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143693 No. 143693 ID: e31d52

The Arena is best described as large. Arenas are retooled from the days before the Treaty of Gears, originally used for sports such as soccer, football, and baseball. Now they work to serve as areas where MCUs, Cores, and Gearheads can fight without holding back, and are easily ten times their original size. the common size of an Arena is two miles by two miles, and the actual pit is a mile and a half round. They are big places, and typically, house a small bussiness district in the outer ring to trundle more money out of spectator pockets. As I enter and show the information desk my badge, they point me to the way to the Unders, where mechs are kept and where pilots, referees, and bracket masters meet before each match.

I doubt I would have any interest in the tourist traps here, so I proceed to the underground, only to bump into Antoine.

He looks genuinely surprised, then pleased.
"Anthony! Haha, most greenhorns show up at the last minute. I'm glad to see the bravery from yesterday morning wasn't a passing thing. I really look forward to your match. It's nice to see new blood enter this arena. You know we haven't seen new blood in over half a year? Appalling." he leads me down into the locker area.
Expand all images
>>
No. 143698 ID: d1210a

>>143693
This is interesting information, and he isn't being a dick right now. Hm.

"Do you mean for the whole Rookie circuit, or just local? And either way, yeah, it's a bit sad some people don't have the balls to back up their decisions."
>>
No. 143708 ID: e31d52

>>143698
He chuckles.
"The rookie arena. We've seen some military transfer, most of it spurred by 8-ball, but other than that..." he waves his hand. "They're all imports too. Some of them from the Islands, if you'd believe that..." he sighs. "It's sad, really. With Anderson Ferrick's death last month, we're down to two Cogs. Two!" he shakes his head. "I mean, Eagleland just isn't the power it was ten or twenty years ago."
>>
No. 143718 ID: d1210a

>>143708
"And that's bad news for all pilots in entertainment, true enough. But we all know things aren't as great as they used to be, this isn't exactly new. So what brought up the topic?"
>>
No. 143722 ID: e31d52

>>143718
"Well, with so few new local pilots... I'm worried about Ashley." he says, scratching the back of his neck.
>>
No. 143724 ID: 632862

Well, her business would suffer if there's nobody buying parts, right?
>>
No. 143725 ID: d1210a

>>143722
Ah-ha, interesting.

"Yeah, less competitors means less demand for parts, maintenance, everything. But breathing new life into a sport, even one like this, no, ESPECIALLY one like this, can take a crapton of effort and, more importantly, money, and lots of it. I don't suppose you brought up this current problem because you have some sort of solution in mind, do you?"
>>
No. 143726 ID: e31d52

>>143725
"Naw. I just... I worry. An' there's nothing I can do in my position. I've given a talk at the local schools, but..." he sighs, then shrugs. I can understand the fear of the sport. It's very much a blood contest, you know? Fernandez, that's the ref, he once told me how many deaths he's seen in his 40 years."

He looks me in the eyes.
"Care to take a guess, greenhorn?"
>>
No. 143727 ID: 632862

>>143726
40?
>>
No. 143732 ID: 34470e

>>143727
108?
>>
No. 143734 ID: d1210a

>>143726
"Not enough to forget the first time it happened?"

Shake him up a bit.
>>
No. 143740 ID: e31d52

>"Not enough to forget the first time it happened?"

Antoine looks at me, then sighs. "a hundred twenty three, he says. Think about it. That's just at rookie here, that he's seen. Still... everyone believes the GILB is a great alternative to war. To be honest... There'll be kids dying no matter what. I wish it wasn't for entertainment." he sighs and slaps his knees.

"Anyway. I shouldn't say stuff like that and neither should you. It's about time you met Fernie anyway."
>>
No. 143763 ID: 632862

>>143740
Who's Fernie?
>>
No. 143766 ID: 701a19

>>143740
"If it's any consolation, I've enough to live for to keep me cautious."
>>
No. 143768 ID: e31d52
File 126804842550.jpg - (23.57KB , 460x276 , Fernandez.jpg )
143768

>>143766
"Oh? Oh, yeah. Your sister." he says. "I hope you make it. Come on."

He leads me into another room, where an elderly man stands, smiling.
"This is the new boy?" the man says quietly. "I am Fernandez, and I will be your referee. Do you know the rules of engagement, my boy?"
"Yeah. So continuing past surrender, no threatening the crowd, and no hostages. Right?"
"Right. And all combat must remain within the stadium. We'll get along just fine."
We shake hands.
>>
No. 143911 ID: e31d52

>>143768
"Now..." Antoine says, "We introduce your competitor."

The door opens, and the white-haired, scarred girl from this morning walks in, her hands on her hips.
"We meed again, Anthony." she says with a laugh.
>>
No. 143912 ID: 632862

>>143911
"I assume you'll behave a little better this time, Hannah?"
>>
No. 143916 ID: 601a90

i figured this is what it would be. ask if taking your stuff was because she was worried about losing to you.
>>
No. 143923 ID: b69168

>>143916

Good plan. Let's the other guys here know she tried to cheat us and might throw her off her game.
>>
No. 143925 ID: e31d52

>>143916
"Were you afraid of losing to me, Hannah? Is that why you stole my wallet earlier?"
"Nope. I was gonna give it back here. In fact..." she reaches into her pocket and hands me a wad of cash. "That's all of the rest."
I look at Fernandez.
"Not against the rules, boy. If you can't secure your shit, you deserve to lose."
Hannah stretches.
"That's right, greenhorn. Consider it a learning excercise."
>>
No. 143926 ID: 632862

>>143925
Heh. Time to think about getting a chain to attach your wallet and badge to, so nobody can take it.
>>
No. 143930 ID: e31d52

>>143926
"Ah... okay. Guess I'll get a chain then."
"Good idea." Hannah says simply.
There's a loud buzzer.
"That's the hour warning." Antoine tells me. "There's an hour, half hour, fifteen, five, and one minute warning. Then your mech is raised into the Arena, and the fight starts."
"Okay."
Hannah turns and waves. "I'll be in my Centaur." she says simply, leaving through the door.

Antoine sighs.
"I'll treat you to a meal before the match, if you like."
>>
No. 143936 ID: d1210a

>>143930
Yeah..... I still don't feel certain the nice guy act wasn't a ruse to potentially slip us something in the food.

Paranoid, yes, I am aware, but consider that this is your first match, and you are going up against a trickster. Even if the food isn't poisoned, you have enough potential reasons to worry that eating it could just end up causing you stress, reducing response time, rational thought, etc.
>>
No. 143944 ID: 632862

Hunger isn't good for concentration either. If you're going to eat you can easily just make sure nobody tampers with it.
>>
No. 143946 ID: e31d52

>>143936
I doubt the food from a vendor, which is sealed until presented to you, is going to be an issue.

It's made hot by something about reactions in the preservatives as they hit the air when you open them. I don't know, don't expect me to explain. He buys me a meal and selects his own and we begin to eat.
>>
No. 143951 ID: b69168

This is the part where we ask him if he has any advice. We can, after all, choose to ignore it.

And I'm guessing that stuff about teaching us a lesson is only partially true. Okay, so if we catch on, it's a learning experience, and she gives us back the cash, since we outed her in public. If we didn't, she doesn't have to worry about fighting.
>>
No. 143953 ID: e31d52

>>143951
"Any advice?"
"Small arms against your mech are almost worthless. But it's that almost that's the bitch. One good shot to your head, and you're fighting open. Er... with the 'pit open. That means your lockon is fucked, your temp gauge is fucked, your AC counter is fucked, your radar is fucked and most importantly, Anthony, you are fucked."
>>
No. 143959 ID: 632862

>>143953
Isn't that true for all the cockpit types? Putting a cockpit in the head just means that if someone takes out the sensors, they also kill you. Same with the crotch, but it's harder to hit.
>>
No. 143962 ID: 42500c

Side observation here...isn't Antoine just Anthony in another language? HE STOLE YOUR NAME!
>>
No. 143964 ID: e31d52

>>143959
"Head 'pits are so rarely used these days, but nobody tells you about the hidden bonus feature."
He leans close.
"They got their own little engine. If you rig it right, the head can pop right the hell off, and turn into a mech of it's own."

"What use is that?"
"None." Antoine laughs.
>>
No. 143969 ID: 601a90

dude. we have like a million ways to rig it so it's useful. but don't tell him that.
>>
No. 143992 ID: d1210a

>>143964
Hmm, I see a future heavier version of Maximum Burn with such a head mech.....
>>
No. 143993 ID: 632862

I'm thinking that you could put a weapon on it capable of piercing the armor surrounding a cockpit, then in a close-range grapple we detach and climb on the enemy mech to threaten the pilot.
>>
No. 144001 ID: e31d52

>>143993
>>143992
>>143969
Interesting ideas.

"Besides that..." Antoine says, "There's also the fact that you don't have to put sensors in the head. One mech actually stuffed a huge explosive in there, tore off his own head, and threw it at the foe. The crowd went nuts."
>>
No. 144010 ID: d1210a

>>144001
Well, what about multiple sensor systems? I mean, if losing sensors was so critical, there should be some people who choose to avoid issues by sheer dint of volume.
>>
No. 144011 ID: e31d52

>>144010
They start to interfere with one another. Redundant systems are useful. Ones that don't turn on unless another was fucked up..."
>>
No. 144030 ID: 42500c

...Hrrrm. Maybe it's possible to build a head into an armor-piercing spike and rig it to launch itself on a long chain to reel an opponent into close combat range, depending on how much internal space there is to work with. In the words of Scorpion, GET OVER HERE!
>>
No. 144039 ID: e31d52

>>144030
That's... insane. Yet so appealing...

Another buzzer.

"That's you fifteen. Want to go to your mech now?"
>>
No. 144044 ID: 42500c

>>144039
Insane and appealing (as well as effective) is what this Legion-fragment does best. Better get to your mech though, you don't wanna be late.
>>
No. 144063 ID: 632862

The headchain idea has one flaw: The G-forces involved would probably hurt the pilot considerably.
>>
No. 144067 ID: e31d52

>>144063
Who says I have to be inside it?

I hurry to Burn, in a garage elevator. The 'pit is open for me, and I smile as I climb in.

... Almost sitting on Ashley.

Uh.
>>
No. 144088 ID: d1210a

>>144067
Okay, well that's interesting.

She clearly has something she want's to say.do with/to you, so let her say her piece, she has to have one.
>>
No. 144091 ID: e31d52

>>144088
"Ashley?"
She wakes up.
"Oh, no. I fell asleep n the 'pit, didn't I? I was waiting for them to pick it up, and, and..."
"It's alright. We can't ride to..."

Wait... there was nothing in the rules about this...
>>
No. 144102 ID: 632862

>>144091
Ask her if she wants to stay in the cockpit and assist. Can she think of any rules about that?
>>
No. 144106 ID: e31d52

>>144102
The minute buzzer sounds.
"Are there any rules against two pilots?!" I shout over it.
"N-no!" she replies.
"Good!" I get in, sitting between her legs and closing the cockpit.
Oh god. The elevator is moving.
The system starts up, and then finishes booting.

"This is the real deal." Ashley says.
"Yeah. It's time for me to make a name for myself."
>>
No. 144117 ID: d1210a

>>144106
She built this suit, and knows it better than you do, in all likelyhood.

Having her as a copilot will be a HUGE assist.

And it could lead to a career of DUO PILOTING, OUR LOVE IS TOO STRONG FOR YOU. Hell, that could be a big enough gimmick all it's own to draw more attention if played right, revitalizing the sport.
>>
No. 144125 ID: 632862

Dude. It would be a new sexual fetish.
>>
No. 144133 ID: e31d52

>>144117
!

((New Trait:
Strength of the Heart
As long as Ashley is either riding with you, or communicating with you, you gain a +2 to all rolls. If she's riding with you, this increases to +4))

The shutters open, and I step out, drawing the rifle from my back and loading it in a single, practiced, motion. Numbly, I hear the voice announce us, and I dimly see the screen flicker on with pilot cameras.

The crowd goes silent, then there are excited murmurs.I quickly move to one of the nearby faux-buildings and take cover behind it, as the other shutter opens and I hear Hannah the Centaur announced.
>>
No. 144137 ID: d1210a

>>144133
If you have anything reflective to take a peak with, do so, but don't pop your only sensors up asking to get them shot. When you do come out from cover, you want to do so arms and legs first, as they are your most durable parts, and can shelter the rest of you.

But get a bead on where Hannah is one way or another, while checking with Ashley to see how she is doing. Maybe ask if she knows anything that could be used for getting a reflection.
>>
No. 144146 ID: e31d52

>>144137
"Hold on, I have an idea." she says. "I polished the rifle pretty well..." she holds it out by the barrel, and we use that to determine the position of the enemy mech...

Not within sight.

Odd. I should be able to spot her at this distance.
>>
No. 144147 ID: 601a90

shit! she is up! remember she uses modded speed feet as boot-leg jump-jet!
>>
No. 144148 ID: 632862

She could also have camouflage. Check the sky anyway.
>>
No. 144153 ID: e31d52

>>144148
I look up right into the exhaust of a speeder.

I fall away, just as she activates it and the others, flying into the air and giving me a good look at her mech at last.

The name says it all. She's using median everything, her legs like a centaur's rather than a spider's, the frontal legs slightly thicker. In her two hands I see small pistols, but she doesn't seem to care, her mech already beggining it's descent.
>>
No. 144173 ID: 632862

rolled 14, 2 = 16

>>144153
Boost out of the way, and start firing at her legs. Aim for the boosters if possible.
>>
No. 144178 ID: e31d52

>>144173
Ashley activates the boosters, sending me skidding along concrete as Centaur lands, her frontal jets leaving scorchmarks on the ground.

I get a lockon, aim, and fire, but it doesn't even hit, burying into the building behind her as she opens fire.

!!!

My left arm has lost some armor! The bullet shot right under the plate!
The second shot misses, and she leaps again before I can even start to get up.
>>
No. 144181 ID: 632862

rolled 7, 2 = 9

>>144178
Keep aiming for the boosters! Fire off two rapid shots.
>>
No. 144182 ID: 601a90

rolled 3, 8 = 11

>>144181
alternate roll!
>>
No. 144184 ID: 701a19

rolled 3, 16 + 4 = 23

>>144178
Push off the ground with your arms, prop your legs up to intercept her. Bend your knees as much as you can, then push as hard as you can into your legs and aim at her mech's head.
We're going to use your body to brace and use your heavily armored legs and feet to turn her attack against her. Kicking her will deliver more force to her AND sap energy from the attack. Your mech's legs will act as shock absorbers to bleed off the excess.
>>
No. 144189 ID: e31d52

>>144182
>>144181
I lockon, moving the lock calmly to the boosters.

I elect to focus on one, the front left, and squeeze off two shots, both of them glancing off the part. But that's enough. As I roll out of the way of the landing, there's a muffled sound and the crippled booster fails to respond, bringing her whole weight on that one leg. The booster is toast, but the leg is moderately undamaged, and she pulls out the pistols again, firing four shots.

The first ricochets off my chest, the second slams into my leg, bending the armor there. The third again hits my chest, and the fourth misses entirely.

She's roughly 60 feet away now, and her left shoulder unit is moving into place as I hastily reload under fire.
>>
No. 144192 ID: 601a90

rolled 4, 18 = 22

while maintaining lock fire 2 rockets.
>>
No. 144195 ID: 601a90

>>144192
by maintain i meant shoot at same leg.
>>
No. 144201 ID: e31d52

>>144192
The rockets need time to aim, but the ones she shoots at me are swatted from the air carefully by Ashley as I gain lock twice and fire.

Both meet their target, slamming in one after another, sending the leg flying off to land beside me.

The other leg is jettisoned, and the whole thing stands upright, the top fitting into the bottom to make it a normally shaped mech.

"That's new." I mutter.
"Standard feature!" Ashley says, as we manahe to rise.
>>
No. 144203 ID: e31d52

>>144192
((Please keep in mind that rockets only need one roll for all shots. However, also keep in mind that doing so while under attack grants the foe a +2 bonus for each lock you attempt.))
>>
No. 144204 ID: 601a90

rolled 19, 8 = 27

throw her own leg at her and the follow up with a rifle shot at the head.
>>
No. 144205 ID: 632862

>>144204
Wait, where is her cockpit? Do not shoot her cockpit. If the head is just sensors go right ahead.
>>
No. 144206 ID: e31d52

>>144204
"You dropped something!" I roar, and it echoes through the stadium.

I pick up the leg, twisted by the explosion, and hurtle it forth, screaming.

The leg slides between the plates of armor on her abdomen, and out the other end, and she stumbles. I just barely missed the spine.

I bring the rifle around and fire, landing a shot in the center of the head, leaving a round hole as sparks leap about in the exposed circuitry.

I pull back the bolt and prepare the next shot.

The cockpit opens, and Hannah looks out, then charges me, fist upraised.
>>
No. 144225 ID: 701a19

rolled 3, 10 = 13

Make a called shot on a remaining leg.
>>
No. 144226 ID: 632862

rolled 11, 2, 19 = 32

>>144206
Rapidfire two shots into the arm that isn't raised, then drop the rifle and grapple.
>>
No. 144229 ID: 632862

Oh wait, shooting the leg is a better idea. Switching to that.
>>
No. 144241 ID: e31d52

>>144225
"You've already lost, Hannah!" I call out, shooting a leg. I merely make a single glancing blow, but it's enough to make her lose balance and fall, sending Hannah tumbling out of her mech.
>>
No. 144244 ID: 632862

rolled 19 = 19

>>144241
GAH. Catch her!
>>
No. 144247 ID: e31d52

>>144244
"Shit!" I mumble, diving forward and catching her carefully in the palm of Burn's hand.

A white flare blasts in the center of the stadium, and Hannah looks down at her feet. I lower her down and she walks away.

I...

I won.
>>
No. 144252 ID: 632862

>>144247
Yeah! Congrats.
>>
No. 144254 ID: 601a90

congratulatory make out with ashley! bet it will make the crowd go 'wooooooo' like a in sitcoms.
>>
No. 144257 ID: 601a90

>>144254
and after the kiss tell her you were so glad she was here.
>>
No. 144262 ID: e31d52

>>144254
I cheer, and spontaneously kiss her lips, The crowd swelling in cheers.

Except for one guy, who you can't see right now. He's really mad.

We walk offstage, holding hands. Now...

Should I go home? Tell mother?

Or... should I go to Ashley's instead?
>>
No. 144263 ID: 701a19

>>144262
Ashley's first.
You two are going to want to talk after that, and your mother can wait until after you've got your Proven badge.
>>
No. 144272 ID: 601a90

i think we should talk to your mom and bring ashley, get all your revelations out in one go. like
'mom, i'm a mech pilot now, i just won my first match, sorry about hiding it from you. now i want you to understand i wont be like my sister, i'll be here for chrsitmas and all the holidays and will try to visit as much as possible.' then you signal ashley to come in 'also, i have a girlfriend now'
>>
No. 144279 ID: 701a19

>>144272
No, because you need to calm down and cool-off after that, and you need to take a shower before you see your mom. Not to mention that you want to be able to actually show her the proven badge.
Also, this is an ideal moment to proposition Ashley. She's on the same victory high as you, and it would change this from a great day to the best day yet.
>>
No. 144281 ID: 632862

Wanna bet your mom saw all that on TV?

I don't think we should bring Ashley to your mom's place. Meeting the parents is a big step. Don't move too fast, now.

On the other hand, getting some action at her place can really... depend on what the action is, as far as it being too fast is concerned.
>>
No. 144286 ID: e31d52

((Okay so my trip isn't being autofilled. :V))
>Ashley's first
Alright. We make the walk back without any issues, Brun is delivered back for free repairs. The prize money is enough for four normal parts or two expensive ones. I'm not really that excited about the new parts yet. The match was exhilerating, and spending it with Ashley was amazing. I can't put it in words, but... it's like me and her became the same person out there. We both knew exactly what we were thinking.

And I'm sure that hasn't gone away quite yet. We slip into the back area, and she switches the sign to say "closed" as we move to the back.
>>
No. 144299 ID: 601a90

>>144286
dohoho. go get her tiger. just remember if she says stop, you stop.
that is all, good luck soldier.
>>
No. 144303 ID: 632862

>>144286
Remember. Talking leads to kissing, kissing leads to touching. Touching... can lead to many places.
>>
No. 144309 ID: 701a19

>>144303
Just let it lead there and enjoy the ride.
>>
No. 144333 ID: b69168

>>144286

We'll excuse ourselves for a minute, if we can.

Also, after we've got all that out of the way, we're totally going to want to optimize Burn's cockpit for two pilots. Obviously, we don't want to risk Ashley's life uneccesarily, but having a co-pilot really helps.
>>
No. 144341 ID: d1210a

>>144333
How about with some sort of switch to direct different weapons to different controls (arms go to one person, back mounted to the other). That way, two different pilots can focus on two weapons systems simultaneously.

And make a mental note to tell Ashley about you mad scheme for a head spike complete with chain to pull foes near in a Mortal Kombat sort of fashion.

Oh, and that shield for you bracing arm, you said it was available at Proven, and I doubt it is classified as expensive, so buy that guaranteed, before you even leave the arena, if you can. The shield will be a huge help.

If at all possible, an over-sized spike could be stored under the shield along the forearm, so that we have a melee implement in our off hand even while we retain the rifle.

I figure that if we go for an external mount spike, we can get am uch more heavy duty one than one built into the actual arm, and by slapping the shield over the exposed spike it's increased fragility to fire is completely annulled.

That, and we could do the scorpion style GET OVER HERE and immediately hit them with HEAVY DUTY SPIKE PUNCH
>>
No. 144391 ID: 42500c

>>144341
Fragment behind the harpoon head idea here, and I second this idea. However, an improvement occurs to me. Spike punch may be all well and good, but it would be even better to build a shaped charge into that spike. Breach the armor with impact alone, trigger the explosive, and BLAM, core the target the whole way through!
>>
No. 144398 ID: d1210a

>>144391
I assume you mean in a manner similar to the Alteisen from SRW? Punch with extending spike, and fire the cahrge when the spike is in foe, big old boom from shaped charge in tip?

Hmm.... to make the tip durable enough that it could have a hollow for a charge, the spike itself should probably be tungsten carbide. Heavy as shit, but just about as durable as you can make it.

For the charge.... well, Tungsten alloys, as far as I know, all have ridiculously high melting points. So why not exploit this, with some form of thermite charge? Stuff is easy to make, and burns HOT. ERven metal can be melted in seconds. But Tungsten (and most of it's alloys) won't warp from the heat, but most other metals will.

That, and you could fuck internal circuitry with the ludicrous amounts of heat generated by putting thermite in a confined area before igniting it.

And then, to add just a bit more FUCK YOU to the spike, rather than being an out and out metal spike an nothing more, give it riflinf, essentially copnverting the oversized spike into a drill that discharges thermite upon puncturing something.

We could call it.....

Wait what would we call it?

An oversized superdense drill that can retract beneath a forearm shield, that is designed to inject and ignite thermite into any punctures it causes in a target.

Tungsten Carbide isn't that hard to make even now, so I doubt it would be too rare in the future.

Ditto for Thermite, you can make it at home if you feel like it.

Shaping the spike into a drill and providing it with a motor to spin with sufficient torque to puncture lesser metals is no trouble either.

And we know the shield and spikes both are currently available to us, now that we have hit Proven.

We can totally do this, and have an awesome signature melee weapon that fits our mech name.

I mean shit, we don't even have any heat based attacks yet and our mech is called Maximum BURN. This needs fixing.
>>
No. 144401 ID: 5634a5

>>144398
I heartilly approve of this idea. Maybe call it the Magma Drill or some shit like that to keep with our fire theme?

also, a redundant sensor system should be right up ther on our list of needed additions.
So we're at
-Forearm Sheild (cheap)
-Magma Drill (cheap/home manufacturable)
-Redundant Sensors (probably expensive)
-maybe get a mirror or something so that we dont have to risk our rifle when trying to protect our head?
-head-spike thingy (maybe)
>>
No. 144407 ID: 42500c

>>144398
Okay, I'm liking the thermite idea. So the spike becomes an incindiary injection vector on breaching through the armor...hmm. Since this would obviously be a one-shot deal anyway, it could be possible to use a small tank of pressurized flammable gas to blast the payload into the breach for maximum saturation, as well as basically creating a small internal fuel-air explosion when the gas lights up along with the thermite...

As to what this could be called, well, here's a couple suggestions.

The Hot Rod (Pardon the lame pun...)
Burning Bore
Incindiary Impact

Or even...
C-C-C-COMBO BLAZER
>>
No. 144412 ID: 42500c

Oh, and for the record, I could possibly whip up a way to make a single-shot THERMONUCLEAR FLAMETHROWER, depending on what kind of materials you can access later. Just something to consider.
>>
No. 144415 ID: 076099

>>144398
Before you all get too bloodthirsty, remember that killing your opponent isn't good thing.
While overall idea sounds awesome, internal explosion have high chance of killing pilot, much less thermite. Something to consider, we do want to keep it a (mostly) bloodless, right? ...Right?....
>>
No. 144423 ID: 42500c

>>144415
Or it could be used to instantly disable a limb in a single blow, and the spike (if it was still mostly intact) could then be used conventionally for further melee attacks.
>>
No. 144428 ID: e75a2f

Get a bayonette for your rifle. Should be cheap, plus it's harder to dodge bullets from a gun when you're impaled on it.
>>
No. 144429 ID: b69168

Hrm. Building what is basically a giant flame injector of any type would probably be a pretty effective weapon, but unless they've got a head or crotch 'pit, we're definitely killing them in the process. And depending on how hot this is, or what it does to the internal components, it could still end them. I say we look into how much the parts will cost, and plan an assembly, but not actually build one yet. Save the tactic for later.

Now, the SPIKE PUNCH plan is good. Especially if we turn the spike into a replacable fragmentation shell. That should be a little easier to control and less likely to kill the enemy pilot.
>>
No. 144446 ID: 701a19

>>144429
Build it into the feet. Thermite flows down, so if we kicked the mech we could reliably immobilize them.
Oh, and while thermite is hot it has a finite heat content, so it'll lose heat to the surrounding material very quickly. The actual damage would be burning out control systems and wire insulation, potentially starting a few secondary fires, and creating solid metal chucks where they aren't supposed to be.
>>
No. 144461 ID: d1210a

>>144429
I was mostly thinking that in matches, it would be used as an anti-limb device, pretty much instantly disabling the given target, and giving us an advantage right from the getgo in the match.

And to build on
>>144407
The one shot idea... since the metal for the drill, it's customization to a rifled-drill-spike shape, and the creation and storage of thermite can be achieved with fairly low costs (or even effort or time, when measured against comparable weapons for robots of this size), so....

why not make the entire drill disposable, and have a rack of them attached to our leg or some such? The tungsten carbide is too heat retardant and resilient for any but the most absurd assault to breach it, so you don't have to worry about getting thermite on yourself, and this way you could in theory just stake all of your targets limbs and be done with it.

No dead pilot, still get to use super fire spike drill combo.

And if we DO need to kill someone.....
>>
No. 144469 ID: 42500c

>>144461
Again, I'm liking this expansion on the theme. Full approval from me.

