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>>3293599
Soul Foxfire is wearing what appears to be a terry cloth robe, with hair curlers climbing up to the back of her head despite the minor detail that she doesn’t have any hair. She’s leaning back in her chair, one hand tick-tacking away at a keyboard without looking, and a coffee cup in the other, proudly emblazoned with the words “World’s Okayest Informant.”

She has a cucumber slice over her special optic.

You give Lawrence a deadpan look as he turns his head away and snickers violently into his fist.

“So, wubsy,” she says languidly. “You want to know a little bit about Dalet?”

“I just want you to know that I hate you,” you tell her serenely. “So, so much.”

She delicately picks the cucumber slice off her eye and dunks it into her coffee before taking a bite. “Splendid, darling, splendid,” she replies, crunching obnoxiously. “Right, let me see what I’m allowed to remember.”

She sits back up in her chair and her typing speed redoubles. “I don’t know any Shadow Hunters personally, only by reputation--they were a spinoff of the X-Hunters, and all their net traffic was tapping DNA experts, black market part salvagers, undersea diving, high-end recovery and reconstruction. Smart money was they were trying to get together whatever was left of Sigma and rebuild him.” She scoffs. “You ask me, I hack to make money, not throw it away, but I guess I’m not a frothing lunatic.”

You raise an eyebrow as she stirs her mug with the remaining crescent of cucumber, and say nothing. Lawrence’s laughter turns to a dry, barely restrained wheeze.

“Goose chase or not, everyone who’s anyone knows about Techno. Best hacker of his generation, mine, and probably this one, too. Guy routinely outpaced Replibrains to new exploits, and they’ve got entire libraries of processes to outrace intrusion.”

“Really? Damn.”

“Quite. He had a unique widget called a ‘bridge processor.’ I may have heard that Dear Leader might have ordered it implemented in his ‘ultimate Reploid’ project, shhhh.“

You side-eye the detective, who just shrugs. “And Dalet was a follower of this guy?” You ask.

She shrugs, and a hair roller tumbles free, bouncing off her shoulder. “As sure as anything can be when you’re an underworld operator. If he was, he’s good--real good. Not that I couldn’t beat him, but why pick fights with a guy like that?”

“We did see how that went with me,” you reply with a vindicated little smirk.

“Wrong kind of ‘hacking,’ love. But yes, I see--and saw--your point.”

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>>3293604
“So what exactly does a Shadow Hunter do?” You ask.

“They were experienced cyberspace navigators, pulled members from some of the tech’s pioneers. X encountered two of them inside Rho’s domain mainframe. I’m not supposed to know that either,” she adds brightly.

“Um.”

“So your message said that Dalet was recruiting for a big job, yeah? Matches their M.O., they tend to sit back and let the help do the heavy lifting. Especially after getting on the wrong end of a buster, they don't’ like getting caught up in anything dangerous until they’re confident no one can threaten them. Doesn’t surprise me he didn’t show his face in person.”

“So I’m guessing he’s not interested in co-opting rogue food delivery mechaniloids.”

She laughs. “That’s a job beneath your notice, schnookums.”

“Right… well, for a given definition of ‘thank you,’ thank you, Foxfire.”

“Any time, handsome,” she replies with a grandiose wave of cucumber crescent before popping it into her mouth. “As long as I’m not scheduled for a Weissritter spa day, of course.”

“Did they… actually take you to a spa?” Lawrence asks, curiosity outweighing caution.

“Oh, no, they beat me severely for giving them lip,” she replies cheerfully. “But hey, speaking of giving lip…”

“Oh, no,” you mutter.

“I heeeearrrr someone’s got a date!” Foxfire declares, swiveling back to you.

“Fuck sake.”

“A bear! An electric bear! I guess that makes sense, she’s your type--”

You cut the line.

Lawrence falls right the fuck out of his chair, howling with laughter.

>Check in with Grach.
>Make your report home.

>>3293605
>Call Grach
Are they actually allowed to beat her? That seems... illegal.

Hope the new car's good, HC!

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>>3293616
It is! Weeping inside for my next few years of payments, but it'll be nice to not have old car problems for the first time ever.

Also, being that it's a Subaru, and those things are goddamn tanks, I've gone ahead and christened it "Rolling Shield."

>>3293604
>She delicately picks the cucumber slice off her eye and dunks it into her coffee before taking a bite.
AHHHHHHH

>>3293605
>Make your report home.
I don't think Grach's going to mention any HOLD THE FUCKING PHONE news, given the bust.

>>3293605
>Check in with Grach.
Assuming we can fit that in before calling home.

>>3293620
Good name! A car to beat Sigma's final form...

>>3293605
>Make your report home.

Best to keep Gopher apprised. Grach is Grach, he needs our contact the least.

>>3293620
>Subaru
I can't believe HC is actually a lesbian...

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>>3293645
Hey, they're great on the ice and I live in New England.

If it'll speed things up, I'll change my vote to calling Gopher.

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>>3293688
Honestly, as much as I want to make up for the last few days, I'm still reeling. It's been a really rough few months. I'm okay with being slow.

Not that I was ever happy with my pace, but I hope the general gist of why I'm so damn slow has become at least somewhat apparent.

>>3293702
No worries, sorry for rushing. I'm heading to bed soon so got a tad impatient.

>>3293605
>Make your report home
Morning Hunter Command

>>3293605
>>Check in with Grach.
This is the golden information we need. We want to deal with the threat, we need to know what the threat is.

>>3293605
>Check in with Grach.

>>3293624
he's doing the interigation of the maverick we caught last thread. Considering he might have intel on whats going on, might be a good idea to talk to him before Gopher. Very least it means we can get back up or some better advice.

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Let's check in with Grach, we can technically put off the report until after the mission I think.

>>3293616
How does beating a reploid even work?

>>3294427
Like anyone else I guess. Makes me wonder if using type weaknesses is against the geneva convention in such situations.

>>3293605
>Check in with Grach.

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So now that the car situation is sorted, I'm getting sick.

I'm just calling a mulligan on 2019, guys, I swear to god.

>>3294500
Does it cause pain? Injury? Can you punch foxfire so hard that it sets her shields off, even without a dedicated punch weapon?

>>3293605
>Make your report home.
No need to rush Grach. Gopher should be told he can stop lying to the police as well.

>>3294689
Goddamn HC you just can't catch a break. Get better soon!

Also I vote for
>talking to Grach.

>>3294689
I feel your pain, HC. Fuck February in general

>>3295253
January was a long year.

And then February was a long year.

>>3294689
>>3295253
>favorite obscure indie title updated after 4+ years AND translated
>got direct to xinput working on comp, meaning I can go controller for all manner of emulated games
>Pulled some neat crap on my gatchas
I-it can't be THAT bad, can it?

>>3295282
Bunch of people I know, including myself, are having similar luck to HC's current woes.

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>Techno
You mean this little shit?

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>>3295282
gacha is coin mining malware that runs on human brains.

>>3296607
Likely. Looks like this chapter is parallel to Xtreme/Cyber Mission just like how the previous chapter was parallel to Cardass Mega Mission.

>>3296607
The very same. This is not parallel, however - that happened some time ago, I believe shortly before Anode joined the Hunters.

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>>3296607
Say that again bitch

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>>3296607
Yep, that guy.

