Suggestion 2010/08/30(Mon)13:43 No. 223622 ID: 4f6386
File 128320102922.png - (31.81KB , 1000x750 , 254.png )

Hurhhm... is it morning already?

Tiak slowly wakes up, vision blurred, a pounding headache and the ignorance of what's up and what's down.

So, comfortable night, Tiak? :3

Suggestion 2010/08/30(Mon)13:44 No. 223624 ID: 4f6386
File 12832010592.png - (62.98KB , 1000x750 , 255.png )

...

Tiak feels like he's about to freak out. Hard.

Why freak out? Relax, enjoy it.

Okay okay wait, calm down. There is a rational, sensible, and perfectly reasonable explanation for this.

>>223624
Chill out, bub. She's not fat or anything.

>>223624
No need to freak out, man. Just go over things in your head, slowly, while you take in your surroundings. If you need to freak out after all we'll be sure to let you know.

>>223624
Stay calm, remember where you are. Determine if your surroundings have changed. Don't let the alien's... whatever it is she's doing... get to you. If there's anything threatening nearby, go for your weapons. Most importantly, don't panic.

Tiak: Flip the fuck out

>>223624
So you spent the night in the case of your species former mortal enemy. You didn't die in your sleep, so it's all ok.

Suggestion 2010/08/30(Mon)17:03 No. 223727 ID: 4f6386
File 128321300122.png - (146.87KB , 1000x750 , 256.png )

Tiak tries his best to not to flip out, but he's quite alarmed. His memories from the past hours are confusing like a dream, but there's no point in denying it.

He has... slept with a Ziranée, the ancestral enemy of his people. And a queen, no less!
Not many Maurians are going to see this with good eyes if they find out.

Looks like Nayria is still asleep. She has Tiak's lower half of the body entangled in a hold. But it's not too tight, and Tiak might be able to slip out of it without waking her up.

...That would be rude, Tiak.
Don't be rude! D:

>>223727
Hey, no one needs to find out about this.

I'd say you'd be better off trying to wake her up, though. I mean, if you're still doing this "keys" thing for her, then you're just going to have to explain why you disappeared later anyway.

>>223727
Stay put, damnit. If nothing else, think of the diplomatic implications if you unnecessarily antagonist her, just in case this isn't entirely manipulative trickery.

from her face i think you did pretty good.

>>223727
Mincing words does us no good. Did you have sex with her, or merely slept together?
If it was sex, then was it enjoyable?

Don't worry about what people will say. Check your wounds, as they appear to have miraculously healed overnight. Then gently nudge her awake and see how she responds.

>>223727
Wait, so you-
How does that-
You don't even-

...

OKAY MOVING ON THEN

Don't move, just relax. Don't wake her quite yet. When she wakes up, then you can slip out.

Never speak of this again.

>>223735
As awkward a question as this is... I'm kind of curious. ._.

Not so much as far as details go, mind you.

>>223727

Er, well, um, it's kind of... natural to sleep when someone gives you a huge dose of painkilling knockout drugs. Is it a problem that you passed out in the presence of a Ziranée, or are you just worried she'll kill you in your sleep? Because she didn't.

>>223765
The problem comes from the fact that he did it with a queen of the species his people have been warring with forever.

Tiak: You must insure that word of this gets out. Everyone will totally give you high fives and not shoot you for treason!

>>223727
The fact that she was willing to do this is significant.
First, she must want that last key -bad-

Second, she may actually be working towards an end to the war, which both your kind have been at so long that the idea of ending it is alien.

Third, the events in motion could mean that nobody will find out this happens.

And a final note: she has more muscle wrapped around your lower body than you have in your entire body. If you try and wiggle free, she may reflexively squeeze.

Suggestion 2010/08/31(Tue)01:51 No. 223992 ID: 4f6386
File 128324471283.png - (91.83KB , 1000x750 , 257.png )

(Tiak burns didn't get magically healed, I fucked up the layers, sorry)

>>223735
>>223763

Tiak isn't really sure, he doesn't even know if their species are compatible, and hell, he doesn't even know much about Ziranée anatomy and how they... work. And all his memories after he took off his clothes are fuzzy at best. But whatever happened, Tiak recalls it being pretty pleasant.

Tiak clears his throat and hesitantly nudges the queen. In an instant, she awakes, with a long yawn. Her tail squeezes its grip tighter over Tiak's lower half and raises him slightly, in an impressive display of strenght.

>Hmm... My little detective is awake already, haha?

I... you... fghdl... I don't...

>My, I'm glad to have discovered that you can give better uses to your tongue than speaking. You should calm yourself a bit.

Hmfff... Why did you do this?

>Hmmm? Because I thought it would be fun. Because I can. Because nobody could stop me from doing it. You wouldn't understand it, it comes with a position like mine. How is your arm?

Tiak almost forgot about his arm injury. It feels sore, and still hurts when he touches it, but the piercing pain has gone away, and he can move it without problems.

Better, thank you... Could you please stop squeezing me... there?

She giggles, releasing Tiak from her grip.

>You had a different opinion about the matter a few hours ago. Anyways, that should sooth the pain of your arm until you can get surgical care once we get to Tinosa II. I guess that you should get dressed and go back to your thrilling adventures of getting shot and burned. And don't forget to look for the last key.

>>223992
"Fair enough. But first, what can you tell me about Zira? Where do her loyalties lie? What faction does she represent? What's her role here? What's her goal?
This affects how I go about getting the last key, so it's far from irrelevant."

what a nice lady

Look. This isn't how it works.

Tell her you appreciate the gesture but would have wished to have been conscious during your time together. Cheeky wink optional.
I bet someone on the ship has a well exceptional sense of smell. You would definitely not want to be walking around smelling like dickings. Ask the queen to use her shower. It's only fair.
You could do investigation talk during your shower, if she wishes to. Notably, tell her people would likely be coming after her and her keys, once people understand she has the highest amount. You have to know who to watch out for, for her sake.
Also, she'd probably not talk about any of the others or give you any further clues, but it never hurts to ask. Specifically the captain, the navigator, Zira and Mikos.

>>223992
>Tiak isn't really sure, he doesn't even know if their species are compatible, and hell, he doesn't even know much about Ziranée anatomy and how they... work.
>I'm glad to have discovered that you can give better uses to your tongue than speaking.
Sounds like you managed to improvise while being date-raped. :3

Ok. Hit showers, check PDA TODO list, see if someone's stolen the heavy plasma cutter from your bed. Possibly ask about Zira but I don't suspect barrage-of-questions style will work well.

Suggestion 2010/08/31(Tue)06:57 No. 224029 ID: 4f6386
File 12832630598.png - (222.21KB , 1000x750 , 258.png )

Can I use your shower?

>Sure, just try not to wet your injured arm, you'll wash off all the ointment and it will start hurting again.

Tiak steps into the empty bathroom, into the shower. The cold running water feels refreshing after the stiffing room temperature in the queen's cabin.

Mind if I ask you some questions?

>At all. Now, If I'm going to answer them or not, that's a different matter.

Now that you have two of the three keys, you're more likely to be the target of an attack to take them. If you could tell me who's so interested in the keys, I'd be on guard against them.

>Officer, my life has been at risk since the day I was born. It's one of the perks of being part of the royalty of one of the houses. And it's no different here. I wouldn't trust anybody if I were you, officer.

Not even you?

>Specially not me! Everybody knows that politicians and nobility are less trustworthy than the common back alley Sinarri mugger.

Hmm... What can you tell me about Mikos.

>I doubt anybody is going to morn his death. He was scum, and his only desire was to end the truce and be back to the endless war again. It's ironic that it seems that with his dead, he's probably going to achieve it.

Not if I can do something about it. Another question. Do you know ambassador Zira Niadar? Do you know who is she working for?

>Zira? Zira... Zira... Oh! Now I remember. She was one of those pacifist activist that was always sending me letters of support, going to meetings, sending angry letters to newspapers... Never met her in person, but she seemed to be a nice Maurian, but completely harmless. Is she in the ship?

Yeah.

>What a surprise. Never imagined her as the traveler kind. I can't imagine her "working" for any shady organization, either.

Tiak gets out of the shower, gathering his clothes and belongings, getting dressed.

Well, I better get going. Thank you for... everything. And please, I value my consciousness and I would like to keep it the next time I stop by.

She giggles, managing to show even more teeth with that grin, if that's possible.