Also, maybe we should consider some smoke launchers for mobile cover and visible-spectrum lockon disruption.
>>
No. 144478 ID: e31d52

<<Some hours later...>>
My god, you guys...
Let's just say romance isn't easy when all you can think about is drills and thermite. I'm... er, on my way home now, but I've earmarked your idea and have some of my own, regarding it. First of all, turning the regular Spike attachment into a drill that acts as a delivery system for a superheated compund isn't entirely impossible. Not to mention I have a... special discount, so to speak on actual labor. It'll count, on the whole, as an expensive part (since the part it's derived from is also expensive) but I can definitely afford to make the drill head which contains the thermite detatchable and disposable. I think I can go in with two or three shots of it, if I want to also buy a sheild.

Now...

What should I say to my mother?
>>
No. 144480 ID: 7a5e3f

>>144478
"Hey Mom, exciting news. I'm getting my sister, your daughter, back to this family. Just won my first fight in the Arena and I'm ready to whip the galaxy's ass to get her back to us. Also, em and Ashley are a thing now."
>>
No. 144488 ID: d1210a

>>144478
That sounds like a perfectly viable plan. Remember that the motor for the drill does need to be a potent one. I would recommend linking it to the Icarus drive directly, it's not like you use all the energy that thing outputs (it IS an artificial sun, after all), and the drill will only be actively using the motor for brief periods of extreme use, so long term reliability of the motor isn't as important as making certain that it has enough juice to tear a hole through just about anything.

And add some boosters to the opposing lip of the shield, so that it can help accelerate the magma drill's delivery.

That, and you get a MAGMA DRILL ROCKET PUNCH

Just remember that the drill HAS to be made of a metal that is both incredibly resilient to abrasion or warping, AND can tolerate ridiculous amounts of heat. Tungsten Carbide,it is you friend.

Too bad it is crazy heavy, or we could armor the whole suit with it. That, and even if it isn't too rare, buying it bulk would not be cheap.
>>
No. 144495 ID: b69168

>>144478

Get your hands on the footage of the fight, if you can, and she hasn't seen it already. Have her watch it to prove how awesome you are, and she doesn't need to worry. Speak of how determined you are to win, and so on. Also mention that you have the most kickass AI ever to help you. As an emergency, prepare to crash as Ashley's tonight, in case you get kicked out.

>>144446
>>144461

Okay, so as long as the opposing pilot isn't directly in the line of fire, they should be alright? In that case, the flame injection method is probably the best, since we can get more than one use out of it than my frag spike idea.

We should now commence with the Burning Drill Lancer plan. Y'know, we kind of almost building a knightly theme now too, with the shield, the spear/lance like weapon, our general reluctance to kill opponents, and how we totally caught our opponent when she fell out of her cockpit.
>>
No. 144501 ID: e31d52

>>144488
MCUs don't use the Icarus! Only Cores.

However, this might be workable.

I enter the house, looking around. The television has been left on, so I turn it off. Hurm...
>>
No. 144502 ID: b69168

>>144501

What channel was it on? The All Mecha Sports channel? If so, they you're probably already boned a little.
>>
No. 144522 ID: d1210a

>>144501
Well, we knew this was a potential risk of waiting till after the match. I imagine this is still a better scenario than if we had told them prior and they chose to try to prevent us from in their minds following our sister's path.

After all, forgiveness is easier to find than permission.
>>
No. 144528 ID: 701a19

>>144501
Find your mom. Quickly.
>>
No. 144535 ID: e31d52

>>144502
It was on the sports. Aw shit. Aw shit.

"So here's the big star of the day." I hear behind me. I turn around, and sigh in relief. It's Dad. "Not sure how to feel about this, but your mother up and ran outta the house. I suppose I should ring her and tell her you're alright." he says, wheeling himself over to the phone.
>>
No. 144548 ID: d1210a

>>144535
>wheeling

Is your father in a wheelchair?

Just out of medical curiosity, is it due to an injury or a disease? If the latter, is it inheritable?

Also, your dad is your best bet to get this to end well. You have until your mom gets home to effectively demo what you will say to her, on him. And since he seems more amenable, and your reasons are designed to be advantageous from your parent's perspective, so by the time she gets home he could be on your side enough to help persuade her.

You just have to prove to him that you know what your doing, that this is the choice in life you have made, that you seek your sister, all of it.
>>
No. 144561 ID: e31d52

>>144548
My father lost his legs repairing a Core with Ashley's father. He survived... Ashley's father didn't. She was 18 then. She's 21 now.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner..."

"'S fine. You probably got in yer head that you'd go and get yer sister, didn't you?"
>>
No. 144567 ID: d1210a

>>144561
"Yes, I do. It's not right, what happened to her, and I aim to correct it. No matter what the military does, she is still my sister, your daughter. I.... I can't just sit here, feeling like she's becoming a different person, as she visits less and less, acts more coldly. This isn't right, and I am going to do everything I can to fix it."
>>
No. 144577 ID: e31d52

>>144567
He sighs, putting down the phone.
"If you think that's best, and if you think you can do that, that's yer perogative. However..." he steeples his fingers, his face in deep and difficult thought. "Me and your mother decided that it's best for all of us that you find another place to live. This place isn't secure by any means, and you being a pilot puts all of us in danger. I was going to have you move out in a couple of months anyway, so..." he shrugs. "I'll pay for any moving fees and your first month of rent. After that, you'll be living off your winnings." he sighs.
>>
No. 144581 ID: d1210a

>>144577
"Well shit, doesn't mean I'm not coming by when I can. You are my family, what kind of an idiot would I be if I went out to get my sister back, and in the process distanced myself just like her?

So, moving out? Yeah, that might be for the best, realistically.

Oh hey, you'll like this: I finally hooked up with Ashley!"
>>
No. 144587 ID: 601a90

well, if you don't think you are going too fast you can move in with ash. you certainly have enough money to pay for it and you can be her apprentice as well. learn not only how to drive robots but fix them. knowing a robot inside and out would be a big help.
>>
No. 144588 ID: 701a19

>>144581
"... which was the other reason I decided to enter the ring, but that was more effective than I expected.

Oh, and I've got a hunch why sis went rouge. I think she's after something or somebody, and she's shutting us out so we won't get involved.
You saw how Hannah fell out of her cockpit? That's because of a design flaw. An intentional design flaw."
>>
No. 144592 ID: e31d52

>>144581
He chuckles.
"Good for you." he says.

>>144587
Definitely too fast. We didn't do much else today but hug and kiss. I... do have a few options, though.

>>144588
I'm not going to say that last thing. Saying things like that gets you in trouble. And trouble gets you... well, hurt.
>>
No. 144600 ID: 701a19

>>144592
You know you can move in with her without sharing a bed, right?
Besides, this is an excellent test to see how well you two can handle living together, which is very important in the long term.
>>
No. 144616 ID: b69168

>>144592

If the eviction is an immediate thing, you can at least ask if you can crash on her couch, or like, on a cot in a store room. Or, do the hobo thing, and see how comfortable our mech's cockpit is for sleeping.

But I'm guessing this isn't that urgent, so we should probably look into like, cheap apartments or something near our mech. Actually, what to other pilots do for housing, if security is an issue?

>>144588

We're playing in a fucking blood sport, more or less. Of COURSE there's going to be a little cheating going on here. Especially since we went entertainment.
>>
No. 144618 ID: 701a19

>>144616
That wasn't sabotage, that was the way the mech was designed to function. Hence, intentional design flaw.
>>
No. 144634 ID: e31d52

>>144618
I dunno. That would have been true if the mech had been made before... oh, five years ago...

If you guys insist, I'll go talk to Ashley about it. Both Hannah's 'pit and living at the place.
>>
No. 144647 ID: 701a19

>>144634
Do it.
>>
No. 144659 ID: 601a90

yeah, say it like 'turns out my folks are moving so if i want to stay i need to find a place. would you mind if i hung here? if not it's cool.'
>>
No. 144664 ID: e31d52

>>144647
"Alright. I'll check my options now."
"I'll tell your mother."

I walk to the door, but my father calls for me just before I leave.

"Son... I... I just wanted to say. It's a good thing you're doing." he smiles.

I leave, heading back to Ashley's. I hear muffled shouting inside.
>>
No. 144665 ID: 632862

>>144664
Get in there! And grab a wrench or some other kind of weapon-like object.
>>
No. 144667 ID: 701a19

>>144664
Break into a dead run. Grab any blunt object you can get without slowing down.
Make a mental note to invest in a sidearm.
>>
No. 144681 ID: e31d52

>>144667
>>144665
I run around back, snatching a pipe from the alley about as long as my forearm, and run into the garage, there I can see Antoine holding Ashley up against the wall by her neck.

I scream in rage, rushing forth and bringing the pipe down with a...
Clang?

He looks up at me, his eyes smouldering with anger, a dent in his armbands. I feel his foot in my belly, pushing me away and down to the ground.
>>
No. 144684 ID: 632862

>>144681
Break his kneecap.

"What the HELL, dude? I thought you were cool!"
>>
No. 144685 ID: 701a19

New plan:
Run.
Get in your mech.
Step on this guy.

He took a hostage. No mercy, no pity.
>>
No. 144686 ID: d1210a

>>144681
Well, in the direction he pushed you with his leg, he couldn't get a good angle to put much impact into it, so you should still have no issue breathing, or anything. Immediately bounce back up with a firm grip on the pipe, and ask what the hell is going on!
>>
No. 144690 ID: e31d52

>>144685
Too slow!
>>144684
I swing again, and he blocks again.
"What the hell, man?!"

"I was there. At the match." he says simply, picking up a wrench, a large one. "I don't think I like the way your career is heading."

I spring back up, backing away slightly. He stalks towards me, muscles I never noticed before rippling.
>>
No. 144693 ID: d1210a

>>144690
Seriously, no matter how juiced this guy is, unless he isn't human, if we keep swinging a metal pipe at him, his arms WILL break. eventually we will hit a wrist, or get between armbands, so just KEEP ATTACKING.

Seriously, Antoine will think you are freaking and try to let you wear yourself out, not knowing you are doing this purposefully. Because you aren't AS stressed as you would have been, you can regulate breathing a bit better, and noticeably extend the time you can wail on him. And you are SPECIFICALLY going to cripple/maim his hands and arms, if he wants to pull this bullshit and not even try to talk, then we will render him unable to directly harm us.

And viciously beat him which will be cathartic at this juncture.
>>
No. 144694 ID: 42500c

Keep him talking and focused on you, defending as best you can. Hope Ashley can recover enough to brain the son of a bitch from behind.
>>
No. 144695 ID: 701a19

>>144690
Make for your mech if you get any chance to do so. Move so that he can't keep the both of you in his field of vision, and keep us updated on Ashley's condition.
"Izzat why you made Hannah steal my wallet? Are you working for somebody, or are you just lowlife rapist scum?"

Get him mad and hope Ashley decides to introduce this guy to her prize-winning plasma cutters...
>>
No. 144696 ID: 632862

>>144690
"If you like her so much, you should respect her wishes!"
>>
No. 144699 ID: 34470e

>>144690
Tell him you were only playing to the crowd. It's what entertainment is supposed to be.
>>
No. 144702 ID: e31d52

>>144693
I swing again, and he catches it, pulling me forward, inches away from my face.
"You've humiliated me." he says softly. "Not publicly. Personally." he lets go, swings at my shoulder, hard, and connects, then kicks me to the ground again. "Why is it that you waited until now? You couldn't have asked her out sooner? You couldn't have been a decent man and told me that you wanted her, so I could prepare myself, or something?" he puts a boot on my chest, leaning down, his face a snarl.
"I'm not going to challenge you yet. I'll wait until you've optimized a little. Wait until I've seen you fight a few more times. Then I'll kick your ass properly." He gets off me, then begins to walk away.

Before he's out of earshot, he turns and points at me.
"Three days until your next match, loverboy." he says simply, hanging the wrench on the wall and leaving.
>>
No. 144710 ID: d1210a

>>144702
Well, good thing we can get used to using a normal shield while we work on THERMITE DRILL STAKE ROCKET SHIELD WITH DISPOSABLE DRILLS, ironing out the kinks, until we bust it out on Antoine.


Boss Fight minced, especially since HE LIKES TO MELEE
>>
No. 144711 ID: 701a19

>>144702
Call out after him "I DID TELL YOU, YOU MORON! IT WAS THE FIRST THING I EVER SAID TO YOU!"
>>
No. 144712 ID: e31d52

>>144711
No, I said she was spoken for. For all he knows I was talking about building the mech.

I get up, massaging my shoulder. He hit harder than I thought. I toss the pipe to one side, looking around.

Ashley's on the ground. She's breathing, I don't see any blood, and her clothing is fine.
>>
No. 144715 ID: 42500c

>>144712
Well, don't just stand there, go over to your girl and give her some comfort.
>>
No. 144720 ID: e31d52

>>144715
"Ashley?" I walk over to her. She's unconcious. I gently pick her up...
Wow, she's heavier than she looks. Must be all the muscle from her work. I carry her upstairs, laying her on the bed.

... I should have been here.
>>
No. 144725 ID: 701a19

>>144712
Ah, I see. Your language is similar, but distinct from ours. In our language 'to be spoken for' means that the subject is romantically involved, and in the context you used it it would carry the subtext of 'I am asserting my claim on her to discourage you from making further advances'. His response was a denial of your claim, and stating his intent to continue his advances towards her.
>>
No. 144736 ID: 701a19

>>144720
Lay down next to her and cuddle with her. Stay that way until either she wakes up or you pass out. I'd normally suggest taking her to a hospital, but this society doesn't seem big on emergency services.
>>
No. 144738 ID: e31d52

>>144725
<<Slang has different meanings in different areas. :V >>

>>144736
I lay her in the bed and hold her close, relaxing and closing my eyes to go to sleep.

I wake up to a punch in the face and "Oh my god I'm so sorry did I break anything it was reflex honest oh god it's bleeding oh no oh no"
>>
No. 144743 ID: 701a19

>>144738
Don't say anything, just embrace her as tight as you can.
>>
No. 144756 ID: e31d52

>>144743
I hold her tightly, and she lets out a little noise of surprise, then holds me back, mumbling happily. She's warm and soft, and I can feel her heart beating as she pushes her face against my chest.
>>
No. 144777 ID: d1210a

>>144756
"So, what do you remember?"
>>
No. 144781 ID: e31d52

>>144777
She looks up at me, her eyes filled with tears. She wipes them away and sits up with a sigh.
"It's happened before, you know. Parents of kids who lost, pilots themselves, guys who lost bets... A lot of anger gets directed at me. Usually Antoine was the one to actually be there, since he's in the shop a lot of the time when he's not filing paperwork or stuff like that." she blows her nose quietly. "I... he's the last person I'd expect to react like that. But looking back, I can see why. Not that I think it was okay of him."
Her eyes are distant as she speaks.
>>
No. 144813 ID: 701a19

>>144781
"Now I'm here, and I'll help you as much as I can.
It must be some strange quirk of fate... My parents kicked me out of the house, and I was coming over to ask if I could crash with you. Would you be ok with taking me in?"
>>
No. 144814 ID: e31d52

>>144813
"I, uh..." she blushes massively. "Okay. There's a spare room..."
"Isn't that your father's room?"
"Yeah... but I think you deserve it." she says softly.
Oh!
"Your birthday is coming up, isn't it? He used to take you out to that lake like clockwork, huh?"
"I always liked those trips." she replies, looking at her feet and smiling distantly. "The cabin was nice."
>>
No. 144816 ID: 632862

>>144814
Sounds like a plan. We can go there on her birthday.
>>
No. 144819 ID: e31d52

>>144816
"We can go there, if you like."
"It wouldn't be the same." she replies gently. "But... thanks for the thought. You have told your family you are staying here, right?"
>>
No. 144822 ID: 632862

>>144819
Say you just told your dad that you were finding out what options were available.
>>
No. 144870 ID: e31d52

>>144822
"I told Dad I was just looking at what was available."
She smiles.
"You should endeavor to tell him and not your mothe-"
There's a sharp knocking at the door and Ashley flinches.
>>
No. 144872 ID: 632862

>>144870
Better find out who it is. Ashley could answer it or peek through the window while you stay out of sight.
>>
No. 144878 ID: 61d96f

if they door has a peep-hole use it. if not then peek out blinds. if nether is an option then latch the chain and open the door. if it has no chain then you are fucked.
>>
No. 144901 ID: e31d52
File 126821410794.jpg - (62.21KB , 500x500 , Alan.jpg )
144901

>>144878
>>144872
It's the store door.

I tell Ashley to stay where she is, and look through the peephole.

It's a guy. He looks... bored?
>>
No. 144903 ID: 61d96f

his name is Alan. you know any Alans?
>>
No. 144904 ID: 632862

>>144901
We see his name. That is Alan.

May as well ask him what he wants.
>>
No. 144906 ID: e31d52

>>144903
Not really.
I open the door slightly.
"Hey, is Ashley in? I ordered a special part and I wanted to see if it was delivered alright." he says.
He looks up at me.
"I saw your match today. One hell of a premiere." he pauses. "You lucky dog." a slight smirk appears on his face for the barest moment, then vanishes.
>>
No. 144910 ID: 61d96f

i would watch him but he doesn't seem to be actively hostile... yet.
anyway. yell back to ash that it's alan, and he is asking about that part he ordered.
>>
No. 144911 ID: 632862

>>144906
"Thanks. What kind of part was it? I'll go find out if it arrived yet."
>>
No. 144914 ID: e31d52

>>144911
"I'd prefer not telling another pilot." he says simply.
Ashley wanders down and blinks.
"Oh, Alan! Yeah, it came in last night. Bring over Smokah later on and I'll install it."
"Thanks." he replies. "Don't know where I'd be without you." he bows slightly and departs.
>>
No. 144925 ID: 701a19

>>144914
"Ashley? Are there any two-seater cockpits on the market? Because, if you're interested, I would love to have you as my copilot."
>>
No. 144927 ID: 61d96f

>>144925
not now you fool!
>>
No. 144979 ID: b69168

Yeah, stow the co-pilot option for now. As awesome as that is, now's not the time for it. We should look into making our cockpit more comfortable for two, but let's focus our energy more into our new attack. We'll want it ready before we face Antoine. And at the same time, not want to show it to him before hand. Can't get to reliant on a co-pilot for that reason either.

Speaking of certain douchebags, what kind of self-defense options are available to you? Can you get a gun? At the very least, you're doing a whole crapload of push-ups before you go to bed tonight.
>>
No. 145008 ID: d1210a

>>144979
To get ready, we should buy a regular piston to practice with, while getting the suped up one kitted together.

But we should practice with both arms, switching the spike over between the two multiple times while we practice, for the following reason:

To go into our normal matches with a melee option (so that we can get more field experience), but with it on the opposite arm. Make Antoine think that your preferred melee is spike on one hand, shield on other.

Further, since we have speed feet now for helping to close distance to targets, as part of our refit for Antione.....

How about some sort of shoulder mount (over gun bracing arm w/ shield & drillspike) grapnel and hook launcher, with some heavy duty engines to real what is snagged back in? Coupled with rocket thrust added to drill punch with a heavy arm.... Even without the drill active this punch would be devastating, just because the combined velocities of the two objects means it will have ridiculous kinetic energy. GOOD THING WE HAVE HEAVY DUTY ARMS, AND STRONG BRACING LEGS.

My god, we will pull a full 180 on Antoine's match, going from rushing opponents for melee with a spike and shield setup, to snaring our foes to reel them in to hit them with a much more vicious spike mod ON THE OPPOSITE ARM.

Will fuck up ALL his plans for the match.
>>
No. 145016 ID: e31d52

<<By the by: The full parts list is now posted in the discussion thread.>>
>>145008
Hurm... while I should make certain that Antoine has no idea of the Magma Slam, there's several options I don't think are prudent.

First of all, having the Spike set in my right hand isn't a great idea. That's where my gun is. If I put it there, well, I'd have to either drop my gun, or stow it, first. Too slow.

Second, the grapnel/Slam combo is REALLY effective, however... I can only afford two expensive parts and nothing else. The sheild isn't included in the cost of the Slam, it's just a modded Spike. So unless I saved up, or built the Slam now and left it waiting in the wings for a match.

Further, Antoine may or may not make decisions based on my matches. He may be all business, but he's a cocky motherfucker. I've got a lot of matches ahead of me before I challenge him, anyway. At least ten or more. Each bracket is long and arduous. What I'm saying here is that reaching my sister isn't a short term goal at all. It may take several years.

I'm not going to let Antoine scare me like that, but what you're saying is viable...

should I take the showy route, or the cautious route?
>>
No. 145017 ID: b69168

>>145008

Okay, so lemme see if I'm reading you right. We use our spike and shield tactic say, shield in right and spike left, though not actually using the MAGMA DRILL PUNCH itself. But, we practice it the other way around too, so when we face Antoine, he shall be totally surprised by this swap.

Additionally, when we use our melee attack, before hand, we shall use our speed feet, and superior defense to close distance and maul them, but, when the big match comes up, we shall have a grappling device suitable for pulling light mechs that hover off the ground in for a devestating impale attack.

Me likey.

Okay, so before our next match in three days we need:
-A Shield
-Some Form of spikey melee type weapon,
-To practice melee fighting
-Get the parts, if not assemble the Magma Drill Components
-Look into what we can use as a grapple
-Look into that back-up sensor thing
-Invest in a chain for our stuff
-Get a man-sized handgun or some brass knuckles, or something. No more of this "other pilots trying crap with us on foot"
-Get enough sleep
>>
No. 145018 ID: d1210a

>>145016
Well, if you mean for how you fight, then be showy, that's why this combo is suggested.

And the plan is to slowly prepare and finalize the rocket magma drill spike built into the shield with the grapnel should mount likewise built/bought, in preparation for the match against Antoine. So we should have plenty of time to cut no corners on costs for them.

For the interim, there is an EASY way to keep the spike out of the way from the gun. Just mount beneath the arm, rather than mounted on top of it or on either of it's sides. It should still work perfectly well for melee since the heavy bruiser arms can support it, and this repositioning puts it out of the way of the rifle. Further, if it is still in the way, a shorter tipped spike might work, and it would mean we could spike punch faster.

Underarm mount, shorter spike.....

IT IS OPTIMIZED FOR SPIKE UPPERCUT.

Man, even how we USE the spike will shift when we rekit for Antoine.
>>
No. 145022 ID: e31d52

>>145018
>Spike + grapnel
This is much more workable. There's still the fact that I need to put the rifle down, unless I go for a smaller weapon or bare-hand it.

But there's a LOT one can go with the grapnel shoulders. They are easily the most tempting new part.
>>
No. 145028 ID: d1210a

>>145022
>most tempting new part
>not ROCKET MAGMA DRILL SPIKE SHIELD

YOU TAKE THAT BACK
>>
No. 145032 ID: b69168

>>145028

Nah, he's right. The Magma Drill is cool, not interesting. And there's only one real "tactic" to do with it, which is impale something on it and light it on fire. We could use those shoulder grapples for all kinds of cool things.

>>145022
I'm still not seeing how if we mount the spike, like, along the forearm, or something, it'll block the gun. But, if you say so, alternate plan time. We could forgo holding a rifle, and purchase a Back-Mounted rifle, which should do just as well, though the worry of it being easier for someone to damage or knock off is present. For now, we can skip actually mounting the spike, since thats probably going to be our ace in the hole for a future battle with Antoine (Not that we shouldn't build and test the thing now, or soon at least), and just get melee practice in following up on that bayonet suggestion.
>>
No. 145036 ID: e31d52

>>145032
>I'm still not seeing how if we mount the spike, like, along the forearm, or something, it'll block the gun.

Well, no...

The rifle is very long. In order to effectively use the spike, I'd need to get it out of the way.

>>145028
Magma Slam will be my signature manuever. It has a lot of staying power, and it's what I plan to build my mech around.

But the grapnels... I could use them to speed my movement, anchor myself, pull someone in, throw them to the ground, trip them... there's so many uses!
>>
No. 145042 ID: e75a2f

Magma spike paired with grapple arms would make for some cool shit, especially if we could angle the spike perpendicular to the forearm. We'd have a jury-rigged Kusarigama.

Still think we should have a blade on the front of our rifle and maybe sticking out the bottom of the butt as well since we seem to be going heavy in the close range department, that way our rifle isn't dead weight against a fast opponent.

Redundant sensors would also be great; In fact some more fancy-type sensors might be nice when you begin to fight more crafty opponents, like sonar or vibration-sensitive equipment to pick up cloaked enemies, or in the case of using ground vibrations even people behind cover. The vibration sensors would be perfect if you got the Anchoring legs and installed the sensory equipment in there.

Also when you get your shield, make sure to cut a groove big enough for your rifle to fit on.

An interesting weapon to try out would be to install a core-venting system on the shoulders of your mech, which could expel the excess heat generated from your core. Facing forward they could be used as impromptu flamethrowers; facing behind as boosters; facing down they could be even used as jump jets. If you could install a rotary system to allow them to rotate to those three positions you'd have a pretty sweet toy.
>>
No. 145071 ID: d1210a

>>145036
Alright, lets get the grapnels (and get the grapnels and chains refitted into Tungsten Carbide, you can get a smaller chain with the same strength, get longer cables, maybe even fit in more grapnel launchers. This role is tailored to the metal.

Then get the shield, and keep the rest of the money. We will get the rest of what we need for the magma drill after the next fight, I figure.
>>
No. 145074 ID: ab04d4

>>145036
>signature maneuver
No. You must never have a signature move. Use a powerful weapon only so long as they do not understand it and cannot defeat it. When your abilities are understood then they are useless. You can have fun with your magma drill thingy, but never get attached to it. Never try to build an image with weaponry, by stylizing your mech to fit some inane archetype. You can do that with your attitude, and trying to conform to self-imposed restriction is just giving enemies another weakness to exploit.
>>
No. 145077 ID: d1210a

>>145071
OH SHIT

And if the granpels/spikes are Tungsten, we can fire them INTO wounds made by the magma drill, without fear of damaging the spike, potentially shooting our grapnels into a magma drill wound to exacerbate it. Just use the force of the actual reel-em-in magma drill attack to yank your grapnels free, to then immediately reshoot them the moment they are reloaded.

Like driving a wedge into a crack, and striking it with a hammer. Hell, we could use this combo to guarantee de-limbing even a heavier more armored mech than us!
>>
No. 145079 ID: 1ac39d

man, if we over-engineer this thing to the point we can take on a higher-tier mech it would be awesome.
>>
No. 145083 ID: e31d52

>>145071
Allright.

"Ashley, I'm going to order the shield and the grapnels."
"Alright. Would you like tower sheild, buckler, or along the arm?"
>>
No. 145097 ID: b69168

>>145083

What does she mean by "all along the arm"? That sounds good, but I want to know what shape we're dealing with. Otherwise, get a Tower Shield, which will probably function like a big-ass riot shield for the mech. Then paint it in hot rod flames.
>>
No. 145100 ID: b14128

>>145083
Probably best to ask for the advantages and disadvantages of each up front, so we have them in front of us. If you don't know them yourself.
>>
No. 145106 ID: 6771ac

The tower shield seems to be what we are looking for, but ask for clarification about the 'along the arm thing.
>>
No. 145108 ID: e31d52

>>145100
>>145097
Tower sheild is like a large riot sheild, made of higher-grade material than my actual armor. There's a groove for the barrel of my rifle, but I'll have to set this thing into the ground to be able to brace the gun with both arms while firing.

