Test Pattern 2010/09/25(Sat)21:50 No. 233994 ID: a09a03
File 128547661952.png - (5.24KB , 600x600 , TQ669.png )

Leaving the salvaged dropship behind, I crawl through the air ducts, back towards Mitzi's hiding spot. My limbs feel quicker, smoother, more precise. Even lugging a hundred pounds of gear behind me, I move rapidly, if noisily. My eyes adjust to light they couldn't detect before. My vision now reaches from infrared to ultraviolet. My body is feeding my mind information more quickly than just a few hours ago, and my improved speed demands I keep up.

>>233994
Adrenaline is a helluva drug.

Status report on your bodily repair progress.

Test Pattern 2010/09/25(Sat)21:54 No. 233998 ID: a09a03
File 128547689399.png - (39.81KB , 750x1000 , TQ670.png )

My ankle's knitting nicely. I need to decide what aspect to heal next.

With the major flaws in my musculature dealt with, I can make a further improvement to Speed. Seeing as I'm trying to escape, I guess that might be an obvious one. Maybe not, though. You voices aren't the only thing wrong with my brain. I don't have two scars on my head. It's one scar running all the way through. I'm not sure what to think about that... which might be part of the problem. There's also flaws in my nervous and endocrine systems from being embalmed in Suppress for decades. Focusing on this will give me better Reflexes.
My body also contains a network of thermal conductors, biological threads made from complex compounds, metals, and superconductors. Completely broken. Healing my Heat Channels will let me turn sections of my skin and fur into insulators or radiators.
There's also an itch. Something tickling at the back of my mind, flickering just outside my peripheral vision. More sensory information I lack. Tertiary Senses.

Like I can't see in enough fucking colors already...

>>233998
Tertiary Senses. A soldier must always be aware of their surroundings. Lack of information leads to failure. Abundance of information leads to victory.

>>233998
Tertiary Senses, and see if you can't bring BURNING HANDS back online. Lock door? Burn it open. Touching someone? Burn their face off. See? Useful. Also: Stealth.

Reflexes > Senses > Speed > Heat Channels

Start with reflexes and tertiary senses; reflexes are more important than raw speed.

>>234001
Sorry, did I say 'BURNING HANDS?' I meant Heat Channels.

>>233998
Reflexes I guess? :v

Speed lvl 2 and Reflexes at the same time.

>>233998
speed and reflexes, we don't want a repeat of that missile incident

>>234004
Oh also speed.

I'd say reflexes. When it comes to a shooting match being able to react faster and peg targets quicker is going to be important.

I don't think you need to work on Reflexes there's no way anyone could ever HOLY CRAP LOOK OUT.

Reflexes. Definitely reflexes.

Heat channels can make you invisible to jabberwocks. This is a very good thing given your current situation.

Tertiary... eh, no idea really. If the rest of your head voices want it, sure.

As for the scar, look on the bright side your whole brain used to be a scar. Worry about it later, or if you start to get brain bleeding. You probably don't have a blood/brain barrier though, so brain bleeding isn't nearly as dangerous as with humans.

Deleted my old post, changing my vote.

Go for improved reflexes, Penji.

>>234001
It doesn't work that way, I think.

GATHERING A CONCENSUS.
We should do Reflexes first, then Tertiary Senses. One at a time. You've specifically mentioned reflexes in the past and there have been situations where they would have been very useful. Tertiary senses sounds almost as useful in this facility, but I think the one directly affecting fighting ability is the most important.

MY PERSONAL PRIORITY AS FOLLOWS:
Reflexes > Tertiary Senses > Heat Channels > Speed Level 2.

Good luck, Penji.

And because >>234002 voting is the best system ever

Reflexes > Heat Channels > Tertiary > Speed

>Reflexes > Heat Channels > Tertiary > Speed

Gonna have to go with this.

>>233998
Speed, then reflexes.

Ultimately, our decision has to be based upon immediate utility.

Are tertiary senses going to provide us with critical information that we cannot gather from our primary and secondary senses? Probably not.

Are heat channels going to conceal us or provide us with weaponry or other capabilities which would make the difference between success and failure or life and death? I'm thinking no; we're pretty damned stealthy and slashy already.

Speed and reflexes are the two critical combat enhancers that we need to ultimately be able to tear through squads of heavy infantry without sustaining injuries, shoot down missiles, and be able to take on the various giant monsters running around on even footing. They are the pillars of our martial prowess. Between the two of them, I am inclined to say that speed- in particular, the ability to either run away or aggressively charge before others can react- is more critical. Either, though, could save our life or allow us to avoid serious injury and both should be pumped up as much as possible, as fast as possible.

REFLEXES!

Reflexes!

Reflexes or Speed seem the most vital. If we ever get caught in a fight with one of those Jabbawocks again we're going to need that kind of speed to avoid dying.

>>233998

The greatest victory in war is to win without fighting at all. Go for senses first, then heat channels, for stealth.

Can you do both reflexes and speed lvl2 at the same time?

Test Pattern 2010/09/25(Sat)23:52 No. 234063 ID: a09a03
File 128548393687.png - (15.55KB , 500x500 , TQ672.png )

"Hey."

Test Pattern 2010/09/25(Sat)23:57 No. 234065 ID: a09a03
File 128548423415.png - (17.07KB , 500x500 , TQ673.png )

Mitzi seems okay, if cold. And surprised.
In hindsight, I probably should've put the helmet on after I got back.

There's lots to do. I'm not sure where to start.

In the meantime, I start repairing my Reflexes. After all, the best way to react faster to things is to... react faster to things.

"told'ya i'd come back."

she would probably like a weapon, let her pick if she wants the axe or the stabber.

Look up on the map and head to the Tech database. Same as you did with Bio. That worked out really well.

First find Jabberwok weak points.

I don't blame her for looking so freaked out. You look like some kind of powered armor-wearing hellbeast in that getup. She probably thought it was someone come to kill her.

>>234065
Explain to Mitzi the various stuff you got, and the repairs/modifications that you were hoping she might be able to make. Get estimated job time so that you can make an informed decision as to what to do next.

Then tell her that her brother left you a note, telling you where the armory is and encouraging you to raid it. Get an opinion.

"Your bro called me on my old tozol ship, gave me some orders. There's a bunch of weapons and counter-suppress in an armory we can get to through Security or the Main Lift to level two just west of it. Said there's enough there to pull a nice escape."

Tell Mitzi it was like Christmas and you got to open all your presents early, except if Santa Claus was the one who brutally slew you and your best friends and locked you in a tube for at least 40 years so he could experiment on you, plus all your presents were actually mostly yours to begin with.

But it was still like Christmas because you got a lot of shiny new (old) toys to play and kill dudes with.

>>234062
Give her the suit before she freezes to death, it's heavy and it will just make our new reflexes sluggish. Then explain to her that you just heard from her brother, so he IS definitely alive and probably waiting for us, that should relieve her a bit.

>>234098
>Give her the suit before she freezes to death, it's heavy and it will just make our new reflexes sluggish.
Agreed. Swap for her lighter stuff. Keep the helmet since it'll only fit you.

>>234070
I doubt she can use the weasel bar or mercygiver due to the not-DNA locks, and anti-tank grenades are rather situational. I take it she's out of rifles and pistol ammo too, else hand yours over for now.

>>234071
Also ask her if she's looked up anything else while waiting.

Probably a bit late for the vote, but reflexes, then heat channels gets my vote.

Jabberwocks are still loose. The quicker we can get an edge over them, the better.

Fuck the tertiary senses. Those can wait until there is either an obvious need for them, or when we have resources to spare.
Like when we get to that delicious counter-suppress.

>>234065
Well then, lets get her out of this very cold storage room and get her up to speed on what's going on.

Then we can see what she has to say about it. Hopefully that we move out according to orders, then we get to have some fun.

>>234065
First, get her out of the cold and start warming her up.
Second, bring her up to speed.

>>234065
Give her the EOD suit, along with whatever else she can use.

"Come with me if you want to live."

>>234149
This

Say it in a tough body building Austrian accent after you've done all of the above.

>>234149
Heck yes.

Man, that stuff looks cumbersome. You sure it won't get in your way?

In any case, ask Mitzi what her brother sounds like; you got a message from someone saying they were him, but it could be a trap and you want to be sure. Then tell her all that happened to you and get her input on the matter.

