Reward:
The Kaidon Alliance has expanded to 60 worlds, making it the largest post-Imperial Sangheili state in the Age of Blood and the most significant Sangheili polity in recent memory. But whether it will rise to greatness, or collapse under its own weight, remains to be seen.
Reward:
The Jiralhanae continue their bloody evolution, transitioning from fractured warbands into a brutal, iron-willed empire. Though still violent and aggressive, they have begun to refine their savagery into something more structured, and more dangerous. The days of unchecked chaos may be fading, but the days of Jiralhanae's conquest have only just begun.
Reward:
The Unggoy shatter the Kig-Yar pirate fleet, securing a massive technological leap from salvaged vessels and forcing the Kig-Yar to establish a 30-light-year quarantine zone around their region of space.
The Kig-Yar fear that one day, the Unggoy will break free… and unleash their vengeance upon the stars.
Reward:
The Kig-Yar raiders enjoy a successful season of plunder, striking at Cabal fleets and Sangheili warbands with precision and cunning. However, their overconfidence leads to the Tela Debacle, a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Unggoy, marking a rare but unforgettable blot on their reputation.
Reward:
The Eliksni have embarked on a grand journey of discovery, uncovering the long shadow of the Forerunners. Their race is filled with both wonder and terror at what they have left behind.
The ritual to awaken Oryx fails catastrophically due to sabotage. The Hive's plans are thwarted once again, leaving them weakened and disoriented. The Hive now suspects a traitor in their midst, and paranoia festers among them.
Reward:
Emperor Calus is content to lead the Cabal into a new Golden Age of Splendor rather than immediate conquest. The empire consolidates its power, grows wealthier, and indulges in luxury and excess while the rest of the galaxy tears itself apart.
Reward:
The Shadow of Sanghelios searches for Forerunner artifacts, but finds only ruins, the remains of a long-forgotten battle between the Forerunners and the Hive. Though there is nothing left to claim, the site stands as a silent monument to one of the greatest wars the galaxy has ever known.
Anything revolving around Savy is not good.
Say what you will about Oryx but his view of life is simple, just kill.
With Savy, the truth might be a lie and vice-versa.
Well it's called the Age of Blood, and it's a very violent, and mostly artificially maintained Interregnum by the Black Fleet to prevent the Sangheli from organizing a defense against the Black Fleet's continued grip on the Galaxy at large.
They took a while for the Darkness to really destroy, institutionally speaking, even with help from the Shadow of Sanghelios and his allies doing the grunt work.
I see the Sangheli Alliance like a sword lacking a master to wield it. And this is actually incredible progress on the Sangheli's part, they officially have an organized polity again, if they can you know actually get it organized into a Federal Structure that works.
At the very least they aren't in the middle of collapsing or facing war like everyone else, so maybe they can take up...Trade League hats, they have the fleets to do it...if they roll good enough.
No the thing holding back the grunts were the Prophets being absolutely shit at management and actually using their vessel species strengths to any meaningful extent.
We are seeing them without bad leadership, or generally being led by religious idiots.
When you first saw Gale's message confirming that she had successfully recreated a StarCraft Terran Marine armor, you had to admit, you were thrilled. The thought of wearing one of the most iconic pieces of power armor in sci-fi history, second to the 40K Space Marine armor; was enough to make any soldier or gun nut giddy. But beneath that excitement, there was also a lingering sense of unease.
What did Gale mean when she warned of a coming war.
The fact that you stumbled upon this armor only a few days after the Russian Event made you wonder.
Was this mere coincidence, or did Gale somehow know this was going to happen?
With all the fictional technology she had managed to bring into reality, you couldn't help but entertain the insane possibility that she might have recreated the precognitive machine from that old movie Paycheck. That would certainly explain the precise timing of everything.
Now, onto the armor itself—Gale had based her version on the CMC-400A, the variant used by the UED, the racist human assholes from Brood War. However, while the core functionality remained true to the source material, her version was vastly superior.
Gale had officially named it the Skynet Manufacturing Armor 700, or SMA-700 for short.
The most significant upgrade? Its power source.