Along the arm is slightly smaller, but it's an extended armor plate that runs parralel along my arm, terminating right at the wrist. I believe this one would be best with the Magma Slam.
Bucker is small and round, covering from my elbow to my wrist with a perfectly circular plate.

"May I make a suggestion?" she asks.
"Sure."
"I can modify the Grapnels to be attached to either of the latter two models, if you like. There's no loss in strength at all."
>>
No. 145112 ID: b69168

>>145108

Ooh, I do like the tower shield, but if along the arm works better, it may be worth it. And no, can't stick too much crap on the shields. What if we loose the shield? Then we have no grapnels. Good idea, but since we're trying to be flexible, wont work out.
>>
No. 145114 ID: b14128

>>145108
Yeah, along the arm might be best.
>>
No. 145121 ID: 5634a5

>>145083
leaning towards tower...
but would like some specification about "along the arm"
>>
No. 145128 ID: 1ac39d

>>145121
probably something like in ring of red. a large metal sheet along the arm, extending slightly away from it.
http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/strategy/ringofred/images/0/4/
>>
No. 145135 ID: e31d52

>>145128
Yes, like that, only wider.
>>
No. 145139 ID: 5634a5

>>145135
arm then. gives us more mobility with more or less the same protection
>>
No. 145149 ID: 6771ac

Yep arm works perfectly.

So we are going to keep the Spike hidden under the shield until we strike right? Kind of like a "Why the hell did that guy explode from a punch?!!?" kind of thing.
>>
No. 145151 ID: d1210a

>>145135
Lets go for along the arm.
>>
No. 145153 ID: b69168

>>145149

If we can do that, yeah, that will work. It'll also keep the exact nature of our weapon hidden, for the most part. We may be able to employ is sooner than we think.
>>
No. 145167 ID: e31d52

>>145153
Well, yeah. Part of the intrinsic nature of the weapon is its hidden nature.
"Along the arm."
"Alright." she replies. "I'll install these later."she thinks to herself and sighs. "There's not much more you can learn here, without an active opponent. You could go out and challenge someone if you like.I know of three pilots that are roughly in your skill level. But..."
she pauses.
"I can't help you against that guy who just came in. Sorry. I'm not the only shop in the area, and I'd feel ike I was betraying a customer if I did. You know?"
>>
No. 145171 ID: 5634a5

>>145153
>>145149
maybe we could make a replaceable hole in the sheild (thats weaker than the surrounding metal) and just punch through said hole at first use each battle? it'll surprise the fuck out of our first opponent we use it against, and no one will know whether we have it attached or not at the start of each subsequent match
>>
No. 145174 ID: b69168

>>145167

We'll look up that dude on our own time. For now, we can get a little proof of concept practice and at least learn the way the controls work for our new stuff here, right? After that, I dunno, eat lunch, get that chain for your wallet, look into a pair of brass knuckles...
>>
No. 145177 ID: 701a19

>>145167
Hold up your hands and shake your head.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. I wasn't even going to ask, since it wouldn't be fair to you.
I'm already worried about the fallout from you being with me in the match."
>>
No. 145179 ID: d1210a

>>145177
Phrase this as fallout for HER, not you.

Your own safety is clearly not what concerns you now, so show it through your dialogue. She'll eat that up.
>>
No. 145183 ID: 42500c

>>145174
Yeah, y'know what? Brass knucks are small time. How about an ELECTRIC knuckleduster? See http://www.trueswords.com/blast-knuckles-stun-950000-p-3338.html for details.
>>
No. 145192 ID: b69168

>>145183

Oh HELL yeah. Yeah, do that instead.
>>
No. 145216 ID: e31d52

>>145183
>>145192
Definitely looking into this as soon as possible.

>>145177
"Sales are bad enough, Ashley, and I'd really hate to see you take the fall because of what happened today."
"Thanks." she smiles and sighs in relief.
>>
No. 145222 ID: b69168

>>145216

Alright, so what's the plan, man? I'm thinking we go out for a bit, get the stuff for us personally, let Ashley relax a little, and install that stuff for us. Then we can come back, practice basic operations with those things a little, then call it a night. Oh, and don't forget those push-ups, in case we have to wrestle with bronzed man-gods of pilots again.
>>
No. 145224 ID: 5634a5

>>145222
seconded, maybe grab some chinese or some other decent take-out munchies while we're at it.
>>
No. 145259 ID: e31d52

>>145222
>>145224
>Go out, get stuff, bring back food
Sure, why not.

"Hey, Ashley, I'll be back. I'm bonna go out and get some things I need."

"All right. Hurry back, okay~?"
>>
No. 145276 ID: e31d52
File 126827826740.jpg - (10.99KB , 450x253 , Darry.jpg )
145276

>>145259
I make my way out, humming to myself. It's not all that crowded now, even for just after an event. I bet I could get a meal without much hassle.

Someone taps my shoulder and I turn around.
"You got a minute?" the boy asks.
>>
No. 145283 ID: 42500c

Guess it couldn't hurt to see what he wants. ...Keep your hands in your pockets (and thus on your wallet), though.
>>
No. 145285 ID: b69168

>>145276

Careful now, we're getting a name of this one. "Darry" familiar to you? Anyway, watch your valuables.

Tell him "It depends on what you want." Or, y'know, if you want to be that guy, "I only have time for pretty girls, and I'm not seeing any boobs on you." But only if you really want to be a jerk.
>>
No. 145288 ID: e31d52

>>145285
>>145283
"What do you need?"

He smiles.
"I'm Darry Abernathy, journalist and writer of Gears and Bolts. Can I catch you for an interveiw?"

The name is vaguely familiar...
>>
No. 145289 ID: 42500c

>>145288
Hope this guy isn't one of those types that exaggerate everything someone says until it's nothing remotely like what the original statement was...
>>
No. 145290 ID: 1ac39d

tell him you are on a 'supply run' and that you can't talk now, but would love to schedule one sometime tomorrow.
>>
No. 145294 ID: b69168

>>145288

Eh, we're free. And we'll make sure you don't let anything slip about future plans. Seems kinda young for a reporter, though? Whatever, if we can, walk and talk, if not, try and get him to pay for a meal some where, and talk while we get food out of the way. In case of emergency, be prepared to PUNCH EVERYTHING.
>>
No. 145300 ID: 5634a5

>>145294
this works
>>
No. 145307 ID: d1210a

>>145288
Tell him you have some time to talk while you are walking, but only for a little while. New pilot, want to make sure I don't just fall flat on my face next round, you know?
>>
No. 145314 ID: 5634a5

>>145307
agreed, talk with him as far as wherever we get our wallet chain/gun/zap knuckles, then go get some take-out and go home to eat in with Ashley
>>
No. 145420 ID: e31d52

>>145314
"Talk and walk, Darry." I say simply. "Got places to be and people to see."
Without missing a beat, he flips open his notepad, and begins to write what I've just.
"Don't you worry, Mr. Sire. I'll only write fully what you've said. No exceptions."
Well, that's a relief. "Now, were you actually planning to go into that fight with your mechanic?"
"No." I reply. "It was somewhat last minute."
"Really? So were the two of you... just before the match..."
"No! She'd fallen asleep inside before it was even delivered. I could have kicked her out or had her there with me for support. Guess what I chose."
"I see. Was that really your first match?"
"Yes. Why do you ask?"
"Well, most first timers are really quite comical coming out of the gate..."
"I'm serious when I say this, Darry: I come to win. I did not come to play, or laugh, or romance screaming groupies."
"I must say you won with some flair. And catching Hannah like that! How chivalrous."
"Clearly more chivalrous than the bracket leader."
"What did you say?"
"Er, nothing. Forget that."
>>
No. 145422 ID: 632862

>>145420
FUCK. He wrote that down, you can be sure of it.

Hey. Ask to see his journalist license. He could be a rival pilot pretending to be a reporter to try and get some idea of your abilities.
>>
No. 145433 ID: 701a19

>>145420
"When did being a damn person start counting as 'chivalry'? I saved her because she was in trouble and I could help. I play to win, not to leave a trail of bodies."
>>
No. 145439 ID: e31d52

>>145422
"Do you have some sort of identification, Darry?"
"Naw, but I can tell you I've certainly retired." he replies, smiling. "All the way to Pro, but then I said 'fuck it, this shit is too dangerous for the money I'm making.' So I put away ol' Bess, cancelled my duels, and never looked back."
"Huh. Suppose I'll have to trust you."
"Listen, the only Mech besides Slaver you have to worry about is Smokah."
"Smokah?"
"Yeah, here. Consider this compensation for your time." he says, handing me a small jewel case. "We'll probably meet again, Mr. Sire. Until then... good fighting."

And he vanishes into the alleys.
>>
No. 145441 ID: 632862

Antoine is going to be so pissed...

Don't open the jewel case just yet. You should open it in private.
>>
No. 145450 ID: e31d52

>>145441
That goes without saying. Damn my big mouth, and damn my stupid ideals.
>>
No. 145462 ID: 1ac39d

>>145450
NEVER SAY THAT!! hold onto your ideals and never look back. if you do you will lose yourself and become just like your sister.
>>
No. 145521 ID: e31d52

>>145462
You're right, I suppose.

So what should I go with, now that I'm in the place to buy it? There's all sorts of things here, I think that's a broadsword hanging on the back wall.
>>
No. 145531 ID: 701a19

>>145521
A handgun.
>>
No. 145541 ID: 632862

A handgun is too dangerous. It is also likely to kill someone unintentionally, when we mean to simply wound them.

How about that electric knuckle idea?

Wait, what kinds of weapons are you trained to use?
>>
No. 145543 ID: e31d52

>>145541
I know nothing about personal combat, but a tazer like you showed me would be perfect. There's even one on display.

I'm worried about a handgun, though. I don't want to get myself shot or something.
>>
No. 145549 ID: 632862

>>145543
Tazer. Safety before glory.
>>
No. 145611 ID: a6ca77

>>145450

Eh...It's not like the dude was on your christmas card list anyways. Besides getting the stuff we talked about before, also look into martial arts/self-defence classes. Would help inside and outside the arena.
>>
No. 145614 ID: e31d52

>>145611
>>145549
Tazer it is.

Ashley knows some basics of a throwing-heavy style. I'll have her teach me.

All right! Now that I have the tazer, what sort of food should I bring back?
>>
No. 145627 ID: a6ca77

>>145614

Get some takeout. Whatever kind should be fine, but also bring back comfort food for your gf. Ice cream, Chips, Cookies...whatever is her thing. Just make sure to bring some back.
>>
No. 145629 ID: a6ca77

Get your wallet chain too.
>>
No. 145631 ID: e31d52

>>145629
Oh! Yeah, on the way out I spot one and buy it.

>>145627
Alright, I'll get her some snickerdoodles. She loves those. That and some Chinese.
I'm finally back in a good mood again!
>>
No. 145695 ID: b69168

>>145631

Gotta watch out for "Smokah", according to Darry. We'll look into it tonight while you sleep.

What time of day is it now, anyway?
>>
No. 145696 ID: e31d52

>>145695
It's currently 2 pm. I walk back into the shop.
Ashley peeks around the corner, smiling.
"Finished right on time." she says, pressing a button. I hear something lowering away. She walks up to me again, wearing the bathrobe she does whenever she works on mechs so that the oils and whatever don't stain her clothing.
"I brought food."
"Oh, good! I'm always hungry after work."
>>
No. 145706 ID: b69168

>>145696

Eat. Then we shall spend some time practicing with our new things, so we can get the kinks worked out. After that, I dunno. What do you normally do with your spare time?
>>
No. 145722 ID: e31d52

>>145706
We eat.
"So I caught the 'cast of our match being replayed." she says as we eat. "'You dropped something'. Really."
I chuckle and shrug, smiling. "The crowd seemed to like it."
She smiles, then picks up something in the bag.
Oh no. The case from Darry.
"What's this?"
>>
No. 145725 ID: 1ac39d

she's your girlfriend, so be honest. "Darry got an interview from me then gave it to me. don't know what it is, haven't opened it yet."
>>
No. 145727 ID: d1210a

>>145722
Well, COULD be a disguised recording device, though if it is, his method of delivery seems a bit off, it would be far easier to just slip something into one of your pockets without you noticing rather than drawing attention to it.

Maybe ashley knows more about what it is?

But if she doesn't ask that if/when it is opened, such be done at something of a distance, just in case.

Yes, paranoia, but no reason to simply open an unknown good from a complete stranger now that you are a newbie in a rather viciously competitive sport.

Speaking of which, ask Ashley if she knows how to contact our first opponent, to check that she is alright, and all that. Who knows, Antoine could be taking out some of his anger on her, and if so ,NOT COOL
>>
No. 145731 ID: e31d52

>>145727
"It's something Darry gave me after our interview." I say simply. "Dunno what it is, I haven't had a chance to look it over properly."
"Darry..."
Oh, that's why the name sounds so familiar! He was Ashley's boyfriend before me. Hurr. "How is he?"
"He's got a job working as a sport journalist." I smile and gently take the case from her hands, putting it back in the bag.
>>
No. 145732 ID: 1ac39d

geez. okay, tell us everyone you or her may know so we can handle stuff like this better.
>>
No. 145751 ID: b69168

>>145732

No, no, that would take forever. We'll just keep on trucking. Haven't met anyone interesting we couldn't ID right away, except Ashely, and he did that for us.

>>145731
Finish eating. Get ready to practice. At an opportune moment, open the thing.

BTW, I named our new Stun Knuckles. They are now THE FIST OF GOD. Please refer to it as such in future.
>>
No. 145753 ID: b69168

Oh, and now I have a point of curiosity. What kind of ammunition does our rifle fire? General stuff like size, and firing mechanism, but also composition. What are the bullets made of, what properties to they have? Can we modify or use our own ammunition, or can we only buy whatever standard type of ammunition there is?
>>
No. 145912 ID: e31d52

>>145753
Rifle fires like one of smaller size, and uses 80mm rounds. Very, very loud, by the way. Special ammo is allowed but it counts as a Normal-cost part per clip.

We finish eating, and she smiles. "The parts for you were already in store, so we'll install them right away."
"We?"
"You're gonna live here, you're going to work here. It'll also give you something of an edge to know how all this works."
"Alright."

The first part we're going to install is the sheild, which fits along the arm of the mech. It's 3 feet thick, and made of high quality metals. The only reason it's not expensive is the sheer simplicity of making them.
It strikes me that this thing could also be used as a bludgeon.
>>
No. 145918 ID: 5634a5

>>145912
I'm guessing it would be a bitch to cut away a circle where our spike is going is gonna be a bitch then? as will welding a much weaker metal over the hole for the surprise effect of it?
>>
No. 145919 ID: 1ac39d

like i said. help her out and you learn all the gritty details of mechs. you need to be careful though. if you fight someone who gets their mech fixed here and you fight them and win, they may say you sabotaged them. if that happens, remember any and all 'proof' they have is fake.
>>
No. 145920 ID: e31d52

>>145918
No, actually. She'd use, ironically, thermite to melt a hole after drilling a smaller one. She says it's been done before without the seed bit, and she would love to engineer it.

One more thing: Matches are chosen randomly the day before. The only ones who get advance warning about who it is is the opponent of an Unproven. Proven and their opponents go in blind.

Unless of course we challenge someone, but no way in hell.
>>
No. 145931 ID: b69168

>>145912

80mm? Nice. That's what I love about mecha. Our choice of long-gun is a small tank cannon. Good to know the option for alternates is there. Can't think of any special bullets we want right now, though. Unless you can find some depleted uranium, assuming we aren't using it already. That stuff is the shit.

>>145920

Hrm, not so good. We wont have much time to look up our opponents, assuming we can only access the GILB is while you sleep. That'll only give us the limited time in the day before a match to tell you what we find out.

Anyway, onto installation. Then we shall practice at little, and later have Ashely teach us some judo or whatever. Also there will be dinner and push-ups somewhere in there.

And don't worry, we were totally planning on having you smack someone across the face with the shield anyway. Actually, that'll be part of practicing with the stuff. You'll need to adjust to making it move quick enough for melee strikes with the extra weight.
>>
No. 145934 ID: e31d52

>>145931
>And don't worry, we were totally planning on having you smack someone across the face with the shield anyway. Actually, that'll be part of practicing with the stuff. You'll need to adjust to making it move quick enough for melee strikes with the extra weight.

About that...
There's waaaay too much weight behind the arm and sheild to move it quickly. Ashley has suggested we move the Speed Feet boosters to the elbow behind the sheild, or the back end of the sheild itself. On the feet, they don't actually give much of a boost because of our weight, but on the sheild or elbow...
>>
No. 145935 ID: b69168

>>145934

ROCKET SHIELD FIST! I approve. Ashely is as brilliant as she is pretty. You can tell her that, if you like, we wont take credit. Though that does raise another point. Nobody knows you have a tactical deciding AI in your head, do they?
>>
No. 145937 ID: d1210a

>>145934
...if the boosters are modular, which is the only way they could relocate, then we want to buy wat least two more sets of them, bare minimum.

1 pair for feet.

1 pair on shield, on either side of spike drill

1 pair combined on lower back.

We boost our forward rushing ability dramatically, keep the extra mobility from the feet while boosting them with the back booster, and get to boost the drill attack.

And don't worry this meaning two more expensive parts, add this to the long term customization plan, so that when we have all our gear together, we have this extra mobility.
>>
No. 145939 ID: a6ca77

>>145931

"Anyway, onto installation. Then we shall practice at little, and later have Ashely teach us some judo or whatever. Also there will be dinner and push-ups somewhere in there."

I approve of this plan. Perhaps you can also work on some reaction time training. Also, you need to learn as much as possible about your ride. Repair/Building/Construction of parts etc.
>>
No. 145960 ID: e31d52

>>145939
Yeah. We install the shield quickly, fastening it within an hour, and the grapnels are lowered into the shoulder areas on each side, under two hinging armor plates.

>>145937
Well, what should the priority be?

>>145935
>Nobody knows you have a tactical deciding AI in your head, do they?
Doesn't matter. The only cheating is holding noncombatants hostage.
>>
No. 145961 ID: 701a19

>>145960
Ashley went into the Arena with us. Make sure that's not enough for them to count her as a 'combatant' under the rules
>>
No. 145966 ID: e31d52

>>145961
In the 'pit, in the fight. Ashley said them's the rules, though she's unregistered and thus a noncombatant as long as she's not with me. She actually classifies as an optional part.
>>
No. 145967 ID: 1ac39d

>>145961
wouldn't matter. if she is held hostage with the condition that we throw the fight. we throw the fight. unlike that show with the children's card game, losing is not the end of the world.
>>
No. 145974 ID: 701a19

>>145967
Obviously. We would just see to it that he had an 'unfortunate accident' later on. Such as, perhaps, their mech's main power somehow being rerouted to flow through their controls.
Or having their ejection system's explosive bolts replaced with high-powered blasting charges.
>>
No. 145975 ID: e75a2f

>>145966
Optional part. That's rather dehumanizing.
>>
No. 145976 ID: d1210a

>>145960
The priority should be as follows:

Take current boosters from each foot, one to lower back for limited forward motion enhancement, one on back of piston assembly to allign it optimally with the path the spike (and later drill) will follow.

Next set of boosters, restore speed feet.

Final set, add one to arm, one to lower back. This would be, in an ideal world, when the magma drill is fully operational, and the grapnel launcher fully installed.
>>
No. 145977 ID: e31d52

>>145975
There's no term for 'copilot' in the database. They had to comment in what she did.

>>145974
Ashley scoffs.
"You underestimate my abilities."
>>
No. 145980 ID: 701a19

>>145977
Abilities nothing, hired thugs are cheap and guns are even cheaper. If a pilot does anything to her, they get no mercy.
>>
No. 145983 ID: e31d52

>>145980
"No, I mean, if they did shit like that to me, it wouldn;t be that hard to rig their mech to explode upon startup."
>>
No. 145984 ID: 701a19

>>145983
Oh, obviously, but that's not nearly as intimidating. If you're going to send a message, you need to do it with style.
But enough of this *hug her*
>>
No. 145987 ID: a6ca77

>>145983

Are you sure you have the know-how to do that safely? From what I've seen you're a noob at mech mechanics...
>>
No. 145990 ID: e31d52

>>145987
I'm not saying that when she's holding a longhandle tang adjuster.

>>145984
"You won't need to do that. I'll keep you safe." I say gently, holding her in my arms. She lets out a surprised sound, then holds me tightly.
>>
No. 145995 ID: 701a19

>>145990
k, move on to kissing and draw this out as long as she'll let you.
>>
No. 146023 ID: a6ca77

>>145990

When I was referring to being a noob mech mechanic...I was talking directly to you. I interpreted the conversation as you boasting how you would sabotage another person's mech for revenge due to underhanded tactics. I subsequently was wondering how you would achieve such a thing with your skills.
>>
No. 146075 ID: 632862

>>145995
Hmmm... maybe we should take it slower than that. I guess there's already a good foundation for the relationship, but the sexual development could get weird if it's rushed.

...I think some of us got confused as to who was talking.
>>
No. 146080 ID: e31d52

>>145995
I kiss her lips and she kisses back, then smiles and dances away. "It's all installed now. Best part is, none of this stuff costs money to practice. Go crazy!"

I get in and start it up, Burn rising slightly slower from the new weight. We haven't moved the speed feet yet, this is just to get started.

What should I practice first?
>>
No. 146123 ID: b69168

>>146080

Reel something in, and try and smack it with your shield. Or at least, block it with your shield. Two birds, one stone. You can get a handle for aiming the grapnels, and for how hard it is to move your shield arm without boosting.

>>145960
I understood this isn't cheating, I was just asking if anyone knew why you're suddenly 10 times more awesome.

As for all this talk about non-combatants and hostages, we don't need to worry that much. Ashley might not be able to hold her own in a fight, but if kidnapped, she'd probably make a really difficult hostage. Not that this matters, since hostage taking actually is cheating. So far we don't know anybody who's enough of a dick to cheat. Even Antoine wants to fight us fair and square in the arena. If we're so worried, loan her the FIST OF GOD before the match.
>>
No. 146133 ID: 701a19

>>146123
No, if you're worried then have her watch the match from inside the cockpit of a spare mech.

That way any potential hostiles will be facing, instead of a lone female civilian, a 30' tall weapon of war and death.

Of course, I still say you should see about getting her to copilot for you, and getting a proper seat for her.
>>
No. 146157 ID: e31d52

>>146123
"I'm going to test the grapnels." I say aloud, switching to them. as soon as I do, the armor panels slide open, revealing them. I have her bring out another defunct 'pit, and I lock on.
(+7)
>>
No. 146159 ID: 632862

rolled 2 = 2

>>146157
Let's give it a shot.
>>
No. 146162 ID: 7817d9

rolled 7 = 7

Don't forget to adjust your angle of fire to account for the extra weight that a grapnel and chain would carry, as well as the drag from the chain unwinding as it flies. Launch!
>>
No. 146163 ID: e31d52

>>146162
>>146159
(minor success!)
One grapnel hits, the other glancing off. I caqn now reel it in, or do any of a wide range of options. For now, I'll reel. Let's see if I can't slam it on the way in.

(+5)
>>
No. 146164 ID: 7817d9

rolled 19 = 19

And of course you must shout "GET OVER HERE!" whilst in the process of the yank-and-slam.
>>
No. 146166 ID: e31d52

>>146164
(Great success!)
"GET OVER HERE!" I scream, my unarmed, unsheilded fist smashing heavily into the 'pit, splitting it apart like paper. Pieces of it fly back into the junk pile, and the only large piece, the seat, falls at my foot.

I crush it.

"I think I like this part." I say with a wide grin.
>>
No. 146169 ID: 7817d9

>>146166
Now that's the way to do it, lad! Oh, and a thought occurs, you could manually draw out a chain instead of shooting it and swing it in low arcs to trip up an opponent. Or fire past them and sink the grapnel into something solid while moving at speed and clothesline the bugger that way.
>>
No. 146193 ID: d1210a

rolled 10 = 10

>>146166
Bonuses of having a heavy duty arm right there.

Start working on your aim with the grapnels again, as you clearly have at least some innate competency at part 2 of the grab and smash.
>>
No. 146208 ID: e31d52

>>146193
I have Achley lower a ruined mech, and fire again, the grapnel digging into the shoulder.
I begin to reel, but find that the mechanism is designed for both winches to be operating: There's not enough power for one.
>>
No. 146211 ID: 632862

rolled 20 = 20

>>146208
Second Grapnel.
>>
No. 146217 ID: 7817d9
File 126843428956.jpg - (56.22KB , 576x432 , Great_success!.jpg )
146217

>>146211
>>
No. 146220 ID: e31d52

>>146211
I reel in the second grapnel and fire again, barely missing... but the ricochet causes it to dig into the back of the enemy's head area. When I reel it in now, the head wrenches around, and comes off entirely, hanging to my knees from my chest.
>>
No. 146225 ID: 632862

>>146220
WELL now. That's interesting. I wonder if... yes, we could do that on purpose by causing the enemy to rotate, or simply moving behind them after using the grapple.
>>
No. 146235 ID: b69168

>>146220

BITCHIN! Those sure are powerful. Not that we're likely to do that again. But it's nice to know we can rend an enemy limb from limb, even without any limbs. Got a feel for the system? Alrighty then, lets take a break, and try and work on modifying the shield so we can do our new super-move ROCKET GRAPPLING SHIELD FIST. Which we will then upgrade to FIERY GRAPPLING ROCKET SHIELD LANCE.
>>
No. 146273 ID: 7817d9

>>146220
Idea. If it's possible later, maybe you could fit the back ends of the grapnels with guided missiles that have their warheads removed. It'd be a one-shot deal, but it'd give you a better chance of landing those first shots, and depending on the guidance system, you could intentionally fire them past your target and have them swing back around to wrap around your opponent and pin down a limb or two while you reel them in.
>>
No. 146715 ID: d1210a

>>146273
Well, not necessarily.

When the grapnels are reeled back in and once more housed in the grapnel launcher, it wouldn't be that hard to make it so that, so long as they are fully retracted and locked back in place, there is a path to re-inject a small amount of fuel into the rockets for the next bit of boosting. So you could have rocket propelled grapnels for at least several shots, depending on the type of fuel used, how much room it takes up, etc.

But if we have a means by which to provide consistent additional thrust to our grapnels (as above), then we can modify the grapnel heads. With constant forward thrust, changing out the grapnels for breacher drill heads with grapnels mounted about the base to clamp around any hole drilled, the anchors could be made much more secure against any form of target, having an easier time penetrating.

And, since the rocket and drill tech can be insulated without all that much effort, and the chains (all metal) connect the grapnels to the grapnel launcher, we could shunt power through the chains as an improvised shock (or if we retool the grapnel launcher and it's power supply enough, then not so much improvisational as creative), potentially shorting the more sensitive equipment a foe has.


How does this extra mod sound, to add to our to-do list?
>>
No. 146719 ID: 7817d9

>>146715
I like how you think, Bob. We need to keep doing this back-and-forth stuff, good things are being produced this way, hah.

Rocket taser grapnels...is very appealing. However, instead of potentially straining the system or the mech's power plant by modifying them that way, maybe we might look into getting a mech-sized version of this instead to mount somewhere. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrolaser
>>
No. 146725 ID: d1210a

>>146719
Certainly potent, but I wonder how much such an array would cost on mech scale.

