A Conjuror's journey
Vicjer
The One Who Knows Less Than Nothing
- Location
- The Space Between Spaces
If we did have any such obligation, that ship sailed a long time ago.
- Location
- Canada
[X] Autopsies and Interrogations!
[X] Weapons research with Vahlen.
[X] Create potions
-[x] brew 2 magica elixirs an a potion of cure disease
[X] Weapons research with Vahlen.
[X] Create potions
-[x] brew 2 magica elixirs an a potion of cure disease
Wow Science Such X-com Much Research
PieceThruWar
Not an eldritch abomination
- Location
- The Server Farm
April 15th 2015
Looking up from the reports piled on his desk, Jeremy nodded to the newest interruption in his schedule. "How can I help you, Raymond?"
"My apologies, Commander, but I felt I should make this proposal in person." The Asian man announced as he took a seat in front of the desk. At the commander's nod, he continued. "Dr. Vahlen's team, Cynric, and I have been collaborating on reverse engineering the plasma rifle and various weapons fragments that the team recovered. I don't know what O'brian put in his report, but we don't have enough Elerium to produce any more rifles without a bulky back-mounted power supply that would be terribly inefficient."
Raising an eyebrow, Flagg replies, "Not a chance in hell I'd send something like that into the field with our current numbers. I assume you've got a solution?"
"Indeed." Shen says with a grin. "Before leaving to teach his apprentice, Cynric and I were discussing possible power sources. We believe that we can create a weapon that will remain powered indefinitely... as long as the wielder kills his target."
Leaning forward, Flagg raised a brow. "Magic?"
With a nod, Shen used his datapad to pull up a schematic. "Yes sir, two enchantments to convert the enemy's life-force to electricity and a bit of tinkering to produce a system that can rapidly store the generated energy. We would need to provide an initial charge, but it would otherwise be self-sufficent and no larger than our standard issue machine gun."
"Approved. Modify it for a shoulder mount and either give it some penetration power or increase area of effect as much as possible. It's only a matter of time before the aliens roll out some armor and I want our guys to have a way to take it down."
As the engineer leaves the room, Flagg picks up another report. Apparently the Wizard brutalized and captured a woman that was making a deal with the alien infiltrator. Vahlen was currently interrogating the injured woman about whatever organization she belongs to and it wasn't going well. The doctor had already prevented the prisoner from using a cynaide capsule. "Another complication... just what we needed."
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Since her teens, Emogene Granger had had a bleak outlook on the world. Her dad had seen to it that she knew the depths humans would sink to and it was a lesson she took to heart. She didn't hate him for the things he showed her, the skills he brought back from the war that no child should experience firsthand. She could hit a moving target at two hundred meters, make a man betray his darkest secrets and confess to crimes he didn't commit, and booby-trap a house thoroughly enough to delay a small army.
Emogene was ten when her dad died and the cops that shot him pawned her off on some sickeningly 'normal' family, she spent a long time in shock, just going through life on autopilot. The Marsh parents doted on her and her adoptive sister Sarah tried to get her to 'act like a normal girl', but it was all wasted effort. After a while, the Marsh's backyard became her refuge from the strange people who kept trying to capture her in an unusual attack that she later learned was called a hug. Dragging her lavender and lace bedsheets through the mud and bushes made decent camouflage, the fancy new Macintosh Performa that they bought for her eleventh birthday was stripped for wiring to electrify the door to the toolshed she slept underneath, and the fence-line became a series of punji pits.
When her new family told her that the man she called her dad wasn't really her dad, that her last name wasn't even actually Granger, she refused to believe them. Obviously they wanted her to hate her dad so they could replace him. When they showed her the paper that had pictures of her dad and said he was a kidnapper, she punched Mr. Marsh in the throat. When they had a cop tell her that her dad killed her real parents, she didn't come out from under the shed for a week. She still didn't hate her dad for that, she simply wanted them to stop saying bad things about him. How could she hate someone for giving her what she needed to survive this long? Bad things happen, good people are a myth, and a girl needs to bite and claw every bit of value out of life before she dies a meaningless death.
The only reason she even came out at all was because Sarah's dog fell in one of the pits and she needed to cover it before someone found out where it was and made it useless. Of course, she was caught before she finished. The dog was pretty loud.
The Mr. and Mrs. Marsh weren't happy about her security measures. Mrs. Marsh almost never left her alone after that. The next five years were nothing but speech classes, piano recitals, clothes shopping, and all manner of useless ways to waste her days. It took a long time to come to terms with her new life and she fought it as hard as she could, but eventually they managed to break her will. Emogene Granger reluctantly became a socially acceptable little girl... if a bit rough around the edges.
At sixteen, she decided to follow in her dad's footsteps and ran away to join the Royal Marines. It didn't work out. Not only was she under aged, but the wrong gender as well. In the end, she found herself in the company of a mercenary group and headed to South America. Living in the jungle was everything her dad had said and more. The sticky feeling of the air, the constant drone of insects, big cats stalking you in the night, the constant threat of death by both man and nature. She was in her element, but not all of her comrades felt the same. It was in that jungle that Granger learned to lead.
Of course, a few years later and an American in a suit hired her to kill aliens. Her merc group was all new blood anyway, none of those before her had survived Colombia, so she accepted. The pay was good enough to hear them out, even if they were crazy... she'd just kill them all if it was a trap.
The one thing Granger hadn't expected upon joining was that she would be entering a world of magic and miracles, but that's what she found. A voluptuous witch seducing the personnel into helping her raise fantastical beasts, the boss ordering her to babysit a magical commando teenager with a bad attitude that enjoys dismantling base security and using invisibility to pick on everyone else, and an old wizard regrowing her incinerated hips.
"Enjoying the show, magic man?" She asked with her best attempt at a sultry smile.
Through the golden glow in his hands, she watches the wizard shrug. "I do so love looking at burnt gristle. Should not the pain relieving chemicals be making you keep quiet?" He asks, flipping her over onto her front.
"Nah, I'm used to it. You should have seen when they removed a bullet from my leg the first time... Don't try climbing a tree on morphine, the sleepiness sneaks up on you." She snickers.
"Why do I have to be here?" The most hated girl on base asks from her seat by the door. "I thought you were going to teach me that muffle spell, not flirt with a commoner."
A single finger raised in the girl's direction, Emogene replies, "The Commander says I have to supervise your lessons, tiny."
"Tiny?!" The midget growls, pulling her sword out. "How dare you! I'll have your head, you filthy animal!"
Without warning, the girl is lifted into the air and pushed against the wall, her eyes wide in surprise. "Do not waste my time, Louise. If I spend time healing someone, you would do well by not immediately killing them."
"B-b-but master..." she whines, her lip quivering. Emogene watches in amazement as the stuck up girl that watched men get torn apart practically falls apart at a little harsh treatment. If only she had a camera.
"No." The old man says sternly, preempting whatever she was going to say. "You will not kill our allies over such a mild insult. In fact, you will finish healing Ms. Granger while I watch."