The SMA-700 was powered by an even smaller miniaturized Gale Reactor. The moment S revealed this, you banged your head against the wall in frustration. Gale had somehow managed to further miniaturize her already game-changing reactor technology to the point where it could be integrated into power armor when your own nerds were still trying to make it for a navy ship.
To your relief, S confirmed that safeguards were in place—even if the armor was completely destroyed, the reactor wouldn't trigger a nuclear explosion. That being said, the armor did have a built-in self-destruct feature, with a user-defined adjustable explosion yield.
A terrifying but practical addition for denying enemy capture of the suit, specially against the Zerg.
One of the biggest departures from the canon StarCraft armor was the removal of the HAITE AI system. Instead, the armor's AI assistant was S herself—though this feature was exclusive to SOP users.
Unlike the Crying Wolf, which required SOP to function, or the Raptor, which required a Fortified Suit, the SMA-700 could be used by anyone.
SOP and a Fortified Suit were purely optional.
This meant that, while an SOP-enhanced and FS-equipped operator would perform exponentially better, the fact that the armor could be used by any soldier was a force multiplier of unprecedented proportions. You could even issue these suits to Skynet's security forces without exposing the existence of SOP and S to them.
Thanks to the GPL, you could mass-produce the armor without issue.
The only bottleneck was the need to construct a specialized manufacturing wing to assemble the suits and activate their reactors. But once that was in place, you would have no limits on production.
Another revolutionary feature was how the armor was equipped.
In StarCraft lore, a Marine needed a specialized machine to suit up and remove the armor. The SMA-700, however, opened up like Iron Man's Mark XLVII suit, allowing the user to enter and exit within seconds. This small but crucial change eliminated one of the biggest logistical headaches of the original CMC design.
The final innovation was the C-14S Rifle, Skynet's version of the classic StarCraft gauss weapon.
While the rifle maintained its original firepower and magazine size, it now incorporated the same ammo system as the Seventh Seraph Revolver, effectively granting infinite ammunition.
With every magazine expended, the system would harvest heat energy from each shot and use it to recycle empty shells into fresh rounds.
The reload cycle? Seven seconds.
Any Terran Marine in StarCraft would sell their soul for that kind of unlimited firepower, especially when facing endless waves of Zerg.
The SMA-700 was an infantryman's dream come true—a suit of cutting-edge power armor with unlimited firepower, superior mobility, and independent power generation.
And the best part?
Just like the Raptor and Crying Wolf, Gale had secured full copyrights.
With mass production on the horizon, you could begin selling the SMA-700 as soon as the manufacturing wing was completed.
It was time to bring Skynet into the modern battlefield.
========
The first time you stepped into the SMA-700, the feeling was surreal. The moment you mentally accepted the activation command, the armor's pieces snapped into place with the precision of a well-oiled machine. The mechanical whirring and locking sounds surrounded you, and in seconds, you were fully encased in the CMC-inspired power armor.
Then, your HUD lit up with diagnostic readings, confirming that everything was green across the board.
It was time to test it out.
You took a tentative step forward, expecting some resistance or weight imbalance. Instead, the servo motors adjusted to your every movement effortlessly. The balance was perfect, your range of motion unrestricted, and each step felt natural, as if you weren't wearing a walking tank.
S's hologram, sitting on your shoulder in her Ghost outfit, smirked.
"So? How's it feel?"
You rolled your shoulders and clenched your fists. The power coursing through the armor was exhilarating.
"Like I could walk through a goddamn wall and barely feel it."
"Technically, you could." S replied. "But let's start with a weapons test first."
The C-14S was an absolute monster of a rifle.
It looked and operated exactly like the StarCraft gauss weapon, with the same rugged, brutal aesthetic, but the sheer weight of it made you pause.
Out of curiosity, you stepped out of the armor and tried to lift the weapon without assistance.
Big mistake.
The moment you tried, you felt your arms strain under the sheer mass of the rifle, barely able to keep it raised for more than a few seconds. A fully-loaded M2 Browning was lighter than this thing.
"Jesus, how did StarCraft Marines even lift this without power armor?" You muttered.
