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File 133380030977.png - (87.12KB , 700x700 , 236.png )
399207 No. 399207 ID: d6af4f

I don't know how long I was out for. Long enough to feel incredible soreness instead of excruciating pain. Despite that, even the beaten up bio armor keeps me feeling like I can keep going. I don't know where Rokoa is, dead or alive. I don't know where my friends are. I don't know where Kara is, and I don't know where I am.

My rifle is still in working order, somehow. I cannot find my magnum, but do have its ammo. My belt was blown off, and I could only find a few things that dropped nearby. The belt itself, one frag grenade, my combat knife and plasma sword and rifle. My grappling hook was found, but it is broken not beyond repair, but I do not have the tools to unscrew the casing to fix the interior.

It smells and sounds of many creatures on this floor. If Rokoa was not lying to me, and if the salikai was not lying to Rokoa, than I am likely in no less danger now.
Expand all images
>>
No. 399208 ID: fa9f7e

Well, you're alive. Hooray. See if that fire Rokoa started is real.
>>
No. 399211 ID: 9cd02a

>>399207
Lets see if we can find our friends nearby.
Failing at that lets see if we can find some cover or a high vantage point
>>
No. 399214 ID: 800ce6

realize you aren't actually Three Stripes.
>>
No. 399215 ID: fa9f7e

>>399214
Realize you totally are.
>>
No. 399249 ID: 34b761

>>399207
Look for your friends and Rokoa.

your friends so you can both help them escape and receive help in escaping, and Rokoa so you can make sure to finish the job you started. There is no way that bitch is conscious yet when she took a bullet to the face and received the same blast as you without bio armor, but I think we'd both like to make sure she never wakes up again.
>>
No. 399253 ID: bccf7b

>>399207

Note to self(s): next time, it might be pertinent to keep shooting. For now, let's work on either getting back UP to our friends, or just plain GTFO.
>>
No. 399254 ID: bccf7b

>>399214

> Be Three Stripes
>>
No. 399256 ID: 5bec67

Well that went less smoothly than planned. Look up.
>>
No. 399259 ID: 61e7f9

Look up. See what the hell happend to where you were.
>>
No. 399265 ID: d6af4f
File 133383642612.png - (32.56KB , 700x700 , 237.png )
399265

The pipes were too high to climb up on, but the closest circular building had a spiral staircase up to a catwalk. This looks to be more of a neumono's size, rather than looking to be made for things double my mass.

Looking around, I realize that this is not the right biome. These plants usually only grow thousands of miles north, closer to the equator.
>>
No. 399266 ID: d6af4f
File 133383644291.png - (30.63KB , 700x700 , 238.png )
399266

Even from the catwalk, I can't see much more around me. The layout seems unusual, but I can see the hole in the ceiling better. There is a glow of small pockets of fire.

I am slowly getting my bearings back, and I can sense Rikek and Rakae above. Rikek is hurt, Rakae less so, and both think that I am dead. They must have turned the jammer off.

Three stripes is some distance away, around the same elevation as this catwalk. He is trying to get neumono to gather around him now, instead of pacifying the soldiers, since they are all dead or unconcious.
>>
No. 399268 ID: 800ce6

can you sense Rokoa? not that even if you can't, she's probably still around. because needle trick.

return to your comrades. don't disable your psychic invisibility thing.
>>
No. 399270 ID: 886a4d

Broadcast a little bit of emotion, just enough to let them both know your alive. Sure it will let Rokoa know too if shes close enough / conscious but its better that they are working with you instead of giving up.

Plus they need that jammer on if Three Stripes is working his magic
>>
No. 399271 ID: 61e7f9

Is your radio missing?

Do your best to get either up, or to three stripes. He's your defense and your friends are probably going to try to get to him too.
>>
No. 399273 ID: 61e7f9

Oh, also open up your empathic link long enough for them to detect you. If you can transmit any sort of feeling do "uncertain". then close down again.
>>
No. 399279 ID: e3f578

>>399266
Girl, you're missing an EAR!
>>
No. 399281 ID: d6af4f
File 133384007663.png - (23.25KB , 700x700 , 239.png )
399281

>Missing an ear
I... I am. I did not even think to take stock of my own body parts, but everything appears intact, if burned and sore.

Three Stripes is merely broadcasting its wishes passively, it is not trying to make it irresistable to anyone listening.

I do not sense Rokoa, so I let me empathy loose just for a moment, and that's enough to reverse their mood. They both scramble down, but Rikek is slow, so Rakae hovers over the hole first.

>[b]"Polo! Are you alright?!"[/b/]

My radio link appears to be broken. I try to yell back that I am fine, but all that comes out is an airy wheeze followed by a cough. I may not be as fine as I thought, so I just wave to Rakae. Even if I was healthy, I don't see a way to get back up there easily.
>>
No. 399282 ID: 61e7f9

Make military handsigns for injured badly but going to live. Yeah, look around for any way to get further up or further to three stripes. Get them to throw you a working radio set.

What is left of the climbing gear? Could you catch those two if they jumped down or otherwise prevent injury to them?
>>
No. 399285 ID: 5b48d7

We better check if Rokoa is dead on our own. If that's impossible, we should probably get the others to come down here and try to find our way out. The salikai's plan might still be possible if we get lucky.
>>
No. 399290 ID: 648498

>>399285
We should focus on getting back up, not finishing off Rokoa.
>>
No. 399293 ID: 800ce6

>>399285

how about let's stay the fuck away from her forever.

try to tell them you want to regroup. because you really need to. what with the fauna here being so friendly and all.
>>
No. 399304 ID: bccf7b

>>399281

See if we can get them to find some way to haul us out of ... wherever this is. Also, check yourself over for small wounds and punctures. Might explain that wheezing...?
>>
No. 399310 ID: 5bec67

>>399281
>[/b/]
OH NOOOOO

Tell them to look for cables, ropes, anything long and sturdy that they can lower down to you. If it's a cable/rope then you can tie it around your waist rather than depending on your own (possibly failing) strength alone. Not that I imagine it's going to be that easy to get back out of here, cough cough plot cough cough.
Don't bother to check for Rokoa except in the facility, if she's down here all we want to do is make sure she stays there. Fuck her.
On the bright side, you can regrow that ear!
>>
No. 399312 ID: b85f8c

>>399281
Ok, try to communicate emotionally that you're worried about if Rokoa is really dead, then cut off your link again.

I think we should look around for an exit, now. Any exit. Either back up or further in.
>>
No. 399313 ID: 12c19f

Oh no have you been rendered mute? Try muttering anything to yourself maybe you just can't raise your voice.
>>
No. 399328 ID: d6af4f
File 133385435856.png - (47.55KB , 750x591 , 240.png )
399328

I make a few gestures to let them know I am injured but will be okay, then motion that I would like to go up. I try to emulate climbing a rope, and Rakae gets it. She comes back with the climbing gear, I tie it around my waste, and both of them pull me up. I am not looking forward to taking off the bio armor again, but I will have to. There is something wrong with my voice, and it does not feel it is just because the wind has been knocked out of me.

>"Your other ear..." Rikek says.

I nod, shrugging that off.

>"Food."

I barely manage that much.

>"We have a couple rations left, but we didn't think to carry much in our rush." Rakae explains. "We don't have that much remaining. You need to rest, though. What should we do?"

I'm not positive if I agree to rest.
>>
No. 399329 ID: 61e7f9

Take the suit off at least far enough to inspect your torso. After that eat and wait to get the food in you before putting it back on.
>>
No. 399333 ID: b85f8c

>>399328
If your nightvision is still halfway active, use it to look in the room where Rokoa was.
>>
No. 399334 ID: ed57e8

"moton egg"
>>
No. 399338 ID: e3f578

I just thought about the QI's, there's no way they aren't going to be investigating now. Try and get them to turn the jammer back on. We don't know if Rokoa is around to inform them or not by finding some form of escape route (I doubt it) so we need to take those precautions.

We should also have whatever's down in that greenhouse jungle place investigating soon. We shouldn't stay in a single place for long, and get away from here even if you need to rest. This is the epicenter of the explosion, shit's going to get nasty fast with curious creatures.
>>
No. 399343 ID: 5bec67

Rest would be good, and although we have too much to do, maybe we should just trust the others to be able to accomplish it. I mean, they're not incompetent, it's reasonable for them to be able to secure the area alone for a while. You should see Three Stripes in person though, because he's probably confused and frightened, and your presence might put him at ease. After that, find somewhere to sleep.
>>
No. 399357 ID: d6af4f
File 133385916805.png - (47.36KB , 750x591 , 241.png )
399357

"Moton egg."

>"I'm sorry, that's back up in the spire. We can't get to it, but Rikek is getting you rations."

"I'm going to take my bio armor off to inspect my torso, but first follow me to Three Stripes. And turn the jammer back on, we may have QI's investigating."

>"Alright, I'll do that."

My bio armor nightvision is entirely broken.

"Wait. Can you check inside room 202?"

>"I already have. Rokoa is gone, aside from one of her legs."

Character Select:
- Rakae
- Rikek
- Continue as Polo

>>
No. 399358 ID: 923fca

>>399328
It's possible that, with your odd, but life-saving neural system, that the severed ear had bits of your speech-centers in them. Or it could be some other relatively mild form of concussion or shock.

As for what the others should do: Find more food, and find out where Rokoa got high explosives so damned quick. I would guess she got some of the materials from that janitor's closet. Even if you don't want to try and blow a hole in the place to progress, knowing what's dangerous enough to blow a hole in the place is invaluable.
>>
No. 399362 ID: 61e7f9

Polo Polo Polo Polo

Get to Three Stripes.

What happened to the other Neumono prisoners?
>>
No. 399364 ID: 5b48d7

Eat the leg. Or feed it to three stripes, I guess.
>>
No. 399366 ID: a2fa74

>>399357
Check on the prisoners.
>>
No. 399367 ID: b85f8c

Let's switch to Rakae and ask her all sorts of rude personal questions.
>>
No. 399368 ID: affb00

Rokoa.
>>
No. 399369 ID: bccf7b

>>399357

RAKAE needs a turn. Yup.

> Be Three Stripes
>>
No. 399373 ID: ed57e8

three stripes :V

but seriously rakae.
>>
No. 399374 ID: 5bec67

Continue as Polo until she sleeps, she is the most interesting :s
>>
No. 399375 ID: 7c31d2

three stripes!
>>
No. 399376 ID: 34b761

>>399357
I vote stick to Polo for now, until she rests. I want to make sure her chest is ok and everything. I kinda like her as a character so I really wanna make sure she's ok before I swap out for someone else.
>>
No. 399379 ID: 800ce6

...Rikek.

he's gonna die without our help.
>>
No. 399402 ID: e3f578

Three Stripes unless my vote ends up being useless due to low numbers
Rikek if so
>>
No. 399403 ID: fa9f7e

>>399402
This
>>
No. 399405 ID: d5dd99

Continue as Polo !!
>>
No. 399410 ID: 097b1c

Still voting for >>399254
>>
No. 399412 ID: 4bdd79

Three Stripes
>>
No. 399430 ID: bccf7b

>>399402

Oddly enough, it seems to be a lot of Three Stripes.
>>
No. 399437 ID: c6ec33

Three Stripes. He's a total bro.

(Polo if we can't ;__;)
>>
No. 399438 ID: a43a6c

If we don't get Three Stripes there will be riots in the streets, do you hear me?!

But a Polo is fine too
>>
No. 399463 ID: bbee3d

We started this thread as Three Stripes (for the first few words, anyway) - let's continue that way!

Failing that, I vote for Rikek. Rakae seems capable of handling things without our help for now.
>>
No. 399526 ID: d6af4f
File 133393291935.png - (50.23KB , 700x700 , 242.png )
399526

Three Stripes is scared and confused. Neumono keep appearing and then disappearing from his senses, and no one is coming for him. The salikai put him in a pen, and told him he would be let out soon. It's soon. There are other things here that he can eat, but he wants to go home.
>>
No. 399527 ID: 61e7f9

Keep emitting that you want Neumono to come to you. Help is on the way.
>>
No. 399533 ID: bccf7b

>>399526

Time to explore the pen! Perhaps the salikai left a secret exit?
>>
No. 399534 ID: bbee3d

You're just going to have to let yourself out. Look around the pen - is there anything on the walls that looks unusual? How did you get in?
>>
No. 399563 ID: ed57e8

have you tried just leaving?
>>
No. 399564 ID: a43a6c

Is there anyone else in the pen with you, big guy?
>>
No. 399571 ID: 5bec67

Let's see this pen you're in, you adorable fluffball.
>>
No. 399573 ID: b85f8c

What are your thoughts about the other predator? What about the one that died?
>>
No. 399575 ID: b9d767

>>399526
The floor doesn't LOOK like it's totaly solid, perhaps you might be able to dig a way out?
>>
No. 399581 ID: d6af4f
File 133393866792.png - (62.51KB , 700x700 , 243.png )
399581

The predator that the silent neumono killed was okay. Better than Four Stripes, but Three Stripes was not sad to see him go.

Three stripes was taken on a falling floor, then in a smaller room that moved very fast. Then the Salikai moved him through this doorway and left him alone with Four Stripes. The pen is very large but there is not much here besides red plants.

There is a much bigger door on the other side of the pen with lots of flashing lights.

The ground is also very soft. Maybe Three Stripes can dig his way out.
>>
No. 399585 ID: b85f8c

>>399581
What do you think about the silent neumono? Or the newest neumono- the almost-pacified one?

Let's check out the flashy door.
>>
No. 399586 ID: fa9f7e

Eat Four Stripes
>>
No. 399588 ID: bbee3d

Look at the door first. You can always try digging later, but there might be an easier way.
>>
No. 399641 ID: d6af4f
File 133395009519.png - (23.38KB , 700x700 , 244.png )
399641

The silent neumono creeps Three Stripes out, but thinks that she might be nice underneath. Right now that one is Three Stripes favorite neumono, but it is not saying much anymore.

The opposite door is always bigger up close. It ia always shining a bright red light.
>>
No. 399643 ID: 61e7f9

Investigate thing on the right.
>>
No. 399644 ID: ed57e8

it being in a smaller cage means it's important!
>>
No. 399649 ID: d6af4f
File 133395141769.png - (71.47KB , 700x700 , 245.png )
399649

There are more, smaller lights behind a cage. There are many buttons and lights and symbols and it only makes Three Stripes more confused.
>>
No. 399650 ID: b85f8c

Confusing. Dig under the fence!
>>
No. 399651 ID: ed57e8

slap all the buttons at once with a single huge paw.
>>
No. 399652 ID: 61e7f9

Hit all the buttons.
>>
No. 399654 ID: affb00

How is Four Stripes doing? It was getting special training from the Salikai, wasn't it? Did that make Four Stripes any more tolerable to be around?
>>
No. 399658 ID: d6af4f
File 133395390059.png - (11.61KB , 700x700 , 246.png )
399658

Three Stripes does not like digging, but it is not as though he has anything better to do than get a closer look.
>>
No. 399659 ID: d6af4f
File 133395390844.png - (34.31KB , 700x700 , 247.png )
399659

Three stripes hits all of the buttons. A very loud horn scares Three Stripes, and the lights turn green, including the light on the big wall.

Four Stripes yells at Three Stripes to stop that, from a spot around the wall he has been around for awhile. Three Stripes does not know if Four Stripes will act any different. They have avoided each other ever since coming in here.
>>
No. 399660 ID: 61e7f9

Wait and see what happens.
>>
No. 399661 ID: ed57e8

push the door now.
>>
No. 399666 ID: b85f8c

>>399659
Better not push any other buttons. (shit, I didn't mean that fence but I guess other people wanted in there anyway. I hope we didn't just release all the extremely dangerous animals.)

Can't hurt to try the door now.
>>
No. 399667 ID: b85f8c

Also tell Four Stripes okay, you will not mess with that thing anymore.
>>
No. 399672 ID: affb00

Well that's just great. You finally found a red place where you were camoflaged, and you had to go and make part of it green. Way to go, tiger.
>>
No. 399674 ID: d6af4f
File 133395641956.png - (14.26KB , 700x700 , 248.png )
399674

The lights do nothing, and the red lights just keep flashing on the green lights.

The wall is big but Three Stripes can open it and why is Four Stripes still telling Three Stripes to stop doing that. Four Stripes is always telling Three Stripes not to do anything, and now he says it's because the green thing said not to.

Wait there are neumono on the other side that he does not recognize and there are 3 of them and Three Stripes is so excited but Four Stripes says to leave them alone and to stop trying to get them closer but why wouldn't Four Stripes want some.Three Stripes doesn't understand. They're coming closer and closer and Four Stripes says he's going to attack me if I don't stop but I think I might attack him first.
>>
No. 399675 ID: 61e7f9

Tell him to either fuckoff, or help with the door and overpowering these neumono. Or he can fight you and you will both be busy while the neumono come in and kill both of you.
>>
No. 399676 ID: affb00

Maybe Four Stripes has a point. That very loud horn was pretty scary after all. It was probably telling you of danger.
>>
No. 399677 ID: ed57e8

tell him you just want to leave. the green thing isn't your friend, you don't owe it anything. but if he wants to listen to it, that's his problem. if he can find a way for you to leave, you will stop trying to get some monos.
>>
No. 399680 ID: b85f8c

>>399674
The last 4 times new neumono were encountered... Well, the first time, it was Silent and her partner. Silent killed that other predator. The second time, it was Silent's other friend who she took from you. The third time, it was the three guys the Salikai took from you. The fourth time, some new neumono killed ALL your thralls, and one of them chased you and almost killed you.

New neumono are dangerous! You should back off, maybe even hide.
>>
No. 399685 ID: 097b1c

Can you have them do something you don't know how to?
Like open the door?
>>
No. 399694 ID: 800ce6

tell 4s not to be a dickbag.
>>
No. 399698 ID: d6af4f
File 133396997744.png - (22.03KB , 700x700 , 249.png )
399698

The last neumono was scary but Three Stripes can understand these ones. Three Stripes tells Four Stripes to back off. Four Stripes snorts and leaves.

The three neumono are coming and Three Stripes wants them to come faster, and they do. They help him open the door enough to let him get a good hold on the bottom, but it will fall if Three Stripes lets it go. Three Stripes does not know what is on the other side, or if he should go to the neumono side or they to his. They look all mean but Three Stripes thinks that they are nice on the inside.
>>
No. 399700 ID: e3f578

>>399698
ooooh
tribals
they don't have pointy spears that go BANG BANG BANG
Nuzzle the crowned one
>>
No. 399702 ID: 9cd02a

>>399698
lets go to the other side, might be more neumono up ahead. Also ask grumpy old four stripes if he wants to leave too
>>
No. 399705 ID: fa9f7e

Oh, by the way, green thing is dead, so don't worry about it.
>>
No. 399708 ID: 097b1c

Thank them somehow. Send a positive thought or something.
>>
No. 399715 ID: 800ce6

so, feeling hungry? these dudes look fuzzy and delish.
>>
No. 399718 ID: 97bd86

It's probably better than the pen.
>>
No. 399744 ID: b85f8c

>>399698
Go through. Four Stripes can be a grump by himself, while you make new FRIENDS!

Are you pacifying them? Or is it more of a request for peace rather than brainwashing? Considering they are unarmed, I think either way might work, at first anyway. They probably won't let you eat any bits of them unless you brainwash them though.
>>
No. 399745 ID: affb00

Nice on the inside.

NICE AND SQUISHY
>>
No. 399748 ID: 67c98a

If there's already stuff to eat in this room, it's probably better to not eat these neumono. Get them to help you instead.

If you can, find something to wedge under the door, to make sure you can open it again from the other side. Then go through and see where you are.
>>
No. 399751 ID: e3f578

Hey, Three Stripes, what is your actual name in the language of your people?
>>
No. 399761 ID: ed57e8

have them roll a big rock under the door.
>>
No. 399762 ID: 459534

Once you're on the other side have the neumono climb onto you. GET ALL THE NUZZLES!

...then try to get them to help you find a way out.
>>
No. 399766 ID: bccf7b

>>399698

Three new friends! (possible tasty ones, but that's for later)

We must inform them of you desire to become BEST FRIENDS with them :D
>>
No. 399773 ID: d6af4f
File 133400322341.png - (13.66KB , 700x700 , 250.png )
399773

>>399751
Three Stripes doesn't need a name in his own language.

Four Stripes said food came out of the wall, but Three Stripes does not know if he should believe that. He moves through and lets the door drop because there are no rocks or anything to prop the door up.

Three Stripes was trying to ask nicely and not brainwash anyone but when new neumonos came he couldn't help himself and had to control them because he is alone and bad at restraint. He wonders if he should let them keep their brains intact, but it is dangerous and much safer and easier to keep them permanently pacified.

Then Three Stripes remembers that where there are three neumono there are always more and he bets that he could find and make a lot of friends if he told these ones to lead him home.

Or he could try to find a way out. That too.
>>
No. 399774 ID: a2fa74

>>399773
Let them keep their brains. They don't have anything really deadly so you can always pacify them if they get violent, but you lost your last pets because they couldn't think for themselves.

What gender was the dead predator? You? Four-stripes?
>>
No. 399775 ID: b85f8c

>>399773
Let them keep their brains. Silent might not like it if you don't, and Silent is dangerous. Besides, they're unarmed.

Ask them to bring you to the exit, just so you know where it is, then to where their home is.
>>
No. 399776 ID: 97bd86

>>399773
Four Stripes may have been right, but I think something's gone wrong.

You should probably have a long-term goal of finding the silent neumono, because she is probably the only thing around here who is both able to get you somewhere you might actually want to be and willing to help you out.

Can you wait to make a decision on these three? Might be prudent to get a better grasp on where you are and where you want to be before you commit to something.

Can you figure out where these three would actually lead you if you followed them home? It wouldn't work out well if you ran into neumono prepared to stop you.
>>
No. 399778 ID: fa9f7e

Why do you generally prefer the female neumono?
>>
No. 399779 ID: 97bd86

>>399776
Actually that's a point. You probably shouldn't totally brainwash anyone until you're somewhere you can be safe, unless they're being openly hostile to you beforehand.
>>
No. 399804 ID: 61e7f9

Stand them in a line and mentally release then one at a time. If they run or attack you pacify them again and stand them back in the line. Repeat until they are all standing there on their own. Say hello.
>>
No. 399816 ID: 800ce6

friends! lots of friends! wheeeeeee
>>
No. 399819 ID: bccf7b

>>399773

Yeah, let's let them keep their brains for now. Time to see if they can lead you up and back into the spire!
>>
No. 399842 ID: d6af4f
File 133401509046.png - (22.50KB , 700x700 , 251.png )
399842

Three Stripes will keep their minds active enough to not depend on him this time. He will try his luck with a different method, and get them to follow him home.

>>399774
The only predators Three Stripes has met recently are males. He has not seen a female in years.

>>399778
Three Stripes enjoys the company of males and females, but with females, he can make more neumonos.

>>399804
This is a very good idea and Three Stripes will try this when he learns all the differences of these neumono. But right now they are all in the same hive and it would be difficult to do anything but release all or none of them. He will put restraint on his communication until then.
>>
No. 399844 ID: d6af4f
File 133401511380.png - (11.79KB , 700x700 , 252.png )
399844

Oh geez more neumono Three Stripes must go straight through the wall and come to think of it that should have been a bad idea and Three Stripes isn't sure why that worked but the cave walls are made of plants and are light and easy to run through.
>>
No. 399845 ID: d6af4f
File 133401512265.png - (16.18KB , 700x700 , 253.png )
399845

Three more neumonos are here sleeping and this is supposed to be their home but there is not much here.
>>
No. 399847 ID: fa9f7e

>>399842
Huh. So, you're not separate species at all, since you can interbreed. Can male neumonos make more predators with female predators?
>>
No. 399849 ID: 61e7f9

: D

Not sure what to do now. Over time work on you skill at controlling them individually.
>>
No. 399852 ID: f2c010

>>399847
No, I think Three Stripes means he can make more neumonos if he has male neumonos and female neumonos.

Say hi to the new neumonos! Induct them into your big happy family.
>>
No. 399854 ID: ed57e8

>>399847
i think he means he can use any males to breed with the females. not that he breeds with them.... i think.
>>
No. 399855 ID: b85f8c

>>399845
Yay, more friends! Friendly friends! See if you can get them dressed, and maybe figure out how to ask if there's more neumono around.

>>399847
>interbreed
I think he means he can make more neumonos by having the females get pregnant via other neumono.
>>
No. 399857 ID: 97bd86

>>399845
Huh.

Well, we can probably stay here for the moment. I guess you can, uh... practice your different method, or whatever?

But keep in mind that you might want to get out of this place sometime in the near future.
>>
No. 399858 ID: fa9f7e

>>399854
>>399852
>>399855
That sounds more plausible. And yay Wigglytuff!

Anyways, pacify these guys. Also, I strongly recommend eating/enslaving Four Stripes.
>>
No. 399859 ID: ed57e8

>>399858
four stripes is locked behind the big gate.
>>
No. 399861 ID: fa9f7e

>>399859
And we can go back to get him, can't we? Or am I missing something?
>>
No. 399862 ID: 459534

Oops! That poor neumono is indecent! D:
Be a gentleman and let her get dressed. C:
>>
No. 399864 ID: fa9f7e

>>399862
That'd slow down the making more neumono bit. Don't.
>>
No. 399876 ID: d6af4f
File 133401854732.png - (10.70KB , 700x700 , 254.png )
399876

>>399847
What no Three Stripes meant as long as he has one male neumono he can have all the females make more he didn't mean he does it himself he would hurt them maybe.