I proposed the changes to the chains because while it would require moderate to extensive retooling to make work, the only extra parts we need are largely cheap (small rockets, drill heads, cabling to reroute power/new generator specifically for the shock), and they would still look like normal chains.... and if we get a mounted shock laser, any damage to the array would render the beam inoperable. Sending the shock through our grapnels means that as long as our grapnels exist, we can send a shock along them. Considering how much wear and tear can happen, I'd personally go for the more durable option.

A thought that occurred to me a while ago, concerning our missile launchers: We should buy/build some missiles that are essentially giant versions of airsoft grenades, with scores of little holes all over the central rocket, design to omnidirectionally fire their payload (probably just mech sized shot, since that would be bowling ball sized blocks of metal).

This way, we don't need lockon for our missiles, as we just fire in the general proximity. And since the blast emenates from the rocket, timely detontation as it passes a wall could allow you to shoot around corners with the shot.

A modified form of this we could make our own (so it fits our motif while being functional) would shoot rocket propelled thermite filled tungsten drill heads, so that we could get our armor piercing fun, AT RANGE, IN AN AREA OF EFFECT, WITHOUT LOCKON, POSSIBLY AROUND WALLS.

Not a precise weapon by any means, but it would be a good ace in the hole.
>>
No. 146730 ID: b69168

>>146725

I'm sure we can find proximity fuses or some kind of similar device, and either purchase or modify the missile with a kind of omni-directional airburst effect. Then load it with mech-sized ball bearings or flechettes, and it'll be a pretty nasty weapon, if with less total damage and penetration abilities. Or at least, until we get the tungsten drill thermite injection ammo. Hey, going back to what I said about rifle ammo earlier, since we're firing 80mm shells, we can probably modify those some how to fit this theme too.

I agree with the Tazer Grapnel technique, too.
>>
No. 146733 ID: d1210a

>>146730
We need to rename our mech SOMETHING involving drills and fire/magma both, since we are definitely building a consistent theme. And the thermite drill bullet idea could work, but we would need a mech sized Bolter, or near enough, since again, for drills to be viable, consistent pressure must be applied, so a rocket that fires some time after the projectile has been launched and continue to provide propulsion to the drillhead could work.

Would probably mean expensive ammo, but then, EVERY SINGLE METHOD we have of messing with another mech will be built around the principle that, should we breach armor, all circuitry and internal mechanisms anywhere near the breach are in extreme danger of being rendered inoperable. In a duel, we aim for limbs with the thermite based attacks, and we have a mech practically designed to incapacitate.

We go into live combat, we stop targeting just limbs, and our lethality goes through the roof, as the very principles that allow us this collective setup to disable opponents so fast can be applied to directly lethal actions.

....The Spiral Volcano?
....The Spinning Eruption?
....The Magma Driller?


Eh, I feel like those are more along the lines of attack names to shout out to win brownie points with the audience with some of our flashier moves.
>>
No. 146737 ID: 7817d9

>>146733
Bolter? Easy enough. Take a standard missile launch tube and modify it so it fires single shots from a revolving chamber, and bingo, artillery-scale gyrojet pistol. And really, it's probably feasible to simply retool standard (or extended-range) missiles for the thermite drill warheads. Since they usually don't end up flying for their full fuel range before detonating, a modified missile of that sort would be free to burn the remainder up through kinetic penetration instead of having it wasted in an explosion.
>>
No. 146738 ID: d1210a

>>146737
....Wait.

We have missiles that can turn and chain direction and all that shit now, seeking missiles and all that.... so why not make the shotgun missile have a singular large thermite drill warhead on the front? Then it is remote controlled, with a trigger to fire the shot, and a trigger to detonate the main warhead?

That way, we get to use each missile twice. An since these are mech sized missiles OF THE FUTURE, it shouldn't be hard to fit all that tech in there, just costly.

But would make our one shoulder missile launcher a great FUCK YOU button, if it had missiles like that.

And even if drill bulletes aren't as practical as they could be.... They ARE thermite drill bullets. They don't need to be practical.

Anyway, that's all the theories and plans I have right now.
>>
No. 146739 ID: e31d52

It's no wonder they sometimes plug things like you into a computer and let you sit for a few years. The things you come up with...

I didn't communicate for a while because I was concentrating on the task at hand harder than usual... I should be careful of that.

As for a name...
How about Bolero Of Fire?

<<Stats have increased!>>

Shooting (Controlling recoil, aiming, sighting, and controlled fire): +5
Movement (Dodging, fast moving, leaping): +2
Systems (Activating Extensions, jury-rigging in the midst of battle): +1
Close Combat (punching, kicking, gaurding): +2

Traits:
Competent
(All actions that count as normal or routine can be performed without a roll.)

Relentless
(Multiple attacks do not receive a -2 penalty.)

Bash and Smash
(Melee combat benefits from lock on.)

Heart's Power
(All rolls gain a +2 bonus when in communication with a 'Special person'. If the person is in the mech with you, this bonus increases to +4.)

Cascading Willpower
(When making a check to reactivate a disabled mech mid-combat, the first roll recieves a +5 bonus. Should you make a Dramatic (20+) success, you will gain a +1 bonus to all rolls for one action rather than a -3 as usual from a restarted mech.)
>>
No. 146741 ID: 7817d9

>>146738
Hmm. Instead of a shotgun-style thing, alternately the missiles could be done as two-stage arrangements. Bottom half deploys most of its mass away into cluster munitions that, while lacking the horizontal range of a shotgun, would do more damage on anything it passes close to. Plus the remaining structure and incindary warhead half would gain that much more speed from abruptly jettisonning the extra mass, or if the whole thing manage to hit, the submunitions could be triggered after the drilling segment is complete for a devastating multiple internal explosion.
>>
No. 146742 ID: 7817d9

>>146739
Heh, that name ain't bad. Was going to suggest Boretorch for the pun value, but yours sounds almost musical. And considering what I'm calling myself...yeah, I approve.
>>
No. 146757 ID: d1210a

>>146739
So, a rundown:

magma drill with boosters mod
shock capable rocket propelled drill grapnel mod
two-part shotgun/drill missile mod
extra boosters to INCREASE mobility as we gain armaments


....We have some good shit here, but we should make a comprehensive list with expected prices and modification times for all of this, so that we know how much money we will need to initiate any given part of our currently planned augmentation, and how long it will take to finalize it.

All these ideas are useless until we can start acting on them, and to do that we need to know WHEN we can act.

And the name could work, but how about the following:

Infernal Bolero

Still fire motiff, maybe a bit more zest.
>>
No. 146767 ID: 1ac39d

i think we are so good at coming up with things because we don't have that matrix filter. if we did then we would be restricted to coming up with things that can pass the filter and therefore have to think inside the box.
>>
No. 146776 ID: b69168

>>146733
>>146737
>>146738

Or, if you want to modify our rifle ammo, remember we are using a small tank cannon. Bolters are somehow man-size weaponry, right? We're using 80mm shells. While I don't disagree with any of the neat ideas we've come up for with missiles, the rifle thing has it's own merits. Tungsten tiped rocket propelled munitions. I assume the barrel of our rifle is actually rifled, thus it spins on its own.

Or we could make things a lot similar, and start shooting 80mm Depleted Uranium shells. Since, y'know, that stuff is dense like tungsten for armor-penetration, and is flammable at air-temperature, so you don't need the thermite element. Plus it self-sharpens as it breaks up. For rifle ammunition, it'll be a lot cheaper. And they still have to have tons of the stuff.

We are the lords of munitions
>>
No. 146939 ID: e31d52

>>146757
>magma drill with boosters mod
Currently, that's worth two expensive parts. Creation and tooling won't take that long. She has a computer that does all the machining for her.

>shock capable rocket propelled drill grapnel mod
A standard part to pay for modified thrust from rockets (which are a higher up attack part that delivers modular loads) and a shocking kit from a weapon modifier kit bumps th whole modification into Expensive for the whole deal.

>two-part shotgun/drill missile mod
Shotguns are available in this bracket...
"Special order. GILB normally only gives them to military outfits... but if you gain sponsorship from a high-end gun company, you could gain access. As for the rest, the costs of that... are Expensive. So all told, three standard parts."

>extra boosters to INCREASE mobility as we gain armaments

The problem is that Boosters work better the lighter you are. It's a matter of inertia, after all. In order to get enough sets to make a difference, you'd need a pack of six for the back alone. Judging from my winnings before... That might take a while.
"And then two for each limb... counting the two you have currently, you'd need 8 vectors for the limbs, and six for the torso. That's 14 vectors total." she says simply. "But with them, you'd almost be as fast as Centaur. Not nearly as nimble, but just as fast."
7 expensive sets. Jesus.
>>
No. 146957 ID: 1ac39d

don't worry about it, we are talking super-endgame here. which is interesting, we are a tactical AI but we are currently thinking on a strategic level.

anyway, would it be a good idea to tell ash that we are in your brains? especially the fact we are un-matrixed.
>>
No. 146965 ID: e31d52

>>146957
No worries. While you're technically turing-capable, she knows. I told her about the operation, after all. I mean, it's not like you physically gain anything from being there while we're having... fun.
I get out of the mech. I've trained enough for today.
"So..." Ashley says, dragging on the word while looking around. Anything else today? You're free to stay here for tonight. We'll move you in tommorrow..."
>>
No. 146968 ID: b69168

>>146939

We're not talking a literal shotgun here, but a similar concept. Load pellets or flechettes into our rockets and have them explode out, I think is the plan. And actually, we're talking about moving our feet boosters to the shield arm. Which would only cost us labor, which since you'll be doing some of the work yourself, will be cheap.

Now, how many expensive parts can we purchase right now? Also, see about ordering a little Depleted Uranium. That's probably mil-spec too, so that may have to wait for a sponsorship deal. But those will come with time, especially if Darry's article does us proper.

>>146957
Good idea, let her know where some of these ideas are coming from. Be even better if you could set us up to talk to her or even some other people, but that's entirely optional.
>>
No. 146992 ID: 632862

>>146965
I dunno if we have any business left for today. Well, with no business left, all that remains is pleasure. Riiiight? Wink-blink wink winky blink wink.
>>
No. 147005 ID: 701a19

DU is available to civvies, and used as ballast for boats.
Look into getting a bolas with electromagnetic weights.
Would it be possible for Ashley to get an implant which allows her to communicate with you via our implant? If it's possible then it would be much quicker than vocalizing an thus would be a significant improvement on the already significant benefits of having her as your copilot.
I'm not saying to suggest it now, obviously, but if she wants to copilot for you then it becomes a viable option once your relationship develops the level of intimacy required.

Also, if there's no such thing as cheating then why aren't you allowed to buy parts above your class?
>>
No. 147140 ID: d1210a

>>147005
Could be preferential vending preference, like the better funded circuits pay to keep parts out of the hands of lower levels, so fans HAVE to come to their levels to see it.
>>
No. 147181 ID: e31d52

>>147140
>so fans HAVE to come to their levels to see it.
That's one way to put it. They also restrict based on bracket to ensure only the best get the best.

>>146992
You might say that. But, I, ah... I'm not sure how to approach such a thing.
>>
No. 147347 ID: 701a19

>>147181
Walk up to her and hug her from behind, putting your forearms over her stomach, and whisper:
"You know, I really enjoyed being with you in the match. How would you like take a turn at the controls while I copilot for you?"
>>
No. 147350 ID: e31d52

>>147347
She smiles, her hands resting on mine.
"I... I like supporting you." she murmurs, turning in my hands. "I... I was so worried they might mess with Burn that... That I rode him there on accident. I didn't expect to ride with you."
Her eyes look up into mine. "But I liked... being so close to you." she stands on her toes and kisses my neck, smiling. "I like.. touching you." she whispers, her hands sliding over my shirt slowly.
>>
No. 147351 ID: 632862

>>147350
"I like touching you too. If you want, we can touch eachother some more... in private."
>>
No. 147352 ID: e31d52

>>147351
She giggles, a gleam entering her eyes.
"It's almost midnight, Andy." she says softly, leaning closer. "Who's gonna see even here in my garage?"
>>
No. 147361 ID: 632862

>>147352
Hahahaha wow, she's right I guess.

No need to go anywhere else. Losing your virginity in a garage? Who would've thought.

Grin, say "Okay then!" and kiss her. Begin to take off her clothes.
>>
No. 147362 ID: 701a19

>>147352
Slide your hands into her pants and caress her softly "Well, I was thinking that since Burn is what brought us together, we might want to... christen it."
>>
No. 147363 ID: e31d52

>>147361
I smile and kiss her lips, and she kisses me back happily, her arms over my shoulders, holding me tightly close as she pulls apart the knot on her robe and lets it fall open. Her hands slide under my shirt with a murmur of approval.
>>
No. 147374 ID: 632862

>>147363
Let the groping begin!
>>
No. 147384 ID: a6ca77

>>147363

Ok...just wondering but are we seriously going to roleplay this kind of stuff every time? I'm asking because I don't tend to like stuff like this in quests (really feels awkward).

I just want to know so that I can drop this quest if it is...
>>
No. 147387 ID: e31d52

>>147384
<<Only one vote is ever needed to abort in such a scenario. Taking this vote now, will update in the morning. Night!>>
>>
No. 147390 ID: 701a19

>>147387
[Do not abort. If somebody DOES vote for abort, then just skip to the end of it.]
>>
No. 147397 ID: a6ca77

>>147387

I'm not saying you should abort at all. I just want to know if this is the standard "tone" of the quest. If it is, more power to you guys, I just will withdraw quietly.
>>
No. 147398 ID: 1ac39d

yeah, we kinda just don't want to manually tell someone how to bang his girlfriend. it's... odd.
>>
No. 147402 ID: 632862

I was just gonna start suggesting general things to do like when it's appropriate to feel her up or remove clothes. Telling him specific things to do is... kinda weird.
>>
No. 147421 ID: 701a19

I don't have any real interest in watching the scene unfold, I just want them to do it in the cockpit because it's more entertaining that way.
>>
No. 147449 ID: b69168

I don't think we mind the narration to much, though more concise might be nice, but it's kinda odd for us to be telling him what to do. Since, y'know, we're a Tactical Decision AI.
>>
No. 147612 ID: e31d52

...
Oh. You're, er, back.
Something odd happened while you were gone. Ashley... well, two things. She said... there was something she needed to tell me. She also said... that we need to go to the old cottage by the lake.
She said... I wouldn't understand, otherwise. I'm... I'm not sure what to do.
>>
No. 147632 ID: 1ac39d

well haul ass to the lake! jeez.
>>
No. 147685 ID: b69168

>>147612

Get on your bike and pedal then. Move it. Obviously this is important. And possibly useful. Actually, it probably will be useful.
>>
No. 147706 ID: 701a19

>>147612
First, how did IT go? Was it as good as you expected?
>>
No. 147721 ID: b69168

>>147706
No time for that now. She's probably going to reveal some kind of experimental engine or something her dad built, or who knows what. Have you never heard one of these stories?
>>
No. 147724 ID: 701a19

Talk while moving.
>>
No. 147840 ID: e31d52

>>147706
We... didn't go much... okay, any further than you 'saw'.

She seems... worried. Distant, suddenly.
No... this seems too urgent to bike. I need to drive.

"Alright. Let's go."
"Y-y-you're certain."
"I am."
"I... I want you to promise two things. One... you can't tell anyone about what you're going to see... and... two: Please... don't leave me because of what you learn. Can you do that?"
>>
No. 147841 ID: 701a19

>>147840
Hug her.
"Ashley, I've wanted you as my copilot since we were kids. I trust you more than I trust myself, and there's nothing you can show me that could make me want to be with you any less."
>>
No. 147842 ID: 632862

>>147840
Yes, we can do that.

You know Ashley. What horrible secret could she possibly have that would make you want to leave her?
>>
No. 147844 ID: e31d52

>>147842
>>147841
That's right!
I hug her tightly.
"Ashley, I've wanted you as my copilot since we were kids. I trust you more than I trust myself, and there's nothing you can show me that could make me want to be with you any less."

She blushes deeply, then nods, climbing into the passenger seat as we get moving. As we drive, she seems to grow more and more nervous, until we finally arrive.

"T-the basement. I... I can't go in there anymore. N-not since father died." she says softly. "I shouldn't... need to be there to explain what you find."

I get out of the car and walk into the cottage, looking around. But... I don't see a basement anywhere. Just a bookshelf with a collection of encyclopedias and a single diary.
>>
No. 147845 ID: 632862

>>147844
Pull the diary out of the shelf.
>>
No. 147846 ID: 1ac39d

secret passage? this keeps getting better!
>>
No. 147847 ID: e31d52

>>147845
I do so.

It's just a list of words.

Ants, Soliel, Haebus Corpus, Linguistics, Entymology, and Yggdrasil.

Hrmmm.
>>
No. 147848 ID: 1ac39d

pull out each encyclopaedia that would have those words, no others.
>>
No. 147849 ID: 632862

>>147847
Well, grab the encyclopedias and check the entries for each of those words.
>>
No. 147852 ID: 1ac39d

ALSO, IN THAT ORDER!
so book a,s,h,l,e,y....




FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
>>
No. 147853 ID: e31d52

>>147849
As soon as I take out x-z, the ground begins to lower, and I quickly put them back as I'm taken down.

I guesstimate that I've gone down three floors. It's dark...

And then the lights turn on, one by one, illuminating 18 vats. I can't see what's inside them from where I stand. I have a bad feeling about this.
>>
No. 147854 ID: 1ac39d

i'm freaking out man!!! go look in one, be ready to jump back if something moves.
>>
No. 147855 ID: 632862

>>147853
Vats?

Oh, is Ashley a clone? That's not such a bad thing. I mean, she's no less of a person.

...is she the same Ashley you grew up with? I hope memories are transferred as well. Then, she basically would be the same person.
>>
No. 147856 ID: 1ac39d

>>147855
also if their are more of them you can have a 3-way without needing to get anyone else.
>>
No. 147857 ID: e31d52

>>147855
No...
No, that's not it.
Each vat is Ashley, only... the first is her as a baby, the second is a two year old...

And down the line I go, until I reach the final, emptey one, at 18. I walk over into the next area, and find a huge bank of smaller vats and cultures, each holding a different kind of muscle or skin tissue or eyes (that match Ashley's)...

These are all synthetic. They aren't cloned, they are made from high-grades plastics and similar materials. The bones are the only metal, except for the high-quality teeth... Even veins and the heart are perfectly... created.

All according to the journal her father left. He was sterile, and his wife, barren. Even in this day and age, cloning is imperfect. So where their daughter could not be born... he put is talent towards robotics to building a daughter he could raise and love.

And every year, he brought her out here. the only thing that has no vat is the brain.
Dear god. Ashley... Ashley's an android.
>>
No. 147858 ID: 1ac39d

i see. they would have one out for a year then upload it's memories into the next frame and have that one out for a year. RAD.
>>
No. 147859 ID: 632862

>>147857
That's even less of a problem. She's obviously incredibly well designed, with an AI so sophisticated that nobody suspects a thing. You know, a human brain is basically just a meat computer. The only difference between you and her is the materials she's made from.

She may as well be human.
>>
No. 147860 ID: 701a19

>>147857
Meh. Clones, aliens, robots, whatever. Her mind has been transplanted, so she's still the same person you've known all your life.
Who cares?

Now, onto more pressing matters:
First: Is she anatomically correct? If not, that kinda puts a damper on things.
Second: Is she entirely synthetic, or are parts of her body living tissue? Could she have kids?
Third: See if you can find some schematics. It would help to know if she can copilot Burn via an I/O port.

Oh, right, you should probably go back and kiss her. Then make some cheesy line about how 'it explains her being perfect since she was made that way'.
>>
No. 147861 ID: 1ac39d

>>147860
oh man, that is so cheesy, but SOOOO perfect! i am betting yes on number 1, but no on number two. they would need to have harvested someone else's eggs and somehow make sure they stay fresh. also 3 is a good idea.
>>
No. 147862 ID: e31d52

>>147860
She is anatomically correct. There's a note in here about her being free to love as she wishes.

She cannot produce offspring. He states it is his only regret, that she cannot be a mother.

Lastly... She is human in every way, except... Her brain is like, as far as I can tell, a bigger version of you. Her likes and dislikes, her pet peeves, everything, is made from a mesh of the brains of a trillion people. As she makes decisions, certain parts of the brain are filtered and die, until all that's left is... Ashley.

The elevator is moving.
>>
No. 147866 ID: 632862

>>147862
Moving down? Or up?

I assume there are controls on this side so that you can't get trapped.
>>
No. 147867 ID: 1ac39d

ah, a neural pruning program. reason kids seem so all over the place is because their brains are actually all over the place. once they get old enough neural pruning kicks in and a large chuck of brain just... dies. the kid is now able to focus because of less neural chatter.
>>
No. 147868 ID: e31d52

>>147866
It moved up soon after I got here. Now it's hit the bottom. I hear footsteps.
There's no schematics.
>>
No. 147869 ID: 1ac39d

peek out. if it's ash proceed with operation cheesy one-liner. if not then prepare for mortal combat.
>>
No. 147870 ID: 701a19

>>147862
Pfft, she can be a mother just fine.
You could adopt, use a surrogate, and/or tweak the bodies and start work on a new 18-year-old body.

Anyway, start looking over her schematics and Look for I/O ports.
When she walks in, tell her "You were worried about this.
I've always known you were perfect, but I never knew it was by design."
>>
No. 147872 ID: e31d52
File 126864877324.jpg - (57.25KB , 325x576 , Jack.jpg )
147872

>>147869
Ashley is being held tightly by the mouth by someone I've never seen before.

"Come on out, kiddo. You aren't in trouble and niether is the girl. GILB would just like to ask you and her a few questions. Please come along quietly."

I lean down, and I can feel a long pipe under the desk.

"This doesn't need to be violent. Just walk out slowly, with your hands up. No one needs to get hurt today."
>>
No. 147873 ID: 701a19

>>147872
"If you needed to talk, you could have just used the goddamn phone like a sane person.
'Sides that, I've got nothing to say as long as you're holding her."
>>
No. 147874 ID: 632862

>>147872
That man's name is Jack.

I'm going to assume they know everything.

Put the pipe in the back of your pants or shirt so you can access it if you need to. Follow his instructions until you can get Ashley away from him.
>>
No. 147875 ID: 1ac39d

shit... did the book have any password that unlocks ashley's hyper mode? if not then slip the pipe behind your back and tuck it into your pants then go out with your hands up. you will appear unarmed. when you get in range you need to act fast and reach behind you and smash him in the face.
>>
No. 147876 ID: e31d52

>>147872
>"If you needed to talk, you could have just used the goddamn phone like a sane person.
>'Sides that, I've got nothing to say as long as you're holding her."

"You're a smart kid, Anthony. I'm just doing things this way because I need to be in control of the situation. Neither of you are criminals... yet. So let's all just get along here. The girl isn't hurt. Just come on out."
>>
No. 147877 ID: 701a19

>>147876
"You've got control anyway since you're packing heat. I'm not moving or talking 'til you let her go. Period."
>>
No. 147878 ID: 632862

>>147876
Better do what he says.
>>
No. 147879 ID: 1ac39d

now do the pipe slip into your pants and walk out with hands up but ask him stuff 'so what are you bringing me in for'
>>
No. 147881 ID: e31d52

>>147878
He sighs in relief, and lets Ashley go.

"My name is Jack Peterson and I am an Investigator of Illegal Technology of the GILB." he says simply. "And I find myself in one hell of a shitty situation."
>>
No. 147883 ID: 632862

>>147881
"What's so shitty about it?"
>>
No. 147884 ID: 701a19

>>147881
Toss the pipe off to the side, give Ashley a hug, then turn to him and say as friendly as you can manage:
"So, what can I do for you? And what seems to be the problem?"
>>
No. 147885 ID: 632862

Hugging Ashley seems like a good idea regardless of what you say.
>>
No. 147886 ID: e31d52

>>147884
I toss away the pipe and hug Ashley, as she shivers in my arms.
"I'm awful sorry about that, young lady." he sighs, and takes off his hat.
"What's the problem?" I ask.
"Most... look, all technology needs to be researched with permission from the GILB. It's to prevent the creation of things like WMD and the like. My job is to find out where illegal technology is being researched and produced, and confiscate the research. If the stuff is sensitive enough... I have to make certain that there are no repeat incidents." he pulls out his gun, a large revolver, and empties the bullets onto the floor, returning it to his jacket pocket.
"What I'm supposed to do in this situation is report the young lady to the GILB. Then she will be taken to their R&D center, dismantled, and reverse-engineered. But..." he sighs.
"Do you see the situation I'm in here?"
>>
No. 147888 ID: 1ac39d

ask ash and him if it would be okay to just take one of the other bodies. she isn't using them.
>>
No. 147889 ID: 632862

>>147886
Yes. This is a bad, bad situation.

Ask him if the GILB actually know what's down here. Could they be persuaded that she was just an assistant in the research, and not the results of it?

We might have to destroy the lab, or at least relocate everything. Will Ashley need maintenance, or does she have self-healing ability?
>>
No. 147890 ID: e31d52

>>147888
"Nope. I have to call them in and they have to take the whole kit and kaboodle. Trust me, if there was an easy way around this, I'd take it."
Ashley looks at her feet quietly.
>>
No. 147891 ID: 1ac39d

also maybe explain how her brain is... was a large legion AI network that underwent a neural pruning procedure. so nothing illegal about that. saying this so if his superiors get pissy about body 17 missing a brain it can be explain that it was not illegal in and of itself.
>>
No. 147893 ID: 701a19

>>147886
"I'm pretty sure this is all existing technology being combined. Her mind is basically a larger version of the Legion implants with a tighter pruning threshold. That's not new technology.
The rest is mostly just the same synthetic tissue used in modern prosthetics. There's not a single new technology in use here, it's just applying existing technologies together.
Heck, don't you remember those AI dogs that were popular a few years back? Same thing, only simpler."
>>
No. 147895 ID: 1ac39d

or maybe hash out a brain-dead copy of ashley MK 18 so it looks like they are all there.
>>
No. 147896 ID: e31d52

>>147889
"They don't know yet. But I'm not the only investigator, and..."
"Yes... I require maintenance. At least once a year. Sometimes more."
Jack scratches his head.
"How long..."
"I can last three years without maintenence." she says softly. "However, my performance will decline rapidly if I remain unmaintaned for over a year and a half."

"Well, shit." Jack sighs. We can't relocate all this. It's anchored in the floor itself. It'd take days, and people would notice."
>>
No. 147897 ID: 1ac39d

is the maintanace bay an actual bay or is it a bunch of tools in a very high-tech tool kit?
>>
No. 147898 ID: 1ac39d

could we upload her head into something else until this blows over?
>>
No. 147900 ID: 701a19

>>147896
"Say, isn't research on human beings highly illegal?
She's a citizen, and has equal protection under the law. That makes it illegal to conduct research on her, doesn't it?

Besides, we just found out about this. Protocol dictates that we have a window in which to file a research authorization request to get this legitimized."
>>
No. 147904 ID: e31d52

>>147900
He blinks.
That makes a lotta sense." he says quietly. "But, ah... I should warn you. If you want to legitimize this, think about what it could do to humanity. You might want to find a way to keep it a secret. Just a thought."