"They didn't." S said flatly. "Or rather, they weren't supposed to."
Shrugging, you stepped back into the armor, which snapped closed around you once more.
With the SMA-700's full power assisting you, you lifted the C-14S like it was a standard assault rifle, effortless.
Then came the firing test.
You braced yourself, expecting the recoil to be monstrous, but when you pulled the trigger, the SMA's recoil compensation systems absorbed every ounce of force.
It felt completely weightless in your hands, and each shot tore through the makeshift steel targets like butter.
"Damn," You muttered. "This thing's a beast."
"And with infinite ammo." S added. "Not a bad deal, huh?"
You just smiled.
'Guess it's time to call the rest of the group.' You though.
=======================
Five Hours Later
Through SOP, you called the rest of your group, telling them you had something insane to show them.
By the time they arrived, the entire warehouse was buzzing with energy.
The moment your friends laid eyes on the SMA-700, their jaws nearly hit the floor.
Cayde was the first to react.
"Okay, look, I get the Raptor, I get the Wolf—hell, I even get the Seraph revolver—but Gale made a goddamn StarCraft Marine suit?!"
Ivan whistled. "This woman had way too much imagination. No wonder she built Skynet the way she did."
Lance, ever the skeptic, approached the armor with crossed arms. "So, does it actually work, or are we looking at prop?"
"Oh, it works," you assured them. "You're about to find out firsthand."
One by one, the guys stepped into the SMA-700, and—unsurprisingly—Lance, Ivan, and Cayde adapted quickly.
Lance was stiff at first but adjusted fast, thanks to his natural strength and athleticism.
Ivan was a bit clunky but quickly got used to it.
Cayde, being the only other guy with real combat experience; was a natural, moving as if he had trained in it for years.
Then came Eris, Kora, and Victoria's turn.
And that's when things went hilariously, terribly wrong.
The moment Victoria stepped into the armor, things seemed fine—until she took her first step.
She stumbled forward, and before you could react, her enormous armored bulk came crashing toward you.
"Oh shit—!"
You barely dodged in time, diving out of the way just as Victoria landed face-first on the warehouse floor. The entire room shook from the impact.
Cayde was laughing so hard he was wheezing.
"John, I almost turned you into a pancake." Victoria groaned.
"Yeah, no kidding." You muttered, brushing yourself off.
Eris tried next. She managed to walk five steps before falling backward like a tipped-over turtle.
In Kora's case, every time she tried to move, she would end up almost falling to the sides and trying to move her arms was really hard.
"Okay, I don't think this thing was built for us." Kora grumbled from inside the armor.
Eris crossed her arms. "Speak for yourself, I was getting the hang of it!"
Ivan snorted. "Sure, if 'getting the hang of it' means falling on your ass."
After watching three women fail spectacularly for hours, a theory began forming in your mind.
What if Gale had designed the SMA specifically for male users; at least the current armor was made for guys due Gale having anticipated you being the first user.
Then came another possible conclusion. Since the Wolf was only for women and they were the definition of a scouting tank, than maybe Gale wanted the SMA to be live the forward tank for males.
Ivan voiced what everyone was thinking.
"So, what—Gale made these suits on a gender divide? Dudes get the Marine suit, girls get the Wolf?"
You frowned. "Maybe. But we won't know for sure until we get more female testers."
For now, though, it was an interesting—and troubling—theory.
Reward:
John, Lance, Ivan and Cayde get the following:
SMA User= +15 when using an SMA armor.
For some reason, females can't operate the SMA for now.