Also, my run of bad luck continues: Trying to get an update out tonight, but I'm sick, pulled a muscle (again), and the windstorm out there has a very high chance of killing my power.

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>>3293616
>>3293633
>>3293792
>>3293904
>>3294427
>>3294669
>>3295223
“Right,” you say, standing up. “Now that that disaster’s out of the way, I’m going to go check in on Grach. You coming?”

“I’ve got my hands full,” Bragg replies, tipping his thermos. You suspect it’s not just cold coffee in it.

Lawrence’s terms were politely but firmly delivered to you--Grach could run Raschen’s questioning, but not without a VPD presence in the room with him, both to keep the interrogation aboveboard, and to make sure that there were no further ‘omissions’ of crucial intelligence from the hunters.

Your quick agreement to his conditions helped thaw the icy edge on the ultimatum, and--fortunately--things remain agreeable.

“Captain,” Grach greets as you walk in--while you wouldn’t say Raschen looks exactly “comfortable,” he seems no more beat up than he was when you left him. The police flanking the door step aside to let your stocky build past, sitting down at the table of your impromptu breakroom-turned-interrogation chamber. “Your witness.”

Raschen makes a grumbling noise, running his remaining hand over the hastily-patched stub where his cannon arm was mounted.

“So,” you say. “What have we got? He behaving himself?”

“By turns,” Grach replies. “But I believe his accounts. Most of them,” he adds with a sideways glance that Raschen steadfastly won’t meet.

“Detective Bragg wanted you to see this, sir,” one of the policemen says, handing you a small slate. A quick scan shows you it’s a rap sheet for your new captive.

“Haitian Station with Bubble Crab,” you read aloud.

Raschen flusters. “That was never--”

“You already wasted five minutes the first time around,” Grach interjects, tone calm and even. “You can spare the encore.”

“Then why’d you waste time asking in the first place,” Raschen replies irritably, stewing.

You power through it. “Potenza, Italy, helped the Hunter Killers trap Dawnginver Cock and Halo Hystrix…”

“That was just a job,” he insists. “I’m not one of them.”

You suspect the death penalty might have something to do with that, but you press on. “Bombardment in Matehuala…”

“And there begins his affiliation with Moloch,” Grach finishes, looking up at the maverick expectantly.

He makes a noise that suggests he’d spit if he could. “I met him during a layover in Arizona. Had me flatten some residential tower to get blooded.”

You remember Moloch’s first ping on the Overland threat map, an unpleasant piece falling into place. “Why?“

He shrugs, the gesture heavy and lopsided with the mismatched limbs. “He dragged some doctor and his family out of the rubble. I didn’t ask, he didn’t tell.”

“And they’re alive?” You ask.

“Unless he’s run out of goons to take it out on, yeah,” he replies dourly.

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>>3297900
“What then?”

“Guy named Hook Hornbill was on his tail, had me lure him out.” He makes a chopping motion with his good hand to emphasize. “Gave his gun to a guy named Havelock. Killed him two days later.”

Bingo--VWES. You’re almost positive his thugs are all equipped--and apparently expendable, even then. “Anyone else?”

“Yeah, he flatlined Shrew Doppleradar and Melodious Mynah, up in Portland. Shrew fucked up a job and Mynah got caught trying to rip off a place on a side job.”

You side-eye one of the police officers. “We’re running names and IDs now,” he says.

“Moloch didn’t like working with anthro models,” Raschen continues. “Too distinctive. Cops were getting wise to us before we’d even hit anything.”

“How about tails? Anyone else on your trip North?”

He scoffs. “Left a trail of ‘em. Some American bull with an ice weapon, some Coastie bird, an electric snake, a fire fox.”

“I’ve sent those details to Command,” Grach adds. “That brings us to the border.”

Raschen nods grudgingly at the prompt. “Some French gorilla. Claxton helped me bag him, then Crewd and me made that cannon out of his bits.”

“What about your own team?” You ask. “Who’s left up here?”

He snorts. “Assuming he hasn’t gone and killed ‘em all?”

“Just answer the question, Raschen.”

He rolls his eyes. “Seattle’s where we picked up Crewd and a Lanceteamer called Ivan. He gets the shit jobs. There’s some small girl, never got her name, doesn’t come around much. There’s a freaky guy named D9D9 always breathing down my neck. Don’t know much about him, but I know he’s a SIfer.”

There’s your countersig guy. “Okay, go on.”

“Guy caught the boss’s attention with some big setup job out in the Himalayas--again, I never asked. We’re not really a chatty bunch. I know there’s a SP0C I haven’t met, I only ever dealt with Hutchins. And that’s all I know.”

“Okay, what kind of resources is he sitting on?”

“Not much,” Raschen says. “Anything we couldn’t pack, ship, or carry stays behind. Crewd’s got a backup Ride, I know that--not his favorite but it’ll work in a pinch.”

“Okay,” you say, chewing on it--that’s a smaller bunch than you thought, assuming he’s being honest. “Now for the big stuff.”

He rolls his eyes again. “I already told your lackeys I don’t know what the hell this ‘big score’ is. It’s something, it’s happening, and I never heard a damn thing. You ask me, Moloch’s working for someone else.”

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>>3297903
“What makes you say that?”

“He signed me on for blowing up a building, numbnuts,” he snaps irritably. “What about that suggests ‘cunning mastermind’ to you? Besides, he’s dumb as a post. Walked in on him bitching about ‘that red bastard’ once or twice, and got a beating each time.”

You examine the maverick’s own paintscheme in the light. “Didn’t find it flattering on you, did he?”

“Ha-ha. Jackass. But no, he wasn’t my number one fan. And to answer your next question, no, I have no damn idea where he’s hiding out. Me, Crewd, and Ivan were kept out of the loop because we were the new guys.”

“You ever hear the name Dalet?” You ask. “Hacker, yea tall, Sir Not Appearing At This Interrogation?”

“Never heard of him,” Raschen says without hesitation. “But I wasn’t exactly in the inner circle, if you follow me. Could be another battalion out there, for all I know.”

“No sign of Torment or Schism, either, on that note,” Grach adds.

“Okay, so what about here? Why Richmond?”

“It’s what I do best,” he says unapologetically. “Boss says ‘go stir shit up,’ I stir shit up. Took the heat off him to go find a hole to lie in.”

You resist a glance back at the Vancouver citizens behind you. “Is that why you were out trying to get that accelerant?”

“No, that was my idea,” he says. “I’ve been pushing the boss to go grab it since I heard of it. He wasn’t game. But after you fu--after Richmond, he told me I had to go make up for the muscle we lost.” He scoffs. “You saw how getting back into his good graces went.”

You frown, mulling it over. That could rule out a good few things… and rule in a few more.

Unfortunately, your next question is interrupted as Lawrence fairly well smashes through the door behind you. “Your boys are getting hit.”

-----
You are:
>Susan, Steel Beret squad leader.
>Flak, heavy weapons specialist.
>Marx, Bravely Broken squaddie.
Derby, Bravely Broken squaddie.

>>3297905
>Flak, heavy weapons specialist.

>>3297905
>Marx, Bravely Broken squaddie.

Let’s see how one of the newer guys thinks.

>>3297905
>Flak, heavy weapons specialist

>>3297538
Alright, who the hell used a monkey's paw to wish for more consistent MHQ updates

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Biggest argument that Moloch's working for someone else is taking the researcher and family hostage. I don't see much he could do with them, and making a bomb was apparently Raschen's idea.