Three Stripes thinks that it is cuddle time and does not want to eat Four Stripes he is not that bad just stern and boring. Three Stripes can go back to Four Stripes if he really wants to.

But it is also individuality time, and will try releasing one without the others. The one with the funny hat is released and looks around confused. But she doesn't do anything. She appears disinterested in Three Stripes at first, but is not attacking and that is new.
>>
No. 399877 ID: d6af4f
File 133401855756.png - (18.15KB , 700x700 , 255.png )
399877

Then she shrugs and joins her hivemates back around Three Stripes and Three Stripes has to think because up to this point every single neumono up to now has always tried to kill him when Three Stripes doesn't actively make friends. But this one looks like it is okay with Three Stripes without Three Stripes having to do anything and he wonders if he releases all of them if it would work just as well.
>>
No. 399879 ID: b85f8c

>>399877
Be careful, but let's try it.
>>
No. 399880 ID: 97bd86

>>399877
A group of neumono who are both capable of acting as individuals and totally willing to hang out you in spite of you being a predator would be a hell of a thing to have.

Are we breaking new ground for your race?
>>
No. 399882 ID: 97bd86

>>399880
I would gauge their individual reactions before releasing them all at the same time, though. It wouldn't be any good to release all six if a couple of them are very hostile towards you, even if the most important-looking one doesn't seem to mind you at all.
>>
No. 399883 ID: b9d767

>>399845
Uh oh, they look worried! Let's give em' just a nudge, make sure they know we want to be friends! Everyone loves having friends!
>>
No. 399885 ID: 61e7f9

May as well try it.
>>
No. 399886 ID: b9d767

>>399877
Sure, but do it slowly and carefully.
>>
No. 399888 ID: bccf7b

>>399877

Let's test each one. And perhaps if they all seem okay with it, maybe that is for the best. Besides, then they will be able to do more things -- and be REAL friends!
>>
No. 399890 ID: 369d34

Yeah, let them all gradually loose, but be ready to single out and temporarily pacify any that freak out or something. If it works, then you'll have friends that'll be more interesting than the old mindless ones. It'd be nice to have intellectual company other than Four Stripes.

Do you think these neumono were never taught to fear the predators, or that they were raised with or by predators that don't go the full mind-wipe route? Maybe you could find them, if they exist.
>>
No. 399901 ID: ed57e8

if that's the queen then their personalities should be similar.
>>
No. 399905 ID: d6af4f
File 133402451317.png - (14.29KB , 700x700 , 256.png )
399905

Three Stripes releases them one by one, and each one has a similar effect and simply lay down again. It seems that they have more interest in their hivemates but that is okay because this is the first time that a neumono ever considered even touching Three Stripes without being told to. Three Stripes has never considered doing this before, and he has never seen anyone like him try it either but for some reason it is the most wonderful thing not having to tell his friends to like him.

Three Stripes could be like this forever.
>>
No. 399906 ID: d6af4f
File 133402452169.png - (18.01KB , 700x700 , 257.png )
399906

Four neumono start coming back with food but all of them start being concerned over something. One of them is the biggest, tastiest looking thing Three Stripes has ever seen. Some of the ones already met get up and they start talking and explaining things to each other that Three Stripes doesn't understand, but the crowned one is pointing at me a lot and both keep gesturing at the amount of food. They have cooked meat, but there isn't enough for everyone to have a good meal.

The four newcomers slowly are eased at Three Stripes presence and Three Stripes could probably cry more but there is not enough food and that is not wonderful.
>>
No. 399908 ID: 97bd86

>>399906
You can probably go get some food, right?

And communicate that you're doing that to them well enough?
>>
No. 399909 ID: a75970

>>399906
Clearly you must eat some of them so there is enough food to go around. Eat the least tasty-looking male, so the better-tasting males will have tasty babies.
>>
No. 399910 ID: b85f8c

>>399906
Hey, you know, if Four Stripes was telling the truth in that food came out of the wall, we could go get some of it.
>>
No. 399911 ID: 61e7f9

Keep lazing around. Next time some of them get up to go somewhere follow them. Let us know what happens and we'll try to help you figure out what to do.

What do you normally eat? Besides Neumono. They really really don't like it when you eat them by the way.
>>
No. 399912 ID: b0d466

Oh dear, Three Stripes... I think they are planning to eat you.

What was Four Stripes saying about food, again?
>>
No. 399913 ID: e3f578

I think they're talking about using you as a weapon against other tribes, either to take land or something. Probably, the biggest one is probably the best warrior and feels using you would be cowardly.

The green guy must have learned how to talk to you and four stripes from somewhere and how to teach you. Maybe he picked it up from these guys or they learned some things from him? You can't eat the big, juicy one though. You'll offend your friends that are nice to you without you telling them and then you'll have to tell them to be nice! And that's false friendship.
>>
No. 399917 ID: bbee3d

Do not eat these neumono! If you eat any of them, they will stop liking you by themselves.

Getting them some food would be a good thing to do, though.
>>
No. 399924 ID: affb00

>>399911

To be fair I don't think they mind being eaten all that much. Ears and tails grow back after all... as well as pretty much anything else. <.<

Resist the urge to become inexplicably tiny and nibble on the juicy one's ear adorably.
>>
No. 399933 ID: b6edd6

>>399924
They can grow things back, but they still have pain receptors.
>>
No. 399934 ID: d6af4f
File 133402962634.png - (16.37KB , 700x700 , 258.png )
399934

Four Stripes said that food came out of the wall but that was way back at the pen and right now the big huge one is kind of scaring Three Stripes. He will not try and eat her but she looks like she might want to eat him and he also wonders if she eats neumonos too because that is a lot of neumono teeth lodged in her ears.
>>
No. 399935 ID: d6af4f
File 133402965869.png - (14.68KB , 700x700 , 259.png )
399935

Three Stripes decides to get some food but as soon as he starts trying to move the giant one gets on his back and that is great but wait a moment this isn't hugging.

The giant says a word all bluntly but Three Stripes has no idea what it means. Maybe it wants to wrestle because it is big enough to do that.
>>
No. 399936 ID: b85f8c

It's pointing. I think it wants a piggyback ride! Let's show her how fast you can go.
>>
No. 399937 ID: a2fa74

>>399935
It looks like she wants you to carry her some place, so start walking. She might lead you to some nuemono she wants eaten.

Try to tell her you don't understand her.
>>
No. 399938 ID: 97bd86

>>399935
I think she wants you to go the way she's pointing.

How well are you able to communicate with these guys, anyway?
>>
No. 399940 ID: 61e7f9

Eh, just ignore it for now. See what you can find outside that is edible.
>>
No. 399941 ID: 97bd86

Also holy crap that is an enormous neumono.
>>
No. 399942 ID: fa9f7e

What did the word sound like? It may be useful to make a sort of dictionary.

Also, what does Vaota and the rest of your language mean?
>>
No. 399944 ID: fa9f7e

Oh, and since she's so huge you *might* be able to copulate with her! New friends with benefits! Unless your dick is spiked or something.
>>
No. 399950 ID: b6edd6

Watch out in case she tries to hit you in the head.
>>
No. 399960 ID: 459534

Give her a kiss/lick. :3 Then give her a fun piggyback ride! :D
>>
No. 399982 ID: d6af4f
File 133403656341.png - (17.02KB , 700x700 , 260.png )
399982

Three Stripes wasn't paying attention when it was said so he doesn't know what it sounded like. He tries to lick her but she whaps him on the head just like he was supposed to watch out for and she points again. That isn't very nice and he wants to tell her not to do that but he has to try to a new tactic.

He decides instead to go fast to wherever her finger points and that pleases her so he keeps going fast and it is good.
>>
No. 399983 ID: d6af4f
File 133403656866.png - (19.24KB , 700x700 , 261.png )
399983

She stops and pulls on Three Stripes' neck when there is a small metal post. She hops off and waits, feeling more tense and wary while keeping a close eye on Three Stripes.

And waits some more. Three Stripes is getting bored and wants to run again but maybe not because he hasn't had to run in a long time and is out of shape.
>>
No. 399985 ID: 61e7f9

Now lick her head. Then nap time.
>>
No. 399986 ID: affb00

Well you know what my grandfather always used to say. When bored, chew on the metal post.
>>
No. 399987 ID: ed57e8

she is wary, but of what? perhaps a enemy to their hive. capture and mind control the enemy hive into slaves, and this hive as friends. you get the best of both worlds!

but for now, the metal post may be a food spitting machine. and the groups in here fight for control of them.
>>
No. 399988 ID: b85f8c

Look around. She's waiting for something. Don't interrupt her focus.

Check out the metal post, I guess, if nothing happens.
>>
No. 400026 ID: d6af4f
File 133404028085.png - (16.52KB , 700x700 , 262.png )
400026

Three Stripes doesn't see anything else around so he tries to show some affection for the big one but she raises her hand away to him so he stops and decides to poke the metal thing and then his finger hurts a lot! It gave him a bad shock and it really hurt and the big one just laughs. She might be mean after all so maybe not controlling her was a bad idea it would be so much easier if he did.
>>
No. 400028 ID: ed57e8

make a loud noise at her to show you didn't think it was funny, and can you emit that you are upset without controlling? do that.
>>
No. 400030 ID: 61e7f9

Take a nap.
>>
No. 400034 ID: f70e5e

its a perspective thing, despite her size she's probably a hell of allot more durable than you. to her that would have been only a mild shock, so she probably doesn't realize how much that kind of shock would hurt you.
>>
No. 400037 ID: b85f8c

>>400026
Jury's not out on this one. Give her an emotional 'harumph' at least though.

I don't think we should nap. Maybe we can wander around a little near here, though.
>>
No. 400038 ID: d6af4f
File 133404566932.png - (15.21KB , 700x700 , 263.png )
400038

Three Stripes forgot that his new tactic can still employ emotions without controlling them so he gives a whimper and tries to make a harumph but it mostly just comes out as being upset because he is.

She is surprised but for whatever reason she pats him on the head and shows Three Stripes that it is alright. Three Stripes is okay again and will take a nap but will keep it a light nap in case he needs to wake up.
>>
No. 400039 ID: d6af4f
File 133404567740.png - (18.93KB , 700x700 , 264.png )
400039

Three Stripes does not have long though before the giant one wakes him up. Three Stripes senses that his new friends are coming quickly but they are still some distance away and there are a few creatures coming out and they begin hissing and they are scary. The giant is expecting to fight and expecting Three Stripes to fight alongside her and that is bad. Three Stripes is not a very good fighter.
>>
No. 400040 ID: 61e7f9

Can you control them? Pacify the three things.
Can you minimize pain that neumono feel? Deaden their sense of pain so they can fight better.

Distract them. You don't need to fight that much. Do whatever you can to let Giant hit them.
>>
No. 400042 ID: b85f8c

>>400039
Do your best. Just try not to get hurt too bad.

It might work out in your favor to look extremely intimidating and distract the enemy, while not actually contributing very much to the fight. Be a distraction so she can take them out, but avoid getting hurt as much as possible.

And of course if you can like, use a rock or something as a force multiplier that could help.

If you get too badly hurt, indicate that she should get onto you, going so far as to control her to do so, and retreat towards your new friends.
>>
No. 400043 ID: ed57e8

your mind powers are strong enough that who knows what you can control!
>>
No. 400044 ID: 9cd02a

>>400039
You have really long arms and seem to be strong since you were able to lift that door. So punch the fuck out of those hissing monsters
>>
No. 400046 ID: d6af4f
File 133405236516.png - (11.28KB , 700x700 , 265.png )
400046

Maybe Three Stripes will try and control them in just a way to be able to ignore pain and enter a fighting frenzy, he has done that before. As long as the friendship isn't forced, Three Stripes thinks it will be okay.

Those aren't neumono so Three Stripes can't control them they don't have any minds he can read to control. He'll punch them inst- OW.

Three Stripes isn't good at fighting after all. Three Stripes also conveys a feeling to run but the giant won't because she has to wait for something.
>>
No. 400047 ID: 9cd02a

Damn we suck at fighting, so lets shake this guy off of us and get some distance. Maybe the giant is planning something since she wants to wait? Too bad we can't understand her so we cant ask whats the plan
>>
No. 400053 ID: 70591e

>>400046

rip its tongue out. I heard that a 65-year-old dude killed an adult tiger once by doing just that.
>>
No. 400057 ID: 67c98a

You've got sharp teeth too! Bite it back while its teeth are busy! Those big eyes might be weak spots you can attack.

Can you control your own mind so you can ignore pain, or can you only do that to neumono?
>>
No. 400061 ID: d6af4f
File 133406151002.png - (25.35KB , 700x900 , 266.png )
400061

He can only control neumono so he cannot control his own mind.

Three Stripes might not know how to fight well but he is strong so he tries to bite down on its tongue but only gets its face. He doesn't even notice when another takes its teeth and clamps down on Three Stripes neck and that makes Three Stripes release the first! Three Stripes is remembering why he always controls the neumono so that they're always around him and can fight for him since he is so bad at it but his friends are here anyway and they are killing off these beasts without fear since Three Stripes is telling them to.
>>
No. 400062 ID: d6af4f
File 133406152078.png - (92.99KB , 700x700 , 267.png )
400062

Then Three Stripes hears a ding, and smells a lot of food as he starts losing a lot of blood and feels woozy.
>>
No. 400063 ID: d6af4f
File 133406152712.png - (14.63KB , 700x700 , 268.png )
400063

Three Stripes wakes up later and there is food in front of him. Everyone is there and the giant is by him but it feels like she is disappointed or worried or something and that is the worst.

Three Stripes is a wuss.
>>
No. 400067 ID: 97bd86

>>400063
Hey, it's okay. I think the giant was thinking you'd be a lean, mean, killing machine right off the bat, but I don't think you have to worry too much that you're not. After all, if you were mean and fighty, do you think these neumono would be nearly this comfortable with you being around like this?
>>
No. 400069 ID: 67c98a

Don't feel too bad about it. Remember, you might not be strong in body, but you're strong in mind! It's not your fault you had to fight creatures who were immune to your biggest advantage. And they did outnumber you three to one.

Besides, even if you're not good at fighting, you can make everyone around you good at fighting. That can be even better!
>>
No. 400070 ID: 70591e

that's what you get for not using your hands to tear out a tongue while it's in your opponent's mouth and instead going for it with your mouth like a moron.
>>
No. 400071 ID: e3f578

ugh god I hope they're not talking about putting you down
Because fuck those people that put down creatures because they're not to their taste.
Anytime you feel threatened by these neumono from now on, it's cool to pacify them. I don't want you being used by these selfish creatures like a dog, even if you've sorta done the same to them.
For right now, just do the peace thing you were doing with the blue one whenever they start getting antsy with you and want to take you into battle but do that in a manner that doesn't look like they're going to kill you. You think they want to kill you? Don't hold back bro.
>>
No. 400072 ID: 9cd02a

Is four stripes a good figher? Maybe he could teach us.
>>
No. 400076 ID: bccf7b

>>400063

Maybe they thought that just because you're really big, you must be really strong.

But what they will learn is that, since you ARE really big, you give really big hugs! We should seek more hugs.
>>
No. 400078 ID: fa9f7e

You might want to find a way to train your upper body strength and such.
>>
No. 400079 ID: fa9f7e

This is clearly how we will get giantwife.
>>
No. 400082 ID: bccf7b

>>400079

Yes! We will have the giant one help us train somehow so we can become a (slightly) better fighter! She shall become our waifu~
>>
No. 400086 ID: b6edd6

Well they are feeding you instead of feeding on you so that is good.
>>
No. 400097 ID: 67c98a

For now, eat the food - they can't be too disappointed if they're giving you food - and see how everyone is doing. Including yourself.
>>
No. 400099 ID: a2fa74

>>400063
Say "Vaota."
>>
No. 400100 ID: 70591e

>>400099

we never did learn what that meant. what's it mean, Three-Dog?
>>
No. 400121 ID: ed57e8

you need to train. you were out of shape and lazy cause you had it easy in a cave that had nothing you couldn't avoid. you need to train!
emotion: CONVICTION, start lifting a rock over and over to get back in shape. and spar with the big one. can also learn to talk by point at things and saying their name. and then have them do the same.
>>
No. 400127 ID: b85f8c

>>400063
Nom the food, and try to convey your feelings.
>>
No. 400145 ID: 61e7f9

Don't worry too much about it. You'll get better at fighting.

EAT
>>
No. 400146 ID: 369d34

Aw, don't be hard on yourself, Three Stripes. You're just out of practice from not having to fight for yourself for so long. That can be fixed with training. For now, eat your food and find some water to drink.

When you do get to training, aim not for direct fighting but for dodging and hit and running. Franky, none of your species can take and recover from a hit like a neumono, since you don't have their regenerative ability. Being a distraction and annoyance to the enemy while boosting your neumono friends sounds more your style.

Hey, can you change your empathic signature to emulate and behave like this little hive's? Not to control any of them, but to show you want to be with them. Plus, it would empathically camouflage that you were a predator to other neumono who might not take kindly to you.
>>
No. 400149 ID: 97bd86

>>400146
Hey, that's a cool idea, actually.
>>
No. 400150 ID: f70e5e

that could have gone better, but it could have gone worse. your making friends with these guys rather than just ripping there minds apart, so its going to be much harder and is probably going to mean putting yourself at risk for there sake. but its worth it to have others around you who are there own people rather than just mindless shells.
>>
No. 400155 ID: 0ee065

If you ever feel threatened by them don't feel like you can't just pacify the lot of 'em. But it is ok Three Stripes you are a lover not a fighter and far from your home. You don't have to be good at everything.
>>
No. 400167 ID: a43a6c

Well Three Stripes, don't worry. You protected your new friends, and even though you may be hurt you lived to tell about it.

Now eat that steak, big guy. You've earned it.
>>
No. 400191 ID: ec0bf5

Eat the snack and feel better.
>>
No. 400224 ID: d6af4f
File 133411323430.png - (13.13KB , 700x700 , 269.png )
400224

Three Stripes conveys that he wants to be one of them and says vaota. It means peace. He does not know as many words as neumono but maybe he will try and learn some that he can. There are no rocks and he is very winded, but he also conveys what conviction he can.

A few get up and are happy that Three Stripes is awake? Three Stripes was thinking he might have to control them but maybe not otherwise he would be dead by now. They say words at him and even though he doesn't understand it is still nice.
>>
No. 400225 ID: d6af4f
File 133411324178.png - (12.40KB , 700x700 , 270.png )
400225

Sometimes Three Stripes would convey certain feelings when he was going to have his old neumono buddies he was going to train them to help them get in shape so that Three Stripes wouldn't have to fight. He didn't know how to train them to fight but he kept them in shape.

Right now, the giant is giving that feeling back to Three Stripes. It is odd being on the other end but Three Stripes does not want to disappoint and they all cared enough to not let him die and even gave him food.

Three Stripes does miss his old friends too. He wishes they would have came back when Three Stripes was asking anyone to come and no one did. Not even the silent one or her friends came and Three Stripes hopes that they haven't forgotten about him because right now he is thinking about them and they were not bad even though they brought lots of trouble. He wonders how the silent one and the other two are doing. He hopes they will meet again. But for now, he has lots of work to do with his new buddies.
>>
No. 400227 ID: d6af4f
File 133411329497.png - (45.24KB , 700x700 , 271.png )
400227

>"Polo! These things were supposed to be on the verge of extinction!! Now they have weapons?!" Rakae yells.

I feel winded, but my voice is audible now. I never got a chance to inspect myself.

"Lots of things were on the verge of extinction! Lots of things should be extinct or close to it that are all over the place, apparently with machine guns! Rikek, what are our exits?"
>>
No. 400228 ID: d6af4f
File 133411330357.png - (17.42KB , 700x700 , 272.png )
400228

>"There's a door that needs a passcode, and a window that drops outside over the plants!" Rikek calls back.
>"This ceiling looks like it's shitty enough to be punched through." Kork says.
>"What about that room back there?" Rikek asks.
>"That's the bathroom. Need to change your tiny undies?"

Their willpower is impressive. Once the explosion happened, Rakae found those enemy soldiers seemed more lucid after they were lit on fire, and when the guns began firing, they became their old selves again. We hate each other, but somehow Rakae was able to call a truce in the face of otherwise certain death. I have no idea how she did it, but she talked them down.
>>
No. 400232 ID: 61e7f9

What the hell are you fighting?

Best bet is probably a jump to the jungle floor. I mean if the fall won't hurt you badly.

Second would be ambush through the roof into the next room over where whatever is.
>>
No. 400238 ID: 97bd86

Shit, sounds like you owe Rakae one, then.

Okay, unless one of you can knock it down, the passcode door is probably not an option.

Honestly I'm not sure if up or down is a better idea. Tentatively saying down.

What the hell is even shooting at you?
>>
No. 400241 ID: c4a1fc

>>400238
We can jump back down easily; it'd be harder to climb back up. Up for now, I guess?

On the other hand, we could hurt ourselves jumping down, and apparently it's easy enough to climb up through this ceiling so I dunno.

Seriously, what are we fighting and what mind-rape weapons do they have at their disposal?
>>
No. 400244 ID: bbee3d

Dropping out of the window seems like it could give you more options - you've just been getting more and more boxed in inside these caverns, and going through the ceiling seems like it would only prolong that, unless you want to pull a suicide stunt like Rokoa did. Getting out of the spike would give you less defense, but possibly a better chance at escape.
>>
No. 400246 ID: 369d34

What the hell showed up with machine guns and a bad attitude? Is it the salikai's family?

Time to gauge options: Check the ceiling. Have Kork lift, or toss, Rikek through the drop ceiling so he can see how tough the real ceiling is. Then check how far down it is to the plant's level. Do you have enough rope to reach down that far?

Personally I'd prefer heading up, since you'd have to leave behind your rope to climb down, if you have the rope, and you might not get another chance to get back up for awhile. However, if this area is swarming with hostiles, retreating into the jungle habitat would offer open space and cover. Just don't expect Kork and his comrades to stick with you.

Oh, and Rakae deserves all the kudos for talking a temporary truce out of this bunch of war-heads. That must have been surprising.
>>
No. 400251 ID: b85f8c

>>400228
Use the plasma sword to unlock the door, go through that.

No problem.
>>
No. 400256 ID: 369d34

>>400251
Yeah, slice one side of the door, top to bottom, and move it out of the way. That is, if the door isn't plasma-sword-proof or resistant enough that'd it take too long. Do this as well as checking on the other possible routes.
>>
No. 400308 ID: affb00

It looks like the Salikai has the entire spire hollowed out like some sort of zoo. Probably was cultivating endangered species, perhaps in order to use them in its unrelenting quest to destroy Neumono. That doesn't explain the machine guns though. I got nothing there.
>>
No. 400316 ID: d6af4f
File 133413314810.png - (19.49KB , 700x700 , 273.png )
400316

>What is shooting at you?

An arkot. 4 armed barely bipedal creatures that originated in the far north. They are pests that breed quickly, but are more of a danger to themselves than anything. Or so I have heard, but their guns, to which I have no idea how they came to the possession of, are aimed at us. They have poor motor skills, cannot aim very well, are rather dumb, seem to be trying to stop their gun's recoil with their cheeks, but in the end, their numbers are overwhelming.

I began moving to Three Stripes, who was not terribly far away, but there was a room before Three Stripes' location, and that room had arkots. Things went downhill from there and we got chased.. to be frank, things have been a daze, and I have absolutely no idea where we are. Three Stripes seems to have moved, and I can no longer sense him.

"Rakae, give me cover while I go across to get through that door!"
>>
No. 400319 ID: d6af4f
File 133413327231.png - (18.58KB , 700x700 , 274.png )
400319

We have plenty of rope to spare in case we want to leave through the window, but I would like to see what is through this door. Regardless of where we go, arkles are going to storm the hallway. It is going to be a question of who among us will leave last.

>"Rokoa's plasma blade."
"... yes."
>"You got on her bad end, lived, and took her things. You know that she's not going to ever rest until you're dead, right? She doesn't take defeat very well."
>>
No. 400320 ID: b85f8c

"She's missing a leg."
>>
No. 400322 ID: 61e7f9

"Whatever. She got on my bad side first. FYI after the explosion the only thing left we could find was one of her legs. Just thought you'd like to know."
>>
No. 400323 ID: a2fa74

>>400319
"I'll give it back when she stops trying to threaten me into some suicide mission. Who is this human guy on your ship she wants dead, anyway?"
>>
No. 400328 ID: 0cdacb

Really? She seemed forgiving and reasonable. I'm glad I have you around to fill me in and not some idiot who would state the obvious.
>>
No. 400329 ID: 70591e

>>400323

this.
>>
No. 400335 ID: e3f578

>>400319
"I could trap her on an asteroid forever you know? They say you can never escape from one's gravity. She should learn to deal with that and not put so much emotional investment in winning. It's gonna screw her over one day."
>>
No. 400336 ID: ed57e8

>>400335
what? the asteroid in question is not gravitic in nature. and how would we even know that?
>>
No. 400340 ID: e3f578

>>400336
I recall something from the main quest that stated something similar, you can't escape from magnetic or gravitational pull or something so ships can't take off from one.

I thought it might be a well known scientific fact in this universe. Especially among combat troops. It's a one way ticket punishment, so I'm sure several space governments have it as a form of justice. Just make a shitty scumhole of an asteroid as a prison.
>>
No. 400341 ID: 77c288

Do you still have a grenade left? That could be a quick solution for the arkot problem, if they're all in one place within throwing distance. Or you could outwait them - any idea how much ammunition they have? Do they have any weaknesses you're aware of?

