>Last time on Freelance Ghost Quest: You brought Lisa back to the planet, introduced Quartus and Sextus to Ur’athan who talked a lot of shop about the upcoming battle. Then, you unleash Ed upon the ship, who after a brief introduction to your brothers goes to research humans. After that, you sparred with and defeat Quartus and Sextus. Again.

You leave your brothers be and head towards the bridge. Ed is still diligently reading through Koprulupedia, but when they notice you, it starts projecting some text.

“Welcome back. This site is fascinating, though from my calculations it would take me a very long time to finish. About…” What follows is a very long line of numbers which you have no ambition to decipher. “… hours.”

“Huh.” You say. “Well, what about a bit of a break? I could show you around the ship a bit. It’s been a long time since I’ve been exploring here myself, and they were pretty strict when I grew up, so I haven’t seen a lot of the parts of the ship either.”

“That proposition is…” Ed hovers idly for a few seconds before projecting the next piece of text. “Agreeable.”

>Where do you take Ed first?
>1. The engine room.
>2. Your old living/testing area.
>3. The gun emplacements.
>4. The reactor room.
>5. Write in.

>>35219327
>1. The engine room.

woo, timezoneanon here, managed to catch a thread live (sadly at 4am)

>>35219327
>1. The engine room.

aaand unfortunately I'm gonna have to head off to sleep, good luck all, thanks for the thread Supervisor

>>35219327

Whichever is closest to the bridge. I imagine those would be either childhood memories (labs) or gun emplacements?

>>35219452

Straya?

Damn, internet is an awesome thing, innit.

>>35219327
>1

>>35219461
Since sadly I don't have full battlecruiser schematics and blueprints at my disposal, I'll just guess and say gun emplacements.

>>35219430
>>35219452
>>35219461
>>35219556
Writing.

You decide to take Ed to the Engine room. It’s one of those places you haven’t been to yet yourself, so it might prove interesting. It’s a long walk to the other end of the battlecruiser, and since you have to read what Ed says, it’s a bit too uncomfortable to talk on the way there.

When you arrive, you find yourself in a much more cramped space than you thought. You always imagined it’d be very open, with clear view on the machinery. Most of it is behind armoured walls, though with some help of a crew member, you can find the spot the main power cable enters from the reactor. It’s still protected by plating, but at least it’s something other than metal boxes and the occasional access hatch full of warning signs.

“So, this is the engine room. It is very different from what I have seen so far.” Ed tells you. “Protoss ships are much less crowded in their interior.”

“Yeah, “ you reply, “but from what I’ve seen, most of the protoss machinery is just a single crystal magically doing everything.”

“While not entirely accurate, I suppose it is understandable that you consider it such from your point of view. Sadly, I do not have the technical data to provide you with the full workings of protoss ships.”

>1. “Wait, you’d just hand over stuff like that if you had it?”
>2. “I wouldn’t understand anyway.”
>3. You can’t see anything cool from here, try going into one of those access hatches. Surely nothing would go wrong.

>>35219810
>>2. “I wouldn’t understand anyway.”

>>35219810
That third option... really?
>1

>>35219810

>I wouldn't understand it anyway
>And Protoss would probably not be thrilled about human messing around with their tech too much anyway

Let's not try to play with access hatches. We're socially awkward, not insane-retarded.

>>35219886
>>35219888
>>35219916
Writing.

“I wouldn’t understand it anyway.” you reply. “Not to mention, I don’t think the Protoss would be thrilled to have terrans toy with their technology.”

“I suppose you are correct. It is difficult for me to properly judge what is and is not acceptable. Morality is a strange thing. Many sources I have found on the subject have different points of view.”

“Well, I must say I’ve had some trouble with that myself. I was used as a weapon for half of my life, and as a lab rat for the other half. That’s a pretty sheltered upbringing, and it took me quite a few assassination missions to realise I didn’t really like my job.

You look around the engine room a bit more, and after a while you bump into an open access hatch. There’s a bunch of tools and a toolbox lying right next to it, and you can hear some noises coming from inside.

>1. Check it out.
>2. Go to a next room (specify which)

>Note: the rooms in order of proximity from where you are now: Reactor, test area, gun emplacements. If you ask about other rooms I can roughly tell you about them too.

>>35220225
>1. Check it out.

>>35220225
>1
>2 I'd really like to see those gun emplacements now. might give us an idea on how much air-to-ground fire we'll actually have

>>35220225

>Check it out

What's, that, a stowaway? On MY Battlecruiser?