Between the angry grumbling and magical mumbo-jumbo, Emogene could hardly understand anything they said for the next few hours of healing and lessons. Her hips and accompanying parts were healed with only a minor problem of a third leg trying to grow from her tailbone, the pink brat forgot about her presence once the lesson started, and everything was back to boring routine.
Now if only the girl wouldn't give her such a malicious grin.
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Looking between the assembled trio, Flagg ignored the cursing woman and asked the only thing he could. "What the fuck is wrong with you people?"
Neither Cynric or Louise said anything, while everything Granger said was useless. Jeremy Flagg took Spanish class, not French.
Choose 1 activity before the next mission:
[] Ditch these people and take the girls through the Oblivion Gate.
[] Louise POV of hanging with the Heavies.
[] Summon random being from a 'nearby' realm for a chance at power and/or aid: 1/6 chance of a spider, a cow, a bird, a lizard, a cat,a snake.
[] Write in.
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A/N: +2 Magicka Elixers. + 1 Cure Disease Potion. The research reports are mostly from X-com:EU/EW, I modified them somewhat and made original material where needed. Louise attempted Muffle on Granger... she failed.
This amazing material's most salient feature is its versatility. In early testing, we were able to devise several methods that allow for direct manipulation of the Meld substance and its physio-chemical properties. While searching our records for any references to a material with similar properties, I uncovered a number of redacted data stores created in the 1960s, but much of that information appears to be lost. In any case, the advances we've made should allow for a wide range of applications in the fields of genetic modification and cybernetic enhancement, although we will need to build dedicated facilities to enable these potential research pathways. It is probable that the invaders are more familiar with Meld than we are, and may already be fielding combat elements that take full advantage of its capabilities.
Our interrogation of the small alien captive was a learning experience for all parties involved. Although traditionally an interrogation would imply a discussion of sorts, perhaps under coercion, that possibility was out of the question given these unique circumstances. We were instead forced to undertake a more aggressive approach, namely, through a series of invasive cranial probes inserted into the subject's prefrontal cortex.
By interpreting the captive's responses to various stimuli, we were able to discern a great deal of information... more so than I had originally anticipated. Although it seemed to have little understanding of the various modifications it had been subjected to at some point in the past, we did garner some information relating to the aliens miniaturized implants and power cells used in their weaponry. We've already begun analyzing this data for possible incorporation into future advanced weapons prototypes, including several power-intensive beam weapons.
The 'wizard' claims to have trapped the captive's 'soul' prior to termination and is awaiting a proper translation of the alien's language. While skeptical of the entire idea of magic and souls, I must confess that alternate realities where such things are possible may exist if the theories on an infinite number of universes are correct. Whether the man can do as he suggests is uncertain, but many in the labs remain cautiously optimistic in light of his demonstrated abilities so far.
By interpreting the captive's responses to various stimuli, we were able to discern a great deal of information... more so than I had originally anticipated. Although it seemed to have little understanding of the various modifications it had been subjected to at some point in the past, we did garner some information relating to the aliens miniaturized implants and power cells used in their weaponry. We've already begun analyzing this data for possible incorporation into future advanced weapons prototypes, including several power-intensive beam weapons.
The 'wizard' claims to have trapped the captive's 'soul' prior to termination and is awaiting a proper translation of the alien's language. While skeptical of the entire idea of magic and souls, I must confess that alternate realities where such things are possible may exist if the theories on an infinite number of universes are correct. Whether the man can do as he suggests is uncertain, but many in the labs remain cautiously optimistic in light of his demonstrated abilities so far.
We've made a number of interesting discoveries based on the autopsy results of the alien specimen you brought back. The research team is now referring to this particular variation as a "Sectoid," based on the unusual structure of its internal organs, which we believe to be the product of genetic manipulation. As we've seen in the field, this species also seems to harbor some sort of telepathic ability.
We've found no discernible genetic variance between any of the small humanoid aliens that have been examined thus far. They are perfect genetic copies, each and every one of them. The subject's brain is quite sizable with respect to its body, and appears to have been augmented even further with cybernetic implants of some kind. Considering the... fragile nature of this creatures physical form, it is safe to assume that these implants were intended to somehow improve the combat effectiveness of the species. Dr. Shen and the engineering team have already developed several theories as to how we might be able to adapt these implants for our own use.
Dr. Vahlen's Personal Note: Cloning, genetic manipulation, biomedical implants... the implications of this technology and the alien's motives are not reassuring.
We've found no discernible genetic variance between any of the small humanoid aliens that have been examined thus far. They are perfect genetic copies, each and every one of them. The subject's brain is quite sizable with respect to its body, and appears to have been augmented even further with cybernetic implants of some kind. Considering the... fragile nature of this creatures physical form, it is safe to assume that these implants were intended to somehow improve the combat effectiveness of the species. Dr. Shen and the engineering team have already developed several theories as to how we might be able to adapt these implants for our own use.
Dr. Vahlen's Personal Note: Cloning, genetic manipulation, biomedical implants... the implications of this technology and the alien's motives are not reassuring.
The subject's external appearance is that of a Caucasian male. I would guess its age to be approximately 35 years old, although it's quite likely this is an artificial effect intentionally affixed by the aliens. The specimen is roughly two meters in height, and weighs just over 80 kilograms. Despite its outward appearance, upon dissection, the creature's unique organ and bone structure is revealed to be distinctly alien in nature. The subject's bones are segmented, rather like the vertebrae of a serpent. This segmented structure appears to give the creature a spectacular range of motion in combat. It is possible, through our own genetic modification program, that we may be able to replicate the unique connective tissues that allow for this remarkable flexibility. If successful, our soldiers could see drastic improvements in their own physical mobility and resilience.
A large portion of the specimen's thoracic cavity is devoted to enormous glands capable of producing a toxin that is then expelled via ducts with considerable force. After a thorough chemical analysis of the subject's venom, we've theorized that it could be used as a powerful disinfectant to treat our soldiers injuries in the field. Dr. Shen is working to develop a means to integrate this substance into our existing Medikits for future deployment.
A large portion of the specimen's thoracic cavity is devoted to enormous glands capable of producing a toxin that is then expelled via ducts with considerable force. After a thorough chemical analysis of the subject's venom, we've theorized that it could be used as a powerful disinfectant to treat our soldiers injuries in the field. Dr. Shen is working to develop a means to integrate this substance into our existing Medikits for future deployment.
Even after years of research and study, until now I have never encountered something that is quite as beautiful, yet equally as deadly, as this species. Unlike the other aliens we've encountered thus far, it is arthropodal in nature, plated in a sleek, black exoskeleton. The "Chryssalids", as we're calling them, based on their reproductive habits, measure over three meters long from nose to tail, and stand almost two meters high when perched on their hind legs. Their attack is not only extremely deadly, but also necessary for their reproduction, as the intended victim is not immediately killed, but instead turned into what can only be described as a mindless shell, akin to a Zombie, which serves as host to its offspring. When a human is bitten an embryo is injected into the host and immediately begins to gestate. Once gestation is complete, which remarkably lasts only minutes, a newborn Chryssalid will emerge, destroying its host in the process.