Also, just as a note, you should probably start referring to yourself as Tethys.

Everyone you're going to meet is going to remember you as Tethys, all the data in the station is going to refer to you as Tethys, and the more of your memories you regain, the more you will /be/ Tethys.

Also also, that armor makes you look fat, you should probably get rid of it. Your outfit or lack thereof before made no noise and seemed to be doing you just fine.

>>234173
Tethys is the codename the facility gave her. She/we decided to call her Penji.

Hug Mitzi and warm her with your superior Tozol body heat :U

>>234179
The real reason we should have invested in heat channels.

>>234179

this.

>>234179
Body heat? We're in really bulky armor. We don't have body heat directly available.

>>234173
The pricks who shot her named her Tethys. Fuck that name. Also, we are tentatively planning to assault an armory probably full of people who want to shoot us; this means that armor is good.

>>234135
I don't think we should give up the EOD suit.

>>234173
Penji isn't fat and now is really not the time to be concerned with body image. It's much better for her to be able to take a few extra bullets than it is for her to look sexy.

>>234273
We can take many bullets. She can't. Besides, the suit is the only thing that she can actually use, and we don't want it to look like we're hogging up all the gear.

>>234336
Except that we mutilated the suit by chopping off its lower legs so it'd fit our crazy legs.

What's stopping Mitzi from using the mercy-giver if we pull its scabbard off?

Mwahahaha~! Heck yeah, this is getting interesting now!

Though I'd want to say "work on another", it might be more beneficial to devote all of our power to a single task and complete each one faster.


ANYWAY, let's check on Mitzi, inform her of what we have learned, and get her a good WARMING HUG (or three) before heading back out.

p.s.: Ask if she's heard any JABBERWOCK noises or troops moving around. We don't wanna run into anything again!

Oh and did you hear anything interesting (or lack thereof) in the vents? I imagine the vents would be a good way to 'hear' the whole complex. If you hear shooting and smashing, then that's good because the woks are still duking it out with the troops; total silence on the other hand means one side has won, and that's not very good- hopefully, the surviving woks or troops would be too damaged to chase us.

Test Pattern 2010/09/26(Sun)22:40 No. 234570 ID: a09a03
File 128556601482.png - (14.09KB , 500x500 , TQ674.png )

"Penji, you scared the hell out of me," says Mitzi. "Nice outfit."
"Sorry," I say. "I found some equipment, but no firearms. Got a big stabbing knife you can use. I also got a message from Marcus."
"Well at l-what?" she asks. "Wait, what?"
"He set up a tightbeam hyperwave radio aimed at a tozol dropship. He knew only I could unlock it."
"A dropship! What did he say?"

Test Pattern 2010/09/26(Sun)22:41 No. 234571 ID: a09a03
File 128556609412.png - (13.65KB , 500x500 , TQ675.png )

I tell her what I found, and relay the message.
"You think it was him?" I ask.
"I... I think so," she says. "Wanting to kill everyone doesn't sound anything like him, but... I think he was more lucid than me during the tests. I can't imagine what he must feel like... He didn't mention me?"
"No," I say. "So this cache is legit? If it's legit, we should go for it."
"I guess he wouldn't mention me," she says. "Unknown alien. No reason to assume you'd bring me with you. He must have heard you were alive, then made the message before they thought they killed you..."
"I heard gunfire through the vents," I say. "It's sporadic, now. Could mean anything, but I wouldn't bet on Security section being abandoned."
"So we should go through the main lift, instead?"
"I don't know," I admit. "Not enough information."
Her shoulders sag. She goes quiet.
"Hey, is that really your helmet?" she asks. "From before I was born?"
"Yeah."
"That is... really cool, actually," she says. "How can you tell? Is your name on it?"

put it on and go "well in a manner of speaking"

>"How can you tell? Is your name on it?"

"Well it's got MY hole in it."

Put it on and tap the scar.

>>234571
"It kinda has my name on it."
Subtly show her the gigantic hole through the helmet, then take a look to actually see if it has your name on it anywhere.
"The others were way too big."

>>234571
"It's the one with a bigass hole where my eye should be."

>>234571
Actually wait, check if it DOES have your name on it.

>>234571
Put it on and point at it.

"This hole. It was made for me. This is my hole."

Check map for location of Tech database. Go there.

>>I'll have to ask Mitzi where a jabberwock keeps its brainstem.
Ask Mitzi where a jabberwock keeps its brainstem.

>>234588
This right here.

>>234588
Hah, yes!

>>234570
Huh. Not sure why, but Mitzi's looking particularly attractive, there.

...

mitzi did you do your makeup while you were waiting

looks good

"The others don't match."

>>234571
Does it have your name on it somewhere?

Alternatively:

"This is my helmet. there are many like it, but this one is mine. My helmet is my best friend. It is my life. I must master my helmet as I must master my life. Without me, my helmet is useless, without my helmet, I am useless."

Test Pattern 2010/09/26(Sun)23:42 No. 234640 ID: a09a03
File 128556975216.png - (13.37KB , 500x500 , TQ676.png )

"This hole," I say, pointing. "It-"
"Yeah, stupid question," she says. "Easy to forget that. You know. Listen, about earlier..."

Test Pattern 2010/09/26(Sun)23:42 No. 234641 ID: a09a03
File 128556976764.png - (13.01KB , 500x500 , TQ677.png )

"I actually didn't think to check for a name," I say.
"Huh?"

>>234641
CHECK FOR A NAME!

Test Pattern 2010/09/26(Sun)23:48 No. 234648 ID: a09a03
File 128557009262.png - (12.80KB , 500x500 , TQ678.png )

"Saon Vocta."
Mitzi doesn't say anything.
"And a rank," I say. "Human word would be sergeant, I think."

>>234648
Apologize for interrupting and ask about what she was going to say.

Miss Vocta. Ma'am.

>>234648
Alright cool! Now what was Mitzi saying?

i like Penji more, how about Penji Vocta? anyway, let her continue.

>>234648
Okay, Penji. Assuming that is indeed your name, that brings up a question:

Would you prefer to be called Penji or Saon?

Cause I'm rather attached to Penji myself.

Saon Vocta is who you used to be. All those memories and that personality are gone now. You can try to be who you once were. You won't succeed. Your name is Penji. That's who you are now. Be proud of it.

The minute of sentimentality is over. Let's get moving.

>>234648
Whatever you do, don't call her sir. She WORKS for a living.

Then, kindly ask Mitzi to continue her thoughts.

>>234648
Well don't that beat all.

A pity Saon Vocta is dead. She died when whatever it was blew a hole in her head. Then, like the mythological phoenix, she was reborn, into you, Penji.

Cool that you were a "sergeant" though in your past life. Alright, well, put that thing back on and hand her a wepon. Then ask her to continue with her train of thought.

>>234648
Saon Vocta, huh. I'm thinking you like Penji better based on past experience, though.

"Anyway, go on?"

I wonder if Penji was our nickname? It had to come from somewhere.

Your memories will be regained in time, and one day you'll be Saon "Penji" Vocta. No reason to just abandon either name.

>>234640
>>234641

Yes, Mitzi, you are definitely looking better. Did she get a tube of lipstick somewhere? Perhaps she was practicing shapeshifting and touched herself up a bit. Little morale boost. Inquire, Penji, after she's said what she was saying.

By the way, Saon Vocta, is one of those a family name? You could argue whether you're still the same individual or not, but your genes'd still be your genes, presumably.

Sergeant Saon get shot through her head, she died 40 years ago along with the mission and all operators. Your name is Penji now- Tethys to our enemies. You were born in a tank and you promised yourself and Mitzi that both of you will get out of here alive. Now lets get some firepower before we head out to the elevator. Maybe we should check by security again, I imagine the troops would have retreated from that post to escape the jabbers.

sounds like a drink name. salt vodka?

yeah we really should attempt repair now. show tazer ti- mitzi the other helmet.

and remember you may have been followed, or worse, tagged.

>>234654
1: Not ALL the memories. She'll recover more as she comes in contact with more things from her past and her brain continues repairs.
2: This might be her old personality. It's unlikely, but possible.
3: Penji is, and has always been, a nickname. Her real name is Saon Vocta. Her experiment code name is Tethys. Her nickname is Penji. There is no conflict here, and trying to give her an identity crisis is a waste of time.