If it's Murphy she might need a ride planetside.

>>35220343
>>35220349
>>35220366
Checking out the hatch. It is one sexy hatch.

Your curiosity has taken over. You drop down and peer into the hatch. You can see some movement, but it’s just shadows from someone or something moving around a corner in the small maintenance tunnel. You signal for Ed to wait there and crawl in yourself.

It’s more cramped than you though, and your new armour has just enough bulk to make it hard to move on. You persist though, and after a few moments you reach the bend. You find yourself staring at boots. Past them is a small girlish form.

For a moment you think Murphy must have snuck aboard or something, but then you realise she’s wearing an engineering uniform. A closer look at the face and the resemblance starts fading. It seems she’s just an engineer working there on something.

That something appears to be a large and glowing tube of some kind. Several smaller tubes and cables seem to have been disconnected. The engineer doesn’t even take notice of you other than a very quick look in your direction when you first appeared, and continues working. The area she’s lying in seems to be slightly less cramped, and you see several more of those glowing tubes around her, though they seem to be giving off a much softer light than the one she’s working on.

>1. Leave, head for another room (specify which, see previous post for details).
>2. Try talking to her, ask her what she’s doing there.
>3. Write in.

>>35220653

>Greetings, uh, miss. What are you working on?
>Make a passive check on her mind with psionics, just if we see Lisa's efforts taking effect...

>>35220791
Writing.

“Greetings, uh, miss. What are you working on?” You ask her.

She looks at you for a moment, a blank stare on her face. She points at the tube, then continues working. That doesn’t really say much… You decide to check out her mind, see what progress Lisa has made so far.

You barely have to concentrate any more. You’re inside her mind in an instant, though you make sure not to actually possess her. What you find is very much like before. It’s remarkably empty in here, though it has much less of a… wrong feel to it. It’s less shattered, and more coherent, even if there isn’t really much there.

Well, there is something there, but it’s mostly what you saw before, the basic needs to function, and… Wait. There seems to be a tiny bit of personality there. It’s not much, but at least it’s progress.

You exit her mind and then the maintenance tunnel. Outside, Ed is ready to question you. “It says here, danger, do not enter. Authorised personnel only. Are you authorised then?”

“Erm, I guess not?” You reply.

“Why did you enter then?” Ed asks.

“I was curious, and someone was down there anyway, so it couldn’t do much harm to just quickly check it out.”

“I see… This complicates my research.”Ed says.

>1. Go to a different room. Specify which.
>2. Continue talking with Ed. (specify topics)
>3. Write in.

>>35221160
It's what we call human behaviour.
>1 gun emplacements

>>35221160

>1. Let's move on - Test area, so we don't go back and forth.
>2. As we go there, ask Ed what the complication is about

>>35221220
>>35221305
Tie. Rolling tiebreaker in 3 minutes if no one else posts.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>35221433
>1: guns
>2: testing area.

>>35221505
Testing area it is, writing.

You lead Ed to the testing area where you used to live next. You warn him that there’s not really much to see there, since Quartus wrecked most of the equipment. Once there, you lead him through the comparatively small area. The labs are done quickly due to being empty. You suppose the crew recycled most of the trashed stuff there.

While casually strolling through the lab, you pick up where your conversation left off. “What did you mean with the complication?”

“I had started working on a mathematical model for predicting appropriate behaviour, and your insistence of ignoring warning signs destabilised it. I had not predicted humans to go against basic orders such as those.”

“I… See. Well, people generally do as they like, not as they’re told. Unless there’s a pretty good compensation if they do comply or severe punishment for not doing it. Or you know, if what they want and what they’re told coincide.”

You continue to your old sleeping hall. Sets of small bunk beds are lined up against a wall, closets lining the other one. Memories of being drilled to get out of bed instantly quietly haunt you, but you push them away. When you pass by the second to last bed, you flinch. You can still vividly see Tertius screaming for his life there, blood pouring out of him from everywhere.

You shake your head and lead Ed out of the room. Perhaps this wasn’t such a good idea after all. You head to the training room, where Quartus is still diligently training. He nods as you enters but continues his work.

“Well, there’s not much more to see here.” You tell Ed.

>1. Ask Quartus where Sextus is.
>2. Ask Ed something (specify).
>3. Head to another location (specify)
>4. Write in.

>Note: it’s getting late, you only have time for one more thing before dinner, and Lisa’s expecting you.