>Oh, by the way. I imagine that you would like to keep our little nursing session a secret. Well, my advise is that you better don't let Zeno find out about it. See, he's not just my bodyguard.

No?

>No. He's also my mate.

...

>And he's... sort of the jealous kind of mate. And he tends to react violently when he's jealous. It's just a friendly warning. Have fun!

Suggestion 2010/08/31(Tue)06:58 No. 224030 ID: 4f6386
File 128326311719.png - (94.99KB , 900x900 , 259.png )

Tiak sighs and checks his TODO list in his PDA before getting out of the room. He could add or remove stuff from here if he wanted.

So, what now?

>>224030
Check to see if the plasma cutter's missing from your bed. It's on this deck, right?

Your TODO list seems to be missing giving Mongro the Zero Deck key and taking a look down there yourself. And finding a better lightsource than glowsticks to do that. (Unless someone else has a better idea, though, I'd say try it using them.)

>>224032
Oh, and "find computer parts/give the ones we've found to Trake/Mongro". And, I suppose, "find Trake['s corpse]". Busy day ahead, Tiak.

Go and check out on the plasma cutter, yeah. Put your ear to the door before exiting to make sure no one is outside.
After that, I'd like you to go get a big breakfast for big boys in the Canteen. While you're there, I'd like to check the backroom. (kitchen?)
Add this to the PDA: go to the Bridge. Some of the flight crew should have access to the crew files. (following Queen's hint)
I don't have any issue with trying out the glowsticks as a sufficient light source for Zero Deck. I do have an issue with giving Mongro the key to it. He's a suspect like all of them and I wouldn't want the potential killer running around ahead of us. I don't think I trust him with the computer parts either, which a damn shame because they clutter our inventory something fierce.

>>224029
See I have no idea what to make of her saying to your face "don't trust me." It's one of those self-contradictory things, at face value. :v

But anyway.

>>224030
So, something about crew files, then.

Suggestion 2010/08/31(Tue)08:55 No. 224050 ID: 4f6386
File 128327014620.png - (104.77KB , 900x900 , 260.png )

Tiak updates his TODO list.

Suggestion 2010/08/31(Tue)08:57 No. 224051 ID: 4f6386
File 128327022755.png - (361.70KB , 1000x750 , 261.png )

Tiak carefully exits the queen's cabin and retreats to his own room, without meeting anyone in his way. He notices that he has slept for more than six hours.

Once in his room, he checks inside his cryogenic pod. But, surprise or not, the Heavy Plasma Cutter is gone.

Tiak is starting to get tired of people pillaging anything he doesn't leave nailed to the floor.

The thought of breakfast dissipates his anger, though. He wonders if this should be a good moment to go to the Canteen and get something to eat, or if he should do it later.

>>224051
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

And, let's be realistic---you're probably going to be busy at lunchtime dodging lasers or explosions or something.

>Heavy Plasma Cutter is gone.
Gah.

>Breakfast.
If someone was here, a quick glance into the brig won't hurt.

>>224053
Sure, check the brig. Then breakfast.

Suggestion 2010/08/31(Tue)11:42 No. 224079 ID: 4f6386
File 128328014857.png - (314.56KB , 1000x750 , 262.png )

Tiak checks the brig, but nothing has changed since the last time he's been there.

After that, he goes to the Canteen. The barman doesn't seem to be in, but there's somebody else sitting at one of the tables, with a book and a glass of wine. A girl. Tiak doesn't think he has seen her before.

The girl raises her head from the book, noticing Tiak. She friendly waves her hand and speaks.

>Hey, it's nice to see another face around. This feels like a ghost ship. The name's Yery, who are you?

>>224079
Well, be polite and introduce yourself, Tiak.

Your PDA battery is low. Can you plug it in in the canteen while you eat? Do not let it out of your sight, let alone leave it somewhere.

>>224079
Introduce yourself. Ask her what she's reading. Don't tell her there has been a murder and all that fun stuff. Ask offhand what's her room number. (if she asks, it's for security reasons) Say you haven't seen her yesterday and that everybody is probably currently sleeping.

Go ahead and get yourself breakfast while you talk.

>>224079

OH GOD ANOTHER FEMALE RUN

>>224082
>>224083
>>224094
These!
Um or not the last one. The first two.

Suggestion 2010/08/31(Tue)14:27 No. 224129 ID: 4f6386
File 128329004340.png - (190.15KB , 1000x750 , 263.png )

Tiak can't see any any terminal or power outlet around, except the one the vending machine must be plugged to, and he doesn't want to move the massive machine and disconnect it just to charge the PDA batteries. They should last at least one or maybe two hours more, anyways.

Tiak gets a nutritious drink from the vending machine, lamenting that the barman is never in to give him a solid meal when he wants to eat .
While getting the bottle and slurping its content, he answers to the girl called Yery.

Hey. My name is Tiak Belint, and I'm the Head of Security of the Sparrow 12. This ship.

>Oh, that sounds important!

I guess it is. Hey, what are you reading?

>Oh? Oh, my book. Oh, just boring stuff. You know, studying to get my degree in Chemistry. But tell me, what's going on? Why aren't the cryo-beds working anymore? I've heard that they've killed someone.

Well... Yeah, there's been a murder, and... some systems of the mainframe are out of order. But nothing to worry about, I'm conducting the investigations and everything is under control.

>Phew, good to know.

So, just for security reasons. What's your cabin number?

>Number 1. The one just in front of this bar!

Well, everybody must be sleeping now. Didn't see you yesterday, where have you been?

She clears her throat and passes another page of the book before answering.

>Well, I woke up and checked in my agenda, and I saw that the flight wasn't over yet! Quite the contrary! So I thought that maybe the beds take some time to turn on, so I just waited there, lying in the cryo-bed. And I guess I fell asleep, but not a cryo-sleep, but a normal-sleep, like a nap, but longer. And when I woke up it was some hours later, but still like two days before the ship arrived, so I supposed that there was a malfunction or something and I should wait for somebody to fix it, so...

She pauses for a fraction of a second to take a deep breath.

>...I waited in my room during all the day, just studying and thinking about stuff. I know it sounds pretty boring, but when I start studying I can be like in trance for hours, so I didn't notice that I spent several hours in my room, but then I snapped out of it and wondered why nobody was going to come and fix the bed, so I decided to go out, like 30 minutes ago, and I saw nobody around so I came here to the Canteen, and saw the barman, but the barman looked really pissed off for some reason and told me to fuck off and get whatever I wanted, and he went out. So I took a glass of wine and sat here to study a bit more and then you arrived.

Gack... ok.

>Sorry. So what's going to happen now?

Bah, let's just snoop around. Check in that door behind the counter.

>>224129
Instruct Yeri that keeping to her room is probably the safest option in this sort of situation.

A chemistry student, eh? Might come in handy later. Don't mention the goo because it has nothing to do with chemistry and if you thought of it you must be slow or something.
Anyway, if the barman ain't here it's prime time to creep about the kitchen. Tell your new friend you'll be right back and card that slot raw.

>>224129
"Honestly? I expect I'll be the target of several more assassination attempts while I discover just how big of a clusterfuck of conspiracies this ship is and maybe I'll also get horribly injured or killed or attacked by some weird alien bio-weapon and I fucking swear the moment I get off this damned ship I am going to resign if I haven't died yet! THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO FUCKING HAPPEN!"

tl;dr: Flip out.

>>224129
"Right now? I'd suggest spending your time in either the Canteen or in your room. People are naturally worried over the murder, but a few of them have gone a bit crazy. You'll be fine here, though you should probably keep some distance between yourself and other people.

Cabin number... 1? Inquire how she came upon such a unique number in the cabin numbering system. It was just random, right?

She might be more important than we realize. Are all the cryo-beds really malfunctioning? If not, why did hers wake her up? For that matter why did yours? Are there going to be a lot of people waking up now? :/

The bartender ran off in a huff, not good.

>>224140

Eh, I don't think he's at the level of flip out yet. Wait until she talks his ear off some more.

>>224146

You probably don't have to tell her that the murderer is STILL AT LARGE but do tell her that it would be safer if she limits her movements around the ship, and that if she sees anything suspicious she should tell you about it immediately.

Suggestion 2010/08/31(Tue)19:23 No. 224243 ID: 4f6386
File 12833078019.png - (136.08KB , 1000x750 , 264.png )

Well, you better stay in your room or in this area, it's safer.

>Oh, so the murderer is still on the loose?

No. Yes. Maybe. But it's under control, just be careful and don't go around alone, or talking to strangers.

