Trine!H508X.HbJ6 2010/10/17(Sun)02:49 No. 244738 ID: e31d52
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"We need to test the various parts of this new design before we can roll it out. Your brother's away in Iceland, so I have to fill in. I'm sorry I'm so rough on you."

"Yeah, well, you can stuff it, Wheelie! I'm done for the day!"

As if the kid and his girl going missing isn't bad enough...

Trine!H508X.HbJ6 2010/10/17(Sun)02:49 No. 244741 ID: e31d52
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Now I have a whole mess of issues to deal with, too. I'm stuck here at base, sorry, at a new base, testing new models every day. And it's boring shit like... balance, or ergonomics. It wouldn't be so bad if I wasn't there, or responsible for them. But they just... vanished! Thin air! Both Anthony and his girl, just...

Trine!H508X.HbJ6 2010/10/17(Sun)02:50 No. 244742 ID: e31d52
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Poof.

Trine!H508X.HbJ6 2010/10/17(Sun)02:51 No. 244743 ID: e31d52
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So now I feel like shit, I can't go on the field, my brother's gone, and, on top of that, my Legion unit is busted. Hello? Hello?

not busted, memory reset.

>>244743
Ok, that's a bit of a trip.
What's this about Tony and Ashley disappearing?

>>244743
We're still here. Inform us of what happened since Anthony's robot got stolen? That's where our memory stops.

How do I shot trip?!H508X.HbJ6 2010/10/17(Sun)12:56 No. 245040 ID: e31d52
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>>244760
I was watching the kid. My brother installed a new security system and I spoke with him. I told him about the informant. He made a decision, and I left...

When I came back, the house was empty. No traces remained. The bugs couldn't be checked because they were on loop. And our tracers indicate that my brother was on his way to Iceland. There was a lot of media buzz, but... it quickly calmed.

It's been three weeks since. I've spent all my spare time looking, but...

I couldn't face her if he was still gone, you know? 'hey, I saved you from becoming a mindless automoton, but your brother's gone.' sorta takes the wind out of it.

only way someone poofs is if someone VERY high up and VERY powerful wanted them gone. need some lead somewhere.... try back-tracing his legion unit through the network? oh wait, maybe something in ashley's stuff can be used to trace her?

How do I shot trip?!H508X.HbJ6 2010/10/17(Sun)17:19 No. 245209 ID: e31d52
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>>245052
We think that may have been the case. However, we simply haven't had the time to look into who would do this sort of thing. There's only like, five or six of us.

I've tried everywhere, even talking to the GILB scumbag he was with before. No one knew anything. I'm just so lost on the matter... It's aggravating.

Even checking his legion unit's location yeilded nothing, which means it was disabled.

well what about on ash? something in the pile of stuff that is her maintenance equipment has to be a locator.

>>245209
How's your team holding up?

Trine!H508X.HbJ6 2010/10/18(Mon)21:15 No. 245858 ID: e31d52
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>>245219
You mean Akaba?

She hasn't been seen the last few weeks and has locked herself in her lab. None of us know the code. We just deliver her meals and hope she's okay. Sanae is running the place in her stead, she's the woman who I was talking to earlier.

>>245386
Everyone is pretty much fine, as far as I know. It's just Anthony and his girl I worry about. Even the GILB man he was with, Argyle admits he knows nothing and is even helping me, when he has time. Says something about needing his help for his family or some bullshit like that.

I hate spinning my wheels like this. I need to do something. Take action! You've been great with the ideas so far, so please, just a little more.

>>245858
Oh, no, he meant Ashley. He posited the idea that Ashley's maintenance equipment might be detectable; if not by itself, then by something that you should have slipped into the gear while you had it.

What about that supermodel the two of 'em were screwing? Didya check with her yet?

Trine!H508X.HbJ6 2010/10/18(Mon)22:35 No. 245880 ID: e31d52
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>>245878
...

Who? Supermodel? They?

Clearly Anthony was leading a more exciting life than he let on.

As for Ashley's gear, yeah, we bugged some of it, but none of it went missing with her. As for her parts, she was still on the set she had before she met us, so we couldn't have bugged her that way...

But you got a name for this mystery woman? If so, it's a lead I haven't checked!

The pilot of Tiny Dancer. Uh... having trouble finding the name.

>>245880
Weeeeeellll... Technically they're not actually sleeping with Miss E, since she's an idealized artificial construct. They're sleeping with Arima, the tech who fabricated Miss E and Tiny Dancer's real pilot.
Here, have a picture of her: >>/questarch/200670

Trine!H508X.HbJ6 2010/10/19(Tue)01:41 No. 245917 ID: e31d52
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>>245908
Arima... Hm.

I'll fire up the old Network and see what we can get.

While I'm doing that, I'll explain my body to you.

First and most important is that my brain is the only original bit left. Everything else, including my blood, is either synthetic (like Ashley) or robotic and artificial.