One can only wonder why the aliens would use what appears to be a savage, unpredictable creature... in any case, this is certainly not a creature to be trifled with, and our troops would do well to exercise extreme caution when engaging this species.
One final note, which may be of particular interest in regards to our own genetic modification enhancement work - we have finally managed to isolate the Chryssalid exoskeleton's sensory capabilities, and they were in fact electroreceptors as I had initially suspected. It is my hope that we can use this discovery to enhance our soldiers' own abilities in regards to sensing and detecting enemy movement in the field.
Grand Sorcerer Cynric's personal note: On the subject of zombies, I have much experience in the field of necromancy. While the chryssalid's unusual method of reproduction could be viewed as gruesome, it is also bears potential that I believe we could make use of. I would like your scientists to modify some of the chaurus* to share this unique capability, with your permission of course.
One can only wonder why the aliens would use what appears to be a savage, unpredictable creature... in any case, this is certainly not a creature to be trifled with, and our troops would do well to exercise extreme caution when engaging this species.
One final note, which may be of particular interest in regards to our own genetic modification enhancement work - we have finally managed to isolate the Chryssalid exoskeleton's sensory capabilities, and they were in fact electroreceptors as I had initially suspected. It is my hope that we can use this discovery to enhance our soldiers' own abilities in regards to sensing and detecting enemy movement in the field.
Grand Sorcerer Cynric's personal note: On the subject of zombies, I have much experience in the field of necromancy. While the chryssalid's unusual method of reproduction could be viewed as gruesome, it is also bears potential that I believe we could make use of. I would like your scientists to modify some of the chaurus* to share this unique capability, with your permission of course.
The creatures known asChaurus are a species of subterranean arthropod of otherworldly origin. Brought through the dimensional portal by Cattleya Valliere, the two dozen chaurus around the base started life as eggs that remained dormant until receiving moisture. While this is common among Earth arthropods as a means for the offspring to know when spring has arrived, the chaurus are unusual in size, as a hatchling is as large as the average ferret and they only get larger from their. The chaurus possesses a barbed exoskeleton, projectile venom that is corrosive enough to eat through leather in minutes, and a growth rate that is only limited by the amount of food available.
Lying somewhere between Hemimetabolism and Holometabolism, these creatures grow up to the size of a Rhinoceros and at that stage are known as Chaurus Reapers for their looming black figure and scythe-like mandibles. While that is the stage that they become sexually active and capable of laying eggs, not all chaurus grow to become reapers. After the population reaches a certain size, some enter the chrysalis stage to emerge as a winged variant that possesses mantid-like forelimbs in addition to the venom of their previous form. Though the flying form is called the 'chaurus hunter', our resident experts claim this form is actually meant to carry eggs as far as possible to further the species spread.
Perhaps more frightening than both their reproductive rate and natural weapons is their intelligence. The specimen brought into the lab by Miss Valliere demonstrated an understanding of verbal commands, facial recognition skills, basic addition, and could recognize it's own reflection. Thankfully the creatures appear to be mentally similar to canines in temperament and have a startling capacity to learn.
Smart, loyal, tough, and naturally skilled at both creating and fighting in tunnels; it is possible that these animals would make an excellent 'K-9' component to our forces if properly imprinted and trained. If our troops should ever need to combat a chaurus prior to it's fragile hunter form, it is recommended to use a sturdy blade between it's armored plates, as the exoskeleton is surprisingly resilient to crushing force.
Lying somewhere between Hemimetabolism and Holometabolism, these creatures grow up to the size of a Rhinoceros and at that stage are known as Chaurus Reapers for their looming black figure and scythe-like mandibles. While that is the stage that they become sexually active and capable of laying eggs, not all chaurus grow to become reapers. After the population reaches a certain size, some enter the chrysalis stage to emerge as a winged variant that possesses mantid-like forelimbs in addition to the venom of their previous form. Though the flying form is called the 'chaurus hunter', our resident experts claim this form is actually meant to carry eggs as far as possible to further the species spread.
Perhaps more frightening than both their reproductive rate and natural weapons is their intelligence. The specimen brought into the lab by Miss Valliere demonstrated an understanding of verbal commands, facial recognition skills, basic addition, and could recognize it's own reflection. Thankfully the creatures appear to be mentally similar to canines in temperament and have a startling capacity to learn.
Smart, loyal, tough, and naturally skilled at both creating and fighting in tunnels; it is possible that these animals would make an excellent 'K-9' component to our forces if properly imprinted and trained. If our troops should ever need to combat a chaurus prior to it's fragile hunter form, it is recommended to use a sturdy blade between it's armored plates, as the exoskeleton is surprisingly resilient to crushing force.
While we have yet to gain a complete understanding of the alien plasma weapon our radialogically challenged friend recovered from the field, we have managed to make some adjustments on it after studying how it functions. We have modified the casing to ensure that the armaments we develop in this style are suitable to the firing positions our troops are accustomed to... if the weapon doesn't conform to human ergonomic standards, our troops certainly won't be able to fire it effectively. As a result of our efforts to reduce the weapon's weight, we've noted a substantial improvement in the overall accuracy of this rifle. In addition to manufacturing these new lightweight plasma rifles, we can also apply this approach to modify any plasma rifles captured in the field.
It took an extensive effort by the research team to reduce the considerable mass of the larger alien plasma rifle. By replacing the outer frame components with composite materials, we've managed to substantially reduce the weight, without compromising the weapon's power output or accuracy. These reductions did coincide with the added heft of a larger power supply, but we still managed to net an overall reduction of several kilograms. The substantial increases in firing rate and overall damage output versus our other prototype variants also required some additional modifications to the integrated Elerium power cell.
The end result of this work is a highly advanced, mobile plasma discharge weapon that improves on nearly all aspects of the conventional X-9 rifle. I believe the engineering team is now on standby to begin production of this weapon at your discretion, given the proper supplies of course. Unfortunately, we have yet to synthesize either the Elerium or the alloys used in it's construction and will be forced to rely on captured materials until we do. Any alien rifles recovered from the field can also be modified for our own use following the techniques we've developed.
It took an extensive effort by the research team to reduce the considerable mass of the larger alien plasma rifle. By replacing the outer frame components with composite materials, we've managed to substantially reduce the weight, without compromising the weapon's power output or accuracy. These reductions did coincide with the added heft of a larger power supply, but we still managed to net an overall reduction of several kilograms. The substantial increases in firing rate and overall damage output versus our other prototype variants also required some additional modifications to the integrated Elerium power cell.
The end result of this work is a highly advanced, mobile plasma discharge weapon that improves on nearly all aspects of the conventional X-9 rifle. I believe the engineering team is now on standby to begin production of this weapon at your discretion, given the proper supplies of course. Unfortunately, we have yet to synthesize either the Elerium or the alloys used in it's construction and will be forced to rely on captured materials until we do. Any alien rifles recovered from the field can also be modified for our own use following the techniques we've developed.