>Like you.

Yeah. I mean no, I'm not a... I mean yes, but...

She giggles.

>Don't worry, I'm just messin' with ya. You seem to be fine... So, I guess we aren't gonna get the beds working again, eh?

I honestly doubt it.

>Aw. We're going to lose three days of life.

Eh, come on. That's nothing. Imagine how it is for the colonists that have to travel during years.

>Yeah, I guess.

Ok, gonna check out something.

Tiak uses his card and enters in the kitchen. It's a small space, crowded with boxes and bottles piled up against the walls. There isn't much to see here. In front of the door he can see an automated cooking machine and a large fridge.

>>224243
READ NOTE
GET FOOD
Examine strange cabinet marking.

>>224243
also grab that screwdriver or whatever it is.

>>224243
Grab note, rummage in freezer. That way, if the barman suddenly reappears, you have an excuse for being back here because, damnit, you're hungry. You can read it later.

>>224243
Grab the note, grab the screwdriver. Read the note. If you hear footsteps, go over to the wall or fridge and pretend to be looking for a snack.

Suggestion 2010/09/01(Wed)03:53 No. 224489 ID: 4f6386
File 128333843796.png - (165.42KB , 1000x750 , 265.png )

Tiak grabs the note and the screwdriver from the floor. He reads the note, it's rather brief:

"The answer is no. You're the one doing the job, and this is our final response.

You owe a lot of money, and you'd be rotting in a junkyard with all your limbs broken if it wasn't for our organization.

We don't care about your stupid sense of loyalty or patriotism, the ship needs to get to Tinosa II, with its cargo intact.

Don't fail us, this is our last warning."

Huh, I wonder what was this note doing in the kitchen.

Tiak cannot pocket the note because his inventory is full, so he'll leave it where he found it.

The symbol on the door of the fridge is just the Maurian for "cold temperatures." Inside the fridge there's nothing unusual, boxes of frozen food, rations, some vegetables... Nothing really interesting.

So... anyone want to go the bridge? I wanna go to the bridge.

Wherever it is you're going, bid Yeri farewell. "Duty calls."

>>224489
Copy the note to your PDA. Fiddle with the screwdriver to get that laser gun off the turret. Then leave the screwdriver behind.

Oh also, let's go check on Zira again, after which we... can... go to the crew files and cut open the cabinet to get at the delicious information inside it.

>>224496
Try it. Copy and put back the note first.

>>224497
Why involve Zira?

Suggestion 2010/09/01(Wed)08:14 No. 224530 ID: 4f6386
File 128335406938.png - (110.83KB , 1000x750 , 266.png )

Tiak copies the note into his PDA and leaves the paper where he found it. Then he tries to detach the gun from the camera with the help of the screwdriver.

CRASH

Oops!

As soon as he pulls the part that keeps the gun fixed to the camera, the whole thing falls apart in small pieces. It looks like both the gun and the camera are useless now, and Tiak doesn't know what to do with the pieces, or if he should keep the screwdriver now.

Yery's voice can be heard calling from the canteen.

>Hey, do you need any help?

>>224530
Welp. "No thanks, I'm coo."

Collect the remains into your pocket so that nobody'd know you were here.
There's no real reason to bother Zira. I realize she's small and spunky and totally fit for our harem, but she's still a suspect so lets not involve her too much.
Also, lets not attempt opening a cabinet full of paper by a method of concentrated fire.

>>224530
Where's the nearest waste-mangler-and-space-dumper chute? This is a kitchen after all.

>>224530
Is that the bartender? If it's him, just act cool. Tell him you popped in for a snack, then found that screwdriver and decided to use it real quick.

Otherwise, determine his identity before continuing.

>>224568
>Yery's voice

>>224530
Gather the bits and dump them in your pocket. We could ask the engineer later if he could repair it.

Also, did you only assume there's nothing interesting in the fridge or did you actually take a look?

It seems to be large enough to hold a piece of freezed Maurian. Ewww.

Anyway, leave the room. Tell Yery you don't need help.

>>224574
*facepalm*

Throw it into the trash. Tell her you're not exactly sure why it broke so easily. If she asks, I think it's safe at this point to tell the truth.

Maybe we should actually get something to eat, hmm?

Suggestion 2010/09/01(Wed)13:51 No. 224612 ID: 4f6386
File 128337427329.png - (220.49KB , 1000x750 , 267.png )

>>224582

Tiak has already drunk an "insta-feed" drink from the vending machine. It wasn't very tasty, but it's filling. Will keep him up for a good part of the day.

No thanks, I'm coo.

Tiak takes the rests of the camera. It doesn't seem like there is any disposal unit in the kitchen, so his guess is that he'll have to go to the one in Engineering to throw the defunct camera in.

He gets out of the kitchen and gets on his way to the elevator. He says bye to Yery, but the student seems to be too focused on her book again to even notice him leaving.

Right in from of the elevator, Tiaks meets a familiar face. Familiar, and pissed off, it seems.

>There you are! I looked for you for hours, and now you appear, out of the blue!? Where the fuck have you been!?

>>224612
Show him your arm and an unamused glare.

>>224612
Tell him you were attacked again earlier. Show him the pieces.

>>224612
"Unexpectedly unconscious. You know, after all the hassle of things like investigating, being shot at by gun mounted cameras, getting keys..." then toss him the damn thing.

Tell him you've got the key. Then tell him your adventure with the camera mounted pistol. Say offhand that you'd like him to check it out a bit later.

"Are you going to look for Trake? Great. That's exactly where I was going as well. Lets go." Hand him a light stick and enter the elevator.

Suggestion 2010/09/01(Wed)16:39 No. 224700 ID: 4f6386
File 128338436495.png - (170.63KB , 1000x750 , 268.png )

Tiak holds up his injured arm and gives Mongro an unamused look. The Sinarri doesn't look impressed, and gets closer to Tiak.

>What are you even doing, are you listening to me!? There was a fight in the bar, the stupid of the barman and that retarded navigator almost killed each other. And guess who had to look everywhere trying to find YOU, the guy that gets paid to solve that kind of conflicts.
>And guess who had to stop the fight because you were invisible. Yeah, yours truly. I have enough shit on me as it is, to even have to do your work. Were you sleeping or what!?

I was attacked, again, this time with this toy, and left unconcious.

Tiak shows the pieces of the camera to Mongro, who gives them a quick glance before staring at Tiak again.

>What the hell are you talking about? Where did this happen?

Down in Engineering.

>That's bullshit! I looked in there a hundred of times and you weren't there, less alone unconscious! And have you forgotten about the deal? The key?

>>224700
Is there a way to see what the camera saw?

>>224700
"No I didn't pass out right then- you know what, forget it. It doesn't matter and neither of us wants to talk about it. Here's your key." Ask him when he had last been to that part of engineering before you, because this thing was set to shoot whatever moved. That'll give us some window of when that was set.

Don't try to get any further into his bad side, allies are few enough without pissing anyone off.

>>224700
Hand him the key, the mainframe part, and the broken camera+gun.
"Like I'm really dumb enough to pass out where I'm shot. Here you go."

"yeah yeah, i got the key"

>>224700
Would you like to repeat that a little louder in the middle of the corridor?

If we're going to hand over the key, do the latter half of >>224635 .

>>224700
"As usual, it's complicated"

>>224700
Argh, that's not what we were trying to imply at all. We were in fact sleeping, recovering from the injury with the help of a friend.

Suggestion 2010/09/02(Thu)02:25 No. 224907 ID: 4f6386
File 128341955539.png - (139.45KB , 1000x750 , 269.png )

That's not what I meant, I didn't pass out right there. I went to...sleep, and recover with the help of a... friend.

>I guessed something like that, because you weren't in your room either, you know, while on duty and all that.

Let's just not talk about that, ok? Here, I found you the key. Also these things look like they might be part of the mainframe. And also have this.

Tiak hands Mongro the key of the zero deck, the two computer parts and the wrecked camera.

>Oh, about time. And what do you expect me to do with this junk *he points at the broken camera*. I don't know what have you done with this thing, but it looks like it's beyond hope at this point. And is this a gun?

Whatever, just throw it to the garbage, then. Here, have this glowstick and let's go find Trake in the Zero Deck.

The Sinarri declines the glowstick and lets out a bitter laughter.

>Hahaha, no. I've had enough doing your job for today, stopping that fight. You want to go look for that drunkard, you can go alone, I have a lot of work to do. Like assembling these parts of the mainframe back to its place.