Pointless topics aside? Take off the EOD suit, wrap your arms around Mitzi, remove her from the freezer, and then go for high surface area contact so she can leech some body heat off of you. "Once you're thawed we'll try to go through Security and into the armory. Unless you'd rather take the lift. Or spend time taking another crack at Quillig."

>>234641
Apologise for interrupting. You are a rude Tozol.

Don't say anything else until Mitzi has had a chance to continue since it may requiring thinking about. (For the love of Cthulhu, don't bring the idiotic Qillig failure back up unless Mitzi is already pondering it.)

>>234746
Nope, don't mention Qillig again.

>>234648
Tell her that she doesn't need to apologize if that was what she was about to do. Shit got fucked up. But now it's time to move on, and either check out this place her brother told us about or find some other way. I think we should strike against the security station now, hopefully they don't have the jabberwoks totally subdued yet so you can hit them while they still have other crap to deal with and won't be able to focus everything on you.

>>234789
>Tell her that she doesn't need to apologize if that was what she was about to do.
Oh god no. If that's not what she's about to do, you only succeed in managing to sound like a tremendous jackass.

Don't mention the Qillig!

Also... how about we check on Engineering? There is likely to be cool/useful stuff in there that Mitzi can put together.

I wonder if our infinitely configurable tozol multitool will enable us to drill through the wall and go there directly.

Whenever we come across a rude dude calling us Tethys, we will remind them painfully that it is Sgt. Vocta and they will address her by that name. Friends can call her Penji :3

Well at least you had a name. That proves that at least to some degree you weren't an unthinking monster, so your compassion of late is likely not a mental perturbation.

Just listen to what she wanted to say before you interrupted her with the helmet-nametag thingy.

>>234823
I have trouble believing that any society which has advanced weaponry, armor, and dropships would be full of unthinking monsters anyway.

>>234794
Speaking of Mitzi putting things together, didn't we want her to do a patch job on some of this armor/helmets?

Though we should probably let her continue with whatever she was going to say, first.

>>234862
its possible it could be 2+ societies, split in chastes. if they have really bad politics the warrior could act independently from the builders, still thinking in expansion/preemptive attack.

also we may need to consider strategy. what if a alien vessel had landed in california, with 200+ gengineered supersoldiers and frontline engineers disapearing in the wild? surely it looks like the preparation for a invasion, so it makes sense to retaliate without questioning.

>>234746
well we have to consider that penji was literally made from scratch. that behaviour may be her instincts, as well as her trainning reflexes, old memories or the fact she is/was under heavy stress and apparently so far did not snapped.

sergeant penji salt vodka is nothing more nothing less that what she makes herself out of. be it the sum of her parts or the changes she will endure on those parts. mainly her brain when she remembers what she can remember.

i still belive she was railgunned with the orb

We need to approach this cache in some way that gives us a tactical advantage: it could very well be a trap.

Penji, we need weapons before we attack a heavily fortified position. You know that. Don't do things that go against your training and instinct. I bet there is a weapon in tech that uses that energy pack you found. The tech database will give us everything we need to know and more. Get there.

we could check where the message camed from. it could give us a idea of how much of a trap it is.

Don’t apologize for interrupting Mitzi. Just sit down next to her looking sadly at the helmet. Let her get all concerned for you. Once that happens hold her hand and apologize for not being able to protect her properly. Then lean in close, whisper that you’re sorry, and kiss her. (If all goes well we might get some freaky alien sex action in the meat locker, or at least get closer to that possibility. ^.^ b)

>>236085
Xenolesbian relations are EXTRA HERETICAL, you.. you... double heretic!

>>236202

but it's so soft and warm together~

Alternatively, you could just extricate yourselves from the meat locker for the time being.

>>236085

not going to happen. Those two are so obviously not into each other

though I would be delighted to be proved wrong

>>236211

Mitzi's body is round and soft and so inviting~

Apologise, blame headvoices, ask about chances of being a trap.

Also, she hasn't found DOUBLE XENOLUST funny or interesting before, she's not going to now.
Move it to the discussion thread.

>>236202
Sounds like that should be a government branch or something.

The Department of Xenolesbian Relations.

I bet back when she was a sergeant, she was some kind of +SUPER-DYKE+.

BUT ANYWAY, you should let Mitzi finish what she wanted to say.

>>236202
>>236211
>>236338
>>236803
>>236838
Guys, please, take it to >>/questdis/316424

>>236202
I’m just saying if they where to hook up things could get interesting. Mitzi is a shape shifter that could make her hand do god knows what to Penji. And Penji does have ten independently moving tails. She could bunch them up and slip them places. ^^ haha

Test Pattern 2010/10/03(Sun)20:50 No. 238035 ID: a09a03
File 12861642255.png - (14.90KB , 500x500 , TQ679.png )

"What were you saying?" I ask.
"Just... that I was maybe too harsh," she says.
"I made some really bad decisions."
"Yeah. Uh..." Mitzi trails off. "You've got a good excuse, is all I'm saying."
"Thanks?"
"And that I definitely want to stick together," she continues. "Within reason."
"Within reason."

That's some fine armor you have there. You should keep it. You will be getting shot at much more than Mitzi.

Head to tech via air ducts.

ask if she wants the axe or the stabber.

>>238035
I am against xenolesbian relations at this point, but I don't think a hug would go amiss. Then down to business... gathering intel on that armory.

>>238035
Of course. She's got enough sense not to charge into a completely suicidal situation, right?

But yeah I think now, we should probably try to find out more about the situation in Security. Or we could go kill Quillig, now that we have a durable prying device.

>>238039
Honestly right now we shouldn't do anything like that. Maybe a pat on the shoulder at MOST.

>>238040

I BET YOU WERE THE ONE WHO TOLD US TO GO HIDE FROM THE JABBERWOCKS IN THE ROOM WITH THE JABBERWOCK TANKS

>>238035
Right. Well. First order of business now is to go over and distribute gear. It would probably be polite to lay everything out and ask Mitzi if there's anything in particular that she wants. If anything needs repairs, see if she can repair them in a timely fashion.

After spending a couple minutes on that, it's time to move out to... wherever. Anywhere that's not a cold room- you can't stay here indefinitely, anyway.

I would recommend trying to track down more of those wall-annihilating missiles, because they seem like a singularly important thing to add to your arsenal. That probably means jumping and annihilating one of the enemy security squads.

Yes, romance plotline later, likely when her brother dies in her loyalty mission. Alright, let's equip her with something better than get the fuck outta here. Goddamn place is cold.

>>238040
Quillig can fuck off.

Distributing gear sounds like an idea.

Test Pattern 2010/10/03(Sun)22:33 No. 238069 ID: a09a03
File 128617041235.png - (11.87KB , 500x500 , TQ680.png )

We start unpacking our gear. Wouldn't hurt to look over what we've got, at least so we can pack back up so it doesn't make as much noise.

"Christ, this thing is heavy," says Mitzi, dragging the mercygiver up along the floor, leaving a scratch.

"I was thinking that could be yours," I say. "The bar works better when I use it. Can you handle the weight?"

"Yeah, just... Christ, it's not even big."

"That's the idea."

>jumping security squads?
Might work. Would be easier than taking on Security unarmed.
>romance
Can we try to focus?

Test Pattern 2010/10/03(Sun)22:36 No. 238071 ID: a09a03
File 128617059141.png - (11.36KB , 500x500 , TQ681.png )

We've got...

Mercygiver
Weasel Bar
Pistol (no rounds)
40x FMJ Rifle rounds
100x Saboted Rifle rounds
1x tozol power pack
2x human Fragmentation Grenades
2x tozol Anti-Tank Grenades
2x Tranquilizer tubes
2x Suppress tubes
1x Counter poison tube
1x Stimulant tube
Device I haven't had time to examine yet. Label reads 'Hornbook' in the utility language.
Laptop containing Bio Lab data
Extra hard drive we can't unlock
High Security Keycard
2x ID Passcards
Multitool
Soldering iron
Small power drill
Scissors
Rolls of tape
Small batteries
Tiny shiny scrap of metal
Can of yellow spray paint
Writing utensils
Paper
snacks, rations, and water
Backpack
Bag
Holster
A suit of human security armor (which Mitzi's wearing)
A suit of human blast armor (which I'm wearing)
My helmet
Large helmet (tozol?)

you will need both tozol Anti-Tank Grenades as they probably are locked to your bio signature as well. mitzi get's the frags.