Ask the soldier to kindly focus on the things that are trying to kill you right now. You can worry about Rokoa later.
>>
No. 400342 ID: ed57e8

>>400340
no, it's that SPECIFIC asteroid. 99.9999% of them are just rocks.
>>
No. 400344 ID: e3f578

oh
my bad
>>
No. 400347 ID: 97bd86

>>400319
Hey, she blew herself up. Yeah, you shot her in the face first, but the explosion was totally her own damn fault.

Although if she takes defeat poorly then she's probably double-pissed at you since you've managed to not get murdered by her twice now.

Also these arkot things look like they can barely use those machine guns. Is there anything on this planet that doesn't want to kill neumono, besides plants and Three Stripes?
>>
No. 400348 ID: cb9ecb

>>400316
That is ridiculous. You're being pinned down by four-armed hedgehogs. You could pick them up and throw them. Why haven't you killed any of them??
>>
No. 400358 ID: 68f2f2

Polo, you're wearing a nanosuit.

Charge in there and kick their annoying little asses.
>>
No. 400360 ID: ed57e8

>>400358
a weaker DAMAGED biosuit.
>>
No. 400369 ID: d6af4f
File 133417413701.png - (9.34KB , 700x700 , 275.png )
400369

>Why haven't you killed them?
>Charge them

We've killed around two dozen. There are at least three dozen more incoming, and we barely have three dozen shots left. We've wanted to pick up one of their guns, but they've never died without 2 more of them shooting at us in their place.

I have also saved one grenade that could buy us time if absolutely necessary.

"That's obvious. She's also missing a leg."
>"I know. We still have it. It kicked me when I first picked it up."
"I'll give her things back if she stops threatening me with a suicide mission to kill some human. Who's the human she wants dead?"
>"What are you talking about... Lugh? Why would she want Lugh dead? Are you trying to fuck with us?"

Control terminal to the left, and a train station to the right.
>>
No. 400370 ID: 97bd86

>>400369
Does "control terminal" mean "map"? A map would be really nice right about now.

Say you've got no idea. It's hard to know how much of what Rokoa was saying was because she was so out of it when you were talking to her and how much is just her legitimately being completely bonkers.
>>
No. 400373 ID: b85f8c

"She thinks he's plotting against the hive. Tell me more about him."

Split up. You go to the control terminal, a few others can go to the train.
>>
No. 400377 ID: 70591e

I like terminals. they give you interesting opportunities.
>>
No. 400381 ID: 369d34

"She said she thinks Lugh is going to pull something that'll screw your hive over. She's nuts though, so take her observations with a huge grain of salt."

Split up: You go to the control terminal, the rest head to the train station. Get one of the radio links off of Rikek or Rakae so you can stay in contact, and a long length of rope. Hopefully there'll be a window there you can bust out to escape from the horde of machine gun wielding four-armed hedgehogs.
>>
No. 400382 ID: f70e5e

I think this place is some sort of bio weapon lab. think about it, your seeing alot of extinct, or near extinct creatures and most of them are smarter than they should be. I think someone was trying to weaponize them. hit the control room, if this place is a bio weapon lab blundering about without a map would be a superficially bad idea, not to mention there might be some sort of purge function you could use.
>>
No. 400401 ID: d6af4f
File 133418346755.png - (17.56KB , 700x700 , 276.png )
400401

"She said she thinks Lugh is trying to screw your hive over. She was messed up from a predator, and is insane anyways, so I don't know how much of it is true."
>"It's false. There's no way she'd underhand us like that."
"Fine. I'm checking out the control terminal once I get a working radio link. Everyone else will go to the train station."
>"Alone? You know there's a good chance we're not going to be able to meet up again easily. And you have the weapon with the most ammo left. At least let us switch weapons, let us have the frag, or stick together."

>"Tirrik! Quit making out with the enemy in there, we're crossing the hall!" Kork yells.
>>
No. 400403 ID: 61e7f9

"Then we're sticking together."
>>
No. 400404 ID: b0d466

fiiiiiine stick together
>>
No. 400406 ID: 9cd02a

I think we will be ok as long as we have the sword and the bio suit. Give him your gun and frag
and lets head for the control terminal
>>
No. 400407 ID: 97bd86

>>400401
Switching weapons seems reasonable, I guess.
>>
No. 400412 ID: 70591e

>>400406

no way, Polo sucks at melee.

don't give him anything. he can stay with you if he wants to, but stab him if he gets greedy.
>>
No. 400415 ID: 39a3b9

"I've been carefully rationing my ammo since long before you even came to this mountain. I'm not going to give it up because you didn't bring enough ammo. We can stick together if you want but don't think that means you can waste my ammo."
>>
No. 400423 ID: 369d34

Shuffle the guns around so Kork and Tirrik get the ones with the least ammo; They should be better shots, so they can make the ammo count. Leave the frag with Rakae. If you can, keep one of the magnums on yourself.

You're going to run ahead to the control terminal, slicing doors and checking for other ways out. Everyone else is going to stick here to slow down the arkots, using as little ammo as they can. If it looks like they're going to get overrun, make a fighting retreat towards the control terminal.
>>
No. 400425 ID: e3f578

>>400401
Call Kork a cockblocker.
Just to defuse the situation a little.
>>
No. 400430 ID: d6af4f
File 133419517143.png - (13.25KB , 700x700 , 277.png )
400430

"Fine, we'll stick together. Didn't all of you bring any ammunition?"
>"We weren't expecting predators. All of our guns and ammo is lost somewhere in the spire."
"Tell Rakae and the others to get ready to fall back to the command terminal. I'm going to look ahead."
>"I'll come with."
>>
No. 400431 ID: d6af4f
File 133419518947.png - (15.71KB , 700x700 , 278.png )
400431

Another slicing of the door reveals the command terminal, and more arkots. These ones do not have guns.
>>
No. 400432 ID: 4bdd79

>>400431
RIP AND TEAR
>>
No. 400434 ID: 97bd86

>>400431
I hope you and Tirrik can handle these guys?
>>
No. 400435 ID: b85f8c

>>400431
What. You said they were dumb! How are they operating this stuff?!

If they are intelligent, I don't want to keep killing them. Hold them hostage to get them to order the others to stand down.
>>
No. 400436 ID: 61e7f9

Cut them.
>>
No. 400437 ID: ed57e8

"surrender or i start shooting"
then make good on that.
>>
No. 400442 ID: 369d34

Try and conserve your ammo here. Pull out your magnum and shout "Hands up or I shoot! Everyone, face against the wall! Now!" Shoot any of them that make a move to press any buttons or do anything else. Have Tirrik keep them in line while you investigate the control console. If it's locked, interrogate one of the arkots for the password.
>>
No. 400443 ID: 6e44d2

Just shoot them all. We don't have time to deal with prisoners.
>>
No. 400445 ID: 70591e

don't waste ammo. hell, don't even waste sword battery power if you don't have to.
>>
No. 400451 ID: e3f578

>>400431
Aren't these things supposed to be stupid? I mean they're more intelligent than we thought but that fucking goddamn animal is using a goddamn phone.
>>
No. 400456 ID: d6af4f
File 133420407614.png - (43.01KB , 700x700 , 279.png )
400456

>You said they were dumb!
Not dumb by animal standards. Still unintelligent enough that I am surprised they are operating such things. Like a phone.

I also did not bring my magnum. We have four weapons to go around five of us, it would be impractical for one person to have two firearms. The sword energy is finite as well. I do not know much about these plasma swords, so I will line them up.

"Everyone up against the wall, we're --"
>"SCREEE!"

Damnit, they are dumb enough not to surrender!
>>
No. 400457 ID: d6af4f
File 133420409332.png - (10.66KB , 700x700 , 280.png )
400457

We're able to take them down using only a couple shots. Tirrik is able to incapacitate them at close range, and I shoot the one that was chattering into the phone.
>>
No. 400458 ID: b85f8c

Grab the phone and just start yelling angry things into it.
>>
No. 400459 ID: ed57e8

pick up the phone and ask who it is.
>>
No. 400461 ID: 61e7f9

Alright, what do we got to work with? Map, controls, something.
>>
No. 400467 ID: 97bd86

>>400457
"HELLO THIS IS NEUMONO"

In all seriousness, is there anything at this terminal that can help you as far as finding a way out of this place goes?

Also, just who the hell was the arkot talking to?!
>>
No. 400471 ID: 70591e

l room
>>
No. 400472 ID: 369d34

Ask Tirrik to look over the control console for anything of interest. Pick the phone receiver up and listen for a few seconds before asking who is on the other end of the line.
>>
No. 400496 ID: bccf7b

>>400457
Things couldn't possibly get worse. Let's feed the phone a bullshit line about the little guys getting out of hand, and how you're sorry if they caused any problems, but as you were saying, you'd really like to order whatever your favorite food is.

Besides, Greenie over there needs to smile more.

>>400467
but who was phone?
>>
No. 400514 ID: d6af4f
File 133421274441.png - (15.56KB , 700x700 , 281.png )
400514

Tirrik is already looking over the control panel. I pick up the phone, and there is silence on the other end for a moment.

"Hello. This is neumono. The little guys got out of hand, and I am sorry if they caused any problems. As I was saying, I would like to order coffee cake. Who am I speaking to?"
>"The name is Su'ata Rosotki, and you will only be served death."

My questionable sense of humor does not seem to be appreciated by any nearby company.

>"Polo, we're going to have to retreat, they're getting ready for another charge!" Rakae yells from the previous room.
>>
No. 400515 ID: b0d466

Right, do some quick sabotage and then retreat
>>
No. 400517 ID: ed57e8

cut a hole in something important looking and throw the grenade in it!
>>
No. 400520 ID: 61e7f9

Tell the guy to stay here and figure out what he can. Go and help them repel it. Give Rakae the sword. Possibly make a fighting retreat if you absolutely must.

Polo, how well would that armor hold up to mass gunfire?
>>
No. 400523 ID: 369d34

"Su'ata Rosotki?" Is that a naming style you recognize? Probably not, since it's likely another salikai.

If this console is another one of those damn cryptic unlabeled ones, you may as well jab the plasma sword in, slice it lengthwise, and run for it, 'cause you're not going to have time to figure it out. However, if it's actually sensibly labeled, buy Tirrik some time to mess with it. Hand him the radio link, if you have it, and say to work as fast as he can to get something useful out of this control terminal. Then run to aid Rakae and the rest.

How sturdy are those door chunks you carved out? Think they could stand up to machine gun fire? If so, grab at least one and haul it back to use as cover, or as a shield with some rope. And if the arkot are still outside the first door you sliced up, you could place a chunk horizontally in the opening, then lie in wait to plasma sword any try to climb over.
>>
No. 400524 ID: a2fa74

>>400514
"Sorry, you have the wrong number. You want Rokoa for murdering our allies and ruining everybody's day."
>>
No. 400548 ID: d6af4f
File 133422901879.png - (15.97KB , 700x700 , 282.png )
400548

"You'll want Rokoa for wanton murder and ruining everyone's day."
>"Rokoa has already been detained. Goodbye."

He hung up. I do not recognize the name. A salikai is likely, it sounded like one. It doesn't matter, for now I will use the plasma sword on what looks to be the more important sections.

>How well would that armor hold up to mass gunfire?
I do not know, especially when it is damaged.

"Did you find anything, Tirrik?"
>"A map. It's just a map labeled "Tropical Sector. It doesn't give a map of the whole facility, just this sec-- "

>"They've got a missile launcher, we're moving!" Kork yells.

"Talk and move!"
>>
No. 400549 ID: d6af4f
File 133422903150.png - (17.86KB , 700x700 , 283.png )
400549

While the carved doors could stand machine gun fire easily, they are extremely heavy and very unwieldy.

"Rakae, take the plasma sword, pass the gun off! What are our options, Tirrik?"

>"Assuming there is a train that is both available and operatable, we can take it to places called the Snow Sector, the Mountain Sector or the Upper HQ. The train also appears to go over this tropical sector, which we may be able to jump out of. Dangerous, but I did memorize the map's basic layout of it." Tirrik explains.
>>
No. 400550 ID: b85f8c

>>400549
Think of what other endangered or dangerous species there are, and go where the worst ones wouldn't be. Mountain region probably has windbeasts, UGH.

Having any data at all makes me lean towards the tropical sector. Would that get us anywhere, though? I mean, we need to find an exit back to the surface; was there one listed in the tropical sector map?
>>
No. 400551 ID: 61e7f9

How many of em are left? Fighting retreat to the tram area. We really really need some of those guns and/or ammo. Kill as many as you can. If we get pushed back to the tram, get on and leave. Don't worry about killing them at that point. We've already lost.

Hit whatever button is the fastest to hit. We need to move fast if we've gotten pushed back that far. We don't want them getting shots on the car.
>>
No. 400556 ID: 97bd86

A missile launcher?

They have a missile launcher?

Fucking hell these things are annoying.

I'd rather be somewhere we had any sort of map of... but yeah if there are no exits from this area then that would complicate things.
>>
No. 400572 ID: bccf7b

>>400514
>Coffee Cake

Polo, you are my favorite.

>>400549

Tropical Sectors sounds like the place we fell to. That may be best for now?
>>
No. 400580 ID: affb00

Snow sector? A train? What the hell is going on down here?
>>
No. 400582 ID: bccf7b

>>400580

From what we've seen, the most probable answer is it's a giant underground set of biomes in the style of Jurassic Park -- except rather than turn it into an attraction, it's basically a massive training center or simulation.
>>
No. 400584 ID: ed57e8

oh and if you see any maps or something that points towards the predators are being stored. go that way.
>>
No. 400616 ID: 369d34

You've got to get out of these damn hallways; Stick to the tropical sector. It's the one you know the layout to the best, and you likely just trashed the control terminal for the sector, so that'll hamper the enemy. There's also that hole in the roof where you were blown through. If you fix your grappling hook, that'd be another way out.

Think you could break the tram so it stops where it passes closest to the ground? Preferably where a support reaches down to the surface, if the tram isn't supported from the ceiling.
>>
No. 400644 ID: d6af4f
File 133427823859.png - (19.30KB , 700x700 , 284.png )
400644

From the sound of them, there must be a couple dozen more running for us, but in a stroke of luck, there were no artoks in the way to the stationary train. Still, it's less of a fighting retreat and more of a sprint as we're chased.

>"Go! Hit the deck!" Kork yells, as the last one to jump on.
>>
No. 400646 ID: d6af4f
File 133427834560.png - (16.59KB , 700x700 , 285.png )
400646

We huddle on the ground as bullets rattle around the leaving train. Tirrik began drawing out a scrawled, hasty map on some paper he had.

>"We're on the X moving down. The unlabeled wavy circles are lakes. There are also catwalks all over the place, as well as more minute details I couldn't burn into memory. This train is elevated, but supported from the ground, so we can stop the train and easily get down with ropes." Tirrik explains.
>>
No. 400648 ID: 97bd86

>>400646
I assume we could also get back up?

Okay, no obvious exits. I'm intrigued by "upper HQ" but trying to take the train back through artokville seems like a very bad idea right about now.

Intrigued by both the caverns and the silo. I guess we could stop somewhere in between and see if there's actually anything worth checking out?

Do you have any idea what this place is, by the by?
>>
No. 400650 ID: ed57e8

the silo and cavern is interesting.
>>
No. 400657 ID: 70591e

make a full circle. then another. and another.
>>
No. 400671 ID: 369d34

Forget about riding the tram out of this sector; It's almost certainly locked down, or will be very shortly. Even if it wasn't, there's likely a tram coming from the mountain sector filled with angry guards right now. However, you could use that to your advantage, and maybe get some supplies out of it.

Stop the tram as close to the silo as you can, and look for places you could stretch a rope over. Either use your grappling hook, if you can fix it in time, or tie a long rope to the tram and have someone swing back and forth under it until they can grab the silo catwalk. Tie off the rope to the catwalk, and have everyone but you shimmy across and move down and out of sight of the tram tracks. When the guards' tram approaches, jam the throttle to full in its direction, grab the rope and cut the end attached to the tram. With a little luck the collision will knock their tram off the tracks and down into the jungle, where you can salvage their weapons.
>>
No. 400673 ID: d6af4f
File 133428534747.png - (53.96KB , 700x700 , 286.png )
400673

We stop the train near the silo, and start using the rope to go down.

>"Another missile incoming!" Rakae says.

They aren't sending a train after us that we can see, but they are taking potshots at us from well over any of their weapon's effective range. We don't have the luxury to wait here for them to get lucky or surprise us with a sniper rifle. We can quickly get to the silo or caverns to hide or set up an ambush of some kind.
>>
No. 400675 ID: bbee3d

Do you have any idea how many of them there are? If they outnumber by a large enough amount, an ambush would probably be suicide; if your numbers are close to equal, it might work.
>>
No. 400676 ID: 97bd86

Uh... caverns!
>>
No. 400680 ID: 369d34

Have whoever is last jam the throttle all the way open in the direction you came, then cut the rope and jump out and be caught by someone on the ground.

Get behind the silo, out of their line of sight. Hopefully they won't shoot any more missiles your way if they might hit the silo, but don't count on it. Then find an ambush location that'd double as a hiding spot, just in case there's too many to ambush.
>>
No. 400684 ID: e3f578

>>400673
Man why are these little bastards so angry at you? They're not holding back their wave of rage and destruction. I bet the salikai psychologically conditioned them to hunt down all Neumono, forming a hate worth more than their lives. Or was this species always this mad at Neumono?

Christ, why is EVERYTHING trying to kill you on this godforsaken planet.

Go for the silo and keep progressing, ammo is too scarce to keep wasting on these vermin bastards. Ugh, I think you may have to end up camping out with these guys, how long before your empathetic links might start melding and you hate each other less and trust starts forming?
>>
No. 400686 ID: 70591e

eh, we've seen a lot of caverns. try the silo.
>>
No. 400689 ID: 369d34

Aim to ambush anyone who comes only if you reasonably think that you can capture their weapons. Otherwise you're just throwing away ammo.

>>400684
The artok were also not known to be this intelligent. There has to be some major biological/genetic research and engineering going on down here, led by the salikai, and with an eye to take down or control the neumono. The overarching question is how they got the resources to build this place; Who's bankrolling them?
>>
No. 400695 ID: bccf7b

>>400673

That "wall" there. Artificial vista or is this area REALLY FUCKING HUGE?
>>
No. 400701 ID: 97bd86

>>400695
Tirrik's map had "beach" marked on it. I'd guess this place is pretty damn big.
>>
No. 400720 ID: d6af4f
File 133429538003.png - (88.72KB , 700x700 , 287.png )
400720

Rakae is the last to leave, and she throws the train in reverse and leaps off, while Rikek and Kork catch her. Thankfully the train doesn't accelerate quickly.

Artoks hate everything, including neumono. They don't need much food to survive. Combined, they do nothing but kill and breed. They often attack each other so frequently in the wild that it is a wonder they aren't extinct, and the fact that they seem to be working together is more of a surprise to me than their ability to fire missile launchers and use phones.
>>
No. 400721 ID: d6af4f
File 133429539036.png - (16.00KB , 700x700 , 288.png )
400721

>How long before your empathetic links might start melding and you hate each other less and trust starts forming?
We've spent our life in our own hives, and things aren't quick to realign. We will have to learn trust on a more individual bases, and while possible, I doubt we would ever become real friends. And as soon as we are out, we will be enemies again.

>That "wall"
It must be artificial. It is a convincing illusion, and there are even gentle waves on the beach.

We end up behind the silo, at the beach sand. My plasma sword battery is at 71%, Tirrik tells me. It appears to take around 6% to cut out a door, depending on the thickness of it.

>"Are you okay, Polo? You're not moving well."
"I am fine. Just winded."

We hear a satisfyingly loud crash as the train must have done damage.
>>
No. 400722 ID: ed57e8

where does a biosuit get the material to rebuild itself? you may be running on empty. hopefully this is a food silo.
>>
No. 400723 ID: ed57e8

also try to hotwire this door instead of cutting it.
>>
No. 400724 ID: b85f8c

>>400721
Can't you lessen the power needed by using the seam of the door as two precut lines?

Try getting the door open normally first though.
>>
No. 400727 ID: 7ea3a9

Hack the door if you can. Otherwise cut it open.

I'm sure you are more than winded. We need to take off the suit and inspect you for injuries.
>>
No. 400729 ID: 886a4d

I'm not sure taking off the suit is a wise idea... its apparently just as traumatic as putting it on. What I think she needs is food and rest.
>>
No. 400732 ID: 369d34

You aren't looking so well. Does bio-armor draw from its wearer to repair itself? You're going to be in trouble if it's doing that unchecked. Especially if the armor is masking your sense of it, and you end up crashing from nutrient loss.

Before you go cutting another door open again, inspect that control panel to the right of it. If (in the almost certain case) it's locked, you could use the tip of the plasma sword to cut the seam on the panel to remove it and access the wiring, but only if there's anyone in your group with electronics knowledge; Otherwise, don't bother.

If (or more likely "when") you have to cut the door, poke an eye-hole through it where you're going to cut and take a peek inside first. See if you can conserve sword power by slicing small windows into the area with the door slider mechanism, then make strategic cuts to whatever machinery it uses. Aim to remove only one of the two halves of the door.
>>
No. 400741 ID: 2ed56b

>>400721
Polo, you never did get a chance to take stock of your own injuries. You're not an experienced bio-armor driver. You may be hurt a lot worse than the bio-armor is letting you notice.
>>
No. 400760 ID: d6af4f
File 133430258993.png - (40.24KB , 700x700 , 289.png )
400760

Bio armor repairs itself using my own body's healing, with the exception of the visor, which does need a bio armor specialist. It would need to take immense levels of damage to be beyond repair for everything else. I am not sure what prevents someone from cutting a suit in half and giving it to two people to create another suit.

>>400724
That may work, at least for one vertical cut, as simply cutting the seam wouldn't get the doors to slide open for us. With that method, however, I may be able to get the usage down to around 4 or 5%.

Rakae starts cutting the door open using that technique, and we go in while I rest. They said they couldn't get in through the control panel in any realistic time frame.
>>
No. 400761 ID: d6af4f
File 133430260021.png - (72.07KB , 700x700 , 290.png )
400761

It smells of meat inside, that's good.

Taking off the bio suit is as bad as they say, and I don't feel as much energy as the surface area of bio armor contact lowers. Rakae and Tirrik help me out of the suit, while Rikek and Kork get food.

>"I don't see anything off, here..." Rakae says."
"Perhaps I have just exerted myself, keep taking it off ju - a - ah- ahhHH!! F-fuck!"
>"What's wrong?!"
"As soon as you pulled the s-suit down to my sternum... I can feel it now."
>"Feel what?"
"Pull it down a little lower, I th-think there's something around the upper abdomen."
>>
No. 400762 ID: d6af4f
File 133430260826.png - (20.68KB , 700x700 , 291.png )
400762

>"... oh... wait a minute. Why are you winded if it's here?"
"My lung.. I can fe- feel my lung now."
"But, Polo, there's something way lowe.. oh, no... how have you been moving?!" asks Rakae.
>"Bio armor helps ignore pain, and this model appears to have gone overboard with that. You haven't been properly trained in its use, have you?" says Tirrik.
"What's going on?"
>"We'll tell you later." Tirrik continues. "We can either punch you until you're out like a light, or you can lay back while staying conscious while we pull out the shrapnel. To be frank, you'll probably pass out anyway."
>>
No. 400763 ID: 97bd86

I guess you could... try to stay conscious??
>>
No. 400764 ID: b85f8c

>>400762
Whichever option will have you waking up earlier. We can't afford to stay out longer than we have to.
>>
No. 400766 ID: 2fe09b

Sorry to say you have to fight the pain...
>>
No. 400769 ID: a2fa74

>>400762
Lay back
"Ugh, my chest is full of Kara, isn't it. Pity; I'd hoped she was just MIA."
>>
No. 400770 ID: 252e1b

>>400762

Collapsed lung? Tough break, kid.
>>
No. 400784 ID: d6af4f
File 133430935153.png - (12.73KB , 700x700 , 292.png )
400784

"I'll stay awake. I have to be up again as soon as possible, and it won't help to have a mangled face as well."

>"I'm not a doctor, so I'll just say that this is going to hurt. Rakae, hold her down."
>"O.. kay."

She's hesitant. I can't tell if my empathic link is slipping under everything, but she can see right through me to my fear. Nevertheless, not even our hive is so sentimental that we can't deal with this.

I'm held down by Rakae, and the pain starts. It doesn't take more than a few second for me to try and scream, but I just cough up blood and wish that I chose the black out option. It feels like minutes pass before I can't take anymore and I fall unconscious.
>>
No. 400785 ID: d6af4f
File 133430937348.png - (18.94KB , 700x700 , 293.png )
400785

It's hard to focus, but I'm awakening.

>"Hey. Good news, bad news."
"Food..."
>"Good news is that we got you out of the bio suit and the shrapnel out of you, and you were only out for a few minutes. We wiped it off to keep as a souvenier. Bad news is that this place has arkots. Kork and Ri.. that small guy weren't seen, but weren't able to get food. Oh, and more good news, you're alive and your lung can probably start healing right. Would have gone a lot better if we had surgical tools, but as it was, we, uh, kind of had to wiggle it out of you. Probably did a lot of damage. I'd like to tell you not to move, but you might have to if the arkots stroll into this entry room."
>>
No. 400786 ID: 97bd86

When they say "this place" ... do they mean the silo itself, or just the surrounding area?
>>
No. 400791 ID: 9cd02a

And i take it the arkots were armed since Kork and Rikek did not attack them. Maybe we can somehow trick them to fight each other if thats what they usually do.
>>
No. 400793 ID: b85f8c

>>400785
That was in your LUNG? Crap on a stick. Well, wiggling it out can't have done more damage than running around with it in you was doing.