>Now, let's talk about our deal. If you want me to upgrade your weapon to something better than a shocking toy, give it to me.

>>224907
Tell him that his drunkard might be lying dead somewhere in Zero Deck. You NEED the key to do your damn work.

How long would cloning the key take?

>>224907
Hey, I bet he's got the cutter. If he checked in your room to see if you were sleeping there, he probably found it.

But yes, a better weapon would be nice... I think it would be nice to be able to set it to a nonlethal power level still though.

>>224908
And how long upgrading the taser? Exploring the Zero Deck without what little armaments we have sounds like a bad idea to me.

Assuming Mongro even plans to give it back. :P

Suggestion 2010/09/02(Thu)08:06 No. 224946 ID: 4f6386
File 128343996786.png - (197.47KB , 1000x750 , 270.png )

Tiak gives him his gun.

How long is it going to take? I don't want to go around unarmed, after what's been happening. And I need a copy of the Zero Deck key too, that "drunkard" might be in trouble, or even dead down there as we speak!

>I have my priorities too and a shitload of work since my boss disappeared looking for Graoulo knows what in the depths of this flying tin can. One hour. Come see me in Engineering in one hour and I'll have the copy of the key and your upgraded gun ready.

Without adding a single word more, Mongro retreats into the elevator, disappearing behind the closing doors before Tiak can even answer.

But... Great, now what?

>>224946
So, basically, Mongro is and will probably continue to be pissed at you for not being available because you got shot.

Jackass.

Okay what else is on that todo list. Something about crew files? Dunno which thing on there would be best to tackle right now.

>>224946
Okay. Alright. Fine. Give our key to the suspicious guy who's about to commit a hate crime. Whatever.

Lets go have a lovely chat on the bridge while he plants bombs under the ship.

>>224946
Grab those elevator doors. We've got nothing to do on this deck anyway.

>>224950
Well, while we're on this deck we could try checking out a cabin we haven't been in yet.

Hey, while that girl's in the canteen we can snoop in her room.

>>224961
I don't think we'd get brownie points from anyone for snoopin' their room for no reason. Besides, Yeri's room is right in front of the Canteen--she'd totally hear us!

>>224937
We still have the knife, and the gun is useless right now anyway.

Suggestion 2010/09/02(Thu)16:04 No. 225029 ID: 4f6386
File 128346867268.png - (455.52KB , 1000x750 , 271.png )

Tiak keeps thinking about the crew files. For what he knows, the only person that should know the password, besides Trake, would be the Captain himself.

Tiak isn't fast enough to hold the doors before they close, so he has to wait for it to go down and then come back. Then he ascends to the Upper Deck, and into the Bridge.

It seems to be empty at the moment. It's not too big, and it's pretty minimalistic, but that's to be expected when most of the navigation systems are automatized through the ship's mainframe.

Closer to the entrance there's the Captain's chair, with some controls in a stand next to it. And at the front there' s a control panel and a chair, probably reserved to be the Navigation Officer's post.

And just in front of him, Tiak can have a good look at the space as they travel at unimaginable speeds. The Hyperspace physics divides the tunnel of light in capricious and changing colors and forms, spinning and darting in front of his eyes. He has to look away after a few seconds, feeling kind of dizzy.

>>225029
Anything interesting on the chairs? The navigator is probably at the medic's, which is only a room away. If there's nothing here, we could go there.

>>225029
Check behind and under the consoles for bombs.

Resist the temptation to press all the brightly-coloured buttons.

>>225029
inb4sitinthecaptainschair

>>225079
In during.

You know you want to.

Suggestion 2010/09/03(Fri)03:09 No. 225264 ID: 4f6386
File 128350856155.png - (354.86KB , 1000x750 , 272.png )

Tiak looks all over the room, on and under the chairs and consoles, but he doesn't find any bomb, or any other item at all.

The Navigation console displays a series of ERROR messages and other information about the ship Tiak doesn't have the knowledge to understand.

Other than that, the only thing that catches Tiak's attention is a flashing green button on the touch screen.

>>225264
Let's not go pushing buttons we have no understanding of. Anything near it to indicate what the button does?

>>225264
Important people are talking in here all the time, right? Could be a good idea to hide the camera in some invisible place, like the front of the control panel.

>>225279
IIRC the camera doesn't have any audio pickups.

Suggestion 2010/09/03(Fri)08:53 No. 225335 ID: 4f6386
File 128352917915.png - (243.46KB , 1000x750 , 273.png )

There's no visible way to know what would the green flashing button do in the screen.

>>225316

Actually, the camera can receive sound input just fine. It's just that, so far, in the many uses Tiak has given to it, there hasn't been anything worth listening to.

The space behind the console isn't very ample, but there's just enough to hide the camera behind it. It shouldn't be able to SEE anything like this, but it must be able to pick up conversations if they're spoken loud enough.

>>225335
Someone's watching us from the door. Dammit, we can't leave the camera here now; whoever that is knows it's there.

Spin around and see who it is.

>>225335
Pick up the camera, act surprised. You just might be able to salvage this situation.

>>225346
Well, we're checking for bombs. :3

Suggestion 2010/09/03(Fri)12:36 No. 225390 ID: 4f6386
File 128354257518.png - (236.30KB , 1000x750 , 274.png )

Tiak quickly turns around, startled.

I wasn't hiding anything I mean bombs I was checking the bomb! I mean I wasn't hiding a bomb! The camera...

But it seems that there's nobody at the door now.

>>225390
Stash the camera back in your inventory and go see who that was. Carefully.

>>225402
And don't dawdle, or you'll just get a gimpse of a closing lift door.

Suggestion 2010/09/03(Fri)15:38 No. 225421 ID: 4f6386
File 128355350566.png - (201.14KB , 1000x750 , 275.png )

Tiak pockets his camera again and runs to the door. But it seems that, whoever that was, didn't want to stop and say hello, because there's not a soul in the corridor.

>>225421
Piece of paper, though. Honestly, are we the only person on this ship who uses their PDA?

>>225421
Read note, hug recurring theme.

>>225421
That does it, Tiak.

You need to start leaving notes everywhere too. Clearly you're socially maladjusted and not adhering to social customs.

I suggest your first one say:
'EAT YOUR VEGETABLES
OR ELSE.'

For now, read note, hug camera.

Suggestion 2010/09/03(Fri)16:00 No. 225435 ID: 4f6386
File 128355482273.png - (97.45KB , 1000x750 , 276.png )

Tiak picks up the piece of paper laying on the floor. This wasn't there before he went into the bridge.

On one side of the paper, there's a series of human letters and numbers. The other side is blank.

Tiak pockets the paper, not sure about what to make out of it.

>>225435
The crew files locker wouldn't happen to have a human-character keypad, would it?

>>225435
Seconding trying that passcode(?) on the locked cabinet in engineering.

New item on todo list: Find pen and paper, begin leaving cryptic notes. That seems to be the preferred form of communication around here.

Suggestion 2010/09/03(Fri)18:49 No. 225511 ID: 4f6386
File 128356496411.png - (273.93KB , 1000x750 , 277.png )

>>225465

There was a box filled with paper and pens in the Supplies room!

Tiak takes the elevator down to the Lower Deck, where he's going to try to input the code in the Filing Cabinet. But a little unforeseen event stops him from getting there.

FFF...Oof!...Ow.

>Uh...Watch out, the floor is wet.

ah, he ether took his pills and calmed down o got off them. ether way he seems lucid.

>>225511
Smooth...

JUST ANOTHER DAY

IN SPACE STATION 13

>>225511
Damn Space janitors, always with the wet floors.

>>225511
Say hello. He seems to be calm now. ...I wonder if we can get him to describe how Mikos was first attacked?

Suggestion 2010/09/04(Sat)02:15 No. 225725 ID: 4f6386
File 128359175016.png - (138.22KB , 1000x750 , 278.png )

You don't say.

>... Yes.

Uh, you look a lot more... lucid now, Mat. How's it going?

>I took a pill. There are less colors now. It's all much more quiet too.

Oookay. Do you think you can give me some more details about Miko's death now? Remember anything new?

The janitor doesn't answer at once, but stays there, staring silently with a blank look on his eyes for some seconds. Then he suddenly starts talking again.

>No... Not much. They were angry. I don't remember the faces. Everybody looks the same, I don't remember any face. They're all confusing.