My organs are mostly synthetic, while my body is mostly artificial. I can do nifty stuff with most of my body. Integrated body armor made of carbon nanosteel, running along my legs and arms, tungsten carbide for my chest and head. My visor can see thermals and in the dark, and my hands can either turn into a silenced dart gun (with heavy, lethal darts, or sleeper darts) while my other arm is a sheathe for a combat knife. If I like, I can bring my long vibrosword, or a long microtooth electric chain sword.

I'm the million dollar man, and it didn't cost me a dime. Hell yeaaaaah.

Okay, so: She lives in the penthouse of a pretty tall skyscraper with hired security. I'm a wanted man, so I have to avoid being seen or photographed. Furthermore, I need a plan of approach. I can see a few viable options...

1. Enter at night, make my way up from ground floor.

2. Enter from roof with my specialised stealth mech.

Or... something else? Aw, hell, not the Silver Shield. Those guys are a pain in the ass.

>>245917
If she's on the top floor, enter from the top floor.

>>245917
What? Why would you do that?
Go to Ashley's place and use their system to send her a message asking her to visit as soon as possible and saying that it's absurdly important.

Trine!H508X.HbJ6 2010/10/20(Wed)00:27 No. 246260 ID: e31d52
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>>245924
...

Well, it's abundantly clear who got the intellect in the family, yes?

...


That's... unnerving. The number stored in the phone and in her computer returns as unregistered.

Wait.

I try calling Anthony's number.

FUCK.

wow, that is a really stupid maneuver. would of been much better to give the number to someone else instead of leaving a gap.

>>246260
Wait, her number was removed from Ashley's systems?
That's... Unnerving.

Ok, this requires a new plan, and one which carefully opens lines of communication.

A quirk of physics involving high frequency sound allows for tightbeam communication that rectifies to audible sound on impact with objects. You can use this to make a window act as a sounding board from a distance, allowing you to speak to any room in that penthouse which you can get LoS on.
Listening in is even easier; bounce a laser off the window so you can detect its vibrations, which would be the sound inside the room.

The quality will be utter crap, but all you need to do with it is to get them to call you. The equipment itself can be set on a nearby building and abandoned when you're done, or mounted on your invisible mech.

Trine!H508X.HbJ6 2010/10/20(Wed)00:59 No. 246267 ID: e31d52
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>>246263
Right, sounds like a plan.

...Do you hear something? I hear something.

>>246267
Black Headcrab Robot infestation.
They probably have a cybertoxic poison attack, but gunfire would probably draw a bit too much attention.
Punch most of them to death, but capture one alive and lock it in a faraday cage so your spidery SRMD-infectee can study it.

>>246267
There are headcrabs behind you. Shoot them.

luckily they are probably built for biologicals, they will gnaw on you uselessly.

Trine!H508X.HbJ6 2010/10/20(Wed)01:21 No. 246274 ID: e31d52
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>>246270
AK Drones, GILB make. Red eyes? Probably an actual firearm, more likely small arms. Very well-designed, actually, we use a variant in our Nest in the area.

Fucking agile bastards, too. Trust me, you'd have better luck punching a goddamn hummingbird that knew you were there than -damnit!- hitting these things. Alone, it's a pest, in a swarm, it's a threat.

Not to mention this counter wouldn't give me any goddamn cover even if I crouched! They;d just make their way around, anyway.

And what sort of camo were they using that bypasses thermal, night vision, AND electrosensory vision? Goddamnit, sit still!

Four and counting, and one's aiming at me, advisement?

hit the deck, grenade.

>>246274
The point of cover is not to stop bullets. It is to make it so that they don't know where those bullets are supposed to be going.
Roll to the end of the counter, then bash down the door on your way out. Lure them outside and take them down at your leisure.

You need to take ONE of them so you can find out who sent them.

>>246278
>Who sent them
I'm going to guess GILB did.

Let's get out of this room and force them into a choke point.

>>246293
Yes, because nobody has ever stolen somebody else's stuff for the purposes of misdirecting blame. "False Flag Attack" is really a term for insulting people who buy those cheap plastic flags for celebrations.

Trine!H508X.HbJ6 2010/10/20(Wed)22:42 No. 246517 ID: e31d52
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>>246293
GILB wouldn't be this up front!

...Well, not always. But they definitely wouldn't use these guys to take out Anthony and Ashley. They're too unreliable, too... obvious. Not sure how to put it. Just ain't their style.

>>246275
Don't got any! Would you carry them to check on a friend's place? Seriously...

>>246278
I like you.

I quickly dive through the door (aww year perfected synthetic muscle mass and armored brain case) and roll outside, pulling my combat knife free. I ain't going to hit these things with darts.

There's a loud wrenching noise, and five... FIVE?! more appear as the sign of the shop falls to the ground with a clang.


Ideas?

how is your lift capacity? think you can roll over and then pick up the sign like an over-sized shield?

>>246517
Judging by their size, the KE of their projectiles is comparable to a large handgun.

Make for your mech, and squish them between its mechanical fingers.