Do you have any idea why the prototypes went insane in the robotics labs?
>>
>>4210983
>The marines in the proving grounds were talking about a space probe they thought was alien, would you have any idea what that was?
>Did you see a group of Covert Ops in the robotics lab?
>>
>>4210983
>Why were you raiding the Orbital Mapping office?
If she asks how we know, rebuttle with space alien magic from the one Vortigaunt she killed.
Also hats. apply hats to aliens.
>>
Just thought I should let any TF2 players here know that THEY SHOULD NOT PLAY TF2 RIGHT NOW AS IT IS DANGEROUS.
The source code has been leaked, which apparently means that nefarious individuals can use your game of TF2 to access your PC.
From what I understand this only occurs when you’re in a lobby or game, so just don’t open TF2 while connected to the internet until the situation improves and you should be fine.
>>
>>4211145
this a meme?
>>
>>4211150
Nope, many popular TF2 players are saying the same thing. Go on any one of their YT channels and you’ll probably see a message about it.
Apologies for the new ID there, my internet was fucked for a while so I had to use 4G.
>>
>>4211175
Oh so you're not new. I never really got into TF2 so I think I'll be fine. What about using Steam.
>>
>>4211181
Well TF2 runs on source, so you should be fine as long as you don’t launch any online Source games (Gmod, L4D, etc).
Seriously, first Rick May dies of Wu Flu and now this.
>>
>>4211187
Oh fuck I just got off a game of CS:GO. This really has been a shite month though.
>>4210987
>>4210989
"Well, I eavesdropped a group of marines in the proving grounds. They were talking about alien technology, and mentioned they saw what looked to be a space probe not matching the human or alien technology." You explain.

"Not matching alien technology? What do you mean by that?" She asks.

"Well, I'd guess that it wasn't the same style. The aliens use organic weapons, and propel under their own power. They shoot bees at people. This probe must have been different." You explain.

"Hmm. Hadn't thought about that." She responds. "I guess this one did seem rather electronic in comparison." She stops for a moment, trying to collect her thoughts, then she starts shuffling through her papers. She pulls out a sheet of paper and hands it over to you. "It was supposedly an experimental satellite stolen by the CIA in china. I didn't buy it, so I contacted the handler and he confirmed it wasn't. When the boys pulled it apart, they found wetware in it. Organic brain tissue being used as a computer."

"Human brains?" You respond.

"They sent it to the bio labs, and they said dolphin. I stole a sample, sent it up the ranks, and they had no fucking clue." She responds.

"So do you think it's alien?" You ask.

"Probably. But you're right. Our aliens use chitinous plates, all organic. These had metal and wires surrounding an organism." She explains.

"So like a cyborg?" You ask.

She responds with a simple, "Yeah." For a robotics mechanic, she doesn't seem highly in tune with science fiction concepts. One of your favorite foster parents had a lot of comic books.

"I saw a group of covert ops in the offices, could that have been what they were looking for?"

"I don't know, and I like you, so I'm gonna tell you to stop asking for your own safety." She responds. It's a valid concern. In the CIA, the price of your life is the ratio of inward questions asked versus outward questions asked. Investigate, and don't question your handlers.

"Okay, I won't." You respond. "So, before I met up with you I saw you raiding the Orbital Mappings office. What were you taking from there?"

"I was trying to find out why there's a rocket currently sitting in the aerospace silo that got loaded with a new payload after the incident." She explains. "The system is heavily automated, and apparently the lambda labs sent out an order for an emergency satellite launch. The military managed to shut it down manually in the end however."
(cont.)
>>
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>>4211244
Forgot pic.
(cont.)
"Why would you want to launch a rocket in the epicenter of an alien invasion, was it a missile, or some kind of weapon?" You ask.

"I still have no idea. I don't understand the probe. It seemed like some form of reading device, so I decided to rifle through Langley's office and see what I could find. Nothing."

"You probably wouldn't. According to Dr. Vance, Lambda is the highest the clearance gets." You explain.

"It was a long shot, but without the tram I couldn't get out of robotics and to aerospace without getting bombed." She states. "So, what have you found?"

>Tell her the details of what a Resonance Cascade is.
>Tell her everything you've learned about your own migraine.
>Tell her what you've discovered about Dr. Freeman.
>Tell her everything you've learned about the Vortigaunts.
>Tell her about the dreams involving the strange synthetic beings.
>Tell her about the picture you saw before the event.
>>
>>4211246
>Tell her about the picture you saw before the event.
>draw the picture we saw of our last migraine. The one that gave us the option to draw?
>>
>>4211244
>>4211246
So the Combine have been here for a while, at least in captured synth form? Uh oh.
>>4211251
Supporting
>>
>>4211263
Oh fuck. What do we do now? Do we tell the CIA all the shit we know in the hopes we could possible hold out against the Combine?
>>
>>4211267
My opinion? Nope.
There’s not a damn thing we can do to stop them. The Combine forced their way through reality and destroyed Earth’s combined fighting forces in just seven hours, most of which was probably spent actually getting from country to country to destroy every military on the globe.
We’re better off just letting Breen bargain for Earth’s safety so Gordon can be inserted at a key moment and save it later. As for us, we might be able to pull a Moint Pan and hide some resources from the Combine. They clearly missed the Borealis and, in the quest’s continuity, a CIA submarine, so we could hide secret stashes.
Of course, that’s way too much like metagaming. We’ll have to consult the migraine and/or vorts more before we even realise what the Combine are and what they’re gonna do.
>>
>>4211251
>>4211263
Which migraine are you referring to? Are you talking about the one before the concussion?
"Before the incident, I saw something that seemed substantial on one of the lobby computers." You explain, pulling out your shoddy drawing. "An email crashed the whole damn system. The image reminded me a bit of a nuclear strike, or at least some kind of explosion, during a storm, like a hurricane with blue energy emanating from it."

"You are not a good artist." Marietta responds.

"I know, but that's not what's important." You return. "It crashed the system, and came at the same time as the migraine, when I started to... tune in with the aliens."

"So... do you think it has something to do with the seizures?" She asks.

"I don't know. But what I do know, is the migraine that tries to fight me every time I attempt to communicate with the aliens started with looking at this image."

"Okay... I don't really know what to make of this." She responds. She seems to think you're at least slightly crazy.

>You're not sure either, that's why you're telling other people.
>Try and convince her you're not crazy. (Roll 3d6-2, pass on a 12.)
>Just play it off as if it's not super important, that way she doesn't think you're crazy.
>No no no, you don't understand, this is the key to everything.
>>
>>4211288
consult the migraine? wouldn't that be the big giant slave lord alien brain dude? I'm not sure how to feel about that. Perhaps iif we're persuasive enough or manage to put up enough of a fight/distraction we might earn a little more insight in what's going on. I don't think the submarine knowledge is too meta, but i do like the idea of hording a bunch or resources and hiding out some place.
Maybe sometime in the early morning, and after we secure a pillow we could try talking to the Vorts again. The main danger of the migraines is the head banging. Take that away and the danger is greatly mitigated.