>The man who had to die twice had star powder on his hand. He was going to use it, and the other man was angry about it. He shot him, and killed him, and then there was red and green and all messy everywhere. It was horrible. The man who shot took all the shiny star powder and then dragged the dead man out. I was really scared because of the millions of people talking with me in the room.

...I see.

>There's more... I think...But I can't... remember it now. I hurts.

thank him for at least trying, if he can remember who shot mikos it would be great. but he doesn't have to say anything now just think on it and talk to us later.

>>225725
dying twice? Something to do with the missing bullet holes in Miko's torso? We found two places with his blood, anyway. No idea about the star powder stuff. Feels important though.

Well, if that's all he can think of for now, thank him for the help and go try the cabinet.

>>225725
What the hell is shiny star powder?

>>225730
Mikos was shot in the head in the cargo bay, which resulted in the bulletholes in the slime's container. Some of the slime probably splashed on Mikos' head so the murderer took him over to engineering and blasted his head to smithereens to hide where the original murder took place.

...maybe the shiny star powder is explosives of some sort?

Probably to also hide the fact that they released the slime.

Suggestion 2010/09/04(Sat)05:02 No. 225764 ID: 4f6386
File 128360177614.png - (237.83KB , 1000x750 , 279.png )

Tiak thanks the janitor for his help and asks him to contact him later if he can remember anything else. Then, thinking about what the deranged man said, Tiak goes into Engineering, which lights are still out.

Tiak approaches the filing cabinet and tries to feed it the written letters and numbers on the note he found laying on the upper deck.
There's no luck. He tries different combinations, inserting only the numbers, or only the letters, but nothing seems to work. He guesses that this isn't the password for the cabinet, after all.

Still rummaging about strange powders, crazy janitors and annoying passwords, he hears voices coming from the main lobby he just came from. Someone seems to be speaking with the janitor.

check but stay hidden.

>>225764
Stand by the door (quietly!) and listen. Do NOT peek to see who it is.

>>225764
Well, listen, but we should probably try Ac=7188 at some point in case they have idiotic password expiry policies and lazy changes.

>>225734
Thermite, maybe?

>>225764
Hide, listen. Be prepared to hide in case somebody comes in.

Suggestion 2010/09/04(Sat)08:10 No. 225790 ID: 4f6386
File 128361305623.png - (123.52KB , 1000x750 , 280.png )

>225775

Tiak quickly tries it, but it doesn't work either!

Tiak leans against the Engineering main door and applies the side of his head to it, trying to listen to the voices.

The Janitor is speaking with the monotonous tone of voice he uses when he's not flipping out.

>...shot him. He killed him and then took the shiny star powder and dragged the dead man out.

"I see. So you saw who shot him."

Tiak instantly recognizes the voice of the man talking with the Janitor. It's Zeno, the Queen's bodyguard and mate.

>Yes. Shot him. Twice. Red and green everywhere.

"Aha. Did you see the murderer shooting Mikos in the head?

>No. Not in the head. Twice in the guts. So much screaming. Red and green. All messy. So dirty.

"Have you told anyone else about this?

>There's nobody else in the ship.

"I'll take that as a no. Very good, little crazy man, keep it that way. For your own good.

Tiak can hear the faint noise of the elevator doors opening and closing, and after that, only the regular sound of the Janitor moping the floor. Seems like Zeno is gone.

>>225790
>So you saw who shot him.
>Yes.
Odd that Zeno wouldn't follow that line of questioning to get the actual name.

We're kind of stuck for things to do until we get our Zero Deck key back. While we're in engineering, is there a hazmat suit to go see if Trake's down in the engines?

>>225793
Grab the remaining Hazmat suit. Investigate the engine deck.

>>225790
HOLY SHIT.

It wasn't Mikos who got his head blown off; that corpse had no other wounds aside from the head! The doctor's in on it! Fucking asshole lied to us. Goddamn.

Well, that or someone switched his blood sample somehow... or cloned Mikos... or filled the headless corpse with Mikos' blood. In any case, there's either another corpse lying around or Mikos is still alive.

>>225832
We'd known he was up to something ever since we found the key on him.

Suggestion 2010/09/04(Sat)14:11 No. 225974 ID: 4f6386
File 128363466166.png - (169.34KB , 1000x750 , 281.png )

Tiak finds the spare hazard suit in the cabinet and slips into it. It takes some time, the thing is pretty heavy, and Tiak has never used one of these.

Once inside, he starts walking towards the ramp descending into the Hyperjump engines area. Inside the suit is pretty hot, and Tiak doesn't have much visibility. The glowing of the engines is still almost blinding, but at least the suit should protect him from being lethally irradiated.

As he can see after his first steps, he can keep walking forward from the ramp, or walk around and behind it.

>>225974
Check under/behind the ramp.

>>225974
look around once you get down there before deciding where to go.

Suggestion 2010/09/04(Sat)18:31 No. 226132 ID: 4f6386
File 128365030820.png - (256.19KB , 1000x750 , 282.png )

The path in front of the ramp abruptly ends in a solid wall with a heavy looking door in it.

The door is locked shut, and lacks any handles, keyholes, card holes or any apparent way of opening it.

Suggestion 2010/09/04(Sat)18:32 No. 226134 ID: 4f6386
File 128365033945.png - (284.32KB , 1000x750 , 283.png )

Tiak turns around to see under and behind the ramp. More blinding engines. The noise here is deafening, and Tiak is unable to hear anything besides the continuous roar of the machinery.

The machines are installed in strange patterns on the floor, but there are two openings between them, one to the left, another to the right.

Trake said he was on Zero Deck what are you

Oh well, as long as you're down here might as well look around. ESPECIALLY FOR BOMBS

>>226135
We know he went to the Zero Deck at one point. Since we can't currently get there, we may as well check nobody dumped his body here. Also, yes, bombs.

Go left!

Suggestion 2010/09/05(Sun)04:48 No. 226358 ID: 4f6386
File 128368729513.png - (240.36KB , 1000x750 , 284.png )

Tiak takes the path to the left. He walks by more and more pieces of roaring and vibrating pieces of machinery, and he avoids being sliced by a giant turbine to his right for a matter of inches.

The heat inside the suit is starting to be suffocating, and the thing was obviously designed for someone with more muscular mass than Tiak. Each step he takes is exhausting. The light flooding his senses isn't helping much either.

But he keeps walking, not finding anything interesting, until he gets to another bifurcation. Again, one opening between the engines goes to the left, another one to the right.

>>226358
Fuck this. We don't even know where we're going. Turn back before you pass out.

>>226360
Yeah, we really don't want to pass out down here.

...is your camera rated to survive this kind of environment? We could explore it remotely and come back if it spots anything.

>>226358
Get out of there ASAP.

Suggestion 2010/09/05(Sun)07:34 No. 226373 ID: 4f6386
File 12836972883.png - (279.29KB , 1000x750 , 285.png )

Tiak walks all the way back to the safe part of Engineering, crawls out of the hazard suit and places it again inside the cabinet.

The stiffing heat inside the suit and the bright lights against his eyes was starting to get him. He takes a moment to recover himself, leaning against the cabinet, while he decides what to do now.

>>226373
Let's check out the mainframe while Mongro's gone, since we're right next to it.

>>226374
Actually, it's right about time he had finished duplicating our key!

Lets go visit the mainframe.

Suggestion 2010/09/05(Sun)14:23 No. 226477 ID: 4f6386
File 128372182595.png - (330.28KB , 1000x750 , 286.png )

>>226364

The camera would easily be able to explore down there if the right patrolling pattern is introduced. But it would be completely blind, Tiak wouldn't receive but a white screen.

Tiak walks past the sleeping Walker and enters the Mainframe room. The air is charged with electricity and the buzzing sound of the colossal machine. Tiak doesn't know much about spaceship computers, but he knows that there shouldn't be so many red lights flashing over the surface.

Not even a minute after Tiak goes in, a door at the other side of the room opens. Mongro is there.

>Ah, there you are. Just in time. Come here.

Suggestion 2010/09/05(Sun)14:24 No. 226479 ID: 4f6386
File 128372189246.png - (153.60KB , 1000x750 , 287.png )

>Here, a copy of the key. And your updated stun gun. It keeps using the same battery, but with this little fission condensator and the repeater I installed here... You can change from non-lethal to lethal mode. It's not too powerful, it won't be able to shoot through thick walls, but it should be enough to hit anybody not wearing a combat armor.

Thanks!

Tiak pockets the two items.

