Echo of Choice (A Destiny Plan Quest)

edboy49 · Jan 28, 2025

[X] Plan Ivan you beautiful son of a bitch. 5 rolls over 80 in a row
-[X] Convert a Factory level with Glimmer tech:
--[X] Both version (994/1500; 100R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 150R per dice) (1 active) 1MD 11TD 1750R
-[X] Rail Gun Reduction (0/1000; 100R per dice, 150 per temporary dice) TD 1950R
-[X] Arms, Armor and Armored Integration, Phase 1/? (0/1000; 150R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 250R per dice): 3RD 4FD 6TD 2550R
-[X] Form a watchgroup to check out rivals and national/international news (0/500; 100R per dice): 4 OD 4FD 800R
-[X] Talk with S, the AI: Talk with S and continue to work with her, who's face is now of a R34 Boss, your waifu. (1 dice to activate, 100R; can purchase three dice max) 300R
-[X] Do Eris a favor: 350R
-[X] Check your qualifications. Just because you're a CEO now doesn't mean you're a REMF: 25R
-[X] Talk to the Traveler: 400R
-[X] Talk to the Horse: 500R
-[X] Hang with someone from the helpers (75R per dice) (Can be taken multiple times, one dice per possible person)
--[X] Ivan

-[X][CLIENT] Shenzhen China(raffle (electronics capital of the world)) 2MD
--[X][COST] 1000
-[X][CLIENT] London UK(raffle) 2MD
--[X][COST] 1000
-[X][CLIENT] Seoul South Korea (raffle) 2MD
--[X][COST] 1000
-[X][CLIENT] Cairo Egypt (raffle) 2MD
--[X][COST] 1000

Total 8700R

==============================================
==============================================
Y2 Q3 Results

-[X] Convert a Factory level with Glimmer tech:
--[X] Both version (994/1500; 100R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 150R per dice) (1 active) 1MD 11TD 1750R

+5 Manu Bonus

Rolled: D100 => 33
Rolled: D100 => 90
Rolled: D100 => 5
Rolled: D100 => 52
Rolled: D100 => 27
Rolled: D100 => 59
Rolled: D100 => 48
Rolled: D100 => 77
Rolled: D100 => 82
Rolled: D100 => 88
Rolled: D100 => 53
Rolled: D100 => 52
Total: 666+5= 669

Need 506 to finish.

669-506= 163
Finished.

163 Placed into Mixed Version Num. 3 (163/1500)

Just like in the last quarter, the Manufacturing Department showed their expertise and dedication in continuing the construction of the second GPL.

In between the GPL construction and the numerous Gale Reactor installations across the world being handle by selected members; the department was able to finish the second GPL in record time and proceeded to laid down the bare bones for the third GPL.

The speed is mostly laid down on the fact that any supplies are just easily made using the GPL instead of needing it from the outside.

Either way, once again Skynet's production increased exponentially.

Which will really go into overdrive once the product the R&D department finished this quarter is shown to the NAE military, which will sell like hotcakes.

Reward:
Second Glimmer Production Line, Mixed Version (+10 Manufacturing Dice)
Construction of third mixed GPL started (163/1500)
==============================================
-[X] Arms, Armor and Armored Integration, Phase 1/? (0/1000; 150R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 250R per dice): 3RD 4FD 6TD 2550R

Bonus:
+5 Kora
+15 lab
+5 Cayde
+15 Security Corp

+35 John Full Bonus (to all dice)
13 dice (rolls below include the +35)
123, 114, 100, 131, 116, 72, 92, 90, 52, 101, 44, 73, 93; ART100B= 49

Final tally without individual= 1,250
With individual= 1,290

PASS
All Weapons and Armor Research get +10
Phase 2= 290/5000

-[X] Rail Gun Reduction (0/1000; 100R per dice, 150 per temporary dice) TD 1950R

+5 Kora
+15 lab
+5 Cayde
+15 Security Corp
+10 Weapon/Armor R&D

+35 John Full Bonus (to all dice)
13 DICE (rolls below include the +35)
117,53,40,58,72,96,122,119,53,101,48,103,47

Final tally without individual= 1,029
With induvial- 1,079, PASS

You couldn't explain it, but there was a feeling in your gut, an unshakable sense of impending danger. It was the same feeling you used to get before a mission went completely FUBAR, and it always meant one thing: you needed to prepare. This time, that preparation was for Skynet.

Something was coming, and while you didn't know what, you knew it wasn't going to be pretty.

Acting on this instinct, you made a major decision: all R&D efforts to downsize the Gale Reactor were to be paused immediately. Instead, you ordered Kora and her team to shift their focus to Weapons and Armor R&D.

Kora wasn't thrilled. Her team had been making great progress on the reactor, and she made sure you knew how miffed they were about the sudden change. But the mood shifted when you authorized a significant boost to their quarterly budget. With access to more resources, Kora and her team reluctantly embraced the new directive, their grumbles quickly fading under the weight of the opportunity.

The first step was overhauling the lab to accommodate this shift in focus. R&D needed everything required to research, design, and test cutting-edge weapons and armor. That meant more advanced machinery, a specialized section of the lab for manufacturing prototypes, and, perhaps most importantly, a state-of-the-art gun range for testing.

Interestingly, the project drew in Skynet's Security division. Their military background proved invaluable as they worked with the researchers, offering insights into what soldiers in the field actually needed.

You and Cayde also made it a point to contribute where you could, sharing ideas and lending expertise from your own experiences.

By the middle of the first month, the lab's transformation was complete. The upgraded facility was fully equipped, protocols for testing and safety were in place, and the team was ready to start.

As the team settled into their new mission, you heard whispers from your old military contacts. The NAE military was actively scouting companies capable of developing infantry-sized railguns, basically scaled-down versions of the massive railguns mounted on Navy ships.

The potential for such a weapon was enormous. Not only would it provide ground forces with a devastating tool, but the government contract would be a game-changer for whichever company delivered.

And while Skynet was swimming in money thanks to the Gale Reactor, there was nothing wrong with getting more money.

Calling Kora into your office, you explained the new priority. She listened carefully, arms crossed, and when you told her that her budget was practically unlimited for this project, her expression shifted from skepticism to cautious optimism.

"This isn't something that can be done overnight, John." She warned. "It'll take months—maybe years to develop something functional, let alone field-ready."

"I understand." You replied. "Just get it done, and be careful. I want progress, not shortcuts."

Over the next two months, the R&D team threw themselves into the project. Researchers worked tirelessly, experimenting with designs and materials, while Security provided constant feedback based on their battlefield experience. You made regular visits to the lab, offering insights from your time in the field about what soldiers valued in a weapon: reliability, ease of use, and above all, lethality.

S, ever the helpful shadow, covertly added her own contributions. Whether it was by optimizing algorithms for precision targeting or refining power distribution systems, her subtle involvement kept the project moving faster than anyone expected.

One morning, as you were reviewing reports in your office, your phone buzzed. Kora's name flashed on the screen.

"It's done." She said, her voice a mix of disbelief and triumph.

You blinked. "What do you mean 'done'?"

"I mean the weapon is finished. Come to the lab."

Still skeptical, you headed to the lab, and when you walked through the doors, you were greeted by the sight of celebration. Researchers and Security personnel were clapping each other on the back, some popping open bottles of champagne they'd clearly stashed for this moment.

Kora stood near the center of the room, arms crossed but with a satisfied smile tugging at her lips. Next to her, on a steel table, was the result of their hard work: a sleek, futuristic weapon that looked straight out of a sci-fi movie.

You approached the table, running a hand over the weapon's sleek surface. The design was elegant yet deadly, precision engineering at its finest.

Kora stood next to you, her arms crossed, a smug grin playing on her lips as she watched your expression.

"So?" She asked, clearly fishing for praise. "What do you think?"

"It's incredible." You admitted, your gaze still locked on the weapon. "What's it called?"

Kora's grin widened as she straightened up, clearly enjoying the moment. "We're calling it the MK-1 Aegis Railgun. Pretty badass, right?"

You nodded, the name fitting perfectly with the weapon's aesthetic and power. "It suits it." You said. Then, gesturing toward the lab's new gun range, you added, "So, can I test it out?"

"Thought you'd never ask." She replied, picking up a cartridge from a nearby case. Unlike typical ammunition, this cartridge was sleek and metallic, with faint glowing etchings along its surface. She handed it to you carefully, like it was a rare gem. "Here. This is one of the special high-velocity rounds we designed for it. Be careful, it's more powerful than it looks."

You took the cartridge, inspecting it briefly before loading it into the weapon. The mechanism clicked smoothly, the railgun letting out a soft hum as it powered up. Kora turned to the rest of the team, who were still celebrating in the background. "Alright, everyone, let's hit the range."

The group followed you and Kora to the gun range, their energy infectious. The atmosphere was electric as you stepped into the firing booth, the MK-1 resting comfortably in your hands. It was surprisingly lightweight for such an advanced weapon, and the grip felt custom-molded to your hand.

You took aim at the first dummy, a humanoid target reinforced with advanced ballistic gel designed to simulate human resistance, all made thanks to Eris. As you focused, your HUD suddenly synced with the railgun. To your surprise, you could now see through the weapon's integrated X-ray scope, the skeleton of the dummy glowing faintly through the targeting system.

You didn't say anything about it, choosing to test it first and figure out the details later.

"Fire in the hole." You yelled as the weapon's hum grew louder as you squeezed the trigger. A sharp crack echoed through the range, accompanied by a blinding flash of light. The projectile ripped through the dummy like it was nothing, leaving a clean, circular hole in its torso as the dummy goes flying backwards.

The team behind you erupted in cheers.

"That's what I'm talking about!" Cayde shouted, clapping enthusiastically.

Kora smirked. "Not bad, huh? Try it again."

You adjusted your aim, targeting another dummy farther down the range. The X-ray vision allowed you to pinpoint the exact spot to hit, and once again, the weapon delivered. The second dummy's head snapped back as the railgun obliterated its target. The recoil was negligible, and the precision was unmatched.

The group's cheers grew louder with each shot, and even you couldn't help but grin. After emptying the magazine, you lowered the weapon and turned to Kora, who was leaning against the booth with a smug expression.

"How?" You asked, pointing at the weapon. "Especially the X-ray vision. How did you pull this off?"

Kora straightened up, clearly ready to bask in the spotlight. "Well, the bullets are actually made of a special form of aluminum, which the gun then fires at near-light speeds. The gun itself is made of the best material we could find that could withstand the heat and not break down. The X-ray integration was tricky, but it's essentially a combination of high-frequency imaging and advanced optics. The weapon's onboard system processes the data in real-time thanks to a small-scale AI that was installed in it to handle it."

"Okay, the aluminum bullets?" You asked, holding up the now-empty cartridge.

"That was a whole different beast." She admitted. "Making a single perfect round took a full week. Every detail had to be precise—material composition, aerodynamics, energy conversion… everything. But once we had one flawless prototype, the GPL took care of the rest. We scanned it into the system, and now we can mass-produce them on demand. No wasted time, no wasted resources."

You nodded, impressed. "And the speed? This project came together faster than I expected."

Kora grinned. "That's the power of the GPL and Sloot. Unlimited materials of the best quality and instant prototyping meant we could skip time of traditional testing and production. The team worked their asses off, but the tech made it possible."

You looked back at the weapon, still humming faintly as it powered down. "You've outdone yourself." You said, genuinely impressed. "This isn't just a weapon, it's a masterpiece."

Kora shrugged, but the pride in her eyes was unmistakable. "Well, don't just stand there. If you're impressed now, wait until we start working on the next project."

You smirked. "Let's finish celebrating this one first. Then, we'll talk about what's next."

The team cheered again as you left the range, the MK-1 Aegis Railgun's success marking a new chapter for Skynet, and possibly the future of warfare. Whatever was coming, you felt more prepared than ever.

'Wonder how General Hummel will react when I present this to him.' You though.

Reward:
R&D Lab is capable of working on Weapons and Armor (W&A RD Add-on Lv.1= +10 to related research rolls)
Phase 2= 290/5000
MK-1 Aegis Railgun completed
(Looks and works like the EM- Railgun from the movie Eraser)
==============================================
-[X] Form a watchgroup to check out rivals and national/international news (0/500; 100R per dice): 4 OD 4FD 800R

+5 Bonus

Rolled: D100 => 30
Rolled: D100 => 70
Rolled: D100 => 44
Rolled: D100 => 98+5(crit)
Rolled: D100 => 74
Rolled: D100 => 34
Rolled: D100 => 86
Rolled: D100 => 100 Crit: D100 => 73

Total: 614+5= 619, PASS

You knew that with Skynet now venturing onto the international stage, it was only a matter of time before other groups, both domestic and foreign; began to take an active interest in your company. Some would undoubtedly try to learn about your activities, while others would stop at nothing to ensure your downfall.

It wasn't hard to imagine the boardrooms of rival energy companies filled with seething executives, fuming over the success of the Gale Reactor. These corporations, deeply entrenched in outdated energy technologies, were likely scrambling to protect their market share.

And then there was Clovis Bray. While he hadn't made any overt moves yet, you couldn't shake the feeling that he was quietly plotting something.

That was why you decided to act preemptively. Calling Cayde into your office, you laid out your plan: SkyEye would receive a significant boost in both funding and operational mandates.

"Let me get this straight." Cayde said, leaning back in his chair with a skeptical expression. "You're giving SkyEye a bigger budget, expanding their operations, and now you want them to keep tabs on groups outside the company, especially our competitors?"

"Exactly." You replied without hesitation.