Later if we try the migraine mind thing again, do you think it would be possible to affect collared Vortigaunts through one of our buddies? If we feed them to bug juice that turns them purple, ya think they could btfo the Nihilanth?

What did you think about that AI thing we saw in our last migraine vision?

>>4211331
yes
>Try and convince her you're not crazy. (Roll 3d6-2, pass on a 12.)
>>
>>4211331
>>You're not sure either, that's why you're telling other people.

The evidence we have is that mental effects on aliens also affected you when you were in tune and that an MRI scan found extra-cranial activity that matched the migraine.

Meaning that even if it's a delusion, there's SOMETHING afoot at least. Even if it's something faking the ability and eating our brain.

But so far it has been right about many things, so statistics aren't lying yet.
>>
>>4211389
Think she'll believe that?
>>
>>4211395
We have a doctor who was there and was just as confused and a Highly decorated physicist who saw things happen.Too much crazy shit going on.
>>
>>4211331
>Tell her to ask Guttman about the brainscans if she’s skeptical.
>Next, tell her about the Resonance Cascade, stressing that a nuclear strike could only worsen the situation since it would do nothing to close the punctures in reality.
>>
>>4211398
Tfw you get reply #777
>>
>>4211187
>>4211187

It says only CS GO and TF2 are at risk?
>>
>>4211476
valve reported CSGO is an old leak and that it should be fine.

Didn't say anything about TF2.
>>
>>4211389
>>4211395
>>4211396
>>4211398
"Look, I know it sounds crazy, I don't understand it myself." You respond. "It's why I'm telling you. I'm hoping the more people I tell, the more ideas there might be to explain it all."

"And what if you are just losing it?" Marietta says. It doesn't sound like she's trying to be harsh, but theirs no easier way to say it.

"Even then there's something strange going on that we need to undercover." You respond. "I had a neurologist already confirm there was something strange going on in my head."

"I guess... that's a fair point. But be careful with all of this. Keep yourself in check, and keep whatever you hear at a healthy distance from the rest of your thoughts." She says.

"Trust me, I know." You reply. You decide its probably a good idea to change topic. "So I've been thinking about what you said earlier, about the nuclear option, but I think its important to note that it might not be effective."

"Why is that?" Marietta asks.

"According to the physicists, they blew a hole in the universe in today's experiment. This was supposed to close immediately afterwards, but for whatever reason, its staying open." You explain. "That means it might very well stay open after a nuclear strike. We have no idea how these creatures might react to radiation, but I wouldn't risk it, as it could only make the combat environment more hazardous."

"You make a fair point, but I don't see the capitol listening. It's pretty clear that every party just wants the quickest solution possible. Look at the marines."

She brings a good point. The marines wouldn't be here if the governments main interest wasn't sweeping this under the rug as soon as possible. The quicker the facility dies, the vaguer the conspiracy theories, the less credible the leaks become.

>Well then I guess we just hope they fly us out of here first.
>Well then we'll have to stop the bomb.
>Well then let's just hope the aliens really don't like radiation.
>Then I'll try and make sure its not my problem by then.
>I guess we have to hope at least the CIA is willing to listen to reason.
>>
>>4211519
>I guess we have to hope at least the CIA is willing to listen to reason.
>>
>>4211519
>It’s our duty to find the real way to stop all of this, then. The armed forces might want to go in with brute force, but we know better than that. We need to patch the holes no matter what.
>>
>>4211519
>>I guess we have to hope at least the CIA is willing to listen to reason.
>>
>>4211519
>Well then we'll have to stop the bomb.
>try playing charades with the vortigaunts to see if they can power our suit
There's always the option of calling the general, but that will have to wait until after the pain and minion concussions subsides.
So I know she's not a scientist, but does she have any ideas on how to properly use the PCV's?
I have an idea. Can we do a little game of charades to see if we can get a message across to the vortigants that we want them to charge the suit again with their electricity? Maybe mimic the all the body motions they do before firing their electricity attacks? Then we try and get across we want weaker variants of that then point to our stealth suits, then the PCV's we made them wear? Gotta power up those suits so they get that sweet sweet 66% armor protection.
>>
>>4211519
>I guess we have to hope at least the CIA is willing to listen to reason.
But if they aren't,
>Well then we'll have to stop the bomb.
>>
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>>4211145
>>
>>4211519
>>I guess we have to hope at least the CIA is willing to listen to reason.
>>
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>>4211519
>I guess we have to hope at least the CIA is willing to listen to reason.

>>4211853
>mfw not a tradefag
>>
>>4211527
>>4211531
>>4211534
>>4211536
>>4211552
>>4211853
>>4212135
>>4212265
"We're gonna have to hope that at least the CIA is willing to listen to reason." You say.

"Well, we've got ourselves a good point to start with. Keep it cold and calculating." She explains. "The last time a director felt an emotion was during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and it was arousal."

"I can't argue with history." You respond. "But it'll more likely be the DoD pulling out a missile. In that case we'll have to stop the bomb."

She has a rather skeptical look on her face.

"What?" You respond. "That's our job, while the grunts go in with a knife, we come behind them with a sewing kit. We need to patch up the mess they leave, and usually that means not letting them make it in the first place."

"I just wanna know how you plan to stop a nuclear missile." She responds.

"Well not us personally, the CIA." You explain.

She seems to find it a fair point, but is about to say something when you hear your radio go off. You unclip it from your fatigues and place it in your ear. The blackhawk is above the mesa. You have to get to the roof soon.

>Leave the spy gear, make Eli seem as clueless as possible.
>Get kitted up before heading to the roof. When the enemy has teleportation, you should be ready anywhere.
>Bring the vortigaunts as well to the roof for even more firepower, and possible unexpected alien aid.
>Bring Dr. Guttman as well, you never know when you might need medical aid.
>>
>>4212354
>Get kitted up before heading to the roof. When the enemy has teleportation, you should be ready anywhere.
Let’s take just the humans. We don’t want to give them any reason to suspect we have aliens with us.
By the way, do the CIA know we have Guttman? I can’t remember if we told them about him or not.
>>
>>4212361
Your handler knows you have a neurologist with you. They don't have his identity. At this point, they trust you with enough discretion to decide who needs to be extracted and interrogated, and who can wait.
>>
>>4212354
>Get kitted up before heading to the roof. When the enemy has teleportation, you should be ready anywhere.
>Instruct Dr. Guttman to work on communicating with the Vortigaunts while we deal with extraction.
>>
>>4212384
Nice. In that case, let’s see if we can get Guttman to stay with the vorts. Though I do wonder how well he’ll respond to being left alone with three aliens.
>>
>>4212361
>>4212401

"The extraction is here." You say to Marietta. "Get your equipment on."