>>226479
Uh, no. MONGRO can have the copy. Eventually we're going to have to return "the" key to the Captain, and that will be less prone to hilarious failure if he gets the original back. For all we know he remembers the scratch pattern on the head or something.

>>226479
Also, if that pistol's easy to recharge, go find somewhere you can test-fire it safely, just in case Mongro rigged it to fall apart when you pull the trigger.

Or explode. But you'd rather just blow your hands off than blow your hands off and be defenceless against some assailant, right?

>>226479
That big hunk of metal seems like it would interfere with aiming. Worth investigating.

>>226481
Good idea.

>>226479
Tazer +1 GET.
Yep, aks for the original key. Less chance for shenanigans.
Next, lets go to Atmosphere Control, since that's the only thing I could think of that has the acronym on the paper.

As the security officer, it's our duty to see to it that the original key gets back to the captain after it's over. Since our friend is on the level with us, there's no problem if he uses the copy and lets us hold onto the original.

Surely he understands.

Suggestion 2010/09/05(Sun)17:14 No. 226556 ID: 4f6386
File 128373208468.png - (142.18KB , 1000x750 , 288.png )

You know what? Sooner or later I'll have to return the key to the captain, and I don't want to have troubles with him finding out that it's a copy. So better give me the original, you keep the duplicate.

>Whatever. Here you go.

Mongro swaps the keys, handing Tiak the other one. The two of them look identical to Tiak's eyes, but he thanks the Sinarri anyways and leaves towards the Atmospheric Control room.

There's no power inside either, it's impossible to see if anything changed in here.

>>226556
Wake up a glowstick, then. Are the Maurian characters on the tanks numbers by any chance?

Suggestion 2010/09/05(Sun)18:45 No. 226610 ID: 4f6386
File 128373753541.png - (273.14KB , 1000x750 , 289.png )

Tiak turns on the light stick, illuminating part of the area around him.

>>226557

No. For what TIak knows, they're Maurian chemical mumbo-jumbo. It's out of his league.

what's that thing behind the middle blue vat?

http://quest.lv/kusaba/questarch/res/209309.html#210181

>>226610

There's something new in this room, behind the second middle blue vat. Check it out.

>>226615
OH SHIT ITS THE HAZMAT

Suggestion 2010/09/06(Mon)02:44 No. 226809 ID: 4f6386
File 128376629789.png - (203.01KB , 1000x750 , 290.png )

Tiak notices something behind one of the tanks and gets closer to examine it.

It's some kind of device. Its a metal sphere with an antenna and what seems to be a touch screen attached to it. It's pretty heavy, and whatever it is, it appears to be off at the moment.

>>226809
Does poking the touch screen do anything? If not, pocket 'dat bitch.

I wanted to speak with either the navigator or the barman, but they could be anywhere so fuck it. Lets go to Zero Deck.

>>226809
Use SCREWDRIVER on DEVICE.

Actually this could be the thing that controlled the turret.

>>226809
Show it to Mongro. You don't want to be poking at, say, a detonator.

>>226894
THISTHISTHISTHISTHIS

LET'S NOT POKE THE POSSIBLE BOMB DETONATOR

Suggestion 2010/09/06(Mon)10:58 No. 227037 ID: 4f6386
File 128379588863.png - (143.09KB , 1000x750 , 291.png )

Tiak takes the spherical device and returns to the Mainframe room, where Mongro is still working. He shows it to the Sinarri.

Hey, I just found this thing laying around, can you tell me what it is?

>Oh, it's you again. Hmm... Wow, I didn't expect to see one of those in here.

What? What it is?

>It's a Repeater Multi-cannon explosive round.

A... what?

>You know, ammo for the multi-cannons of an spaceship. Of the explosive variety, I would say. This thing would do a lot of damage in a closed space if it goes boom. Looks like someone has rigged that touch screen and a receptor to it to improvise a bomb.

Damn. Can you disable it?

>Hahah, I just told you. It's not a bomb per se, it's like trying to disable a bullet. I could detach the screen or cut off the antenna, but if whoever did this has half a brain, the mechanism will trigger if I try to do that.

So you're telling me that there's no way of disabling this thing?

>Well, I don't know. Why would you attach a touch screen to a bomb? Maybe you can input something there. I don't know, there's no way to know until it's enabled remotely.

>Also try not to blow yourself up in any vital part of the ship, please.

>>227037
Dump it out the airlock. Defusing is for chumps. If the code on the note is even related it's probably a trap to make it blow up in your face.

>>227037
Well, we do have that code we found. I wish we could just shove it out into space or something though.

Hmm. What room can we blow up? I suppose we could shove it into the brig again.

Thank Mongro for warning you, then cheese it out of there. Go to the... can you dump stuff out of the airlock in hyperspace? Maybe you can put it in that place with the reinforced wall, where you found Mikos?

>>227037
I bet the touch screen needs the code 7187 or something.

No clue if this will activate or disable the thing, though. Can we get it out the airlock in hyperspace? This is something we'd really, really rather not have on the ship.

>>227042
The actual airlock is out:
>>/questarch/212138
I was thinking more of the garbage system ( >>/questarch/222465 ), but that's possibly worse because it'll crush it then keep the bits until the hyperjump is over.

Although well-made bombs shouldn't really blow from being crushed, just destroy their detonators. Feeling lucky, Tiak?

>>227037
What kind of explosive does your military use? Most chemical or nuclear charges can be safely disabled by smashing them to pieces, but I don't know about more advanced stuff.

Suggestion 2010/09/06(Mon)12:16 No. 227067 ID: 4f6386
File 128380060220.png - (102.58KB , 1000x750 , 292.png )

All the airlocks are locked shut during an hyperjump. There's something unhealthy about opening a door to space in a ship that's traveling faster than the speed of light.

Can't I throw it in the garbage disposal unit? Maybe it will just crush the detonator instead of blowing it up.

>I think that you don't get it. That's basically an explosive cannon shell with a detonator strapped to it. These things are originally designed to explode on impact. And that's what going to happen if you crush it. Now, I know that you'll find a way of dealing with that thing, because I have to return to my work.

>>227067
Um...

WHAT KIND OF CRAZY ASS NAVY KEEPS THEIR SHELLS ARMED
(Don't say this out loud, let's not annoy him further)

>>227067
Good lord where do you keep getting bombs. It's like you're a bomb magnet or something.

>>227067
Ugh. Alright, first order of business is to take it to a section of the ship where it will do the least possible damage if it goes off.

>>227067
where could we put this that it would cause the least problems if it exploded?

>>227067
>explode on impact
Good grief, how many ships have you guys lost to munitions handling accidents?

The bartender's ex-military. Maybe he'll have an idea if he shows up. (If he didn't rig the thing in the first place.)

Let's just put it in the brig again.

Ugh. I don't suppose this cannon shell goes to a cannon on the ship? It would be nice to just shoot the damn thing away.

I'd find the least vital part of the ship, stow the bomb there and set it to blow if anyone so much as touches the damn thing

Suggestion 2010/09/06(Mon)14:52 No. 227101 ID: 4f6386
File 128380993673.png - (338.79KB , 1000x750 , 293.png )

>>227078

This is a transport ship, it doesn't have any weapons!

Where do you think it would be safe to put this thing in case it blows up?

>I don't know, I guess that if it explodes in the middle deck, it won't damage the hull or any important part of the ship. The passengers might be a problem, though. If you care about them.

Hmm, alright.

Tiak takes the bomb to the brig, hoping that the strong walls will contain the explosion one more time.

In his way here, he has been able to hear voices from the Canteen. Someone is talking inside, but not loud enough to make it possible to hear it from outside.

>>227101
Oh god did the touch screen just activate?

>>227101
Block that door. Block it and make sure that absolutely nobody can get in. The last thing that we need is for that damned thief to steal it again.

>>227101
Couldn't you, umm, put it under the bad or something, behind the force field?

Also, go to the Canteen.

>>227108
The card reader that controls it is broken.

Is the brig door still in enough of one piece that you could weld it shut?

>>227101
at bare minimum put it somewhere it can't be seen from outside the room

Welding the door shut is a good idea.

>>227101
Put it inside the forcefield if you can, then go check out the canteen.

Suggestion 2010/09/07(Tue)03:42 No. 227404 ID: 290096
File 128385612933.png - (368.23KB , 1000x750 , 294.png )

The last explosion left the card reader badly damaged, and now it's impossible to turn off the force field.