"And if our people happen to stumble across sensitive information from these groups—purely by 'accident,' of course—they're supposed to secure it?" He asked, his tone laced with sarcasm.

"Most definitely." You said, meeting his gaze.

Cayde smirked, running a hand through his hair. "Well, I can't say I'm surprised. But this is a whole new level, John. You're basically asking us to become spies."

"It's not spying." You countered. "It's... strategic observation. Look, Cayde, the reality is that we're now the big fish in the energy world. People are going to come after us, whether it's through sabotage, espionage, or disinformation campaigns. Hell, and that is just for our energy stuff. The minute our weapons division goes public when we unveil the Aegis, we are going to really be in the eyes of everyone. If we don't know what they're up to, we're leaving ourselves vulnerable."

He nodded slowly, the smirk fading as he considered your words. "Alright, I get it. But this isn't going to be a small operation. If you want SkyEye to monitor external threats, we're going to need specialists, people who know how to gather intel without leaving a trace. And we're going to need some serious tech upgrades."

"You'll have everything you need with the budget, just get it done." You assured him.

Within weeks, the changes were already in motion. You, Cayde and his team began recruiting individuals with backgrounds in cybersecurity, counterintelligence, and investigative analysis. These weren't your average corporate security personnel, they were professionals who knew how to blend in, dig deep, and stay invisible.

Obviously you had S ran many background checks on them to see if they were trustworthy and they were.

Speaking of S, she played a hidden but pivotal role in the expansion, creating custom algorithms to monitor digital communications and track unusual patterns across rival corporations.

In the end, the new SkyEye was now fully operational.

Reward:
SkyEye upgraded, now can monitor outside groups.
(+30 when dealing with corruption, espionage and spying on others)
Rumor Mill activated. Starts next turn.

===============================================
-[X][CLIENT] Shenzhen China(raffle (electronics capital of the world)) 2MD
--[X][COST] 1000
-[X][CLIENT] London UK(raffle) 2MD
--[X][COST] 1000
-[X][CLIENT] Seoul South Korea (raffle) 2MD
--[X][COST] 1000
-[X][CLIENT] Cairo Egypt (raffle) 2MD
--[X][COST] 1000

Skynet Expands Global Reach with New Gale Reactor Installations
By: Sarah Hinton, Global Energy Watch

In a series of groundbreaking ceremonies, Skynet has continued its mission to revolutionize global energy production with the installation of four new Gale Reactors. These Cold Fusion reactors, hailed as the pinnacle of energy technology, promise to deliver clean, sustainable power to millions across the globe.

Shenzhen, China: The first stop on the expansion tour was Shenzhen, where Skynet CEO John Connor stood alongside Chinese officials to bring the Gale Reactor online. The bustling tech hub of China is now the first city in Asia to harness the reactor's capabilities, paving the way for other cities in the region to adopt this innovative technology.

London, UK: A week later, Connor traveled to London, where the Gale Reactor was unveiled near the city's iconic Thames River. Joined by British Prime Minister and local leaders, Connor spoke about the importance of transitioning to sustainable energy sources, calling the UK a vital partner in Skynet's vision for a greener future.

Seoul, South Korea: The next destination was Seoul, a city renowned for its advanced technology and rapid innovation. South Korean President and industry leaders celebrated the launch of the reactor, emphasizing the critical role it would play in supporting the country's tech-driven economy. Connor described Seoul as "a beacon of progress," noting that the reactor would ensure its energy needs were met for decades to come.

Cairo, Egypt: The final stop on this wave of installations was Cairo, marking the first deployment of a Gale Reactor on the African continent. Egyptian President and regional dignitaries lauded the reactor's potential to address the energy challenges faced by developing nations, ensuring stability and growth. Connor highlighted Cairo's historical significance, stating the following: "This city, known as a cradle of civilization, now stands at the forefront of the future."

With each ceremony, Skynet solidified its reputation as a leader in global energy innovation. The company has pledged to continue its efforts to bring the Gale Reactor to cities worldwide, aiming to reshape the way humanity generates and consumes power.

Reward:
New Contracts acquired:
-Shenzhen, China; Energy Deal (+1000R per quarter)
-London, UK; Energy Deal (+1000R per quarter)
-Seoul, South Korea; Energy Deal (+1000R per quarter)
-Cairo, Egypt; Energy Deal (+1000R per quarter)

China Status: Good
UK Status: Good
South Korea Status: Good
Egypt Status: Good

======================================
-[X] Do Eris a favor(0/300): 350R

Rolled: D100 => 99+5(crit)
Rolled: D100 => 59
Rolled: D100 => 76
Rolled: D100 => 96
Rolled: D100 => 22
Rolled: D100 => 59
Rolled: D100 => 44

Total: 460

"Oh shit. Eris is going to blow a gasket."
"I know."
John and S, after she 'acquired' the data regarding Eris' case.

Skynet Wins Landmark Case Restoring Doctor's Reputation
By Global Justice News

In a dramatic turn of events, Skynet's legal team has once again proven its mettle, securing a decisive victory in a lawsuit that has not only restored Dr. Erisia Pyatova-Hsien's reputation but also exposed a web of corruption and greed.

Dr. Pyatova-Hsien, a former top ER surgeon in Los Angeles, had her career and life shattered after a wrongful malpractice suit stemming from the death of an elderly patient during a high-stakes emergency. Afterwards, she gained employment in Skynet as the company's in-office doctor.

Skynet's lawyers, who had previously made headlines defending former LAPD SWAT officer Cayde Buck (who was now Skynet's Head of Security), took on her case under orders of CEO John Conner, promising to uncover the truth behind the allegations.

Through exhaustive investigation and courtroom tenacity, Skynet's legal team presented compelling evidence that the patient's family and members of the hospital's administration had orchestrated a malicious campaign to ruin Dr. Pyatova-Hsien's career.

The motive? Insurance fraud.

Evidence revealed that the family sought to claim higher payouts by labeling the death as malpractice rather than an accidental tragedy. The scheme was supported by the hospital's director and several doctors, who were promised a significant "donation" in exchange for their complicity.

The court's verdict was swift and damning. The family and complicit hospital staff were convicted on charges of fraud, conspiracy, and defamation. The hospital has since faced severe sanctions, with its director and involved personnel arrested.

Dr. Pyatova-Hsien's name has been cleared, and she has been awarded substantial damages, making her a millionaire overnight. Her heartfelt reaction to the ruling captured the hearts of many as she broke down in tears, embracing her closest supporters: Kora Zeus, Cayde Buck, and John Connor.

A photograph of the emotional moment has since gone viral, symbolizing justice and resilience.

Once again, Skynet's commitment to its employees and ethical principles has cemented its reputation as a champion for fairness and truth.

"We stand by those who dedicate their lives to doing what's right." CEO John Connor stated. "Eris was wronged, and we're proud to have helped her reclaim her life and career."

Reward:
Eris reputation restored. Is now a millionaire.
Those responsible are arrested.
Eris' relationship massively increased.

=================================================
-[X] Talk with S, the AI: Talk with S and continue to work with her, who's face is now of a R34 Boss, your waifu.
(1 dice to activate, 100R; can purchase three dice max) 300R = 3 dice
Rolls= 38, 36, 43

You were sprawled out on your couch after an exhausting day, the kind where every muscle in your body ached, and all you wanted was to zone out for a while. The TV glowed softly in the dimly lit room, streaming an episode of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners that was chosen at random by the streaming app.

As the action unfolded on the screen, you grabbed the remote to lower the volume. That's when you heard S's voice.

"John."

You barely flinched. Her voice was so familiar by now that it felt like a natural part of your daily routine. You expected her avatar to appear in your HUD, projected directly into your field of vision, but nothing happened.

"S?" You asked, frowning slightly. "Where are you?"

"Look to your right." She replied, a hint of amusement in her tone.

Confused, you turned your head—and froze. Sitting right there on the couch, as casually as if she belonged, was S. She wore her first outfit, which teased and showed her rather toned body. Her legs were crossed, and she leaned back comfortably, a faint smile playing on her lips.

For a moment, your brain couldn't process what you were seeing. She wasn't supposed to be here, not like this. Without thinking, you reached out, your hand instinctively moving toward her arm.

It passed straight through.

The sensation—or lack thereof—snapped you out of your shock. You jerked your hand back, staring at her. "What the hell, S? How are you… here?"

She chuckled softly, clearly enjoying your reaction. "Relax, John. I'm not actually here. I tweaked your HUD system, added some advanced rendering, and adjusted a few algorithms. Now I can project myself in front of you, kind of like Johnny Silverhand does with V in Cyberpunk 2077."

You blinked, glancing at the TV, where David and Lucy were caught in a firefight, and then back at her. "You mean… like a hologram?"

"Not quite." She said, tilting her head. "Think of it as an augmented reality overlay. Your nanites allow me to sync with your visual cortex and project myself directly into your line of sight. This way, I can interact with you in a more… personal way."

You stared at her, still trying to wrap your head around it. "So, what, you're just going to hang out on my couch now? Sit there like you're part of the team?"

She smirked, leaning forward slightly. "Why not? You're always talking to me, so I figured I'd make it more engaging. Besides, this way, I don't have to wait for you to look at a screen to see me."

Shaking your head, you leaned back against the couch, still watching her cautiously. "You could've warned me. I almost thought I was losing it."

"Where's the fun in that?" She replied, grinning. "And admit it, you're impressed."

You sighed, rubbing your temples. "Yeah, okay, it's impressive. But also kind of creepy. You're seriously telling me you can just pop up anywhere now?"

"Not anywhere." She corrected. "Only where your HUD is active, which means only when you're using the system. So, unless you turn it off, I can sit here, move around, and even join you for whatever nonsense you're watching."

You raised an eyebrow. "Nonsense? This is Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. It's a masterpiece."

"Uh-huh." She said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Don't knock it until you've tried it." You muttered, crossing your arms. "Anyway, is this a permanent thing? Or are you just testing it out?"

She shrugged. "A bit of both. I wanted to see how you'd react. But if you don't like it…" She trailed off, pretending to look hurt.

You groaned. "I didn't say I didn't like it. It's just… unexpected, okay? I'll get used to it."

Her smile softened, and for a moment, she looked almost… human. "Good. Because I think you'll find this makes our union even better."

You glanced at her one last time before turning your attention back to the TV. As the chaotic sounds of the show filled the room, you couldn't help but feel a strange mix of unease and comfort. S wasn't just a voice in your ear anymore, she was here, in a way that felt far more real than you were ready to admit.

And as unsettling as it was, a large part of you didn't mind.

Reward:
S relationship increased.
She can now appear and move in front of John like Silverhand does to V.

=================================================
-[X] Hang with someone from the helpers (75R per dice) (Can be taken multiple times, one dice per possible person)
--[X] Ivan
Rolled: D100 => 99+5= 104 CRIT
The sound of clinking bottles echoed in the spacious penthouse as you handed Ivan a cold beer. His apartment was perched high above Sunnydale, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a stunning view of the city's twinkling lights below. The place screamed wealth, sleek furniture, modern art, and a state-of-the-art entertainment system that was currently tuned to a pregame show.

"Here's your beer man." You said, settling into the plush leather couch beside him, beer in hand.

"Thanks." Ivan replied, taking the beer and nodding in appreciation. "By the way, thanks for sticking around tonight. Needed a break before I lose my mind tallying up every damn copper we're bleeding into R&D, SkyEye, the GPL and the Reactor construction. Figured watching a game might help me decompress."

You smirked. "Well, I'm always down for beer, and good company."

Ivan chuckled, taking a sip of his beer. "So," You began, leaning back and resting your beer on the coffee table. "what would you say about the future of the company, as it stands right now?"

Ivan leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "John, we're in a brave new world. But let's be honest, no one's going to remember our names by the time we're gone."

"That's a bit grim." You said, raising an eyebrow.

He shrugged. "Think about it John. Me, I am just a rich guy that is lucky in managing and investing money while you are a soldier turned businessman. We're chasing bucks and building tech, sure, but it's the tech that will stick around, not us. People will remember the innovations, not the people behind them. Though Gale's name will be remembered since it's in the name of the tech."

You opened your beer, taking a sip before responding. "But?"

Ivan leaned back, a faraway look in his eyes. "But... I feel like we're starting something we won't live long enough to see through. Sorry for getting all existential on you, but I've made my peace with being a stepping stone."

You let his words sink in before grinning. "Well, we're making infantry railguns, reactors and all sorts of next-gen tech. If nothing else, we're setting the stage for one hell of a weird future."

Ivan cracked a smile. "And how much do you think we're going to make off this weird future?"

"I think the words blank check from Uncle Sam is the right thing to say." You replied with a laugh, holding up your beer. Ivan clinked his bottle against yours, and the two of you settled in to watch the game.

As the first quarter of the game unfolded, a lull in the commentary gave you the opportunity to ask something that had been nagging at the back of your mind. You glanced at Ivan, who was watching the screen with a casual intensity.

"Ivan." You started, breaking his focus on the game.

"Yeah?"

"How did you meet Gale?"

Ivan blinked, clearly caught off guard by the question. "Gale?" He repeated, leaning back into the couch. "That's a story. You sure you want to hear it?"

You nodded.

"Alright," Ivan began, leaning back into the plush couch and swirling the beer in his hand, "this goes back to when I was just another rich kid trying to figure out what to do with my money. I got invited to this big job fair, more of a tech networking event, really; in San Francisco. I wasn't exactly looking for investment opportunities, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to poke around and see what the up-and-comers were doing."