The subject appears, for all intents and purposes, to be a genetically perfect human. No signs of disease, aging, or the expected damage that accumulates through a lifetime of 'wear and tear'. Under intensive DNA analysis, we were unable to find a genetic cause for the subjects abnormalities. Our findings indicate that the subject should have the appearance of an brunette male, to say nothing of the retroreflectors located behind the retinas of it's slitted eyes.
Though all of it's organs seem to work and combat footage gives proof that it was alive, nothing about the cadaver makes any sense. The blood functions in complete disregard for known biology; hemoglobin spontaneously generating helium, frictionless platelets, plasma shifting into the wrong type of plasma and back at random. One of the researchers almost lost a finger when the subject's pancreas attempted to flee and we are unable to cleanse the operating theater of it's new Limburger scent.
When the man responsible for the arrival of this 'Golden Saint' was asked for input on these maddening discrepancies, he was both condescending and unhelpful. We intend to continue our investigation on the subject with what remains after Tyne removed several organs for unknown purposes.
Dr. Vahlen's Personal Note: Though the temptation of curing all genetic disease is high, it is my recommendation that we refrain from such attempts until the subject's chaotic biochemistry is sufficiently understood.
Though all of it's organs seem to work and combat footage gives proof that it was alive, nothing about the cadaver makes any sense. The blood functions in complete disregard for known biology; hemoglobin spontaneously generating helium, frictionless platelets, plasma shifting into the wrong type of plasma and back at random. One of the researchers almost lost a finger when the subject's pancreas attempted to flee and we are unable to cleanse the operating theater of it's new Limburger scent.
When the man responsible for the arrival of this 'Golden Saint' was asked for input on these maddening discrepancies, he was both condescending and unhelpful. We intend to continue our investigation on the subject with what remains after Tyne removed several organs for unknown purposes.
Dr. Vahlen's Personal Note: Though the temptation of curing all genetic disease is high, it is my recommendation that we refrain from such attempts until the subject's chaotic biochemistry is sufficiently understood.
We have stumbled upon a disturbing discovery while studying one of the alien artifacts recovered by our combat team. Unlike the orange liquid in the other canisters, I am afraid this object holds nothing positive for our species.
Cracking open the outer casing and removing the power source to deactivate what appears to be a short range beam weapon/tractor beam, we found a highly pressurized container buried deep within. The contents have been tested and we now know where the town's inhabitants disappeared to. The population of approximately two thousand was herded toward these machines to be rendered down into a thick genetic soup. Footage of the town shows several areas where such devices were likely located before the invaders moved them back to wherever they are basing their operations from.
Though we do not know why they are doing this, the very idea of what may be in store for our species is only made worse by what we have previously learned of their capabilities. These aliens, with their superior knowledge of genetic manipulation, are distilling the very essence of humanity for some mysterious goal. Are we to face the same treatment as the sectoids or does some more terrible fate lurk in our future?
Cracking open the outer casing and removing the power source to deactivate what appears to be a short range beam weapon/tractor beam, we found a highly pressurized container buried deep within. The contents have been tested and we now know where the town's inhabitants disappeared to. The population of approximately two thousand was herded toward these machines to be rendered down into a thick genetic soup. Footage of the town shows several areas where such devices were likely located before the invaders moved them back to wherever they are basing their operations from.
Though we do not know why they are doing this, the very idea of what may be in store for our species is only made worse by what we have previously learned of their capabilities. These aliens, with their superior knowledge of genetic manipulation, are distilling the very essence of humanity for some mysterious goal. Are we to face the same treatment as the sectoids or does some more terrible fate lurk in our future?
"My apologies, Commander, but I felt I should make this proposal in person." The Asian man announced as he took a seat in front of the desk. At the commander's nod, he continued. "Dr. Vahlen's team, Cynric, and I have been collaborating on reverse engineering the plasma rifle and various weapons fragments that the team recovered. I don't know what O'brian put in his report, but we don't have enough Elerium to produce any more rifles without a bulky back-mounted power supply that would be terribly inefficient."
Raising an eyebrow, Flagg replies, "Not a chance in hell I'd send something like that into the field with our current numbers. I assume you've got a solution?"
"Indeed." Shen says with a grin. "Before leaving to teach his apprentice, Cynric and I were discussing possible power sources. We believe that we can create a weapon that will remain powered indefinitely... as long as the wielder kills his target."
Leaning forward, Flagg raised a brow. "Magic?"
With a nod, Shen used his datapad to pull up a schematic. "Yes sir, two enchantments to convert the enemy's life-force to electricity and a bit of tinkering to produce a system that can rapidly store the generated energy. We would need to provide an initial charge, but it would otherwise be self-sufficent and no larger than our standard issue machine gun."
"Approved. Modify it for a shoulder mount and either give it some penetration power or increase area of effect as much as possible. It's only a matter of time before the aliens roll out some armor and I want our guys to have a way to take it down."
As the engineer leaves the room, Flagg picks up another report. Apparently the Wizard brutalized and captured a woman that was making a deal with the alien infiltrator. Vahlen was currently interrogating the injured woman about whatever organization she belongs to and it wasn't going well. The doctor had already prevented the prisoner from using a cynaide capsule. "Another complication... just what we needed."
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Since her teens, Emogene Granger had had a bleak outlook on the world. Her dad had seen to it that she knew the depths humans would sink to and it was a lesson she took to heart. She didn't hate him for the things he showed her, the skills he brought back from the war that no child should experience firsthand. She could hit a moving target at two hundred meters, make a man betray his darkest secrets and confess to crimes he didn't commit, and booby-trap a house thoroughly enough to delay a small army.
Emogene was ten when her dad died and the cops that shot him pawned her off on some sickeningly 'normal' family, she spent a long time in shock, just going through life on autopilot. The Marsh parents doted on her and her adoptive sister Sarah tried to get her to 'act like a normal girl', but it was all wasted effort. After a while, the Marsh's backyard became her refuge from the strange people who kept trying to capture her in an unusual attack that she later learned was called a hug. Dragging her lavender and lace bedsheets through the mud and bushes made decent camouflage, the fancy new Macintosh Performa that they bought for her eleventh birthday was stripped for wiring to electrify the door to the toolshed she slept underneath, and the fence-line became a series of punji pits.
When her new family told her that the man she called her dad wasn't really her dad, that her last name wasn't even actually Granger, she refused to believe them. Obviously they wanted her to hate her dad so they could replace him. When they showed her the paper that had pictures of her dad and said he was a kidnapper, she punched Mr. Marsh in the throat. When they had a cop tell her that her dad killed her real parents, she didn't come out from under the shed for a week. She still didn't hate her dad for that, she simply wanted them to stop saying bad things about him. How could she hate someone for giving her what she needed to survive this long? Bad things happen, good people are a myth, and a girl needs to bite and claw every bit of value out of life before she dies a meaningless death.
The only reason she even came out at all was because Sarah's dog fell in one of the pits and she needed to cover it before someone found out where it was and made it useless. Of course, she was caught before she finished. The dog was pretty loud.