Tiak puts the broken doors again in place and welds them. They don't fit the frame anymore and it's kind of a lousy job, but better than nothing.

Tiak then decides that it's time to take a look at the Canteen.

Suggestion 2010/09/07(Tue)03:42 No. 227406 ID: 290096
File 128385616683.png - (339.31KB , 1000x750 , 295.png )

Inside he finds Zeno and Mok, the barman. Looks like they've been talking, but the barman doesn't look too happy. Although it's hard to look happy when your face is so beaten up.

The Ziranée glances over the door and gives Tiak another of his permanent white, sharp grins.

>Ah, officer, how opportune. We were just having a friendly chat, and seems like we have our differences regarding the subject of alliances between different species, specially the ones that have been at war with each other for centuries. But it seems that we've reached a dead end. Maybe you can help us, what's your opinion about the matter?

a time of mistrust is normal but until one side tries to make it work, things wont get any better.

>>227406
I think it's worth a shot.

>>227406
"If killing each other was going to work then it would have already.
Neither side is going to trust the other anyway, so it'll basically be the same thing with less dying. If it gets better from there, great. If it doesn't, fine. If it goes back to war, then at least we tried.
Personally, I'd love to see the alliance work out."

>>227406
You're passionate about the stimulating new opportunities for your races to intermingle, sharing culture, research, and tender embraces.

Er. Don't say that last one.

I think this is more in line with the way he's feeling right now.: "I'm pretty damn sick of people fighting and I don't care why. It just leads to hatred, arguments, getting shot and blown up. So knock it off already."

Suggestion 2010/09/07(Tue)08:35 No. 227472 ID: 290096
File 128387373561.png - (240.28KB , 1000x750 , 296.png )

Eh... I think it's worth a shot. I mean, it's not like killing each other have worked out so far.

The Ziranée smiles even wider and nods.

>Well, said, officer. And I think that this flight should serve as an example and flagship towards that universal truth that is peace.

The barman doesn't seem very pleased.

"Pah! This whole flight is a farce. Trickery to give you snake-heads more power. I know it, I made that backstabber of Dan spill the beans. You bastards will get what you want and then massacre us like you've been doing forever!"

>My, you should watch out that tongue, barman, you could offend me. And some of that information you're getting from questionable sources could do more harm than good.

"Harm? Like the one you vipers are going to keep doing. The war took my friends, my family and my home planet. I've seen snakes like you in the battlefield, killing my people, biting their heads off! You devils don't want peace, you like the taste of murder too much.

>You are wrong, we suffer the war as much as you do. Although it's true that there's something satisfying about breaking open those shiny carapaces. And Maurian blood tastes so sweet...

"You son of a..."

The situation seems to be escalating fast. Tiak blinks and stares, not knowing what to do or say.

"both of you chill, or you get to spend an hour locked in the brig together with the bomb."

>>227472
Get your tazer ready, the barman's reaching under the counter. Plus, you know, we need to talk to the barman about what questionable information he's gotten.

Hell why don't we just ask Zeno to leave the bar, as the situation is not going to improve while he remains here.

Tell the barman to calm the fuck down.

>>227473
Do not mention the bomb. For all we know either one of these guys could've made the thing.

>>227472
Time to support the barman.
"That is enough Zeno. Taunting the other guy attack first is not peaceful, it's hypocritical. Just another kind of backstabbing. You're better than that, aren't you?"

>>227472
Punch Zeno in the snout to establish dominance.

Alternatively, >>227473 .

Tell them there's been enough violence on this trip, thank you very much.

Tell Zeno to stop provoking the barman.

Tell the barman to calm down.

Incidentally, since nobody's mentioned it, our barman was in much better condition yesterday. At the moment... not so good. They're probably from the fight with the Navigator, though.

>>/questarch/212841

We should get Zeno out of the room so we can ask the barman about his fight with the navigator in peace.

>>227497
This. Let's not take sides.

Suggestion 2010/09/07(Tue)15:53 No. 227637 ID: 290096
File 128389999580.png - (235.39KB , 1000x750 , 297.png )

Tiak steps in between the two men. The barman keeps his hand behind the counter, but doesn't make any sudden moves. Zeno keeps grinning.

Now, enough you two. I think there's been enough violence on this trip already, we don't need any more. Zeno, that was uncalled for, and just provoking for the sake of causing troubles. And Mok, calm down, geez.

The Ziranée snickers softly.

>Oh something tells me that there's going to be a lot more violence before the trip ends, officer.

"Pah!"

Zeno, could you please leave the room? I need to ask something to the barman in private.

>Oh, are you kicking me out of the Canteen, officer?

"Yeah, that's right. Get your scaly ass out of my bar, you lanky-necked plague!"

>>227637
We are asking politely. He's basically finished his drink, there's no reason to stick around and get insulted like this, unless he wants to start a fight.

>>227637
Glare angrily at the bartender.

>>227639
Also do this.

>>227637
"I don't need to explain myself to you. I require privacy with the barman and I -will- get it. We'll talk later."

Don't take sides. Manipulate the situation into more violence and maybe Zeno will get killed. It won't be directly your fault and you won't have to worry about being killed by him if he finds out you slept with his mate.

>>227699
Anything but this. He may have his uses later on.

>>227685 if you're feeling assertive enough to pull it off.
Else >>227655 .

>>227637
Point at the bartender
"You're not helping." then face Zeno again "Yea, I am. I need you two in different rooms, and I can't make him leave his post."

Suggestion 2010/09/08(Wed)02:15 No. 228006 ID: cf736a
File 128393730281.png - (326.40KB , 1000x750 , 298.png )

Tiak angrily glares at the barman.

Cut it out, you're not helping.

Then he turns to Zeno again.

And I don't need to explain myself to you. I require privacy with the barman and I -will- get it. We'll talk later.

The Ziranée lets out a soft laughter.

>Well, congratulations officer. Seems like you're growing some guts, after all. I'll leave. Find me later, I indeed want to discuss something with you in private. Until then, good luck.

The elongated alien leaves the Canteen, leaving Tiak alone with the aggravated barman, who doesn't wait too long to speak his mind.

"And what the hell do you want?"

>>228006
Tell him to shut the fuck up. Tell him he's not the God damned center of the universe. Tell him you, too, have been hurts by the war and are actually still being hurt by it on this very flight--you've been axed, thrown, blown and shot at so far. Bitch.

Now, what the FUCK was with starting brawls with other crew members? Does he not think you have enough to do as it is?

Alright. Whatever. What did the navigator say that made him lose his shit?

Ask him what Dan said. Also ask why he is not in sickbay right now getting his carapace sealed; it's all cracked up.

>>228032
Woah, we're the calm one here. Let's not flip out.

>>228006
Ask about what happened between him and the navigator.

Suggestion 2010/09/08(Wed)10:41 No. 228072 ID: cf736a
File 12839676739.png - (196.73KB , 1000x750 , 299.png )

First, calm the hell down. I've been in the war too, I've been received wounds in this very flight! That doesn't give me, nor you, the right to flip the fuck out.

>Pah.

Now, what's this about you and the Navigator getting in a brawl?

>I knew Dan before this flight. Or at least that I thought. We were in the same company during the assault of Voroco 3. We've never been too close to each other, but damn, we've spilled blood together. That should mean something!

>But no. I knew there was something fishy about this ship the moment I heard Mikos was dead. I snooped around on my own and I found stuff. This isn't a passenger flight at all! They're transporting something. I don't know what, but I know that it's something powerful enough to give the victory to the side that gets its hands on it. And they're going to give it to the freaking snakes! And Dan was on it. All the time! The backstabbing bastard...

Shouldn't you go to infirmary to treat those cracks on your carapace?

>These? Pah! Mere scratches. You'll need something more than a few bruises and cracks to stop me.

>>228072
How about an explosive cannon shell?

>>228072
He's been fed faulty information. There's something on the ship alright, but it's not a weapon of war.

Tell him to watch himself. Whatever we're transporting, it's loose on the ship.

>>228072
How would his army superiors have reacted to him carrying around even minor wounds needlessly? Tell him to get himself fixed up as soon as possible.

>>228096
Let's not let him know we have more info on there, especially since half the details there are self incriminating and the other half guesswork. Besides, we aren't all that sure it isn't.

Suggestion 2010/09/08(Wed)15:03 No. 228155 ID: cf736a
File 12839834196.png - (174.92KB , 1000x750 , 300.png )

What would your commander say if he saw you carrying wounds around, even minor? You should go get fixed to the infirmary as soon as possible

>Look, boss, I appreciate the concern, but I ain't' letting anybody in this goddamn ship put a hand on me. End of the story.