He paused, a small smirk forming on his face as he glanced at you. "Now, most of the booths were the same boring spiel. Startups promising the next big thing, but they couldn't back it up. Flashy screens, gimmicks, and a whole lot of hot air. But then, there was Gale."

Your interest piqued. "What was she doing?"

Ivan chuckled, shaking his head at the memory. "She was standing behind this tiny, no-frills booth at the far end of the hall. No fancy lights, no glossy brochures. Just a plain banner that read, 'Skynet: Revolutionizing Computer Parts.' Honestly, it looked like she'd thrown the whole thing together on a shoestring budget. I was about to walk past, but something stopped me."

"What was it?"

"It was her confidence." Ivan said, leaning forward. "She wasn't shouting or trying to flag people down like everyone else. She just stood there, arms crossed, this knowing smile on her face, like she didn't need to sell herself, like she already knew she had something worth more than anything else in that building. I figured, hell, why not hear her out?"

"And what did she say?" You asked.

"She didn't start with buzzwords or promises." Ivan said. "Instead, she handed me this motherboard she had built herself. She told me to hold it and then began explaining, in excruciating detail, what made it special. Her design was not just efficient, it was revolutionary. Smaller, faster, cheaper to produce, and built for modular adaptability. I'm no tech wizard, but even I could tell she was leagues ahead of everyone else there."

You raised an eyebrow. "And that was enough to convince you?"

"Not quite." Ivan admitted, a sly grin spreading across his face. "She took it a step further. She'd brought a small demo rig, a working prototype of a desktop computer built entirely with her parts. She plugged it in, ran a stress test, and the thing handled it like a dream. But the kicker? She told me the production cost would be 40% less than anything on the market at the time, with twice the performance. She had the numbers, the design, and the proof to back it up."

"That's impressive." You said, nodding slowly.

"Oh, but the real clincher?" Ivan continued, sitting up straighter. "When I asked her why she was doing all of this, why she wanted to start Skynet, she didn't talk about money. She said, 'The tech industry is stuck in the past, and the only way forward is to burn the old systems down and rebuild them smarter.'"

You let out a low whistle. "Damn. So, she really sold you on the vision, huh?"

Ivan grinned. "Absolutely. I wrote her the first check right there on the spot, and by the end of the fair that day, I was the only one that took the gamble. And by God it was the best gamble I ever took."

You leaned back, taking in the story. "And now, here we are." You said, raising your beer. "All of this, thanks to that pitch."

Ivan clinked his bottle against yours, his grin widening. "To Gale."

"To Gale." You echoed, the two of you settling back into the couch as the game resumed.

Reward:
Ivan Relationship greatly increased.
Grants +5 to Operations Rolls

=================================================
-[X] Check your qualifications. Just because you're a CEO now doesn't mean you're a REMF: 25R
Roll= 29, FAIL
'Getting lunch, come back later.' Try again.
=================================================
-[X] Talk to the Traveler: 400R (2 dice)
Roll 1: D100 => 83
Roll 2: D100 => 89
Even- Gift; Odd- Message
Roll= 4

The bar felt like a haze of familiarity and strangeness. You were seated on a wooden stool, surrounded by the dim, warm glow of hanging lanterns and the faint smell of whiskey and leather. The décor was unmistakably Texan, but there was something more to it, like you seen this place before.

You couldn't move, couldn't speak. Your body felt like it was locked in place, as if some invisible force had taken over. The only thing you could do was look around, taking in the rustic charm of the place. The walls were lined with shelves of dusty bottles, and the polished bar counter glistened under the dim light.

Then, the silence was broken by the creak of a door opening.

Your eyes snapped toward the backdoor as someone entered. The sight made your breath catch in your throat. It was Gale. But not the Gale you remembered nor the sexual devil from that old dream; this version of her was both familiar and different.

She was wearing an outfit that could only be described as straight out of Final Fantasy VII: a cropped black tank top, short black shorts with fur-trimmed edges, and suspenders holding it all together. Her physique was impossibly fit, toned like an elite martial artist. Even her stance carried a confidence that felt almost otherworldly.

For a moment, you couldn't believe your eyes. Why was Gale here? Why was she dressed like this? And why did she look so much like Tifa Lockhart?

It was then you realized why this bar looked so familiar, it was the Seventh Heaven bar from the game itself.

Gale didn't acknowledge you immediately. She moved with fluid grace behind the bar, picking up bottles and tools with practiced ease. Her hands danced as she began making a drink, pouring liquids, spinning bottles, and shaking a silver cocktail shaker with a flair that belonged more to a performance artist than a bartender.

As you watched, you swore you could hear a faint voice calling your name. It was distant, like a whisper carried on the wind, but it was enough to make your chest tighten.

Gale finished her display, setting an empty glass in front of you. With a final, elegant motion, she poured the contents of the shaker into the glass. The liquid glowed faintly yellow, and you recognized it immediately: the Seventh Heaven cocktail from the game.

Gale gave you a soft smile as she placed the drink in your right hand. Her expression was warm, almost knowing, as if she were trying to tell you something without speaking.

But before you could take a sip, the voice calling your name grew louder, snapping your attention away from her. You turned your head, finally breaking free of the invisible force that held you.

And then you woke up.

Your body jolted upright, your breath coming in sharp gasps. By instinct, your hand shot under your pillow, pulling out the gun you always kept there.

The world around you was dark, lit only by the faint glow of your bedside lamp. You realized you were in your bedroom, wearing nothing but your black boxers. Your chest heaved as you tried to steady yourself, gripping the gun tightly.

"John!"

The voice snapped you out of your panic. You looked up to see S hovering over you in her holographic form. She was wearing something new: a white, sheer nightwear ensemble that would have been distracting if her expression wasn't filled with worry.

To an outside observer, it might have looked like she was straddling you, her hands on either side of your shoulders as she leaned down, her glowing eyes scanning your face.

"What the hell, S?" You muttered, lowering the gun slightly. "What's going on?"

"I've been trying to wake you up for the last five minutes!" She said, her voice frantic. "Your brainwaves spiked off the charts while you were sleeping. I thought something was seriously wrong!"

You shook your head, running a hand through your hair. "I'm fine. It was just… a weird dream."

S frowned, crossing her arms. "John, you don't have normal dreams. Every time you've had one of these strange dreams, something bizarre happens afterward. You know that."

Before you could respond, your HUD lit up, displaying a message:

"ID Confirmed. Unlocking Weapon."

Both you and S froze.

"What the hell was that?" You asked, your voice low.

"I… I don't know." S replied, her holographic form flickering slightly. "It's coming from your gun."

You looked down at the weapon in your hand, and your stomach dropped. It wasn't your trusty Glock 19. Instead, you were holding something entirely different, a sleek, futuristic hand cannon with intricate engravings and a powerful build.

"What the hell is this? And where is my gun?" You muttered, turning it over in your hands.

The HUD brought up a data overlay, displaying the weapon's specifications and name:

Weapon: Seventh Seraph Officer Revolver

'Taken directly from my game'

Both you and S stared at the weapon in stunned silence.

"S," You said slowly, "Did anyone come into my home? Could someone have switched out my gun while I was asleep?"

"No." She replied immediately. "I've been monitoring the house all night. No one's been in or out since you fell asleep."

You examined the weapon more closely, your mind racing. The craftsmanship was incredible, almost too perfect. Another thing was that despite it's size, the weapon felt light in your hand.

You saw that the weapon had 15 bullets in it's chamber, with a statement of 180 RPM. Though you found it strange that next to the number of bullets, there was a symbol of infinity.

Then something caught your eye in the data display.

Manufacturer: Skynet-Gale Cameron

Your breath hitched. The name sent a chill down your spine.

S noticed it too, her expression darkening. "John, this… this doesn't make sense. How could this weapon be here? And why is Gale's name on it?"

Your thoughts flashed back to the dream—the bar, the drink, the strange presence of Gale dressed like Tifa.

"Seventh Heaven." You whispered.

"What did you say?" S asked.

"The gun's name." You said, holding it up. "The dream I had, I was in the bar Seventh Heaven from FF7 and in it Gale while dressed as Tifa gave me a Seventh Heaven cocktail. And now this gun… it's called Seventh Seraph."

"WHAT?" S yelled.

Reward:
Seventh Seraph Officer Revolver acquired.
=======================================
-[X] Talk to the Horse: 500R

'Rolls below'

You found yourself standing in the middle of an endless void, a dark room with no walls, no ceiling, and no discernible exit. The silence was deafening, the darkness oppressive. You took a cautious step forward, your boots echoing on an unseen floor, but no matter how far you moved, the space remained unchanging. You tried activating your HUD, only to find it unresponsive, as if it had never existed.

Panic began to bubble in the pit of your stomach. "Where the hell am I?" You muttered, though your voice sounded muffled, as if the darkness itself swallowed your words.

Then, a figure materialized in front of you, emerging from the shadows like a phantom. Tall, cloaked, and unmistakable, the figure held an air of calm authority. You blinked, stunned, as recognition dawned on you.

"Zeratul." You whispered.

The enigmatic Protoss from Starcraft stood before you, his glowing green eyes fixed on you. He said nothing at first, merely staring, as though assessing your very soul. The silence stretched, each second feeling like an eternity.

Your instincts screamed at you to move, to do something, but your body refused to obey. You were rooted to the spot, caught in Zeratul's unwavering gaze.

Then, without a word, he reached into the folds of his cloak and pulled out a small object. With a fluid motion, he threw it toward you. Your reflexes kicked in, and you caught it in your right hand without hesitation.

The object felt solid, warm, and strangely comforting, despite the surreal nature of the encounter.

Zeratul's deep, resonant voice, which you heard inside your head; finally broke the silence.

"This is but one end." He said cryptically.

Before you could respond, the void collapsed around you, and you jolted awake.

You blinked rapidly, disoriented, finding yourself sprawled on your couch in your living room as your heart was pounding as if you'd run a marathon.

"John!"

The familiar voice of S snapped your attention upward. Her holographic form appeared before you, her expression a mixture of worry and frustration.

"You're awake." she said, her tone accusatory. "Do you have any idea how much your brain waves were spiking just now? Compared to the last time that got us that revolver, this time you were practically off the charts!"

You rubbed your temples, still trying to process what had just happened. "S… it was another dream." You muttered.

"Another one of those dreams." She said, crossing her arms. "Do I need to brace myself? Should I check under the couch for a sniper rifle or maybe a tank in the driveway this time?"

You gave her a half-smirk at her attempt to lighten the mood but froze as you felt something warm and vibrating gently in your right hand. Slowly, you looked down.

There, in your palm, was a strange coin.

Its surface was smooth, intricately engraved with markings you couldn't immediately decipher, and it radiated a faint warmth, as though it were alive. Wrapped around the coin was a small piece of paper.

You carefully unwrapped the paper, revealing a handwritten note and a set of coordinates. The note was short and to the point:

"Use it wisely."

S, now curious, leaned closer to examine the paper. "Those coordinates… give me a second." Her image flickered briefly as she processed the information. "They're about thirty miles out in the desert, right off an old, barely maintained road outside Sunnydale. What the hell is out there?"

You shook your head. Suddenly, the warmth had faded, replaced by a subtle coolness. And then, just like that, it was gone.

"What the—?" You said, turning your hand over, searching for the coin.

S looked equally confused. "It disappeared. How does something like that just vanish? Did it—"

"It was here." You cut her off, shaking your head in disbelief.

Your attention returned to the note. Something about the handwriting struck you as painfully familiar. You studied it more closely, your mind racing. It wasn't just familiar, it was unmistakable.

"Gale." You whispered.

S tilted her head. "What about mom?"

"This handwriting." You said, holding up the note for her to see. "It's Gale's. I'd recognize it anywhere."

S was silent for a moment, her expression unreadable. "John… this is getting weirder by the minute. Are you sure you want to follow this lead?"

You didn't answer immediately, your eyes fixed on the coordinates. Deep down, you knew there was no way you couldn't follow it. If Gale was somehow connected to this, if this was her way of leaving you another trail; it wasn't something you could ignore.

"We're going to the desert." You said as you got up off the couch.

Sometime later…

The sun was just beginning to crest over the horizon when you arrived at the coordinates. The long, empty road you followed led to a fenced-off, abandoned building that seemed to rise out of the desert like a ghost of a forgotten era.

You stepped out of your car, dressed in one of your custom suits, a precaution you weren't about to skip. The strange revolver you got was holstered at your side, its weight strangely comforting.

S appeared beside you in her holographic form, her glowing eyes scanning the area. "This is the place." She said. "I did some digging during the drive. Turns out, this building used to be a munitions warehouse for a company that went under about fifteen years ago. It was sold by the bank to a shell corporation."

"And let me guess." You said, stepping toward the chain-link fence.

S smirked. "Bingo. The shell corporation was registered under mom's name. This place belonged to her."

That revelation sent a chill down your spine. What else had Gale been hiding.

You reached the fence gate, which was chained but surprisingly easy to unlock, it wasn't even padlocked properly. With a slight tug, the gate creaked open, and you walked toward the looming building.

The warehouse had clearly seen better days, with rust streaking the metal walls and sand covering the surrounding area like a forgotten blanket. As you approached, something unusual caught your eye: a modern handprint scanner next to the door, its edges dusted with sand.

S appeared at your side, her brows furrowed. "Well, that's not what you'd expect from an abandoned building." She said, tapping her chin. "Want me to hack it?"

You considered it but decided against it. Something told you to try the straightforward approach first. You raised your hand and placed it on the scanner.