How to get in/out of armor:
1-5 Specialized machines
6-8 Can detach and attach manually parts
9-10 Opens and closes like Iron Man's Mark XLVII (SM:Homecoming)
Roll= 10
John trying out the Marine Armor:
71
+20 (SOP)
+15 (S help)
+15 (Fortified Suit)
= 121
vs
36
+60 (First time piloting)
= 96
Order:
1= A-Z
2= Z-A
Roll= 1
Cayde Buck
96
+20 (SOP)
+15 (S help)
= 131
vs
57
+60 (First time piloting)
= 117
Eris
8
+20 (SOP)
+15 (S help)
= 43
vs
80
+60 (First time piloting)
= 140
Ivan Beck
89
+20 (SOP)
+15 (S help)
= 124
vs
19
+60 (First time piloting)
= 79
Kora Zeus
9
+20 (SOP)
+15 (S help)
= 44
vs
82
+60 (First time piloting)
= 142
Lance Zeus
64
+20 (SOP)
+15 (S help)
= 99
vs
11
+60 (First time piloting)
= 71
Victoria
6
+20 (SOP)
+15 (S help)
= 41
vs
76
+60 (First time piloting)
= 136
============================
QM Note:
Okay guys, to close this opening, I am going to offer up the two votes.
One is in regards to the Gale Reactors.
Now, I been more than a good GM in allowing you guys to construct Reactors anywhere in the world without having to roll to see if it was a success (I did allow you to put Reactors in Ukraine and CHINA of all places).
So for the following quarter, if you wish to install a reactor anywhere in Europe, there will be a roll to see if the reactor was installed as they would have to deal with a crumbling nation, the worsening climate and maybe even rioters being stupid.
The second thing about the reactors.
With the current dire situation in Europe, it would be a good PR move to tell the European nations that have our reactors that they do not have to pay for the next quarter.
The final thing is an offer regarding the Fortified Suits action.
Since it's currently standing at 121/150, I wish to offer the following.
I will grant an autocomplete for this action in this quarter without having use any dice or points. The cost of this however is that I will roll (or maybe use the wheel) to see what the final outfits will look like, separated by both male and female (ex. you could end up with the male European FSs while the women could end up with the female Soviet FSs)
On the other hand, if you don't take the deal, you will have to use dice/points to finish the action but you will be allowed to vote on the final outfits.
[][CRISIS] Charge the European Nations this quarter.
[][CRISIS] Don't charge them this quarter.
Ok I'm in favour of having the European nations not be charged this quarter as we should diversify our money making to ensure we don't rely to much on the gale reactors, and also the fact that we should help them as not only it will prevent lives from being lost to the disaster but it would give us good PR in Europe.
There is only one question. Can it do specialist ammunition? Though to be fair, it's already BS enough given I think we don't have any armor rated for that monstrosity.
When you live your life, have you ever experienced that feeling you get when a new element changes everything?
For those who were Environmentalists, Scientists, Oil Barons, Energy Company CEO's, Corporate Executives, Tycoons, Warlords and Dictators, they experienced that feeling with the announcement of Gale Cameron's final gift to the world.
Around the world, the Environmental Community was jubilant. With endless clean efficient energy, fossil fuels as an energy source would become a thing of the past. And climate change? Same thing! Many notable environmental activists praised Skynet and the late Gale Cameron for not only giving a better source of energy to the world, but for marking the beginning of the end for corporations and industries whose whole businesses relied on Fossil Fuels. They also took the time to mock those very corporations on social media with memes and scathing quotes. These corps either derided their efforts at best, or used underhanded and illegal tactics to stifle their movement at worst. Now, karma was rearing its head for them and they knew it.
Like the Environmentalists, the Science Community was also on cloud nine. Cold Fusion, an idea that was once thought nigh-impossible, was now reality. And if a single person could create that against many odds, then imagine what else humanity could bring into being? There were many congratulations given from notable scientists, even Clovis Bray. Some even remarked that Gale Cameron was now probably high-fiving Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking in heaven.
As for The North American Empire? Almost complete praise and excitement from the public and the American political sphere. After the unveiling in Sunnydale and the seamless transition of power shown, there was not a singe city or town in the empire that didn't want a reactor. The president gave their congratulations, as did with many members of the House and Senate. The potential of the Gale Reactor was limitless, and the NAE was determined not to waste it.
However, not everyone saw the Gale Reactors as a positive, especially when it concerned their profits.
When it came to the energy industry, to say that the reveal of the Gale Reactors shook it to its core would be the understatement of the century.