>>3297905
>Marx, Bravely Broken squaddie.
I don't know shit about this guy either, let's see him die

>>3297905
>Susan, Steel Beret squad leader.

>>3298295
I can't even begin to fathom.

>>3297903
>small girl
Dalet?

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>>3298409
Dalet this

>>3297905
>Derby, Bravely Broken squaddie.
He's got no special equipment, he needs our special brand of fucking up to survive. Plus it'd be nice to learn some stuff about him.

>>3298409
Wouldn't bet on it. Nothing says all the mavs we run into have to be connected in this case. Also, far as we know, there could be two groups after the bomb idea.

>You are:
>Getting hit

>>3297905
>Susan, Steel Beret squad leader.
If we can coordinate the other members. Otherwise
>Flak

>>3297905
>Flak, heavy weapons specialist.

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Head's exploding. Will try to update tonight but unfortunately don't count your chickens. Watch this be a six post thread, ugh.

>>3300683
Man if you need time then take time. Self care ain’t a joke.

>>3300683
You gotta do what you gotta do, man. No worries.

Post in progress, Flak took the vote.

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>>3297937
>>3298175
>>3298712
>>3299614
You are Flak, Steel Beret of the 4th Overland unit out of Geneva, and you are currently putting the finishing touches on your new favorite toy.


“Cyclone Culverin,” Susan repeats again.

“That’s what it said. Isn’t it just the best?” You ask emphatically.

“Just… be careful with that thing,” he grumbles. “For my sake, okay? And don’t go scratching the paint.”

“Yes, mother,” you chide. “And it’s a gun, not a new car.”

“Still looks too expensive for our pay grade.”

“Kind of like a new car?”

He chuckles and gently socks you on the arm. You grin and go back to adjusting the stock for your stature.

You look up again a few minutes later as your comms all ping at once.

“4th, 1st,” comes the call, urgent. “We have incoming.”

Susan unshoulders his long rifle. “Roger that, setting up. What are we looking at?”

“Got eyes on fast movers by air, big pack of Jammingers. Moving right for the garrison, too direct for a patrol.”

“VPD?”

“Painted like it, but negative. They warned us.”

“Joy. Can you get back here?”

“We’re pulling back. Advise police to do the same?”

“Negative,” Susan replies tersely. “Too light for the whole force, this is only the first wave.”

“Understood, zone will be too hot. Out.”

Susan turns back grimly. “Places, everyone.” Mastiff puts a hand on his civilian squadmate’s shoulder and gives him a gently shake.

You tally up the force as Susan tasks them--four Berets from the 4th, two from 10th, and one civ with them. Five Link Riders--four regular, one Van--out afield. With luck they’ll be able to swing wide and smash them from the side, but that’s a lot to bank on.

All that said, you planned for this. You’ve dug in, turned slabs of road and barriers into fortifications, set up positions, established sight lines. 4th is perhaps the only unit of the hunters expected to hold ground like an army, so the others were only too happy to follow your lead as the Bravely Broken set to the task.

The Jammingers were never meant to do anything other than harass you, but they don’t even get that far--a half-dozen buster rifles open up on them from all angles as they enter effective range. They swoop, but 10th keeps them tracked while your squad focuses on denying their evasives. Even coming in from city-side, they don’t make it by.

What they do, however, and what they were meant to do, is buy time. You get a warning, but you can already hear the roar of far heavier incoming behind them.

“I recognize that noise…” Marx says.

“Bee Bladers?” Derby asks rhetorically--you know he’s right.

How, is the question. City under siege or not, that kind of hardware wouldn’t go unnoticed.

“They’re JWs,” Red says quietly.

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>>3302961
“What’s that?”

“Jewel Wasping. Scrappers pick up wrecks and fix them up or part them out. There’s so many in junkyards or with interchangeable parts that you can make a pretty cheap disposable ride in a hurry.”

“Down!”

You duck in your rooftop embankment, a plume of tile kicking up as a missile terminates its wobbly course just shy of your nest. Its nose gun fire walks its away back and forth across the top, strafing the line.

“Stuck up here!” You call. “Can someone put that light out?”

“On it,” Mastiff replies.

“Can you get an accurate count?” Susan asks.

“Five. Stand by.”

“Aim for the bottom stabilizers,” Red says. “They break off the most.”

No such angle for you, staring into the cracked green glass of the Blader’s front optic, but from the ground floor, the 10th opens up on your aggressor, lighting up the underbelly with a cascade of fire. In the splashes of light you can see patchwork repairs and discoloration--Red was right about them being junkyard rescues--and the shielding is dull and weak. Something goes up in the first one’s underbelly, even as the second and third close into gun range and open up on the 10th’s windows.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qBhvCXUfLc

You’re preoccupied, though, as the first Blader twists in the air as it dies, turning its broadside to you, and revealing the four Reploids clinging to the side.

They leap off onto the roof just a moment before the ailing Blader smashes through the wall on that side, raining down in a storm of twisted metal and masonry.

Susan catches one of the attackers in the chest with the brilliant beam of a Lockon Hunter, drawing their fire onto his position.

>Catch them in a crossfire together.
>Blackout rocket the remaining flyers.
>Take a shot with the Culverin.
>Other?

>>3302967
>Other?
>Line up the Culverin to take down more Jewel Waspings
>Get ready to hold ground against the 3 attackers
The wind element should scatter the enemies clinging to them, and the fall maybe even enough to disable.

>>3302967
>Take a shot with the Culverin.
At the Reploids.
If it's possible to keep the Blackout launcher hidden, you could use the Culverin without the hostiles suspecting you have another heavy weapon in reserve. Don't knock the guys off the building altogether, that will cause problems for the 10th.

>>3302967
>Blackout rocket the remaining flyers.

>>3302967
>Blackout rocket the remaining flyers.
Keep the Culverin for a more dire situation than this. Blackout's great for this sort of thing.

>>3302967
>Blackout Rocket the remaining fliers.

Willing to bet that there's more hitchhikers on the others, so bringing them down is a priority before we get overwhelmed.

>>3302967
>Blackout rocket the remaining flyers

>>3303549
I dont think chaff will do so much to the hitchhikers. Take down the fliers, yes, but the passengers will already be in the field

>>3304109
I feel like by the time they get into the C. Culverin's effective range, though, they'll be too close.

Would it be reasonable to fire at them with the Blackout Rockets while they close range, and then open up with the Culverin on anything that gets past?

>>3304115
Blackouts will make the flyers veer completely off course. Theyll be scattered, which is good, but they wont be bunched up to get wrecked by culverin

>>3304179
I think saving culverin for some higher grade enemies might be best. Scattering them seems like the best option to keep all our guys safe.

>Blackout rocket the remaining fliers.

>>3302967
>Blackout rocket the remaining flyers.
Heavy weapon means our task is to take out big targets and so far the flyers remain that. Plus I'm not entirely sure on the range of the Culverin: it's listed as short compared to other wind weapons, but it fucked up that tunnel pretty good.

>>3304115
>I feel like by the time they get into the C. Culverin's effective range, though, they'll be too close.
They're in the effective range now by being on the roof, I think

>>3304179
Off course and, if we get lucky, possibly into each other.