>>238071
Examine Hornbook.

Tozol stabber goes in the hand of a Tozol and is used for stabbing.
Giving a Tozol stabber to Ms. Bladearms who can't wield it effectively is a bad idea.
Tell Mitzi to give a few test stabs at the air. Then tell her to try her blade arms and ask which she thinks she is better with.

Head to tech. Examine tech database. Find a weapon. Hopefully something that energy pack goes to.

>>238069
If Mitzi can wield it, then the Mercygiver is indeed better for her. The weasel stick's just an expensive donky bar in her hands.

Have some water, if you need it. Can the holster be used to hold the mercy-giver so that Mitzi isn't having to use one or even two hands to carry it? Can it support the weight?

The multitool, soldering iron, and power drill are largely useless. Probably we should toss those. If that tiny scrap of metal is appetizing to you still, try eating it if you like, but if we mobilize you should probably dump it. I don't think we'll have the time to make pen pals--you can probably pitch the paper and pens too. Have a snack if you'd like to--despite what some of us say you are not overweight whatsoever. Small batteries can probably fuck off too.

A "hornbook" is like a little learning book thing by one meaning, or a legal document.

I think we should sit down, distribute snacks and beverages, and try to read that hornbook while Mitzi looks up the following on that laptop: "Jabberwock", "Athelhom"(where she is looking for info on forces encountered and also recovered objects), and "tozol" since I am guessing we barely scratched the surface.

>>238071
First thing's first. Inspect the unknown item and figure out what it does, while Mitzi grabs stuff she wants.

>>238071
Mitzi's the engineer here, so let her make the call about all the various tools, emphasizing that we'll need to move fast for an extended period so she should avoid weighing herself down with anything she won't need.

Weapons-wise, you're stronger than Mitzi so you get everything heavy- she can take like one human grenade.

Split the tranqs and suppress, Mitzi should take the counter poisons and stims since her biology isn't as robust and she's therefore more likely to need them.

Split the rest in whatever way seems appropriate or reasonable.

Test Pattern 2010/10/04(Mon)00:40 No. 238120 ID: a09a03
File 12861780182.png - (18.06KB , 500x500 , TQ682.png )

"What's that?" asks Mitzi.
"Says it's hornbook," I say. It clicks open, forming a screen. I start reading.
"So what's that, in this case?"
"It's a guide," I say. "A tozol guide. Basic fieldcraft, tactics, doctrine, and philosophy."
"Like a field manual?"
"Yeah, for babies," I say.
"So you know all of it?"
Er.

Test Pattern 2010/10/04(Mon)00:46 No. 238124 ID: a09a03
File 12861784191.png - (17.03KB , 500x500 , TQ683.png )

Mitzi snickers.
"Sorry," she says. "Sorry, uh, Saon."
"Penji's fine."
"Is that, was that a nickname?"
"Maybe," I say. "I don't know. I don't think so. Just thought it up because I didn't have a name."
"Well, now you do," she says.
"Name doesn't mean much to me," I say. "I think I'm someone else, now."
Mitzi doesn't say anything.

>>238124
You're not someone else, you're a regenerated Saon without any memories, there's a difference. No matter what you do, you can't escape who you once were. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but it'll come back to you eventually.

Get to reading.

>>238035
While you're checking that out, update your Twitter.

Also ask Mitzi if she found anything on the laptop after you left.

>>238124
Skim the doctrine and philosophy sections while Mitzi goes over the gear and picks out whatever. That should be enough to give you a little bit of background on what the general Tozol stance on life, the universe, and everything is.

Fieldcraft and tactics are something you need to learn by heart rather than merely skim, so unless you start getting the sense that you're quickly relearning things as you read this it's probably not worth the time to go over them in depth. Unless you really want to.

So, you've got a Hitchhiker's Guide there, huh? Skim the bit on tactics, since it probably covers 'there are two of you and a billion of them' a few different ways. Oh, and check the bit on philosophy. This should be amusing.

>>238124
Can we please make all the soldiers refer to you as Sgt. Vocta as an intimidation tactic and maybe, just maybe, have security revere you a little more with respect? These men make me so angry with calling you Tethys as some sort of object. Nyx for Mitzi, while very bad, is a project name a bit more understandable. You're a pure-bred tozol goddammit from the tozol army. A POW being experimented on. You sure as hell don't belong to them.

Let's make Mitzi a honorary tozol deputy or private. Then force everyone to call her Private Mitzi.

>>238128
Don't forget the DON'T PANIC decal.

The most useful info right now is fieldcraft and tactics. Doctrine and philosophy are neat too I guess.

>>238080
and
Ask Mitzi if she wants to huddle to stay warm. Anything important in that manual? Maybe something about the Weasel bar.

Test Pattern 2010/10/04(Mon)01:51 No. 238146 ID: a09a03
File 128618226189.png - (14.09KB , 500x500 , TQ684.png )

>You're a pure-bred tozol goddammit from the tozol army. A POW being experimented on. You sure as hell don't belong to them.
Yeah!
>The most useful info right now is fieldcraft and tactics. Doctrine and philosophy are neat too I guess.
"Tactics I get," says Mitzi. "But... tozol philosophy? Seriously?"
"It all sorta slides together," I say. "Camouflage. 'The only place to hide a shadow is inside another one.' 'Destroy the contrast of shape and silhouette, shine and shade.' 'Move as your environment moves. Feel the pulse of the wind. Bend the grass as it would.'"
"That'd be really cool if there was any grass or wind here," says Mitzi.
"Yeah, the long hallways are really nice for security," I say. "Basically no way to avoid being seen, unless we fill the corridors with smoke or avoid them."
"Can we avoid them?"
"Not easily," I say. "We'd need to go through every intervening section, then find ways through the security doors. Not impossible. Was thinking about heading back to Tech Research that way."
"Sounds like a plan."
"Not necessarily," I say. "Everything can be replaced except time."
"And alien artifacts," she says. "Add that to your book."
"Well, it says 'do not lose or deface' on the back..."

>>238146
Anything in there about being a POW stuffed to the gills with Suppress?

Or various kinds of opposing forces you might encounter, and how best to destroy them?

I don't know that you have time to skim the entire strategic primer, Penji.

You seem to know most of it innately anyway.

>>238146
You probably shouldn't get into any firefights until you have a ranged weapon again. But, the only weapons are kept in the armory. Maybe you should check out life support, perhaps Mitzi can tinker with their air and force them out, then she'll put it back on just for you as you nick their kit.

>>238146
Cheap bastards. Couldn't even afford to give you the book, had to loan it. Ugh, there's gonna be some hefty late fees on this one.

So, lets get a move on. You won't achieve anything by sitting here and freezing while reading philosophy. You can save that for later when you're outside and can get your hands on some nice wine and educated company.

>>238130
>Can we please make all the soldiers refer to you as Sgt. Vocta

No, let's please not act like a petulant child. Mostly they're not calling us anything at all anyway.

>>238080
Agree with the stabber part. If she's having trouble lifting it how the heck is she going to make fast, precise stabs with it?

>>238094
Agreed. We don't want to chuck out anything she's going to need to, say, override a lift control panel.

I reckon we ought to sneak to Security and see how it looks while ideally they've still got their hands full with the jabberwocks.

>>238172
they are calling us names most of the time.

frankly id be glad if they called her at least bitch, but its just tozol this tozol that. just a target, no feeling of hate, apathy or anything to work on.

a rank could break that. either fear,adversity or straightout animosity. of course this implies a live soldier to go home.

read the bonk out of that book, evne the philosophy, we need to know if your race is friendly to you. heck, this may as well give a idea of what you were supposed to do.

and im guessing mitzi is on the large helmet? if we can get yours functional id be happy already. imagine the information it has fothe enemy once it gets captured, and all the sort of ways it has to detonate itself to prevent capture!

See if it has anything on protocol for being trapped behind enemy lines.

>>238146
Well, if the tozol race was incredibly fanatical or genocidal, hated all other aliens with an unmatched passion, or otherwise was made up of dicks, you'd probably have noticed after the first thirty seconds of reading the doctrine/philosophy sections. So that's one worry assuaged, I guess.

Let's get moving.