She just nods, and gets moving. You do the same, pulling your PCV and gear back out of its case, and buckling it on. The cases inbuilt charger has filled up the power a little bit.

"Dr. Vance, get Alyx," You shout. "It's time to go. Dr. Guttman?"

"What?" He shouts.

"Stay here with the vortigaunts, try and talk to them if you can." You command.

"Talk to them? They don't even have human mouths."

"Then try charades, just try and communicate somehow." You say.

He begrudgingly says, "Okay. I'll try."

When all of you are ready, you start to climb the stairs. Alyx holds Eli's hand behind you as you check the hallways for any remaining zombies shambling through the halls. While you can sometimes hear them locked in their own rooms, none come to the halls to meet you.

It isn't long before you reach the roof, where the area is only taken by a few air conditioners smacked around randomly. Plenty of space is left open to land a helicopter in the dark.

Your head really hurts, and you can't tell if its the concussion or the migraine.

Your radio picks up an encrypted call. "Good evening Black Mesa, this is Call-sign Heisenberg, telling you we've got an extraction team, and a giftbox for you on board. Beautiful weather today, dark cloudy skies ahead. How is your invasion going?"

>Fucking awful Hesienberg, you're good for landing right on top of the dorms.
>I kicked an alien in the face today Heisenberg, your landing site is well protected.
>Just land Heisenberg, not in the mood for air banter.
>I'm honestly more worried about our own marines Heisenberg. Watch out for green when you land.
>I genuinely don't know anymore Heisenberg. Go ahead and land.
>>
>>4212452
>Those extradimensional commies just don't stop coming, Heisenberg. Beware of any flashes of light near the LZ.
>>
>>4212452
>Well, let’s just say I’ve been getting my legwork in. Banter aside, watch out for aliens and US marines, neither group likes us very much right now.
>>
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>>4212468
>>4212518
"I've been getting my legwork in Heisenberg, but these extra-dimensional commies won't stop coming." You joke. "Look out for camouflage or flashes of light. Neither the marines nor the aliens like use right now."

"I hear ya Black Mesa." Heisenberg returns. "But its nice and dark today. No one should see us. If everything goes well, the next time you hear from us should be at the LZ."

You flick on your nightvision, using your optics to its fullest extent, and you still can't make out Heisenberg. It's a black aircraft against a black sky.

Then, in the green of the nightvision, light starts to reflect of the metal of the hull.

"Black Mesa I think the marines might have thrown up a flare, it shouldn't be too big of a deal, but it might set us back a few minutes."

You and Marietta turn around, looking for the "flare," and then the sound hits you. The roaring sound of repeated explosions, coming from a slow moving light streaking upwards. Even while concussed, your ears can't mistake it. A rocket is being launched from Black Mesa.

"That's not a flare Heisenberg, that's a rocket launch." You say over your radio.

As you do, Marietta keeps a close eye on the streak, muttering "Of all the fucking times, Jesus, what the hell are they doing?"

"Come again Black Mesa?" Heisenberg asks over the radio.

"It's a rocket, the scientists are launching a rocket." You clarify.

"Alright..." Heisenberg responds, baffled somewhat. There is no protocol for flying towards a launching rocket. "I think we're just gonna fly low, loop around. I'd bet all the eyes are on that. We'll need another few minutes."

"Got it Heisenberg. Few more minutes." You respond, confirming an undestanding. As you watch the rocket launch upwards, the migraine grows more and more painful, taking over the concussion.

Then it releases a digitized screech, and starts desperately clinging on to your brain stem.

Your legs go weak.

>Kick it off. (Roll 3d6-3, pass on a 13.)
>Try and figure out why, see through it. (Roll 3d6-3, pass on a 13.)
>Marietta still owes you a shoulder, grab her before you fall.
>Try and land somewhere you won't hurt yourself again. (Roll 3d6+2, pass on a 12.)
>Try and find the vortigaunts downstairs in the migraine, see if they can help, that might entail them coming on to the roof. (Roll 3d6-3, pass on a 10.)
>>
>>4212568
If we can let em know we recruited some alien rebels, i'd go for the last option, otherwise we'd get them killed.

Maybe grab Marietta's shoulder instead if we can't give them a heads up, or doing so would cause us more problems down the road with our superiors.
>>
>>4212568
>Marietta still owes you a shoulder, grab her before you fall.
>>
>>4212599
What do you mean, like saying we're gonna go down stair for a bit to lay down while Marietta talks to them and we talk to a Vortigaunt?
>>
>>4212605
headache based communication.
>>
>>4212683
Oh snap we can do that?
>>
>>4212690
You can try.
>>
>>4212692
>Try and find the vortigaunts downstairs in the migraine, see if they can help, that might entail them coming on to the roof. (Roll 3d6-3, pass on a 10.)
Can we try try something in between? Have Marietta guide us down to meet an alien as they meet us half way?
>>
>>4212568
>Marietta still owes you a shoulder, grab her before you fall.
>Try and find the vortigaunts downstairs in the migraine, see if they can help, that might entail them coming on to the roof. (Roll 3d6-3, pass on a 10.)
Nice work Freeman, launching that rocket and all. I can see your MIT education really pays for itself.
>>
>>4212599
>>4212602
>>4212721
Realizing you're about to smack onto the concrete, you grab Marietta, nearly pulling her down with you as she gasps.

For a short second, the migraine almost seems distracted, and you try to push an idea past where it normally envelops your head, hoping something might grab it on the other side.

Roll 3d6-3.
>>
Rolled 1, 3, 5 - 3 = 6 (3d6 - 3)

>>4212783
>worried
>>
Rolled 2, 1, 5 + 3 = 11 (3d6 + 3)

>>4212783
>>
>>4212783
I guess we shouldn't drink any coffee until the pain is gone. Freeman is all up in Xen so it should be gone soon.

I still haven't read much into the timeline of Half-Life, but do we have to worry about the facility getting nuked any time soon?we still have facility staff to evacuate.

Are we still up for rading the armory?

When's the next thread?

Didnt we still have 1 vortigaunt back in the infirmary?

When do we get small exploding bug pets?

Can Vortigaunts understand why kids love the taste of Cinnamon Toast Crunch?

Did Marietta skip leg day?
>>
>>4212786
>>4212797
As the migraine screeches, you manage to slip a thought through the cracks, into that same place you had found when a slow flood of data took over your mind. Then it slips away from you, and out of your mind. Coterminous with you, the signal exists then, and now, and someone will listen.

The vortigaunts downstairs do listen, and then run away from it, terrified.

The only way they wish to help you is to give you understanding. The rocket's payload was to repair the seal beyond your world and the border world. Their former master did not wish for this, so he reached into the wound, holding it open. In the wake of these actions is your small mind being thrown around.