The device hummed to life, its screen lighting up. Your HUD immediately displayed data as the scanner began reading your biometric information, which was followed by the brief appearance of a purple symbol before a line of text appeared.

"Identity confirmed. Welcome, John Connor."

The door unlocked with a mechanical click, and you glanced at S, who looked just as surprised as you felt.

"Alright, then." You muttered, pushing the door open and stepping inside.

Darkness greeted you. The air inside was stale, heavy with dust. You fumbled along the wall until your fingers brushed against a light switch. With a flick, the fluorescent lights overhead buzzed to life, illuminating the cavernous interior.

You froze.

S materialized in front of you, her holographic form flickering in disbelief. "John... are you seeing this?"

The inside of the building was a massive open space, completely empty, except for two enormous, tarp-covered objects in the center. One was about the size of a small car, while the other loomed at least 20 meters tall, casting a long shadow across the floor.

"What the hell did Gale do here?" You muttered, your pulse quickening as you approached the smaller object first.

Dust covered the tarp, and with a quick yank, you pulled it off, sending a cloud of debris into the air.

When the dust settled, your breath caught in your throat.

It was the Crying Wolf mech suit from Metal Gear Solid 4.

"No way." You muttered, stepping closer. At first, you thought it was just a highly detailed model—a replica made by a fan with too much time on their hands. But when you reached out to touch it, the cold metallic surface beneath your fingers told you otherwise.

"S, tell me this isn't real." You said, your voice barely above a whisper.

S's holographic form flickered as she began scanning the suit. "John… it's real. The internal systems are functional. The Rail Gun you see on it, its real and is basically the tank version of our Rail Gun. And the internal coding? It has Gale's signature all over it."

You stared at the mech suit in disbelief, your mind racing. If this was real, then…

Your gaze turned to the towering object covered by the larger tarp.

Without hesitation, you moved toward it, adrenaline pushing you forward.

'Okay, if the pattern holds true then, maybe this thing might be a Metal Gear. But the question is which one. Based on how tall it is and but small width, it can't be REX or RAY. Maybe it's a modified Gekko.' You though as you began to pull off the tarp.

It took significant effort to pull the tarp off, the sheer size of the object making it a challenge.

As the tarp fell away, a massive cloud of dust filled the air. You coughed, waving your hand in front of your face to clear your vision. When the dust finally settled, you froze.

Standing before you was a TSF F-22A Raptor, the American mecha from the Muv-Luv series.

Its imposing frame loomed over you, every detail of its design painstakingly accurate. The metallic sheen of its armor reflected the overhead lights, and you easily picture the mech giving you an Evil Eye.

"John look between the legs on the ground." S said while pointing toward something.

You follow her finger and saw it.

Standing in a mannequin was a male Fortified Suit, the U.S. Army variant.

You stumbled back, your legs giving out as you collapsed onto the floor.

"This can't be real," You muttered, your voice shaking.

S now sat beside you, her expression equally stunned. "It's real, John. Both of them. I'm connected to the TSF and it's fully operational. This is… beyond anything I thought mom was capable of."

"She built these." You whispered, staring up at the TSF and then back to the wolf.

"Cold Fusion, Glimmer, me, SOP, that strange gun, Crying Wolf, a fully functional TSF... John, do you realize what this means? She must have been the smartest woman on the planet. And by some twist sick of fate, she was taken from us too early." S said.

You shook your head, still struggling to process everything. It was then looking at the suit, you though of something.

"S, can you tell exactly the size of the suit?" You asked her.

"Yes."

"Does it match my own body size?"

"…..Yes, it's a perfect match." S said after a few moments of silence.

You looked at the suit, now easily picturing yourself wearing it. Then you look back at the Wolf and the image of Gale standing next to it wearing the very tight B&B uniform came to mind.

'A beauty and a beast. A wolf and a raptor, standing side-by-side.' You though.

"Dammit Gale, what were you planning?" You mutter.

The only answer was the quiet hum of the warehouse, the weight of the discoveries pressing down on you like a physical force.

Reward:
MGS Crying Wolf mech suit acquired.
TSF F-22A Raptor from Muv-Luv acquired.

Roll= 100, NAT 100
Bonus= 69

Gift (using wheel):
Metal
Player One
Combat Evolved
Wake Up Samurai
Time is the cruelest kindness
Fear is freedom
Result- Metal

Which one:
1-First Man
2-Mantis
3-Octopus
4-Rave
5-Snake
6-Wolf
7-All
Result: 6

Original or 'Real Original':
1 vs 71
Of course...... :ogles:

Second Reward:
Gift (using wheel):
Metal
Player One
Combat Evolved
Wake Up Samurai
Time is the cruelest kindness
Fear is freedom
Result- Time is the cruelest kindness

What is it:
1=A-6 Intruder
2=A-12 Avenger
3=F-4 Phantom
4=F-14 Tomcat
5=F-22A Raptor
6=YF-23 Black Widow II
Result- 5
Raptor wins.

What was given, data or the real thing:
97
+15 (Star Horse bullshit)
= 112, CRIT
vs
1
+50 (Complex Machine)
= 51, NAT 1 CRIT FAIL
'Looks at this result...FRACK IT. Both the TSF and Crying Wolf are real and ready to go.'

Does the TSF can be piloted it with SOP as well:
46 vs 15
YEP

=========================================

Total Cost= 8700R
8710R-8700= 10R left.
=========================================

Eastern Front:

Dig, Infect or Both:
Roll 1d3: 1

Digging Tower:
86
+25 (Manpower)
+15 (Cold terrain advantage)
= 126
vs
38
+60 (Buried)
= 98
Tower dugged up.

Is Russia aware:
10
+30 (Mass disappearances)
+30 (Russian Security Paranoia)
+30 (Large structure being dugged up)
= 70
vs
87
+40 (Middle of nowhere and deadly climate)
= 127

'Looks at the results'
Well, I guess this explains the Horse Rolls.
Raptors vs Goliaths FTW

Chimera have access to their first tower....and Russia is still in the dark....literally!!!

Random Roll Event:
Roll= 50
Nothing, neither good or bad; happened.

Here are the next results.

Would like to thank Cyber for his help in writing this, and providing half of the rolls and entries.

Cyber: One of these Day's the Insanity of the Quest will make Me and my own Omake Writing go into a level of Madness yet unseen.
Anywho, enjoy all the LOOT and NEWS!

So yeah, we are getting better, and it turns out the StarPony likes us a lot, more than BM.
Then again, he probably wants to ensure that the future 'game' ~~Echoes of Eternity~~ is not one-sided.

Now, as to how Gale apparently invented so many things.
Well, it's a yes/no.
Local Gale invented Cold Fusion and S. Meanwhile, StarPony is taking things other Gales from other universes made and dumping them on our lap.

And Russia continues to screw things up.
At least nothing happened with the Random Event.

If you have any questions, just ask I will try my best to answer them.

If you spot any errors, please let me know.

Omakes are more than welcomed.....no REALLY, they are welcomed.

edboy49 · Feb 10, 2025

Year 2,Q4

Opening

You honestly thought you knew everything about Gale.

Even after discovering S, Glimmer, and SOP, you had assumed that she had simply kept them hidden because they were groundbreaking, world-changing technologies.

But now?

Now, you were starting to question just how deep the rabbit hole went and how many other secrets Gale had buried.

It had been a week since you discovered the Crying Wolf mech and the TSF Raptor, and you and S had been doing nothing but analyzing and digging through every inch of data they contained.

And the more you learned, the more unnerving it became.

For the past week, you had isolated yourself inside the warehouse with a stockpile of supplies, using your vacation days to ensure that no one would interrupt your work.

When your friends asked why the sudden time off, you fed them a convincing lie, telling them that your old superiors had contacted you for a Black Ops-related issue.

They bought the story without question.

In reality, you were here, in this abandoned building, trying to unravel whatever the hell Gale had been working on that somehow lead her to bring to life two iconic mechs and the gun you found in your hands.

And the first thing you examined was the Seventh Seraph Officer Revolver.

From the moment you held it in your hand, you knew—this was no ordinary firearm.

This revolver was, without a doubt, the most advanced handgun on the planet.

A weapon so ahead of its time, that if it ever became public knowledge, it would change warfare forever.

The craftsmanship was superior to any modern firearm. But what truly made it unique were the bullets, a type you had never seen before.

According to S's calculations, these rounds were powerful enough to penetrate any modern body armor, and with multiple shots, they could potentially damage and penetrate tank armor.

The revolver came with the same ID-lock technology used in Metal Gear Solid 4. This meant that only you could fire it, making it completely useless in the hands of anyone else.

But the most mind-blowing feature?

The infinite ammo capacity.

Yes.

Infinite.

The Seventh Seraph Officer Revolver was equipped with an internal system, derived from the GPL; that converted excess heat from firing into raw material, which was then used to recreate ammunition inside the chamber.

A perfect reload cycle.

Every ten shots, the revolver would take four seconds of 'reloading' to break down the spent casings, reform new bullets, and continue firing without ever running dry.

It was the dream gun of every firearms enthusiast in history.

Which lead you to one final test to run.

With SOP enhancements activated, you could fire the revolver with precision, and the recoil was practically nonexistent.

But when you disabled the enhancements and fired again….

You nearly lost your grip as the gun kicked back with brutal force, almost flying out of your hands.

That confirmed it.

Without SOP, this revolver was borderline uncontrollable.

And that meant that until you revealed SOP's existence, mass-producing the weapon was out of the question.

But that wasn't the only thing that made you rethink everything.

The next thing to analyze was the Crying Wolf mech suit.

And by the time S finished running diagnostics, you wanted to bang your head against a wall.

This thing was insane.

The Wolf's battery was unlike anything on the market. It could operate for five days straight, even providing full life support to its user.

The Rail Gun functioned exactly like the one from the game, but with two critical changes:

First, it could now be fired remotely from inside the suit, with the pilot not needing to get out of the suit to fire it.

Second, it used the same infinite ammo system as the Seraph Revolver, meaning that every shot generated enough heat to reload itself, taking 5 seconds to 'reload'.

One important detail you noticed was the fact that this railgun's capacity to be self-sustaining meant that, in theory, it could be mounted onto armored vehicles, creating next-gen mobile artillery.

But there was one problem.

The first obvious restriction being that only a woman can use the suit. Second being that they must have SOP in their system.

At the very least S confirmed that the female does not need to have super PTSD to use it like the original operator.

But that lead to the final restriction and the one that made you bang your head on the wall.

Because of how the suit's internal sensors functioned, the Wolf unit required full-body synchronization, which meant that any form of clothing would interfere with calibration.

You immediately felt your eye twitch.

"Dammit, Gale! What the hell?!
Was this a technical limitation, or were you just honoring Kojima's original vision?"

This was going to be a nightmare if you ever tried to mass-produce and sell the damn thing.

Because what kind of professional military force would take you seriously if you handed them a state-of-the-art war machine and then told them, "Oh, by the way, your female pilots have to be naked to use it."

Yeah. That would go over really well.

Then again…

Maybe some lunatics out there would jump at the opportunity, not to mention the fact that the Wolf's armor made the pilot safer than being in a tank or any body armor in the world.

But in regards to the Wolf, there was one thing that truly disturbed you.

Thinking back to the day you found Gale's body in her home, in that condition…

Was she just having fun?

Or had she been physically preparing herself to use the suit.

You didn't know.

And honestly?

You weren't sure you wanted to.

You moved on to the Raptor next.

And by all that is sacred, you could honestly say that this was the most beautiful and deadliest war machine ever created by man.

Or rather, ever created by a woman.

The Raptor, along with the Fortified Suit, was exactly as depicted in the source material.

Except, of course, for some very distinct modifications. Modifications that once again reinforced your growing belief that Gale Cameron was literally the smartest woman on the planet.

The first major difference was its power source.

You almost couldn't believe it when S told you the Raptor was powered by a miniaturized Gale Reactor.

You knew from Kora and the R&D team that downsizing the reactor was projected to take years, with the current goal being a naval version for use on warships.

Yet somehow, Gale had already done it, reducing it to a size compact enough to power a mech and be mobile for high-speed maneuvers.

According to S's calculations, this meant the Raptor had unlimited operational time.

If you could reverse-engineer this miniaturized version, it would change your current sales paradigm.

Residential buildings, corporate HQs, closed communities in rural areas; all powered by a self-sustaining Gale Reactor.

Sadly, while this reactor was small, it wasn't small enough to be used in vehicles like cars or aircraft.

The second difference was its armament.

While the combat knife, the CIWS-1B Close Combat Knife; was unchanged, the Raptor's signature AMWS-21 Assault Cannon had been given the same self-sustaining ammo system as the Seraph Revolver and Wolf's railgun.

Unlike the other two, however, this system was directly fed by the Gale Reactor rather than relying on heat conversion.

This meant the Raptor's Assault Cannon would never run out of ammunition.

There was one final modification, a discovery you made the moment you first piloted the Raptor.

At first glance, the cockpit setup was normal, requiring the Fortified Suit, which fit you like a glove and was comfortable; and manual control inputs.

But for SOP users the Raptor had an extra function.

If SOP nanites were present, in addition to serving as the mech's 'key'; the pilot no longer needed to use physical controls.

Instead, the mech moved as if it were an extension of the pilot's body, similar to the nanite system in the anime Nadesico.

The first time you activated it, the experience was… surreal.

You didn't know if it was SOP, S's assistance, or just some unknown natural talent you did not know you had, but the moment the Raptor moved, it felt perfect.

Now, you understood why fighter pilots were so damn smug, the feeling of perfect control was indescribable.