Oh do you have any favorite passages, quotations, or anything that speaks to you with great meaning in that book Penji? It might not be much now, but it may help you calm down when you face your toughest fight yet.

>>238146
Is there a dictionary in the book? See if Penji has a meaning.

Test Pattern 2010/10/09(Sat)04:09 No. 240615 ID: a09a03
File 128662259467.png - (15.17KB , 500x500 , TQ685.png )

>See if it has anything on protocol for being trapped behind enemy lines.
"The front line is a strategic abstraction," I translate. "A one dimensional symbol which disguises the truth. A front may be of any thickness, any density, any composition, and any phase state. It is always permeable, however, by way of guile or concentrated power. A front means enemy strength to be disrupted, misled, corralled, and above all, bypassed. Linear, force-on-force thinking represents a failure of the tactical and strategic problem solving method."
"Can I get the short version?" Mitzi asks.
"Avoid strengths. Blow up trucks and trains. Throw grenades in command posts. Scramble their communications," I say. "Being behind enemy lines is a good thing. It means their combat power is facing the wrong way to protect their soft parts."
"But that's not us," she says. "These guys know we're here, and we have to go past their guards and shit to do anything like you're saying."
"Then we're not behind enemy lines," I say. "We're in a pocket."
"That's a bad thing, right?"
"The worst."

So then its time to turn this pocket inside out and spill out the sweet change of victory

see if it has any pocket tactics then. would be under the Charlie Foxtrot section. or maybe under FUBAR or SNAFU.

So how about protocol for being a POW in a pocket? I mean, shit, this manual will wax poetic about anything. How do they make "kiss your ass goodbye" sound artful and elegant?
Urge Mitzi to look up the things I said before, because right now she's just dicking around with the mercy-giver and that isn't productive.

Also, you don't need any water or a snack?

maybe try "recovering from being mostly dead"

>>240615
Well being in a pocket has one advantage. You can charge in any direction. Although in this case charging towards the exit would be preferable.

Does the book have anything to say about prisoners of war?

>>240615

Pockets aren't a bad thing. Find a hole a burrow through, then either slip away or bite into the fleshy bits.

>>240615
Flip to the chapter titled "You're So Fucked and How To Deal With It"

>>240615

See if it has anything on being captured, or making allies.

>>240884

And while you're at it, look for any info on other alien species, particularly the Diplomats. If they have such a huge beef with tozols and are as powerful as people say, there may be specifics. A search on humans wouldn't do much harm, either.

>>240888
Yeah, looking up what My First Tozol Encyclopedia has to say about other races is a pretty bloody good idea. This is probably the closest we're going to get to a chance to get a grasp of the socialpolitical environment we're trying to escape into.

Test Pattern 2010/10/09(Sat)20:08 No. 240947 ID: a09a03
File 128668008858.png - (16.81KB , 500x500 , TQ686.png )

>And while you're at it, look for any info on alien species, particularly the Diplomats.
The word tozols use also translates as Diplomat. I had expected a true name. The picture is visible only in the infrared spectrum.
'Aggressiveness: High. Diversity: Low. Threat level: Extreme.
The great enemy of the modern era, possessing technological, industrial, and economic power far beyond that of any other known, extant polity. Full resource base is unknown, but vast. Through primarily peaceful, diplomatic means, they exert political and economic domination over other species. So long as they maintain their hegemon, no species not born of the Precursors can be trusted. Lavish bounties turn all creatures into potential enemy spies.' It continues along these lines...
>A search on humans wouldn't do much harm, either.
Aggressiveness: Low. Diversity: Moderate. Threat level: Low.
'A relatively widespread minor species, with major population centers in thirty two known star systems, not including Human Diaspora. Warm-blooded bipeds,' etc.

>>240947
Valcien, too. It'd be nice to know if the big guy in the tank's fear of us was justified.

Ask if Mitzi's having trouble with the mercygiver. Inform her she can rotate the spike around while we're at it.

Look up Valcien.

So why the hell do the Diplomats want all the Tozols killed? They killed 527 Tozols with 20,000 humans collateral damage and then bribed the fuck out of the government. Why would they go that far?

>>240947
Quick question. Are humans pictured in the visible light spectrum? Does this mean that diplomats are... invisible? Shit, what if they have thermal-masking suits?

Also, go kiss Mitzi's boo-boo make it better.

>>240947
Mitzi what are you doing, don't stab yourself with that thing.

>>240954
It looks like the Tozols were not willing to take bribes. Basically, they resisted the Diplomats' primary means of coercion, so the Diplomats switched to secondary means. ie; Nuke the shit out of everything.

Why can species "born of the Precursors" be trusted? What about Precursor creations would make them less able to work with the Diplomats to subvert their own kind? Very strange...

>>240965
Could always look up "Precursor".

Test Pattern 2010/10/09(Sat)21:18 No. 241029 ID: a09a03
File 128668430468.png - (15.19KB , 500x500 , TQ687.png )

>Look up Valcien.
Aggressiveness: Moderate. Diversity: Extreme. Threat level: High.
Biomechanical self-replicating entities. Living starships. Organized into semi-independent fleets. Often hired by other species, paid in manufactured goods, weapons, and applique armor.
>It'd be nice to know if the big guy in the tank's fear of us was justified.
They're killable, yeah. They need resources, usually from planets or asteroids, which can be seeded with mines and EVA hunter-killer teams. Or just sneak up on them with a warship and blow them away when they don't expect it.
>Does this mean that diplomats are... invisible?
That'd fit with what Mitzi said.
>It looks like the Tozols were not willing to take bribes.
I don't know about that. I'd certainly rather take a bribe than go to war. I could read the history, but maybe I should be doing something else?
>Mitzi is hurt
Oh if it's not the one thing...

Did she just poke herself with the mercy giver? Lawd Mitzi didn't your momma ever teach you not to play with knives?

anyway, i don't think we are going to get much more out of the book. pack up and let's go.

Ugh looks like we need a better weapon suited for her. Goddamn wish we had a rifle with all those rounds with have. We could try and set up an ambush for a random security guy, lure him with some sounds that don't sound suspicious enough to have a hole corral of guards come with him but suspicious enough to check by himself. We can get some sorta of weapon that'll last til the armory.

>>241029
I think we've gotten the most important facts out of that thing.

Let's get moving. See if we can find out how many guards are still sweeping the area. Then we can kill targets of opportunity to get some more guns and ammo and shit... or just head for Security and utilize our Anti-Tank grenades.

>>241029
Oh, about the mercygiver: Instruct her in the basics of how it works.

Chide Mitzi for playing with her new toy irresponsibly as only a Tozol mother could.

Mitzi has blade arms. Penji, Tell mitzi to stand up and take a few test jabs in the air. Then you take it and do the same. Ask Mitzi what she thinks of it.

Also look up Ascendi.

Test Pattern 2010/10/09(Sat)23:41 No. 241133 ID: a09a03
File 128669286195.png - (19.76KB , 500x500 , TQ688.png )

>Chide Mitzi for playing with her new toy irresponsibly as only a Tozol mother could.
"Okay. First off, it's sharper than it looks," I say. "Which is important, because it looks really sharp. Second, you're holding it wrong..."
>Instruct her in the basics of how it works.
It's not very complicated. You sneak up on someone, or find an enemy that can't move, and then you stab 'em in the spine or the brain.
>Also ask Mitzi if she found anything on the laptop after you left.
"More of the same, mostly," she says. "But I think I know where to kill a Jabberwock. Behind the peak of their head. Where the neck meets the skull. Angle it forwards."
She makes a stab with the heavy blade. There's a tremble in her hand.
"What's the more of the same?" I ask.
"Uh," she says. She missteps slightly. I correct her footing. "Y'know. Interviews. Archival footage."

It's too heavy for her. How about you try out some quick moves with it, then hand it back to her. I bet she can't hold a candle up to your skills.

>>241134
no, looks more like she isn't used to it. so is messing up.

>>241133
I think she researched herself. Didn't like what she saw. Tell her if there's something bothering her, she can talk to us about it. We're about to go into combat and she needs a clear head.

grip her a little more closely for posture

>>241136

this

maybe she found out something she doesn't want us to know?

>>241176
This must be done.

>>241133
Ask her if there was anything interesting in the footage. If she doesn't feel like answering then don't press her on it.