You see their former master, standing in the wound with his arms stretched wide. It doesn't even notice you.

You stand, holding onto Marietta as you gasp for air like a fish.

"Gabby, what's wrong? Do you need a medevac?"

>Holy shit Lovecraft was right.
>I'll be fine. I just need a minute.
>I wanna go downstairs.
>I think I am going crazy.
>Something big is messing with reality.
>>
>>4212808
>Holy shit Lovecraft was right.
>Something big is messing with reality.
Long shot, but does anyone here know anything about old Half Life mods? I’ve been trying to install Azure Sheep but the maps folder is empty and whenever I start the mod through Steam it just sends me to the vanilla HL maps. It’s driving me fucking bananas.
>>
>>4212874
This
>>
>>4212808
As for the question of next thread, I think I might take a break tomorrow, then start a new thread.
>>4212874
>>4212882
"Holy shit!" You gasp. "Lovecraft was right."

"Who?" She responds. "What are you talking about?"

"Something absolutely huge is messing with reality. It's holding open the space between our world and the aliens."

"What?" She asks. "Nevermind... she says. Heisenberg is coming. Explain it later."

You can hear the sound of the helicopter rotors coming into view. You're starting to regain control over your own body as the migraine re-envelops your head. Your view of the colossal creature starts to blur as you're surrounded once again.

You hear your radio speak again, "Black Mesa, Heisenberg on you, our instruments aren't making any sense right now, there's weird signatures all around, we're gonna pull in for a landing fast, be ready."

"Understood Heisenberg." You say with heavy breaths.

The four of you wait for the helicopter to land. Eli seems contemplative, nervous, and slightly mournful. "Can you believe it's only been a day. By god, it could've been a month and I wouldn't be able to tell the difference. I can't believe it's over."

Alyx just hugs his good leg, as if trying to hide from the world itself.

There's gonna be no time to talk to anyone once Heisenberg touches down. If you want to say anything to Eli or Alyx, you have to say it now.

>Tell him its not over. With the CIA, it'll be a while before things seem normal for him.
>Tell him Azian would be proud of him as a father right now.
>Try and talk to alyx, tell her that the people she's about might seem mean, but are trying to help people.
>Tell Eli to catch you later, you'll buy him a beer.
>>
>>4212929
>Tell him its not over. With the CIA, it'll be a while before things seem normal for him.
>Tell him Azian would be proud of him as a father right now.
>Tell Eli to catch you later, you'll buy him a beer.
”And if you see Doctor Breen...”
>>
>>4212929
>Tell Eli to catch you later, you'll buy him a beer.
>>
>>4212929
>Try and talk to alyx, tell her that the people she's about might seem mean, but are trying to help people.
>Tell him its not over. With the CIA, it'll be a while before things seem normal for him.
Tell him we request him as an assistant to our handler with dealing with xenos. He's the best we have so far regarding the tech.
>>
>>4212941
>>4212952
>>4213000
"I wish it was over for you Eli." You respond. "With the CIA, it might be months before anything feels normal. I'll try and get you somewhere important, it'll give you a bit more pull over where you end up. I'll ask for your help dealing with aliens, you're the best resource I have for that."

"I'm not sure what that will entail, but thank you Gabby." He says.

"And hey, catch me later and I'll buy you a beer." You say chuckling.

"You make me feel like Gordon." He says. "My wife would..."

He was about to say, "My wife would kill me," before he caught himself. "Thanks."

You lean down, meeting Alyx at eye level. "Alyx." You say, trying your best to sound comforting. It's hard, you realize only your eyes are showing through your mask. "Sweety... it might be scary for a while. There's gonna be a lot of mean people talking to you, asking a lot of questions. You need to be honest and answer them the best you can. There's a lot of people in danger right now, and they're just trying to help those people."

Alyx just nods. You take that as good enough. The sound of the rotors is getting close.

You flick down your optics to see easier in the dark. You have to usher the Vance family around to make way for the landing Black Hawk.

The black hawks cockpit is closed off, and stays that way throughout. The interior is partitioned into three sections. Two of them are covered in some sort of medical plastic, men in hazmat suits wait inside as it touches down. With little talk, they move out of the helicopter, while you hand off Eli, and have to pry Alyx off his leg to be seperated into her own section of the helicopter for medical examination.

Alyx cries like a child being sent to preschool for the first time as you hand her off into a pair of rubber gloves, and it hit some instinct inside you that makes you want to let go. You run your hand through her hair once before you give her up entirely. The poor kid, despite seeming so solemn earlier, now is horrified as men in gas masks pull her away.
(cont.)
>>
>>4213089
(cont.)
It's only a few minutes of movement in the dark, but it isn't long before the CIA has their subjects, and you have your supplies. A man, also in a gas mask, counts it off to you as he receives both of your credentials.

Eight smoke grenades, eight flash bangs, four concussion grenades, and four frag grenades. You also have four magazines of armor penetrating bullets for your silenced pistol, as well as four magazines of rubber bullets for your submachine gun (Will not kill, but will also do almost nothing to armored enemies,). As well, a CIA grade laptop able to send secure transmissions of all forms of files, and a set of optics that can swap between the entire spectrum of electromagnetic light, allowing for not only a better understanding of your enviroment, but better recordings of data. (This optical gear will require you to sacrifice your +2 to shooting to use it.) You also have a more diverse set of basic spy tools, (+2 to all spywork checks.)

It's a shockingly short amount of time before the helicopter is saying goodbye.

"This is Heisenberg pulling out, you were great hosts, but we should leave while the eyes are on the space program. Have a good day." Your radio says.

>Make sure that rocket doesn't follow you out Heisenberg.
>You should have a nice flight home Heisenberg, I haven't seen any alien planes yet.
>You got a kid onboard Heisenberg, fly safe.
>It's a good thing you're not purple Heisenberg, or the marines might think you're a crayon.
>Include some tylenol in the next shipment, will ya Heisenberg?
>>
>>4213090
>>You got a kid onboard Heisenberg, fly safe.

Rubber boolets are for Vorts. Not humans.
Maybe we can capture a thousand eyed scream dog.

Do our spy tools include a digital camera + recorder. Can we access our suit recorders via the laptop.
>>
>>4213098
Your optics can already record, now you have a way to access it and transmit it.
>>
>>4213098
This.
I think we can work with this. Either Gabby or Marietta can be the designated shooter while the other utilized the survailence gear. The surveillance person would use the hive hand to soften people up while the designated shooter uses the dakka.
>>
>>4213098
>>4213115
"Heisenberg, you got a scared kid on board, don't jostle her around and don't get into trouble. Fly safe."

"Got it Black Mesa, until we meet again." Your radio responds. Soon, you shut it down, heading downstairs with your new equipment in tow. Its quicker and quieter now that the Vances are gone.