>>3302967
>Blackout rocket the remaining flyers
>>3304109
There might be a point to this, if the Giant bees didnt also have guns, AND are flying which means they can completely bypass all out carefully prepared cover and obstructions, AND drop all their riders behind our lines whenever they want if they arent obstructed,
There are are at least 3 other guys on our squad here and equipped to deal with guys on the ground. Let them do that And do the thing only we can do,which is use our heavy weapons to disrupt these flying guys.

>Blackout rocket the remaining flyers.

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Just got back home. Will write in a bit.

March is looking a lot like January and February.

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>>3305474

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>>3305546

Right, through some truly unrighteous garbage, I've got a post ready, but I think I just missed CL. I'll see if I can post it earlyish tomorrow.

>>3306155
Cain Labs doesn't even have to be here to hurt us anymore. He is truly unstoppable.

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>>3303054
>>3303316
>>3303549
>>3303676
>>3304185
>>3304293
>>3304596
>>3304768
You have a moment to decide what to do with the opportunity given. Susan’s a bit busy to bark orders, but what would he do here?

Going for kills would be easy--you’re heavily armed, they’re wide open--but right now they’re pushing to overwhelm. Numbers, waves, trying to nullify your advantages in buckling down.

The best way to forestall that is a little bit of chaos, and you brought the perfect confetti cannon. Keeping your new toy in reserve, you shoulder an old favorite, sight onto the next of the Bladers in line, and let fly.

It’s just starting to disgorge its crew when your missile blooms into a snowball of razor chaff. The effects are immediate and gratifying--you’re used to military spec targets, not refurbished junkyard no-hopers. The flak shreds the flimsy shields and buckling armor--and the practically naked sensors are shredded to bits.

Two of the boarders are crushed beneath their own ride, the others thrown clear as it violently lurches off-course, propeller gouging deep into the hull of the Blader behind it before snapping clean and winging end-over-end into the night. Something explodes as it noses forward and slams into the back end of the ailing lead, bringing them both down in a fireball.

The rooftop attackers turn to you, but Marx and Derby add a withering crossfire, cutting them down before they’ve even found the range.

“Coming in from the ground!” Red calls.

“Keep them broken up,” Mastiff adds. “They’re rowdy.”

“Heads up,” Pratt comms from the back wall. “They’re scaling the sides back up.”

“We’re ready.”

“Grenades!”

You barely manage to grab both of your spare guns under either arm and hustle out before a detcharge jingle-jangs into your lookout. A quick look and a practiced eye tell you that it’s shoddy patchwork, right before it explodes.

Captain Anode’s ablative armor saves you there, shrapnel pinging off the outer bars of the plating and keeping the worst of it down to a few nicks and scratches.

Marx covers you as fire rakes your exposed position, hunkering down beneath his wide shield. You spend another rocket to fill the back half of the roof with chaff, and a chorus of surprised cried accompany the dwindling fire. You quickly pick off a few as you reposition, knocking them down as they stagger blind.

“10th, status?” Susan calls--you feel a brief spike of relief, he’s still fine.

“Ingress,” Mastiff says flatly. His tone suggests he’s preoccupied.

>Join the fight on the first floor. You can clean up.
>Stay topside and put your heavy weapons to use.

>>3307025
>Join the fight on the first floor. You can clean up.
Mornin' HC

>>3307025
>Join the fight on the first floor. You can clean up.
Rather not let Flak get sniped

>>3307025
>>Join the fight on the first floor. You can clean up.
Our windthrower is honestly a pretty good choke point weapon. High sustain and positioning can allow us to get some of our 10th units to cover, then blow away the approaching enemy. Just need to be careful of friendlies.

>>3307025
>Join the fight on the first floor. You can clean up.

>>3307025
>Join the fight on the first floor. You can clean up.

>>3307025
>Join the fight on the first floor. You can clean up.

>>3307025
>Join the fight on the first floor. You can clean up
Susan too, or does he get to fight everyone on the roof by himself?

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I seem to have misplaced Cain Labs again.

That's okay, it's really not been a good night. Ongoing issues from the prior few. If he turns up I'll try go get something in, but we'll see.

With any luck (ha!) we can get back to my planned daily steady pace before too much longer.

>>3308808
Im reaaaally happy we didnt leave foxfire for last

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>>3307026
>>3307037
>>3307369
>>3307402
>>3307609
>>3307970
>>3308036
“Heading down,” you comm.

“Right,” Susan replies, understanding immediately.

The 10th is on the ground floor, and good thing--they had more than a few pointers about keeping your building from falling down around your ears. Even with half the roof collapsed, the supports are holding steady, steady thrumming from the corners and a hazy blue glow through the debris showing the struts they shored.

You hop down through the hole the Bee Blader tore, drawing your rifle and landing heavily atop a slab of ex-roof. The mavericks who came in the same way haven’t looked back--a Lanceteamer, two Cycl0P5, and a strangely one-off 10-Plate, all huddle against an overturned barricade. They’re staying low and quiet, trying to wait for a chance to make a break for the defenders.

“Mastiff? I’m here. Got eyes on a cluster.” You comm, raising your rifle and preparing to break away. You’ve got a few seconds tops before someone notices you, and there’s no cover in an easy sprint--not with your weapons weighing you down, for sure.

It’s Pratt who responds. “Put one shot into their center.”

You do, missing the 10-Plate to leave a glowing hole beside his shoulder in their cover. They turn, already returning fire before they’ve even spotted you.

They don’t get a chance before a grenade sails straight for where your shot landed and goes up with a meaty whumph,sending them all sprawling. Tenth practically boils out of the woodwork, over the top and around the sides, falling upon their targets like a thunderstorm in a bottle.

The last maverick, eyes locked on yours, raises his buster for a final shot. Red’s punches through his chest first, knocking his arm dead. “Spacing,” the civilian says, dispatching him quickly.

“Susan? First floor’s secure.”

“Stay down there and set up,” he replies immediately. “We’ve got more lights coming in by road.”

Sure enough, crunching gravel and growing headlights bear in on the front doors.

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>>3312095
“What’s your status, First?” Pratt comms, as the team falls back to where the mavericks once stood--though a good few meters between each of them. You notice Mastiff leaving little bundles of joy on the retreat, including a generous few wired up around the door.

You join them as you unlimber the culverin and brace it against the wall, taking a position on the flank as Ruffo responds. “We see you now. Ran into some speedbumps. Stand by, we’re coming in hot. They’re all over you.”

Susan chimes in. “How many?”

“Couldn’t count, so about that many.”

“Land, or air?”

“Yes.”

“Dammit,” Marx whispers from above you.

“Focus.”

You’re holding for now, but when the tide turns, it’s going to turn quick--a few hits are going to turn into a down, and with only seven guns against who knows how many, each loss is going to aggregate swiftly.

Even though you know you’re better-served here, you wish you were up topside with Susan.

>Put the Fear into them with the culverin.
>You made a killzone, now use it.

>>3312106
>Put the Fear into them with the culverin.

>>3312106
>Put the Fear into them with the culverin.
how much of their forces did they commit to this?

>>3312106
>>Put the Fear into them with the culverin.
Against big crowds like this, the Culverin is going to shine. Knockback, long sustain and shorter range gives us a zone of control that can compliment our killzone. It also means we can blow away stuff like grenades.