>>35221769

>3. Gun batteries ho!

Just how gutted is omega in fighting capacity thanks to its lab equipment?

>>35221885
Yes please, guns guns guns!!!!

>>35221885
>>35221905
It's only missing a yamato cannon. For the rest, see the next post.

Writing.

You head to the gun batteries next, which is pretty close. When you arrive you find a lot of people there. They’re not running around or anything, just all sitting behind consoles. A few of them standing upright, seemingly in positions meant for officers to relay commands. It seems they’re ready for battle. A bit early, but better that than late.

You ask one of the officers to stand aside and let you inspect their terminal. What you see surprises you. The Omega seems to make up for its lack of Yamato cannon with lots of extra guns. And since it was never meant to join a ground-based assault, they’re all equipped with the more advanced tracking systems meant for locking onto agile flyers. Seems like no expenses were spared to make this thing into a fortress.

Due to its extra bulkiness compared to a regular battlecruiser, it also has more room for the larger anti-capital ship lasers, of which it has almost double of a regular cruiser. You’re beginning to not care that much about the lack of a yamato anymore. A lot of the equipment is beginning to get outdated, but the sheer amount of it more than makes up for it.

In fact, this room seems to be only one of several of its kind all spread around the ship, though this is the primary one controlling the main guns. There’s also some information on the current armour status of the ship so the gunners know what part to defend the most, you figure.

Ed is watching over your shoulder, and once you finish reading through the impressive statistics, starts talking. “It seems this vessel is meant for heavy capital ship combat. I believe it has the firepower to take down several Protoss Carriers.”

“That much?” You whistle in admiration. “To be honest I didn’t think it was this heavily armed. It was used as a mobile research laboratory for me and my brethren. I guess they really did want to keep the project safe.”

“Who are ‘They’? And you were valuable to them?”

>>35222361

>1. Tell him about the confederacy and the rough outlines of the Omega project.
>2. “the previous owners. We were a bit of a science project for them.”
>3. Write in.

>>35222361
This battleship now carries my seal of approval, well done!

>>35222437
>1

>>35222361

Give Ed a short lecture on koprulu terran politics, or at least what we know of them anyway, on our way to hangar.
Mention our role, but point out that it was a secret project and he should not let anyone else know about it, should he find himself among other people.

>>35222477
>>35222553
Writing.

I'm pretty damn tired, so I think this will be my last post. Sorry for ending so early, but I've been really busy with school and other stuff the past week.

You quickly explain the political situation of the Koprulu sector to Ed, starting with the Confederacy and their lust for power leading to your creation. You also mention that you’re part of a top secret project, so that he should keep quiet about it to people other than you, your brothers and Lisa.

“Why is Lisa so special? She is not part of the project, yet she is aware of it? Is she part of the confederacy?” Ed asks.

“Erm, well… That’s complicated. You see, when the confederacy fell, I escaped to Lahan II where I met Lisa and some others, and, erm…” You’re not entirely sure how to continue.

“So she was not at all involved until you told her?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“If it is such a dangerous secret, then why tell her and put her at risk?”

“It’s… Trust, you know?” You say. You then consider Ed probably doesn’t know, and try to explain further. “Right, I made her life very complicated by meeting her and dragging her into a lot of trouble, so she was entitled to know what she was getting into. Keeping her out was pretty much not an option at that point.”

“I see. Then it is not because of love?” You nearly choke in surprise of Ed saying that.

“I. Wait. What?”

“I read about it, and it all seemed highly illogical to me, much like your involving of Lisa in this.”

>Response?
>1. Write in.

>And that’s it for tonight, sorry for the short thread, I’m having trouble staying awake here.
>Next thread is next tuesday.
>Thanks for sticking around, people.

>>35222975
damn, he's on to us!

"Humans are illogical, Ed. But remind me, what have you read about love? I'd love to hear an explanation on that matter"

>>35222975

Thanks for the thread, OP!

>I... uh. Hmm... well.
>I think I'll have to think about that some more, little guy.

>>35222975
>You know I also am wondering, being a mind scrubbed killer makes you not good at this sort of stuff but, what is love?

Baby don't hurt me
Don't hurt me
No more
Sorry

>>35222975
"I told her because she had the capacity to understand. If I hadn't told her, I would have been treating her as unable to handle her own life and what might threaten it.

But, yeah, I care about her."

Also, since we'll be leaving soon, wouldn't it be a good idea to get Lisa that SMG she always wanted?