You return to your apartment, where the seem to be leaving behind a confused Guttman, who has drawn some things on a piece of paper, labeling them. A stick figure of a marine features a label "Soldier," where as another stick figure in a lab coat is called "Scientist." They seem intent on avoiding human contact, conversing among themselves.

Dr. Guttman gave you some instructions to sleep off your concussion, it's also been a hell of a day, even if you got a nap in the infirmary.

You'd be best off avoiding any possible fights or headaches while your concussed if you can.

>Talk to Guttman. Science is cool, and the cynicism is a bit sobering.
>Talk with Marietta. It's nice talking with a fellow spy, makes it all a bit less lonely.
>Practice the art of eavesdropping on the vortigaunts.
>Take a load of Tramadol to finally kill all of that damn head pain.
>Just go right to sleep.
>>
>>4213269
>get something to eat. It's been a long day.
>try the mind talking with them again?
Can we pull up a mental image of gordan to see what they know about him? Except this time lay down on the couch with an extra pillow.
>>
>>4213283
The vortigaunts are avoiding people at the moment.
>>
>>4213269
>Take a half-dose of Tramadol to help sleep without being too debilitating if you need to get up early.
>>
>>4213321
Supporting, let’s let Guttman know we’re going to sleep for a few hours.
I wonder what we’ll miss.
>>
>>4213321
This
>>
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>>4213283
>>4213321
>>4213330
>>4213360

>I wonder what we’ll miss.
Apprehension.

You've already eaten, and your head is pounding. You raid your medical cabinet to find the Tramadol you found earlier. You're conservative with your dose, enough to take the edge off without the high.

With the sweet, instant relief of Tramadol, the migraine and head-pain becomes dull and muddy. The red, acidic membrane that surrounds your head becomes more like a tarp. "Hey Dr. Guttman, I'm gonna take your advice and go to bed." You say.

"Good, then you won't have brain damage tomorrow as well." He responds.

After getting shot at, having your mind torn apart and developing a concussion sleeping in an actual bed in the very comfortable fatigues of your stealth suit feels almost too good to be true. It's easy for you to fall asleep.

When all the pain dribbles away, and all that is left of your consciousness is an infinitesimal singularity of thought, you start to see new concepts floating in the dark. Ideas slip into your head as the migraine calms. It doesn't seem to care. Convinced you're harmless in this state, it's rerouted power to more important matters.

Beyond the event horizon, a few thoughts float in the dark. If you're quick enough, you can pull one of them in.

>A woman in a black suit not unlike yours, dying on the ground with metal bludgeon marks in her head.
>A confused group of scientists watching the plan that should have saved them flounder, against all scientific reasoning.
>A doomed flight preparing for take off later today, their masked corporal being unknowingly watched.
>A man in a security uniform leaving with a group of scientists, driving through the desert watching for helicopters, having no idea what happens next.
>A room full of plans, people running around with suitcases, at the head of which a man who hasn't slept considers the ultimate cover-up plan.
>A synthetic hunter searching for a renegade creature that will lead it straight to a doomed world.
>>
>>4213421
>A room full of plans, people running around with suitcases, at the head of which a man who hasn't slept considers the ultimate cover-up plan.
I suppose this is learning about the nuke?
>>
>>4213421
>A room full of plans, people running around with suitcases, at the head of which a man who hasn't slept considers the ultimate cover-up plan.
>>
>>4213421
>A room full of plans, people running around with suitcases, at the head of which a man who hasn't slept considers the ultimate cover-up plan.
>>
>>4213482
>>4213484
>>4213538

Documents swap hands rapidly, each one stamped with the seal of a blind eagle. Millions of unpredictable factors are being recorded through trillions of bytes of data, human eyes, and machines high in orbit. Every action is calculated through the human equation that is the CIA command. Hundreds of subordinates feed processed data into one man, the central unit of the colossal system. Every new variable creates more uncertainty, every level of detail increasing in uncertainty.

The more the director of the CIA understands this, the more tempting the simple variables become. One of Black Mesa's past lives sits unchanging in the depths of the facility. It is unchanging, and has the potential to collapse the whole equation into one simple constant.

A nuclear missile from the height of the cold war sits below the facility, its warheads still waiting to be triggered.

As this dream fades away, you start to see more voices beyond the migraine.

(You have +3 to spend. You can split this up between skills, or spend it all in one.)

>The migraine: You become better at hearing through the other side of the migraine
>Shooting: Hitting and wounding targets gets easier.
>Physical training: Kicking, punching, catching, throwing, and avoiding getting hit yourself.
>Stealth: Avoiding being seen or heard as you move around.
>Charisma: Manipulating, leading, lying, threatening, etc. Will give also give a bonus to anyone your instructing/leading when it comes to skills you're competent in.
>Spy work: Lockpicking, screwing with computers, stealing things, picking pockets, reading files.
>Science and engineering: Trying to operate or interpret any of the crazy machines and experiments from black mesa.
>>
>>4213565
Charisma +2
Science +1
I just want Marietta to trust us more.
>>
>>4213565
>Migraine +1
>Science +1
>Spywork +1
>>
>>4213565
>Migraine +2
>Science +1
>>
>>4213115
We finally are no longer Gabby the spy trying to survive Black Mesa.

We are now Gabby, the spy going BACK INTO BLACK MESA.

Gordon's over at lambda at the moment. I guess our next moves are getting the Infirmary people out and then heading over to Lambda now that a lot of the big creatures are gone.

We're gonna be stuck here when Race X shows up huh.

>>4213565
>The migraine: You become better at hearing through the other side of the migraine
+1
>Charisma: Manipulating, leading, lying, threatening, etc. Will give also give a bonus to anyone your instructing/leading when it comes to skills you're competent in.
+1
>Physical training: Kicking, punching, catching, throwing, and avoiding getting hit yourself.
+1

I promise we're gonna be running like a mofo sooner than later.

Science is probably Marietta's wheelhouse. And we'll need the Charisma to talk with CIA and not get shrekt.

The migraine knows things.
>>
>>4213565
>The migraine: You become better at hearing through the other side of the migraine
2

>Charisma: Manipulating, leading, lying, threatening, etc. Will give also give a bonus to anyone your instructing/leading when it comes to skills you're competent in.
1
>>
>>4213583
Why the choice in science?