The Mr. and Mrs. Marsh weren't happy about her security measures. Mrs. Marsh almost never left her alone after that. The next five years were nothing but speech classes, piano recitals, clothes shopping, and all manner of useless ways to waste her days. It took a long time to come to terms with her new life and she fought it as hard as she could, but eventually they managed to break her will. Emogene Granger reluctantly became a socially acceptable little girl... if a bit rough around the edges.
At sixteen, she decided to follow in her dad's footsteps and ran away to join the Royal Marines. It didn't work out. Not only was she under aged, but the wrong gender as well. In the end, she found herself in the company of a mercenary group and headed to South America. Living in the jungle was everything her dad had said and more. The sticky feeling of the air, the constant drone of insects, big cats stalking you in the night, the constant threat of death by both man and nature. She was in her element, but not all of her comrades felt the same. It was in that jungle that Granger learned to lead.
Of course, a few years later and an American in a suit hired her to kill aliens. Her merc group was all new blood anyway, none of those before her had survived Colombia, so she accepted. The pay was good enough to hear them out, even if they were crazy... she'd just kill them all if it was a trap.
The one thing Granger hadn't expected upon joining was that she would be entering a world of magic and miracles, but that's what she found. A voluptuous witch seducing the personnel into helping her raise fantastical beasts, the boss ordering her to babysit a magical commando teenager with a bad attitude that enjoys dismantling base security and using invisibility to pick on everyone else, and an old wizard regrowing her incinerated hips.
"Enjoying the show, magic man?" She asked with her best attempt at a sultry smile.
Through the golden glow in his hands, she watches the wizard shrug. "I do so love looking at burnt gristle. Should not the pain relieving chemicals be making you keep quiet?" He asks, flipping her over onto her front.
"Nah, I'm used to it. You should have seen when they removed a bullet from my leg the first time... Don't try climbing a tree on morphine, the sleepiness sneaks up on you." She snickers.
"Why do I have to be here?" The most hated girl on base asks from her seat by the door. "I thought you were going to teach me that muffle spell, not flirt with a commoner."
A single finger raised in the girl's direction, Emogene replies, "The Commander says I have to supervise your lessons, tiny."
"Tiny?!" The midget growls, pulling her sword out. "How dare you! I'll have your head, you filthy animal!"
Without warning, the girl is lifted into the air and pushed against the wall, her eyes wide in surprise. "Do not waste my time, Louise. If I spend time healing someone, you would do well by not immediately killing them."
"B-b-but master..." she whines, her lip quivering. Emogene watches in amazement as the stuck up girl that watched men get torn apart practically falls apart at a little harsh treatment. If only she had a camera.
"No." The old man says sternly, preempting whatever she was going to say. "You will not kill our allies over such a mild insult. In fact, you will finish healing Ms. Granger while I watch."
Between the angry grumbling and magical mumbo-jumbo, Emogene could hardly understand anything they said for the next few hours of healing and lessons. Her hips and accompanying parts were healed with only a minor problem of a third leg trying to grow from her tailbone, the pink brat forgot about her presence once the lesson started, and everything was back to boring routine.
Now if only the girl wouldn't give her such a malicious grin.
-------------------------------------
Looking between the assembled trio, Flagg ignored the cursing woman and asked the only thing he could. "What the fuck is wrong with you people?"
Neither Cynric or Louise said anything, while everything Granger said was useless. Jeremy Flagg took Spanish class, not French.
Choose 1 activity before the next mission:
[] Ditch these people and take the girls through the Oblivion Gate.
[] Louise POV of hanging with the Heavies.
[] Summon random being from a 'nearby' realm for a chance at power and/or aid: 1/6 chance of a spider, a cow, a bird, a lizard, a cat,a snake.
[] Write in.
-------------------------------------------------
A/N: +2 Magicka Elixers. + 1 Cure Disease Potion. The research reports are mostly from X-com:EU/EW, I modified them somewhat and made original material where needed. Louise attempted Muffle on Granger... she failed.
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- Location
- St. Petersburg
Oh Cynric, how I love your rationales.
[x] Louise POV of hanging with the Heavies.
Muffle is only a silencing spell, right? What does a failure result in?
What exactly did we propose for Chaurus modification? Zombifying chaurus, or self-replicating like Chryssalids?
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Vicjer
The One Who Knows Less Than Nothing
- Location
- The Space Between Spaces
[X] Louise POV of hanging with the Heavies.
-[X] While Cynric attempts to summon a random being from a 'nearby' realm for a chance at power and/or aid: 1/6 chance of a spider, a cow, a bird, a lizard, a cat,a snake.
Because I really want to see how this inevitable clusterfuck looks from the outside.
-[X] While Cynric attempts to summon a random being from a 'nearby' realm for a chance at power and/or aid: 1/6 chance of a spider, a cow, a bird, a lizard, a cat,a snake.
Because I really want to see how this inevitable clusterfuck looks from the outside.
PieceThruWar
Not an eldritch abomination
- Location
- The Server Farm
The same thing that happened when she messed up a silencing spell on Saito in canon, permanent French.
Giving chaurus the ability to reproduce via zombies like chryssalids.
Pandemonious Ivy
Panties, Revolution. Big Drawers. Parachute.
[X] Ditch these people and take the girls through the Oblivion Gate.
I had a chance at a Dark Souls Quest, damn it. I'm not giving it up that easily!
I had a chance at a Dark Souls Quest, damn it. I'm not giving it up that easily!
- Location
- Finland
[X] Ditch these people and take the girls through the Oblivion Gate.
Random first vote because while this is one of the funniest and most entertaining TES or ZnT fics/quests I've read in a while (and very unique to boot), I really dislike X-com or whatever sci-fi setting this was..
Random first vote because while this is one of the funniest and most entertaining TES or ZnT fics/quests I've read in a while (and very unique to boot), I really dislike X-com or whatever sci-fi setting this was..
ChildishChimera
A umbran summon
- Location
- New York
[X] Louise POV of hanging with the Heavies.
-[X] While Cynric attempts to summon a random being from a 'nearby' realm for a chance at power and/or aid: 1/6 chance of a spider, a cow, a bird, a lizard, a cat,a snake.
-[X] While Cynric attempts to summon a random being from a 'nearby' realm for a chance at power and/or aid: 1/6 chance of a spider, a cow, a bird, a lizard, a cat,a snake.
- Location
- Sweden
[X] Louise POV of hanging with the Heavies.
-[X] While Cynric attempts to summon a random being from a 'nearby' realm for a chance at power and/or aid: 1/6 chance of a spider, a cow, a bird, a lizard, a cat,a snake.
-[X] While Cynric attempts to summon a random being from a 'nearby' realm for a chance at power and/or aid: 1/6 chance of a spider, a cow, a bird, a lizard, a cat,a snake.
- Location
- Canada
[X] Ditch these people and take the girls through the Oblivion Gate.
PieceThruWar
Not an eldritch abomination
- Location
- The Server Farm
If nothing else, I do try to make my stories unique. Given the decisions that have been made previously, I'm kind of surprised you guys didn't just loot the base and leave, doomimg Earth to alien rule.