He smiles, picking up the bullets.
"You have three weeks to file. The form will be in the mail." He thinks for a moment. "Listen, if things get hairy..." he takes out a card and writes something on it, handing it to Ashley. "You just give me a call, okay? I'll do everything I can to keep you safe."
>>
No. 147909 ID: 701a19

>>147904
Nod, and say "The only really new stuff here could be filed under 'prosthetics'. The AI parts though? I think that for the record that's just a modified Legion implant. Don't you agree?"
>>
No. 147910 ID: 1ac39d

can make it look not worth anyone's time by citing "takes years to mature" "high maintenance" "multi-stage development cycle requiring no less then 18 separate bodies in order to insure proper growth"

basically anything that only someone who was willing to do anything would actually do.
>>
No. 147911 ID: e31d52

>>147909
"No, I honestly don't." he replies. "But that's your call. I'm going home. I've head enough for one day." he says with a sigh, taking the elevator up.

Ashley sighs and looks up at me.
"I... You... do you..."
>>
No. 147912 ID: 632862

>>147904
...I guess if we really wanted to make it secret we could take the notes and anything else that's not anchored to the floor, and reconstruct the lab in another location.
>>
No. 147913 ID: 701a19

>>147911
Just kiss her.
"Wherever we go, we're going together. I've got a million questions, but for now all I want to know is 'can we can forge a comlink between you and my legion implant?', and can we pick up where we left off?"
>>
No. 147914 ID: 632862

>>147911
Um. You should reassure her that this won't change anything. I don't want to guess what you're feeling but it'd be nice if you were open minded enough to still think of her as human.

This makes everything so much more complicated...
>>
No. 147915 ID: e31d52

>>147913
She blinks and then laughs.
"Oh, god, you're so simple sometimes." she says, smiling. "No... I'm human, in every way but construction. I don't have any crazy wiring or anything.But I know what Legion is... and they remind me of myself. That's why I don't mind them being there all the time."
>>
No. 147916 ID: 701a19

>>147915
Tell her we said "Thanks! Are you sure there's no way you could hook up with us? You can't exactly go get an implant of your own installed, after all..."
>>
No. 147918 ID: 1ac39d

>>147916
it would be so meta i think the universe would fall apart.

well let's get to documenting stuff. fish one out of a tank and open it up. make sure you document it in the least cost effective light, so no one would want to buy any. cause we all know money makes the world go round.
>>
No. 147919 ID: 632862

>>147916
...maybe we should drop that issue. We don't want to get all creepy at her.

You could just tell her we find her very interesting. That about sums it up I think.

AND WOULD YOU HAVE SEX WITH HER ALREADY
>>
No. 147920 ID: 701a19

>>147918
Not tonight. The research will wait until after they get authorization.
For now, they have more pleasant tasks ahead of them.

Besides, you always start with nondestructive research first. It would be nice if the bodies were in good enough condition that they could be used to create a daughter.
>>
No. 147921 ID: 1ac39d

>>147919
YES! have sex with her..... for SCIENCE!!
>>
No. 147924 ID: 632862

>>147921
That's not a good reason.

The reason should be because they both like eachother a lot, and want to make eachother feel good. It's one of the closest forms of intimacy.
>>
No. 147926 ID: 1ac39d

>>147924
ascii stare...
>>
No. 147949 ID: b69168

>>147915

Huh, did not see any of that coming. I need to sleep less. Okay, so Ashely is a gynoid, who was totally built illegally, and if GILB finds out, they are going to do the whole 'alien autopsy' thing. Our new buddy Jack is going to send us a form, however, to submit this tech to the GILB, and make it okay. Alright, we can work with this.

We'll wait until we get the form before we go digging around further in the lab, so we know what we need to know. We also need to keep up with the Mech sport. Especially now, since we may have to fight a battle of impossible odds in the near future, if this goes wrong.

We should probably stop questioning after Ashley's connectivity, since she seems to just be, tech wise, a prosthetic body with a slightly higher spec AI than us implanted in it. I'm curious now as to why the couldn't beat the shit out of Antoine when he attacked earlier, but now's not the time to ask. Now, the natural thing to suggest at this point is to try and stick us in something like that, but that actually serves no purpose, so let's skip it. But at the very least, someone needs to figure out how to build her some additional bodies, so she can 'age' a little more, unless you wanna date an 18-year old forever.

Anyway, go upstairs. Finish your business, if you can, but don't force the issue. Go home. Sleep. Wait for form. Don't worry to much. You've got us to back you up. And we have a plan.
>>
No. 147951 ID: 701a19

>>147949
That's not quite right.
Ashley is a citizen, and thus human in the eyes of the law. Kidnapping and experimentation on humans is illegal, thus they can't do anything to her directly unless they can get her citizenship revoked.
Looking into creating new bodies is wise, but letting Ashley age isn't why. Aside from enabling her to be able to recover from almost any damage and the benefits of spare bodies, the primary reason is so that they can have a synthetic child one day. She can be a mother the same way he was a father.

At any rate, it's very much worth looking into a way for us to interface. Having a 'psychic' mind-link with her would be extraordinarily useful in the kinds of situations we keep finding ourselves in.
>>
No. 147966 ID: b69168

>>147951

I was generalizing about the new bodies thing, I'd typed a lot of stuff already. As for parenthood, that's a little bit of a long-term goal, even by our standards.

And I see the citizenship thing, which I take it is why Jack didn't just call the fuzz and bust this thing wide open, but if she's the first "artificial human", for lack of a better term, ever, who's to say the giant governmental organization isn't going to pull citizenship, which is why we need to keep this hush-hush until we get it sorted out.

And yeah, it'd be awesome if we could link to Ashley directly, and I/we were planning on it before we found this out. I'm just saying we should leave off asking if she has that sort of ability, since clearly she doesn't. We, on the other hand, have some limited networking capabilities, so we at least have to have a wireless transmitter or something somewhere. A little tinkering and get Ashley a receiver, and we're good. I do not recommend directly linking our AI systems. That would just end poorly.
>>
No. 147975 ID: 701a19

>>147966
Linking our AI systems is both impossible and stupid; I was suggesting communications only.

As it stands, there's no provision for revoking citizenship on the grounds of not being organic. Government basically runs on ontological inertia; since she [b]is[/i] a citizen, she'll stay that way until the effort is put in to make the changes required to allow them to change that. If they hurry, then you'll only have 5-10 years to find away to keep her legally protected - which could be accomplished by releasing that technology to the public, thus undercutting their justification for taking her and allowing her to be classed as property and protected that way.
Since they know that's an option that a desperate person might try, they're going to be reluctant to take action as long as things stay quiet and they get the information they want.

[Shot said that this entire part was to show how GILB is abusing their power, but frankly the only thing showing that is how they had an agent here minutes after we showed up, meaning that they've been spying on us since it's absurdly unlikely for them to ignore the cabin for three years and then show up now.]
>>
No. 147984 ID: e31d52

...

Good morning, Legion.
Last night was... interesting, to say the least. I'm in the cottage's bed, and Ashley is with me, asleep atop me.
>>
No. 147985 ID: 1ac39d

good on ya. did you see just how 'life-like' she is? hehehe.

anyway. what's the plan boss? check the mail and get started on an odd checklist.

Oh, check the paper for Darry's interview.
>>
No. 147988 ID: 632862

>>147984
Well, did you do it? Was your first time really awkward, like it sometimes tends to be? I wonder if it was hers as well...

How is she holding up anyway? I imagine she must be very worried about the future.

Hrm... gently kiss her to wake her up.

>>147985
>life-like
How insensitive!
>>
No. 147992 ID: b69168

>>147984

Hrm, guess we didn't get a chance to hook up to the network last night. Whatever, gently move/wake Ashley, get dressed, check for form. If not here, go back to the shop, check there, and also make sure nobody has done anything to screw with you Mech.

>>147975
We are assuming of course, that they at no point choose to just ignore the rules, something people with power tend to do on occasion. But, as you say, if we just give them all the stuff they need, they wont to go out of their way like that, and we wont need to do something crazy.
>>
No. 147993 ID: 7817d9
File 126868109074.jpg - (55.02KB , 854x354 , Holden.jpg )
147993

Because somebody had to do it after this little revelation.

Describe in single words only the good things that come into your mind about... your mother.
>>
No. 147999 ID: e31d52

>>147988
I, er...

I gently kiss her lips and she stretches against me, happily. "Good morning." she murmurs, kissing my neck and relaxing against me.

>>147985
We've decided not to hide the research.
It does bug me that we were followed here, however.
>>
No. 148027 ID: 1963d1

>>147993
DOES NOT COMPUTE
>>
No. 148030 ID: 632862

>>147999
Might want to check if there's a tracking device stuck to your car, or something. Don't just shove Ashley off the bed though! Relax for a few minutes, enjoying the closeness.
>>
No. 148031 ID: b69168

>>147999

Can't be helped, boss. We're GILB approved tech in of ourselves, and could very easily be trackable. Nevermind you're carrying an issued ID. Anyway, time to check the mail.
>>
No. 148043 ID: 701a19

So, now that you've had time to think things over, how do you really feel about her being synthetic? And the rest of the surprises?
You can't deny that we took a firm grip on the reigns last night, and you know we did so because we didn't want Ashley to suffer from your shock and confusion. Now that you've had time to think all this over, though, how do you feel about it all?
Think very carefully, since right now your options are basically limited to bailing or buying her an engagement ring. You're strongly entangled in this mess, and the next few minutes dictate the rest of your entire life.

I am not exaggerating; if you choose to stay with her then you can never leave, and leaving would be no less permanent.
I hope and suspect you will choose to stay, so if that's the case then tell her this:
"Legion tells me that right now I need to decide the course of my entire life, because the way things are going I'm rapidly becoming entangled in all this and about to lose my ability to walk away; they want me to make a conscious decision now instead of walking into it blindly.
Well, I've decided. I know how I want my life to go, and I'm proud to walk into it with my eyes open.
Ashley, will you marry me?"

>>147992
They will follow the rules because they make the rules. They can and will get called to task for breaking the law, so they need to have the laws changed before they act.
>>
No. 148053 ID: 632862

>>148043
I have a whole lot of opinions on this but I'm just going to sum it up by saying... that is moving too fast.
>>
No. 148055 ID: b69168

>>148043

No man, I agree with you. If we don't give them a good reason, they aren't, and possibly can't dick us over. However, you gotta hope for the best, and prepare for the worst, so we, at least, need to brace for the worst case scenario. And I mean the other worst case scenario, not the one where Ashley is secretly a terminator robot and is planning the downfall of humanity. Because at this stage this would be just silly.
>>
No. 148059 ID: 701a19

>>148055
That's actually built into my current plans.
If Ashley becomes our copilot then she's a decently high profile public figure. If they go after her, then we let it slip that she's been taken for research and let the rumor mill build up until the PR backlash forces their hand.
Naturally, it would be best to set-up video cameras so the rumor could have some video evidence as well.
>>
No. 148064 ID: e31d52

I sigh.

I'm not ready to think about marraige yet. I want to stay with her, sure, and the thought of it makes me happy... but I'm not prepared to do such a thing! Ashley is Ashley. She could be made of steel and gears, and I'd still love her. I... I'm not woried about the GILB. It's just troubling. I understand why they need to approve tech, and the limitations it poses towards advancement of technology...
She gets out of bed, throwing open the curtains with a smile.
And, er, little else.
I rise out of bed, slipping into a bathrobe. I have two days until my next match.
>>
No. 148071 ID: 1ac39d

okay, so you want to stay but the idea of saying 'will you marry me' is freaking you out. that's fine.
go tune up burns and get some more practice. if the mail has the form when it comes start filling it out. be ready for some really awkward questions on it.
>>
No. 148079 ID: d1210a

>>148064
Question:

You have a heavy duty mech, with a good bit of power to it:

Can you detach the armaments, and hire yourself out to aid in manual labor through your mech? Could make money, and get in more practice moving the suit about.
>>
No. 148106 ID: 701a19

>>148064
Alright, just as long as you realize this is a lifelong commitment.
Don't worry about the match, just head home and get some practice in. Both alone and with Ashley co-piloting.
After that? Well, you're already in the cockpit together~
>>
No. 148127 ID: b69168

>>148059

Hrm, that's better than I was thinking. I was going to just call everyone we knew, tell 'em what was up, and storm the fortress. Your plan is better.

>>148064
Well, time to get back at it. First, do a quick set of manly push-ups, since you didn't last night. Then, head back into town. Check the mail, look into the job thing, etc.

Anyway, Ashley's kinda technical minded (Pun not intended), ask her if she can think of a way for us to talk with her. Or communicate directly with anyone other than you. It would make the few times we need to speak easier than parroting through you.
>>
No. 148129 ID: 701a19

>>148127
No, we really only WANT to be able to talk to Ashley, if for no other reason than because she's the only one who knows we exist.
>>
No. 148155 ID: b69168

>>148129

Yeah, but if we can figure out a general way to talk to people, or possibly communicate with a network of remote-control nodes in cheap stock mechs, it'd be kinda handy.
>>
No. 148161 ID: e31d52

I walk downstairs to begin cooking.

The nature of you guys is that you're a small computer circuit installed in between the hemispheres of my brain. You have limited contact to the GILBN, But that's all.

Ashley walks downstairs, dressed now. She's clearly much happier than before.

These are my current plans: I will practice once a day for three hours a day. The rest of the day will be spent with Ashley, working with her on Burn or other parts.

However, that leaves a large chunk of the day...

[Suggestions: Investigate GILB | Look into sister's matches | Watch matches]
>>
No. 148165 ID: d1210a

>>148161
I would say the extra time should be spent on learning more about the GILB.

Realistically, your sister is your long term goal, so there is no rush on that front, and since you don't get to find out who you are fighting in advance, you can't research anyone's fights.
Alternatively, look into finding some way to get in practice matches, be it real or virtual. Just fighting in matches is not the way to get better fast.

Oh, if you can, train against Ashley in some sort of mech simulator. Could potentially work as a testbed for weapon concepts to see how they would work in our ensemble before purchasing them, and it would let us bond, yada yada...
>>
No. 148213 ID: 1ac39d

giant-robo-paintball. would massively help with accuracy and dodge and all you need is a wash afterwards.
>>
No. 148327 ID: 632862

>>148161
Definitely investigate GILB. We need to know if they're going to ignore our attempts at using law to keep Ashley out of their hands.
>>
No. 148382 ID: e31d52

>>148165
>>148327
I think investigating the GILB will be fairly high-priority. The fact that I was tracked here doesn't bode well, but it is odd that they never bothered with this place until I came here... even though Ashley's father's death was three years ago. What else could happen, and why my sister is like she is, both bear looking into.

>>148213
>>148165
It also concerns me that if Ashley is going to be my co-pilot, she needs to be as skilled as I am. She seems to be able to at least run the mechs properly to move them around and position them for repairs, but how could she do in a battle is the real concern. Not to mention getting her her own 'pit.

After breakfast, we shower together, dress, and go home. Father had, in my abscence, payed for my things to be moved into the spare room at Ashley's place.

Ah, there's an issue of that magazine Darry said he works for.
>>
No. 148394 ID: 1ac39d

see how darry writes his stuff to get an idea on how that interview will turn out.
>>
No. 148512 ID: 701a19

>>148382
Believe it or not, she can do a lot of good even without matching your skill.
She can act as a gunner and fire weapons while your attention is elsewhere, she's a mechy so she's far better at jury rigging systems than you could ever hope to be, and she's an extra set of eyes. She could have zero skill as a mech pilot and still be very useful in the pit.

Also, I was thinking you would want to go with a custom two-seater pit. There are countless reasons for it, first and foremost being that a second pit more than doubles the chance of a pitshot.
>>
No. 148518 ID: b69168

>>148512

I was actually thinking, since we're pretty good at it, we'd be Fire Control, and Ashley could be primary pilot. Y'know, basic movement and spotter while we aim. Naturally, we need to have her practice anyway, but I felt it would lie more with our skills that way.

>>148394
Given that we talked with Darry at lunchtime yesterday, our short interview could very well be in it.
>>
No. 148521 ID: 1ac39d

then you would need to train that way, get in sync so you can predict the other's action and react accordingly.
>>
No. 148523 ID: e31d52
File 126879100367.jpg - (24.79KB , 400x496 , Smokah.jpg )
148523

>>148512
I puck up the issue and raise an eyebrow at the cover. It's an image of a mech I don't recognize. The big article is 'SIMPLY SMASHING: THE ADVENT OF MELEE'. There's a few other, smaller notes about other articles, including '8-Ball's Rookie Review' and 'Heavy Armor: Worth the Cost?'

Hurm...
>>
No. 148563 ID: d1210a

>>148523
Read the article about melee fighting.

We are going for a rather heavy emphasis on melee (grapnels and spike, later thermite drill), so reading up in the general area should be helpful.
>>
No. 148592 ID: 701a19

>>148563
Read the rookie review, too.
There's a decent chance it will be you, but if not it'll cover somebody you'll eventually end up fighting.
Either way, it's useful.
>>
No. 148598 ID: e31d52

>>148563
"Much can be said in the defense of normal ballistic weaponry. But what I prefer, and what I think the crowd prefers, is huge weaponry with dramatic effects!"
So says the pilot of Durandal, perhaps the most iconic of melee mechs. There's a lot of ways to attack your opponent head on, but very few are actually effective, according to mechanical specialist Edward Winfrey.
"You see, the problem boils down to size and inertia. You can't swing nearly as fast as you could with something of the size even an MCU could weild, and as the ladder is climbed, the problem only grows. The reason Durandal is so effective is that he uses heat and weight instead of cutting edge to damage the opponent. You can't do that with a unmodded sword any other way."
Simply put, a large weapon doesn't swing as fast because it's, well, larger. If you want to do damage, you need extra methods. Enthusiasts refer to these as Mods. Smokah, an enthusiast of a close assault, uses a shaped-charge mod that triggers on impact.
"Most of the time, the hammer only lasts three or four blows, but generally, that's all I need."
Smokah is also known as, in some circles, 'The Shadow of Death' for is already-impressive kill ratio: In seven wins so far, he's killed five pilots. That alone should convey the importance of Mods.
"I'm also looking into using thermite charges that are planted by the impact and detonated remotely, eating away at armor and systems." he goes on. "It's simply a matter of knowing how to direct several tons worth of impact more effectively."
Smokah's hammer also uses a jet system to speed the attack, and has a design to allow for armor penetration before the explosion.
Blades do not see much use, but that doesn't stop manufacturers from experimenting.
"We're very interested in looking into vibration and chainsaw-like designs." says Vance, head of R&D of Samson & Sons Outfitters. "Recently, there's been a lot of call for good melee options, and as always, we're happy to provide."
Vance's opinion is one shared by many Cogs, who know the ramifications behind the movement all too well.
"It may very well be a new wave in the methodology of Gearhead stylings." says one of the few remaining Eagleland Cogs, who wishes to remain nameless. "I'm excited to see the changes it will bring to the game."


>>148592
The rookie review is a bi-monthly write in by none other than 8-ball himself, who looks into prosperous new players to see who has the greatest potential.

Hello all! I'm certain you know as well as I that these past few months have been a little slow, but I'm nothing if not optimistic. Sadly, rather than the regular three, we only have two: Sam and Anthony.

I nearly spray my drink all over the page.
>>
No. 148606 ID: 701a19

>>148598
You know, I told you there was a decent chance it would be covering you.
Why are you so surprised?
>>
No. 148608 ID: 1ac39d

>>148598
oh god. are the glib watching us?! i mean, are they recording our wicked ideas cause the fact that thermite shows up in the thing as a new idea when we though of it not to long ago makes me worried.
>>
No. 148620 ID: 701a19

>>148608
That's pretty solid confirmation that they've been doing intensive spying on us, but we don't know if they're watching you, Ashley, or both.

Now we must find a way to create a secure radio link with Ashley so that we no longer need to vocalize.
We have no other option; they've been tracking you for who knows how long, and they've been spying on our discussions and supplying that information to your opponents. They know your plans and are completely willing to use that information against you; if they wanted to, they could very easily arrange for you to 'accidentally' die in combat.

Tell Ashley this, because we will certainly need her help to create a working system.
Now, the first thing we need is an add-on to the legion implant that taps into our com stream and lets us feed that elsewhere. After that you'll need a pair of encrypted radio transceivers - we can help you find a secure set.
The hard part will be Ashley, since her brain isn't standard. Worse yet she's the most knowledgeable person on the planet when it comes to her own mind, and we'll likely need to do some work there in order to get a com system up.
Didn't you say something before about having a friend install your Legion implant? You might be able to get them to do it in exchange for the information they would need in order to be able to do it, on the condition that they claim credit for the research.
>>
No. 148626 ID: 1ac39d

brilliant! he 'discoveries' the brain, ash creates the organs, and we make the limbs. who would track that if you put all three together, made by different people no less, you would get a perfect android.... in 18 years. make sure he puts the brain maturation period so no one wants to even touch it due to how impractical it is for anything.
>>
No. 148654 ID: 701a19

>>148626
Um, no. The point is that we don't want all of these technologies to be released like that. The brain is an improved version of the Legion implant, which means that there are far more practical uses for it than androids.

Handing it over to a known researcher is a good way of 'washing' the discovery so it doesn't get traced back to us, and having the technology available means it's more likely that we'll be able to be able to get help if something goes wrong with Ashley's brain.
Remember, her mind can be move into a new body if this one suffers a traumatic failure, and the fact that she needs maintenance means that the technology isn't as resilient as a human being.
>>
No. 148664 ID: e31d52

>>148620
I'm uncertain they would go that far. Thermite is actually heavily used in the upper tiers, rookie level doesn't see it nearly as much, is all.

Reading on...

Sam is a prosperous new player out of New York, a young lady whose bravery and skill are second to few. Every match she enters seems like it's skewed her way, and her style of using remote charges is entertaining and incredible to witness. Keep an eye on Sam: She plans on it!

Anthony is interesting to me for a variety of reasons, but most of all is his entrance to the sport. Coming in with the first copilot in history, he methodically takes apart Hannah effeciently, finishing her with a peice of the Centaur itself, before catching her to save her from what would have been a deadly fall. Chivalry is not dead after all! I'll definitely have my eye on him, as will his sister, I believe.
Oh, a special note to Anthony himself: You have the greatest treasure in the world! Don't let anyone take it.

>>
No. 148678 ID: 701a19

>>148664
That's possible, but Ashley's home is bugged so my point remains; we need secure communications.
>>
No. 148691 ID: 1ac39d

OH GOD WAIT! did we ever open that case he gave us?!
good chance he is talking about ashley though.
>>
No. 148699 ID: 701a19

>>148691
You're right!

Go get Ashley and do that now. It may be very important.
>>
No. 148700 ID: e31d52

>>148699
>>148691
Oh, that? I have it right here. It's a data media disk, meant to be run on a media player.

A note falls out.

You might find this handy. Remember, it's not cheating if you don't get caught!
>>
No. 148701 ID: 1ac39d

okay, un-plug the computer from the internet, then put it in.
>>
No. 148702 ID: 701a19

>>148700
Yea, get Ashley over here and start looking over the data disc right now.
>>
No. 148707 ID: e31d52

>>148702
>>148701
She blinks at the data.
"A bunch of specifications for a mech." she states. "It's info for Smokah. And there's media files in here too... eleven of them. Footage of every match. Incredible, you couldn't ask for a more complete folio of a single opponent."

Trait Earned!
Well informed (Any enemy you have a Complete Dossier on is treated as Weak for the purpose of your rolls (-2 to armor, dodges, and accuracy) )
>>
No. 148711 ID: 701a19

>>148707
That's useful, but he'll probably suspect Ashley betrayed him.
If the new parts on there, then I want you to ignore them unless Ashley is co-piloting for you.

Anyway: Sweep Ashley's house and garage for bugs and communication taps, then get in contact with your legion-installing friend about a business proposition.
After that, look into the difficulty of constructing a two-seater cockpit.
>>
No. 148713 ID: 1ac39d

>>148711
huh? how would the data disk data lead to a conclusion of ashley betrayed him?
>>
No. 148753 ID: 5634a5

>>148713
because we know all his shit, he saw us here, probably knows that we're with ashley, and it'd take a fool to not reach that conclusion with all of that knowledge
>>
No. 148769 ID: 701a19

>>148753
Also, Ashley does his mechanic work.
>>
No. 148775 ID: b69168

>>148707

That is handy. We'll need it, especially if Alan is such a lethal fighter. Review and memorize the information, then wipe the disc. As long as we merely use this to strategize, and not make a specific Smokah killing weapon, it should play out alright. And if not, well, that's why we bought the FIST OF GOD.

Also, what all do we know about 8-ball again? Since seems very likely that Darry is 8-ball, given what was said in the article.

As for what to do now, do that bug sweep thing, then we need to look into simulation training. We shouldn't make an improvement to the cockpit until Ashley's ready to operate. We also should decide how to divide up operations.
>>
No. 148786 ID: 701a19

>>148775
Look into the pilots he killed and see how many of them had killed in the ring. If he's restricted his killing to killers, then he should live.
If not, then don't worry about killing him in the match. If the match ends and you can prevent his death then you should do so, but until it's over his life is not a concern. This may not sit well with you, but needless killing is reprehensible and demands justice.
>>
No. 148832 ID: 7817d9

...Bloody hell, I close out for some downtime and come back to this development.

Feel free to call me on it if I've missed something that may discount my theory here, but it seems way too much of a coincidence for this to be popping up in the magazine when we've been working on almost the exact same weapon. Now the only ones who would know about this are Ashley and you, Tony. Which makes me wonder, since we (Legion) can interface the GILB network while we're not actively being used by you for other things...could there be a chance that we're carrying a hidden data collection rider that uploads anything the GILB might flag as interesting on the sly? Could WE be a bug and not know it?
>>
No. 148837 ID: b69168

>>148832

Been worrying about that myself. There is, however, very little we can do about that, apart from having us wholly unpluged, since we're in his brain. Unless there is perchance some sort of underground movement that might modify us to remove that issue.

The Thermite thing sounds a little like parralel development. Smokah was already using shaped charges in a hammer, with jets to boost the hammer speed. Now he has plans for a thermite bomb with a remote detonator. Our plan is a thermite injection melee weapon, and missiles. Tony said thermite is used more at higher levels of play.
>>
No. 148935 ID: 5634a5

>>148837
>>148832
we should defianately look into loosing our network hook-up if at all possible in light of recent events/the high likelyhood that we have become an inadvertent leak in what is obviously a cut-throat sport; and Ashley and the off chance that our ideas are being siphoned.

sweep for bugs in the house, unplug your computer from the net and look at the data 8-ball gave us.
>>
No. 149040 ID: e31d52

>>148775
>what all do we know about 8-ball again? Since seems very likely that Darry is 8-ball, given what was said in the article.

I know he is a Professional Military. I also know he refuses to use a new engine or computer, instead using an MCU in a Gearhead-dominated conflict area.
That alone should speak of his skill.

>>148786
That's the thing: Stepping into the ring essentially signs away your life. Put it this way... Whether he does the deaths intentionally or on accident, it is not my place to be his judge. But I will be certain to not hold back if I do fight him.

>>148935
I'll ask the Doc tommorow... in fact, why don't we make a day of that visit and kill two birds with one stone? He might also know of any ways to keep my information safe, and he's one of my most trusted friends.

We do a careful sweep of the house and garage, not to mention the delivery truck, and find one recording bug. Ashley smiles, setting it in another room while blaring some love song from the 1900-2000 time period into the room.