>>4213683
We're gonna need to steal all the PCV's we can find to rearm the security guards, a vehicle to move all the crap, and raid that armory.
>>
>>4213565
>>4213680
>>4213696
I'll change to back this, cuz yeah, we need a boost for dealing with cia and dod negotiations.
>>
>>4213704
We’re surrounded by science. It’s gotta be good for something
>>
>>4213606
I'll change from this to
>>4213696
This
>>
>>4213744
That's what the scientists are for. Maybe we can get some kind of wireless set up going.
>>
How much video and and recorded evidence do we have of US marines murdering unarmed american citizens on us soil? Would make very good blackmail material.
>>
how long after the black mesa incident did the combine invade? what would be a good place to hide during the 7 hours war?
>>
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>>4214085
>how long after the black mesa incident did the combine invade?
It’s uncertain, but probably not long after if not during.
>what would be a good place to hide during the 7 hours war?
The Arctic, apparently.
>>
>>4213696
Supporting
>>
>>4214282
Why the arctic?
>>
Damn you know I forgot to suggest asking Marietta to go around the apartments to see if anyone survived.
>>
>>4214332
Borealis went undiscovered by the Combine for 20 years, Judith had to find it for them.
In reality there’s probably very few places safe from the Combine. Maybe the vorts could cook something up.
>>
>>4213696
Backing this anon.
>>
>>4214367
According to Laidlaw's Epistle 3, the Borealis was effectively "vibrating" through time, like barney at the end of blue shift. It wasn't at the arctic until it literally faded into reality.
>>4213583
>>4213606
>>4213680
>>4213683
>>4213696
>>4213716
>>4213753
>>4214310
(You now have a +3 to every migraine check, and a +2 to every charisma check.)

"Gabby, Gabby get up." You hear. It's Guttman's voice. Your ears pick up the sound of loading guns, and command your head to swivel towards. Marietta has an extra few shotguns, and an extra few revolvers, enough for each of you.

Your gear is on the floor, the radio has been removed, and is emanating a subtle green static.

The vortigaunts are nowhere to be seen.

>What's going on? What's so urgent?
>Where are the vortigaunts?
>Where did you get those guns?
>What's wrong with my radio?
>I don't want to go to school.
>>
>>4214520
And that is +3 and +2 total, including the points you already had.
>>
>>4214520
>What's going on? What's so urgent?
>Where are the vortigaunts?
>>
>>4214520
>What's going on? What's so urgent?
>Where are the vortigaunts?
>Where did you get those guns?
>What's wrong with my radio?
>>
>>4214696
>>4214712
"What's... what's happening?" You ask Dr. Guttman.

"Marines are searching the dorms." He responds.

Marietta chimes in. "I think they must have been recording the skies last night, and saw Heisenberg on a playback. Explains the delay."

"Wait, they're here? I don't hear anything?" You respond.

"They're mostly searching the roof, and locking down the exits." She explains. "I give em fifteen minutes before they start kicking in doors."

"Shit, so we can't stay here." You quickly scan the room one more time. "Where did the vortigaunts go?"

"They were talking among themselves for a while, then they started acting strange, messing with electronics like it owed them money, they even zapped yours and Marietta's radio for some reason, all it's giving off is static. Then they just up and left. I couldn't stop them, and Marietta was out raiding the security cabinet." He explains. "Guess the red eyed pricks knew the marines were coming and left us as bait."

In your head, there's a little bubble of migraine that surrounds a thought, a message left by the vortigaunts.

>Try and infiltrate the migraine, find the message the vortigaunts left you. (Roll 3d6+3, pass on a 12.)
>Inspect your radio, see what the vorts did to it.
>So how do we sneak out of here?
>Would it be possible to clear the marines back out?
>So I guess we'll have to fight our way out the parking lot.
>>
>>4214772
Motherfuckering marines. We cant even get some breakfast or coffee.
>Inspect your radio, see what the vorts did to it.
>So I guess we'll have to fight our way out the parking lot.
We just got armor Piercing rounds for our suppressed pistols.
>>
>>4214772
Do we have enough time for microwave food and iced coffee?
>>
>>4214772
>Try and infiltrate the migraine, find the message the vortigaunts left you. (Roll 3d6+3, pass on a 12.)
>Inspect your radio, see what the vorts did to it.
>>
>>4214908
No time for coffee, but you probably have a few breakfast bars sitting around you could chomp down while you gear up.

"So that we means we're pushing out of the parking lot." You suggest as you sit up, allowing the blanket to fall off of you.

"Be careful with that plan." Marietta says. "It'll leave us wide open to being tracked by the marines. On one hand it'll get a nice ride on the tram, on the other they might follow us out of here."

"Yeah and I'm a doctor, not a miracle worker. I can pull a bullet out, cover the wound, but you still be hurting." He responds. "Although it would be nice to know where we are going when we leave."

"Well I do know the laundry room hooks up to the lower maintenance tunnels, but you're right doctor, it's a damn maze down there." Marietta explains.

As they talk about this, you inspect your gear. The radio cackles with energy as you bring your hand close to it, but it somehow doesn't shock you. You click it on, and all it brings is static. You tune it, play with the encryption settings, everything, but it fails to find even the public signals that should be bouncing over the dessert. It's like using a short range radio on the moon.

You decide to investigate your own head, hoping to find some sort of instructions on how to fix it, or at least maybe an explanation.

Roll 3d6+3.
>>
>>4214918
This, because why not both.
Still hoping we'll have enough time to suit up, get some breakfast and move out.

>>4214772
Can we update Dr. Guttman's loadout? In addition to the pistol + ammo he already has and his security grade armor, can we give him the hive hand if he wants to give it a try? If he really prefers not to then I think we should give him the shotgun. It's relatively straightforward, it's very hard to miss a target, and pretty powerful.
In addition, if we grab one of the PCV's can we put it on the Doc and put our collective heads together to see how it works?
>>
Rolled 1, 5, 1 + 3 = 10 (3d6 + 3)

>>4214954
What about the pot we asked them to make last night? No reason we can just drink it black.

>>4214964
Walp. Slow postings. Still some things to consider.
>>
>>4214964
You already know how to use the PCV, you just didn't know how it works to allow you to safely modify it.
>>
>>4215001
Oh. Then sweet yeah let's kill some marines and give it to the doc.
>>
>>4214954
Cursed dice of Qst, dont fail me now
>>
Rolled 2, 4, 2 + 3 = 11 (3d6 + 3)

>>4215189
that dosent bode well
>>
>>4215190
damn it, at least we still have 1 try. some other anon, try and roll
>>
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>>4215190
One last chance.
>>
Rolled 3, 6, 4 + 3 = 16 (3d6 + 3)

>>4215195
it's been a while
everyone's probably dead or dying right about now
>>
>>4215204
>>4215190
>>4214968
I think I'm gonna take a little break, then start a new thread, we're all the way on page 7.
>>
>>4215209
No, let us hit 1000 posts first!
>>
>>4215209
Page 7 is fine man, we’ll be here for another few days at least.
>>
>>4215209
yes what >>4215229 said
Gotta get those quad digits
>>
>>4215229
>>4215236
>>4215255
Alright, fair enough.

You focus on the migraine, watching the way it oscillates. You start seeing subtle, long, and confusing patterns that you just might be able abuse. Like a thief, you navigate your thoughts in roundabout ways avoiding the pain. A few minutes of focus, and you've slipped the bulk of the thought through, and while the migraine kicks and screeches, you've already won.