And it seems like it's time to move out. Also, consider that the book is atleast 50 years out of date. Some new developments might have happened. And the diplomats really seem to have something against precursor descended species.

>>241176
Love may bloom on the battlefield...
...but not in bulky blast armor.

Get her to spill some beans, and get her angry. Have a little fun, your going to be killing things that shouldn't be alive, and people who know what to expect anyway.

>>241232
>implying it is not best in bulky blast armor and in a meat freezer in a horrorlab

does mitzi have the strength and speed needded to properly use the blade against the jabberwocks?

so if i got it right, you are a supersoldier and mitzi is like ryo-ohki. does it have mitzi's nutritional needs and life cycle?

i dont want to discover her gnawing at the metal walls and suddenly a hour from then bursting into a spaceship.

Test Pattern 2010/10/12(Tue)23:13 No. 242785 ID: a09a03
File 128695038841.png - (13.90KB , 500x500 , TQ689.png )

I think she's strong enough to wield the mercygiver. Whether she's actually effective with it is another question.

>>241136
"If you found something while I was gone, if anything's bothering you, we can talk about it," I say.
Mitzi shrugs. Her fighting stance softens.
"I need you to be able to focus," I say.
"I found some footage, yeah," she says.
"What was it?"
"Jesus," she says, and trails off. "Listen. Uh. I wasn't sure at first, but I think... I think I know what... got you. At Athelhom."

>>242785

"Really? Do tell."

Also, do you happen to need a roommate, Penji?

It was a space shark with frikkin' laser beams wasn't it?

It's probably some sort of laser beam, bullets that big make explosions and don't penetrate well... I think. Fucking thing went right through your skull it didn't blow up your entire upper torso

"So... was it Marcus, or you?"

Was it a tank?

>>242785
That sounds pretty freaky! But you should probably ask to see it, anyways. Best to know what you were (and may still be) up against.

It would kind-of suck if it was a Valcien, but if it is, so what? Mitzi's nice. :>

"OH there's NO reason I would ever want to know about THAT at all."

sarcasmpenji.png

"Oh, really? What was it?"

>>242785
"It wasn't one of my own was it? ehaha, that would be so surprising..."

Test Pattern 2010/10/13(Wed)00:03 No. 242823 ID: a09a03
File 128695342191.png - (12.52KB , 500x500 , TQ690.png )

"So what was it?" I ask.
"I'm not sure."
"But you said..."
"I saw a video," she says. "Gun-cam footage. There's a bright line, out of nowhere. Not even from off camera. Just... propagating from nothing. It was cross-referenced with Tethys."

>>242823
Oh, was probably a diplomat then. The precursors must have been some huge dicks to make a species hate them and everything they created like that. Or the Diplomats are just huge dicks. We shall see.

>>242823
"Before whatever it was that got me got me, was I.... scary?"

>>242823
"What was I like? I mean, you know, at the time... Was I charging forward or barking orders or dragging some wounded other Tozol to safety or eating babies or what?

WATCH THE VIDEO ALREADY

>>242823
"...Huh. That's weird. Mind if I see it?"

that... actually makes us feel a bit more confident. it took a much more powerful weapon then what these humans have to take you down.

you know what fuck speculation let's look at the damn thing

>>242837
What they had. Remember that it has been 50 years since then. They might have gotten quite a few new toys in that time.

Test Pattern 2010/10/13(Wed)01:55 No. 242852 ID: a09a03
File 128696011979.png - (21.96KB , 500x500 , TQ691.png )

"Your laptop still powered? I ask. "Let me see the video."
"I'm not... Are you sure?" she asks.
"Yeah," I say.
"Penji," she says, barely above a whisper. "I, uh... I need you to be able to focus, too. You know? Seeing something like that. I think it might be best if we wait until later."

She might have a point. We've wasted more than enough time in here already. Every minute increases the odds that the humans will cut their losses and swamp the facility with troops, or that the jabberwocks will find us. Besides that, I'm fucking cold.
And yet... I want to see it. Even if it wasn't me, even if Saon died forty years ago, even if I don't actually learn a single thing I didn't already suspect, I feel like I have to know.

You're either going to watch it now, or you're going to keep wondering about it the whole time.

Watch the stupid thing now.

>>242852
Then make sure that laptop survives no matter what. Let's go.

leave the laptop here so it doesn't get broken.

>>242852
>She might have a point...
>...And yet... I want to see it.

Then do it. If it's your gut instinct, do it. It might be a Diplomat, but it might not. If nothing else, it'll provide some answers you've been looking for the entire time you've been awake. You need to know. You might run across this thing later, and it's already killed you once. Better to be prepared this time.

Have Mitzi stay on guard while you do. :|

>>242852
For fucks sake Mitzi, Penji is a grownup and can handle seeing unpleasant things.

Press to see the video.

>>242852
We can watch it later when we have time to kill.

Can we watch it on the move?

We should watch it next time we have free time. Let's go. Before we miss our chance. Whatever's in the video is not likely to be important in the near future; and if it is, Mitzi can warn us. If it shook Mitzi this badly to see it, then... imagine the effect it would have on you. An emotional shock like that could fuck you over. It's happened before.

As soon as we have 10 minutes of peace then we'll watch it and you can have your breakdown in safety.

I say leave it, we have enough on our mind now.

Yeaah watch it later

We can watch it later.

>>242852
Watch it, skip to the interesting bit, get it over with.

>>242852
There should be time to watch it later if everything goes well. And you do need to move out before it's too late. Besides, it's fucking cold.

If you are cold you can cuddle up with Mitzi while you WATCH THE VIDEO

>>242852
It WAS you. You're Saon. You're the same body, and the fact that you still remember tozol language and some other shit proves there's some inkling of her left.

Go ahead and watch the video.

You do want to see it, Penji. You were likely killed by this bright line. At the very least, you were severely damaged by it. What's the point of walking beyond the next intersection if you're just to be killed again all the same?

Experience is the best teacher. You've experienced this before. Watching this may allow you to keep yourself alive.

We can wait till the next time Mitzi is hacking a door. Tech is the next place to go. Mitzi is going to love that stuff.

>>242852
Watch it now.

If it's bad, we feel bad for a brief period. If it isn't, we feel better.

But if we wait, we may be fraught with anxiety for quite some time. That won't help us win this.

Demand to see it. SATISFY OUR CURIOSITY. Just skip to the important bit if it's going to be long.

I don't think it's a matter of "are you sure you want to see it?", I think it's a matter of "do you really think you can handle seeing it?"

Think about it. Do you really think you can deal with it, both physically and mentally, to see yourself get gunned down? To see your brains splattered to the ground, to watch your limp form go tumbling in a heap from momentum, to see your body spasming, limbs twitching, in its death throes?

Do you really think you can stomach seeing yourself murdered?

You already know you're going to "die" so why the fuck not? You're a soldier, you're used to death. "Yours" shouldn't feel that much different.

If you don't look at it you're just going to be more and more curious and then you might fuck up. You said yourself you feel that you need to know. That feeling wont go away until you do.

A little bit of knowledge never hurt anyone.

/cthulhu

>>242936

Hmm.... good point. But we have already seen ourselves dead before (probably twice now?).

HUG MITZI READ VIDEO

>>242957
It's a bit different seeing your cold dead body on a slab and actually seeing yourself being alive, then being shot, then dying.

Just watch the damned video.

It's important to learn what CAN disable you, for one thing.

Well then.
If we don't see what happened, we can't figure out how it happened.
If we can't figure out how it happened, we can't prevent it from happening again (except via dumb luck or becoming immune to light spikes... highly unlikely)

I do however understand your hesitation, if you can live with a description from Mitzi, then do that and move on.
Watch the video when you have more 'free time'.

>>242852
Is it going to distract you if you DON'T watch it? If so, then might as well watch it.

>>242852
if you've been able to perform thus far with all of these voices in your head, I'm sure a little video of your own (almost?) death won't hurt you.

If you can't decide, perhaps it's best to appease Mitzi and not waste time.

>>243502

I agree. 'Everything can be replaced except time'. Let's get over to Tech Research.

Everything can be replaced except time. Go!

Remind Mitzi that you've seen yourself dead, and that Mitzi saw herself in a rather poor condition as well.

Test Pattern 2010/10/17(Sun)23:30 No. 245485 ID: 8bdb6a
File 128738342431.png - (8.44KB , 500x500 , TQ692.png )

I have to think about it. My thoughts grind in both directions.