And with the Raptor's flight systems running on pure reactor energy, it could stay airborne indefinitely.

You were very grateful the stealth systems worked flawlessly, allowing you to test it in the desert at night without being detected and you managed to replicate all the moves the Raptor is seen capable of doing during the 12/5 Incident Arc.

Though you didn't dare fire the Assault Cannon, mostly on account of not wanting the state's earthquake sensors picking up the shockwaves.

At one point, you asked S if she could pilot the Wolf or Raptor remotely.

Unfortunately, your dream of creating a Gundam Wing Mobile Doll system was crushed.

While S could connect to the systems, assist with calculations, and even provide combat assistance, she could not pilot them alone.

She needed a living operator connected to the machine.

Speaking of connected, one thing S discovered was how the Raptor and Wolf were meant to work together.

One of the Raptor's four mount pylons had been modified specifically to carry the Wolf exosuit and charge its battery while connected to it.

As for how to manufacture more Raptors, there was both good news and bad news.

The good news is that thanks to the GPL, all the parts that make the Raptor could be produced.

The bad news was that it requires a specialized manufacturing center to put said pieces in the proper order.

Luckily, S found blueprints in the Raptor's database, plans for a dedicated production center.

If you wanted to mass-produce Raptors, you'd need to expand Skynet's existing factory.

A massive undertaking, but entirely possible.

Then came S's final discovery.

Hidden deep within Skynet's legal files, and within the NAE's corporate database; were copyrights and patents.

To your absolute shock, Gale had already secured full rights to both Raptor and Wolf designs.

This meant that you wouldn't need to pay royalties or be sued by Konami or âge.

But that wasn't the craziest part.

While Gale got the copyrights and patents for the Wolf and SOP from Konami specifically; somehow, she hadn't just acquired the Raptor's rights, she had secured the entire Muv-Luv franchise's intellectual property.

Every piece of technology from that series, if ever developed and made real; would belong solely to Skynet.

And you wouldn't even need to rename it.

This realization was terrifying.

It meant that, if Gale had built the Raptor and Wolf, you now wonder if she managed to create more stuff from Muv-Luv.

And if she had managed to recreate something like the accursed G-Bomb or something like Unit 00….the implications were frightening.

Now, you had a choice.

You now had in your possession the tools to make Skynet the most powerful military company on the planet as you knew that selling just one of the suits, in combination with the Aegis and SOP; to the NAE military would make you their number client with a blank check.

Not to mention the PR angle of the millions of anime and game fans that would love Skynet and Gale for bringing to life a mech.

But at what cost?

You knew this could also ignite an arms race unlike anything in history.

And that is without taking into account how the world would react to S and how they would treat her.

S told you she was going to stand with you regardless of what you decide to do.

You had to make a crucial decision.

Was it time to tell your friends the truth?

Or would you continue to keep them in the dark?

Because once this secret got out, there would be no going back.

Reward:
John gets trait:
Natural TSF Pilot= +30 when piloting a TSF.
----------------------------------------

Tell the truth to the group:
[] Yes
[] No

Raptor Power Source Canon/Gale Reactor:
85
+15 (Star Horse bullshit)
= 100, ART 100 CRIT
VS
14
+80 (Canon)
= 94

Raptor Melee Weapon Knife/Sword:
18
+15 (Star Horse bullshit)
= 33
VS
35
+80 (Canon)
= 115

Raptor Gun Weapon Normal/Upgraded:
79
+15 (Star Horse bullshit)
= 94
VS
10
+80 (Canon)
= 90

John Pilot Raptor:
100
+20 (SOP)
+15 (S help)
= 135, NAT 100
vs
47
+60 (First time piloting)
= 107

Wolf Power Source Canon/Gale Reactor:
80
+15 (Star Horse bullshit)
= 95
VS
52
+80 (Canon)
= 132

Wolf Gun Normal/Upgraded:
88
+15 (Star Horse bullshit)
= 103
VS
10
+80 (Canon)
= 90

Wolf Remote:
38 vs 67

Raptor Remote:
43 vs 86

Copyright Wolf:
90
+15 (Star Horse bullshit)
= 105
vs
59
+30 (Established thing)
= 89

Copyright Raptor:
85
+15 (Star Horse bullshit)
= 100, ART 100 CRIT
vs
3
+30 (Established thing)
= 33, CRIT FAIL

So here is the next opening.

And as you can see, give John a Raptor in a battlefield, he will go Mech Ace on the enemy.

Do note that if the truth is told, there will be a roll to see who among the group want SOP...except for Kora who will want it automatically so she can live.

If you spot any errors, please tell me.

edboy49 · Feb 16, 2025

Tell the truth to the group:
[X] Yes

Birth of the Skynet SOP
(Y2Q4 Opening Conclusion)

You had been dreading this moment for weeks.

The idea of revealing everything you kept secret, from S, SOP, the Seventh Seraph Revolver, the Wolf, and the Raptor; was nerve-wracking.

Especially S.

She had been monitoring them since they started working at Skynet, and you had no idea how they would take it they had an AI monitoring 24/7.

So, after much deliberation, you sent a message through SkyChat, requesting the team to meet at your home late Friday night.

And, just in case, you secretly went down to a GPL unit and created five additional SOP syringes, prepared for the possibility that they might want to be injected after learning the truth.

Later in the day, by 9 PM, everyone had arrived.

The mood was relaxed at first. Drinks were served, casual conversation filled the air, and for a brief moment, it almost felt normal.

Then, you cleared your throat.

And just like that, the entire atmosphere shifted.

The easy-going conversation died instantly, and everyone turned to face you with mild concern.

"Alright, John," Kora said, leaning forward. "What's with the late-night emergency meeting? You look like you're about to drop a bomb on us."

You took a deep breath. Because, in a way, you were.

You tapped a few keys on your computer keyboard, and the screen flickered to life.

S appeared.

Her usual confident smirk was present as she waved at the group.

"Hello, everyone."

The room fell completely silent.

Eris blinked first. "Uh… John?"

Cayde narrowed his eyes. "The hell am I looking at?"

Lance, arms crossed, frowned at the screen. "A holographic woman on your desktop?"

Ivan raised a brow. "Did… did you make an AI waifu?"

You sighed, pinching the bridge of your nose.

"No, I didn't make her. Everyone, this is S. She's an AI created by Gale. She's been running Skynet's systems since I took over a year ago."

More silence.

Then, Eris let out a low whistle.

"Okay. That's… a thing."

Cayde exhaled. "Alright, let's hear it, John. The whole damn truth."

You didn't hold back.

You explained everything, from how you discovered S's existence in Gale's will; her subsequent evolution till her current form. Though you did not dare mention the reason she looked like that was because she got exposed to your 'stuff' and just blamed it on Gale's programming taking this route.

This was followed by the other stuff Gale left behind in addition to Glimmer; from the modified SOP, the Seventh Seraph Revolver and its infinite ammo system, and the existence of the Crying Wolf and Raptor, though you held back on some of the details on those two suits.

You omitted the part about the dreams, some things were too insane to believe, even with everything else. You just told them all the stuff came from time released messages from Gale.

By the time you finished, the room was dead silent once again.

Even S looked at them, trying to gauge their reactions.

You had no idea what they were thinking.

Then, Cayde was the first to speak.

"Wait a damn second." He pointed at S. "I always though it was strange that the lawyers seemed to have all the required data for my case, even stuff that I knew was classified. S are you the reason the lawyers were able clear my name?"

S smirked slightly. "That's correct."

Eris straightened. "Wait… does that mean you also got all the evidence that proved my case too?"

S nodded. "That's right. I infiltrated multiple digital archives and secured the necessary proof to dismantle the lawsuits against you."

Both Cayde and Eris were quiet for a few seconds.

Then, at the same time, they both said:

"Thank you."

S gave a small smile. "You're welcome."

That opened the floodgates.

The entire group suddenly began throwing questions at both you and S, ranging from what she could do to how the hell you managed to keep all of this a secret for so long.

Eventually, Kora narrowed her eyes and asked something you had been dreading.

"John."

You shifted uncomfortably. "…Yeah?"

"Why does S look like your favorite female character in what looks like something out of Rule 34?"

The room went quiet again.

Everyone slowly turned back to S.

And then, they turned back to you.

You felt sweat forming on your brow.

"No comment."

S smirked knowingly but said nothing.

Ivan squinted. "S, care to share?"

S simply smiled. "Mom was strange."

Cayde groaned. "Oh, for fu—"

Lance clapped his hands together, bringing everyone back to focus.

"Alright, alright. Let's move on." He looked at you and S. "John, you're telling us that this AI has been here since day one, managing everything?"

You nodded. "Yes."

Lance took a deep breath. "…Alright."

And just like that—they accepted it.

No arguments. No paranoia. No accusations.

They trusted you.

That realization hit you harder than you expected.

Cayde leaned back. "Well, damn. I thought this would be something insane, but you know what? This makes total sense. It actually explains a lot."

Eris smirked. "So… do we call her Big Sister now since she is always watching?"

S visibly stiffened. "Absolutely not."

Laughter filled the room.

And for the first time in weeks, you felt a weight lift off your shoulders.

The night was finally winding down after hours of intense conversation, jokes, and awkward silences as the group got used to S.

You were just about to relax when Kora suddenly stiffened and glared at you.

"Wait a damn second."

Her tone made your stomach drop.

"You said you injected yourself with SOP without any medical supervision?"

Oh, shit.

You barely had time to respond when Eris's expression also shifted into one of outrage.

"Wait, what?" she snapped, turning toward you. "You just... jammed a needle full of nanites into your body like some drunk med student?"

You tried to raise your hands defensively. "Okay, hold on—"

"John Connor!" Kora's voice cut through the room like a whip. "What the actual hell were you thinking?"

"In my defense—"

"There is no defense!" Eris interrupted. "I'm a goddamn doctor, John! You didn't think maybe, just maybe; you should ask me before turning your bloodstream into a playground for nanotech?"

"It was a calculated risk and I had S with me." You said weakly.

"Yeah, well, your math sucks!" Kora snapped, arms crossed beneath her chest.

Cayde leaned toward Lance, whispering, "He's screwed."

Lance gave a solemn nod. "Dead man walking."

Ivan sipped his drink, watching like a man observing a public execution.

Meanwhile, S stood in her holographic form in the corner, visible to you only; biting her lip to suppress laughter.

Traitor.

For the next ten minutes, you sat through a double-pronged verbal beatdown as Kora and Eris tore into you with the intensity of a pair of drill sergeants.

"Do you even know how many ways that could've gone wrong?"
"What if your body rejected the nanites?"
"What if the nanites went rogue and turned your organs into soup?"
"I swear, if you die on me because of some half-assed action hero move—"

Eventually, their fury burned itself out.

Kora sighed, rubbing her temples. "You're lucky you're still alive."

"Yeah." Eris muttered, glaring at you. "I swear, if you ever do something like that again without calling me, I'm stabbing you with an actual syringe just to prove a point."

"Understood."

"Good. And here I though it was Cayde that was an idiot."

"Hey!!"

With the crisis averted, you reached beneath the coffee table and placed a small black case on its surface.

Everyone immediately sat up straighter.

You opened the case.

Inside were five syringes filled with a faintly shimmering silver fluid.

"These are SOP nanites." You said softly. "If you want to join me and S, here's your chance."

Silence.

"Just to clarify, you're saying SOP works just like the game?" Kora asked after a moment.

You nodded. "Yes. The standard features plus a few extra tweaks Gale built in. Regeneration, enhanced strength, speed, reflexes, able to work in any environment. Real-time health monitoring and connected to S at all times. The works."

Kora's eyes narrowed. "And... the emotional suppression?"

"Gone." You assured her. "No risk of what happened in the game."

The group exchanged glances.

"So..." Cayde broke the silence, running a hand over his chin. "We'd become... supersoldiers?"

"Basically." You admitted.

The air grew heavy as they absorbed the gravity of the decision. You expected long debates, maybe even an argument.

Instead, Kora simply exhaled and said, "Okay."

Before you could react, she reached out, grabbed one of the syringes, yanked off the protective cap, and jammed it into her thigh.

"Kora—!"

Too late.

She depressed the plunger, injecting the nanites into her bloodstream with the calm determination of a woman sealing her fate.

The syringe dropped from her fingers and clattered to the floor.

"Holy shit." Cayde whispered.

Kora's face immediately contorted in pain. Her hands gripped the sides of the couch, her knuckles turning white.

"S!" You barked. "Monitor her vitals!"

"Already on it!" S responded. "Her heart rate's spiking, nanites are integrating."

Kora arched her back as tremors wracked her body. Sweat beaded her forehead, and she gasped for air.

"Kora, stay with us!" You said, grabbing her hand.

Her eyes, wide with shock, met yours.

"Burns... like fire," she rasped. "Everything... hurts."

"That's the nanites fusing with your nervous system." S said. "They're reconstructing basically everything in your body."

Kora shook violently for another agonizing minute. Her breathing hitched, her legs spasmed, and then….

She went still.

The room was dead silent.

"S?"

"She's alive." S said after a moment. "Nanite integration complete."

You released a breath you hadn't realized you'd been holding.

Kora's eyes fluttered open. The brown of her irises shimmered briefly with a golden glow.

She sat up and rubbed her face. "Holy shit."

"You okay?" You asked softly.

She flexed her fingers. "I... feel everything." She said as she looked around the room.

"So... that's it?" Cayde finally asked. "She's... good now?"

"She's stable." S confirmed. "Hi Kora." S waved at her.

"Oh hi S. I will admit this need a bit of getting use to." Kora said as she was now seeing S like you do.