You know if the bio armor is off someone gets to wear it again... Hmm. Maybe Rakae could wear it, and she could just club the little guys to death with something. She's tougher than you and better in melee, isn't she?

Most of all we need to fortify this position until you can move safely.

Also if you're not wearing the bio armor anymore, you need clothes. ...maybe you should wear it again just for that reason. But also I guess to keep you on your feet while you heal?
>>
No. 400800 ID: 12c19f

As amusing as a naked stealth mission would be I'm going to say risk having her wear the armor. If you can integrate with it I'm sure Rakae can.
>>
No. 400801 ID: 923fca

>>400800
>>400793
If the suit has to re-bond it may very well kill her trying.
>>
No. 400807 ID: 70591e

don't listen to him Polo, you're badass enough to pull this shit off regardless of your condition.

fooooood.
>>
No. 400817 ID: a2fa74

>>400785
Take the shrapnel from him and give a short laugh.
"That's it? From how everybody was acting I thought it must've been Rokoa's head stuck in there or something.
I probably shouldn't put the armor back on yet. Rakae, you want it?"
>>
No. 400819 ID: d6af4f
File 133432548414.png - (14.69KB , 700x700 , 294.png )
400819

"Yeah, I'll keep the shrapnel. I expected more than a bit of shrapnel from your reaction. You say 'this place' being the silo?"
>"Yeah - hey, careful getting up."
"I take it they have guns."
>"No, but we don't know how many are above or below us, and if we'd attract the bad sort of attention of those who do have guns, when you're in this condition."

Switching users with bio armor does make it harder for the second person to bond with it, but if I can wear it after Rokoa, Rakae can wear it after me. No one should put on the bio armor at the moment, until we have time for someone to safely put it on.

>"Uh oh." Rakae starts.
"What is it."
>"There are other neumono coming."
"Oh. Yeah. We also need new medical supplies. Do we even have a first aid kit?"
>"... no, we lost many things in the spire."

Rikek returns from deeper in the silo.
>"Uh.. the Arkots are moving downwards, they look like they're leaving in a rush. Also..."
"Yes, a hive of neumono."
>>
No. 400820 ID: 97bd86

>>400819
Well you're kind of a mess right now.

I'm going to take a wild guess and say that the five of you probably are not going to be a match for a neumono hive? Which direction are they coming from? Is there any way you could hide?
>>
No. 400821 ID: a2fa74

>>400819
"Arkots falling back probably means Rokoa woke up, but this bunker could have been discovered. Either way we should use the break to gather supplies.
A new hive could be good or bad, but if they had guns they'd be moving downwards as well."
>>
No. 400822 ID: 7ea3a9

Are they the war hive? If they aren't you can chance at least finding out who they are or what they are feeling. Read whatever emotions they are putting out. If you all spotted them they already spotted you. So there is no doubt they know you are here.

If it is the war hive bid your temporary allies goodbye and leave. Tell them the truce is still going for 10 minutes after you part ways.
>>
No. 400823 ID: 97bd86

>>400822
Wait that's a point. Back when it was just you we could sneak around, but with everyone else in tow there's no way these neumono don't know you're here. You're gonna have to deal with them somehow; let's hope they're friendly not openly hostile.
>>
No. 400826 ID: 12c19f

>>400819
He is totally looking right at her cleavage.
>>
No. 400827 ID: 70591e

if it's not the hive of anyone we know, we should fuck off. maybe to the caves, they're all labyrinthine and shit and also has predators which is an advantage for you.
>>
No. 400829 ID: d6af4f
File 133433071781.png - (12.80KB , 700x700 , 295.png )
400829

"Rikek, run out into the silo to get some food then. Just grab everything you can and get back here, or I'll eat you."
>"Uh..."
"That was a joke. Except for the grab all the food."

"Tirrik, these feel different. It's not your war hive, is it?"
>"Not at all."

They feel like a war hive, even if it's a different one. They are definitely not friendly, and although somewhat cautious, they are coming closer at a steady pace.

>"They probably smell the damn food." Kork says.
>>
No. 400831 ID: 8a4c39

>>400829
Much as I'd like to stay in the silo, no way are we taking on a war hive to do it.

Get what food you can, but I'd get out of here fast and give reuse guys a damn wide berth.
>>
No. 400833 ID: 70591e

everybody else get the fuck out of there. like now.

Polo can grab the food, she's the only one who can do so undetected.
>>
No. 400834 ID: ed57e8

>>400833
polo is currently trying not to pass out from a lung being pierced.
>>
No. 400835 ID: 70591e

>>400834

dude. look at her. she's totally fucking badass.
>>
No. 400838 ID: 459534

Polo, it's probably a bunch of tribals. We saw some earlier in a place that I suspect is another part of this underground biome-simulating complex.

>>400819
A little late saying this, but Rikek seems to be enjoying the view. :3 Too bad he didn't get here just a few minutes earlier...

>>400829
Does anyone else think of Ripley when they see Polo in this pic? I'm not sure why it reminds me of her, but it does.
>>
No. 400850 ID: a2fa74

>>400838
Because she looks like she's going through chemo and the occasional hit from a bus.

War hives respect power. If this is a bunch of tribals then guns should be enough to convince them you are not to be fucked with.
>>
No. 400858 ID: bccf7b

>>400829

Oh, oh! I bet I know who it is!!

Can anyone get a sense on the possible size of the band, or anything else they might have with them that would make the Arkots flee?
>>
No. 400866 ID: b85f8c

>>400829
Man Polo, you look pissed.

My guess for what's going on is that this is the hive that was attacking Rokoa's hive. So they probably won the battle and are now investigating the spire. Soooooooooooooooooooo fuck, they know we're here... How many are there?

Polo, do you think it's possible to play dead via your training? You may be able to do that or simply hide somewhere instead of running with the others. You'd slow the group down at this point, I think.
>>
No. 400869 ID: d6af4f
File 133434571385.png - (63.00KB , 700x700 , 296.png )
400869

I don't know how the arkots could see those neumono coming, but not us. I wouldn't rule out it being a coincidence, but we can't stay here in any case.

"Let's move to the caverns. Rakae, check to see if we can escape. Rikek better..."

In what has become an unexpected display of usefulness, Rikek comes back with food in good time.

>"Yes, we can go, quickly!" Rakae tells us.

I need help moving with any decent pace, but I don't slow the group down much. 10 tribal neumono were the ones coming for us after all. One of them launches a spear at us, but it falls short. A warning shot. They seem to be spooked by me. We could take shots at them, but after I failed to get any weapons from the arkots, I would prefer to not fire at tribal age persons that are not outright attacking us.

Once we get past a certain distance, they start running into the silo and don't give us further trouble.
>>
No. 400870 ID: d6af4f
File 133434581604.png - (41.02KB , 700x700 , 297.png )
400870

I'm half conscious as I'm half carried to the cavern. There are no artoks or neumono following us, and I finally get a chance to eat. These caves are almost definitely artificial. As soon as we enter, there is a steady system of hospitable rooms and dens, as though designed for convenience. I leave myself in a side room to get some peace.

>"Polo, you look... bad. Something is wrong, isn't there?"
"Those murderous things just stopped following us. Is it because they're afraid we will get a hold of their weapons if they attack us here? Did something change behind whatever is giving them orders? I have to go back, somewhere, to find this out."
>"You're not going anywhere! It's amazing you're still conscious after everything. Is there something else bugging you?"
"No."
>"I think you're lying. Please, tell me."
"This is not a vacation. There is always something that is going wrong. Of course I'm lying. I have to think about what I am going to do now."

I feel weak and pained, yet not nearly as tired as I would think I would be.
>>
No. 400874 ID: a2fa74

>>400870
All sorts of endangered species are here; it looks like they created an ark.

I'm guessing the plan was to eradicate the Nuemono on the surface and then repopulate the planet from the species kept here.

Hopefully this place won't be too trashed by all this conflict, since it would be a fantastic wildlife preserve and research facility.
>>
No. 400878 ID: 459534

>>400874
That's a surprisingly plausible theory. Still have to wonder who's in charge, though, and why they would be so concerned with training species to be smarter and more capable (think of the arkots and Four-Stripes). Oh, and we have to figure out why they'd keep neumono down here too (and primitive neumono, at that). They wouldn't do that if they wanted neumono gone.

Are all these species related? We might be seeing some kind of evolutionary/deevolutionary experiment in progress.

What are you hiding from Rakae, Polo? You can tell us, we won't blab! :3c
>>
No. 400879 ID: 68f2f2

Polo, you're on the edge here. You don't want to admit it, but you need to rest and recover, and leave things to Rakae or Kork for the time being. Otherwise you're just going to end up killing yourself, and probably everyone else with you. The tribals are a good sign, they aren't going to just kill you all outright, and there should be enough food and water nearby to survive on.
>>
No. 400880 ID: 70591e

>>400874

dunno about that, but there's indeed too much weird shit going on around here for it all to be coincidence.

maybe this is a good time to chill.
>>
No. 400890 ID: a2fa74

>>400878
Primative Nuemono. No plasma swords or thermal detonators, just spears and rocks. Technology is how Nuemono have been extincting everything. Specifically, human technology.

Isn't it strange how Rokoa put killing a human envoy above the well being of herself and her hivemates soon after escaping torture and brainwashing? I wonder why that could be~
>>
No. 400896 ID: 6c61ee

>>400890
>Isn't it strange how Rokoa put killing a human envoy above the well being of herself and her hivemates soon after escaping torture and brainwashing? I wonder why that could be~
I'm slow. Could you clarify what exactly it is you're implying here?
>>
No. 400897 ID: a9298b

>>400890
What? Like that's part of the salikai's master plan or something? Besides, Rokoa wasn't even fully pacified, much less brainwashed. I don't know what Rokoa's issue with the human is, but it's probably her own.

Also Polo needs to calm down and open up, at least to Rakae if nobody else.
>>
No. 400898 ID: bccf7b

>>400890

Mind that our own personal "Green Devil" was certainly involved for how intimately familiar he was with this facility.

It might not be humans to worry about here...
... but their allies.
>>
No. 400899 ID: bccf7b

>>400870

Agreeing with >>400897 here, Polo. It's mandatory HUG TIME for you.

Take a chill pill, hug Rakae, and talk. You'll feel better while you digest that food.
>>
No. 400900 ID: b85f8c

>>400870
Polo, I think you need to let down your emotive shield again. Also, you're kinda disregarding her feelings. She's worried about your health. For good reason.

You personally do not need to go check it out. Someone else can. Someone who isn't likely to fall over at a moment's notice. You've endured so much already, Polo, can't you let someone else stand in the way of danger for once?
>>
No. 400910 ID: 97bd86

>>400870
Hate to say it but you are acting a little kooky lately. It's good that you're driven and focused - there's likely no way you'd survive this mess if you weren't - but you should probably rest for at least a little bit at some point.
>>
No. 400916 ID: 369d34

>>400870
Polo, what you're going to do now is drop your empathic block, confide with Rakae, then sleep. You haven't slept in so long, and coupled with your injuries it's going to mess with your mind. Let your friends take over and care for you now, when you need it the most.

When you're rested, then you can plan how to find the purpose of this facility. You'll need all your strength, 'cause you and your friends are knee deep in some serious shit here.
>>
No. 400926 ID: 12c19f

Polo's cute when she's stressed to the brink of insanity.

But yeah I think she should actually get some sleep that isn't induced by being unconscious or injured. Who knows maybe she'll grow back half an ear and lung when she wakes up.
>>
No. 400928 ID: e440a4

rest does seem to be what she needs but there really isn't enough time right now. Continue being a badass and see where else this cavern goes.
>>
No. 400942 ID: 61e7f9

Rest for a while. Other people scout the cave system. After that we are raiding medical if there is nothing good to loot here.
>>
No. 400946 ID: 369d34

A run down of what you have, what you used up, what you lost, and what was left behind since you ran into the first group of arkot would be good.

Does your group still have that egg-bomb? I assume the neumono jamming unit was lost, broken, or ran out of charge on the way down here.
>>
No. 400948 ID: b85f8c

Do we even know how to use the egg-bomb? Do our new military "buddies" know how?
>>
No. 400949 ID: 459534

We should restate our goals too, lest we loose track of the big picture while trying to solve this endless flood of smaller problems. What are we trying to do, beyond just surviving? Are we trying to figure out what happened to our home? Maybe trying to solve the mystery of this place and figure out what's going on here (it might be important in your hive's future)? Are we trying to free these primitive neumono and/or Three-Stripes, or figure out what's going on with Rokoa?

Or do we just want to escape as soon as possible and sprint home?

We need to pick one major goal to focus on so that we keep tangibly working towards something instead of reacting to each event as it happens and grasping after a vague sort of "progress". Trust me, Polo, without a clear, shared goal to work toward your team will just keep digging itself deeper and deeper into a hole without getting anywhere.

Rally your troops and use this little moment of peace to organize yourselves and decide what to work toward (and keep in mind that the soldiers might have different goals. Just be ready to deal with that.).
>>
No. 400950 ID: 369d34

>>400949
Getting to the bottom of what this facility is for would be high up the list of long-term goals. Anything that the salikai are in, with enough resources to build this place, is going to be bad news for all neumono.
>>
No. 400956 ID: d6af4f
File 133436979815.png - (9.83KB , 700x700 , 298.png )
400956

We have three plasma rifles with 7, 12 and 29 shots left. One magnum, 18 bullets. Two grappling hook, one needing repairs. 3 combat knives. One frag. One plasma sword, 67% battery. One neumono jammer that needs to be recharged. And the egg shaped powerful bomb. That is what I know at the top of my head, but I will double check later.

I let my empathic link go.

".... Rakae."
>"Yes, Polo?"
"Come here for a second."
>>
No. 400957 ID: d6af4f
File 133436980696.png - (10.13KB , 700x700 , 299.png )
400957

>"Sure, what's - oh!"
"I'll rest after we recount our supplies."
>"Thank you."

I am somewhat relieved, but something is still bugging me that I can't place my finger on. For now, once I do get rest, I have to consider where to go and whether or not to wear the bio armor again.

I do need to take value and priority in what my long term goal is as well. Right now, all I want to do is go home.
>>
No. 400960 ID: affb00

>>400952

You might not have a home to go back to, but finding out what's left of your hive should be a good long term goal. Maybe on the shorter term is you should find the other predators. At least Three-stripes would be useful to have around, being capable of pacifying any Neumono who would otherwise be assumed hostile (i.e. everyone not in your hive). As for where to go now, I dunno. Hide as best as you can so if those green meanies come back in numbers they won't be able to find you. What you need now is food and rest, and lots of both.
>>
No. 400962 ID: 97bd86

>>400957
You were doing pretty well in the bio-armor; I'd put it back on as soon as you feel comfortable doing so.

As far as what to focus on... I'm pretty sure we want to get the hell out of this facility, for sure. Figuring out what it's for and who built it would also be nice, but I wouldn't do that any more than we have to as part of escaping.

It'd be really nice to figure out where the heck Three Stripes went, just because he's probably the only living creature in this entire facility who would respond positively to seeing you. Can you tell if we've gotten any closer to wherever he might be?

I think figuring out what happened to your hive is something that's going to be difficult to focus on as long as we're in this facility, so I'd pass on that for now.
>>
No. 400976 ID: 369d34

Better put the bio-armor back on when you're feeling up to it again, but if you're not, then Rakae should wear it until you are. Remember that there are still predators out there, so you should be the one wearing it, since if someone else does they might be thralled.

Having someone fix that grappling hook would be sensible. The tip of a combat knife might work to unscrew it, if nobody has even a basic multi-tool or Swiss army knife. Also spreading the plasma rifle ammo out would be prudent, if it's possible to transfer charges between rifles.

Finding Three Stripes and getting him on your side would be good. He'd be able to pacify any hostile neumono you encounter down here. The problem would be communicating with him in any depth or detail.

Long term plan would be to get out of this facility, past the war zone on the surface, to someplace safe; A peace zone, or a hive your hive has good relations with would be best. While gathering evidence of who built and runs this facility, and what its purpose is would be nice to have, just getting out and spreading the word that it exists would be enough to screw up the plans of whoever runs it. After that you could seek out the survivors from your hive and reform it.
>>
No. 400978 ID: 459534

I think our primary goal should be to figure out what's up with this facility. Like the guy a few posts above mentioned, that could affect all neumono. As a plus, that means you won't have trouble convincing the soldiers to play along. There are a few less-important things to take care of, though.

In order of immportance from most important to least:

1. Figure out what this facility is for and who's running it.
2. Figure out if our home was attacked/destroyed (this affects the next bit).
3a. If your home is intact, head there as soon as you finish goal#1.
3b. If your home has been destroyed, try to contact survivors. Rondevous with them either immediately or once you complete goal #1.

Rokoa's problems don't concern us or our hive, so just ignore those for now.

As for Three-Stripes, I know people may want the two of you to reunite, but you have no reason to do so. No reason that would fit in with the plot, anyway. So just go on your way for now and don't worry about him. Maybe you'll bump into him later on.
>>
No. 400979 ID: 459534

Also, I like your new torn-up "survival" outfit. Looks better than the bio-armor. Just sayin' :I
>>
No. 400985 ID: d6af4f
File 133437990266.png - (9.91KB , 700x700 , 300.png )
400985

I end up sleeping for a couple of days, only getting up occasionally to eat or to move deeper in the caves to hide. As far as we can into the caves, anyway, and still have light. I ask Rakae to attempt to repair the grappling hook using knives or whatever she can find.

I believe I will focus on finding out what has happened to my hive. I will attempt this by escaping, but if I find that this facility has contact to the outside world, I will go for that. I will most likely find out more about this place before I am able to escape, so even that goal will be included. I will also keep an eye out for Three Stripes, but that is tertiary, and I will only do it if found convenient.

>I like your new torn-up "survival" outfit.
It is surprisingly comfortable, although it does not feel like leather. Now that I think about it, with my body not so numbed, it feels off. In fact, I am not even sure where Tirrik found these bandages. We had no medical supplies.
>>
No. 400987 ID: d6af4f
File 133437995184.png - (14.27KB , 700x700 , 301.png )
400987

..... fur on the... Oh.

"Polo! Hi. I just got back from hunting. You might want to look at this. An arkot came to me, dropped it and ran."

Let's see...

Dear Polo,

If you are still alive in seven days, meet me at the beach by the southern end of the tropical sector. Come alone, at sundown, and bring one weapon of choice. No bio armor. I will match your weapon. Pistol, rifle, or if you enjoy it, unarmed. One on one, soldier to soldier. No tricks, just fair combat.

Love, Rokoa

P.S. I'll bring you coffee cake.


That is another objective. Get Rokoa out of my life.
>>
No. 400989 ID: e3f578

>>400987
Wow, Tirrik skinned his compatriots disembodied leg. He's got neat survival skills. Got to find out more before you turn back into enemies, his stories have got to be sweet.

Well, we have a week. Let's not worry about that now then. Just keep looking for an escape route, if we find one within the week, we can return later after finding out the info about the hives. If Rokoa is willing to do honorable battle, then it's best we clear it up then and there unless there is something more precedent when we reveal whatever has happened to your hive.

Shouldn't be too hard to find an escape, you've been fine for days in these caves, you can last and you're seemingly back up to snuff. If you've got a mental map of these caves, that would be great, and ay other maps from your group scouting around would be great too. If someone suggests splitting up, there's three of you trstworthy types (Rikik, Rike, and you), and three forced alliances that we can't trust very much (war group). Each of you can pair up with one of the war hive troops. Pair up according to skills, Best hand-to-hand with best shooter of the other team, the balanced team member get's teamed up with the other balanced team member.

If things get skewed pretty bad from this sorting method because the war hive has two good hand-to-handers or sharpshooters, or two balenced, or their skills lie significantly elsewhere where it'd tip the balance, then put up everyone's traits in a list and we'll pair 'em off.
>>
No. 400992 ID: 459534

When you do run into Rokoa again, be sure to flaunt your new dress. Make a point of letting her see the fur. >:3

Also, neumono skin is black (at least on the inside)?
>>
No. 400993 ID: 459534

>>400989
There are two war-hive soldiers left, right? I thought the third one was killed in the explosion at the end of the last thread. :/
>>
No. 400998 ID: 459534

Third post in a row, but I just had to say that splitting up in unfamiliar territory filled to the brim with surprises, unknown hostiles, and "extinct" enemies is probably a bad idea. :V

Especially when you have no means of long-distance communication (or do you still have Radios?)!

At any rate, it's best to do your exploring as a group. Though it couldn't hurt to have a scout--or a couple scouts--walking ahead of the group (Polo's the obvious choice but she's wounded, so...). If Polo ends up scouting she could take a buddy with her to keep an eye on things and keep her steady, but that might ruin Polo's stealth advantage. Unless she teaches the second person to suppress themselves for a few minutes, I guess, but that may be pushing things.
>>
No. 401002 ID: 369d34

That's Rokoa's skin? Man, I thought it was electrical tape, but that makes even less sense; Where would Tirrik have gotten tape? Apparently neumono skin self-tans when removed, or Rokoa's is just exceptionally tough.

Start getting Rokoa out of your life by removing that Rokoa fur wrap and slipping your bio-armor on, if you're up to it. Make a note to find anything else to wear.

Run that letter by Kork or Tirrik and ask if this sounds like Rokoa at all. That she could send it means she's either escaped, or was finally subverted. It's also suspect that she could actually get an arkot to deliver it. Best to plan to be far, far away from here in seven days either way.

Head out as a group to scout the south and west perimeter for doors, hatches, or anything else of interest. The Medical section wall would also be a good candidate to investigate, since it connects into the Upper H.Q. Just don't expect a cakewalk anywhere; This place is going to be on high alert until your group is confirmed dead.
>>
No. 401005 ID: 459534

P.P.P.S.
>>400987
That's one hell of a scowl. Do you hats Rokoa that much?

(And I'll back off the posting for a moment. Seriously. Even I'm starting to take issue with my sudden burst of posts. :S )
>>
No. 401006 ID: b85f8c

>>400987
What, how. They. What. HOW DID SHE GET THOSE THINGS ON HER SIDE?! Was she just sufficiently scary while having a hole in her head and missing a leg that they decided she was their leader? I don't get it.

Well, we have 7 more days. That's enough time for her to regenerate fully, I expect. Priority one is finding out where exactly we can go in this place. Priority two is developing a plan to survive the battle with Rokoa. Not necessarily to win, but to survive.

Scouting out the location of the battle would be EXTREMELY helpful for formulating that plan. Faking our death might be the best way to go. You can go quiet to trick her into thinking you're dead, so long as there's more than just that for evidence that you died. You may have to lose a limb for this.
>>
No. 401009 ID: 2ed56b

>>400987

Honorable battle? Rokoa? She's like twice your size and five times as crazy. The only advantage you might have is that her new leg probably isn't 100% yet, while you're partly-regrown ear doesn't handicap you much. Still, that's not a bet I'd take. Just focus on contacting your hive and getting out of there.
>>
No. 401022 ID: 369d34

>>401009
...Heh. You could show up to the fight with a unique weapon. Something really different Rokoa wouldn't be able to get one of. A dart rifle loaded with neumono knockout poison would fit the bill. Or something crazy, like a missile launcher. Or even crazier, the egg-bomb with a short timer. That'd be a suicidal last-resort, though. Hope things don't get that bad.
>>
No. 401024 ID: 6c61ee

>>400987
Rokoa sending you a RL rage mail?
That would be so hilarious if she wasn't the biggest threat to you in this facility.
>>
No. 401028 ID: f70e5e

i think showing up early and planting traps would be a good idea. as far as i'm concerned "fair fight" means "tactical error"
>>
No. 401029 ID: a9298b

Using Rokoa's plasma sword as your weapon of choice would be a good way to taunt her.
>>
No. 401030 ID: b85f8c

If we're discussing weapons...

Bring a pillow.
>>
No. 401031 ID: d6af4f
File 133440514306.png - (15.81KB , 700x700 , 302.png )
401031

>Neumono skin
It varies between light skin and dark. Rokoa must be descended from a very cold climate, with black skin.

I can't take Rokoa one on one and she knows it. I believe that she thinks of me as weak, which would piss her off if she thought that I "won" our last encounter. I have to make a plan to survive another encounter. She'll come after me if I avoid her, she'll kill me if I actually stick to toe to toe fighting. I will most likely set up traps, after I find supplies to make them.

"Tirrik. Please tell me what you make of this. An arkot delivered it."
>"... geez. She'll be true to her word, but I think I should try talking to her to see if we can't get her to fill a truce as well."
"Do you think she's escaped or been subverted?"
>"I don't know how she got an arkot to deliver it, but I doubt that she has been subverted, at least anything past pretending."

I have to go find information. The medical bay or upper HQ may be best, but there are other options. No matter what, I will be going alone, and will leave the others to decide whether they want to stick together or not.
>>
No. 401038 ID: 70591e

you'll be passing through the med bay to get to the upper HQ anyway. so med bay first because god knows we need the supplies. bring a large container.
>>
No. 401040 ID: 97bd86

>>401031
Some kind of subterfuge is probably the only way you'd be able to beat Rokoa -- but the thing is, if you don't kill her (is it even possible to kill her?!) and you beat her through traps, she'll just come after you again because you beat her with traps (or maybe just because she's not dead). You realize that, right?

Also, just realized:
>coffee cake
How in the fuck.