>Don't you have a job to do? Maybe you need a clue, Mr. Investigator. You should take a look inside the room of that treacherous snake. I've seen him sneaking weird stuff into it. Like big pieces of machinery or something. Cabin 5. And enough chit-chatter, good look and good bye.

>>228155
Right, let's go there now.

Sounds like a plan. Lets go visit Snakey.

>>228155
Good idea, but knowing him he's probably outside wondering where to relocate to already.

>>228170
Yeah, Zeno did just say he wanted to talk to us. I can't imagine he's that far off.

Suggestion 2010/09/08(Wed)16:47 No. 228195 ID: cf736a
File 128398962498.png - (175.98KB , 1000x750 , 301.png )

Tiak leaves the Canteen and Zeno doesn't seem to be anywhere nearby.

He walks over the room number 5 and politely knocks on the door.

No answer.

>>228195
May as well open the door. He did say he wanted to meet us.

>>228195

Oh man I bet it's some big fat hermaphrodite with a flock of seagulls haircut and only one nostril.

>>228204
Tiak isn't even carrying a snorkel!

Impolitely knock on the door.

Open the door with your keycard.

>>228204
>>228210

...What?

>>228292
Look up 'Albuquerque' by Weird Al.

We have a keycard? Go ahead and open it. If he's in, we can say we knocked. If he isn't, we always have the excuse that we're trying to meet him.

Suggestion 2010/09/09(Thu)01:38 No. 228508 ID: cf736a
File 128402153584.png - (158.58KB , 1000x750 , 302.png )

Tiak uses his special keycard to open the door.

The room is empty, in almost any sense. There is no trace of Zeno, or those pieces of machinery the barman talked about. The room actually looks so tidy one could think that it's unoccupied.

except that thing under his bed.

>>228508
Man, he gets a whole closet for himself? Livin' it large, that guy.

Yell to Zeno that it's very rude to mark appointments and make rain checks five minutes after. Don't touch anything, yet. I bet he's testing you out or something as ridiculous.

>>228508
>>228509
Is that... the HAZMAT suit? Jesus Christ be careful, he might corner us here.

>>228536
He can't use the HAZMAT, he doesn't have legs. It's something else, another trap maybe? Also check the closet and cabinet.

Suggestion 2010/09/09(Thu)07:57 No. 228551 ID: cf736a
File 128404422618.png - (176.67KB , 1000x750 , 303.png )

That door isn't a closet, it's the bathroom.
Tiak calls for Zeno, but there's no response.
Then he inspects the cabinet. There's only a jacket not unlike the one Zeno is usually seen wearing, and a Ziranée army uniform, of high rank. Tiak guesses that this confirms that this is indeed Zeno's room. The bathroom is as empty and clean as the rest of the cabin.

Tiak gets down to take a look under the bed. There isn't any hazmat suit or anybody hiding down there. But there's something , that's for sure. Tiak can't make up what it is without pulling it out. Looks like some kind of heavy tool, or something similar.

>>228551
I'd bet it's the plasma cutter. May as well check it out.

>>228551
Poke your camera under the bed to have a look.

>>228552
It doesn't look anything like the cutter.

Check the bathroom just to be safe, then pull out the object.

Suggestion 2010/09/09(Thu)12:20 No. 228598 ID: cf736a
File 128406005383.png - (98.40KB , 1000x750 , 304.png )

The bathroom is empty.

Tiak pulls the mysterious object from below the bed. It turns out to be...

...oh boy.

Suggestion 2010/09/09(Thu)12:30 No. 228602 ID: cf736a
File 128406061014.png - (163.42KB , 1000x750 , 305.png )

It turns out to be a Heavy Energy Rifle. Or H.E.R..

>>228602
I guess we know where THAT is now. You might want to put that back EXACTLY the way you found it.

>>228602
So, how's the Doc with forensics?

If there's a chance, you're dragging it to medical and waiting there for results. This doesn't leave our sight.

>>228602
Take a few pictures with the camera. Put it back exactly as you found it.

>>228604
Don't put it back! We might not get another chance to hide it before it's used again. Maybe we should use the hazmat sit to hide it down in engineering? Zeno can't fit in the suit and won't be able to go down after it.

>>228629
I agree. Lets tote a meter tall cannon all the way down to engineering and hide it in a closet. This plan is almost as perfect as the put-it-in-the-pod one.

Yell to Snakey again. Tell him he can come out, now. If he doesn't reply, put that thing where you found it and piss off.

Wish we took one of those pens. This way we could've left a note.

>>228633
I was thinking more along the lines of using the hazmat suit to put it in the area filled with DEADLY RADIATION, not sure how you got chucking it in a closet from that.

I agree with putting it back EXACTLY as you found it.

>>228642
Alright. Sorry for misreading. Still not much of an excellent plan, seeing how our aggressor walks around in a hazmat suit himself all the damn time.

Or are you saying we should take Snakey's weapon just for the sake of being a jerk toward him? That's racist, dude.

>>228629
I was thinking of that earlier, but I didn't want to let him know we were here just yet. Now that you put it that way... yeah, let's move it.

>>228668
>Or are you saying we should take Snakey's weapon just for the sake of being a jerk toward him?

This is verging into /questdis/, but I feel compelled to point out that a) it's a probable murder weapon and b) it's not supposed to be on board (>>/questarch/200527). That's two good reasons for Tiak to confiscate it.

>>228668
By the way guys, don't forget that we've already damaged the first HAZMAT. Now we just need to hide the second one somewhere.

Put it back exactly as we found it. We don't have anywhere to store it, and it's not like anyone can really USE the thing outside of engineering. Plus, he's supposed to be working with us, since we're helping the queen.

PLUS, he asked the janitor about the murder, specifically about him getting shot in the head. There's no way he's the murderer OR the guy who blew off Mikos' head. He probably found the gun somewhere... or there's more than one aboard.

>>228724
If we hide it in the engine deck, all we have to do is hide the HAZMAT somewhere (the other one was damaged in the fight, remember?).

Suggestion 2010/09/10(Fri)01:20 No. 229028 ID: cf736a
File 128410682994.png - (157.58KB , 1000x750 , 306.png )

>>228608

The doctor told Tiak before that he wasn't an expert in forensics. Anyways, Tiak doesn't think there are many doubts about the matter.
Only a heavy energy weapon like this one could have vaporized Miko's head, and then almost breach through the wall behind.

Tiak takes a picture of the weapon and saves it in his PDA, which is, by the way, running in low battery mode. He should charge it soon.

Tiak calls for Zeno again, but to no surprise, nobody answers. So he puts the rifle again just where he found it.

I think we're done here. We can go to either the infirmary, where the navigator might be, or finally to Zero Deck, where horrors might be, or Tiak's room, where batteries might charge.

>>229028
Closet. Bathroom. Sleep pod.

>>229035
We checked the closet and bathroom already.

>>229028
>Anyways, Tiak doesn't think there are many doubts about the matter.

Yes, but the point is more to find out who fired it than to confirm it was the weapon used.

>>224082
>Your PDA battery is low.
>>224129
>They should last at least one or maybe two hours more, anyways.
>>229028
>his PDA, which is, by the way, running in low battery mode

TiiiiiAAAAAKKKKK!

>>229028
Look in the bathroom.

Suggestion 2010/09/10(Fri)06:28 No. 229127 ID: cf736a
File 128412533349.png - (164.14KB , 1000x750 , 307.png )

Tiak has already looked in the bathroom and the cabinet. The former is empty, the latter contains the already mentioned jacket and uniform. Tiak checks the sleeping pod, though, but it turns out to be empty as well.

Tiak is still undecided about what to do. But, oops, there goes the battery. The PDA turns itself off.

>>229127
Lets go sit on our thumbs while the battery gets charged.

go back to your room and peek in through the crack if the bomb is powered on yet.

>>229127
Lose grip on sanity without reassuring embrace of pervasive technology. Go on killing spree with H.E.R.

Alternatively, go sit in your office charging the PDA and wondering if you'll ever get to the Zero Deck.

...guys, the bomb is in the brig. Next to his office.

I think perhaps we should stay out of there until it explodes. Isn't there somewhere else we can charge the PDA?

>>229132
It blowing up would be pretty terrible either way, and it would be less likely to if we didn't leave it unsupervised...