"Yeah. Well I am happy to report that the nanites have fully integrated with her system without any negative issues. And... well... I have something to report."

"What?" You asked.

S turned to face Kora. "The nanites... they're actively breaking down malignant cells. Your cancer is being targeted, isolated, and destroyed."

Kora gasped. "Wait... what?"

"You're telling me this thing is... curing her?" Lance asked, his voice shaky.

S nodded. "Based on initial scans, the nanites have already stopped the spread. If the process continues at this rate, I predict a 90% probability of complete remission within six months."

Kora clapped her hand over her mouth. Tears filled her eyes.

"Holy shit." Eris whispered. "We're talking about curing cancer here."

"No," S corrected softly. "We're talking about curing her cancer. Every case is unique but due to me having direct control of the nanites, I can direct them to attack the bad cells slowly and cure her completely in due time."

Kora turned to you, her voice breaking. "John..."

You squeezed her hand. "I'm here."

She lunged forward and hugged you, her body trembling with emotion. Lance stood off to the side, wiping his eyes with a muttered "Damn allergies."

The warmth of the moment didn't last long.

"Alright." Cayde said, cracking his knuckles and rolling up his sleeve. "I'm next."

The sudden shift made Kora laugh through her tears, and Lance barked out a surprised chuckle.

"Typical Cayde." Ivan muttered. "Can't let anyone have the spotlight."

"Hey," Cayde said as he grabbed a syringe from the case. "I'm a simple man. I see supersoldier nanites, I inject supersoldier nanites."

Without further hesitation, Cayde stabbed the needle into his arm and depressed the plunger. The effect was immediate. His eyes widened, and he groaned through clenched teeth as the nanites coursed through his system.

"Vitals spiking." S said. "Nanites integrating."

Cayde collapsed onto the couch, body twitching. Sweat poured down his temples, and you saw his jaw lock from the pain.

"How bad is it?" Eris asked.

"Comparable to Kora's reaction," S said. "Give it a minute."

Exactly sixty seconds later, Cayde gasped and sat up, breathing heavily.

"Well," He said between pants, "that sucked. But... holy shit, I feel amazing."

He stood, stretched his arms, and his eyes glowed faintly gold. "Huh, S looks real as hell."

"I heard you and thanks." S said, her avatar smiling.

"Ohhh man, this is gonna be fun." Cayde said, flexing his hands.

Next came Ivan. The man grumbled about being 'This is some weird shit' but injected himself anyway. His reaction was milder than the others, just a prolonged grunt and a heavy sweat; but after five minutes, he was back on his feet.

"I feel like I just shed ten years." he said, voice awed.

"That's the enhanced cellular regeneration working." S explained.

Lance followed, and despite his tough demeanor, his entire body convulsed with the force of the integration. Kora held his hand through the process, whispering encouragement until it passed. When he recovered, his skin had a healthy glow it hadn't had in years.

It took a few minutes before they continued with Eris due to the group trying to calm down after S told the group that the nanites managed to repair the heart defects she had detected, something Lance did not know about.

Last was Eris.

The good doctor hesitated only briefly before injecting herself. Her eyes rolled back, her jaw locked, and she slumped sideways against you. Kora held her steady as her body shivered uncontrollably.

"S?"

"She's okay." S reassured her. "Nanites working as expected."

After two minutes of violent trembling, Eris's eyes snapped open. She blinked, staring at Kora.

"You're warm." she said, voice raspy.

You smiled as Kora tried her best to not strangle Eris for her comment.

The silence afterward was profound.

You looked around the room. Five pairs of eyes stared back at you and then at S. It was surreal.

"Well," Lance said after a moment. "We're... officially freaks now."

"Not freaks." S corrected. "Enhanced. Connected. A team. You are all Sons of the Patriots now."

The comment made you blink.

"Did you just quote Armstrong?" You asked.

"Yep, but I am not wrong." She said.

"No, she is not." Eris said.

"That feels... weird." Cayde admitted.

"You'll get used to it." You said.

Kora tilted her head, eyes unfocused for a moment. Then she smiled.

"S... are you reading our thoughts right now?"

"No." S said. "But I can hear you when you direct your thoughts at me. Think of it like a mental push."

Kora blinked. "Oh... that's gonna be interesting."

"I think you mean fun." Cayde said back.

"Just know that if you start spamming jokes, I am making S here make your skin itch till you stop." You said.

"Noted." Cayde said.

An hour later, after everyone left; you sat in your chair and rubbed your temples.

"S," you said softly.

"Yes, John?"

"Did you mean what you said? About us being a team?"

Her avatar appeared beside your desk. "I did."

You exhaled and smiled. "Good. I think we're going to need each other soon."

"I agree." She said softly.

Outside the window, the stars twinkled ominously.

==================================================

The next day arrived far too quickly.

You woke to the familiar weight of exhaustion pressing down on you, but thanks to SOP the usual grogginess disappeared in seconds. As you sat up and rubbed your face, S's voice filled the quiet of your bedroom.

"John?"

"Yeah?"

"They're already talking me." She said with a chuckle.

"Let me guess—Cayde?"

"Mostly," S confirmed. "But Eris and Kora are also asking when you're picking them up for the 'field trip'."

You sat there for a moment, processing the fact that your closest friends were buzzing with excitement over what they were about to see.

"Guess we shouldn't keep them waiting." You said as you swung your legs off the bed.

Three hours later, after grabbing snacks, coffee, and enduring Cayde's relentless chatter about possible mech-loadout ideas, you pulled into the warehouse parking lot.

The group stepped out of the cars behind you, each of them craning their necks to take in the run-down structure.

"So...this is it?" Kora asked, adjusting her leather jacket. "This is where Gale kept her secret war toys?"

"Looks like a condemned bunker." Ivan muttered.

"Appearances are deceiving." You said, leading them to the chain-link gate. "S, if you would?"

The gate's electronic lock clicked open without a sound.

"Convenient." Eris said, stepping through behind you.

You reached the rusted side door and placed your palm on the worn scanner. The device hummed to life, reading your SOP signature. Green lights blinked.

"Access granted." said a robotic voice. The door groaned open.

"Welcome." You said as you walked into the dim interior.

The group followed, eyes adjusting to the shadows. S activated the overhead lights, bathing the massive space in sterile, white illumination.

And there they were.

The Crying Wolf battlesuit, sleek and predatory, crouched near the left wall. Its Railgun gleamed in the light, and its mechanical legs looked ready to pounce.

But it was the Raptor that drew gasps.

"Holy shit." Cayde whispered. "That's... a goddamn Raptor."

"It's real." Kora said in awe. "That's... not a prop."

"It's the real deal." You confirmed. "Built by Gale. Ready for deployment."

"Suck it Bandia, we Americans can make real mechs." Cayde said.

They moved closer, their steps hesitant at first.

Lance, the biggest skeptic of the group, circled the Raptor's massive legs, running his hand along the alloy plating. "This... isn't cheap steel," he said. "This thing was built to fight."

"Correct." S interjected, her hologram materializing beside the group. "The Raptor is equipped with a miniaturized Gale Reactor, a self-regenerating Assault Cannon, and a reactive nanocomposite armor skin."

"Wait, wait, wait." Kora said, waving her hands. "Miniaturized Gale Reactor? Your telling us that while we are still trying to find a way to make our reactors small for a naval ship, Gale went and made a smaller and working one for a mech?"

"Yes." S said. "Mom made the reactor, so it should be easy for her to make it smaller."

You crossed your arms and leaned against a crate, letting them absorb the reality.

"Alright." Cayde said, cracking his neck. "Can we test it out?"

"We could," You said. "But there's one problem."

"What?" Ivan asked.

You pointed to the mannequin near the Raptor's base, the Fortified Suit, hanging on its stand. "We only have one suit." You explained. "Mine. For the Raptor, SOP is just an optional way to pilot it; you can pilot it through the physical controls but you need the suit to interface fully and protect yourself from the stress of piloting it."

"How long to make more?" Lance asked.

"Two weeks." S said. "Minimum. The GPL can replicate the components easily enough, but calibration, sizing and final assembly take time."

Cayde groaned. "Two weeks? What am I supposed to do until then?"

"Wait like the rest of us." Kora said, arms crossed.

The team stared at the massive machine for a long time.

"Two weeks." Eris repeated. "I guess we can survive that."

"Barely." Cayde grumbled.

You then walked to the Wolf.

"This is the Crying Wolf." You said. "It's not just a recon unit. It's a railgun platform, built with stealth capabilities and advanced sensor arrays."

"Looks badass." Cayde muttered. "How do you pilot it?"

You glanced at S, who gave a nod. "SOP's required like in the game." She explained. "But there's more. The Wolf was designed with certain… specifications."

"Like what?" Kora asked.

"The Wolf requires a female operator like in the game but luckily this version does not need the pilot to have super PTSD to use, which is the plus." She said. "The minus however, is that due to the high-sensitivity sensors, the pilot must enter without any barriers between their body and the neural interface."

"Wait—hold on," Eris said, eyes wide. "You're saying... the pilot has to go in naked?"

S hesitated. "Yes."

The silence stretched as the group processed this revelation.

"That's insane." Lance said.

"Before you all ask, no I don't know why mom made it like this. Either she could not find a material for a suit to work, or she wanted to honor Kojima's original vision. That she took to the grave with her. But at the very least, this system works as advertise."

"Well," Eris said, hands on her hips. "I volunteer."

"What?!" Kora snapped.

"What? It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." Eris said with a grin. "I've always wanted to be a badass in a mech."

Kora rubbed her temples. "Unbelievable."

You caught the gleam in her eyes.

"You're tempted too." Eris said softly.

Kora stiffened. "What? No. Absolutely not."

"Uh-huh."

Kora said nothing more—but you noticed her gaze linger on the Wolf for a long time.

S caught your eye and smirked. "Looks like we have our test pilots." She said.

And you knew she was right.

"Wait." Cayde said, his voice cracking slightly. "You're both... actually gonna do it? Right here? Right now?"

"Yes." Eris answered nonchalantly as she unzipped her jacket and draped it over a nearby crate.

Kora glanced at the men, her expression somewhere between embarrassment and amusement. "After last week's Halloween party?" She said with a shrug. "This is nothing."

Eris, already stepping out of her jeans, laughed. "Exactly. If we survived an entire night dressed like naked fantasy elves in front of everyone, this is easy."

With that, the women stripped down without further hesitation. You and the guys did your best to act professional, though SOP's biometric readings told you all four of your heart rates spiked dramatically.

Though nothing compared to the girls' readings.

Kora finished getting undressed and looked at S. "Alright, S. What now?"

"Step into the Wolf's open chassis." S instructed. "It will seal around the operator automatically and begin synchronizing with SOP."

"I'll go first." Eris volunteered, walking toward the suit with confident strides.

The Crying Wolf's torso armor split open like a steel ribcage, revealing the padded internal compartment. Eris climbed in, and with a mechanical hiss, the armor closed around her, sealing her inside.

"Synchronization in progress." S announced. "Please stand by."

For ten tense seconds, the suit remained still. Then, without warning, the mechanical legs shifted, adjusting their balance. The Railgun swiveled toward the far wall.

"Holy shit." Ivan muttered.

The Wolf tilted its head slightly.

"This is... wild." Eris said, her voice crackling through the external speakers. "I can feel everything. It's like... walking in a second skin."

The Wolf crouched low, then sprang into the air in a short, powerful leap. Eris landed it smoothly, despite having never operated the suit before.

After performing a few more tests around the warehouse, including jumping to the top of the Raptor, jumping from it and landing on the floor with grace; she disengaged and stepped out, hair damp with sweat but grinning from ear to ear.

"That was awesome." Eris said as she got out and accepted a towel from Ivan.

"You did great." Cayde said.

"My turn then." Kora said.

Kora's synchronization process was faster, possibly because S had adjusted the calibration from Eris's test. As soon as the system locked in, the Wolf moved with such precision around the warehouse just like Eris did in her turn.

"Kora?" You called out through the Codec after seeing her move for some minutes. "How does it feel?"

The Wolf turned toward you. "Feels like I was born to do this." She said softly.

A few minutes later, the group moved outside the warehouse with Kora still in the Wolf.

The warehouse had been built far enough from civilization that you didn't worry about curious eyes. The ground was hard-packed desert soil with scattered boulders, perfect targets for a live-fire exercise.

It was time to see just how the Wolf's Railgun operates.

"Alright." S said. "Charging Railgun."

The coils along the barrel hummed to life, crackling with electricity as the system fed from its internal Glimmer-powered ammunition cycle.

"Target locked." Kora reported from inside the suit.

The shot fired with a deafening crack. The round streaked through the air and obliterated a boulder the size of a car into molten fragments.

"Damn." Lance said, shielding his face from the heat shimmer.

"Reload cycle complete." S announced.

"Takes about five seconds to reload." You explained to the group. "But it'll fire indefinitely as long as it has heat and power."

"We are so finding a way to put these in vehicles, hell; maybe into tanks themselves." Ivan said.

Then came the final test, the Wolf-Raptor unison.

You walked back to the warehouse, got into the Fortified Suit and then into the Raptor, walking it to the outside.

"Alright, Kora." You said. "Time to see if this carrying system works."

"Alright." She said as she then moved the Wolf, climbed up the Raptor till she got the Pylon and then latched on to it.

"Connection stable." S confirmed. "Charging Wolf's battery through Raptor core... charging complete in forty-five seconds."

"How does it feel in there, Kora?" You asked, seeing her face on your HUD.