Anyway upper HQ seems easily the most likely to have info. Unfortunately you can't hide from arkots like you can neumono so I don't know how well you can get there.
>>
No. 401042 ID: 97bd86

>>401038
Wait, point, go to medical with an eventual goal of the upper HQ unless you find enough in the way of supplies that it's easier to just take those back to the others first.
>>
No. 401048 ID: affb00

Showing up to the duel at all sounds like suicide. But, on the other hand she might have coffee cake.
>>
No. 401051 ID: d6af4f
File 133441754852.png - (44.97KB , 700x700 , 303.png )
401051

If I beat her through traps, I will consider myself off easy even if she lives. At least I will have put her out of commission again.

I am not certain that the medical area leads to Upper HQ, but in the chance it does not merely share the same wall, I will enter it. I cannot switch ammo between plasma rifles without a recharger, so I will bring the one with 12 shots. As well as the frag grenade, combat knife, plasma rifle and grappling hook. I put the bio armor back on for this, finding it to be easier the second time. With that, I go on my way.

>"We have binoculars too." Rakae says.
"It would only be of use for entry. Keep it for yourselves. I'll be back later."
>"Yeah, of course you will! Do come back in one piece."

She always worries excessively.
>>
No. 401052 ID: d6af4f
File 133441756367.png - (65.72KB , 700x700 , 304.png )
401052

There are scents and sounds of wild animals along the way, but my trip to the medical area is unhindered.

The place is busy. It appears that they are bringing wounded arkots here. I would have expected this if we had just ran through and shot a few dozen, but that was a couple of days ago.
>>
No. 401053 ID: bccf7b

>>400987

Aww... I would have thought the possible mind fuck of going up to her to say "Hey, your leg is awful comfy" would be worth it.
>>
No. 401055 ID: 97bd86

>>401052
Arkots are demonstrably shitty fighters without a serious numbers advantage, and evidence points toward the tribal neumono being about as fond of them as you guys are (given how quickly they evacuated the silo). I'm not too surprised that they're having to deal with wounded, especially given that they seem to be a good bit less resilient than you all are.

However, even with bio armor, there's one of you and a whole lot more of them. Are there any ways in here besides this door?
>>
No. 401056 ID: e3f578

>>401052
Judging from the recent arrival of an arkot, a salikai is using these as troops and Rokoa just escaped from the salikai's grasp, probably took one hostage because these things were guarding Rokoa in her detainment. She's probably learned enough to use these things herself and convince them to do things for her.

Can you around around the other way? Careful for lookouts on the second story, your blue suit doesn't offer good camo.
In fact, I wish you wore on of Tirreks or Kork's camo over your biosuit, but too little, too late
>>
No. 401058 ID: ed57e8

maybe follow the cart back out. may be going out to get another wounded.
>>
No. 401063 ID: f70e5e

well if there was any doubt that they had been uplifted to self awareness its gone now. we have seen allot of species and multiple types of habitat, its possible that they are fighting another uplifted species, or another group of arkots.
>>
No. 401080 ID: 6e44d2

Shoulda' put the legdress on over the armor.
>>
No. 401081 ID: 369d34

Damn, that bio-armor sticks out like a sore thumb in this environment. Too late to get the camo off of Kork or Tirrik, and rolling in the mud wouldn't work well enough. You're just going to have to stick behind trees and shrubs. Man, why doesn't bio-armor come in anything other than the most un-camo color ever?

Poke around the side of the medical facility. Look for any hatches, doors, or vents, preferably with a lock or hinges you could slice without using a load of plasma sword power. Also look up for places you could throw your grappling hook up, or trees close to the building you could climb.
>>
No. 401087 ID: 70591e

you have a ridiculously limited amount of ammo, so you're gonna be avoiding a fight at all costs. look for alternate entrances.
>>
No. 401089 ID: cf49fc

>>401052
I think we know who attacked all the Neumono at once. Guess you should have worked harder to exterminate all the Salikai.

Ah well. Best scoot round backways of the hospital. Search for any piping or gutters and enter via the roof.
>>
No. 401106 ID: d6af4f
File 133443883281.png - (8.35KB , 900x700 , 305.png )
401106

Kork or Tirrik did not want to give their camo to me. Bio armor might come in different colors, but Rokoa did wear it into blue caverns. Speaking of her, there is nothing stopping me from wearing her leg when, and if, I show up to her self arranged duel.

For now, I will enter by the roof. A door and a grate are the obvious choices at first.
>>
No. 401107 ID: 97bd86

>>401106
Hmmm... try the door?
>>
No. 401108 ID: b6edd6

Inspect that little things with a lock on it. Is it a grate that you can see through?
>>
No. 401109 ID: bbee3d

Can you open that little locked thing?
>>
No. 401111 ID: 61e7f9

Let's go door. If you find some poor fuck alone, armed or not, rush and knife him. If you come across wounded, cut their throats.

They don't deserve mercy and you know it.
>>
No. 401113 ID: 369d34

Whichever choice you make, do try to use your bare hands or the combat knife first. No sense in using the plasma sword when plain elbow grease will do.

Investigate that large locked box in the corner first. It could be an electrical or HVAC service panel. Is this all that's on the roof, or is it just what you can see readily?

When you do go down, don't take the vent. Ductwork is notoriously noisy, and not structurally sound. There's a good chance it'll give way and dump you through the ceiling.
>>
No. 401117 ID: 70591e

>>401111

sounds like a waste of time to me. it's not like we can to thin their numbers or anything by cutting up individuals.
>>
No. 401119 ID: d6af4f
File 133444045515.png - (8.16KB , 900x700 , 306.png )
401119

This box... is a fuse box.

I don't have any lockpicking tools, but I can open this with negligible plasma sword battery use.
>>
No. 401120 ID: 97bd86

>>401119
Oh man, that sounds fun.
>>
No. 401122 ID: bccf7b

>>401119

Make certain the door and grating are not electronically controlled. It may equally alert them to our presence if we disable it...

... and also allow us to attack anything that comes to fix it, should we do so. Either way, it's a gamble. Just don't accidentally knock out what might have our information in it!
>>
No. 401123 ID: bbee3d

It's kind of odd that they have it on the roof. That might mean there's nothing essential in it. Are there any labels inside?
>>
No. 401124 ID: ed57e8

pop the lock and make a fuse look like it broke. then close it back up. someone will show up with the keys to fix it. jump them and steal the keys.
>>
No. 401125 ID: 61e7f9

Let's leave that alone and ...... wait. Open it up. Look for the label listing the fuse functions. Tell us anything of note.
>>
No. 401128 ID: 61e7f9

Realize you've been eating Rokoa's leg.
>>
No. 401129 ID: 12c19f

Cut it open with the tip of the blade so you don't destroy anything and turn some things on/off inside. It's a fuse box I'm sure you could just flip a few switches and cut off power.
>>
No. 401134 ID: 70591e

DESTROY IT ALL
>>
No. 401141 ID: d6af4f
File 133444218279.png - (17.35KB , 700x700 , 307.png )
401141

>Rokoa's leg
In bad things that have happened, eating Rokoa's leg would not show up on the radar.

I carefully slice off the lock.

I am not getting the impression that this place was made with security in mind.
>>
No. 401143 ID: bccf7b

>>401139

"Containment", eh? Sounds like we don't even have to do the dirty work. Shall we let out whatever beasties they have?
>>
No. 401144 ID: ed57e8

>>401143
would make them double the guard and we have no idea if WE can take care of the contained thing afterwards.
shut down a hall.
>>
No. 401145 ID: 9cd02a

How well can you navigate in darkness? And how good are Arkots senses?
>>
No. 401155 ID: 61e7f9

Do not release beasties. We would have a hard time fighting whatever they may be if they are dangerous enough to lock up. Go in traditionally. Again, use knife whenever possible. Even if it means getting shot at a bit by a lone guy. do your best to get one of their guns.
>>
No. 401156 ID: bccf7b

>>401144
>>401155

It has large windows and medical staff -- i.e.: not a prison. Those beasties are probably just whatever's derping about the mental ward, if you ask me.

If anything, it'll distract them long enough trying to re-contain them and figure out what went wrong.
>>
No. 401157 ID: bbee3d

It seems best to leave Containment alone until you know what's in there - creatures in this place have a tendency to try to kill you, after all. Turn off the hall lights so you can sneak around in the dark without being silhouetted against doorways.
>>
No. 401159 ID: 369d34

Could you feel the cables to determine which one is warmest, and thus the one that is drawing the most current? That'd be the one most likely to trip a breaker. Or is it impossible to tell which cable goes to which breaker in that rat's nest of wiring?

Trip something non-vital, like the bathroom or hall circuit, then wait on top of the stairway enclosure for someone to come up. You'll have to quickly dispatch them before they notice the breaker box door lock has been sliced. Hopefully whoever it is will have a set of keys for this place.
>>
No. 401172 ID: b85f8c

We can't navigate in darkness, as the suit has no nightvision anymore.

Switch the fuse for the doors. I don't think we should flip the Containment fuse until we find out what exactly these dudes are still fighting. If they are fighting our enemies, we should not hinder their hospital.
>>
No. 401179 ID: 61e7f9

If it's not beasties then it's viruses and diseases. Still as bad if it can infect us.
>>
No. 401180 ID: d6af4f
File 133444498884.png - (9.41KB , 900x700 , 308.png )
401180

>Halls, bathroom, doors turned off

Darkness is not as much of an advantage since my night vision has broken, however, I have been trained in blind fighting. It would still be to my advantage.

I wait a moment for someone to come up, which, as expected, happens very soon. I do not get lucky with an arkot with a gun, but it does have a keyring. It appears that this building does not have as many electric sliding doors as most other areas I have seen.
>>
No. 401183 ID: 97bd86

>>401180
Jump him!
>>
No. 401184 ID: e3f578

Snap its delicate neck.
>>
No. 401185 ID: b85f8c

>>401180
Smack him around and take his keys. See if you can knock him out without killing him.

Or just kill him if you want, I wouldn't be that shook up about it.
>>
No. 401186 ID: ed57e8

sneak attack! make sure the door closes before it can yell.
>>
No. 401187 ID: 9cd02a

>>401180
lets wait a second before pouncing on it since we can't see if he is being followed by another
>>
No. 401188 ID: 61e7f9

Let the door close, jump down, knife across throat and cut it. Cover his mouth when you do this.
>>
No. 401195 ID: 70591e

shank him with the knife.
>>
No. 401199 ID: d6af4f
File 133444631853.png - (9.65KB , 900x700 , 309.png )
401199

Their necks are thick, and impractical to attempt to snap. Perhaps the bio armor would change that, but I will not take the chance.

I kick the door closed on my way down, grabbing its beak to shut it by the time the door shuts.
>>
No. 401201 ID: 61e7f9

Keep cutting. MAke sure he's dead. Grab keys, flip everything back on, go inside.
>>
No. 401204 ID: ed57e8

>>401201
yes make sure to turn things back on so they think they fixed it.
>>
No. 401205 ID: 369d34

Confirm the arkot is dead. Loot its corpse and dump it behind that sloped wall behind you. Flip the breakers back on and chuck the lock pieces over the edge. Stealthily proceed down the stairs.
>>
No. 401206 ID: 9cd02a

...Is Arkot meat good?
>>
No. 401211 ID: 70591e

hey, what's over there on the other section of the roof?
>>
No. 401223 ID: d6af4f
File 133445065385.png - (10.43KB , 900x700 , 309.png )
401223

>What's on the other section of the roof?
A dead body, now.

I turn the breakers back on again, grab the keys and move downstairs.
>>
No. 401224 ID: d6af4f
File 133445070030.png - (8.94KB , 700x700 , 310.png )
401224

It is simply a stairway to another door, presumably to the third floor. I always dislike these situations. For all I can tell, there are a half dozen arkots on the other side.
>>
No. 401225 ID: 61e7f9

Listen. If it's quiet, take out your gun and take a peek.
>>
No. 401226 ID: bbee3d

See if you can hear anything through the door before you open it. If not, open it slowly and look through - they just sent an arkot up to the roof, so they probably won't be expecting an enemy. The advantage of surprise might give you time to either run the other way or get in a few shots first.
>>
No. 401229 ID: 369d34

Before opening that door, take a moment to check those keys you looted for labels and note where any interesting ones are on the keyring; They're not going to be useful if you end up fumbling with them and just have to slice doors down anyway. Lock the door while you're doing this, if you can.

Is this door completely flush all the way around? No gap under it you could look through? Guess you'll have to listen at it first, then slowly open it enough to peek around.
>>
No. 401233 ID: d6af4f
File 133445238607.png - (12.59KB , 700x700 , 311.png )
401233

I look over the keyring. It has keys to rooms 301 to 306, the headquarters, containment rooms and what I believe are maintenance closets.

I listen, but don't hear anything, so I open it up. Then an arkot begins speaking, heading towards the door. It sounds like squeaks and clicks, and there is only one pair of footsteps. It is probably alone.
>>
No. 401234 ID: 97bd86

>>401233
You good at ambushing?
>>
No. 401236 ID: 61e7f9

Stop opening it. Leave it where it is. He will come to investigate without alerting anyone, then try to keep him quiet while you knife him.
>>
No. 401237 ID: ed57e8

it was probably the other one's partner. wait until it enters the stairwell area then kill it.
>>
No. 401240 ID: b85f8c

>>401233
Deal with this one like the other.

Also, don't you find it odd that the doors are all appropriate sizes for you, but there don't seem to be neumono controlling anything?
>>
No. 401245 ID: 369d34

If it's coming from the right, wait for it to get in front of the doorway, then slam the door in its face while stepping out. Get your mitts on its muzzle to shut it up, drag it into the stairwell, slit its throat, and loot the corpse.
>>
No. 401251 ID: 70591e

get out the knife, this is gonna be a close-quarters encounter.
>>
No. 401255 ID: d6af4f
File 133445419105.png - (14.52KB , 700x700 , 311.png )
401255

>Don't you find it odd that the doors are all appropriate sizes for you, but there don't seem to be neumono controlling anything?
Yes.

With a step off to the side, I wait for it to come in. It gets a small squeak off before it meets a similar end.

Judging by the keys and the fuze box switches, there is an entrance to the HQ. It is a question of if I will go there immediately, or poke around in the medical building.
>>
No. 401256 ID: 61e7f9

Sweet. Any loot on him? Drag body upstairs and stash with other one.

Let's look around medical. We need anything we can get our hands on. Keep killing stealth as best you can. Pray you find a gun of some sort.
>>
No. 401257 ID: ed57e8

medical, you need real supplies, and something crazy like a regen booster would be great.
>>
No. 401259 ID: 70591e

>>401255

poke around.
>>
No. 401266 ID: 369d34

Keep looking around Medical. Nabbing first-aid supplies, followed by any neumono specific medical supplies, would be good. Perhaps they'll have strong tranquilizers and a quick-injector that could be used as a non-lethal silent weapon. Even a quick-injector loaded with air would be silent and fatal.

Glance out into the hall, look for cameras, and note any windows facing into the hall. As you go around, unlock all the locked doors you pass, so you can quickly duck in to avoid detection.
>>
No. 401303 ID: affb00

Man, there is nothing cool about this. Killing people in a hospital? Whatever we do, we should do it quick and get out. This is a situation that could get ugly fast. Looks like you'll find supplies here, but info outside of the specifics of arkot medical care I wouldn't expect to see here. Maybe you can tell who built this place, or why arkot are tool users now for some reason.
>>
No. 401317 ID: b85f8c

>>401255
We just made another corpse. If someone finds the body while you're gone they'll sound the alarm and you'll be swarmed. So we gotta hide the thing. ...this is probably standard procedure for you anyway, but it's worth noting.

Personally I think we can't muck about. We need to keep our exit route open and the alarm off. This requires speed and efficiency. Get to the objective, do what we came here for, get out.
>>
No. 401355 ID: d6af4f
File 133446452898.png - (13.12KB , 700x700 , 312.png )
401355

I toss the body onto the roof on the other side as before, and move back down and run off to the nearest room I see, labeled 302. There was no noise inside, but it turns out the thing in here simply was not making any.

>".... uh. Hi. Doctor...?"
>>
No. 401356 ID: 97bd86

>>401355
ANSWERS TIME

DOCTOR HAS ORDERED SOME FUCKING ANSWERS
>>
No. 401357 ID: 61e7f9

"Scream and you die. Cooperate and you get some anesthetic. Are we clear?"

Typical questions, who are you, why are you here, what is this place, etc.
>>
No. 401367 ID: 459534

That thing is a "miklik", by the way. Never expected to see one here...

Ask about this building and the facility. Find out who's running things and what s/he's doing here. Ask about exits and communication to the outside world as well. Oh, and see if you can learn where a map of the whole facility is.
>>
No. 401369 ID: b85f8c

>>401355
"Doctor Plasma Rifle."

Then start asking him stuff at gunpoint. Like, who is he, what is the purpose of this facility, and why those little green guys are running around like they own the place.
>>
No. 401372 ID: 369d34

Pull your magnum and flip the lock on the door.

"Hands, and tails, up! Stand and get against the wall, face first! Make any moves, yell for help, and I'll shoot."

Proceed with asking it (miklik genders are hard to tell) who it is, what it's job is here, where additional medical supplies are, how to get out to the surface, etc., etc. Bag the laptop and rifle the drawers and cupboards while doing that.
>>
No. 401374 ID: bccf7b

>>401355

Huh, a laptop and a fairly typical miklik. That laptop is now priority. Let's make nice to the good doctor and see what they know... "first do no harm," and all that.
>>
No. 401375 ID: 61e7f9

No need to be violent yet. Be polite to the guy. Make it clear you want info and not to kill him.
>>
No. 401377 ID: d6af4f
File 133446768356.png - (12.75KB , 700x700 , 313.png )
401377

Right. A miklik. I lock the door, and start rifling through the cabinets. I'll get the laptop as well.

"I'm Doctor Plasma Rifle, and I'm ordering some answers. Make a move or scream, and your prescription will be plasma. Answer them, and things will be cordial."
>"Oh- oh, man... oh geez... what do you want from me?"
"Who are you, why are you here?"
>"Wha.. my name is Silb, and I'm here because of a medical condition."
"How do you get out of this facility?"
>"Facility? You mean the medical center?"
"The surface."
>"This is.. the surface?"
"Who are the little green guys running around like they own the place?"
>"Artoks."
"No, why are they running around like they own the place."
>"Oh, uh, well, uh, they were trained by a few salikai I guess. They're sort of like kind of incompetent henchmen."
"What do you do here?"
>"You're not a real doctor, are you?"
"... answer the question."
>"I just.. live in the forest. Not this one, but the lower forest."
"Where are the medical supplies?"
>"You're going through them."

I am finding bandages, basic medication and anti bacterial formulas and so forth.
>>
No. 401380 ID: b85f8c

>>401377
What. Lower forest? Explain that you got here from up above here, in a sort of building, which was below a cave system, which was below a spire. It sounds like there is waaaaaaay more about this place than we're aware of. Ask this guy what the general layout of this place is.

And about the tribal neumono.
>>
No. 401381 ID: 61e7f9

Take what you can find and carry. Any anesthetic? Put Mr Green to sleep. If there isn't take the bedsheet, cut it into 6 inch wide strips and use those to tie and gag him. Tell him we'll be coming back for him on our way out if we can.

I'm pretty sure a search and rescue team will find him before he dies or anything.
>>
No. 401385 ID: 369d34

"Medical conditon?" Ask him about that, and if he's lived down here all his life. He wasn't born in this underground facility, was he?

Throw together what you can for a first-aid kit: bandages, sutures, ointments, etc.. See if there's medical scissors, scalpels, or forceps in there; Anything that'd help with shrapnel removal. Nab the laptop so you can go over any records on it later.

When you're done interrogating Silb, bind him with his own tails; Don't worry about injuring them, they grow back relatively easily. Gag 'em with a strip from the bedsheet, or some bandage and gauze. Apologize for the rough treatment, but you can't take any chances he'd go for help. Make sure to lock the door after you leave.
>>
No. 401394 ID: 12c19f

>>401377
Medical condition? Does that involve having a pair of tails? Kinda fancily dressed for a miklik. And it believes this is the surface world? Something is right fucked here.
>>
No. 401415 ID: d6af4f
File 133449369537.png - (9.54KB , 700x700 , 314.png )
401415

"I come from a spire on the surface. Then I went underground, and entered a small sort of building. Then I fell even further down, and that's where we are. Far down below the surface of the neumono home planet."
>"... what?"
"Tell me about the layout of this whole place, including the tribal neumonos."
>"Uhhmm, well, there are 8 biomes and about four or five salikai look over them, each one using the arkots for the more menial tasks. Each biome has a small group of maybe 10 or so neumonos, and they.. well, they do whatever neumonos do. There's also a small hive that hangs out in the lower HQ, but those aren't tribal. One of them was supposed to be my doctor."
"What's your medical condition? Two tails?"
>"Er, no, that's okay. I'm always cold all the time, that's why I have to wear heavy clothing."
"Now tell me about these other neumono."
>"I don't know, some real science dorklings. Most of them hang around the lower HQ I guess. I kinda take it they're used as minions too, albiet smarter ones. They tend to do most of the resear --"
>>
No. 401416 ID: d6af4f
File 133449371584.png - (12.15KB , 700x700 , 315.png )
401416

Oh hell, alarms! I gathered a decent amount of medical supplies from the cabinets as well as the laptop.
>>
No. 401417 ID: 9cd02a

Time to make like a tree and split.
>>
No. 401418 ID: 70591e

okay byebye

maybe don't enter the main HQ and just... leave.
>>
No. 401421 ID: 12c19f

This guy seems innocent enough. Better just leave.
>>
No. 401422 ID: 97bd86

>>401416
Wait a sec.

This guy lives in the "lower forest" and is unaware this is a facility or below the surface.

What the hell are the salikai up to that they've got non-native species in here? Worrisome.

Anyway it sounds like it's about time to cheese it.
>>
No. 401423 ID: d6af4f
File 133449996579.png - (13.80KB , 700x700 , 316.png )
401423

I leave the miklik to do whatever it was doing. There are merits in both attempting to escape this medical building and go back to my allies, or to attempt to go into the HQ.
>>
No. 401424 ID: 9cd02a

Lets try getting into the HQ, there might be a radio or something in there. Also we can kill some arkots and steal their weapons on the way.
>>
No. 401425 ID: d624bc

>>401416
"take two asprin, get plenty of fluids and rest"

run
>>
No. 401426 ID: d624bc

Does anyone else find it odd that salikai was asking for neumono to work on from your 'predator' when there are tribal ones down here?

I suppose that says something about the situation down here.
>>
No. 401431 ID: 70591e

sneakily sneak.
>>
No. 401433 ID: ed57e8

have the mik say "what's going on out there?"

then bam, one comes in to see what he's yelling about and you jack it's gun.
>>
No. 401436 ID: bccf7b

>>401423

Become Dr. McNinja.

Disappear without a trace, except for a signed prescription slip.
>>
No. 401438 ID: d6af4f
File 133450813329.png - (11.59KB , 700x700 , 317.png )
401438

"Take two painkillers and plenty of rest." I tell him as I leap out, not wanting to draw any attention, wishing I had the time to give him a signed prescription to made up medicines.

It looks like a clear shot to the doors to the HQ. Then, I hear speakers sound off through the halls.

>"She's heading for the headquarters, idiots, kill her before she gets in! Kill the power, kill the power!"

It sounded like a Salikai, but it's too late for him to catch me and too late for me to change my mind. Odd, it's a sliding door that is key activated.
>>
No. 401439 ID: d6af4f
File 133450814143.png - (133.71KB , 700x700 , 318.png )
401439

Right on the other side is a massive expanse of a room, but I don't see much except catwalks and suspended platforms I can't see the contents of.

>"Hello."
>"We're a Compilation A.I."
>"Jump off this catwalk if you want to live."
>"You should stay up here and fight Rosotki's arkots. All of them."
>"No."
>>
No. 401441 ID: ed57e8

"sorry but i already have head voices. can't listen to a compilation at the same time, it's against the rules"
>>
No. 401442 ID: 97bd86

>>401439
Oh boy they left us with a nutty computer.

Make small talk!
>>
No. 401443 ID: 459534

As long as you think you'll be able to make it out safely, head to the HQ. Hopefully those neumono will be more cooperative than the things you've encountered so far. Though I have to wonder about a hive that would openly work for a salikai...

No offense, of course. :I
>>
No. 401444 ID: b7169d

Ugh, other AI, ask them a few basic questions to see if they can tell you about the status of the place.
>>
No. 401445 ID: 459534

Gah, I was too slow.

A Compilation A.I.? Offer them hugs if they'll answer your questions and/or lead you to the hive. You'd be surpised how well that works. In an emergency, you can offer to do something lewd--they won't turn that down, trust me, but I'd advise you to not uphold your end of the bargain if you make that deal.

Cuteness and flirting will get you everywhere with these fellas.
>>
No. 401446 ID: 601a85

Oh! I almost forgot! See if you can lock that door. Or see if the A.I. can.
>>
No. 401452 ID: 6e44d2

Oh, hey, it's an alternate version of us! Let's interface.
>>
No. 401458 ID: 70591e

ask 'em where their mainframe-equivalent is.
>>
No. 401473 ID: 57f548

They appear to say only the opposite of what they really want to say. Jumping off the catwalk will kill you and facing the incoming horde will certainly lead to your death. Then, they say "No." In that situation that situation they should have said "Yes.", agreeing with the other. So whatever they say just believe the opposite of it.
>>
No. 401477 ID: a2fa74

>>401439
"If you help me, I'll rub my own nose."
Then continue across the catwalk.
>>
No. 401490 ID: 369d34

A Compilation A.I.? Wasn't there a campaign to hunt down and destroy them? Didn't their tendency to develop "quirky" personalities and ability to slice through network security like a hot knife through butter lead to a number of world's economies collapsing and a few wars breaking out?