In each of the boardrooms in Saudi Aramco, ExxonMobil, Chevron, PetroChina, and Shell Plc, the mood was tense. Executives were fuming, seething, and nervous. CEOs were trying to come up with plans to turn things around, but other than that, they felt the same. With the reveal of the Gale Reactor and it's capabilities, there was now a very real fear that in the long run, they were going to lose a lot of money and eventually what was once thought unthinkable would happen, they would go bankrupt. Nobody could truly deny that Cold Fusion was a better source of energy than oil, but to admit that would mean giving up. Of course, they had formally congratulated Skynet, they had to for the sake of appearances, but not a single corporation in the energy industry was planning to be Skynet's friend. There was too much to lose.
The same was true within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As the largest exporter of oil in the world, with oil being its largest source of income, the Gale Reactor was a threat to not just the monarchy, but the kingdom as a whole. Oil would soon become an outdated source of energy, the very lifeblood of the kingdom was at stake! These were the thoughts that swirled around the King's mind as he brooded in Al-Yamamah Palace as state officials and advisors argued amongst themselves. Some proposed that the Kingdom should try to slowly transition to Cold Fusion while keeping their wealth and income intact, others vehemently disagreed, their economy would be thrown into a death-spiral if they moved away from oil! With its economical future looking uncertain, the political situation in Saudi Arabia was tense.
And if it was tense, then the internal situation in the Russian Federation was nothing short of seething hate and wounded pride.
Russia was the main supplier for Europe's oil and gas and that meant, in the minds of the president and his lackeys in the Kremlin, they held a soft dominion over it. So when an American corporation in the West revealed Cold Fusion to the world, an end to all fossil fuels, an end to Russia's soft dominion over Europe, they had been furious. Oh, nobody could deny the power and potential of the Gale Reactor, Russia would rather have such power in their hands, but for the West to create it first and threaten Russia's power with it? How had they missed this?! A threat to Russia's power was a threat to Russia! It was an insult that would not stand. Orders would be given to the FSB, Europe would find Cold Fusion to not be what it was promised and Russia would have a Reactor of its own, no matter the cost.
And what of the other parts of the world that were either tumultuous or held in the grip of tyrants and warlords? They, too, saw the Gale Reactor and the sheer potential it held, and they wanted. One way or another, they would get one of their own.
Though Gale Cameron did not live to see it and those that knew her mourned Gale's untimely passing, she had changed the world and as it turned, it left behind the Age of Fossil Fuels and entered a new age.
The Age Of Cold Fusion.
][
A/N: Apologies for the doublepost, but here is an omake for people/factions reaction to the Gale Reactor. This takes place after Year 2, Q1. Russia's plans for sabotaging Europe's Gale Reactors never came to pass and its agents never retrieved a sample of Cold Fusion or a Reactor and even if they did, a certain event made it impossible for them to return it to their superiors.
Europe is going to need all the help it can get to weather the coming storm.
So, the infinite ammo mods to all the gifted weapons can be safely removed without messing up the weapons correct? I feel having Skynet keep that mod in them raises too many flags when we release them to sale. Plus it cuts out profits we'd make from the ammunition that goes with them.
Speaking of, the C-14S is going to have to be treated as a heavy weapon. Like how warhammer 40k treats the heavy bolter. I imagine it shouldn't take too much redesigning to make it work.
Europe is going to need all the help it can get to weather the coming storm.
So, the infinite ammo mods to all the gifted weapons can be safely removed without messing up the weapons correct? I feel having Skynet keep that mod in them raises too many flags when we release them to sale. Plus it cuts out profits we'd make from the ammunition that goes with them.
Speaking of, the C-14S is going to have to be treated as a heavy weapon. Like how warhammer 40k treats the heavy bolter. I imagine it shouldn't take too much redesigning to make it work.
Frankly, ammo production isn't going to be nearly the cash cow Gale reactors will prove in the long run and would only lock manufacturing dice on us. Where better off leasing the weaponry with ammo cost saving factored in than selling teched down rifles and there ammunition to the military.
So, the infinite ammo mods to all the gifted weapons can be safely removed without messing up the weapons correct? I feel having Skynet keep that mod in them raises too many flags when we release them to sale. Plus it cuts out profits we'd make from the ammunition that goes with them.