"Fire it up," I say at last.

Test Pattern 2010/10/17(Sun)23:32 No. 245486 ID: 8bdb6a
File 128738353923.png - (24.15KB , 500x500 , TQ693.png )

The video is grainy, ancient light enhancement. I wonder why they aren't using thermals.

The viewpoint is some fighting vehicle trundling along behind another one. Its aimpoint traverses towards its friend.

Test Pattern 2010/10/17(Sun)23:33 No. 245487 ID: 8bdb6a
File 128738363185.png - (25.34KB , 500x500 , TQ694.png )

An indistinct shape streaks into view. Incredible speed. Seventy-plus miles per hour and maneuvering.

Test Pattern 2010/10/17(Sun)23:35 No. 245488 ID: 8bdb6a
File 128738373599.png - (26.32KB , 500x500 , TQ695.png )

The viewpoint opens fire. The figure's already scrambled atop the other tank.

>>245490
Well.

That was...less gory than I thought it was going to be.

Kind of an unfitting death for you, wasn't it Saon?

But of course, that wasn't your death. It took you quite some time, but you endured.

Tell Mitzi that it's time you two took a rest. Find some place secure, remove your armor, perhaps talk a bit, and sleep. You look tired.

>>245490
Oh, it's just a Diplomat. Whatever, we know they're dangerous fuckers. This does mean they were already on the ground before they made contact with Humanity and gave them all that money. Strange, don't you think? Why were they there? I guess the Tozol force there was discovered, resulting in the order to move out.

Sigh. In the end Saon was simply ambushed by a foe she didn't detect in time to avoid its attack. Possibly distracted by that giant orbital strike in the distance.

So what was it? Pack up the laptop and get you and Mitzi to tech.

they didn't use thermal because the diplomat didn't want them to see it. well now that that is out of the way let's kick some asses.

oh shit its a predator

>>245494
Having an entire battleship full of your friends, colleagues, the men and women under your command, and maybe even family being completely annihilated probably doesn't do well for ones focus other than "Blind Rage."

Hm. Does the footage end there, Penji? Or does it keep going?

Well, it could have been worse, Saon. At least your near-death experience was rather painless, and you're better now.

Get some rest, you look like you need it.

They had to attack you from orbit to take you down.
Ponder upon this.

Stop calling her Saon, guys. That's not who she is anymore.

>>245500
Unless you're talking to a ghost from 40 years ago, I think you have a mistaken identity.

Saon Vocta is dead. We're helping Penji. Our friend Penji.


...Penji, sit down, have a snack that seems most delicious of the ones you got(you deserve it), try to relax--strictly platonic massages between you and Mitzi, maybe? Read whatever draws your attention in the hornbook.

After you've calmed down and reflected a while, toss out most of the shit you've got except:

Mercygiver(give to Mitzi)
Weasel Bar
Pistol (no rounds)
40x FMJ Rifle rounds
100x Saboted Rifle rounds
1x tozol power pack
2x human Fragmentation Grenades(give one to Mitzi)
2x tozol Anti-Tank Grenades
2x Tranquilizer tubes(jam it in an enemy!)
2x Suppress tubes(see TRANQ tube comment)
1x Counter poison tube
1x Stimulant tube(we should shoot this shit up next time we're about to fight something)
Laptop containing Bio Lab data
Extra hard drive we can't unlock(Throw it in Mitzi's backpack for possible later use)
High Security Keycard
2x ID Passcards
Multitool
Soldering iron
Small power drill
Rolls of tape(keep: Duct and electrical)
Small batteries
Tiny shiny scrap of metal(only keep this if you have any interest in this any longer)
Can of yellow spray paint(we can spray this in robots' cameras, put threatening messages on the walls, do SOMETHING with it goddammit)
snacks, rations, and water
Backpack(give this to Mitzi with the power tools she wants to help her hack doors and shit)
Bag
Holster
Mitzi armor
EOD armor
My helmet
Large helmet (tozol?)

Knowledge is power... See the film.

>>242936
About that:
>>238124
>"Name doesn't mean much to me," I say. "I think I'm someone else, now."
She is a soldier, she must be used to se "other" people die...

>>245520
And then I forgot to mention...

We should get the FUCK out of this place. After we hit Security, I think we should head for the Vehicle Bay at best speed. Find something that can get us off this rock and hide in an asteroid field or something and take a month-long nap to sleep off the Suppress the Tozol way. Mitzi said that shit does wear off, albeit slowly.

Knowledge is power.

>>242936
How about this?
>>238124
>"Name doesn't mean much to me," I say. "I think I'm someone else, now."

>>245521
>>245523
Ignore this, newfag is new ¬¬

Do you have a favorite song Penji?

>>245524
Just delete posts to leave less clutter; thread's bursting with it already.


>>245490
Welp, vid was nice, but you should really get moving while the containment team is still reeling from the woks.

>>245489
So you got laser-lobotomised by a Valcien?

Well, you can worry about you and Mitzi being a Romeo & Juliet situation once you're not worrying about being stuffed back in a tube. Go poke around Security and look for the best opportunity to wreck their everything.

>>245557
That was a Diplomat. Diplomats are invisible to everything but thermal and have extremely powerful tech.

>>245559
...right, let's put this where it belongs:
>>/questdis/334978 Picking the image to bits

>>245490
Looks like they either had a crack sniper or some extra help. Anyway, that's not really informative on what they might be able to do these days, they have had 50 years to examine tozol and valcien equipment. Hell they even have a valcien. They probably have alot more nasty hardware these days.

But now it's time to lay your hands on some of that hardware. To the security place! It's time to kick some ass.

Well that was interesting.

Regardless, there is time a wastin', either those Jabbawocks or the security forces are going to kill each other dead sooner or later. We need to get to security and secure us some superior firepower.

>>245489
Did that shot come up or down?

>>245490
>>245494

You're in for a treat:

Standard "night vision" uses visible spectrum enhancement. There's a shape that appears in the lower right corner of the last frame, probably a few meters from your position in/on the tanky thing.

Assuming that's not the strangest shape a blast from a laser could take...

It's not a Diplomat; they only appear in THERMAL (infrared) bands. Whatever that thing is, it's else.

>>97737

Can't say I/we know much about beam weapons, but unless that thing just punched right through and vaporized your flesh, it's once again possible you were blasted from the front.

HEY PENJI: what do we know/remember/can find in your hornbook-thing about tozol beam/laser weaponry?

>>245490
Also, er, why would you be taking on a tank apparently alone and apparently without your anti-tank grenades?
( >>/questdis/335003 for people who are not Penji to hypothesise.)

>>245490
Well, that was not really that interesting.

So can we go do something productive now? What was the productive thing we were going to do again? Ffffffhhha.

At least that was brief, and you gathered some intel. Get moving, soldier!

>>245608

The productive thing? Kill all humans.

>>245592
It's a diplomat. That's passive-light nightvision, not IR nightvision. Since tozols can mask themselves from thermal detection, and Saon is visible on the cam, they must be using passive enhancement of visible light spectrum.

>>245490
You have a better idea of what happened to you now. It might come in handy. File it away and don't dwell on absolutely invisible assassins.

It's time to move on. Out of the freezer. Out of the facility. With a brief stop on the second floor to get geared up and counter suppressed.

Bah, so a Diplomat shot you in the face while you were fucking up a tank. It's no big deal, happens to the best of us.

Happy birthday, Penji! You've matured so much in our time together!

Test Pattern 2010/12/03(Fri)00:28 No. 261503 ID: a09a03
File 129136492119.png - (14.15KB , 500x500 , TQ698.png )

The tozol in the footage jerks back from the beam blasting a hole through its head. It tumbles to the ground.
>Do you have a favorite song Penji?
I hope so. I'll tell you if I hear it.

The tozol in the film goes limp the instant the beam hits. Dead before it hits the ground. Dead before it knows it's dead.

>Stop calling her Saon. That's not who she is anymore.
I don't know what I am. I don't know anything.
I shut the laptop. My head hurts. I don't know what to think.

Test Pattern 2010/12/03(Fri)00:31 No. 261504 ID: a09a03
File 129136510612.png - (12.10KB , 500x500 , TQ699.png )

Suddenly disoriented. My head hurts. I try to focus.