ChildishChimera
A umbran summon
- Location
- New York
But all the free alien tech though and school's built in our name to honour us the wise old man the brought literal magic and killed the Invaders. Plus We should start a cult before we leave
Cynric And Karin, Excellent Role Models
PieceThruWar
Not an eldritch abomination
- Location
- The Server Farm
It isn't fair.
Stabbing her wand toward a distant silhouette, the youngest Vallière grimaced as her spell missed it's target and collapsed a brick wall onto the simulated enemy. On one side of the large room was series of lanes with circular targets and the other was crafted into some form of village center with fake people. One of the people popped up in a window and she slashed at it, hitting two windows to the right. She was a bit distracted after the recent lectures she'd received for her most recent scholastic failure.
Stupid master, scolding me for making more work for him. Stupid commoners, thinking they have the right to reprimand me. Stupid Cattleya, never around when I need her anymore. Stupid me, making another stupid mistake. Stupid. Stupid! STUPID!
Blasting apart another squad of paper soldiers when she missed and hit the ground between them, Louise growled and threw her sword. So what if she forced a stupid commoner to speak a more civilized language. Maybe if the woman had learned the proper way to address her betters, this wouldn't have happened. They should really be thanking her for being merciful, not lecturing her. The sword bounced off the wall and clattered to the floor.
"You okay, chica?" Startled while bending down to pick it up, Louise swung the blade at the person who appeared behind her. The figure shouted in alarm and fell backward, giving her time to recognize the man. "Oi! Same side, loco!"
Sheathing her weapon, the Vallière girl crossed her arms as she looked down at Espinoza's startled face. Irritated at being snuck up on, she forcefully asked, "What do you want?"
"Just checking up on how our newest Heavy's doing." He replied, climbing to his feet with a smile. Ignoring the girl's tightening grip on her sword, he made a beckoning motion toward the doorway, causing a nervous looking blonde woman to shuffle into the room. "Lou-lou, this is Carrie Weston. Carrie, meet Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière, the newest member of our little club."
Absently nodding to the blonde woman's mumbled greeting, Louise wondered how the man knew or even remembered her full name. Nobody but her family and teachers ever bother to- Wait a moment. "Stop calling me weird names!" She commands the tanned man.
"My apologies, m'lady. I shall refrain from addressing you by your name." He said with a mock bow as the other woman looked on with a fearful expression.
Stomping on his foot, she reached up to grab his shirt and pull him to eye level. "You know what I mean, dog." She growled menacingly at the big grinning idiot, pushing him away with minimal result now that he's recovered from the surprise attack.
"Ok, Ok... Easy Princesa!" He laughed. "C'mon chica, it was just a joke between friends, no need to get so worked up about it."
Bristling at such a bold assumption, Louise glared at the man and sparks began to arc from her blade. "Friends? For a commoner, you have quite the nerve if you think you can make such a declaration without my consent. The Noble family of Vallière traces it's lineage back six thousand years, to the very man who introduced our people to magic... and for a lowly dog such as yourself t-to claim my family's protection in this way..." By now, the Weston woman has retreated to the doorway once more to avoid the miniature thunderstorm emanating from the pinkette.
Pika!
If I kill him, I'll get in trouble.
Pika Pika!
I- Yes, but master Cynric says we need them.
PIKACHU?!
Research or something, I don't know!
"I-I'm sure he d-d-didn't mean to offend." Carrie's concerned stuttering snapped Louise out of her thoughts and the storm recedes. Twisting around to look at the frightened woman, who ducks back into the corridor with a squeak, the Vallière girl sheathed her sword with a huff.
It's not like killing him would help anything anyway... Master would probably lecture me about wasting resources or something.
From where he had pressed himself against the wall, Espinoza shakily approached her once again. "Er... yeah, none intended... just a cultural thing I guess. Sorry."
"Fine." She sighed, looking between the two commoners. Gesturing to the twitchy woman outside, Louise raised an eyebrow and smirked at finally managing to do it in the same superior manner as her master. "Is she really a soldier?"
With a sigh of his own, the man leaned in to whisper in her ear, only flinching slightly at Louise's warning glare. "Yeah, one of the nicest and toughest people I've known, but... She's been a bit on edge since the rest of her team died... Can't really blame her."
"What happened?" Louise asked, intrigued at what could have broken someone so thoroughly.
He didn't answer immediately and the silence began to grow a bit awkward. "It... it was bad. Probably worse than the original Strike One's mission." Glancing guiltily at the woman as she muffles a shriek when a technician brushes past her, Espinoza continued, "Halfway through the mission, the skyranger that was providing visual to the commander was shot down. Since we don't have any satellites over a lot of countries, the alien pendejos were free to sneak around and snipe from the shadows. The team took cover in an office building to wait for air support, but coms went down." He rubbed his face and slumped against the wall. "When our interceptors arrived for a strafing run, the entire block was on fire... Carrie had been mind-controlled into detonating a petrol station and barely survived... Her team died in the blast and she probably would have been crippled for life if it wasn't for that old man of yours."
"Is that all?" Louise asked blandly, earning a look of disbelief from the man. Not receiving an answer, she walked over to the fidgeting blonde and stared into her eyes. "Stop this shameful display at once." She demands.
Silencing the large man's exclamation by raising an Ice Spike in his direction, she continued to stare unblinkingly. Gathering up her courage, the blonde asked, "W-what are you talking about?"
"Stop degrading their deaths." Louise said forcefully, doing her best impression of her mother's commanding tone. "You aren't to blame. Commoner or no, I won't have my good name sullied by association with someone who jumps at shadows and insults the memory of her compatriots."
Carrie shook her head wildly. "I am too! They were l-like family a-and... and I killed them all!"
"Your point? You didn't have a choice, you imbecile." Came Louise's unimpressed response.
"What do you know, kid? You've never had those... those things in your head, controlling you... making you murder your friends with a smile." The blonde shouted in frustration and disgust. "Hearing them scream as they died... It was... the best thing I've ever felt. Fuck you, you little brat! Who are you to tell me it's alright?!"
"Are you done?" Sneering up at the angry woman, Louise said, "Because I've seen and done things that would make someone as weak as you fall upon their own sword. I've had a man kidnap me and control my mind, I've murdered families and used their corpses to kill their neighbors, I've blown up fortresses and shattered an army. I even defied my mother and yet... Here I stand, undaunted and unafraid while a 'grown woman' cowers before me. I say again, stop this shameful display."
After a moment of silence, the Vallière girl gave a disdainful snort and returned to maiming paper people. It didn't take long for her to hear the Weston woman run off. With her audience gone, Louise sighed tiredly and sat on the short wall between the target range and the fake town. Being wise and helpful is tiring.
"A little harsh, don't you think?" Espinoza's voice caused her to fall backward off the wall with a yelp.
Catching herself by Levitating, Louise floated back up and glared once more at the man. "Neither Master Cynric, my mother, nor myself are the type of people to remain silent to spare someone's emotions." How does a man that size move so quietly?!
"Psychological trauma is a bit more complicated than hurt feelings, little princesa." The Heavy chided.