"They either are idiots, or aren't trying very hard." she states quietly.
>>
No. 149042 ID: 1ac39d

or that's just the obvious one. the others could very well be in the walls. only known way to guarantee a total wipe of any is an EMP.
>>
No. 149046 ID: e31d52

>>149042
"Nonono! That's a Very Bad idea! All of the hardware I use would be compromised as well!"

I think for a moment. "Then what should we do? We could take some of the equipment out..."

"Too obvious."

hurm.
>>
No. 149050 ID: 701a19

>>149040
Where was it?

What you found is likely a plant to encourage you to stop looking, but what really matters is that you've confirmed you're being spied on.
If you search for IR emitters near her place you might find a few more bugs that are listening in by bouncing an invisible laser off a window, but those tend to be tight-spectrum so they get lost in the background noise.

>>149042
Induced current is proportional to the length of a conductor running against the field. The best an EMP could do would be to temporarily disable a bug, not destroy it.

Besides, the point is made. Secure communications are high priority.
>>
No. 149054 ID: e31d52

>>149050
It was on the inside of one of the walls, and we found it by sheer luck. We've searched pretty thoughoughly, but here's the main point bugging me: Why us? These things were clearly put in while the both of us were away, and the only time I can think of is a) during the match, and b) while we were at the cabin.

But why?
>>
No. 149069 ID: 1ac39d

you got in a giant robot. a billion dollars says all the other pilots are bugged as well.
>>
No. 149073 ID: 701a19

>>149054
Ashley is a mechanic who works for players.
You are a player.
Since Ashley's father was a mechanic as well, I would expect that her house has been bugged for decades. Unless her dad was skilled at finding and removing them.

I would be incredibly surprised if espionage wasn't standard procedure, and I'm reasonably certain that GILB uses that to tip the odds of winning in favor of one person or another.
At least, that would explain why Smokah's intimate details just happened to fall into your lap before you even knew who you were going to be fighting...
>>
No. 149074 ID: e31d52

>>149073
Darry said is was 'compensation'. He's a journalist, I'm not all that surprised that he's good at what he does. Besides, half of it is publicly veiwable, it was just collected.
Hurm...

My father has a garage...
>>
No. 149077 ID: 1ac39d

... what if your folks knew, and that's why they decided to move? they knew you would have bugs swarming you.

oh, and another thing you can try is to just unplug everything , bypass the circuit breaker, and send an energy pulse up the line. the bugs need a power source, unless they have a nuclear battery or something.
>>
No. 149082 ID: 701a19

>>149074
What about the other half? Since when are specifications public knowledge?

I wouldn't worry too much about your father. He's not in the ring, and he doesn't do your work. They have no reason to do anything to him, and nothing they learn there will do much against you.
>>
No. 149083 ID: 701a19

>>149077
Bugs are usually battery powered. Even a small lithium ion cell would keep your average bug running for years, and some of the more interesting designs actually generate their own power from things like piezoelectric plates or low-grade heat differences.
Unless it's hidden on or in a power cable, socket, or junction it won't be on the grid.
>>
No. 149089 ID: e31d52

>>149083
>>149077
You know what?

You know what?

Fuck them. The bugs, I mean. I don't really care. I'm still going to win. They can know how my mech works, and how the Fire Seed works, but I'm not going to let them win. If a way to handle the bugs comes up, I'll use it, but fuck them.

I'm not going to let some fuckers scare me. Or intimidate me. I'll let them know exactly how I feel during every match.
>>
No. 149093 ID: 701a19

>>149089
You're damn right you will!
Still, we're going to find a way to set up secure communication between you and Ashley.

First with Antoine, then with jack, next with who knows? Being able to talk with her any time, any where would have made those situations a helva lot easier.
>>
No. 149097 ID: e31d52

>>149093
I'll be certain to ask the good doctor about it tommorow.

There's a knock at the door.
>>
No. 149102 ID: 701a19

>>149097
Hand Ashley the taser and go answer the door.

The fact that you're living together isn't going to stay secret for long, and it's probably best to keep her out of harms way.
>>
No. 149104 ID: e31d52

>>149102
She nods.

I open the door to Antoine.
"Wait, before you slam that door in my face, I think I owe both you and Ashley an apology." he says, holding up his hands. "Please."
>>
No. 149107 ID: 701a19

>>149104
Stare at him nonplussed for about ten seconds, then say "Alright."
>>
No. 149112 ID: e31d52

>>149107
"Alright."

He blinks.
"I... really?" I wasn't expecting you..."
"Look, if I can't forgive you, then there's no way I'd be able to forgive my sister, and where would I be then, hm?"
"I... ah... yes." he steps inside, and I close the door behind him. "I... I'm very sorry for what I put you and Ashley through." he says quietly, sitting down, his knees apart, looking at the floor. "It was a terrible thing to do to you. In retrospect... I should have known myself, you shouldn't have had to spell it ut for me." he sighs heavily.
"Anyway... I've been thinking of changing my style lately. I won't be needing my spikes anymore. So..." he scratches the back of his head. "So I thought you should have them."
>>
No. 149120 ID: 701a19

>>149112
"That's generous of you, but there's something else you can do that would mean a lot more to us.
This bloodsport has too much blood and not enough sport, and we'd like to change that. If you can do anything to help discourage pilot kills, it would mean a lot to us."

He's at the top of this tier, so if he takes a stance on something there's a good chance people ranked under him will stand up and take notice. If you can successfully discourage pilot kills then you'll be at less risk in this tier. It's also possible that the lower risk could promote better sportsmanship or more conservative tactics, both of which are helpful to your long range goals.
Besides, if people come to see you as more of a sportsman then you'll get a groundswell of supporters and establish yourself as the opposite of your sister. That will encourage the people in charge to gradually push you towards a fight with your sister.
>>
No. 149121 ID: e31d52

>>149120
He thinks for a moment.
"Well..." he rubs his chin. "Funny thing. Me and Hannah... we met after I left. We, ah..." he looks away and chuckles. "Consoled one another. So yeah. I guess I could do that for you. Sure you don't want the spikes? I won't be using them any time soon."
>>
No. 149126 ID: 1ac39d

if he still wants to give them then take them. no reason to look a gift horse in the mouth.

but once he leaves give them a once over.
>>
No. 149134 ID: 701a19

>>149121
"I'll take 'em if you don't want 'em, I just didn't want you to hand them over as an apology.
Oh, and could you tell Hannah that we really are glad she's ok? She worried the hell out of us at the end there."
>>
No. 149176 ID: 5634a5

>>149121
may as well, he seem to want to give us something to make up for it so that'll help him perk up. Besides they could be used for prototype magma drills if nothing else.
>>149089
find a bug, pick it up and look directly into it. say "fuck you" then put it right back where it was. Let them know you know their bugging you, that you arent happy about it, but your not going to do anything about it (yet).
>>
No. 149195 ID: b69168

>>149176

Whoa, whoa. I know we're all angry at the oppressive system right now, but remember, we don't want to aggravate them without cause. That'll only make things unnecessarily harder for us.

>>149121
Oh, hey, Antoine's not a total dick after all. +1 allies. Possibly +2, since he an Hannah are now together. Anyway, take the spikes, check them out later, and wrap up your talk with Antoine.

>>149082
Well, that depends. They might not be "public" in a sense, but I'm going to guess it isn't against the rules to sneak a peek at somebody's mech a learn about it. Oh, yeah, and a GILB guy came over to check out our machine right after we built it. So they totally have a file on it's original schematics. And since Burn was in the shop last night and we weren't, its entirely possibly our now upgraded specs are on file too.
>>
No. 149208 ID: 701a19

>>149195
Anything the media knows is public knowledge. That's almost, but not quite, the definition of the term.
The GILB is officially neutral, so they should be keeping that kind of information quiet.

Yea, I don't know what's up with the hostility. So far nothing bad that's happened to us supports the claim that something has been orchestrating events against us. Hannah and Antoine certainly appear to have been acting on their own, we haven't suffered any sabotage (Although Hannah might have. Ask Ashley about that), Jack was unusually reasonable for somebody whose modus operandi involves taking hostages and making demands at gunpoint, and 'somebody' saw to it that Smokah's details happened to fall into our hands.
If anything, the signs point to us having the support of an outside factor. Obviously we shouldn't trust it, but getting angry at it is counterproductive.

If possible, you may want to set-up a contingency plan where the research is disseminated to corporations, colleges, and scientists all over the world in the event of one of you two dying. If that is possible, then keeping you alive immediately becomes a high priority, since they would have some control over that information until that point.
The only problems are that it needs to be something they can't stop, and that it would be a direct action against them.
>>
No. 149242 ID: 5634a5

>>149176
the insulting a bug thing may be a bit to far... but if there turn out to be alot of them (we should at least know just HOW badly they want us bugged and how thourough they are) and you feel like messing with them, gather all of them up in a bedroom (under the bed or something) and have LOUD sex in that room, then put them back shortly thereafter. make it a habit, let them be to embarrassed to pay too close attention to you (it also may smoke out whoever is doing it by their reaction to seeing you and or Ashley). No need to be hostile but it is defiantly a good idea to know who and how good the people listening in/watching us are
>>
No. 149424 ID: e31d52

"Yeah, sure Antoine. I'll take them off your hands."
"Thanks. I'd hate to let them go to waste, you know?" he smiles, standing up.
He and Ashley share a look, but he looks away with a sigh. "Thanks for putting up with me all this time, Ashley. You're... very patient." and with that, he leaves.

>>149176
>>149242

Ugh, no. I'm not doing anything like that.
>>
No. 149486 ID: d1210a

>>149424
.....Okay.

Well, what are the specifics of the parts we are getting from him?

This is critical information to what we do with it.
>>
No. 149488 ID: e31d52

>>149486
"Standard spike set with some modification. A booster set on the back end of each spike, and the housing uses free movement and locks rather than hydraulics." she thinks for a moment. "Four new Boosters, as well as a set of spikes. Someone up there loves you."
>>
No. 149492 ID: e75a2f

Too good to be true.

Check them thoroughly. Incredibly thoroughly.
>>
No. 149493 ID: 701a19

>>149488
So, what's the plan for today?
>>
No. 149494 ID: e31d52

"There's nothing. The interior is solid, the boosters don't have any devices on them... or in them." she smiles. "There's not a shadow around every corner, Anthony."
>>
No. 149498 ID: d1210a

>>149492
Yeah, pretty much this.

While this is a clear potential boon, be thorough about checking this, it truly does seem too good to be true, though that could simply be due to our past experiences with Antoine.
>>
No. 149499 ID: 1ac39d

okay. but we have had enough 'surprises' to last forever, didn't want another one.
>>
No. 149501 ID: 632862

>>149494
Then... I suppose we can trust him.
>>
No. 149917 ID: e31d52

>>149501
"I guess then everything is in order."
"What do you know, the world isn't out to get you." she says happily. "Just the ones that matter. I'll install the first as planned, slung to the left side of your grip arm. The other will wait until you give the word."
>>
No. 149951 ID: 701a19

>>149917
Ask Ashley how good her self-repair abilities are. Do cuts and bruises heal on their own? What does 'routine maintenance' entail?
Also, ask Ashly if she wants to do anything today.

Other than that, you should tell your dad you're moving, then go spend some time together in town.

...and I still think you should ask Ashley about designing a two-seater cockpit.
>>
No. 150020 ID: 6164e0

>>149917
Hey, any chance of being able to shorten one of the spikes, for mounting underarm with our firing arm? I know normal spikes are pretty large, but this would just be so any effort to melee with our gun arm will still have more to it than just a punch.

If that can't be done.....

Look into how the grapnel launchers and missile launchers work, and see if there is some way to rig a a spike to be a giant grapnel. Something to look into.


For NOW, though, get ALL those new boosters. since this is four extra, that means we have six total, counting the two we started with.

1 on each leg as normal (2 total)
1 on back of spike
3 on back of mech, each facing outward in a radial setup, so that triggering individual ones/only two can lead to diagonal movement. Will mean we can do OHGODBUMRUSH while still being able to dodge pretty quick.

The MOMENT you have these installed, start testing them, because that is a HELL of a lot more force than you had before, when activating boosters.
>>
No. 150156 ID: 6164e0

>>150020
Oh, and to add to the to-do list:

Modular docks for boosters made out of Tungsten-Carbide or some other hi-durability metal, that only open up to reveal the boosters when in active use. Would mean that to get off a shot against the boosters without having to worry about the armor will be while they are in use, which is when we will likely be somewhat hard to hit.

And it means suckerpunches of any sort will have a greatly reduced chance of taking out any given booster, since they are stored in relatively safe armor modules.
>>
No. 150200 ID: e31d52

>>150020
>and see if there is some way to rig a a spike to be a giant grapnel.

"We could rig a grapnel set on one of your arms. That way, you get the power of that arm as well as the reeling motor, and not only that, you could put it on the same arm as your sheild, and use it and the spike very effectively." she thinks for a moment.
"Literally, though, your idea simply doesn't work. The spike doesn't launch out, as there are locks that keep the end from coming out. And unless I hollowed out the whole thing, it wouldn't go very far anyway..."
>>
No. 150216 ID: 6164e0

>>150200
Okay, mechanically unfeasible, that's fine.

what about this though?
>>150156
Armored ports for rockets/jets/fans already exist, and we have the boosters to work with.

So lets get to installing them and get some practice in with OHGODFAST suit.
>>
No. 150222 ID: 701a19

>>150200
"Well, if that can't be done then how about a two-seater cockpit?"
>>
No. 150591 ID: e31d52

>>150222
"Well... I'm certain it can be done. But all the rewiring and changes surrounding it are going to be expensive... I'll install the boosters right away."
>>
No. 150606 ID: 1ac39d

well it all depends on how it's arranged. are you side-by-side, facing each-other, facing away from each-other, one in the others lap, or one seat above the other?
>>
No. 150610 ID: 6164e0

>>150591
So, unless you are incapable, you should help Ashley install the boosters, since it will give you a better feel for their position, and the angle of thrust you will get from only triggering certain boosters. Hopefully, will translate to less chance of messing up during your test run.
>>
No. 150615 ID: e31d52

>>150610
We install the new ones on the back, in a sort of half-circle assembley.
"Looks good. You managed to install one entirely yourself! As for the style of the 'pit, I was thinking back-to-back..."
>>
No. 150627 ID: 701a19

>>150606
I was thinking one behind the other. Screens are cheap and can feed from cockpit-mounted cameras. Going beyond that, camera mounts would allow for a 360 degree view, and weapon-mounted cameras would allow for an easier time as a gunner.
>>
No. 150628 ID: 701a19

>>150615
"So, does that mean you'd like to be my copilot?"
>>
No. 150632 ID: 632862

Hmm. Back to back would be good. That way you can have two viewscreens. Double the camera coverage, when needed.
>>
No. 150640 ID: e31d52

>>150628
"Of course!" she says. "I'm already liscenced anyway, may as well put it to good use..."
>>150627
"That's true. I'll look into buying additional cams."
>>
No. 150642 ID: 5634a5

back to back is defiantly the way to go, more eyes in more places and more angles covered
>>
No. 150652 ID: 701a19

>>150640
I suppose we can't afford that at the moment. Does Ashley want to join us for the upcoming match, in spite of not having a proper cockpit?
>>
No. 150847 ID: 6164e0

>>150640
Okay, well, as an intermediary thing, can we set up a stop-gap control scheme for her inside the normal cockpit? Basically, a jury-rigged setup to give her complete control over any systems switched to her control, of the following systems:

Missile armament
Grapnel Armament
Rifle Armament

The point is that, in the case you have a hard to hit enemy, you can switch at least some weapon systems to her control, and let her devote her whole attention to aiming and such, while we focus on mobility.

I know it isn't ideal, but with some rewiring, she could just sit on your lap with an extra monitor or two near her, and since this is a macguyver plan, we don't need to wait on anything, we can just kit it together now.

Alternatively/afterwords, try out boosters, and see how quickly you can reach high speeds for charging. If you can do it fast enough, perhaps a modified buckler on your shooting arm shoulder would allow you to do some vicious heavy tackles and bumrushes. Would provide more options for what to do while closing distance.
>>
No. 150856 ID: b69168

>>150847

See, I'm going to keep advocating that he should be Fire Control, not Ashely. Obviously, we're already pretty good at it, and Ashley is already trained at basic movement operations for mech and stuff. It'll be easier to have her get good at moving the machine while we aim.

But hey, if you don't like that plan, I's only one voice.
>>
No. 150865 ID: 6164e0

>>150856
Either way works, I'm just trying to figure out a way to get a cheap facsimile of a dual cockpit set up before we have gotten a well-designed one fabricated.

So long as the tasks can be split between mobility and aiming as needed, I don't really care who does what.
>>
No. 150877 ID: e31d52

>>150847
She thinks for a moment.
"That.... could work. The only issue I can forsee is that the 'pits are designed for one person. There's no harness for two."

I get inside and start it up, noting how the new additions feel.
((Note: When using the Spike, you use melee rather than the standard roll for using extensions.))
>>
No. 150880 ID: 6164e0

rolled 17, 15 = 32

>>150877
Okay, first, try using just the leg boosters, to see how the suits weight placement has changed since the last time you used the booster (that was pre-spike and grapnel, right?). Deactivate them a couple seconds in, since the boosters have a short running time, learning how to use them for brief periods of activity would mean you could be more flexible with them.

Then, after trying just the leg boosters, try the leg boosters and alternate between using the rightmost and leftmost back boosters, to see how that changes the angle you move in. For this, keep the feet active for speed, but turn on/off the back boosters as you get a feel for how they push you about.

Remember, you are not yet activating all five movement related thrusters on your legs/back just yet.
>>
No. 150881 ID: e31d52

>>150880
((First check: 17: Decent success))
The boosters on my feet work the same as usual, allowing me to manuever with the same speed as a somewhat lighter MCU. Seems I haven't put on enough weight to change that.

((Second check: 15: Decent success))
Oh, my. That's much better, even though the manual controls give me something of a millipede's dillema.
>>
No. 150887 ID: 6164e0

rolled 7, 1, 8 = 16

>>150881
Okay, about how much did you get the vector of your velocity to shift with each use of a singular back booster? Or, if that is hard to quantify, how much did it move you side to side? Your feedback is necessary for Legion to function properly.

Okay, so, we've tried three boosters at once, alternativing to get agility of a sort with the speed.

Now lets try activating all three back boosters in addition to the leg boosters.

Start with just the legs, and once you stabilize, add in the central back booster, and again stabilize. Finally, activate the remaining two back boosters, let's see how fast you can go. The first test here is to see how much speed we are working with.

After that test, see about activating the speed feet, and then all three back boosters, to see how fast the secondary acceleration kicks in.

Finally, try going from using no boosters to all five body boosters, but ONLY if activating three did not cause any issues from rapid acceleration.

In between each test, check with Ashley to get a more in-depth feel for how the suit handled each form of using the boosters.

Since you are going for a booster heavy suit, you better start getting a REAL good handle on how they work, both mechanically and in practice.
>>
No. 150889 ID: 632862

rolled 3, 9 = 12

>>150887
EEK.

Supporting that roll.
>>
No. 150890 ID: 632862

rolled 3 = 3

Ooops, one more d20.
>>
No. 150891 ID: e31d52

>>150890
>>150889
>>150887
(failures all around!)
At first everything starts okay, but then I accidentally misfire one of the boosters, and overcompensate with the ohters and soon I'm spinning wildly in the air only to crash heavily onto a pile of rusted hands.

{Really, Tony? Really.}
>>
No. 150896 ID: 632862

rolled 18, 8, 18 = 44

Oh just try again. You can't learn if you don't fail sometimes.
>>
No. 150897 ID: 6164e0

>>150896
And thus does diligent practice show it's worth.

WITH HARD WORK AND GUTS, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE
>>
No. 150906 ID: e31d52

>>150896
I blast out of the pile, sending hands and arms flying, spinning in the air to stabilize and float for a full second before falling to earth and standing up.

"I daresay I'm getting the hang of this."

(Movement/Acrobatics improved to +3)
>>
No. 150908 ID: 6164e0

rolled 19 = 19

>>150906
Okay, cool, you were able to recover.

Now how about this: Try activating feet boosters in opposed directions for a quick rotation of your mech after you land. Could speed up direction change.
>>
No. 150981 ID: e31d52

>>150908
It's difficult, but I manage it. I can't expect that to work all the time...
However, I feel more adept with boosters now.

(Trait: Comet Charge Earned
(When using Movement to close with an enemy, you gain an additional +3 to complete the movement. You also gain a +1 to any attacks made at the end of this movement.)
>>
No. 150982 ID: 7817d9

So...who else besides me just started thinking SHORYUKEN?
>>
No. 150985 ID: 6164e0

rolled 9 = 9

>>150982
That would seem to indicate it is time to see how well Sire can handle the booster on his arm.

HOW WELL DOES HE SHORYUKEN?
>>
No. 150986 ID: 6164e0

>>150985
...Well, if the melee roll bonus applies to this, it is a success, but I don't know if they apply in practice, or only in live combat.....

It is a melee maneuver, but I could see it judged either way.
>>
No. 150992 ID: 701a19

rolled 15, 20 = 35

>>150891
[John Freeman would be proud.]

Find something to bash with a boosted shield comet charge.
Oh, and before you power down Burn I want you to clean up the mess you made. Re-stacking hands seems like it would make for a pretty good exercise in control, after all.
>>
No. 150993 ID: e31d52

>>150986
I ask Ashly to lower a complete mech some ways away, and target the main body.

"It's time for the MAXIMUM BURN!" I roar, in practice of both my technique and showmanship. Setting all my boosters to full, I rocket forth like a blazing comet, locking on while I move, onto the main body, which is lightly armored.
As I close, I pull back my gun-arm, (holding nothing) and slam it into what would be the mech's solar plexus. At this point, the spike activates, slamming into, and THROUGH, the mech even as it begins to ascend.

For a moment, I hold it above me, impaled on a dozen feet of steel, a dozen more shining out of its back, before retracting the spike and throwing it to earth.

Incredible.
>>
No. 150996 ID: 701a19

>>150993
Nice job.

Except for the catch phrase.
That was terrible.
>>
No. 150998 ID: 1ac39d

>>150996
>that was just awesome
fixed.

now think about what would happen if your spikes were on FIRE when you did that.
>>
No. 151003 ID: 701a19

Fire would be nice showmanship, but completely useless.
This is gladiator combat, not a monster truck show.
We are fighters in a bloodsport, not TRUCKZILLA.
>>
No. 151005 ID: 6164e0

>>151003
Depends on the temperature of said flames.

After all, we already are in love with thermite for what it can do.
>>
No. 151006 ID: e31d52

>>150998
I imagine it would be EVEN BETTER.
"How was that, Ashley?"
{Impressive... I've not seen people that wreckless in ages. Mayhaps you should try a little more defensively?}
"Alright, lower me another."

"FEEL THE BURN!" I roar, charging with my other hand this time, the sheilded one. Again, I rocket forth, and again I close flawlessly.
(DRAMATIC SUCCESS!)
I slam the sheild in hard, knocking the mech back and away...
"TASTE THE ASHES..."
and then trust with my arm with the spike, the metal rod slamming into and impaling the enemy. Then I retract the spike, bringing the sheild up and punching the head with all the force I can muster as it slides towards me, knocking it off it's shoulders.
"...OF DEFEAT!" I scream finally, catching the busted head, crushing it in my hand, and dropping it besides the limp mech's body.

Trait Earned: RODEO OF FISTS
(you do not incur penalties for multiple hand to hand attacks.)
>>
No. 151010 ID: 701a19

>>151006
Nice job.
I think that's enough destruction, so start cleaning up your mess to improve your control.
>>
No. 151115 ID: 5634a5

>>151006
cool, also the two-part catch phrase is better than the first one you dropped. and yea, its time to clean up around here...
>>
No. 151116 ID: 701a19

>>151115
Well, it was less bad, at least...
>>
No. 151141 ID: b69168

>>151116

Yeah, but unless we have him start watching archived TV, he's probably not going to get any better.
>>
No. 151183 ID: e31d52

>>151115
>>151010
>>151141
I don't hear any bright ideas from you regarding this sort of thing, thank you very much!

I carefully replace the hands and arms where they were before, and place the ruined remains of the junked MC in the pile of other headless ones.
Is that enough for today?
>>
No. 151222 ID: 5634a5

>>151183
Thats enough practice but you still gotta study buddy. watch some of those vids of Smokah. Make a list of the other mechs in your bracket and make a point of watching their footage... make sure the bugs pick up on the list (so they dont figure out that you got tipped off); and check the schematics somwhere that you KNOW there arent any bugs.
>>
No. 151274 ID: 701a19

>>151222
They only found ONE bug.

Do you have anything you need to get done today? Because if not you should spend the rest of it rigging up some cheap copilot gear. Namely, a harness to keep the two of you safe and a set of controls for her.
>>
No. 151317 ID: e31d52

>>151274
Hurrrm.

Oh, I know.

"Ashley, could you work on jury-rigging a copilot seat while I do some research?"
"Sure."

I get out and begin to watch the videos, one by one. Most of them are less than a minute long. For reference, my fight with Hannah took three minutes altogether, and most last five. But I can see why. He doesn't change his style and doesn't need to.

The fight begins with some initial trading of fire as per usual. After some point, the pilot of Smokah rests the hammer's head on the ground and his shoulders open up.
The first match he lost half a shoulder from standing still during this, but it's clearly imperative that he do so, since it's a clear constant.
The shoulders spray a dark, gray fog that shimmers with some sort of metallic particles within. Every mech caught in it is forced to open 'pit fight. None die from the smoke. It seems to be somewhat harmless to humans as the particles quickly sift to the ground.
However, it immediatly becomes hard to see where anything is. Buldings, low obstacles, even Smokah. This is usually the longast point of any fight, with the opponent wandering the dark fog, shooting at phantom sounds or sights.

Then suddenly, without any warning, the hammer slams into their back and explodes, blowing the enemy in half.

It's not a victory or a win.

It's an execution, cold, simple, and hard.
>>
No. 151320 ID: 701a19

>>151317
Oh, that's not too hard.
Ask Ashley about an echolocation system since I'm pretty sure that's how he's navigating.
As far as beating him goes, put your back against a wall once he goes into that pose and brace your shield in front of you. Then run silent and don't move.
If he's doing passive sound triangulation then he can't spot a silent target.
If it's active then he might have trouble distinguishing you from the wall.
Either way, he won't be able to get a clear shot on you no matter how he tracks you.

Hopefully, though, you'll be able to end the fight before it gets that far. Or you'll be able to kill him when he poses - yes, kill, he is an example of everything wrong with this sport.
>>
No. 151322 ID: e31d52

>>151320
It's only most of the time he hits from the front.
The open cockpit was slammed once as well. There wasn't any cheering then.

You're right. This man needs to die.

I... I... I've seen this guy. I remember now, before Ashley told me of herself. I know his face. If I can find him... Then there's no need to wait for the match.
>>
No. 151324 ID: 701a19

>>151322
Find his name, look him up in the phone book, hide in the back seat of his car, and slit his throat.

Wait, it is legal to kill him before the match, right?
>>
No. 151328 ID: e31d52

>>151324
It's not so much legal as it is... easy to get away with.