I imagine that I can feel the beam boring through me. My head snaps back. I tumble to the ground. Strange. I can't seem to conceptualize anything before that instant.

>The productive thing? Kill all humans.
Please respecify.

Let's not kill all the humans. Genocide in general is usually a bad thing.

Given the quantity of everything you lost in that shot, nobody's going to blame you if you had any long-term memory vaporized around then.

What matters right now is right now. And right now, that means getting out of this goddamned freezer and looking for your way out.

>>261504
Ask Mitzi if she'd rather make another attempt at ripping info from that asshole's head, or try to flee as-per Marcus's suggested tactic.

Test Pattern 2010/12/03(Fri)00:49 No. 261509 ID: a09a03
File 129136617698.png - (11.71KB , 500x500 , TQ700.png )

>nobody's going to blame you if you had any long-term memory vaporized
Can't even conceptualize it. Memory shouldn't matter. I can't possibly be remembering the other thing.
Flash. Impact. I tumble to the ground. Smoke and vapor.

>Let's not kill all the humans.
I'm getting mixed signals.

>>261509
Kill all humans standing in the way of you getting out of this facility and off this planet. Use any means necessary, except for killing Mitzi. You are not a scalpel carefully cutting important bits out of Quadrant 5 anymore. You are a cleaver, hacking your way through to the other side.

Objective: GET OUT ALIVE.

Also, I love you, Penji. Don't die on me--on us--now, when you're finally just beginning to get an inkling of what happened to you.

>>261509
Look at it this way, Penji.
That video didn't capture your death, it captured your (re)birth. Not with a whimper, but with a bang. Or bzarpp, or fzzrrk or whatever noise a big "fuck-you" laser makes.

I am bad at pep-talks when lasers are involved. Please direct all subpoenas to 1234 Fake Dr. SE NW Non Street, Nowheredia.

>>261509
Revenge, avenging, and bringing justice are beyond our mission parameters.
We are deep behind enemy lines, your body is crippled, and we have scant equipment on a strict OSP basis.
Our goals are, in order of importance:
Escape
Extract allies
Purge suppress
Secure additional intel
Get your head on straight, soldier. Who you are doesn't matter one damn bit right now. Do your job.
Ask Mitzi if she wants to try to mindrape that asshole in the saferoom, or forgo that for escape plans.

>>261509
Your psychotic Penji, we're psychotic. Your head's going to give you mixed signals until your microbiology can fix your brain to be rid of us... if not all tozols have brain voices guiding them then.

Your booklet had nothing on us, right? Nothing on severe traumatic brain injury and self-regenerating revival? Blegh whatever, let's move and talk/discuss if we're going to talk about this shit. Poor Mitzi is freezing her tits off.

>>261509
SNAP OUT OF IT SOLDIER!

I say kill all the humans working here in this facility. They're all our enemies anyway. If possible also kill whoever's in charge of the corporation elsewhere. Like in their headquarters.

>>261509
You may have been Saon in the past, but much of who that was and what she knew is either gone or locked away inside your brain. You're Penji now, and that's what matters. The mind you have now is new, it's yours, and you should be happy with who you are *right now*.

Yes, you got shot in the head and died. But you came back. Sure, it hurt, but you got better. You beat death. You went to hell, put on a bikini, drank some Miami Vices and came back after you got bored. You're a resurrected, re-born Tozol with ass-kicking powers, a half-space-shark sidekick and a mission.

What's your mission?
- Find out what the hell happened (Why were the Tozols at Athelhom or whatever?)
- Get the fuck out of here alive.
- Save Mitzi if possible.
- Locate friendlies
- Avoid or eliminate hostiles

Focus. The Here and Now is more important than the Dead and Gone.

>>261509
The past hardly matters right now, or if you can get it back. The old Tozol died, a new one was born here in a tube. Only thing that matters is getting some payback and getting away. Feel free to kill whoever the fuck you feel like on your way out. The rest are academical abstracts that you can worry about at some later moment in time after you have gotten out.

So, lets try to get a bit more clearminded and then move out. You got work to do soldier, and it sure as shit ain't getting done while you sit around on your scrawny ass in some fucking freezer.

>>261509
Head to Security.

>>261509

You should probably sit down for a bit and have a snack! Oh, and hug Mitzi. Hugs fix everything.

Focus on the now. Penji equip the mercy giver. Check on the door to panic and enter if its open. If it's still intact, head into northern hallway via exploded walls. Look for weapons on dead guards.

>>261509
Hmm. Death for some humans, miniature plastic American flags for others.

But in all seriousness...

"Mitzi. I think -I- need a hug."

Take a moment for yourself. You've been going non-stop in this place more or less since you busted out. Once you get your head cleared (no pun intended), lets get back on task. We are going to Security to raid the Armory. We are getting ourselves some sexy, sexy weapons. Then we are going to hike our way back to Tech Research to see what kinds of even more sexy weapons and gadgets they were working on, stopping at Engineering on the way for the same reasons.

THEN. We are going to go Rambo on this shithole, rip and tearing it a new one. Preferably in the direction of any sort of off-world transportation they may have.

Let's just get out of here. Wait for the bomb, then get out of here.

Test Pattern 2010/12/03(Fri)20:23 No. 261645 ID: a09a03
File 129143659172.png - (10.02KB , 500x500 , TQ701.png )

>The old Tozol died, a new one was born here in a tube.
Starting to think you're right. Starting to think Saon Vocta died that night. Think I'm just something that grew inside her head.
>You're Penji now, and that's what matters.
One way or the other.
>SNAP OUT OF IT SOLDIER!

Test Pattern 2010/12/03(Fri)20:24 No. 261646 ID: a09a03
File 129143665647.png - (12.76KB , 500x500 , TQ702.png )

"Enough," I say. "We're leaving."
"Are you sure?" asks Mitzi. "Are you feeling okay?"
"Doesn't matter how I feel. I'm mission capable."
"Don't you need a gun for that?"
"We're going to the Armory," I say. "Through Security, I think."
"Like how?"
"Gonna play it by ear."
"I guess you'd be good at that."

Right on, action time, do something useful. Philosophy can come later.

Check to see if the panic room door has been torn open by the jabberwocks. The same jabberwocks that tore through metal walls and floors to attack you. They seem to like tearing through tough things like walls and doors to get to prey. Their prey being anything that's alive.

>>261646
==>

>>261646
Did she just make a crack about your ears?

>>261646
Hehe, because you've got four ears.

Okay, she's right about not having a gun. Let's be careful, and be sure to sense ahead with blindsight before we get out into the open. Find out if we CAN advance without weaponry.

Hey, bonus if we manage to ambush a patrol and take their guns again.

Test Pattern 2010/12/03(Fri)22:02 No. 261681 ID: a09a03
File 129144257079.png - (15.97KB , 500x500 , TQ703.png )

We move out, quietly, trying not to keep too close to the walls. I'm smelling smoke. Burning plastics, paint, fabric, and flesh.
Quickest way out of Bio is straight to the long corridor with the crater. Last we checked, the humans had a guard bot posted. That was before the Jabberwocks, but it's still a great big straight hallway with nowhere to hide, and we've got no guns.
We could also try going through the wall to Engineering to get closer to Security. We heard some sizable explosions about an hour ago. We're pretty sure that was Marcus making more exits. Still, that'll take longer, and we have no idea where the Jabberwocks are.

>>261681
Take the wall route. If there's a kill corridor you'll want to avoid it- it's more likely to have been reinforced than overrun. For that matter, even if it were overrun there would be jabberwocks present and you don't want to deal with those if it can be avoided.

Check to see if the panic room door has been torn open by the jabberwocks. The same jabberwocks that tore through metal walls and floors to attack you. They seem to like tearing through tough things like walls and doors to get to prey. Their prey being anything that's alive.

After that head out one of the exploded exits and go toward where you heard gunfire. We might score a gun off a dead guard's body.

>>261686
I don't particularly want to look at or think about that guy in the panic room. Screw him, he caused enough problems last time.

>>261681
If the guard bot is still posted, you're isolated targets in a wide open shooting range. The jaberwocks are a concern, but so is Mitzi getting full of bullet holes, and you have tools now. Go through the walls, see what Marcus did for y'all.

>>261686
For the love of all that is good do not waste another second of your life on that goddamn panic room door. Priorities, soldier.