Hey... Maybe you can get this one on your side by offering to get it out of this hole in the ground and take it on a trip. This place has to be getting boring to it by now.

In the mean time, get over this catwalk. You're wide open out here, and even those machine gun mook arkots could hit you standing there. Check over the edge for other catwalks you could grapple down to in an emergency.
>>
No. 401491 ID: a9298b

>>401477
of course. Iit'd never be able to refuse that.
>>
No. 401494 ID: 61e7f9

>>401441
this

And look down to see what is under the catwalk.
>>
No. 401498 ID: b85f8c

>>401439
Look over the side of the catwalk. They could be telling the truth; you never know with comp-AI.

Also say that you'd rather not fight, you're more interested in talking. That is what we came here for, right? Information?
>>
No. 401549 ID: d6af4f
File 133453082106.png - (72.53KB , 700x700 , 320.png )
401549

>Small talk
>Rub nose
>Hug
>Lewd acts

....

>Small talk
"I'd rather not fight."

>"Too bad."
>"Good! Jump over."
>"We can't fight you anyway."
>"You'll be fine."

Over the side of the catwalk... well, I could probably land on another catwalk. None of the others have railings?
>>
No. 401550 ID: b85f8c

>>401549
Sounds like a plan. Just be very careful with your jump.
>>
No. 401551 ID: a2fa74

>>401549
Just walk across.
>>
No. 401554 ID: 61e7f9

What is at the end of the catwalk you are on?
>>
No. 401556 ID: d6af4f
File 133453233736.png - (119.25KB , 700x700 , 321.png )
401556

>>401554
Right. At the other end of the catwalk is a door leading to a center spire.
>>
No. 401561 ID: 369d34

Remember, they know you're coming this way. Keep on heading across the catwalk, but make note of where the catwalks below you are as you pass. Be ready to jump over the railing and cling on to the edge if the door pops open; It's likely there'll be something nasty pointed your way if it does. Then you can shimmy over and drop down to another catwalk, or go all the way to the center spire.

Check behind you to see if anyone is coming. You may have to slice a chunk out of the catwalk as you go.
>>
No. 401562 ID: b85f8c

Maybe the railings are a trap. Maybe that's why you're supposed to drop down.
>>
No. 401564 ID: 601a85

Do you have enough strength and endurance to hang from the catwalk or otherwise climb along its underside? If you could do that you might be able to avoid detection entirely. Maybe you could stay under the catwalk just long enough for the enemy to check the area, decide you aren't in this room, and leave. What'cha think?
>>
No. 401567 ID: 5bec67

>>401556
Center thyself in said spire!

I mean get inside it, girl. Go. Go in.
>>
No. 401569 ID: 369d34

>>401564
While the arkots might be dumb enough to come to that conclusion, the CAI, salikai, or anybody else, really, would think to check the underside. They'd be checking the catwalks under this one if Polo vanishes anyway, so they'd just have to look up.
>>
No. 401572 ID: b6edd6

>>401564
That might work if not for the fact that the CAI is watching us right now. CAIs are notoriously bad at keeping their mouths shut, and we can't assume they would even want to.
>>
No. 401576 ID: 70591e

a spire in our spire? I guess they heard we really like 'em.

enter the spire in the spire.
>>
No. 401587 ID: 369d34

>>401572
Polo, you're going to have to assume you're being watched at all times while here. Even if you can't see any cameras or sensors. Any exit plan is going to have to include either disabling the CAI, taking it, getting it on your side, or disabling the entire security network.
>>
No. 401666 ID: b9e291

Oh great a Compilation AI. I hate those things.

At any rate you've got a name. Rosotki. You also got some invaluable info from the gecko dude, that there are more salikai down here and they can get arkots to do stuff for them. While you don't really pose a direct threat to whatever operations are going on down here, they're still totally going to kill you on principle so keep moving.

For something completely cut off from the empathic spectrum, Salikai sure seem to be able to communicate with a hell of a lot of different creatures...
>>
No. 401674 ID: d6af4f
File 133455909707.png - (171.67KB , 700x700 , 322.png )
401674

I'm going to the other spire, and even when I run for it instead of jumping, the arkots open the door and open fire.

>"Nooo, we have to repair the walls from the bullet fire now!" the CAI says, after pulling themselves back into the walls.
>"Jump, jump down!"
>"Run!"
>"Shoot!"
>>
No. 401675 ID: d6af4f
File 133455919290.png - (175.42KB , 700x700 , 323.png )
401675

I manage to get through the door with only a single, grazing bullet wound. The building in here is hollow, too. It doesn't look like the CAI is- oh, there it is.

>"Incoming messages, have a lis-"

It sounds like it has been muted, and both screens display two symbols.

>"Congratulations, wandering bee. You've made it into neutral territory. The arkots will not follow you here." The monitor on the right speaks.
>"If you want to live, you'll find it best to stay put in wilderness, where little except weaponless tribals and wildlife would kill you." the left one says.
>"That's terribly incorrect, her friends and her are in peril so long as our aggressive sibling has that wildcard he is attempting to tame. Our explorer here needs ways to fend for herself."
>>
No. 401676 ID: a2fa74

>>401675
"Rokoa can't be contained, and she will hunt me down in the wild.
I'm starting to doubt she can be killed at all, let alone with scroungable materials.
Both options provided, therefore, are untenable. The situation is impossible to resolve to my benefit, ergo you are incapable of creating such a solution."

CAIs hate impossible situations. Just saying that will make them devote everything they have to solving your problem, even if they have no actual interest in the outcome.
>>
No. 401677 ID: 61e7f9

"I don't know what the ballsack you are talking about. All I want to do is leave and get home safely. Whoever built this place is a nutjob. Which way is it back to tropical sector that doesn't go through hoards of arkots?"
>>
No. 401679 ID: b85f8c

>>401675
It sounds like there is another CAI, and they have Rokoa.

Ask them to tell us what the hell this place IS, already!
>>
No. 401702 ID: e3f578

>>401675
"I take it up that your Salikai politics down here has made your behavior complex enough to get over your hate of neumono and desire to see their blood shed then? Or are you weird Salikai, like everything else I've seen in this place where, somehow, you don't explicitly hate neumono? One of the Salikai on the phone went on about how I will die a horrible death, so I assumed you guys wanted revenge for me bringing Rokoa to your Salikai friend to detain, which he failed to do so and got himself killed?"

Yeah, Okay, I have no idea how to make those last concerns not sound awkward. Point is, I want to know if they know we didn't want the first Salikai dead, that we had a deal together and that Rokoa kind of screwed it all up by escaping and brutally murdering him? Because I believe we should have that conversation with the Salikai that aren't going murder crazy on us.
>>
No. 401703 ID: e3f578

>>401702
Oh, crap, you guys all think it's another CAI
I thought this was a radio transmission from other Salikai leading things down here, explaining the need for an explicit message the CAI is so kindly delivering through his crazy mind.

The wording sounds like when it mentions sibling that it's talking about a Salikai with everything complex down here. I mean, why would CAI's have a neural zone the arkot's would respect? Is the CAI the true mastermind's behind this?

We should clear things up whether this message is from another CAI or Salikai are speaking through radio.
>>
No. 401704 ID: b85f8c

Oh, well, if this is two factions vying for our allegiance, pick the one that says "Rokoa will kill you", because she will.
>>
No. 401710 ID: 70591e

>>401703

it was an AI at first, then it got muted and now it's a bunch of salikai.

tell 'em to go fuck each other in the kneecap-analogues.
>>
No. 401718 ID: d6af4f
File 133458317887.png - (9.48KB , 700x700 , 324.png )
401718

"I don't believe Rokoa can be contained."
The rightmost one replies.
>"I am sure it is possible to contain her. If our arrogant brother took proper precautions, he may still be alive. I would agree fullheartedly if you claimed that this Rokoa could not be tamed."
"It doesn't matter. She will hunt me down, and I am wondering if she can be killed, especially not with what I scrounge up."
>"Of course. That, I imagine, is the precise purpose to why Rosotski hasn't simply killed her. Why spend our expendable minion arkots, when we could send a neumono to do their dirty work? And you will die if you have your scounged up sticks and stones. I will offer you a reasonable selection of my personal arsenal."
"Right now I'm here, and I want to know what this place is for! Whoever built this place is a complete nutjob."

There is a moment of silence. Then, the one on the left, who had not spoken in the recent exchange, bursts out laughing. And continues laughing. It is as though I told the funniest joke it had ever heard.

"Are you hoping to get revenge by killing Rokoa? Or perhaps me as well, for bringing Rokoa to that salikai?"

Again, the salikai that speaks through the right monitor continues.
>"I am not one for revenge. Speaking for only myself, I simply do not feel like Rokoa should be allowed life. I would kill her out of fear that she will do more damage than she is worth."
>>
No. 401719 ID: 9cd02a

Arsenal sounds good lets play along and get us and our friends some guns, but whatever you do dont trust the green devils!
>>
No. 401720 ID: 97bd86

>>401718
Even with the salikai's "personal arsenal," I mean... she blew herself up and is apparently still alive. How are we going to out-lethal a point-blank explosion?
>>
No. 401721 ID: bccf7b

>>401718

Uh..... huh.

How about instead of cute little avatars, we get some IDENTITY? You obviously see us. So why not let us see you?
>>
No. 401722 ID: 6c61ee

Why contain her?



'S cool.
>>
No. 401724 ID: 70591e

I still didn't hear you say it.

fuck.

each other.

in the kneecaps.

>>401721

who cares? they're just big beaky crab lizards. you see one, you kill it with great prejudice.

>>401720

drop a bridge on her.
>>
No. 401727 ID: bccf7b

>>401724

Nah, somehow I think the laughing guy (lefty) may not quite BE a Salikai:

> LEFT MONITOR: Are you hoping to get revenge by killing Rokoa? Or perhaps me as well, for bringing Rokoa to that salikai?

Has much different inference than

> RIGHT MONITOR: If our arrogant brother took proper precautions, he may still be alive.

Something doesn't feel right about that.

>>
No. 401739 ID: b6edd6

>>401727
It was Polo who asked the question about revenge, not the monitor.
>>
No. 401748 ID: b9e291

Completely ignore the monitors and take a look around. They're trying to distract you from seeing something.
>>
No. 401768 ID: 61e7f9

Look around and figure out how to get out of here.
>>
No. 401788 ID: b85f8c

>>401718
Alright, so the right one is offering to help you kill Rokoa.

Ask what the one on the left is offering you.
>>
No. 401838 ID: 369d34

Why would you do their dirty work if it sounds like they'll either kill you or capture you for study? Ask them what they'll do with you if you take down Rokoa. Take any answer or deal they give with a large grain of salt.

Have a look around the inside of this spire. Silb the miklik mentioned there's a group of scientist neumono in the lower HQ, so about how far down is it to the floor?
>>
No. 401841 ID: d6af4f
File 133462065320.png - (159.73KB , 700x700 , 325.png )
401841

I'd like to tell them a few obscenities and to shove off, but there's little reason for me to show hostility. I take a look around instead, while speaking.

Looking down is a downward spiral of stairs down to a lit floor. Upward is the same way. It is not much for a supposed headquarters. There are doors haphazardly placed along the stairways, leading to areas that I cannot determine.

"I would like identities, not avatars."
>"Very well, my name is Sigira." the one who offered to give me weapons states.
>"Ohidi." the other says.
"Sigira is offering me weapons. What about you, Ohidi?"
>"Shelter. You may have passage to my controlled sectors, as long as you stay put and stay out of our way. If Rokoa comes in to my territory, which I imagine she will to hunt you down, I will kill her." Ohidi says.
"And Sigidi, what kind of weapons are you offering?"
>"The best of any weapon you could possibly be trained in so that you may kill her yourself when she comes for you." Sigira answers.
"And what if I manage to kill her?"
>"Then you may keep the weapons I give, as well as my own offer for you to stay in my territories so long as you do not seek to sabatoge us."
>>
No. 401842 ID: bccf7b

>>401841
They seek to keep us in their respective territories. Certainly this will somehow be of benefit to them. The question is what they stand to gain from our presence, if they are so "gracious" as to offer us this support.
>>
No. 401843 ID: 61e7f9

"Where are the guns?"

Any talk you do, do it while walking there."
>>
No. 401844 ID: b85f8c

>>401841
So the choice is between killing Rokoa ourselves, or relying on someone with an army to do it for us.

Personally, I would count on the army. OH! Ask which of them controls the spot that we were supposed to duel Rokoa in.

Also yeah, ask what they get out of the deal.
>>
No. 401845 ID: 97bd86

>>401841
Well, hey, as long as we're in a position where we can just ask for information, why not see if anyone knows where Three Stripes went?

Not exactly a major goal but we're actually getting answers to questions.
>>
No. 401846 ID: ed57e8

if we don't fight her ourselves she will do something crazy
>>
No. 401847 ID: e3f578

>>401841
You're a sniper aren't you? Get nice sniper tech and equipment and have a cool sniper face-off with her. Maybe, I dunno.
Should you fail to kill her, but somehow remain alive, will they allow you to escape if you leave the equipment behind? They haven't mention escape at all. I mean, I'd understand if they wanted to keep this place under wraps and never allow you to leave, but honestly? You really just want to learn about what has happened to your hive and go home. You have no care in the world about these salikai or their machinations, it really just sounds like they just want to stay and run their little bubble down here in peace. Which explains their brother's motivations for slaughtering the war hive, beyond sadism anyway. He probably wanted to keep them far away from a weakness in their security or something.

Also ask that, if you DO manage to kill Rokoa and your hive is okay, can you have a moton egg? I mean, look at this mission and all this risk and effort you put into it. It'd suck to walk away for nothing, though I suppose your lives count for something now.
>>
No. 401871 ID: f70e5e

ask them what there plans are, if you don't know what they are doing you might inadvertently get in the way. also ask them who built this place.
>>
No. 401873 ID: 369d34

>>401844
The assumption is Rosotki is the one that controls the jungle biome sector, but confirm that. Also ask if he controls any other areas.

Ask which sectors each of these two control. Also ask that any deal you take extends to your friends. Ohidi shouldn't have a problem with that, and perhaps Sigira will let Rikek and Rakae have some weapons if they help you hunt Rokoa. Kork and Tirrik... Well, they can fend for themselves.

Maybe instead of waiting around for Rokoa, you could go on the hunt for her. Run that idea by Sigira. Point out that in the time up to your showdown with Rokoa, she's almost certain to do something damaging. Likely many things. That is what she does.
>>
No. 401914 ID: d6af4f
File 133463817242.png - (11.44KB , 700x700 , 326.png )
401914

"Which one controls the spot where Rokoa challenged me to a duel?"
>"A duel?" Sigira asks. "Here I thought she would just hunt you down. I assume she challenged you in the tropical sector, in which case that belongs to Rosotski."
"I will fight her, then. I would like to know where the guns are."
>"Very good. Head down the spiral about two floors, and I will tell you which door to head into, and I will lead you to my armory."
"I would also like a moton egg. I do not care about this place, I want to go home and find out what happened to it."
>"How simple. I can show satellite imagery of your region. Kiiu - the first salikai you met - mentioned the moton egg you had." Sigira pauses for a moment. "I will attempt to retrieve it for you regardless, as it should still be in the spire, yes?"
"Yes. Lastly, I would like to know where a predator is. I've called him Three Stripes."
>"Kiiu also mentioned that one. It is in a pen by Ohidi's territory."
>"It is mine, yes, but I allowed storage there, as it is the predator's natural habitat. It is safe from harm." Ohidi says.

"Which sectors do you each own?"
Sigira talks first.
>"The Snow Sector and Volcano Sector."
Ohidi remains silent.

"Would my friends be allowed to stay in your territory?"
>"Excuse us a moment." Ohidi says. They cut communication for a minute before continuing. "We've decided to allow this, you may split your friends up, but I will only open my territory once Rokoa is killed, and only open my armor to those who would help kill her."
>>
No. 401915 ID: 61e7f9

Check the selection. We need 2 of whatever it is. You really wanna duel? We could just pretend we are doing that to get 2 guns. But that would irk the CAIs a bit.
>>
No. 401920 ID: 97bd86

Let's go look at the guns, I guess.

Not exactly liking our chances against Rokoa with or without, but.
>>
No. 401926 ID: b85f8c

They still haven't said what they're getting out of this. They can't be helping you out of the kindness of their hearts.
>>
No. 401933 ID: 369d34

>>401926
Their mutual goal seems to be killing Rokoa to prevent her from running amok when Rosotski's attempt to control her fails. Ohidi's plan was to use Polo as bait to lure Rokoa into his territory to kill her with his forces. Sigira's plan is to arm Polo to the teeth and have her either face Rokoa in the duel or hunt her down.

When you get to the armory, see if you can get a helmet with a sturdy visor, preferably with night vision capability. It no bio-armor, but it's better than having your eyes exposed. Pick up radio links as well; Enough for you, Rakae, and Rikek, plus one spare each.

As long as Sigira is showing you satellite imagery, ask to see what's been going on around the spire with Rokoa's hive as well.
>>
No. 401949 ID: d6af4f
File 133466709955.png - (21.48KB , 700x700 , 327.png )
401949

"You are both attempting to get me in each of your territories. Why is that?"
>"So that we may keep an eye on you." says Ohidi.
"2 sniper rifles, radio links, getting a new helmet for head protection, and I want to know what is going on with Rokoa's hive if you are getting satellite images."
>"Done, and I can fix your bio armor visor. Rokoa's hive has been set back somewhat, but they are still topside, rebuilding and building what they will. Getting a satellite image for us is not as simple as you may think, so it will take me some time. I will deliver your photo as soon as I can."

He directs me across another catwalk to a similar non-descript door, before both salikais disconnect and the CAI's just hover around.

I am beginning to get second thoughts. I may have doubts that is it like the first salikai to betray his word and lead me into a death trap, yet it is premature for me to gain a prejudice and assume that Ohidi is any different. If I walk through, there would be nothing stopping him from killing or capturing me.
>>
No. 401950 ID: 97bd86

>>401949
I think it's just a matter of lesser evils - I can't imagine these guys are fond of you at all, but Rokoa presents a bigger threat to them because she's unhinged, resilient and probably wants to blow this entire facility up.

Also you'd think that if they were going to capture you they would have sent someone or something in while you were just standing there on the catwalk talking to them.
>>
No. 401974 ID: 9cd02a

Ask the CAI should we trust any of the salikai
>>
No. 401979 ID: 70591e

try to seduce the AI into giving you some more info.
>>
No. 402000 ID: 369d34

Stop for a moment and ask the CAIs what's their position in all of this; Who's their masters and minions? What do they want out of this situation? Do they like being stuck down here?
>>
No. 402010 ID: 61e7f9

"Are these guys legit?"
>>
No. 402052 ID: d6af4f
File 133470521866.png - (107.52KB , 700x700 , 328.png )
402052

"CAI. Can I trust the salikai?"
>"Oh sure absolutely."
>"Yep."
I wonder if I can trust the CAI in the meanwhile. I do not believe I am sufficient enough at seducing anyone, least of all robots.

"You guys like being stuck down here?"
>"It's a living."
>"Not really."
"Who are your masters and minions, your position in all of this?"
>"We're just in the HQ, it's cont --"
>"Quiet!"
>"Quiet!"
>"Quiet!"

>"Hey, want to stick around and keep us company for awhile?"
"No."
>>
No. 402053 ID: d6af4f
File 133470524325.png - (10.46KB , 700x700 , 329.png )
402053

I enter the door into a blank, grey hallway. This arkot is holding up a strip of cloth that I am assuming is a blindfold.
>>
No. 402055 ID: b85f8c

>>402053
They didn't mention a blindfold. Refuse it.
>>
No. 402056 ID: ed57e8

it's.. white. i guess put that on. just memorize the location with your other senses.
>>
No. 402057 ID: 61e7f9

"Hell, no."
If they insist, insist back with your rifle. A threat, don't shoot. Not yet.
>>
No. 402060 ID: 369d34

>>402053
Glare at the blindfold, snatch it from the arkot's hands, and tie it on.
"Worried I'd sneak back and help myself, eh Sigira?"

>>402052
It's better than even odds that the salikai have a proverbial gun to the CAI's proverbial head. Perhaps if you get the chance to free it, it'll spill the beans about this facility. But that's for another time.
>>
No. 402066 ID: b9e291

The first salikai, you mean... but he got electrocuted to death by Rokoa! He was unusually reliable for a sadistic monster actually, mostly because you both had compatible goals. When did he betray you and lead you into a death trap?
>>
No. 402095 ID: bccf7b

>>402053

No, you can't help little four-arms there to tie its bow.
>>
No. 402124 ID: 923fca

>>402053
Do a very poor job of putting the blindfold on, so a little head shaking could give you a peek.
>>
No. 402142 ID: d6af4f
File 133475711335.png - (15.40KB , 700x700 , 330.png )
402142

>402095
I can, in fact, help little four-arms here to tie its bow. It bares its teeth happily.
>>
No. 402143 ID: d6af4f
File 133475714687.png - (17.38KB , 700x700 , 331.png )
402143

It shows me the way anyway, ecstatic over my assistance with what sounds like colorful chitters. There are top of the line weapons in the armor. These weapons have insignias on them. It was made by one of only a few hives that were scientifically inclined with engineering, construction, gun smithing and so forth.

There are two choices. A kinetic rifle. This one will allow relatively rapid fire with a triple joint magazine that allows for rapid selection between explosive, piercing and lead based ammunition. I get three magazine sets, each one carrying 10 bullets of each type.

The other choice is a simple, high powered plasma rifle that is not effected by wind. It has a battery life of 50 shots.

I can get 2 of one, or one of each.

While I am viewing the weapons, I am given a bio armor visor replacement as well as five radio links.

It is safe to assume that after I have selected my weapons, I will be shown to a train station and left. Should I push my luck any farther, or go back to the tropical biome as planned?
>>
No. 402144 ID: 9cd02a

Variety is the spice of life so get one of each gun. And lets not push our luck further, we already have guns and medical supplies.
Lets just hope our friends are still where we left them.
>>
No. 402146 ID: b85f8c

>>402143
Do they have any less-than-lethal weapons? Picking something like that for a duel with Rokoa would present an interesting option.

We could offer to help her kill all the salikai.
>>
No. 402147 ID: f70e5e

for neumono anything is nonlethal weaponry if you don't finish them off. there is pretty much nowhere that you can shoot a neumono that will be instantly lethal without using very heavy weapons.
>>
No. 402148 ID: 459534

>>402146
If we do that, we ought to first make sure our friends are safe from the salikai. Could Rokoa ensure their safety? If so, we could let her guard them while we take on the salikai in a stealth/infiltration/sniping mission.
>>
No. 402163 ID: 459534

>>402142
By the way, anyone else think this afoot is kinda ugly-cute?
>>
No. 402164 ID: 459534

*arkot
>>
No. 402167 ID: c950c6

one of each, and head back to the tropical biome

>>402146
This is a terrible idea, we need to cut her up and burn the pieces if we can.
>>
No. 402170 ID: b9e291

>>402167

The idea is to choose a weapon that Rokoa can't use to do the same to us.

...pillows? um... teddy bears? ...

I don't think it's possible ;_;
>>
No. 402177 ID: fa9f7e

>>402170
We could get sex change surgery and say that testicles are the only allowable weapons. That's fairly asinine and ineffective, but it's about the only thing Rokoa can't use or acquire at short notice.
>>
No. 402178 ID: b6edd6

>>402177
She would just kill us using ours.
>>
No. 402181 ID: 61e7f9

Take two plasma rifles. You've had very good results with them so far.

Politely ask if there is any food around that you could have.
>>
No. 402185 ID: fa9f7e

>>402178
Not if we specify we can't use each other's weaponry.
>>
No. 402194 ID: fa9f7e

Ooh, I know! We can specify mental combat only. She has to find a way to murder us using only empathy. She cannot ask her buddies to kill, hurt, or distract us or anything. Just mindrape shit. Then turn on our shielding and smug her to death.

It might not actually kill her, but it'd make for an interesting impasse until Rokoa decided to break her word, if she did.
>>
No. 402197 ID: b85f8c

>>402194
She would probably consider that to be 'unarmed'.
>>
No. 402198 ID: fa9f7e

>>402197
In that case, tell her to cut off her arms, if she wants to be unarmed. Or she could stop trying to twist the meanings of words. It probably wouldn't work, but still.
>>
No. 402206 ID: 369d34

Take one of each gun. Can the kinetic rifle use only some oddball caliber, or can it accept other, common, rounds?

Ask if there is a portable field plasma gun charging unit you could take with you. If that's more than they're willing to let you have, ask for some spare fully charged plasma rifle cells and the tools to replace them. Failing that, ask to have your plasma sword and regular plasma rifle recharged, and a half-dozen frag grenades.

>>402142
*snerk* Such a pretty, pretty arkot.
>>
No. 402254 ID: 44e673

The prettiest arkot. Can you dual-wield these guns? 'Cause if so, two kinetic rifles would be BADASS for simply getting as much lead into Rokoa as possible in the smallest amount of time. If not, then one of each gives you a nice tactical flexibility - sniping with the plasma rifle, and the kinetic rifle for any other situations.