Really, this is the perfect weapon for Canada. Its a giant leaf blower.

>>3312106
>Put the Fear into them with the culverin.

>>3312106
>Put the Fear into them with the culverin.

>>3312106
Are they within range of Blackout Rockets? Could we buy us some time with it, or would that be a bad idea? I think fucking with their rides may be worth it, unless Blackout only had 1 rocket. If not, then
>Put the Fear into them with the culverin.

>>3312106
>Put the Fear into them with the culverin.

"Spacing."

>>3312106
>Put the Fear into them with the culverin.

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Just about done with this scene, folks, just hard to get back on the horse after the last week's festivities. Join me in hoping that things stabilize a little bit and we can resume steady pace properly.

>>3312131
>>3312166
>>3312265
>>3312601
>>3313124
>>3313736
>>3313816
>>3313956
The doors crunch, metal bars rattling as the grille of whatever car they’re driving slams against them. They hold, barely, and the lights ebb away as it reverses.

“Hunker down,” you say, stowing your rifle.

The 10th looks at the massive weapon you’ve primed, and don’t need telling twice. The headlights begin to grow again.

Crash, bang. Two.

Tires scrabble and screech, throwing stray stones against the windows with a thousand little plinks as the wheels spin wildly in place for an instant and then lurch free.

This time, locks and bars collapse as the car barrels through--a stolen and upjumped SUV--and skitters off to one side, fishtailing and scraping against the doorjam as it starts to trundle through.

You fire.

The entire room jumps away as you’re flung clear back from your position.

So does the car, suddenly not so much a discrete vehicle as a door and an axle and a mirror and a cascade of broken glass and flying steel. The driver within is rolled out the side, wrapped up in bolted-on fenders and bars. The entire cacophony screams right back out the door, accompanied by the much more literal screams of a half dozen eager guns pressing in after their would-be battering ram.

It takes an entire second of airtime for your back to slam against something solid, sliding down the side of the downed Bee Blader until your skidplate and your feet hit the floor.

“Spacing,” you comm wideband, grinning.

“Who’s next?” Red adds.

If anyone feels like rushing the door, they don’t make themselves known--you make it back and take your position quickly, but no one is forthcoming.

“Flak, get back up here,” Susan comms. “They’re doubling down topside.”

That’d be why. “Copy. Good?”

“Work in progress,” he grunts.

>Back up on the double.
>Get some eyes on the outside first.

>>3315098
>Back up on the double.

>>3315098
>Back up on the double.

I worry what the other option implies, but I worry more about losing squadmates.

>>3315098
>Back up on the double.
Not losing Susan today!

>>3312166
>how much of their forces did they commit to this?
I'm betting Moloch's throwing everything he doesn't need for his big score at us. The Victoroids probably would have shown up here too if Spider hadn't taken care of them.

>>3315098
Called it
>Back up on the double.
>Hope you don't have to fight Double

>>3315098
Wew, that's got some kick to it.

>Back up on the double.

>>3315098
>Back up on the double.

>>3315098
>Back up on the double.

Don'tlosesquadmatesdon'tlosesquadmatesdon'tlosesquadmates

>>3315098
>>Get some eyes on the outside first.
..oi, what are the chances that the enemy will try and collapse the roof with planted explosives?

>>3315098
>Back up on the double.
We got work to do.

>>3316630
I think that may take preparations that they didn't think they needed, especially since this place took a bee blader crash and didn't crumble.

>>3315098
>>Back up on the double.

Flak is going to need some leg and back mods to allow him to temporarily anchor himself down and brace himself like the Siege cannons of old

>>3316994
preparations or bodies. They made some pretty quick explosives and used a SUV as a battering ram. It wouldn't surprise me if they had more tricks.

There is also the issue that they may look for alternative entrances. They should know there are people on the roof. They will look for ways to attack from the sides or around since approaching the edge is asking for a mav to drag you down and out.
Wind washing a side can help, and I would rather they don't pull any surprises. Thats whats going to get us and make us lose members.

>>3317033
Or Tension Coil anchoring

>>3317082
Also, the constant switching is going to take a toll eventually. Probably not quick, because reploid, but...

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>>3315112
>>3315143
>>3315343
>>3316026
>>3316055
>>3316069
>>3316102
>>3316630
>>3316994
>>3317033
“On my way. Have you got eyes outside?” You ask.

“Negative.”

Crap. “Copy.”

You haul yourself up, with not inconsiderable effort, and emerge into a crawling firestorm.

With their attack repelled on the ground, they redoubled the assault on the top floor. Only your team’s discipline and preparation is holding the tide. Hooting mavs encircle your positions, clinging to the sides of their Bladers, air thick with Jammingers, and yet more scaling the walls. Each time one goes down, another fills the airspace.

“RCMP air inbound,” Pratt comms. “One minute.”

“May not have one minute,” you admit aloud. This is insanity, looking for Susan, his position long vacated. He announces himself as a long blue beam scythes through two Bladers at the propellers, knocking them both out of the sky.

“That was my last Lockon,” he warns. “You got any left, Flak?”

“Plenty,” you return with a ragged grin. “Popping the rockets, need a brace to fire the wind thing.”

“On it. First?!” Susan shouts, as a grenade detonates uncomfortably close to him--you see the flash of his shields from here and wince.

“Watch--this--spot,” Ruffo replies. An eyeblink later, a chain of explosions bring daylight to your little corner of Vancouver.

“Can you swing around the back?”

“Too many downed craft,” he replies. “Gotta break off and come back in for another pass.”

You score two more swift and punishing kills with your remaining Blackout Rockets, then stow the tube and haul it--fire nipping at your heels--and finally diving into a hastily-erected emplacement, digging in and turning from prone to sight on and fire into the swarming mass of fliers.

They don’t like that.

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>>3318833
Neither does your back, scratches from stones carving lines through your paint and battered outer plating, each shot feeling like it’s tunneling you into the floor. Morguns weave among the cyclone, tail-flames buffeting wildly as they flap out-of-control, but a few right themselves and swoop low. Something flammable--a barrel thrown from the side of one of the fliers--ignites and then explodes with a screech of tortured metal, silhouetting figures, surging forward with the blastwave.

“Incoming low, can’t depress to hit!” You warn Susan.

“Keep firing, we’ve got this.”

But Susan, even with Marx coming in with his shield to support, doesn’t got this. A nasty, zippy little maverick darts in and jabs him one, two, three times with a beam knife, each time carving away a few bars of his external armor layer, and the last punching deep. You pull yourself up and barrel into him before you know what’s happening, and feel the same blade sink into your side. You try to wrestle with him as Derby shouts something, trying to hold him still for a shot as the maverick titters and giggles maniacally, delight in his features as your shield flashes grow weaker and weaker.

A cable latches onto the center of the fray and goes taut, a moment before ratcheting loudly with a steady, mechanical tick-tick-tick-tick.

And then thunder blasts the battlement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGyugYwuY5M

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Captain Anode impacts with a tremor you feel through the entire rooftop, casting off his zipline as he draws himself to his full height. The spotlights of a Bee Blader backlight him, its guns spinning up. Chatter-rattle automatic fire floods the burning roof as it bathes him in its machine gun.

One hits his shoulder with an audible plink, shields not even flashing, and tumbles off. He aims his buster behind him, a shell materializing an instant before dematerializing the Blader. Aflame, it falls out of sight behind the building as he takes a step towards you.