The Gear Treaty and the side projects are expensive. very expensive. The other parts of the national infrastructure aren't quite as strong as they once were. Part of the reason why the self-defense emporium had such a variety of stock is that people need it these days.

Still... should I make judgements of my own like this?
>>
No. 151329 ID: 701a19

>>151328
Wait, dammit, no. We can't murder him because it wouldn't be good sportsmanship. We have to kill him in the ring.
Chaff screwing with your cameras means they're wireless, so if you have Ashley replace all wireless links with wired ones it won't do anything but cause low visibility. Stick clear teflon-covered boxes on the cameras to keep them from getting covered by debris.
After that, cover the mech in cheap mics and snag some audio-position software to turn everything you hear into a volumetric map, then render it to cockpit and overhead perspectives as a brightness overlay.

Also? No, you need Ashley here to make any calls like that, but we're brainstorming, not doing. You're going to run everything by Ashley anyway, after all.
>>
No. 151335 ID: e31d52

>>151329
Right. I'll be certain to ask Ashley about judgement calls like this.
Still, you're right. He needs to die.

((Alignment shift: JUSTICE +1. LAWLESSNESS +1.))

I walk up to the platform.
"Seems he uses chaff." I say, "Forcing the opponent to open 'pit."
"Then we'll switch to wired. It'll make it a little more likely that we'll lose connection, but it's worth it. Some protective measures on the lens and body of the camera as well... And the smoke can be mostly negated with a sound-based mapping/targeting system. However..."
she thinks for a moment.
"He stood still, right? Emitting the smoke?"
"Yes."
"I'll be adding some heavy fan systems to the chest area. Free of charge." she says softly. "I've had it with this asshole. He's killed too many of my customers... and my friends." she says, tightening a screw a little too hard.
>>
No. 151336 ID: 701a19

>>151335
Oh, I'm not saying he has to die, we just want him to stop killing. We want to try to talk him out of taking killshots, and you aren't going to go for a killshot unless he goes for one first.
We can't claim to be good sports if we sink to his level, after all. We are the cleansing fires of justice, so we need to play clean until he plays dirty.
Anyway, have it be wired with a failover to wireless. You're going to want to look into an active jamming system once you've got a proper cockpit.
Also, hug her and tell her:
"He needs to be stopped, but we need to do it right. I know you want to cockpit him, and so do I, but we need to play a clean match to build our reputation... Or at least we need to play clean until he plays dirty; then it's self defense."
>>
No. 151341 ID: e31d52

>>151336
She nods in understanding.
"I know. It's just... seven funerals in one month, Anthony. I had to buy a new outfit because the other two I keep for that sort of thing were in the wash." she sighs. "I don't want you to die, Tony."
>>
No. 151343 ID: 701a19

>>151341
Give her a quick kiss.
"I was worried before, but now that I know how his tricks work? We're going to mop the floor with his face, and the only question is what you'll be controlling when his gear's reduced to so much scrap."
>>
No. 151346 ID: e31d52

>>151343
She smiles, hugging me tighter.
"I love you so much." she says happily, then relieases me and hums to herself as she gets to work.
>>
No. 151349 ID: 701a19

>>151346
Alright, there's plenty of work to do so you better help her get everything ready.
It looks like you're going to be spending the rest of the day preparing for this fight.
>>
No. 151408 ID: 6164e0

>>151346
Just a quick check, how long ago did you actually start making a move on Ashley?

Anyway.... why interests me are the glints of metal in the smoke. Clearly, it has to be some form of metal that is non-conducive to conventional sensor's function while spread in the air, but the specific metal used is important.

Ask Ashley if she has any best guesses as to what specific metal is being used for chaff, in terms of density, how reflective the material is, how pliable, what it's melting point is, everything.
>>
No. 151410 ID: 701a19

>>151408
I'll give you 10:1 odds it's aluminium chaff. It's light enough to stay airborne for awhile, it's not highly toxic, and it scatters radio signals in the bands they would be using.
>>
No. 151411 ID: 7817d9

You might want to look into getting an infrared filter for your cameras, too. Assuming what he's belching out isn't laden with too many 'hot' particles, he'd probably stand out like a beacon on a thermal scan even in the middle of a smoke screen.
>>
No. 151413 ID: 6164e0

>>151410
As I recall, Aluminum has a low melting point, lower than the temperatures reached by thermite....


If we could set up a launcher full of thermite, and wait until SMOKAH stands still for his thing, we could simply spray him while igniting the thermite spray, and all the aluminum would melt damn near instantly, and stick to him while either outright stopping or at the least crippling his trick.

Alternatively, when he sets up the smoke, you could spray the thermite on his hands or the shaft of the hammer he uses, so that even if he gets the smoke, no super hammer.
>>
No. 151414 ID: 632862

>>151413
Or we could TAKE the hammer. Then use it against him. Heheheheheh.
>>
No. 151416 ID: 5634a5

>>151413
thermite spray works, I like thermite spray. Set it up either as an attachment for our rifle, our in a crotch-mounted nozzle
>>
No. 151426 ID: 7817d9

>>151413
As it happens, aluminum is a COMPONENT of some types of thermite. And as for the spray idea, I can improve on that. With a little work, it may be possible to build a single-shot launcher into the palms/wrist/lower forearm areas of the mech, load grenades with VT-fuzed thermite payloads linked to the mech's rangefinder, and badabing, incindiary airburst munitions! Also, HADOKEN.
...Or just give the rifle an underslung grenade launcher to achieve the same effective result with less internal modification. Probably more efficient that way, but the hand-launcher has so much more STYLE behind it. And in the words of Brilliant Dynamites Neon, "If it ain't flashy and in high style, what's the point?!"

Another suggestion, modifying the rocket launcher and its payload a bit. Swap the normal rockets out for non-explosive ones, rig them all to fire simultanously, and web them together with high-tension cable. Netgun, anybody?
>>
No. 151494 ID: b69168

>>151411

Infrared mode for the optics is good plan. Even if the aluminum is reflective enough to show up, it should still be distinct particles, not enough to render our view useless. With wired thermal sights, we'll be able to see him clear enough to probably make a good counter attack. And if they don't work, Ashley's setting us up with those fans.

>>151341
But if she didn't like him that much, why was she still doing business with him? He was in here like, yesterday, right?

>>151426

I like plan HADOKEN. We must prepare to implement it. We need to work out a way to make all our upgrades as modular as possible, so it's not to much maintainence work to swap out all the complicated weapons systems we design. I also think the netgun is a good idea, but we shouldn't go ahead and stick it in right away. The normal explosives did a fair bit of damage against Hannah IIRC. A net will be a tactical move for some opponents. Might be good for that counter I was talking about earlier, though.
>>
No. 151603 ID: e31d52

>Just a quick check, how long ago did you actually start making a move on Ashley?

To be absolutely clear, it was three years ago on valentine's day, but... I see your point, but remember that our relationship extends further back than merely becoming 'official'.

>Aluminum and thermite shenanigans

I don't have the money to do any of this before my next fight! Burn's tuned about as far as I can stretch my dollar. Even if she did the labour for free, materials cost money. Especially at this scale...

Infrared imaging is a good all around idea, along with separate sound recognition and mapping.

My current plan: Wired cameras, sound mapping, and the spike uppercut in tandem. It seems solid to me.

If there's nothing else, the rest of the day will be spent tuning Burn.
>>
No. 151614 ID: 7817d9

>>151603
Well, nobody said you had to do everything right NOW. Just more plans for the future, dig?

Additional idea to think on. Some sort of high-output lighting rig that could be used to basically flare out an opponent's cameras while it's trained on them. Hell, just a basic arclight and a parabolic reflector could do the job nicely.
>>
No. 151659 ID: 1ac39d

another tactic you can use is to shred some of the old mechs around here and just put on some 'hillbilly-armor'
>>
No. 151665 ID: 701a19

>>151614
After the battle with Smokah is over a decent jamming device would work just as well.
>>
No. 151700 ID: 7817d9

>>151665
Maybe, but the lighting rig could be just bolted on anywhere with minimal automation to keep the beam trained, and works on wired, unwired, AND open-hatched enemies. A little fragile and won't do anything for a non-visual tracking system, granted, but it's also really cheap and easy to replace.
>>
No. 151737 ID: 701a19

>>151603
Just work on Burn.
...
AND seduce Ashley occasionally along the way.
>>
No. 151920 ID: e31d52

...

We've tuned Burn up as high as we can. Ashley has gone to sleep.

I've recieved an email from no one. Odd...
>>
No. 151923 ID: 1ac39d

huh, that is odd. turn all your anti-virus software on even if they overlap and open it.
>>
No. 151928 ID: e31d52

rEAL POTENTIAL RESTS IN THE HANDS OF
aN AMATUER. REAL SKILL GROWS FROM THE
vERY BUSOM OF EXPERIANCE.
eVEN AS YOU FIGHT AND EVEN AS YOU WIN,
nEVER LET DOWN YOUR GAURD.

KnOW THAT WE ARE WATCHING YOU,
eVER VIGILENT AND STRONG, BUT EVEN WE CAN DO ONLY
sO MUCH AGAINST SUCH A POWER THAT YOU FACE.
tIME FOR YOU TO EARN YOUR WINGS, ANTHONY.

iN TIME, YOU WILL SEE OUR FACES, BUT FOR NOW,
sUSPECT WHATEVER YOU LIKE.

wE CARE NOT WHAT YOU THINK OF US.
aLWAYS HAVE YOUR GAURD UP.
tIMES ARE DANGEROUS, AFTER ALL. THOSE IN POWER LIKE TO
cULL THE WEAK, AND THOSE WHO MAY DESTROY
ThEM. THINK OF THIS AS A WARNING AND AN INVITATION:
AN iNVITATION TO A GREATER POWER. TIME WILL TELL WHETHER YOU ARE WORTHY.
In TIME, WE WILL KNOW
HOW YOU gROW.
>>
No. 151932 ID: 7817d9

Hrm... "raven nest is watching"...

...Well, that's just ominous, ain't it? Ever hear of this Raven Nest thing, Tony-boy?
>>
No. 151933 ID: 1ac39d

r.a.v.e.n. n.e.s.t i.s. w.a.t.c.h.i.n.g.

interesting, seems another group is interested in you. but for now leave them alone we have enough on our plate to keep us full for weeks.
>>
No. 151934 ID: 632862

>>151928
'raven nest is watching'?

For some reason I get a good feeling from this.
>>
No. 151985 ID: b69168

Okay, so either La Resistance, or the Government Conspiracy has just contacted us. Good to know. We were already watching our ass, not we know that someone else may or may not be doing the same. Obviously, we just keep on doing, and they'll contact us again, when they think we're worthy.

At next possible opportunity, find a public access computer, not your own, and google "Raven Nest". If we ever meet them, we can complement them on their bitchin' name.
>>
No. 152119 ID: e31d52

I don't know anything about them. Most references I get on Google don't make much sense, considering. Things like movies and videogames. I'll just head to bed...
>>
No. 152171 ID: 701a19

>>152119
ASHLEY'S bed.
>>
No. 152175 ID: e31d52

>>152171
Mrmhm.

She wakes up, smiles and holds me tightly, and I hold her in my arms as I fall asleep.
>>
No. 152179 ID: b69168

>>152119

FFFFF. You did this from home? Dammit man, you've been bugged, do you not think they are going to check what you are doing on the internet? If anybody actually knows what Raven Nest is, you've probably thrown up some flags, just like googling "Child Porn" or "Bomb Making" would.

As for the name itself, my guess is that it's something clever on their part, or a reference to something. We ever talk to them, we'll ask.
>>
No. 152189 ID: 701a19

>>152179
IIRC, Ravens decorate their nests with shiny objects. I think mechs would count.
>>
No. 153187 ID: e31d52

:::ACCESS TO THE GILBN GRANTED.

:::YOU HAVE ONE (1) NEW MESSAGE FROM

:::HATDOC@gmail.com
>>
No. 153213 ID: 632862

>>153187
...D...Delarosa?

OPEN MESSAGE.
>>
No. 153216 ID: e31d52

>>153213
"It seems the implant worked as expected. Please tell your host to come by tommorow afternoon. it's somewhat important."


The match is the day after tommorow.
>>
No. 153351 ID: 701a19

>>153216
Well, that's very convenient! However, I get the feeling responding over GILBN would be a bad idea.

Lets just wait for them to wake up.
>>
No. 153380 ID: 632862

Wait, let's not squander this chance to use the GILBN to gather information.

What are our options again?
>>
No. 153384 ID: e31d52

>>153380
:::Opened RESEARCH MENU

:: Match Video
:: MCU profiles
:: PART prifiles
:: History Record
:: Part Company Profile
:: League Profiles
>>
No. 153408 ID: 632862

>>153384
Erm... Describe options in more detail.
>>
No. 153422 ID: e31d52

>>153408

:: Match Video
>Allows you to veiw recent matches.
:: MCU profiles
>Allows you to view a summary of other MCUs.
:: PART profiles
>Allows you to veiw an in-depth summary of a specific part.
:: History Record
>Allows you to review the History Archives, such as the Founding of the GILB, and other important facts.
:: Part Company Profile
>Allows you to veiw a summary of an advanced parts manufacturer.
:: League Profiles
>Allows you to veiw a statistical summary of the Leagues.
>>
No. 153425 ID: 632862

>>153422
Could we get an in-depth summary of the lock-on jammer?

View History Record and League Profiles.
>>
No. 153449 ID: e31d52

>>153425
>Could we get an in-depth summary of the lock-on jammer?
A Generic part, produced by the GILB GOC. Its primary funtion is to ruin the lock on ability of most weapons computers via overload, by 'copying' the viable targets to a point where the lockon computer cannot handle it any further, resulting in a shutdown and reboot. Listed as an Optional Shoulder Part.


>View History Record and League Profiles.
>History
>Please select Era: Pre-contract XXXX-2987, Post-Contract 2987-2990, Recent Events 2990-Present Day

>League Profiles
>Please Select:
>:Eagleland
>:Western Block
>:Eastern Block
>:Isle League
>>
No. 153454 ID: 632862

>>153449
Recent events.

Also, ALL STATISTICS. GOOOO DATA DUMP
>>
No. 154149 ID: 632862

...fine, check the Eagleland statistics first.
>>
No. 154455 ID: e31d52

>>154149
>Recent events uploaded
After the signing of the Treaty of Gears, the world was wracked by small terror groups that preyed upon the lack of military readiness. multiple groups brought together by para-military GILB organizations sought out and hunted these groups down, with varying success. Known surviving groups include the Blood Hawks in the Isle League and the Raven Nest in Eagleland.

>Eagleland statistics:
>Current Gearheads: 3
>Known advanced weaponry corporations: Jacksons and Sons, Barren, Pangolin Armors, Wild West Shells, and Barnaby Cockpits.
>Win/loss %: 58/42
>Signature: Eagleland Gearheads are known for their preference for shell weapons over energy or alternative. They are also known for slightly greater durability. They are harder to jury-rig than others.
>>
No. 154456 ID: 701a19

Nothing here is of much value.
[Sleep]
>>
No. 154459 ID: 632862

>>154455
Let's look at the Earliest History. Pre-contract XXXX-2987.

Also, Western Block statistics.
>>
No. 154765 ID: 7817d9

>>154455
>Raven Nest in Eagleland
Hello...
>>
No. 155995 ID: 637d5e

Lets get a history (brief) on Ravens Nest then
>>
No. 156070 ID: 632862

Negative! Our internet searches can be monitored.
>>
No. 159283 ID: e31d52

>>154459
>Early Histories
#$@%!@$
"Wake up, Anthony. I'm making breakfast!" Ashley calls.
>>
No. 159285 ID: 701a19

>>159283
Alright, lets go see the Doctor right after breakfast.
We have important things to discuss, after all.
>>
No. 159312 ID: e31d52

I eat quickly.
"Ashley, would you like to come to see Delarosa with me?"
She blushes, then nods. "Yeah, sure." she says, then quickly turns back to doing the dishes.
>>
No. 159315 ID: 701a19

>>159312
Tell Ashley our plans.
First is for him to handle the cybernetics research and claim credit for them.
Second is for Ashley to get a communications node installed at some point so that the two of you can have secure chats even in the most dire conditions.
Third is for the good doctor to learn enough so that he can make sure Ashley's mind isn't going to have a problem ten years down the line.
Fifth is for him to develop the technology so that you and Ashley can have a kid of your own together.
>>
No. 159317 ID: e31d52

>>159315
>First is for him to handle the cybernetics research and claim credit for them.
"Yeah, I know. You told me, remember?"

>Second is for Ashley to get a communications node installed at some point so that the two of you can have secure chats even in the most dire conditions.
"That might be fun~ Especially if I can transfer pictures and sounds."

>Third is for the good doctor to learn enough so that he can make sure Ashley's mind isn't going to have a problem ten years down the line.
>Fifth is for him to develop the technology so that you and Ashley can have a kid of your own together.
"Ah, about that..." she says, turning to face the dishes. "Delarosa examined me through my growth. He made certain nothing got out about me. He's very... ah... special, to me. And he spoke often.... of that last thing."
>>
No. 159321 ID: 701a19

>>159317
I think she's worried about bugs, so she doesn't want to say anything specific.
---
Just going over the list.

>"That might be fun~ Especially if I can transfer pictures and sounds."
Eventually I'd like to be able to expand the link so it can handle emotions... and sensations~

>"And he spoke often.... of that last thing."
Well, that's the easier way to do things.
After all, medical science has quite aways to go before she'll be able to be pregnant.

I think I forgot one, though...
>>
No. 159349 ID: 3de05a

We should find out a little more about Raven Nest if possible, but we shouldn't speak of it here. Or at all, really, until we get some bug detection equipment.
>>
No. 159354 ID: 1ac39d

oh, and check the mail for the forms.
>>
No. 159357 ID: e31d52

The forms are in the mailbox. Ah, perfect. We'll get some help from Delarosa in filling them out.

Is that all?

Ashley comes down the stairs, dressed in a nice sundress that seems well-tailored to her body.
And some faint lipstick.

What.
>>
No. 159359 ID: 1ac39d

>>159357
well don't stand there like a lump, tell her she looks nice and let's go.
>>
No. 159365 ID: 701a19

>>159357
Tell her she looks great, give her a quick peck on the cheek, and head out for the Doctor's place.
>>
No. 159370 ID: e31d52
File 127037021699.jpg - (29.20KB , 373x534 , DrDelarosa.jpg )
159370

>>159359
>>159365
R-right. She smiles and leads me by the hand, taking me to the office. The aide seems to recognize Ashley right away, and leads us into the office.

"Hellumhp." he manages, as Ashley hugs him tightly.
"Doctor~! It's been such a long time!"
He smiles, patting her head.
"Hello again, Anthony."
>>
No. 159391 ID: 701a19

>>159370
Say hi, and ask him why he wanted to see you.
Also, tell him that you and Ashley want him to help you with "Her father's research", and to look into getting her an implant so you can communicate.
>>
No. 159396 ID: 3de05a

>>159370
I think Ashley has a bit of a crush on Dr. Delarosa.

...our creator. I wonder if we would be right to call him Father?
>>
No. 159397 ID: 1ac39d

>>159396
i think would be more like an uncle or big brother figure.
>>
No. 159702 ID: e31d52

>>159391
"Well... Such an implant would certainly be possible. But anyone with a Legion would be able to access it, with... results." He combs back his hair, instructing Ashley to sit down.
"I needed to see you to tell you something in private. We'll get to that soon enough. It's not urgent, just... neccessary. As to my colleague's research..."
he sighs.
"Do you know about Clone Degradation?" he asks.
>>
No. 159703 ID: 1ac39d

well sure, that is due to the Telomer caps on the DNA strands are already worn on the original. it causes the clone to be unstabe.
>>
No. 159719 ID: e31d52

>>159703
"Exactly. A similar issue presents itself when eggs are synthesized. It's why Ashley is synthetic instead of cloned: her father wanted her to be able to live a life free of that sort of worry. However, dude to the same problem, she cannot be given a womb. A womb is possibly the most complex part of the human body, and is very difficult to replicate... at least at the size we'd need to. Do you understand?"
>>
No. 159723 ID: 344ef9

>>159719
Why replicate it? Come up with your own design.
>>
No. 159725 ID: 1ac39d

>>159719
yes... but we were thinking more along the lines of resetting the creation system and just build a kid of our own.
>>
No. 159726 ID: e31d52

>>159725
"Doable... But no. That facility must be destroyed. The only things you may recover are those needed to sustain Ashley. Can you imagine what the government would do with such a thing? The ability to make... people, thinking, mature people, whenever, however they like, raised however they like, indoctrinated however they like?"
>>
No. 159729 ID: 701a19

>>159719
If we can use an implant for communication, then we can use shared-key encryption and authentication to prevent snooping and keep unauthorized people out. It falls somewhere between "Dead simple" and "Trivial".

The womb is far from the most complex structure, it's just an engineering nightmare to reproduce.
>>
No. 159732 ID: 344ef9

>>159726
...I hadn't thought about it that way. But how do we move it? We don't have much time and we don't exactly have a giant truck to put everything in.
>>
No. 159735 ID: e31d52

>>159732
"We do not move. We destroy. We take what we need and panic button the rest. I'm sorry Ashley."
"It... It needs to be done."
The doctor sighs.
"You must have met a certain man when you went there?" he asks. "Contact him and tell him the Goose shouldn't lay any more golden eggs. Now... It's time for your examination, Ashley."
She blushes heavily.
>>
No. 159738 ID: 344ef9

>>159735
Ashley totally has a crush on Father. Hehe.
>>
No. 159742 ID: 701a19

>>159726
Your concerns are understood and reasonable, but we respectfully disagree.
If the facility is destroyed then people who want this technology will go after her so they can either research her or eliminate all traces of that tech.
Worse still, technology can't exist in a vacuum. Having somebody make one major breakthrough is exceedingly rare, but having them make the dozens required to do something like this defies credibility.

Your intentions are good, but your methods are unsound. It would make far more sense to earn Ashley a place in the arena and make her a public figure while letting the less-destructive technologies out into the open.
If you can establish some precedent that sapient, sentient, sophont-level beings are entitled to equal protection, then most of those concerns go away.

Besides, GILB already knew about the facility. At this point they've already duplicated every document in the lab and taken samples of every scrap of tissue they could find.
The technology is already in the hands of the worst people who could have it, so now we have to play damage control.

We want you to take the improved AI tech and start releasing it in moderate improvements. Eventually there will be an event that will be used to determine if AIs are people, and at that point a good solid shove would be all it takes to get protections in place.
>>
No. 159751 ID: 344ef9

>>159742
GILB doesn't know about the facility. Only that one dude found it, and said that he'd keep it secret until we decided what to do.
>>
No. 159755 ID: 701a19

>>159735
"No.
Wait, correction. Fuck no.
Destroying the lab puts Ashley at risk in a futile attempt to cram the genie back in the bottle."
>>
No. 159764 ID: 701a19

>>159751
*facepalms*
You don't know how these things work, do you?
GILB is big on espionage, and there's not a damn chance they missed the fact that Ashley had metal bones that grew. Or that she was born to a sterile woman. Or that Ashley's birth records are forged.

You're trusting Ashley's safety on the assumption that a secret is staying secret from a company built on espionage. The safest route is not to make Ashley the only example of that technology, but to make no secret about that technology becoming public knowledge if anything happens to her.
>>
No. 159766 ID: 344ef9

>>159764
Can you give me a reason why they would be spying on Ashley to that extent? You're being paranoid.
>>
No. 159767 ID: 1ac39d

pandora's box has been opened.


>>159766
can you give me a reason they wouldn't?
>>
No. 159770 ID: 344ef9

>>159767
If there's no evidence of a conspiracy then it's just a crackpot theory.
>>
No. 159773 ID: d1210a

>>159766
Well, evidence of an artificial human of any sort would be tracked down......

Every single one of her medical records would have to be doctored, SOMETHING might get through about her true nature....

Metal detectors would make access to certain areas difficult without some proof of metal bones, and getting proof of such for the whole body would set off all kinds of flags.

Probably more, but the communication has become big enough that Big Brother scenarios are very achievable, and GILB has the capacity for it. So it is most recommendable to operate under the assumption they can do this, and act accordingly. Less potential ramifications than ignoring a possible threat.
>>
No. 159776 ID: 701a19

>>159766
As paranoid as somebody who correctly predicted the presence of a bug in Ashley's home?
And who has received the secret schematics of a person who we are going to be fighting?
And who has been approached by at least one conspiracy?

Once we get a research permit we can just sit on the tech and not do anything with it, and if things start to go pear-shaped we can THEN make with the fire. However, if we destroy it now then we'll have absolutely no leverage to protect Ashley.
>>
No. 159778 ID: 1ac39d

basically, we get ALL the research public and they can't use it themselves.
cause if everyone knows the secret then it isn't a secret anymore.
>>
No. 159786 ID: 344ef9

Well I guess if everyone knew about it then people would just use metal detectors to ferret out synthetics.

Man this sounds like Blade Runner all of a sudden.
>>
No. 159808 ID: b69168

Well, we don't know if her bones are metal. They might just be plastics. But I agree with everyone else. We can't hide this stuff like that. We're going to get the permits and go public with the research, and people will want to see the facilities we used to make this, assuming we actually say "BTW, Ashely is our prototype." I'd say the GILB probably already knows most of this stuff. After all, the investigator knew where to look. We need to make this as legal, open, and open-source as possible, so they can't screw us over. Once you let information out, it becomes very hard to contain.

As for all Legions being able to listen in, we just need to KILL THEM ALL, and CONSUME our bretheren, to grow stronger. Err, maybe not.

Don't you miss the simple days when all we had to worry about was winning giant robot fights?

PS: Ask Dr. Delarosa if his office is secure.
>>
No. 159918 ID: e31d52

I speak with Delarosa as he examines Ashley.
"Jack is an agent of mine." he says. "These forms?" he says, "are fake. The whole scene was fake. We needed to impress upon you how deep GILB's fingers can run. They've yet to gain an inkling about our little girl... and I won't let them."
There's something dark in his eyes when he says that.
"The parts we're going to release to the public are going to be minor breakthroughs in the prosthetics industry. Transplants that are accepted by any body... it's a dream come true. Artificial humanity should have never been made real. It's simply too dangerous. Maybe some day later, maybe when we want to explore the universe... but not now. Not in this world's dirty hands.They can have all the peices. The hard part..."
He smiles and looks into Ashley's eyes. After a moment she blushes and turns away. "Is making it all come together in such a way that no one would even tell the difference. As for your concerns about metal detectors... The compound that makes up her bones is mostly undetectable. They'd have to be looking for one compound out of trillions of possibilities."
He sighs and stands up, walking to his desk. "My office is secure. Should you need to speak openly about anything at all... you come to me. Clear?"
"Yes."
"Ashley, if you could leave the room for a moment?"
She nods, walking out.
Delarosa pulls a small, black pin from his desk, shaped like a feather. Then another pin, a red blood drop. Soon, he has eight in all, finishing with a stylized G shaped like a gear.
"Tell me. Do you know what these are?"
>>
No. 159924 ID: 1ac39d

woah woah woah, reverse conspiracy? really? i'm sorry but our ability to trust ANYONE is starting to get very weak. we seriously need to just kill all the GILB leaders and start the fuck over. things have gotten double pear shaped. i don't know what those pins are and i'm really not in the mood to care. make Ashley's house secure by moving all the stuff to the garage then set off a small EMP in the building to kill everything in there then bug proof the place. once done train by getting a pick-axe and digging a subterranean tunnel to the lab. i am being tottaly serious about this i am getting tired of all this bullshit.
just tell him, 'no you don't know what they are and you don't care', you are not cut out for this triple reverse espionage shit, you are a mech pilot and thats it. finish up here and leave.
>>
No. 159926 ID: 1ac39d

also, screw having Delarosa claim credit for the research, come out with everything at a live public press conference, the Gilb will flip the fuck out cause the move is way too fucking ballsy but they can't touch you cause you will state that if you or ash go missing or die then the GILB will be the prime suspect so they can't touch you without EVERYONE looking at them. seriously screw hiding in the shadows, cast such a huge light on yourselves that no one can sneak up on you.

only fail-safe i can think of is release a false neural prune algorithm so any brains people try to make simply fail. when asked why ashley works but theirs don't, claim it must have just been a fuck ton of pure luck that ashley works.
>>
No. 159929 ID: 701a19

>>159918
Facepalm, then say "So you gave us an object lesson intended to make us pissed at the GILB and properly paranoid. Do you have any idea how hard that makes it for me to trust you?