With a haughty sniff, she replied, "It worked for me and stop calling me little if you wish to remain hale and whole."
Rather than respond, the man pulled out a dark green ball with a latching mechanism on top. "See this?" He asks, receiving a confused nod at the abrupt change in subject. "I'd say it's little... tiny even." Pulling on the circular piece, he released the latch and threw it into one of the buildings behind the dividing wall. Louise tried to see what would happen, but he pulled her down forcefully a moment before an explosion echoed around the room.
Standing back up, he diverted her affronted look by pointing over the wall. Following his finger, she looked out over the demolished remains of the street. The building he had thrown the ball had collapsed after the nearest wall was thrown into the street. Bricks, shredded wood, and other bits of debris littered the street while the car that had been out front was now a burning skeleton of steel. "Little doesn't mean weak, chica."
Looking between the ruined building and the other green ball in his pouch, she smiled. "No... I guess it doesn't." She couldn't help but giggle a little at the triumphant look on his face. Oddly, she didn't feel as upset anymore as the two of them talked about how to blow things up. This conversation would have likely have sent her into a rage or made her cry back in the academy. It feels like it's been a lifetime since then.
----------------------------------------
Deep in the bowels of X-com's secret base, an old wizard took a moment away from enchanting another translation circlet to indulge in a flight of whimsy. Reaching out into Oblivion, he probed the nearby realms. Of course, distance was best measured in similarity rather than length when it came to the place between worlds. The 'nearest' worlds were ones where humans or a race of human facsimiles were facing extinction. Rather than ponder the unknowable... or perhaps nonexistent... reasoning of the nature of Oblivion, the wizard chose a random world and plucked up the first creature to catch his attention.
As the swirling vortex of violet flames erupted on the far side of the workshop, he momentarily wondered what he had summoned. While he could somewhat feel out his targets, it was an imprecise process unless one was sure of what they wanted. He hadn't had anything in mind and, perhaps foolishly for those of lesser ability than he, had simply not made an effort to ruin the surprise.
As the flames faded, took in the sight of a large quadrupedal creature. It's hide was raw and inflamed, it's horns were black and sharp, it's four eyes watching for any sudden movements. The sheer magical power radiating from the beast was astounding to the wizard, the energy so thick in the air that he could almost see it. Truly it was a terrifying and awe-inspiring creature. It's world of origin was almost devoid of human life, only a few million on a single continent while the few stragglers on the rest of the world his from terrible monsters and warped creatures that might have once been human.
Looking over the magnificent being before him, any nearby would hear his stunned exclamation. "A Gods-be-damned cow?"
As alarms around the base sprung to life, he sighed and stood from his chair. The beast watched with a wary eye as he finished the circlet that his apprentice had made necessary.
Status: Healthy
Magicka: (600/650)
Choose 1:
[] Go on the mission.
[] Stay, but send Louise.
[] Both stay at the base.
[] Write in.
Choose 1 If applicable:
[] UFO crash site with Strike One
[] Terror mission with Strike Two
------------------------------
A/N: You got lucky/unlucky with the summon as it was the least dangerous, but least directly helpful. Spider would have been both helpful and potentially dangerous(prone to violent emotional outbursts), bird is a mercenary that is perfectly willing to eat those who can't or won't pay, lizard is like bird only more dangerous, cat would be least likely to kill you(on purpose or accident) other than cow, and Snake would have been extremely dangerous and unwilling to negotiate.
Stabbing her wand toward a distant silhouette, the youngest Vallière grimaced as her spell missed it's target and collapsed a brick wall onto the simulated enemy. On one side of the large room was series of lanes with circular targets and the other was crafted into some form of village center with fake people. One of the people popped up in a window and she slashed at it, hitting two windows to the right. She was a bit distracted after the recent lectures she'd received for her most recent scholastic failure.
Stupid master, scolding me for making more work for him. Stupid commoners, thinking they have the right to reprimand me. Stupid Cattleya, never around when I need her anymore. Stupid me, making another stupid mistake. Stupid. Stupid! STUPID!
Blasting apart another squad of paper soldiers when she missed and hit the ground between them, Louise growled and threw her sword. So what if she forced a stupid commoner to speak a more civilized language. Maybe if the woman had learned the proper way to address her betters, this wouldn't have happened. They should really be thanking her for being merciful, not lecturing her. The sword bounced off the wall and clattered to the floor.
"You okay, chica?" Startled while bending down to pick it up, Louise swung the blade at the person who appeared behind her. The figure shouted in alarm and fell backward, giving her time to recognize the man. "Oi! Same side, loco!"
Sheathing her weapon, the Vallière girl crossed her arms as she looked down at Espinoza's startled face. Irritated at being snuck up on, she forcefully asked, "What do you want?"
"Just checking up on how our newest Heavy's doing." He replied, climbing to his feet with a smile. Ignoring the girl's tightening grip on her sword, he made a beckoning motion toward the doorway, causing a nervous looking blonde woman to shuffle into the room. "Lou-lou, this is Carrie Weston. Carrie, meet Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière, the newest member of our little club."
Absently nodding to the blonde woman's mumbled greeting, Louise wondered how the man knew or even remembered her full name. Nobody but her family and teachers ever bother to- Wait a moment. "Stop calling me weird names!" She commands the tanned man.
"My apologies, m'lady. I shall refrain from addressing you by your name." He said with a mock bow as the other woman looked on with a fearful expression.
Stomping on his foot, she reached up to grab his shirt and pull him to eye level. "You know what I mean, dog." She growled menacingly at the big grinning idiot, pushing him away with minimal result now that he's recovered from the surprise attack.
"Ok, Ok... Easy Princesa!" He laughed. "C'mon chica, it was just a joke between friends, no need to get so worked up about it."
Bristling at such a bold assumption, Louise glared at the man and sparks began to arc from her blade. "Friends? For a commoner, you have quite the nerve if you think you can make such a declaration without my consent. The Noble family of Vallière traces it's lineage back six thousand years, to the very man who introduced our people to magic... and for a lowly dog such as yourself t-to claim my family's protection in this way..." By now, the Weston woman has retreated to the doorway once more to avoid the miniature thunderstorm emanating from the pinkette.
Pika!
If I kill him, I'll get in trouble.
Pika Pika!
I- Yes, but master Cynric says we need them.
PIKACHU?!
Research or something, I don't know!
"I-I'm sure he d-d-didn't mean to offend." Carrie's concerned stuttering snapped Louise out of her thoughts and the storm recedes. Twisting around to look at the frightened woman, who ducks back into the corridor with a squeak, the Vallière girl sheathed her sword with a huff.
It's not like killing him would help anything anyway... Master would probably lecture me about wasting resources or something.
From where he had pressed himself against the wall, Espinoza shakily approached her once again. "Er... yeah, none intended... just a cultural thing I guess. Sorry."
"Fine." She sighed, looking between the two commoners. Gesturing to the twitchy woman outside, Louise raised an eyebrow and smirked at finally managing to do it in the same superior manner as her master. "Is she really a soldier?"