"Feels like I'm dangling from a mechanical jungle gym." Kora answered with a chuckle. "But solid. The harness is stable. You good up there?"

"Let's find out." You said, tightening your grip on the controls.

You shifted the Raptor's stance, leaning into its gyroscopic stabilizers. And like before the machine moved like an extension of your own body—smooth, responsive, intuitive.

"Alright, S." You said. "I'm taking it up."

The jump unit thrummed beneath you as the Raptor's feet planted themselves into the cracked desert floor. You funneled more energy into the propulsion system, and the turbines screamed to life.

"Hold on, Kora."

"I got this." She said, voice crackling with excitement.

With a flex of your calves against the suit's internal sensors, you launched into the air.

The Raptor surged upward with a bone-rattling blast. The ground fell away beneath you in seconds, the desert turning into a patchwork of gray and brown shadows. The Wolf's additional weight barely registered; Gale's engineering was impeccable.

"Altitude: 1,000 meters." S reported. "All systems are stable and stealth systems are engaged."

You hovered there for a second, savoring the feeling of complete aerial dominance. The Wolf remained firmly attached to the Raptor.

"Alright." You said through the comms. "Now let's stress-test this baby."

The Raptor's thrusters roared to life as you leaned into a sharp, horizontal vector. The machine lurched forward, inertia pressing against your chest as the landscape became a blur of rocky ridges and dry, cracked earth.

"Shit!" Kora shouted with a burst of laughter. "This is insane! It feels like I'm riding a missile!"

"Hang tight." You replied, suppressing your grin. "We're going full tilt."

The heads-up display showed speed climbing: 300 kph… 500 kph… 700 kph.

The desert turned into a smear of muted browns and distant mountain ranges. You dipped low, skimming just a few meters above the surface. Tiny stones and sand swirled into the air in the wake of your passing.

"Still good back there?"

"Hell yeah!" Kora answered, voice buzzing with adrenaline. "This is the best roller coaster I've ever been on!"

Emboldened, you sent the Raptor into a hard right turn, banking nearly perpendicular to the ground. The inertial dampeners struggled to compensate; you felt the pull of G-forces squeezing your body. The Wolf clung to the Raptor's frame like a predatory beast hanging from its parent.

"Now let's test evasive maneuvers." You said, breathing through the strain.

"Bring it on!" Kora challenged.

You yanked the controls to the left, forcing the Raptor into a zig-zag pattern while still maintaining top speed. Dust plumes erupted in your wake as you darted between invisible obstacles. The feedback loop between SOP and the Fortified Suit kept your balance instinctive, while the Wolf adapted seamlessly to every sharp movement.

"The Wolf's magnetic locks are holding steady." S announced. "No degradation detected."

"What about Kora?" You asked.

"Vitals elevated, but stable."

"I'm doing awesome." Kora chimed in. "God, this is addictive. I can feel the shifts—like riding a mechanical stallion. Every motion, every torque adjustment... it's all there."

You surged upward again, punching through the thin desert haze and rolling the Raptor mid-air. The horizon twisted and inverted as you executed a full barrel roll.

"Think you can handle more?"

"You're not going to scare me off, John. I been facing death for two years. This is nothing." Kora shot back.

"Alright." You said, lips curving into a grin beneath the helmet. "Let's push it to the max."

The thrusters screamed louder as you initiated a vertical drop. The Raptor fell like a stone, nose-down, plunging toward the desert floor. The HUD counted the distance: 1000 meters… 800… 600… 400.

At 300 meters, you fired the reverse thrusters at full burn.

The descent slowed with brutal force. The ground roared up to meet you. You slammed into the surface with a jarring thud, landing perfectly upright, dirt spraying in all directions.

"Holy shit." Kora gasped.

"You okay?"

The Wolf detached from its mount and landed in a crouch beside you. The visor opened, revealing Kora's flushed, sweaty face and wide eyes.

"That," She said breathlessly, "was fucking amazing."

You gave her a respectful nod. "Told you Gale knew what she was doing."

The Raptor's systems cooled around you, heat waves shimmering in the air.

"S," You said, breathing hard. "Give me performance metrics."

"Wolf's magnetic system: optimal. Raptor's jump capacity: reduced by one percent with the added weight, but otherwise stable. Operator response time: both of you performed at peak efficiency."

"We passed." Kora said with a proud grin.

"Yeah." You agreed. "We passed."

"Dude that was awesome." Cayde said through the Codec.

"Wonder who will want the Raptor more, the army or the air force. Not to mention Clovis' face when we make the Raptor public." Lance said.

"Man, I can already picture a modified Raptor carrying four Wolfs on it's back and then dropping them from high altitude in a city in stealth mode. A squad of Wolfs will be a nightmare in an urban setting, let alone in the wilderness." Ivan said.

"Hey Kora, get out the Wolf, I want to ride John now." Eris said.

"Can you please not say stuff like that, it's embarrassing." Kora said.

"Don't worry Eris, once we create more Wolfs and tweak the Raptor a bit; you and Kora can ride John at the same time." S said.

"Oh god. I knew it. Organic or machine, you blonds are just insufferable." Kora said exasperated.

You just chuckled as the group continued to bicker between them as you took sip of water from the bottle you had stash in the cockpit.

Yet, even in the middle of this tranquility; you couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the first step. Gale had left all of this for you and some of you wondered why and something in your gut told you it would be needed in the future.

And whatever came next, you and your friends would face it together.

Reward:
Group knows about S and all the other stuff. Accept S and treat her like a normal person.
Group now has SOP.

Kora is on her way to be cured of her cancer.
Lance cured of his unknown heart problems.

They all have the following:
-SOP (+20 to Security/Military rolls)
Special= All of BLANK's bonuses are applied to all dice used in which they are applied.

Kora and Eris get the following:
Natural Beauty Pilot= +30 when piloting the Wolf.

Group's Reaction to the truth:
98
+35 (Friendship)
= 133 CRIT
vs
8
+80 (Large secret)
= 88

Who desires SOP: (Kora is auto-lock)
Bonus-
+50 (Improved body)
+10 (Seen John's end result of it)
-30 (Connected to S and others at all times)
FINAL- +30

DC: 50/80

Ivan
Roll= 58+30= 88

Lance
Roll= 56+30= 86

Cayde
Roll= 78+30= 108

Eris
Roll= 81+30= 111

Girls desire to test out the Wolf:
74
+25 (High powered mech suit)
= 99
vs
2
+50 (Have to be naked to use)
= 52 CRIT FAIL

Eris Pilot:
98
+20 (SOP)
+15 (S help)
= 133 CRIT
vs
26
+60 (First time piloting)
= 86

Kora Pilot:
65
+20 (SOP)
+15 (S help)
= 100, ART 100 CRIT
vs
5
+60 (First time piloting)
= 65

Hey guys.
So here is the conclusion of the opening.
I originally planned on posting this with the rest of the opening votes, but looking over the length of this, decided to post it on it's own.
I already did the Ivan and Mars rolls, but those will be shown later when the votes are put up; hence the results being covered up.

And as it turns out, Kora and Eris are monsters just like John in using mechs, not caring about its embarrassing requirement.

Also, the Halloween Party mentioned here; my buddy actually managed to write it up. Sadly due to it's content, I will have to wait until I cross-post this quest on QQ to post it.

If you see any errors, please tell me.

By the way, I went and watched Captain America 4, and honestly I went in there to be disappointed, but ended up liking it.
Give it 8/10

edboy49 · Feb 17, 2025

Year 2, Q4

Skynet Manufacturing
CEO: John Connor
(Unknown to him: The Last Speaker)
-Spec Ops Veteran= (+10 to Security/Military rolls)
-Custom John Wick Suit (+5 to Security/Military rolls when using them) (Unknown= suits can withstand Armstrong transformation)
-Natural TSF Pilot= +30 when piloting a TSF.
-SOP (+20 to Security/Military rolls)
Special= All of John's bonuses are applied to all dice used.
(AKA if a military action is taken and you guys put in 10 dice, John's bonus is applied to all 10 dice, not just once)

Current direct helpers:

1. Ivan Beck
- Investor
- Special Roll: 25% chance of Income at the start of each turn to double.
-Grants +5 to Operations Rolls
-SOP (+20 to Security/Military rolls)
Special= All of Ivan's bonuses are applied to all dice used in which they are applied.

2. S
- Secret AI hidden inside Skynet's HQ, only known to John and the rest of the helpers in the list.
- Gender: Female
- Digital avatar- Young, 'R34' version of MGS's The Boss (Pic in Skynet: Beyond Human)
- Currently can communicate on either Gale's computer, any of the group's phones or any computer the phones connects to.
-She can now appear and move in front of anyone with SOP like Silverhand does to V.
- Programming not bound, capable of learning.
- Upgraded with Sloot System.
- Grants +6 Free Dice

3. Lance Zeus
- COO of Skynet
- Brother to Kora Zeus
-Cured of his unknown heart condition.
- Grants +2 Operations Dice, +5 to Operations Rolls
-SOP (+20 to Security/Military rolls)
Special= All of Lance's bonuses are applied to all dice used in which they are applied.
(OOC- Zavala)

4. Kora Zeus
- Head of R&D
- Sister of Lance Zeus
- Sick with cancer, getting the best treatment. In route to be fully cured due to SOP.
-Natural Beauty Pilot= +30 when piloting the Wolf.
- Grants +1 Research Dice, +5 to Research Rolls
-SOP (+20 to Security/Military rolls)
Special= All of Kora's bonuses are applied to all dice used in which they are applied.
(OOC- Ikora)

5. Cayde Nolan Buck
- Head of Security
- Former LAPD SWAT Commander
- Best friend to Kora
- Grants +1 Operations Dice, +5 to Security/Military rolls
-SOP (+20 to Security/Military rolls)
Special= All of Cayde's bonuses are applied to all dice used in which they are applied.
(OCC= Cayde; Halo's Edward Buck's ancestor)

6. Dr. Erisia 'Eris' Pyatova-Hsien
-Company Doctor
-Friend to Kora and Cayde
-Reputation restored. Millionaire now.
-Grants +1 Operations Dice, +5 to medical related rolls (can be turned to Research if the action is biological)
-Natural Beauty Pilot= +30 when piloting the Wolf.
-SOP (+20 to Security/Military rolls)
Special= All of Eris' bonuses are applied to all dice used in which they are applied.
(OOC- Eris)

Current Status of Company:

All Employees are loyal. Know about Glimmer and keeping it secret.

SkyEye
-Watchgroup to look out for corruption and espionage.
-Can now monitor and intercept outside groups.
(Rumor Mill activated)
(+30 when dealing with corruption and espionage)

Factory Lvl. 5 (Grants +5 Manufacturing Dice)
---(+5 to Manufacturing Actions)
-- Glimmer Production Line, Mixed Version x2 (+10 Manufacturing Dice x2= +20 MDs)

The warehouse stockpile of parts covers entire fiscal quarter (1 turn) in the event the factory suffers something that stops production.

Advanced R&D Lab (Grants +2 Research Dice)
--Running with Sloot System (+15 to Research Actions)
--Weapons and Armor RD Add-On Lv.1 (+10 to related research rolls)

Experimental Cold Fusion Reactor

Grants +2 Free Dice
Publicly known.

Security, Special

Active NAE military personnel on site
Grants +15 to Security/Military rolls

Current Relationships:

NAE: Good
Sunnydale: Good
Clovis Bray: Bad
Hakke Heavy Industries: Neutral
Ishtar Collective: Neutral
Ukraine: Good
Continental Hotel Chain: Good
China: Good
UK: Good
South Korea: Good
Egypt: Good

Current Contracts:

Expire in Y3, Q1
NAE
- Civilian (+250)
- Military (+500)
Sunnydale
- Normal business(+100)
- Energy (+1000)
Continental Hotel Chain
- Parts (+500)
- Free Rooms in any hotel
Washington DC, NAE
-Energy (+1000)
Ukraine
- Energy in Kiev (+1000)
China
-Energy in Shenzhen (+1000)
UK
-Energy in London (+1000)
South Korea
-Energy in Seoul (+1000)
Egypt
-Energy in Cairo (+1000)

Current Resources: 10R (+8350 per turn)
Ivan Special Roll= 79, PASS
New Resource Total- 10+ 8350= 8360 x2 = 16,720R

Stockpile: 250R (250 per turn)
= 500+250= 750

Dice Available:
25 MD (6 dice LOCKED)
3 RD Dice
8 Free Dice
4 Operations Dice
15 Rerolls

Ares One Mission:
Status of Mars:
No new messages from Mars have been received at this time.
The storm and Traveler are still in the same position.

Invasion:
58 vs 68
Holding on

Message:
19 vs 91
Nope.