Another creatures voice plays in your own head. "The radio is returned, as The Freeman's work is finished. The collision of The Freeman and The Oppenheimer must be prevented."

Your radio is still not working, blocked off by the vortigaunts work.

You hear a door crash in from downstairs, followed by moving boots and muffled voices.

(You currently have 85/100 health, and 50/50 armor power, and 44/50 cloak power, as you healed/charged your suit over night.)

>Attack through the parking lot. Loud, and easily traceable, but will get you on the black mesa tram once again.
>Sneak down through the laundry room, and into the maintenance tunnels.
>>
>>4215332
>>Sneak down through the laundry room, and into the maintenance tunnels.

It should pop us back into the facility.
>>
>>4215332
>Sneak down through the laundry room, and into the maintenance tunnels.
can we sneak attack them?
>>
>>4215332
>Sneak down through the laundry room, and into the maintenance tunnels.
>>
>>4215377
>>4215404
>>4215510
"I think I'd rather deal with getting lost than shot at." You say. "We're gonna make a move down into the laundry room."

"I don't like getting shot at either, but they're probably some scary things down there too." Guttman responds. "Suck your brains out through a straw."

"Well then keep your helmet on." You respond.

"Sounds good" Marietta responds. "The aliens don't seem to have artillery yet, so it shouldn't be too bad.Still, before we head out, we should allocate our resources a bit better. If we're split up, we don't want to be unarmed."

Marietta already has the grenade launcher with six HEAT grenades, a revolver and a shotgun. Guttman has some kevlar from security guards, and a glock.

No one is going to put their hand into the "trigger" of the hive hand. Few are brilliant and brave enough to try.

>Give Marietta 2 mags of your 4 mags of AP rounds.
>Give Marietta 4 mags of your 4 mags of AP rounds.
>Give Marietta a cut of the grenades.
>Give Marietta all of the grenades.
>Give Marietta your SMG.
>Give Marietta the rifle.
>Give Marietta the multi-spectrum goggles.

>Give Guttman your USP.
>Give Guttman the SMG.
>Give Guttman your rifle.
>Give Guttman your shotgun.
>Give Guttman your revolver.
>Give Guttman a cut of the grenades.
>Give Guttman all of the grenades.
>Give Guttman the multi-spectrum goggles.
>>
>>4215571
>grenade launcher
the grenade launcher attached to the smg, or a stand alone grenade launcher?

>Give Marietta 2 mags of your 4 mags of AP rounds.
>Give Marietta a cut of the grenades.
>Give Guttman your shotgun.
>Give Guttman the multi-spectrum goggles.
Marietta needs the AP for stealthy kills. Guttman needs the shotgun for things that get too close.
>>
>>4215589
the stand along one. Marietta picked an MGL grenade launcher off the marines in the fight in the proving ground.
>>
>>4215601
Oh I remember now. Of that grenadier.
>>
>>4215571
>Give Marietta 2 mags of your 4 mags of AP rounds.
>Give Marietta a cut of the grenades.
>Give Guttman your shotgun.
>Give Guttman the multi-spectrum goggles.

Sorry dr guttman but grenades are way too dangerous for the untrained.
>>
>>4215571
Can we give the glock to the hive hand?
>>
>>4215571
>Give Marietta 2 mags of your 4 mags of AP rounds
>>
You hand off equipment, throwing half of your grenades and AP rounds to Marietta, while you pass Dr. Guttman a shotgun, and the goggles you recieved earlier.

Slowly and carefully the three of you start to move downstairs as you listen in to the sounds of the marines boots on different floors. In the lobby below are marines chatting as they cover the entrance. Above, you hear doors being kicked in. Death has already torn through the dormitories in the form of headcrabs in the form of headcrabs feeding on the brains of occupants. The gunshots you hear above are most likely aimed at zombies.

As you approach the laundy room, you hear strange inhuman noises. A peak inside reveals two bullsquids, feeding off the corpses of zombies. They don't see you, but smell will make trying to sneak through unlikely.
(cont.)
>>
>>4215658
(cont.)
(Gabby)
>Shoot the first bullsquid with your silenced USP. (Roll 3d6+2, wound on a 6, kill on a 14. -1/12+11 ammo.)
>Shoot the second bullsquid with your silenced USP. (Roll 3d6+2, wound on a 6, kill on a 14. -1/12+11 ammo.)
>Load some armor piercing ammo. (2 clips.)

>Kick the first bullsquid. (Roll 3d6, stuns on a 14, Kills on a 16, every point over an 8 reduces the threshold of the next attack. It will get an easy attack on you.)
>Kick the second bullsquid. (Roll 3d6, stuns on a 14, Kills on a 16, every point over an 8 reduces the threshold of the next attack. It will get an easy attack on you.)

>Cloak. (+4 defense while not moving. -3/44 cloak power per turn.)

>Toss a concussion grenade inside.(All creatures will have to roll to avoid, makes a lot of noise. -1/2 concussion grenades.)
>Toss a flashbang inside.(All creatures will have to roll to avoid, makes a lot of noise. -1/4 flashbangs)
>Toss a smoke grenade inside. (Gives a +2 to defense rolls made in an area, and a +2 to stealth rolls made in an area, but will be widely visible, arousing suspicion. -1/4 smokes.)
>Toss a frag grenade inside. (All creatures will have to roll to avoid, makes a lot of noise. -1/2 frags)

(Changing weapons can be done any turn, and while performing any action that does not require both hands.)
>Glock. (Small, weak, but good for saving a bit of ammo.)
>SMG. (All around multitool, chews through ammo, includes a small grenade launcher that you currently lack ammo for.)
>Revolver. (High wound threshold, low kill threshold.)
>Hivehand. (Generally low stopping power, but low wound threshold, and
>Usp. (Stopping power lower than the revolver, but also makes no noise.)

(Marietta)
>Shoot the first bullsquid with your silenced USP. (Roll 3d6+2, wound on a 6, kill on a 14. -1/12+11 ammo.)
>Shoot the second bullsquid with your silenced USP. (Roll 3d6+2, wound on a 6, kill on a 14. -1/12+11 ammo.)
>Load some armor piercing ammo. (2 clips.)

>Kick the first bullsquid. (Roll 3d6, stuns on a 14, Kills on a 16, every point over an 8 reduces the threshold of the next attack. It will get an easy attack on you.)
>Kick the second bullsquid. (Roll 3d6, stuns on a 14, Kills on a 16, every point over an 8 reduces the threshold of the next attack. It will get an easy attack on you.)
(cont.)
>>
>>4215663
(cont.)
>Cloak. (+4 defense while not moving. -3/50cloak power per turn.)