Your aggressor gets in one last twist of the knife, turning and cackling gleefully as he tosses the weapon from hand to hand.

You feel someone--Derby, you think--dragging you away, as you send a last warning to Anode. “Be careful, he’s quick.”

“Got it.”

The maverick drives forward, and the conduit channels in the Captain’s arm glow halogen-white before his own hilt all but flashes into his hand, the fighting knife slicing through the emitter in his aggressor’s own. He looks down at it in befuddlement a moment before a song like churchbell chimes, and he goes rigid.

Then, he’s gone, reduced to a hundred thousand fragments of ice as he disappears around Anode’s outstretched knife, the blade glowing a cool, ethereal blue.

“Susan, status?”

“Injured but up,” he says beside you, one-handing his rifle as he keeps a hand on your shoulder. “Nowhere to fall back to.”

The Captain stows his knife and turns to the edge of the rooftop, drawing his lance. “I’ve got this.”

You’re actually blasted with a shower of pebbles in his wake as he takes off in a bolt, streaks of neon light trailing from his heels and his back. He doesn’t slow when his boot hits the edge of the roof, vaulting up and away. The lights at his back howl as they go from two miniature coronas into a single blazing star, Anode rocketing into--and through--two Jammingers and a Morgun on his way to a Bee Blader. The entire chassis twists in the air with his impact, lance driving deep through its head and out the other side, skewering a rider through the back of the mechaniloid. Anode kicks off with the same speed, aiming ahead and latching onto another with his grapple. He ziplines in--it starts to fly back, and he takes a two-handed grip on his line and reels it back--straining against it until its laboring engines blow out with muffled pops, and the entire thing drops. He falls with it, fingers digging through the wall until they find purchase, and he rolls his free arm, snagging up his cable in the propeller of the next Blader in the procession, which wraps, seizes, and shreds.

He returns topside in a blaze of plasma fire and flashing energy weapons, meeting all comers and, more than once, simply battering them aside.

You don’t know how long it took him, but the roof is empty. You fired into the mass as they broke, but, honestly--

You’re not even sure how many got away.

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>>3318836

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>>3318836
Nice to get a grunt-level view of how Anode operates. It's easy to forget how impressive an A-Rank would look in action.

>>3318836
one birb ded.

That's a lot of progress for one phase.

>>3318947
By the sounds of it, we have been putting stupid levels of pressure on them. They lost or had multiple officer grade threats in a short ammount of time. Their heavy weapons shipment which they needed is gone. The bomb component is heavily secured, and multiple plans had failed.
While we haven't been dealing with the bigger members, we have whittled down their work force and supplies.
Makes sense they would try and alpha strike our forces. Didn't go too well for them though. With the intel about Envision out, they lost support. They could have lost one of their Bs if that was speedy. Then we took out their air force.
Now we just need to find Moloch and the remaining officers.

>>3319055
Another crazy thing to consider is that this in many ways was a mission that did need 3 Officers with squads. We have as more officer level targets in this one mission as are on a normal full roster.

Moloch
Hutchins
Dalet
Ellis
Rachen
Claxton
Crewd
Pink Rhomphaia
Dammehnation Blade
Torment
Schism

>>3318947
Was that the birb? I don't feel like it was. Their MO sounded a little more... Catburglar-y, despite the edgy names.

>>3319171
They were fresh Bs designed for speed, and the guy fell for one of the anti newb tricks Em taught Anode. Hard to tell since he died so fast.
Then again, its kind of funny, just picturing Anode being so done with birds he one shots it.

>>3319239
You know what they say: fuck birds.

>>3319099
Furthermore, they lost two (a capture and a retirement), one lost his favorite armor and new gun which we gave to Flak, another barely survived, Pink implied he was shipping out, and a few may not even be related.

>>3319099
Considering the numbers and how many they took out, Think this qualifies the squad as officially badass yet?
They arlready are in my book,but, seems llike they could use a pay jump.

>>3319962
I kind of hope they all get some mav kit or DNA to use from this for custom upgrading. Like how Flak has taken to the Culverin.

>>3320035
Speedy Mcgee might be able to give one of our tumult users a shield tackle.

>>3320038
Think it's more Hoganmer style shields, but we could see if anyone wanted Tumults with the Snapper upgrade.

>>3320375
I mean more of using the speedster upgrades to quickly tank a hit for someone.

You know, like diet Anode.

>>3320390
We do have one EAS unassigned. Could assign Marx or Derby that + speedy upgrades and have them specialize in close range defense.

>>3320480
To be fair, all our guys could use an EAS, and right now is training with the system. Kind of hope Marx or Derby decide they want to be a walking tank and just get all the armor, or develop a system into something like the charged Rolling Shield.

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>>3318836
You are Anode, maverick hunter, standing in the midst of carnage.

The daylight creeping over the skyline suggested a hazy fog, but the air is dry. It’s all smoke. The world yawns awake in all directions, except here, in the crater that four hours ago was the Maverick Hunter garrison.

“I like what you’ve done with the place,” Bragg says, digging his boot into the cracked optic of a crashed Bee Blader.

“I don’t,” you say quietly.

“...Yeah,” he admits. Cynical nature or not, you can tell he’s rattled. It can’t be an easy thing, knowing this was your city. And as for you, you’ve completed entire combat missions without seeing half as many as you repelled last night.

“These idiots couldn’t all be working for Moloch,” you say aloud. “Could they?”

“Doubt it,” the human detective says, looking up at what remains of the roof. He had a bit of a walk, having had to park a couple hundred feet back for all the debris. “It’s called a megacity for a reason.”

“Mm.”

“That said,” he fishes something out of his coat, and for a moment you actually think it’s the stereotypical pack of smokes. You’re almost disappointed when it’s a comb, which he passes through the thinning grey atop his head before tucking it back into his jacket. “I think the hive is officially good and kicked. You weren’t kidding about escalating, were you?”

“Not too late to stop cooperating, and go our separate ways,” you offer, gesturing loosely at the ruin behind you.

“If I’m stuck with you, you’re stuck with me,” he replies with a tired grin. In the light, you can see the dark circles under his eyes, and he completely fails to stifle a yawn. “Glad I don’t have to drive back.”

You’re about to ask him what you mean when the rising sun goes out. You look up, going for your lance before Bragg puts a hand on your arm and shakes his head. A massive flying carrier--in police colors--settles down like a great, squat bird, landing struts extending as massive turbine engines gimbal back and forth to steady the affair.

Lawrence goes right for the coffee as the two of you board, as you give Susan one last wave as he and the rest of the Bravely Broken sit on a retracting loader arm, disappearing into the belly of the ship. It’s already spinning back up by the time you reach the window, watching First--the only ones to make it out in anything resembling fighting shape--disappear into five little glimmers on the road.

“Captain,” greets a stern-faced Reploid--a Cardie, you realize. He doesn’t salute, but his ramrod-straight posture and unblinking expression suggests that he doesn’t know the meaning of ‘at ease.’ “I’m glad you and your men are all right. We’re seeing to them now.”

You nod. “Thanks. Any word on Spider?”

“He took considerable damage, but he will recover. In fact, he wanted to speak with you, when you’ve a moment.”

“Patch him through.”

>>3321122
“Howdy, boss.” Spider sounds relaxed, but you’re fairly sure he could make a gunfight sound languid.