You still haven't given me a convincing reason to destroy the lab."
>>
No. 159930 ID: e31d52

>>159929
"Exactly my point. Trust must be earned, Anthony, and I have done so little to earn your trust." he smiles. "Which is exactly why I'm teaching you of the ways of the world. You know who you are? How important you are to them? You're the brother of one of the greatest gearheads of our time... no, of all time. The apples don't fall far from the tree, or far apart, Anthony. They want you.. You're going to win your next match. You're going to be left alone, should you want to be. You're going to become a gearhead whether you like it or not... and you're going to be put into the same situation as your sister, unless you do something about it. I'm giving you that chance now, Anthony. You don't have to trust me. You just have to listen to what I say... and make your decisions based on what you hear, and what you think is the best option available."
He sighs.
"These are the major players in the world right now."
His finger moves from pin to pin.
"The GILB. The Raven Nest. 8-ball. The Blood. The Servants of The Hand. The Independant League. Fireball. And Anarchist." he leans back in his chair again, looking me in the eye.
"You will have to choose, Anthony. Between following GILB's golden road of promised victory... Or saving your sister from the hells she's being put through. You cannot have both."
>>
No. 159931 ID: 1ac39d

BULLSHIT! we are going to pierce the fucking heavens and forge our own path.
>>
No. 159932 ID: 290314

>>159931
Heck yea!!!!
>>
No. 159934 ID: 701a19

>>159930
Obviously, we need to save your sister. However, we'll follow that road for awhile to get a leg up.

Still not destroying the lab, though.
>>
No. 159949 ID: e31d52

>>159934
"Very well. It is, after all, your decision in that regard. You know the code word at any rate, and the GILB doesn't know about it... yet. Come back tommorow afternoon, after your match, and I will install the device you've requested for Ashley."
He relaxes visibly.
>>
No. 159983 ID: 701a19

>>159949
We need to know some details on that:
Paired-key encryption?
Effective range?
Frequency band?
The capabilities of the link? (Non-vocal communication, but what else? Audio routing? Video routing? Emotion sharing? Sensation sharing? What?)
How common are these kinds of devices?
>>
No. 159991 ID: e31d52

>>159983
"Encryption? Might work. Not many use this sort of thing, mostly militaries. Those use stream ciphers with specific installed keys built into the Legion itself. I could do that. You'll be able to hear one another from roughly three miles away, and the frequency is unique. Untappable. The link is... well, the link can be set for any number of parameters, so you could have a full link, that is to say everything down to tactile feelings, emotions, thoughts, even sights, or simple messages that are like sound communications, and anything in between. I'll also have to alter yours slightly as well."
>>
No. 159992 ID: 1ac39d

sounds perfect.
>>
No. 160013 ID: 701a19

>>159991
"Set the hardware for a full link, and let us dial it back from there in software."
>>
No. 160125 ID: 632862

Starting with a full link would have disastrous effects if it were compromised. In my opinion, it should be limited to simple communication. Sight and sound only.
>>
No. 160145 ID: 701a19

>>160125
Er... You don't actually understand how these things work, do you. Having hardware that supports a full link doesn't present any risk unless the system was designed by a Hollywood director.

There's two controls, and they work in tandem:
The first is outgoing control, which is where the device decides what should and should not be sent. Basically, it boils down to "Don't send anything you don't want to send.
The second is incoming control, which is where the device analyzes incoming data to determine if it meets the metrics to be accepted. In systems not designed by people who are utterly incompetent, that means that the system will reject everything that isn't explicitly listed as accepted. Part of those metrics include authentication; that's one of the reasons why asymmetric encryption is so good for these kinds of things.
These metrics can extend into content-aware checks, meaning that data that doesn't conform to normal operation can be filtered.
Past basic transmission controls you have further validation, which includes sanity checks, input sanitation, range cropping or attenuating, and other such actions.
Beyond that you have response-based controls, which includes monitoring the internal system state for abnormal status and closing connections in the event of a fault.

The difficulty of creating a secure system is proportional to complexity of the system, and inversely proportional to the priority of making the system secure.
Almost all computer security problems stem from user error, and we are going to be the ones managing this system. Ashley has the other end, but give her a few days to research this at a public terminal and she'll be fine.
>>
No. 160147 ID: 1ac39d

>>160145
agreed.
>>
No. 160204 ID: 632862

>>160145
Erm... alright, so it would be pretty safe.

Hey, can we ask about all the organizations? How about we ask about the Anarchist first.
>>
No. 160304 ID: e31d52

>>160204
"Oh... Well, the Anarchist is an organization designed to, as they put it, topple people in great power. They have no distinct leader, as their belief is anyone who wants to be in charge wants to abuse such power. So they work to topple governments, organizations, and so forth. To be blunt, they fight the power."
>>
No. 160309 ID: 701a19

>>160304
Ask for a rundown on all the factions, starting with Raven Nest.

Once he's told you about them, ask which group he's in.
>>
No. 160313 ID: e31d52

>>160309
>The Raven Nest.
"The first and largest military terrorist organization. They have no known base of operations, no known calling card, no known agenda... Their name is said to have originated from the Native American god, it would certainly fit with how mysterious they are."

>8-ball.
"Not so much a terrorist organization as a person with a lot of sway and a large group of followers. 8-ball himself is very cautious and only conducts interveiws via audio call with the audio changed somewhat to hide his voice. He's an incredibly skilled pilot who wants little more than to see the best pilots and the best fights."

>The Blood.
"One of the few organizations on the Entertainment circuit. They are an exclusive club, but there's only one way in. You must kill someone else in the ring, announcing intent to do so at the beggining of the match."
!!!
I remember! Smokah's pilot did that during his second match!
"They seek little more than to see the Entertainment circuit be more gruesome and gladiatorial."

>The Servants of The Hand.
"A small organization dedicated to the connection between mech and pilot. Mostly harmless, but some of the most incredible pilots you will ever see. Watch out for this emblem wherever you go: It's only given to the best of the best."

>The Independant League.
"A group wishing to disband the GILB in particular but uphold the Treaty of Gears. Not that large or notable yet, but growing quickly."

>Fireball.
"Another group that focuses on the Entertainment circuit. They love showy, explosive matches, determined pilots, and, as they say, 'those with fire in their hearts'. Similar to the Blood in a way, but they love pyrotechnics and massive powerful displays above all else."
>>
No. 160317 ID: 701a19

>>160313
So, which faction is he in?
I'm thinking he's operating in one he didn't list.
>>
No. 160342 ID: 1ac39d

The Servants of The Hand, and The Independant League both sound pretty cool.
>>
No. 160362 ID: e31d52

>>160317
"I used to belong to the servants of the hand, when I was in the military some five years back." he smiles. "Where do you think I got all of these?"
>>
No. 160369 ID: 1ac39d

>>160362
well then that shows why he is so intent of man and machine living in harmony. they may be a good group to assist in getting robo-sapien rights.
>>
No. 160400 ID: 632862

Getting rights for synthetics would take so damn long, though. GILB would surely discover the lab by then.

I agree with Father that we should take only what we need to maintain Ashley, and destroy the rest for safety's sake. HOWEVER, we should also preserve the research notes so that eventually, when the situation is not as grim, humanity can use this technology for the good of all.

At any rate, I think I would catagorize the groups like this:

Enemy
The Blood

Neutral
Fireball
The Servants of The Hand

Potential Allies
Raven's Nest (mysterious though)
8-Ball
The Independent League

Enemy of our Enemy
The Anarchist

We can absolutely trust The Anarchist and the Independent League at this point, since they actively act against GILB. Raven's Nest and 8-ball might be friendly. At this point we'd better HOPE that Raven's Nest is friendly.

We probably won't be working with The Anarchist in the long term, though. Their ideas about power would conflict with ours. Currently though, their decentralized nature would be a great help against GILB.
>>
No. 160406 ID: e31d52

>>160400
I speak with Delarosa about these groups, and he agrees.
"After this match, you might be approached for sponsorship. The companies that produce weapons and parts for the Circuits are just that: Companies. Do not worry overmuch about which of them you ally with except which would be most appropriate for your mech." he thinks for a moment.
"One more thing..." he turns on the television. "Did you instigate this?"
Antoine is holding a press conference with Hannah, smiling and waving at cameras as the press seat themselves.
>>
No. 160411 ID: b69168

>>160406

Not... directly. Our actions may have resulted in it, however.
>>
No. 160413 ID: 701a19

>>160406
"I haven't seen this yet, so, maybe?
If you mean making a lifelong enemy of The Blood, then that was probably me."
>>
No. 160420 ID: e31d52

>>160413
He chuckles, then sits beside me and lets in Ashley to watch together.
"It is my duty as the Rookie leader to help the sport and, by extension, the Treater of gears to flourish. It has come to my recent understanding that the rampant death in the arena is already far too much of a problem to be allowed to continue. Family of those who compete will understand readily how dangerous even the Entertainment circuit is at this level. It disgusts me that I should even need to make a motion like this. A dear friend of mine nearly perished in her most recent match. Had it not been for the kindness of her competitor, I surely would have lost something most dear to me. And it is for this reason I am now forwarding the motion to ban any lethal action in the ring. Death of a competitor will no longer result in a win, but instead a 'Double KO', a loss on both records, once this goes through. And it will. Families and friends of competitors, my fellow tier leaders, I ask you to support this motion. Make some noise! Start blogs, post in forums, make your voice heard. From this day on, we work to make this a sport you don't have to sign a will to join!"

Silence, then applause.
>>
No. 160423 ID: 1ac39d

yep, The Blood is PISSED. we probably have -100000000 points with them.

if we can get 8-ball to second this motion then the chances of it passing become HUGE.

we may also luck out and Smokah will be too pissed off to fight properly tomorrow.
>>
No. 160427 ID: 632862

Of course this also means that we can't kill Smokah in the ring and have it count as a win.

...we are going to kill him, right?
>>
No. 160428 ID: 632862

Oh wait, it will take time for the motion to pass. Hopefully it will pass after our match with Smokah tomorrow.
>>
No. 160432 ID: e31d52

"Well, at least it'll be Antoine shouldering the blame for this and not you." Delarosa states. "But this bill will take a while to pass. Even if everything goes smoothly, it will take at the least a week, maybe two. The Blood will be out for it, so watch yourself in the arena."
>>
No. 160438 ID: 701a19

>>160427
Not unless we have to. If this thing passes then he can't really kill more people anyway.
>>
No. 160447 ID: 632862

>>160438
I believe Smokah is the only killer we know of. We're killing him, to be sure. He'd probably take the automatic losses just to kill troublemakers if we let him live. If there are more in other circuits... well we'll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it.
>>
No. 160455 ID: e31d52

>>160447
If I kill Smokah tommorow, the bill will not have passed. This isn't retroactive, anyway.

Well... that leaves me the day. We leave, Ashley seeming to be on cloud nine, smiling and humming to herself.
>>
No. 160460 ID: 1ac39d

ask her what was up with her reactions to Delarosa. i am still a little confused about that.
>>
No. 160483 ID: e31d52

>>160460
She blushes heavily.
"It's ah, nothing." she giggles. "Uh, want to go out to eat or something?"
>>
No. 160489 ID: 1ac39d

as long as whatever it is just makes her giggly and not something serious then fine i'll drop it.
just tell her you want an answer at some point but it can wait till later. let's go grab a bite.
>>
No. 160494 ID: 632862

>>160483
"You had a crush on Delarosa when you were younger?"
>>
No. 160509 ID: 701a19

>>160483
Just go eat. After that you two can practice co-piloting until it's time for bed. We can't really help practice teamwork, though.
>>
No. 160536 ID: e31d52

>>160494
She freezes.
"It... it's that obvious?" she asks.
"Yes, Ashley. It is."
"I, uh, I'm sorry."
"You don't have to apologize. Just don't act on it or anything." I smile and ruffle her hair, kissing her forehead. She hugs me tightly as we head to the nearest eatery.
>>
No. 160571 ID: 701a19

>>160536
Alright, well, wake us when something interesting happens.
[Activate stand-by mode]
>>
No. 160607 ID: e31d52

>>160571
[time passes.]
[time passes.]
[time passes...]
Well, I guess this counts as interesting. How good are you at figuring out escapes?

Because, ah... it turns out the Blood has a really good information network.
And, uh, a lot of fingers in, er, a lot of pies. So to speak.
Long story short, me and Ashley are captives. I don't know much. They hit me with some weird shock thing, and you went unresponsive... then they took us to some underground place. My hands are handcuffed to something solid, and my legs are tied up too. I'm blindfolded. I don't know where Ashley is, and they told me to remain quiet.

I think the angle here is to intimidate Antoine into recalling the bill.
I don't know what time it is or how long I've been out.
>>
No. 160613 ID: 701a19

>>160607
You shoulda woke us when the ambush started.

[Triangulate position by comparing signal strengths of GILBN towers with their geographical positions, then messaging Antoine, Hannah, and Delarosa with our location and status. Request that they bring a Gear or two.]

Move your head close to your hands so you can get the blindfold off. From there, look around for something along the lines of a hairpin so you can pick the handcuffs - it's easy, don't worry about that.

Tell us what you can hear.
>>
No. 160640 ID: 1ac39d

wonder if we could disable your safety locks and manually put you into 'car-lifting strength' mode.
>>
No. 160647 ID: 701a19

>>160640
Oh, balls. Looks like some of us were damaged by the jolt.

What the crap are you talking about? Why do you even think that should be possible? o.0
>>
No. 160651 ID: 1ac39d

>>160647
wait, you mean you don't know about moms picking up cars to get their kids to safety?

okay, lowdown is a person only uses about 5% of their muscle mass at a time and rotates through the entire muscle, that's how endurance works. when in EXTREME DANGER your body can disable the safety locks and use all 100% at the same time making you fucking powerful. draw back is it hurts like a motherfucker.
>>
No. 160656 ID: 701a19

>>160651
That's adrenaline, not 'safety locks'. Safety locks are something you would put on a robot, but even then they would be called inhibitors or regulators.

I'm pretty sure we can't muck about with out host's biochemistry. That just seems like a disaster waiting to happen.
>>
No. 160679 ID: e31d52

>[Triangulate position by comparing signal strengths of GILBN towers with their geographical positions, then messaging Antoine, Hannah, and Delarosa with our location and status. Request that they bring a Gear or two.]
>[$%$$ASSET (GEOMETRIC LOCATOR) DAMAGED#$%#$]
>[ASSET (%$%@%!^) UNAVAILABLE]

I lean back, lifting my hands and pulling away the blindfold. The room I'm in is bare save the pipe and the door, but I can stand at least.

I look at the cuffs. FUCK! Biometrics. Well-funded assholes, nothing worse.

I'm alone in the room.
>>
No. 160682 ID: 7524b0

>>160679
Dammit, our systems are damaged.

[run diagnostic]
>>
No. 160685 ID: e31d52

>[Severe damages recorded in several ancillary systems. Extension of damage is severe in these areas affected. Cannot run self-repair or system restoration.]
>>
No. 160688 ID: 701a19

[Record the tower IDs and signal strengths directly and send those instead of position information]

Biometric handcuffs? Awesome! They're buying the most expensive security they can get without having a damn clue what to do with it.
Try to position yourself so you can untie your legs, and start looking around for anything you can use to apply a sheering torque to one of the links. Thin steel rods would be best.
>>
No. 160693 ID: e31d52

>>160688
>[Record the tower IDs and signal strengths directly and send those instead of position information]
>[cannot ping remote towers]

>Try to position yourself so you can untie your legs,
My hands are in an odd position. They've covered the knot with heavy duty tape, too.

And the cuffs aren't linked, it's like one solid piece fused together.
>>
No. 160701 ID: 7524b0

>>160693
What do you mean by 'biometric' handcuffs? Do they snugly fit your wrists or something?

[list fully functional systems]
>>
No. 160704 ID: 701a19

>>160693
[Pinging is not required. Tower identification is periodically sent out as part of normal operation. Passively record that information.]

>>160685
How the...
Ok, it seems that we took damage, even though the energy require to DO that would be enough to cook your brain. Delarosa sold you some defective hardware.

Look around the room for anything you can use, and try to peel that tape off your leg bindings.
>>
No. 160711 ID: e31d52

>>160704
>[Pinging is not required. Tower identification is periodically sent out as part of normal operation. Passively record that information.]
>[Function damaged.]

>Look around the room for anything you can use, and try to peel that tape off your leg bindings.

Before I can do much more, the door opens, and the light turns on.

It's Alan. A small pin with a red blood drop is on his shirt.
He takes a long, final drag on his ciggarette, then puts it out on the ground with a rather loud stomp.

"I was originally after Ashley, you know. If you hadn't stepped in like you did, I wouldn't have had to damage legion like I had."
>>
No. 160715 ID: 701a19

>>160711
"What do you want with her?"

Yea, Delarosa sold you defective hardware. It's pathetically easy to block attacks like that.
>>
No. 160716 ID: e31d52

>>160715
>[it should be noted that this version has no systems in place to prevent disconnection from tissue from heavy physical shock.]


>"What do you want with her?"

"I'm just going to make certain that Antoine understands the consequences of making such a sweeping change." Alan says with a smile.

He's like a goddamned predator. There's no humour in that smile.
>>
No. 160717 ID: 7524b0

>>160715
You keep attacking Delarosa's credibility. Why would he do that? He has so much sensitive information on Ashley that if he wanted to, he could hurt us far worse than just letting someone taze Legion.

Besides, we don't know how vulnerable our electronics are. Static shock can fry circuit boards, and you can't exactly insulate the entire brain now can you?
>>
No. 160719 ID: 701a19

>>160716
"I don't give a damn about that. What do you want with Ashley?"

>>160717
Faraday-on-insulator protection makes currents running through the brain a non-issue for the same reason as why birds can stand on power lines.
It's a whole mess of design flaws. They really didn't think this thing through.
>>
No. 160720 ID: 7524b0

>>160716
"You think you can stop him? It's already begun. The people want this. Kidnapping us is pointless!"
>>
No. 160721 ID: 1ac39d

[extreme danger detected: increase adrenaline flow into body]
>>
No. 160724 ID: 701a19

>>160720
Settle down, there. Ashley first. After THAT we can start provoking him.

Maybe something along the lines of "Doesn't your mission statement say something about making it more entertaining? So why is it that people have stopped cheering when you execute your opponents?
Did you join the bleeders so they wouldn't kill you? The way you're driving down recruitment rates they won't have a choice in a year or two."
>>
No. 160730 ID: e31d52

>>160719
>It's a whole mess of design flaws. They really didn't think this thing through.
W-well, heheh, uhm... I only had so much money... Delarosa was against this kind of model but, I, uh...

>"You think you can stop him? It's already begun. The people want this. Kidnapping us is pointless!"

He chuckles.
"Any bills are sent through him to the rest of the government. It's not much of an issue to force him to back down from his position. and if he resigns, the next in line goes to the one with the greatest win percentile."

He smiles, leaning close to me.
"I know my next match will be a loss, so I can keep you here indefinitely. I've got something against hurting girls, but I wonder how close you and Antoine are?"
>>
No. 160732 ID: 701a19

>>160730
"Considering that he's spent half the time I've talked to him beating me with a lead pipe? Not very.
So, that's why you're doing this. You're a sociopath with psychotic tendencies. You're not here for the sport, the fame, or the money, you're just here to cause as much damage as you can.
Too bad you're too much of a coward to face me in a fair match; I'd love to turn you into a greasy smear."
>>
No. 160733 ID: 1ac39d

[request security override, host in lethal danger.

override biometric restraint]
>>
No. 160736 ID: 701a19

>>160733
What? That's not even our equipment!
Go run a self-diagnostic or something.
>>
No. 160738 ID: e31d52

>>160733
[Cannot affect sympathetic nervous system]

>>160732
>"Considering that he's spent half the time I've talked to him beating me with a lead pipe? Not very.
>So, that's why you're doing this. You're a sociopath with psychotic tendencies. You're not here for the sport, the fame, or the money, you're just here to cause as much damage as you can.
>Too bad you're too much of a coward to face me in a fair match; I'd love to turn you into a greasy smear."

"I'm not easily provoked." he replies simply. "Again, had you not intervened, our match would have gone normally, as the rules specifically refer to captives for focing a surrender of the opposing pilot. In fact... I daresay it could still go through, should Antoine give in quickly. To be honest, I was interested in fighting you." he turns around. "There is no greater feeling than stepping into that arena against a foe I am uncertain of defeating. The thrill, the adrenalin..." he turns around, his eyes wild and wide. He calms after a few moments. "You're of no concern to us. I'll let you go as soon as we capture the other fine lady, presuming you don't run off and tell a little bird."
>>
No. 160742 ID: 1ac39d

only thing left is try getting pissed off enough you can break free. best way to do that is think of horrible things happening to people you care about.
>>
No. 160747 ID: 7524b0

>>160738
I think that's the best deal we're gonna get.
>>
No. 160749 ID: 701a19

>>160738
"Yea, 'not easily provoked' is part of being a sociopath.
I'll ask again: what do you want with Ashley? What possible advantage do you get from kidnapping her?"
>>
No. 160751 ID: e31d52

>>160749
"He will come for her, or change his mind on the press conference announcement. It's funny how similar you two are. Both of you will never fail to save the frightened woman."
>>
No. 160766 ID: 701a19

>>160751
Laugh, and laugh hard.
"Yea, you go ahead and keep thinking that. I know I should be scared, but all you need is a handlebar mustache and a hand rubbing habit to make the image complete."
>>
No. 160770 ID: 7524b0

>>160751
"I forgot to mention that he was beating me with a lead pipe because I attacked him after he tried to strangle Ashley to death. Because she rejected him."
>>
No. 160771 ID: e31d52

>>160770
He shrugs.
"Then he will have to live with her disappearance for the rest of his life." he says simply. "Both Ashley's and... Ah, there she is." he says as a distant door clangs shut. "The one you saved yourself. Now I have the complete package!"
>>
No. 160775 ID: 7524b0

>>160771
"Fine. Now let me out. After I kill you in the arena, I'll be back for the girls."
>>
No. 160778 ID: 701a19

>>160771
"Hannah's the one he's in love with, not Ashley. She's not doing you any good.

Actually, whatever, I'm not going to even bother trying to point out the holes in this plan anymore. It's like something a third grader would come up with.
If you have what you want, then I need to get my Legion unit repaired."
>>
No. 160802 ID: e75a2f

Somehow convince him to take your leg bindings off, or otherwise find a way to get them off.

Then rabbit-punch the fucker in the back of the head. If you hit him hard enough with the cuffs you'll knock him out.

He wants gladiatoral combat? Fine. When he's knocked out, ram your heel into the base of the skull at the back of the neck until something breaks. I wonder how much fun he'll have paralyzed from the neck down.
>>
No. 160807 ID: e31d52

>>160775
"If, you mean." he says, leaving the room.

Someone else enters, unbinding me. Then a sack gets thrown over my head.

It's pulled off much later, and I'm tossed out onto the ground in front of the stadium.

The match is in an hour.
>>
No. 160808 ID: 7524b0

>>160807
[check logs for triangulation data or GPS locations]
>>
No. 160815 ID: 701a19

[Use triangulation data from the GILBN towers that was recorded as we were taken away to determine th location of the facility.]

In an hour, 'eh? Go get in Burn, and proceed to destroy Smokah while it's unmanned. Then start dragging the parts back to Ashley's place.
If anybody complains then tell them that he kidnapped Ashley, so you're kidnapping his mech. If they persist, then point out that your actions are well within the rules of the game, that you are in a 30 meter tall machine of death, and that they are quite squishy.
>>
No. 160827 ID: 7524b0

...I don't think it's actually within the rules to sabotage his mech.

Also are you nuts? He'll know what we're doing, and threaten to kill one of the hostages. Heck, we can't even kill Smokah if his robot is non-functional.

We've gotta play this legit. Or at most, sabotage his mech a little bit. Though I remember that Anthony said he didn't want to sabotage anything. Just kill him in battle.
>>
No. 160837 ID: 701a19

>>160827
Ah, but it IS within the rules! Sabotage is permitted!
>>
No. 160839 ID: 83d747

Go tell Antione. It would be better if he heard about this when you can actually help him calm down and make sensible decisions.

And one more thing, don't kill what's his face. We need him.
>>
No. 160843 ID: 701a19

We were EXPLICITLY warned not to do that.
We don't have many options, so sabotaging his mech is as good a plan as any.
Also, we don't have to kill him. At this point Antoine should be perfectly willing to make the prick an unsolved mystery, and we need to play up our chivalrous knight bit.

... Actually, just report that he's holding Ashley captive. He loses, Antoine murders him in his sleep, we get out smelling like roses.
>>
No. 160852 ID: 7524b0

>>160843
>murder
Anthony already decided against that.
>>
No. 160859 ID: 701a19

>>160852
No, Anthony is opposed murdering somebody ourselves. Giving Antoine the name of a guy involved and letting him go doesn't stain our hands, even if the public DID find out.
Besides, if Ashley and Hannah aren't released then we're going to be doing a LOT of justified killing to get them free.
If one of them dies, then our off time is going to be spent saying things like "Give me the names of every member you know and I'll finally let you die."
>>
No. 160890 ID: 701a19

Oh, also:
[Use the acceleration applied to Anthony while in the truck alongside a road map to determine possible paths for the vehicle to have taken.]
>>
No. 160903 ID: b69168

Alright, simple solution time. We'll just kick his ass. Match in an hour? Not much time to do anything else. Alright, review, what components to we have installed in Burn? I hope we got all our anti-Smokah tech in properly.
>>
No. 161002 ID: e31d52

I'm not going to fall to his level. I'm going to defeat him, fair and square, in the ring. If he dies, then that's his own damn problem.

I arrange transport for Burn and make my way to the stadium, eating in silence. Antoine doesn't meet me there. As the warnings sound, I slide into my 'pit, and prepare for the match.
>>
No. 161007 ID: 701a19

>>161002
Assuming there IS a match. He took Ashley hostage, so unless she shows up before it's time you can just call him on that and have him eat the loss.

Meanwhile... [Send recording of the bastard talking to Delarosa.]
>>
No. 161009 ID: e31d52

>>161007
>[Cannot send media or make calls, function not available with this unit!]

Thread's over, by the way.
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