Ooh, and seconding the questions about the recharger or spare plasma cells, too. Might change things a little.
>>
No. 402277 ID: 459534

Take pretty-arkot with us. She is now our sidekick. :3
>>
No. 402320 ID: 49ff09

one of each. be clever about this. no messing around.
>>
No. 402364 ID: b85f8c

See if you can score some ammo for other guns you have.
>>
No. 402486 ID: c811c4
File 133490558056.png - (10.67KB , 700x700 , 332.png )
402486

I cannot dual wield sniper rifles. I grab one of each type, and manage to locate a plasma battery that will work with both sniper rifles and the rifles we came with. The arkot protests, but not enough.

With these items, the prettiest arkot, whom I will not be bringing with me back to the caverns, leads me to the train which shortly departs through the snow sector and into the more familiar tropical sector. I tried to look out to the snow sector, but it was whited out. I could not see a thing, it was as though the train's windows were white glass.

The train begins slowing down, presumably stopping at the train station. Then another familiar sense comes. Rokoa is here. Not at the train station itself, but not that much farther in. A brief idea hits me, that it may be good to attempt to assassinate her while she has no functioning leg.
>>
No. 402489 ID: b85f8c

>>402486
She will investigate the train. She might have even been sent by her patron salikai. Flee the general area then just stalk her for a bit. Maybe get a visual on her to see if she actually is still missing a leg.

Besides, don't you have a sense of honor?
>>
No. 402491 ID: 9cd02a

atleast ask the prettiest arkot if it wants to join the winning team.
>>
No. 402494 ID: 61e7f9

Fucking do it. Hunt that bitch down and shoot the shit out of her.
>>
No. 402495 ID: fa9f7e

All the other arkots: Laugh at prettiest arkot, exclude him from arkot games

Prettiest arkot's nose: turn red
>>
No. 402500 ID: e3f578

>>402486
Too scared
That missing leg is no liability to her, she escaped from another Salikai's custody with it, one with henchmen helping it.
Do NOT wake up the sleeping bear. That missing leg is not a liability.
>>
No. 402517 ID: 1444d5

You probably wouldn't be hunting Rokoa in an empty facility. You'd be hunting Rokoa in a facility full of Arkots. Arkots on at least speaking terms with her. Possibly armed Arkots.
It'd more likely be an assault than an assassination.
>>
No. 402541 ID: c811c4
File 133493406844.png - (58.14KB , 700x700 , 333.png )
402541

Yes, it's too dangerous. Somehow she's gotten herself in a position of some power without a leg, and there are no telling what arkots are around.

When I get off the train, she's not around. I believe she is down a floor or two, and not moving. I have no idea what she's doing, but the prettiest arkot is frantically motioning me down a stairway to the tropics.

"You want to come with me, on the winning team?"

It gestures faster. I guess it doesn't want to join me, so I will keep on moving since I will not be spotting Rokoa unless she moves.
>>
No. 402542 ID: c811c4
File 133493409296.png - (151.99KB , 700x700 , 334.png )
402542

Halfway along the way back, I see Tirrik hanging around a post that I take to be what they explained gave food once in awhile.

"Hey! You're alive. You find anything? Run into Rokoa?"

He asks about Rokoa with a chuckle that grates on my nerves. It was rhetorical. He thinks I would be dead if I ran into her.
>>
No. 402545 ID: 61e7f9

Stay quite for now. Let's wait till whatever food thingy comes and head back to base before telling anyone anything. When we get there and everyone is together we'll decide what to tell them.
>>
No. 402546 ID: ed57e8

what's with the thing with xxx?
>>
No. 402548 ID: 68f2f2

>>402542
Tirrik is probably right, you know.
>>
No. 402550 ID: 923fca

>>402546
Must be the feeder-thing. Three stripes ran into one underground too.

>>402542
Show off your new guns. Wonder briefly if any of the soldiers that share Rokoa's hive had been intimidated into helping her on the sly. After all, they are in the same hive, and any feelings of loyalty only have to go towards her to net her assistance..
>>
No. 402562 ID: fa9f7e

"Yes, actually, I did a while back. It ended with me wearing her fur, stealing her stuff, and taking off her leg. Remember?"
>>
No. 402563 ID: 209a4f

>>402546
Obviously it is a porn dispenser. Glare at Tirrik accusingly.

>>402550
Might be on to something. Try to figure out how Tirrik and his buddy feel about Rokoa and your upcoming duel.

Other than that, I second this post:
>>402545
Though silence may make him suspicious. Instead make small talk and try to defer any questions that hit too close to what you're hiding.
>>
No. 402566 ID: 369d34

Fill Tirrik in on the deal with Sigira the salikai, but say that you intend to try to escape from here before having to fight Rokoa. You know Kork and Tirrik won't help you take down Rokoa, but whether they'll aid her is up in the air. Best to string it along for a bit longer.

Use that plasma battery to top up Tirrik's plasma rifle, and hand him one of the radio links. While you're waiting for the food to arrive, see if that laptop you took has anything interesting, like medical records.
>>
No. 402567 ID: b85f8c

>>402542
Get him up to speed and say that you detected Rokoa at the train station but decided against approaching her.
>>
No. 402593 ID: c811c4
File 133495899245.png - (9.03KB , 700x700 , 335.png )
402593

I show him the weapons, a radio link, and give the means to refill his rifle while filling him in on the details up to the point that I sensed Rokoa. He just nods, without much of his own input.

I start looking over the medical files. It appears to have had local backups to many things, rather than using a drive over a network. Most of these files are for arkots, but there are a few different, more sapient than beasts, along here as well. Silb, the miklik, is included. He was born here, and his medical issues included an inability to stay warm, which explains his heavy clothing.

"The duel between Rokoa and I. What are your feelings?
>"You're probably wondering if we're going to stab you in the back, but me and Kork already talked about it. We won't hinder or help you."
"Is that so?"
>"Think about it. Think about Rokoa. She wants a fair duel, right? Even ground, with both of you at good health yadda yadda. She'd be pissed if we tried to give her help. Or if we helped you, not like we would. I don't think she needs our help anyway. The point is, is that we'll only hinder you if you try to cheat or do anything underhanded for her plan."
"I did sense her at the train station."
>"What did you do?"
"I..."
>"Yeah?"
....
>>
No. 402595 ID: c811c4
File 133495907370.png - (8.80KB , 700x700 , 336.png )
402595

I ran. I ran away from a crippled opponent. I might have some sense of honor, but I wouldn't hesitate to shoot her in the back. I won't afford survival for my allies and myself just to partake in archaic, personal duels.

I find Rokoa's file. She was found with her other leg in surprisingly good external condition, but was broken in three spots. She was crawling through the ceilings, completely blind, with a heavily burnt upper torso, collapsed lungs and a few hearts not working. She still killed 2 arkots and ripped off a few of Rosotki's legs before getting over powered. Not in her defense, Rosotki was attempting to capture her alive, and quoted here, "I felt that she would die on her own, let alone if we used more powerful force. I was not sure of that after subduing her, as she never stopped fighting and struggling until I tossed her in a cell. At that, she became eerily calm and open to conversation. All the while I kept a neumono jammer on hand, as to make sure no enemies of hers would attempt to find and finish her off."

It goes on to list her wounds. Extensive, to say the least. As of the last report, this morning, she has her vision returned in one eye, can hear well, and is able to move both arms without great difficulty. And I ran from that. I don't feel like I should regret running from that.

And I'm supposed to face her at full strength in a week.
>>
No. 402603 ID: 61e7f9

You had the opportunity to fight a weakened opponent and you chose not to. That decision may well cost you and your friends your lives.

You will die in a fair fight. That is pretty clear. You'd better do your best to get the hell out of here before the week is up. I'd recommend going up. Anywhere just up and out of this shithole.
>>
No. 402609 ID: 97bd86

>>402595
Your odds against Rokoa in a fair fight are awful, but I don't see your odds against Rokoa in the custody of someone with obvious power here who is trying to "tame" her as being any better. Even if she personally is weakened, I can't imagine Rosotski would be too happy with you messing with what appears to be his pet project, and he apparently has an army of arkots with him -- even when you had a team with you you couldn't overcome the numbers advantage they have.

We definitely need to not be in the facility at all by the time of our duel with Rokoa.
>>
No. 402641 ID: 369d34

>>402595
Not attacking Rokoa was the right call, since in the very likely chance you didn't kill her right away, Rosotki's arkots would have rushed her away for medical treatment, leaving you in a fighting retreat against their horde. Then, in a day or two, possibly with the backing of Rosotki, Rokoa would be hunting you. And since you broke the rules of the duel, Kork and Tirrik would be free to come to her side without fear of her reprisal. Really, that was not a chance you could take.

However, the whole situation with Rokoa in the tram station was odd. To start with, she wasn't covered by a jammer; You'd expect Rosotki to keep his pet project well hidden at all times. Plus, wasn't it was awfully convient she was there when you arrived. Almost like they knew you were coming. Put it together, and something smells fishy. It could've been a trap by Rosotki. Could've been Rokoa seeing if, given the opportunity, you'd attack first. Could even have been Rokoa wanting to talk to you. No way to know for sure, but it doesn't even look like a small loss to you.

Alright, enough justification. Time to plan.

If you got Rosotki's records on Rokoa to Ohidi and Sigira, you and Sigira might be able to convince Ohidi Rokoa's such a threat that it would be best if you bunkered up in his territory as bait for the inevitable showdown with Rokoa. Between you, Rikek and Rakae, Ohidi's arkot mook army, and a fortified position, you might just be able to take Rokoa down. "Might" being the operative word. However, at best, that's Plan B; Plan A is breaking out of this hole in the ground and making a run for it.
>>
No. 402646 ID: 209a4f

Any chance that we could get Rokoa to call off the duel? Maybe atone for our actions by helping her, or appealing to her sense mercy (um...she might still have that...somewhere)? Or maybe we could dig up more info and blackmail her?

Whatever we do, like the fellas above noted, a fair fight is a death sentence. Thing is, cheating might also get you killed (Killik & Kork would almost certainly have no trouble killing you then, and, being soldiers, they're specifically trained for combat, so they could probably take you in a fight). We've got to find some third way. We've got to.
>>
No. 402647 ID: 209a4f

*Tirrik

Why did I say Killik?

Also, I'm seconding this guys plan for now:
>>402641
>>
No. 402655 ID: 369d34

>>402646
As long as we're throwing out wild and crazy ideas, how about this one: Team up with Rokoa. What says you can't help each other fuck this place up until you duel? Nothing! Bust her out from wherever Rosotki's stashed her, give her the bio-armor and the kinetic rifle, and between you, her, and your compatriots, you'll cut a swath through this facility and all the way to the surface. Even if Rokoa doesn't drop the duel after that, you'll know you got Rikek and Rakae out and screwed the salikai's plans up good. Call this one Plan Somewhere-Near-Z.
>>
No. 402662 ID: b85f8c

>>402641
Personally I think it *was* Rokoa trying to talk to Polo. I think we may be caught up in a power struggle between the salikai, and Rokoa knows this too and wants to take advantage of it. WE should take advantage of it.

Ask this military guy if he wants to come with you back to the train station to see if Rokoa is still there, and maybe talk to her since, well, as it's not time for your duel yet she shouldn't attack you on sight.
>>
No. 402670 ID: 1444d5

An additional possibility: "Rosotki's report" could be bogus, a piece of misinformation on the part of Rokoa (or Rosotki).
>>
No. 402672 ID: c811c4
File 133497940899.png - (9.34KB , 700x700 , 337.png )
402672

I can't see the harm in bringing Tirrik along to see if Rokoa would come out alone. Although I may not trust him fully, I am confident that Rokoa would not team up with Tirrik to fight me. And if she does decide to fight me alone, with no arkots and no assistance while she is as she is, then if I can't beat her like that with my bio armor, I probably have little chance of escaping this place anyways.

Tirrik agrees to come with me underneath the monorail at the first level of the train station, out of sight for things passing by, but close enough that we can sense Rokoa. I let my own empathic link out with Tirrik's, and Rokoa approaches. I don't sense hostility, but with her, that can swing very quickly.
>>
No. 402673 ID: c811c4
File 133497945626.png - (107.61KB , 700x700 , 338.png )
402673

"Hey. What's with you? And with Tirrik, was it?"

That damn grin is back. She is wearing loose clothing down below, but it is still apparent that she is hopping on one foot.
>>
No. 402674 ID: a2fa74

>>402673
"Hey, cutie. How've you been?~"
>>
No. 402676 ID: b85f8c

>>402673
Tell her that you read the logs and you're wondering why the salikai doesn't have her hidden by a jammer. Was this a trap?

Also ask her what the real purpose of the duel is. From what we heard, she would just hunt you down. A duel isn't like her, apparently? She didn't specify it was to the death- is it just to prove that point, that we are nothing to her? Because if she wants to have a fistfight to prove she's stronger we can do that. Come to think of it the only reason we got the drop on her then was because she was seriously injured from the salikai.
>>
No. 402681 ID: 9cd02a

Also we could ask her if she would drop the duel if we accept the mission to kill the human on her hives ship. If she does not play dumb we could get a reaction out of Tirrik.
>>
No. 402690 ID: 61e7f9

"You look like hell."

[optional] "You know I'm not going to fight you in a fair fight. I'd die. You're a better fighter plain and simple. So I'm looking for options that don't involve that."
>>
No. 402691 ID: fa9f7e

"Hello. I have to say, your inner thigh fur is damn comfortable~

So, who did you want me to kill and why?"
>>
No. 402693 ID: fa9f7e

>>402691
Make that "it's damn comfortable between your thighs~".
>>
No. 402704 ID: 97bd86

>>402673
The fact that she didn't immediately attack you is probably a plus.

So, uh.

Just what is she up to right now, anyway? She looks like she just stumbled out of a maintenance closet or something, which is a weird place for someone with severe injuries to be hanging out.
>>
No. 402718 ID: c811c4
File 133500036901.png - (21.71KB , 1000x700 , 339.png )
402718

I back off a moment to keep her at the rifle's end. Without me holding my link back, they know it's just a precaution.

"I read a medical log. Why aren't you hidden by a jammer? What are you doing, anyway?"
>"Jammer broke, go figure. I'm walking around to get exercise instead of lying in a bed all day. So what did you come around for? Come to check in on me? I'm happy you thought of me."
"Hard to forget you when I'm wrapped between your thigh."
>"Hah. So you can make small talk after all."
"What's the point of a duel? Just to prove a point, that you can beat me?"
>"Yeah."
"If it's not to the death, then we can just have a fist fight if you have to prove it, but there's no reason. Everyone already knows you can beat me in combat."
>"... you hurt me pretty bad, you know. Not many would have done what you did up above. You think you can do all that, and not get my attention?"
"With a duel? What's wrong with you?! I might just accept the mission to assassinate that human if it means calling off the duel. Or a truce with a delay on the duel, just so we can get out of this facility first! I won't fight you in a fair fight, because I would die."

She doesn't say anything. This isn't the reaction I expected. She seems honestly and thoroughly disappointed.

>"That's it? You're different than I thought. I figured someone with the nerve to blow themselves up at the chance to kill me would leap at a chance to finish me off."
"That's stupid."
>"... that's how it is, huh."

Honestly and thoroughly disappointed in me, specifically. I can think of worse alternatives, still.
>>
No. 402719 ID: c811c4
File 133500044378.png - (113.84KB , 700x700 , 340.png )
402719

It's an awkward silence before Tirrik speaks up.
>"Rokoa! Is it true you want Lugh dead?" he asks.
>"Yeah."
>"Why not do it yourself? You always act on your own if it's something you really want."
>"Nasty politics. Know how it would go down if we accepted Lugh's deal, then killed him as soon as we realized the deal wasn't so good after all? Not hot. Know how it would go if someone outside the hive killed him, and we step in and execute the assassin? Pretty decent, considering the deal was made with Lugh alone, not his faction." Rokoa explains.
>"That's subterfuge! Are you serious?! It's even rogueish to talk about!"
>>
No. 402721 ID: b6edd6

Maybe ask exactly what this Lugh is doing? That seems likely to trigger more argument between them, and I am also curious.
>>
No. 402723 ID: fa9f7e

Ask about Lugh, then ask if she'd like unarmed combat/mental combat/whatever. If she replies yes, cut her arms off.
>>
No. 402728 ID: 9cd02a

Heh atleast the grin is gone again.
We could ask her about Rosotki and its plans, finally get some idea what the hell these salikai are doing here
>>
No. 402729 ID: e3f578

>>402719
Surprise Rokoa more by saying that words such as Rogueish are pussy talk. Who cares if it's subterfuge? Dude dies from you, no real consequences for the war hive. I don't even see it as subterfuge, actually. I just see it as "Fuck it, I don't like this douchebag, think I'll just have 'em killed."

Something that simple ain't subterfuge, it's barbarianism.

Polo, I do have to say if you had a good old fashioned jungle sniper duel with Rokoa, you might have a good chance at defeating her. If the code rule is that you both strictly stick to sniping and never cross a middle boundary. You could fashion your biosuit into a gilly suit from branches and shit. Face it, you're a stealth-based Neumono, you need a stealth based duel with her, and she ain't exactly stealthy. Again, you're one of the most unique Neumono's she'd ever face and have a hard time adapting to you.
>>
No. 402731 ID: 97bd86

>>402719
You'd think this guy would have caught on to Rokoa being a psychotic loose cannon by now.

Anyway yeah I guess we can ask about what this Lugh guy is up to.
>>
No. 402743 ID: 209a4f

>step in and execute the assassin

Now's your turn to be disappointed in Rokoa. She was going to stab you in the back. So much for honor, eh?

Ask why Rokoa is so disappointed with your decision not to fight. Was she hoping for revenge? Does she just like the idea of an honorable duel? Or was she hoping that you'd kill her? Her words suggest that she *wanted* you to take her down.

If you feel like prodding her just for the hell of it, as her how her kids are doing.
>>
No. 402823 ID: c811c4
File 133502330119.png - (8.64KB , 700x700 , 341.png )
402823

"... Rokoa. You were going to kill me after I did your dirty work?"
>"I told you it was a suicide mission. Does it matter how you die?"
"Killing Lugh doesn't sound rogueish. Not even subterfuge. Just barbaric."
>"I took a look at his superiors and corporations. Real complicated webs of relations and ownerships, but Lugh struck us a personal deal for weapons supplied by his guys. His guys are owned by a company who owns another company that has fed other hives weapons if they fight us. They're trying to get us to wipe each other off the map. Damn well been fun, but we're on the brink."
"And how many hives have you brought to the brink?"
>"Double what we normally would do. If you step in, you might be the last."
".. what is that supposed to mean?"
>"Our queen is getting tired of war, but we don't have a choice now. We've already nuked your hive, so it's too late for you."

She's not lying. I'm positive that was she isn't lying. The only hope I could indulge in is that she is honestly mistaken.
>>
No. 402824 ID: c811c4
File 133502332648.png - (18.54KB , 700x700 , 342.png )
402824

I should have blocked my link again, they can tell I want to shoot her right here.

>"Well? You want to duel me after all?"
"Do you want me to kill you!? I will."
>"I want you to try your damn best."
"Sniper battle. Middle territory can't be crossed, so it has to be a duel at range at all times."
>"Yep, fine. Give me back my bio armor. I want to kill Rosotki soon, but want that armor back to do it. No bio armor for either of us during the duel, anyway. Winner gets to own it."

I don't believe she has any ulterior motive behind that.
I still want to shoot her.
>>
No. 402828 ID: 9cd02a

The smart thing to do would be to hand over the bio armor, prepare for the duel and think about how we will survive without our hive in the future.

But god damn it! We have lost our hive, Rokoa was going to kill us after the mission, we are stuck in this god damn underground facility and she is standing there smirking and gloating about all the hives she has helped squash!

If only we didin't have Tirrik pointing a gun to our back we could go fucking medieval on Rokoas ass!
>>
No. 402833 ID: 61e7f9

Shoot her in the fucking eye again. The good one. Take the shot in the back, turn around and shoot Tirrik till he falls unconscious. Finish off Rokoa once and for all.

You will never get this chance again.
>>
No. 402834 ID: 61e7f9

>>402833
You will never get this chance again.
>>
No. 402839 ID: 369d34

>>402834
You mean the chance to telegraph her intentions, get shot in the back before she even pulls the trigger, and be stripped of everything she's carrying, if not killed? <sarcasm>Oh, my, yes! That sounds like a marvelous idea! By all means, do that!</sarcasm>

But in the case that hotter heads prevail, aim for the stomach. That'll put Rokoa into a healing hibernation for a few hours. (This is a vote against shooting, by the way.)
>>
No. 402840 ID: 980e12

you're the only one with armor on here. do it. pop one in her head, spin around and put two in the head of the guy behind you, then make rokoa a bloody smear.
>>
No. 402843 ID: f70e5e

"you want me to either fight you to the death or help save your hive, it sounds allot like your doing everything you can to avoid ending up where I am now, a survivor of a murdered hive. I"m not going to help you save your hive Rokoa, I will die before helping you save them, and i'm going to do everything i can to avoid killing you. I want you to live a long, long time . spending every day alone with the knowledge that if you had figured it out just a little bit faster, been just a bit more clever your hive would still be alive."
>>
No. 402849 ID: a2fa74

>>402824
"Rokoa, I take no pleasure from killing, it is simply clinical eradication of problems.
Everything I've done I've done for the sake of my hive, and I still have two hive mates left in my care.
Tirrik? If my hive is dead then we'll join yours when Rokoa's a corpse."
Take off the bio armor, hand it to Tirrik, start walking away, and shut your link down.
Then stop, turn around, and say: "Rokoa? Duel's now." and shoot her.
>>
No. 402853 ID: 6e44d2

Do it right now.
>>
No. 402858 ID: 49ff09

don't do it, Polo.
>>
No. 402860 ID: 410a04

It's would be far more suspicious if you didn't telegraph that urge to kill her, after she told you about your hive. Roll with it, calm yourself, and shoot her as a cold calculation that won't telegraph your conviction fast enough. And hope tirrik won't interfere because of Rokoa. Do it.
>>
No. 402861 ID: 369d34

Polo, as much as you hate Rokoa now, you know she's the best chance to crack this facility wide open. Give her the bio-armor. Heck, give her the kinetic rifle. Even better, get Kork and Tirrik to come and fight by her side, and arm them too. That'll screw the salikai's plans right up, and leave things open for you to get to the bottom of what this facility is for. 'Cause whatever the salikai are doing down here, it has to be bad news for all neumono.

>>402823
Lugh and his associates are throwing all these resources into getting hives to kill each other... Why? What do they stand to gain? Wiping out the aggressive hives? Thinning the population? Are these proxy wars...? ...Did Polo's hive get off-world support too? Dammit, too many questions, and no answers.
>>
No. 402871 ID: e3f578

>>402824
Best chance is on your terms
BEST CHANCE IS ON YOUR TERMS!
Not here, not here not here for the love of god she is a monster and you're shit at CQC
>>
No. 402874 ID: fa9f7e

Do it. Rokoa isn't reliable, and you could get those AIs to help you.She's the best chance of cracking the facility, sure, but also our best chance of getting killed.
>>
No. 402877 ID: 410a04

I suppose we could just walk away, and if she says any thing just tell her to piss off 'cause you don't give a damn about who's "better" you're just trying to get you and your mates out of here. Rokoa does seem intent on not shooting you in the back out of a sense of pride.
>>
No. 402891 ID: b85f8c

Hang on a second. There's one final gambit we can make.

You can turn off your empathy at will, right? Present this option to Rokoa: Instead of you actually dying after the assassination, you can fake your death using your empathic shield. By, say, taking a dive off the side of the ship. It would require having a neumono jammer during the actual mission, so that people can say "she was jamming herself" to explain why they didn't sense you approaching. After being found out and chased you would "drop" the jammer and turn off the shield, only turning the shield back on when it would work to fake your death.

A suicide mission with a chance of survival, and Rokoa wouldn't kill you afterwards? Best chance we have of getting our friends out.
>>
No. 402907 ID: b9e291

If you do decide to go assassinate the weapons dealer, you must ask Rokoa the names of the hives who he has been double dealing with. Preferably exterminated ones. That way you can tell him for whom you're doing this, right before you blow his head off. Shit will be so cash.
>>
No. 402945 ID: bccf7b

>>402824

So what's to stop us from smashing her across the head a few times then getting our "buddy" here to help drag her unconscious mass back somewhere, strap her dumb ass down, and basically wait for her to heal up so she can stop this lunacy, even if it means listening to her scream till her lungs give out?

Besides, why should either of you die for this? Get the Salikai to kill your human. Hell, we could even make it a trade: They let us a guided tour out of this hole and leave us the hell alone, and we give them the means to strike at the human.

Their payment? The same weapons he promised your hive. Because if all they want to do is sit down there forever... let them.
>>
No. 402957 ID: 209a4f

Still got that bomb with you? Close your empathic link and whip it out, making sure she sees it. She knows that you don't want to die, but she also knows that you're not above making rash decisions if you're pushed hard enough. Considering what she just told you about your hive, she might buy your bluff and believe you're willing to set the bomb off.

It could swing negotiations in your favor.
>>
No. 402961 ID: 4bdd79

>>402824
Don't do it. Rokoa is your best bet at taking these guys down.

Besides, there's no way you can take Rokoa right now without being shot to shit and/or beaten to death.

>>402861
They're profiteering. They're encouraging a war in hopes of increasing the demand for their weapons.
>>
No. 403013 ID: c891d3

>>402833
Okay yeah fuck this. You have Bio armor, she's messed up as hell, and she's also sitting here basically gloating that your hive got nuked so you have nothing to live for.