“How you feeling, Spider?”

“Room’s a bit plain, but a nice little paid vacation I got myself here. Catchin’ my stories. In fact, that’s what I called you for.”

“Yeah?”

“Take a look at this clip.”

COUNCILLOR ENVISION DENIES ALLEGATIONS, the Chyron declares, as some local figure or another speaks into a microphone.

“--while I am disappointed with the claims that have been made, we have to remember that the allegations against the Councillor remain just that, allegations,” she’s saying. “In the meantime, it’s worth noting that Envision is cooperating fully with authorities, and has turned over several nonessential duties to my office in the interim.”

“When asked about the additional workload--”

Spider cuts the clip. “Did you see in the back?”

“No, what?”

He rewinds the feed and freezes it. Walking through the frame--with a bit of hurry, you notice now--is a human girl with black hair, smoothing it down flat as she walks.

“I never forget a pretty face,” Spider says, “and that one works for a rat.”

“Which rat?” You ask.

“No, boss, a rat like a crook.”

“Which crook rat?” you ask.

He chuckles. “Maverick hunting just ain’t worth the pay, let me tell you. She was in Envision’s office, just on her way out for the night.”

“So what?”

“I didn’t think much of it at first, but I was talkin’ to Grach while you were occupied. Did you see her brush her hair back?”

“Yeah?”

“He called it a dead giveaway. Somethin’ about the ears.” He flicks one of the fins on the end of his hair. “She ain’t human, Anode.”

“Are you sure?”

“Not even a little,” he replies. “But he thought enough about it to go have a look.”

Hm. “All right, thanks for the heads-up.”

“Anytime,” Spider drawls. “Good luck out there.”

He cuts the line, and you look back up at the Cardie. He hasn’t moved an inch since you started your little aside. “I’ve also been asked to inform you that we have dispatched an Emergency Response Team to coordinate with your forces.”

At least it’s not all bad news. “Thank you.”

“VPD have also recovered some salvage from the thoroughfare closed in the fighting yesterday, and sent them on with our regards. There was a Ride Armor rammer component that was serviceable, and may be of use to the Hunters.”

Wow, damn. “Thanks. Um, again. Anything else?“

“As we can no longer move the accelerant, we have established a perimeter at the UBC campus.”

You nod. “Right, okay.”

“It came under attack fifteen minutes ago.”

Dammit.

Available resources:
>Anode
>Grach (would have to pull)
>1st Advance
>RCMP Emergency Response Team (Cardin L1s)

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>>3321126
Whoops forgot my hat.

>>3321126
>>1st Advance
>>RCMP Emergency Response Team (Cardin L1s)
This smells like a distraction. I'd like to put Anode on the fastest vehicle we've got, unless they've got reports on Moloch.

>She ain’t human, Anode
I still think she's Dalet

>>3321126
Raschen did mention a "small girl", I'm guessing that's her. Also, I suppose that this attack doubled as a distraction, and maybe a way to waylay some of our assets for whatever happens tomorrow (if I've got the timeline right).

>1st Advance and Emergency Response Team

We need a fast response. What's the Emergency Response Team's loadout look like?

>>3321126
>RCMP Emergency Response Team (Cardin L1s)
Like >>3321154 says, now that all the gears are turning, Anode needs to keep himself available until Moloch eventually shows his ugly mug.

>>3321126
If there was any place for those two magpies to show up, its there. 1st advance is a given, and I would say have Iris help coordinate. Anode is likely going to have to reinforce Grach if needed.

>>3321126
>RCMP Emergency Response Team (Cardin L1s)
I think Moloch's trying to pull a Bane on us: run us so ragged putting out fires that he can get an easy kill. Raschen already said that Moloch wasn't keen on the bomb, he might just be attacking it to deplete more of our resources.

>>3321154
I'm wondering if she's White Kingfisher: It's a bit weird Grach didn't ask permission first. But then again, I'm staring at a corkboard with "CAIN LABS" and "THREE BIRDS" connected with string.

>>3321987
>THREE BIRDS
I hadnt seriously considered what the third bird would be, but now that you mention it....

>>3322125
That would be the worst possible outcome.

>>3321987
>>3322125
What he hasn't mentioned is the secret fourth bird waiting to swoop in as the real level threat after three birds and Moloch, clearly. Or the optional fifth that was Blinky

>>3322297
What if Moloch modded himself into a pterodactyl? Does that count as a bird?

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Moloch better show up soon dammit
>1st Advance
>RCMP Emergency Response Team (Cardin L1s)

>>3322157
Not necessarily, she might have her own agenda for instance.

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I misplaced my Cain Labs again. That's okay, it was a cook night anyway. Pic related.

>>3321154
Backing this.

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>>3321126

>1st Advance
They can make up for lost time better. And I'm afraid of multiple distraction attacks suddenly popping up, which would suit the RCMP well.

>>3322147
>filename
Ha.

>>3321126
Could we get an estimate of the state of the RCMP forces at the site before we decide how much we need to reinforce?
I cant imagine they'd be able to muster another assault of the magnitude of the one we just fended off, at least without being low on forces for anything later, right?

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>>3326201
Elevated presence, but not exactly built to withstand a maverick assault. Generally, in the civilian world, deterrence is repulsion. They can hold on and stall for time, but you're going to want real shooters to take care of them.

On that note, your RCMP Cardin L1s are an entry team of five. Stock, they're equipped with either an Arthur A1M Missile DWS or a Prosser P800 High Yield Buster. The former is a buster with a missile launcher configuration, paired with Lapin missiles that can be safely deactivated if it loses tracking or to eliminate collateral. The latter is comparable to the Lanceteamer Bingo's two-stage charge weapon--it has superior charge and firepower capacity to a Steel Beret's P903, but lower punch with uncharged shots. Each also comes equipped with a Huron Acceleration & Agility System, giving them a built-in dash and midair jump.

Standard field equipment includes an N80 Shaped Force Shield that lets them create a fairly durable ablative wedge barrier, and Blaireau laser glaive pods, directional blade projectors that can either be left stationary or rolled for a spinning blade. They also come with an EcurOeil tracking and analytic sensor--a scanner system similar to OPAL, though not quite as strong.

A Cardin L1 comes off the line at a comparable rating to a B-rank officer. You can expect several veterans who will operate at a higher level and have custom equipment.

>>3326301
>Huron Acceleration & Agility System, giving them a built-in dash and midair jump.
yo, mass pro dashing. Neato. Can the BB get in on that when they get their chasis upgrade?

>>3326301
Just curious,what would the missile system and Huron AA systems cost? Same with the N80 and EcurOeil, just trying to get some ideas for upgrades for our boys and their kit

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>>3326476
I'll need to consult with Cain Labs. It's not necessarily off the table, either that or comparable systems, but we'd need to put our heads together on pricing.

Also I like making him deal with zenny costs, it's funny to me.

>>3326301
So MP B ranks. Handy. I am honestly tempted to send them to the campus with the first. Minimize damage and help take down any B ranks, like the birds.
4th are out for the day, but the 10th are still viable. Keeping them with Anode might be an idea.
>>3326131
Issue is we don't want to send our men out alone. Never ends well, and there are 2 flyers known for high speed stealing who might take the job. Don't think the RCMP wouldn't mind taking the bitch seat on the ride chaser.