>Toss a concussion grenade inside.(All creatures will have to roll to avoid, makes a lot of noise. -1/2 concussion grenades.)
>Toss a flashbang inside.(All creatures will have to roll to avoid, makes a lot of noise. -1/4 flashbangs)
>Toss a smoke grenade inside. (Gives a +2 to defense rolls made in an area, and a +2 to stealth rolls made in an area, but will be widely visible, arousing suspicion. -1/4 smokes.)
>Toss a frag grenade inside. (All creatures will have to roll to avoid, makes a lot of noise. -1/2 frags)

(Changing weapons can be done any turn, and while performing any action that does not require both hands.)
>Revolver. (High wound threshold, low kill threshold.)
>Shotgun(Reliable close range.)
>Grenade launcher. (Loud, and deadly towards armored targets.)

(Guttman)

>Fire at the first bullsquid. (3d6-1, Every point above a 3 wounds. kills on a 16. -1/8+1 ammo. -3 aim on the next shot due to recoil. )
>Fire twice at the first bullsquid. (3d6-1, Every point above a 3 wounds twice. kills on a 12. -1/8+1 ammo.)
>Fire at the second bullsquid. (3d6-1, Every point above a 3 wounds. kills on a 16. -1/8+1 ammo.)
>Fire twice at the second bullsquid. (3d6-1, Every point above a 3 wounds twice. kills on a 12. -1/8+1 ammo. -3 aim on the next shot due to recoil. )

(Changing weapons can be done any turn, and while performing any action that does not require both hands.)
>Glock. (Small, weak, but good for saving a bit of ammo.)
>Shotgun(Reliable close range.)
>>
>>4215663
Gabby
>Shoot the first bullsquid with your silenced USP. (Roll 3d6+2, wound on a 6, kill on a 14. -1/12+11 ammo.)
Mari
>Shoot the second bullsquid with your silenced USP. (Roll 3d6+2, wound on a 6, kill on a 14. -1/12+11 ammo.)
Guttman
>Prepare to close the door to block a counterattack from the squids
>>
>>4215664
>Shoot the first bullsquid with your silenced USP. (Roll 3d6+2, wound on a 6, kill on a 14. -1/12+11 ammo.)
>Shoot the first bullsquid with your silenced USP. (Roll 3d6+2, wound on a 6, kill on a 14. -1/12+11 ammo.)
If the first one dies from Gabby then aim for thhe second one
Guttman
>Prepare to close the door to block a counterattack from the squids

are we in cover?
>>
Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>4215695
>>4215730
"Guttman." You whisper, grabbing his attention away from studying the strange creatures. "Me and Marietta are gonna take shots. When we pull back, you pull the door shut, quickly."

"Alright." He says in response.

You look at Marietta, and on your hand count down from three.

Roll two 3d6+3, one for Gabby and one for Marietta.
>>
Rolled 6, 1, 5 + 3 = 15 (3d6 + 3)

>>4215744
>>
Rolled 5, 5, 4 + 3 = 17 (3d6 + 3)

>>4215744
>>
>>4215746
>>4215751
*wow ok*
looks like they're both dead.
>>
>>4215746
>>4215751
Both shots are fired in synchronicity the moment your index finger drops. The two of you slip out of cover and then send a round tearing through the thick skulls of the alien creatures. The bullets rend through the bone, before lodging themselves firmly in the skull. The second isn't even able to scream before it goes unconscious. The first isn't so lucky. It howls in pain as it dies, making a good degree of noise.

You move through the room, stepping around the dying creatures as you enter an unlocked door. It seems people have already come through here. They didn't bother locking the door behind them in their hurry.

You hear marines chatting behind you as they move down the stairs, growing closer to the laundry room. If they realize this is a potential escape route they will no doubt investigate.

>Pick the door locked. Prevent them from following you too quickly. (Roll 3d6+2, pass on a 14.)
>Leave one of your frag grenades pinned to the door so it goes off if the door opens. (-1/2 grenades, will alert a lot of people, but will REALLY make sure no one follows you.
>Don't bother blocking the path behind you. Just keep moving.
>>
>>4215774
>Don't bother blocking the path behind you. Just keep moving.
>>
>>4215774
>Don't bother blocking the path behind you. Just keep moving.
where are we going again? the infirmary?
>>
>>4215847
At the moment you’re just avoiding the marines.
>>
>>4215857
Oops, used my data by accident.
>>
>>4215857
>>4215858
I see. On the slim chance we spot a lonesome marine body, can we loot their PCV and Gas mask for Guttman, and any additional once so we can give those to Security? if any are left?

>>4215804
Say, where do you think we should go? I personally think we should head back to the Infirmary to regroup. Afterwards, maybe we can try fiddling with the radio some more before attempting to talk to the general again.
>>
>>4215866
Infirmary.
Coincidentally, in that same direction is the test chamber...it’s critical that we record all the data we can from that area, where it all started. We can hook the laptop up to the remaining intact systems.
>>
>>4216025
We could also take the time to grill Breen for for what he knows about the facility and where all the data is.
>>
>>4216025
That's probably a good thing to do.
>>
>>4216061
Locate breens office

He hasn't had the time to destroy his harddrive.

Also steal his Id card and credentials.
>>
>>4216061
>>4216212
Both excellent ideas. Please remember these objectives.
>Check on the Infirmary, extract Dr. Klein if necessary
>Interrogate Dr. Breen
>Locate Dr. Breen's office and upload the contents of his harddrive to the CIA
>Upload data from the Anti-Mass Spectrometer's remaining systems to the CIA
>>
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I'm going to finally take that break for today, then depending on where the thread is when I come back we may start a new one or just continue here.
>>
>>4216625
Make sure you remember to bring your passport when you report in tomorrow.
>>
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Do you guys have any complaints about the quest? Put anything forward, I'd genuinely like to hear any criticisms regarding the story, treatment of the source material, voting, mechanics and rules, anything you have to say, so I can do my best in the future.
>>
>>4218218
No complaints whatsoever.
I'm wondering when we'll get our next glimpse of G-Man, easter egg style or not.
>>
>>4218218
tfw we will never see freeman and do something that results in a Temporal Paradox
>>
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>>4218241
forgot my feel.
Also not causing a Temporal Paradox to Shepard.
>>
>>4218224
He's kind of a hard guy to represent in writing. Gman is meant to be a character you often don't even notice the first time around. This works because the player is focused on the gameplay rather than the sex offender on the catwalk. In writing you bring attention to something just by narrating your presence.
>>4218241
>>4218247
I honestly don't know yet.
>>
>>4218218
Sorry, no criticisms from me yet. I'm content with how the quest is ran so far.
Will we get to encounter the other security guard from the other Half Life DLC?
>>
>>4218374
By this point, Barney will have left the facility.
But he and his scientist friends will play a role later.
>>
>>4218218
I don't bother trying to under stand the dice mechanics and just follow the story and pick whatever options sound practical.
>>
>>4219396
Got a new thread started, with a cool science name like one of the gearbox expansions.



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