Whatever the hell the salikai are up to, you basically don't even have a quarrel with them -- but this chick just confirmed that her group wiped out your hive. :v
>>
No. 403025 ID: a2fa74

>>402957
>>402961
>>403013
Ok, this is getting silly.
"I talked with the people in charge here. As near as they can tell, your hive's dead as well. How about we all kill the human, and call that even? After that we can discuss going after the human's accomplices."
>>
No. 403089 ID: c811c4
File 133506555777.png - (8.80KB , 700x700 , 343.png )
403089

I calm myself for a moment. It's not like my training to let myself boil over like this. I felt, a couple days ago, that nothing good would come from working with her. I still hold that sentiment.

Tirrik is on my back. I would definitely take a shot if I attempted to shoot Rokoa. I don't know how good my bio armor would take the shot. I don't know if Rokoa would even go down. If anything goes wrong, I would most likely die.
>>
No. 403090 ID: c811c4
File 133506562311.png - (37.93KB , 700x700 , 344.png )
403090

A chance I'll take.

Even though I've done this before, she gives a half surprised, half pained cry like she never saw it coming. But more than that, she becomes satisfied that I shot at her. Like I became the one that she wanted me to become.
>>
No. 403091 ID: c811c4
File 133506568998.png - (163.00KB , 700x700 , 345.png )
403091

Tirrik manages to shoot me twice in the back by the time I spin around and get a shot off on him.

I know I'm wounded, but the bio armor prevents me from feeling much, and so prevents me from caring.

I shoot him 4 times where it would hurt him, and I take two more shots. He missed a couple times at point blank, and drops his gun as he falls.
>>
No. 403092 ID: c811c4
File 133506570087.png - (20.68KB , 700x700 , 346.png )
403092

He only missed as much as he did because Rokoa was behind me. She isn't running, and she isn't falling unconscious.

Instead, she got pissed as soon as I shot Tirrik.
>>
No. 403093 ID: a2fa74

>>403092
Dodge and pump everything you have into her.
"He'll live. You won't."
>>
No. 403094 ID: 9cd02a

Start running and get some distance between you two!
>>
No. 403095 ID: ed57e8

use everything. take out a battery, jam it in the wound and then shoot it so it detonates in her head.
>>
No. 403096 ID: a9298b

time to run and gun
>>
No. 403098 ID: 6ba8b3

Too late. Accept your fate, you're going to die. Only care for your rifle in keeping her from grabbing it and turn the barrel on her point blank. Rapid fire everything. If you're still in condition to do anything after the fact try to grab the fallen rifle and repeat. If you have a grenade use it.

Scream about being an emotional cripple. Screaming helps with the pain.
>>
No. 403099 ID: b85f8c

>>403092
Get distance! She's hobbled, you aren't! Get distance and just keep shooting her until she stops moving. If she is still conscious ask her why she's so satisfied you shot her. Actually go ahead and ask her that while you're shooting her.
>>
No. 403107 ID: cf49fc

Try activating an explosive, or USE YOUR PLASMA BLADE RIGHT NOW DOITDOITDOITDOIT!
>>
No. 403110 ID: fa9f7e

Bitch's blind and one-legged. Get away from her a bit, after you slash her with the sword, if you can.

Then shoot her until her body ceases being recognizable.
>>
No. 403111 ID: 61e7f9

Roll forward, then move to the side, keep backing up and dodging if she is getting near you. unload into her torso.
>>
No. 403112 ID: c811c4
File 133507960446.png - (23.26KB , 700x700 , 347.png )
403112

I try to run, but she managed to get a grip around my head already, and we topple to the ground.

"Why are you so satisfied I shot you?!"
>"Because you can fight. You can fight after all! I want to kill you now."

I try to spin around to unload my rifle into her, but I only get off two more awkward shots in the abdomen and leg before she manages to grapple it away. She doesn't so much as flinch this time.

"Tirrik might live, but you're going to die!"
>"We all will, someday. But today is your day."

I try to get a hold of my grenade to pull the pin, and hopefully take her down with me. Unfortunately, she's already begun pinning me to the ground. Not even the plasma blade is in reach. Even with the bio armor, even with her weakened state, she's just too strong. She starts gnawing off her bandages when she has a free grip, and uses that arm to start taking off my armor. Far too fast for any comfort.

My CQC is shit after all. I'm rendered immobile from a blind cripple, even if she did get a jump on me.
>>
No. 403114 ID: c811c4
File 133507964285.png - (118.20KB , 700x700 , 348.png )
403114

>"The bio armor is worth more than you! Look at you, I'm surprised that armor still even fit something so scrawny. Forget the damn human, I'll kill him myself even if I do have to abandon my hive! And I've got no qualms about killing you and --"

Tirrik gives a gurgle. He's unconscious, but I know that I shot him with every intent to kill. He is likely bleeding into them as well from the throat shot, and the headshot isn't helping his healing at all.

Rokoa must be able to recognize that wheezy noise, because she completely forgets about killing me. She yanks off the bio armor the rest of the way, and if I didn't know any better, I'd have thought she ripped off my skin with it from how that felt.
>>
No. 403115 ID: c811c4
File 133507966045.png - (35.15KB , 700x700 , 349.png )
403115

She grabs Tirrik and runs back into the facility, not sparing a second to get a rifle and finish me off. Murder doesn't even cross her mind. It is on mine, and I try to shoot her, but my arms won't move.

She was beaten again, technically. At least, she thinks so, as she runs to try to get Tirrik desperate medical attention, groping clumsily through the facility.

I withdraw my empathic link, so that she does not know that once again, this does not feel like a victory to me. I simply cannot feel victorious after getting pinned when I should have been able to run and finish her, and only lived because of what came down to, perhaps, the first time I saw Rokoa show anything resembling a redeeming trait.
>>
No. 403117 ID: fa9f7e

Next time you meet, loudly thank Tirrik for skinning her leg and making it into jerky.
>>
No. 403118 ID: 61e7f9

Let us know when you are able to move again. Tell us how long has passed.
>>
No. 403119 ID: 9cd02a

Well fuck. I hope we can still walk or crawl back to our hideout even after getting shot and having a biosuit ripped off of us.
I wonder how Rakae will react when she hears about our hive.
And could we use Kork as a hostage?
>>
No. 403121 ID: a2fa74

>>403115
Get up and follow her. She's already crippled, so her reserves of regeneration are damn well depleted. You'll be combat capable before she even stops bleeding, so don't even think about anything but tracking her down and killing her.

Then make sure Tirrik gets the medical care he needs. His death would serve no purpose, and I expect his objections to you shooting Rokoa would die with her.
>>
No. 403123 ID: c811c4
File 133508174068.png - (13.74KB , 700x700 , 350.png )
403123

I'm gradually able to stand again after a few minutes. It's then I realize that everything that was directly attached to my bio armor was taken. Frag grenade, combat knife, medical supplies and grappling hook.

Some bandages around her arm had fallen, so I am able to use those to cover my own wounds. I've been shot in the throat, arm, chest and leg. None are critical, but it is painful to move far. I will be able to move back to base, or to follow her, but if anything goes wrong should I go inside, I doubt I will be able to rely on an enemy's fleeting compassion to save me.

I am far gone from having any reservations against using Kork as a hostage, now.
>>
No. 403124 ID: 61e7f9

Grab whatever is left and head to base. As soon as you get in shoot Kork to death.

"We're leaving."
>>
No. 403126 ID: 9cd02a

Without any weapons and wounded it would be foolish to follow Rokoa so i suggest we get back to our base.
If the salikai really want Rokoa dead we can brobably get more guns so that was not a huge loss.
>>
No. 403129 ID: c811c4
File 133508436933.png - (17.28KB , 700x700 , 351.png )
403129

Overall, it was a gain. Although the medical supplies were the worst to lose, we are able to make do with the wilderness.

I head back to base. All 2 rifles, and 2 sniper rifles, were left on the ground, and I am able to carry them back along with the charger. We have a spare grappling hook at base as well.

All three of them are here. An explanation is silently asked for, and I am debating keeping Kork as a prisoner or just shooting her to death.

"Where's Tirrik? He should have been back by now." Kork says, becoming suspicious and fast.
>>
No. 403130 ID: 61e7f9

Shoot to death. Give no warning at all. You are empathic shut down, right?
>>
No. 403132 ID: bccf7b

>>403129

One word. "Rokoa."

Say nothing else. Let Kork begin to contemplate what the fuck happened.
>>
No. 403136 ID: e3f578

Simple, he got in the way between a small incursion between me and Rokoa, he was injured and Rokoa took him. He was pretty foolish, helping her like that.

Throw your girl a rifle.
>>
No. 403138 ID: b7169d

Shoot to kill
>>
No. 403139 ID: fa9f7e

>>403132
I recommend shooting her, but if you don't, say this.
>>
No. 403142 ID: 9cd02a

I think we should tell them all the thruth about what happend, see how they react. And if you do decide to shoot Kork make sure you shoot her because it is a sensible thing to do given our situation, and not because we hate Rokoa. Kork might belong to her hive but she has not done anything so far but help us.
>>
No. 403144 ID: 209a4f

>>403142
That's true. I don't think she deserves to die.

Besides, if you kill her you'll have no hostages...
>>
No. 403146 ID: 6ba8b3

It's getting really pointless. Hostages don't seem to work and everyone getting tangled with this stupid feud in turn are too high. After all you can't protect those close to you all the time. But really can you stand to see the sight of them after what you know.

Point her in the right direction and tell her to take a walk. More important things going on like why is the entire ecosystem and some extras backed up underground while the top is on fire. Certain things might be planning to reboot everything including their precious war hive. Not that it matters anymore.
>>
No. 403147 ID: c811c4
File 133508980749.png - (51.62KB , 700x700 , 352.png )
403147

"Rokoa."

She may have not done anything personal, but I have no doubt that she would have done anything different than Tirrik. Hostages haven't worked, and I know she'll fight us later if I tell her to leave. I am not above cheap shots now.

Both Rikek and Rakae jump back in alarm as I take the first shot, giving me a clearer second shot. Which I take. And a third. I will get a spare combat knife and finish her without wasting ammo.

I do not know if we must move. If we do, I will have to decide on where to go.
>>
No. 403149 ID: fa9f7e

"Well, Rokoa and her buddies destroyed our hive. Good news is their queen is getting tired of war. Time to lie low and return the favor at the first opportunity. Now, let's see where we can get a nuke."

Let's go back and talk to those AIs.
>>
No. 403152 ID: 209a4f

Congratulations, Polo.

You have become Rokoa.
>>
No. 403153 ID: e3f578

>>403147
Their hive will burn for what they did, for their insanity and bloodlust. Fuck the salikai's, they just want to control shit down here, they're no threat. They just want us out as soon as the threats are eliminated.

Ask Rikek if his hive could take you, Rikae can do whatever she wants. But there's no going back home if what Rokoa said was true.
>>
No. 403155 ID: fa9f7e

>>403152
Good end!

No, seriously though, sometimes you have to be Rokoa. She's a damn good fighter and survivor. We could also not be Rokoa and die futilely if you'd rather, though.
>>
No. 403156 ID: 61e7f9

"Tirrik is in critical condition with shots to throat and head. Rokoa is alive. She's missing a leg, is blind in both eyes, and has three fresh plasma rifle wounds to her good leg, abdomen, and in the same fucking eye I shot the first time. Kork is dead.

Rokoa says our hive was nuked. She wasn't lying. As far as she knows, it's true.

Rokoa has the bioarmor which has 4 holes in it, as do I. The visor is fixed. She also has a combat knife, grappling hook, frag grenade, and medical supplies that were attached to it. As far as i can tell she is unarmed other than that.

I'm going to hunt down and kill her which is probably the last thing I'll ever do. What about you two?"
>>
No. 403157 ID: 209a4f

>>403153
"If"

She's deceived us before. Remember the mission she wanted us to do?
>>
No. 403158 ID: c891d3

>>403147
Should probably mention that you now know your hive got nuked.

Honestly I don't care what the hell the salikai are up to down here. Thanks to Rokoa and her hive, though, you don't really have anywhere to go even if you can get out of the facility. Anyone who's not on her side is a lead worth pursuing, and the salikai you talked to earlier certainly want her dead. Let's go see what they're up to.
>>
No. 403161 ID: 209a4f

>>403156
Kork is still alive. Polo is going to finish her off with a combat knife.

Polo has this one, last chance to turn back.

Is there really no other way, Polo? Do it if you have to, but...think about it first...
>>
No. 403162 ID: a2fa74

>>403129
Drop your mental shield.
"Kork, you're a good guy. I'm going to tell you the truth, and I expect you to wait until I finish before doing anything. Same goes for you two; the news is all bad.
Kork, Rokoa admitted to plotting the assassination of that human. She said she found proof he was selling weapons to your hive's enemies as part of a conspiracy to wipe out Nuemono. She said your queen was sick of war, and I'm pretty sure Rokoa had other plans. Then she gloated about our hive being nuked.
Tirrik couldn't wrap his mind around Rokoa being either that crazy or that rouge, and he really has no idea how her mind works.
I shot her, he shot me, I shot him back, Rokoa knocked me down before I could evade. I get the need to defend his hivemate, but I've rarely felt a nuemono so damn happy as Rokoa when I blew her eye out the back of her skull, or as disappointed as when she had to drag him off and patch him up.
Tirrik'll probably be fine, unless Rokoa takes her crazy out on him for spoiling her fun.

Any questions?"
>>
No. 403164 ID: a2fa74

>>403162
Ah, took too long.
Stabilize Kork, then restrain her. Explain things to the others, then to Kork once she wakes up.
You do not kill needlessly. You do not enjoy killing. These are things that make you different from Rokoa.
Kork has not done anything to you that would warrant her death, and you are living lie detectors. She deserves to have the truth laid out for her and a chance to decide her own fate.
>>
No. 403166 ID: fa9f7e

>>403164
Fair enough, but do be ready to kill her if you need to.
>>
No. 403186 ID: c811c4
File 133509803346.png - (23.92KB , 700x700 , 353.png )
403186

>"Polo?" Rakae asks.
"Our hive is dead."
>"What?"
"Nuked. I don't think Rokoa was lying."

It hits Rakae hard, of course, with great reactive denial while knowing that I would not say such a thing unless I were confident it was the truth. Rikek has no small amount of sentiment on his part. Yet both of them looking over me puts things in perspective. They still don't like the sight of me about to kill him like this. Kork is already unconscious, given I was shooting to kill.

I tell her the summation of what happened, from the moment I left to the events that led to me shooting Kork. Rakae and I share our differences, but also our similarities. With her empathy, I don't have the passion anymore to knife a helpless person.
>>
No. 403187 ID: c811c4
File 133509804622.png - (11.75KB , 700x700 , 354.png )
403187

I drop the knife, tie up Kork, and dress his wounds. We don't have anything elaborate, but she might survive. Most would have gotten killed from those three shots, but I am not sure about this one.

>"You're hurt! Really bad. Please stay here with us." Rakae tells me.
>>
No. 403188 ID: 7ea3a9

Nothing good can come of leaving Kork alive. Only the pain and suffering of you and your friends. Kill her.

Tell them you are going to kill Rokoa. They can come or stay here. You still have the plasma blade?
>>
No. 403189 ID: ed57e8

give kork back to three stripes. make something useful other then a tied up prisoner.
>>
No. 403191 ID: 9cd02a

It's not safe here anymore since Tirrik knows this location so i suggest we either find a new base or go hang out with the salikai and arkot crowd.
I guess we could either drag Kork closer to the medical facility where Rokoa is or just leave her here and hope Rokoa or Tirrik find her before anything else does.
Also now might be a good time to focus on finding out more about this facility and less on our vendetta.
>>
No. 403192 ID: 49ff09

>>403189

Three Stripes has gone soft. he doesn't destroy the minds of his captives. I'm really not comfortable with leaving someone capable of killing Polo behind when we can do otherwise at no cost.

kill him, Polo.
>>
No. 403193 ID: ed57e8

>>403192
four stripes then. he already knows how to hold this hive.
>>
No. 403200 ID: c6ec33

>>403187
Tirrik might have meant something special to Rokoa. She doesn't seem like the type to suddenly give up a combat advantage to help a fellow soldier. Either that, or her bloodlust isn't as complete as it seems. Either way, she prioritized his life over your death, which saved you.

If we're lucky, Rokoa will hesitate to kill you and your group if Kork is a hostage, or given an almost-deadly wound in front of her.
>>
No. 403206 ID: c891d3

>>403187
You can stay with them for a bit at least, but not here. Tirrik and Rokoa are both more messed up than you are, but if she keeps him from dying he'll know where you were holing up.

No idea what you should do with Kork. Don't feel too good about just killing her, but if she gets back up to health she's likely to come after you if she's not in your custody.
>>
No. 403209 ID: c811c4
File 133510392222.png - (13.51KB , 700x700 , 355.png )
403209

I.... I don't know whether or not to kill him. I don't think.. I don't think I would regret it now, but if I make it out of this, I would always wonder.

I will double up the bindings on Kork and be sure he will not escape. It has its risks, but I want to be absolutely sure that killing him is the right thing to do.

"I'll... spare Kork. For now."
>"Thank you, Polo.
"I'm going to go kill Rokoa, no matter what. I am thinking we'll move to another Salikai's section. Not that I trust them, but it is better than here, especially when Tirrik knows where we are."
>>
No. 403210 ID: c811c4
File 133510393149.png - (12.42KB , 700x700 , 356.png )
403210

I get up to leave to get my weapons and leave, but Rakae stops me.

>"I'm sorry, we're not going anywhere."
"What?"
>"I'm not going to let you. It's amazing you're still standing. You didn't say the arkots were any less hostile, and you're in no condition to try and escape to another salikai's territory, and especially not to kill Rokoa where she is who knows where inside that building. That's not including that we would have to carry Kork. We'll move to a different cave and I will help set up traps to give us an advantage if Rokoa and Tirrik come, but you're not thinking right. We aren't going far."
>>
No. 403212 ID: 9cd02a

Yeah we need rest and we need to plan with Rakae and Rikek on what to do next. And it is important that we include them since we have been working solo this whole time, but we no longer need to since there are no predators nearby.
>>
No. 403220 ID: c891d3

>>403210
There's no need to insist on working alone if you're wanting to hunt Rokoa down. You've mentioned more than a few times that you don't feel at all comfortable taking her on one-on-one, so why do it at all?

But right now you're not in a condition where you can go after her. She had you beaten even before you lost the bioarmor and accompanying ability to shake off damage; if you go after right this moment you're almost certainly going to get yourself killed, not Rokoa.
>>
No. 403221 ID: 49ff09

set up traps with what? sticks and stones? come on, someone needs to gather, (read: steal from the arkots) some components. and these two are no ninjas.
>>
No. 403237 ID: bda707

Rakae is right. Short term, you need to heal up a bit - you're a wreck. You guys need to get somewhere secure that Rokoa doesn't know about (yet) while she's still distracted by her wounded hive-mate.

If killing Rokoa is the long-term plan, why not try to engineer something with Three Stripes? Rokoa will be a lot easier to kill if she's subdued. Finding him will be a bitch, I suppose, but the benefits he might bring are enormous.
>>
No. 403249 ID: 6e44d2

We need to press the advantage right now. She's blind. We need to track her down and kill her from a distance. She has the bio armor, so as soon as she heals, we're outmatched in every way, except for our "invisibility." Grab a gun and track down Rokoa now. Finish her. You may never have the chance again.
>>
No. 403262 ID: 369d34

You don't have the materials to make traps that would do anything against Rokoa. Best you can do right now is roll up and stack some large rocks to make rudimentary firing positions, but don't spend too much time and energy on that; You're going to be moving out as soon as you heal up.

Rest, eat, take inventory, and plan your next move with Rakae and Rikek, while you heal up enough to move out. Specifically look at that egg-bomb; It's the only thing you have that could possibly take down a bio-armor wearing Rokoa in one hit. But unless you could find someone down here who could rig it with a remote detonator or proximity trigger, it's going to be as a last ditch "lose-lose" weapon in the fight with Rokoa.

As long as you're going to be stuck here for a bit, you three can search for hidden entrances to this cavern complex. There are almost certainly maintenance tunnels under the ground in these biome sectors, and it's an even bet there'd be back ways into the cavern area. That could be another way for Rokoa, or even Rosotki's forces, to get in here.
>>
No. 403263 ID: 61e7f9

Kill Kork. The three of you track and kill Rokoa.
>>
No. 403264 ID: c811c4
File 133511499190.png - (12.28KB , 700x700 , 357.png )
403264

I will attempt to steal tools or anything from the buildings later.

For now, Rakae is right. I am on the verge of passing out, and normally this many severe wounds would have knocked me out immediately. I will rest, at least until I can move freely. She is keeping a close eye on me and is not allowing me to go to Rokoa even if she must use force to stop me. And if she can stop me, I have no chance of hunting Rokoa down in a building full of arkots, even if Rokoa herself turns out to be an easy kill.
>>
No. 403265 ID: c811c4
File 133511501551.png - (14.78KB , 700x700 , 358.png )
403265

We are in a new cave the next day. Rakae has gotten supplies to maintain light even deep inside the tunnels.

I get an arkot mail from Ohidi. It has pictures. There are no words that are included, but I would like to think that he knows that anything he says would be asinine in the face of the contents. It is the satellite imagery, and unless we insist that Ohidi is in on lies as well, this is our obliterated homeland.

We would also have to insist that Ohidi is a masterful photo editor. We can see the blasted skeleton remains of buildings. Our main palace. All of the houses where we lived, a park where I, and I am sure Rakae, would play as kids. No in sight, unsurprisingly.

Rakae and I spend most of the day feeling sorry for ourselves. Rikek handles getting food.
>>
No. 403267 ID: c811c4
File 133511506133.png - (10.55KB , 700x700 , 359.png )
403267

The next day, I get another arkot mail from Rokoa. It is terse. There is no enthusiasm or play in this letter. She wishes to extend the time of the duel to three weeks from now, again, if I am alive by then. This time, she says it will take place along the valley of the volcano sector. I do not know where she is talking about, but that doesn't matter. I will find out.

She still says that she will have a sniper's battle, with the valley ditch acting as the no-pass zone. This side of her makes me wonder if she will be true to her word, but there is no doubt to me that she is prideful. That pride will give me a chance, that pride that insists she is better at me in every way, even against my specialty. Despite everything, that pride has remained a constant.
>>
No. 403268 ID: c811c4
File 133511509660.png - (18.10KB , 700x700 , 360.png )
403268

I have not become Rokoa, but I have not become any better. As of now, I would shoot her in the back, I would break the duel conditions, I would bring the egg bomb as a last ditch suicide effort, and I would do anything underhanded if it's what has to be done to kill her.

I cannot beat her at close range, but I will spend these weeks making sure that I will be able to prevent a close range fight from ever happening.

Maybe I am being selfish by leaving Rakae and Rikek out of it. Maybe I am just afraid that they will not be as lucky as I have been, and Rokoa will earn another reason for me to hate her. I do not want Rokoa anywhere near them, and I would keep them in place to prevent it. I am not sure why the arkots never come after us in these tunnels as opposed to hunt is when we go into buildings, but I do not complain.

I would not even risk Three or Four Stripes around her. The last time Rokoa was being 'pacified' by a predator, she murdered a salikai with her bare hands.
>>
No. 403269 ID: c811c4
File 133511516181.png - (8.28KB , 700x563 , 361.png )
403269

I can't bring myself to care what the Salikai are doing. If there is a task or action to take that does not involve Rokoa's demise, I will not accomplish it.

If I succeed in killing her, then I will be able to help escape with Rikek and Rakae. Rikek has not said anything about his hive, knowing outright saying it may be presumptuous, but there is little need. Rakae and I both know that he is accepting of us, and would gladly bring us back to join his own hive. Joining another hive is said to be a rough experience, but Rikek is alright from a personality standpoint, and it is possible.

But no matter what happens, no matter how many planets I run to, I will never find peace so long as Rokoa is alive in this universe.
>>
No. 403275 ID: b9e291

you could try throwing her on an asteroid
>>
No. 403280 ID: 369d34

>>403275
It'd be more effective to throw Rokoa at an asteroid. Better still, follow that up with another asteroid.
>>
No. 403281 ID: 49ff09

>>403275

I was gonna make a post predicting the outcome of this affair, but reading your post made me change my mind by showing me how annoying it is. so thanks.
>>
No. 403288 ID: bccf7b

>>403269

New art style?
>>
No. 403293 ID: 6e44d2

Fuck, Polo, you're pretty intense. I dig it.
>>
No. 403297 ID: 299ed3

>>403280
Wouldn't it be a lot easier to send her on a one-way ticket to the sun?
>>
No. 403301 ID: b6edd6

>>403288
It is visual residue from all the GRIMDARK.
>>
No. 403384 ID: 5ff573

I get that you can't reason with Rokoa at the moment but the salikai are suspicious as hell. Whether or not the photos of your home are legit the salikai are using you. Just like the humans threatening Rokoa's hive you are being encouraged to fight in order to prevent you from interfering in whatever is going on in the facility. Can you set aside any time during the next 3 weeks to find out what the endgame of any of the salikai is?
>>
No. 403526 ID: 9cd02a

Maybe it's time for a Rikek adventure! Since he is the only one that might actually care what the salikai are up to.
Come on Rikek it's your time to shine!
>>
No. 403543 ID: bccf7b

>>403301

I think it's starting to leak out of the monitor
>>
No. 403550 ID: a2fa74

>>403297
She'd just show up in the cafeteria at the same temperature as the sun.
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