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No post again tonight--I've got an MRI tomorrow but I'm hoping to stabilize things back to a regular pace regardless. Also going to try to get a few more posts in over the weekend to catch back up.

(That said I definitely spent my brain logjam tonight on Monster Hunter and regret precisely none of it.)

Life's been life, but I think/hope/pray the worst is over with the first two months of the year. I've got shit to do.

>>3326843
Good luck HC. I hope things work out well for you.

As for deployment, I think the Cardins + the First should be sent in as advance troops to get a handle on the situation. I'm honestly not sure if Anode should jump into this skirmish. I could see the strike on Hunter HQ being the decoy, trying to wear us out enough to make a decisive strike on the UBC Campus, but on the other hand this could also be a means of spreading us thin.

Maybe the best move is to go in as well and back up our guys, to preserve our ability to spread resources around without going thin later? They probably are sending another bird for the smash and grab, and I'm not too confident our masspro guys can handle it and be usable later.

That said, what is Grach doing right now? I'm not sure how safe he is if he's out in the field. This might be the "distraction" to keep our forces tied up so enemies can take him out.

Thoughts?

>>3327243
>That said, what is Grach doing right now? I'm not sure how safe he is if he's out in the field.

He is looking into Envision's secretary who I suspect is Grach's missing sister.

So Cherie is a reploid disguised as a human, and has closer contact with the mavs than Envision himself.

I'm guessing she's a plant, either sabotaging Envision or providing information about him so the mavericks can pick just the right time to give an offer he can't refuse.

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>>3321154
>>3321169
>>3321186
>>3321987
>>3323158
Hell. “Can you get your response team down there?”

“We can.”

You nod. “I’m tasking 1st in with them. We can get there and hold it down until they’re in place.”


“Understood.”

“So what else is going on?”

The Cardin turns to the central console and punches in a command. A map of the city bubbles up in grid lines, spreading out from the central hologram emitter like a blanket. Red radials strobe out from the spires at the utmost point.

“The Skycity is under attack by a pair of avian mavericks.”

“Torment and Schism,” Iris says. “They seem to be attempting to cause structural collapse in a major habitation area.”

The Cardie nods. “Our concern is that they could disable a stabilizer, or seize control of an airspace defense platform. It will take time, especially without major backup. They have minimal material support.”

“Still.” You frown. “Anything else?”

“We still have one lead unexamined, the food deliveries in the Burnaby area.” Iris’s words are accompanied by the addition of a little blue rectangular block, down near the lowest points in the city. “And--” She pauses.

“What is it?”

“Captain, I just got an emergency message. Patching it--”

She doesn’t wait to finish her sentence, pushing the message to your feed with an abrupt crackle on the comms. “Captain,” Grach starts--audio only. He sounds harried.

“What is it?”

“Confirmation of Reploid target. She has VWES. I need assistance.”

You look back up at the map, as TRIANGULATING… blinks in the air before Iris hastily pinpoints the call location. You look up at the Cardin across the hologram.

Direct Anode:
>University
>Skycity
>Grach
>Burnaby area

>>3329828
>Grach
Still technically in Hunter custody, so if anything happens to him, that's our head.

>>3329828
>Grach
Daaaaaaaagnabit

1st could probably handle Torment and Schism, but I'm not confident about casualty risk, and splitting them up means taking more time to get both objectives done.

I'd rather get the University solved and maybe leave cleanup to 10th as soon as possible.

>>3329828
>Grach

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>>3329828
>Grach
>"If you can afford to make the fight mobile, lead her towards the university, I haven't found an upgrade that lets me be in two places at once yet.

>>3329828
>Grach
Ffffffffffffffffffuck I called it. Can our 10th guys in repair assist with delegating local forces to reinforce against the bird attacks if they're given schematics or blueprints to the sky city? They're in no shape to make a move directly but they should be able to assist in telling people where to go during repairs, right?

>>3330152
I'll second this if its possible. We really just needs someone to be able to keep them occupied and slowed down till Anode or the 1st guys can get freed up.
While we're at it, We should ask if they can give us a fast ride to have nearby when we inevitably have something ELSE go wrong.

You know it occurs to me I haven't greeted you all properly in a while. Hello!

>>3330261
Ah, Satan has returned. How have you been?

>>3330231
If we have to keep doing this, we may as well look into putting literal ride chaser components on the jumpjets or a hardpoint.

THUNDER COMET

>>3330271
I could phrase it best as "0.7 Hunter Commands." That should give you an idea of why I've been silent.

Hoping to resume wiki work.

>Burnaby area
Food deliveries are going to be a huge red herring or ultimately so strategically unimportant that it is not worth anybody's time, which means that's where the stage's Sub-Tank is hidden.

>>3330016
Are they anywhere near each other?
>2 reploids nearly human in appearance running down the streets of vancouver for miles trying to kill each other

>>3330152
Alright, that's gotta be a priority for us

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>>3330300
>Are they anywhere near each other?
It's less about merging the two events and more about reducing the time gap between finishing one and reaching the other. Gotta hunt fast.

>>3329828
Grach.

>>3329828
>Grach

>>3330318
The girl would still be chasing Grach out in the open

>>3329828
Giant Shuffle:
Retask Response Team to Birbs.
Anode to Grach, but as soon as Anode is in, Grach is out, to the Uni.
Cover is blown so can we get beaming?

>>3330833
I dont think securing beam pads will be easy.

>>3329828
Anode to Grach.
I would say Cardins to birds and Advance to the university, but that is too late. Either case, this girl is as good a lead as any.

>>3330833
If this is possible, I back it... But I don't know that it is.

>>3330152 here.

>>3330875
If it's possible to retask them in this fashion, I would combined with coordination from 10th for the Cardins, and if any 10th members aren't fucked up have them run sabotage. The 1st needs to deploy to the university area to help local forces and dig in or run a pincer attack with vehicles and we need to bail out Grach.

>>3330281
Good luck satan, I always enjoy seeing new wiki entries

>>3329828
>Grach
VWES suggest she works closely with Moloch, new possible lead. Not happy about leaving Skycity, but don't want to retask anyone: can Bragg get some cops out there?

>>3330833
Shuffling might cost more time and cause more of our units to be taken out. I'm not thrilled 1st and the Mounties are both going to the university, but at least they should take less damage overall.

If we're gonna shuffling I'd prefer 1st goes after the magpies, better chance the Link Riders can chase down the birds.

>>3330300
If it turns out that Moloch's been hiding in Burnaby and just fucking loves pizza, I'm gonna feel like such a fucking idiot.

page 10

>>3330281
Shit sorry Cain

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>>3331097
So it is--we'll be opening a new thread shortly.

>>3332125
We are too, for what it's worth. This year has been brutal on the both of us, but we really do want to keep the pedal to the metal on the story.

>>3332155
Right there with you, this year has been shit

>>3329828
>Grach.

Something he calls in as an emergency is indeed an emergency.

University's as taken care of as it'll ever get.

Skycity will keep, and 1st wouldn't be best utilized against two flyers anyway.

Burnaby's just going to have to wait, but do tell Grach to try and lead his Maverick as close to there as possible. Best-case scenario, we save Grach some scrapes and he'll be in fair enough shape to poke around Burnaby himself. Or we might. Either way, minimize the distance.

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New thread up.

>>3333014