With a sigh of his own, the man leaned in to whisper in her ear, only flinching slightly at Louise's warning glare. "Yeah, one of the nicest and toughest people I've known, but... She's been a bit on edge since the rest of her team died... Can't really blame her."
"What happened?" Louise asked, intrigued at what could have broken someone so thoroughly.
He didn't answer immediately and the silence began to grow a bit awkward. "It... it was bad. Probably worse than the original Strike One's mission." Glancing guiltily at the woman as she muffles a shriek when a technician brushes past her, Espinoza continued, "Halfway through the mission, the skyranger that was providing visual to the commander was shot down. Since we don't have any satellites over a lot of countries, the alien pendejos were free to sneak around and snipe from the shadows. The team took cover in an office building to wait for air support, but coms went down." He rubbed his face and slumped against the wall. "When our interceptors arrived for a strafing run, the entire block was on fire... Carrie had been mind-controlled into detonating a petrol station and barely survived... Her team died in the blast and she probably would have been crippled for life if it wasn't for that old man of yours."
"Is that all?" Louise asked blandly, earning a look of disbelief from the man. Not receiving an answer, she walked over to the fidgeting blonde and stared into her eyes. "Stop this shameful display at once." She demands.
Silencing the large man's exclamation by raising an Ice Spike in his direction, she continued to stare unblinkingly. Gathering up her courage, the blonde asked, "W-what are you talking about?"
"Stop degrading their deaths." Louise said forcefully, doing her best impression of her mother's commanding tone. "You aren't to blame. Commoner or no, I won't have my good name sullied by association with someone who jumps at shadows and insults the memory of her compatriots."
Carrie shook her head wildly. "I am too! They were l-like family a-and... and I killed them all!"
"Your point? You didn't have a choice, you imbecile." Came Louise's unimpressed response.
"What do you know, kid? You've never had those... those things in your head, controlling you... making you murder your friends with a smile." The blonde shouted in frustration and disgust. "Hearing them scream as they died... It was... the best thing I've ever felt. Fuck you, you little brat! Who are you to tell me it's alright?!"
"Are you done?" Sneering up at the angry woman, Louise said, "Because I've seen and done things that would make someone as weak as you fall upon their own sword. I've had a man kidnap me and control my mind, I've murdered families and used their corpses to kill their neighbors, I've blown up fortresses and shattered an army. I even defied my mother and yet... Here I stand, undaunted and unafraid while a 'grown woman' cowers before me. I say again, stop this shameful display."
After a moment of silence, the Vallière girl gave a disdainful snort and returned to maiming paper people. It didn't take long for her to hear the Weston woman run off. With her audience gone, Louise sighed tiredly and sat on the short wall between the target range and the fake town. Being wise and helpful is tiring.
"A little harsh, don't you think?" Espinoza's voice caused her to fall backward off the wall with a yelp.
Catching herself by Levitating, Louise floated back up and glared once more at the man. "Neither Master Cynric, my mother, nor myself are the type of people to remain silent to spare someone's emotions." How does a man that size move so quietly?!
"Psychological trauma is a bit more complicated than hurt feelings, little princesa." The Heavy chided.
With a haughty sniff, she replied, "It worked for me and stop calling me little if you wish to remain hale and whole."
Rather than respond, the man pulled out a dark green ball with a latching mechanism on top. "See this?" He asks, receiving a confused nod at the abrupt change in subject. "I'd say it's little... tiny even." Pulling on the circular piece, he released the latch and threw it into one of the buildings behind the dividing wall. Louise tried to see what would happen, but he pulled her down forcefully a moment before an explosion echoed around the room.
Standing back up, he diverted her affronted look by pointing over the wall. Following his finger, she looked out over the demolished remains of the street. The building he had thrown the ball had collapsed after the nearest wall was thrown into the street. Bricks, shredded wood, and other bits of debris littered the street while the car that had been out front was now a burning skeleton of steel. "Little doesn't mean weak, chica."
Looking between the ruined building and the other green ball in his pouch, she smiled. "No... I guess it doesn't." She couldn't help but giggle a little at the triumphant look on his face. Oddly, she didn't feel as upset anymore as the two of them talked about how to blow things up. This conversation would have likely have sent her into a rage or made her cry back in the academy. It feels like it's been a lifetime since then.
----------------------------------------
Deep in the bowels of X-com's secret base, an old wizard took a moment away from enchanting another translation circlet to indulge in a flight of whimsy. Reaching out into Oblivion, he probed the nearby realms. Of course, distance was best measured in similarity rather than length when it came to the place between worlds. The 'nearest' worlds were ones where humans or a race of human facsimiles were facing extinction. Rather than ponder the unknowable... or perhaps nonexistent... reasoning of the nature of Oblivion, the wizard chose a random world and plucked up the first creature to catch his attention.
As the swirling vortex of violet flames erupted on the far side of the workshop, he momentarily wondered what he had summoned. While he could somewhat feel out his targets, it was an imprecise process unless one was sure of what they wanted. He hadn't had anything in mind and, perhaps foolishly for those of lesser ability than he, had simply not made an effort to ruin the surprise.
As the flames faded, took in the sight of a large quadrupedal creature. It's hide was raw and inflamed, it's horns were black and sharp, it's four eyes watching for any sudden movements. The sheer magical power radiating from the beast was astounding to the wizard, the energy so thick in the air that he could almost see it. Truly it was a terrifying and awe-inspiring creature. It's world of origin was almost devoid of human life, only a few million on a single continent while the few stragglers on the rest of the world his from terrible monsters and warped creatures that might have once been human.
Looking over the magnificent being before him, any nearby would hear his stunned exclamation. "A Gods-be-damned cow?"
As alarms around the base sprung to life, he sighed and stood from his chair. The beast watched with a wary eye as he finished the circlet that his apprentice had made necessary.
Status: Healthy
Magicka: (600/650)
Choose 1:
[] Go on the mission.
[] Stay, but send Louise.
[] Both stay at the base.
[] Write in.
Choose 1 If applicable:
[] UFO crash site with Strike One
[] Terror mission with Strike Two
------------------------------
A/N: You got lucky/unlucky with the summon as it was the least dangerous, but least directly helpful. Spider would have been both helpful and potentially dangerous(prone to violent emotional outbursts), bird is a mercenary that is perfectly willing to eat those who can't or won't pay, lizard is like bird only more dangerous, cat would be least likely to kill you(on purpose or accident) other than cow, and Snake would have been extremely dangerous and unwilling to negotiate.
TwistedJester
Tired Lurker King
- Location
- Hell
So... the theory about Fallout and Skyrim being in the same universe is true?
ChildishChimera
A umbran summon
- Location
- New York
[X] Stay, but send Louise.
[C] UFO crash site with Strike One
[C] UFO crash site with Strike One
What theory
PieceThruWar
Not an eldritch abomination
- Location
- The Server Farm
Fallout 4 has ninroot. The Elder Scrolls is an all-encompassing Omniverse in which everyone and everything is within God's dream. So from a TES POV the theory is true, from a Fallout POV it is not confirmed and people are on both sides of the fence.
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