Ivan's face:
[][IVAN] Jake Gyllenhaal
[][IVAN] Sebastian Stan

Do you wish to renew all the contracts:
[] [CON] Yes
[] [CON] No

====================================
Manufacturing: (25D; 6D LOCKED)

[] Create second Wolf: Seeing as both Kora and Eris are naturals at using the Wolf, it would make sense that both each have a Wolf of their own. So making a second Wolf unit seems to make sense.
(Cost- 2 MD or 500R)

[]Arm Security: Now that Skynet has developed the Aegis, it's only fair that to ensure they have the best weapons to defend HQ from any possible intruders. At the very least you know you can trust them to keep their mouths shut about the Aegis' existence to anyone outside Skynet till it's time to go public. (Cost 2MD or 1000R)

[] Expand Factory (0/500; 100R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 150R per dice): Skynet's factory is already a marvel of technology and progress in order to manufacture large quantities of various computer parts thanks to it's uses of industrial 3d printers and experts in putting the pieces together. So, it would help to expand it to increase its capabilities. (Reward: +1 MD)

[] Convert a Factory level with Glimmer tech: With the discovery of Glimmer, it could allow for the production capabilities of the factory to increase at huge margin. It would be best to start with a single place of the factory to convert it to a automated Glimmer factory that can only be accessed by those that know, and only know to John, under the eye and control of S; till we can be sure the employees of the factory can be trusted.
-[] Energy version (0/1000; 100R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 150R per dice)
-[] Trash version (0/500; 100R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 150R per dice)
-[] Both version (163/1500; 100R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 150R per dice) (2 active)

[] Backup Reactor: Sunnydale is operating on the reactor inside Skynet HQ. While everything is fine, it would be a nice safeguard to have a second reactor to provide the city direct energy instead of sharing it. And if one reactor fails, the other can cover.
(Cost 2MD or 1000R) (No extra cost to the city)

[] Raptor Factory Expansion: (0/3500; 300R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 600R per dice): You have the capacity to manufacture the parts that make up the Raptor, but not the capacity to put them together. Expanding the current factory to include the necessary hardware to put together a Raptor in an assembly line is a must. If any of the other employees ask what is going to be done, just tell them that it's for a top secret product that might be sold to the NAE military later on.

[] Write In

Special: Gale Reactor
(This is basically the action to see who gets the Reactor. The premise will be leasing. Skynet will send the client 90% of the plans of the reactor and they will build it. The other 10% will be finished by Skynet personnel, which is basically the core tech of the reactor and blackboxed.)

(You can take on the job of building multiple reactors, which would be finished in one quarter. Each contract cost 2 MD, no rolling.)

Who to give reactor:
-[][CLIENT] Write In
How much: (per quarter)
-[][COST] Write In
(You could also offer a reactor for free without using any dice. It would cost you 1000R. Hey PR is a thing.)

(Since it's kind of obvious everyone will want a reactor, I am putting up a write in and see what you guys can come up with, with me having a right to veto.
Examples:
NAE-Military-NORAD; NAE-Military-A base in the California Comm.; NAE-Civilian-LA)

==========================================================
Research: (3D)

[] Game Engine, Phase 1/? (0/1000; 75R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 150R per dice): Skynet is dedicated to making computer parts. But there were some in the company that maybe it was time to expand into new ventures related to the computer field. In this case into video games, a market that is connected to the need of constant computer parts. So, one first step would be to create a new game engine that belonged uniquely to Skynet that was a match to the known engines in the market.

[] Arms, Armor and Armored Integration, Phase 2/? (290/5000; 250R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 500R per dice): If there was one thing that being in an electronic company would give you it was integrating the latest technology with the modern battlefield, and you know it's probably going to be a hard sell, but there's a potential market here. (Currently at Level 1)

[] Upgrade the Lab (0/1000; 100R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 150R per dice) Skynet's R&D lab is already considered a marvel of engineering and research. But according to Kora, the lab could be better. (Reward: +1 RD)

[] Smaller Fusion (263/1500, Phase 1; 150R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 250R per dice): Skynet is the world's sole provider of cold fusion reactors. You know that demand is basically a guaranteed. But the current design is to power cities. Maybe there is possibility to develop a different version that is smaller scale.
(Note Phase 1 is make the reactor the size for Navy Ships)

[] Reverse Engineer Reactor in Raptor (0/6500, 350R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 650R per dice): Now that you have a working sample of a smaller reactor that works, it would be best to see if we can replicate it.

[] Reverse Engineer Wolf Rail Gun (0/6000, 250R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 500R per dice): While you have the Aegis, it's basically an infantry weapon, while the Wolf RG is a tank weapon. Find a way to develop a version that can be used on a vehicle, or even a tank.

Nanomachine Research:
(Note- Since now Kora and Eris are in the truth, the Research related bonuses and Research dice can be applied without problems)

[] Nano Health (0/1500; 100R per dice): According to S, it's possible to take the SOP nanomachines and maybe turn them into the same type used in the game to heal a person. This version is one-use only.

[] Naomi Variant (0/3500; 100R per dice): According to S, it's possible to take the SOP nanomachines and maybe turn them into the same type used by Naomi to keep her cancer at bay, which would really help Kora's situation, even though SOP could already be used to heal her.

[] Nanomachines Son (121/5000; 100R per dice): According to S, it's possible to take the SOP nanomachines and maybe turn them into the same type used by Armstrong.

[] Write In
==================================================
Operations: (4D)

[] Skynet Diamonds (0/500; 150R per dice): One of your employees came to you with an idea in regards to expanding Skynet's profits. Rent one of the most expensive diamonds in the world, scan it to the GPL and then begin selling 'lab-grown' diamonds to the public. Technically speaking, it would not be a lie since the 'diamonds' are grown. The irony is that these diamonds would be literally identical to the real thing. Not to mention having scanned a high quality diamonds means we could also sell it to other companies that use diamonds for a multiple of different things.

[] Hire a Secretary (0/200; 150R per dice): You been getting a lot of responsibilities and work piling on you, and while S can handle the majority of it in the background; there are some things that need a living face. You need a secretary...but the problem is who can you trust to this position.

[] Create in-house Medical Wing (0/500; 100R per dice): With the addition of Eris, Skynet has someone to handle immediate medical emergencies. But at the same time, it would be a better idea to give her a fully equipped medical wing from which can operate from.

[] Into the Medicine Business (0/200; 75R per dice): Eris came to you and with the existence of Glimmer, she told you that it would be possible for Skynet enter the medicine production business. With Glimmer, Skynet could produce an unlimited amount of medicine and sell it a a cheap price, or even donate it for free for the PR.

[] Discover any possible DARPA contracts (0/100; 50R per dice): While Skynet has a strong contract with the NAE in both civilian and military sides; they were just to simply manufacture and deliver computer parts. But this does not mean looking for contracts that dealt with specific things was not off the table.

[] Create a scholarship program/employment network (0/500; 50R per dice): Skynet has a good standing with the people of Sunnydale, being a stable source of job for its people and treating them right. You think of the idea of offering a university scholarship program for students that in exchange for paying for their education, they come to work for Skynet either during their education or after graduating.

[] Run Security Training (0/700; 50R per dice): With Cayde now in charge of security, he wants to see just how well the security is in Skynet and see if it can be improved, even if the security is mostly composed of active military personnel and was under your command.

[] SkyEye Activity (?/?; 350R per dice): Have SkyEye do covert actions on someone or some group.
-[] Write In (Who do you wish to target. DC above will be determined on the target)

[] Write In
========================================
Personal:
(You can purchase a dice in any personal action as long as you use the RP that it demands, multiple times if you wish as long as you pay. Using a FD on a personal action does not consume RP.)

[] Talk with S, the AI: Talk with S and continue to work with her, who's face is now of a R34 Boss, your waifu. (1 dice to activate, 100R; can purchase three dice max)

[] Manufacture Fortified Suits for the group: The group wants to test out the Raptor but they need to Suits to safely pilot them. S can make them but she needs exact measurements for each person. Though you worry how the girls' suits would come out. (0/150; 50R per dice)

[] Check your qualifications. Just because you're a CEO now doesn't mean you're a REMF: It's time to reflect on what skills and experiences you bring to the table. As a former Head of Security, you're no stranger to leadership and operational discipline, but running a company requires an entirely different skill set. Can you bridge the gap? (1 dice to activate, 25R)

[] Hang with someone from the helpers (75R per dice) (Can be taken multiple times, one dice per possible person)
-Who?

[] Talk to the Traveler: You been hearing some rumors that some people have being able to speak with the thing in Mars through their dreams and teaching them things. You find this to be a load of bullshit. (1 dice to activate, 1500R; two dice max)

[] Talk to the Horse: You had a strange dream where you saw a horse with stars that apparently gave you SOP from what you now know was Little Grey. Maybe it was just your mind playing tricks but what would happen if he saw it again. (1 dice to activate, 1500R, one dice max)
(This is basically the gacha option for stuff from other universes.)

[] Write In
======================================

QM Note:
Here is the next turn.
If you have any questions, just ask I will try my best to answer them.

New action ideas are also welcomed.

If you spot any errors, please let me know.
Omakes are more than WELCOMED, specially from the wanted board.

Vote moratorium for at least 12 hours until I open the vote. So, discuss potential votes and ideas for possible actions.

edboy49 · Feb 24, 2025

[X][IVAN] Jake Gyllenhaal

[X] Plan Concentrated Glimmer Production Expansion
-[X] [CON] Yes
-[X] Create second Wolf 500R
-[X] Arm Security 2MD
-[X] Convert a Factory level with Glimmer tech:
--[X] Both version (163/1500; 100R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 150R per dice) (2 active) 1MD 74TD 11200R
-[X][CLIENT] Paris, France 2MD
How much: (per quarter)
-[X][COST] 1000R
-[X][CLIENT] Venice, Italy 2MD
How much: (per quarter)
-[X][COST] 1000R
-[X][CLIENT] Ishtar Collective 2MD
How much: (per quarter)
-[X][COST] 1000R
-[X][CLIENT] Jakarta, Indonesia 2MD
How much: (per quarter)
-[X][COST] 1000R
-[X][CLIENT] Tokyo, Japan 2MD
How much: (per quarter)
-[X][COST] 1000R
-[X][CLIENT] Anchorage Alaska, NAE 2MD
How much: (per quarter)
-[X][COST] 1000R
-[X][CLIENT] Minsk, Belarus 2MD
How much: (per quarter)
-[X][COST] 1000R
-[X][CLIENT] San Francisco, NAE 2MD
How much: (per quarter)
-[X][COST] 1000R
-[X] Upgrade the Lab: 20 TD 3000R
-[X] Nanomachines Son (121/5000; 100R per dice): 3RD 6FD 900R
-[X] Hire a Secretary (0/200; 150R per dice): 3OD 450R
-[X] Create in-house Medical Wing (0/500; 100R per dice 1OD 100R
-[X] Talk with S, the AI: Talk with S and continue to work with her, who's face is now of a R34 Boss, your waifu. (1 dice to activate, 100R; can purchase three dice max) 300R
-[X] Manufacture Fortified Suits for the group: 200R
-[X] Check your qualifications. Just because you're a CEO now doesn't mean you're a REMF: 25R
-[X] Talk to the Traveler: 2 FD 0R

Total R 16675

[X][IVAN] Jake Gyllenhaal
Ivan's appearance is that of Jake Gyllenhaal.

Y2Q4 Results, PART 1

-[X] [CON] Yes

-[X] Create second Wolf 500R
(No dice rolls required)
-[X] Arm Security 2MD
(No dice rolls required)

-[X] Convert a Factory level with Glimmer tech:
--[X] Both version (163/1500; 100R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 150R per dice) (2 active) 1MD 74TD 11200R

+5 Manu Bonus (one time)

Roll 75d100

Roll: D100 => 53
Roll: D100 => 47
Roll: D100 => 39
Roll: D100 => 63
Roll: D100 => 12
Roll: D100 => 1 (CRIT FAILED CANCELLED)
Roll: D100 => 25
Roll: D100 => 33
Roll: D100 => 19
Roll: D100 => 19

------------------

Roll: D100 => 23
Roll: D100 => 78
Roll: D100 => 39
Roll: D100 => 78
Roll: D100 => 39
Roll: D100 => 2
Roll: D100 => 81
Roll: D100 => 59
Roll: D100 => 30
Roll: D100 => 68
----------------
Roll: D100 => 8
Roll: D100 => 85
Roll: D100 => 84
Roll: D100 => 76
Roll: D100 => 64
Roll: D100 => 79
Roll: D100 => 25
Roll: D100 => 84
Roll: D100 => 2
Roll: D100 => 27
------------------
Roll: D100 => 29
Roll: D100 => 91
Roll: D100 => 6
Roll: D100 => 47
Roll: D100 => 94
Roll: D100 => 3
Roll: D100 => 69
Roll: D100 => 9
Roll: D100 => 43
Roll: D100 => 12
-------------
Roll: D100 => 54
Roll: D100 => 99
Roll: D100 => 35
Roll: D100 => 84
Roll: D100 => 61
Roll: D100 => 19
Roll: D100 => 61
Roll: D100 => 15
Roll: D100 => 18
Roll: D100 => 55
-------------
Roll: D100 => 24
Roll: D100 => 100 (CRIT CANCELLED)
Roll: D100 => 9
Roll: D100 => 10
Roll: D100 => 70
Roll: D100 => 11
Roll: D100 => 25
Roll: D100 => 75
Roll: D100 => 23
Roll: D100 => 88
--------------
Roll: D100 => 15
Roll: D100 => 57
Roll: D100 => 29
Roll: D100 => 68
Roll: D100 => 9
Roll: D100 => 42
Roll: D100 => 97
Roll: D100 => 78
Roll: D100 => 87
Roll: D100 => 86
--------
Roll: D100 => 31
Roll: D100 => 87
Roll: D100 => 56
Roll: D100 => 61
Roll: D100 => 40

TOTAL without bonus: 3524

3524
-5-5-5= -15
+5 (Manu) +5 (CRIT)= 10

FINAL= 3519

(163/1500)= 1337 needed
3519-1337= 2182 left (ONE GPL made)
2182-1500= 682 left (ONE GPL made)
682/1500 final

Two GPLs made this turn.

You don't know why but something in your gut told you that Skynet needed to expand it's manufacturing capacity as fast as possible.

Which is why you basically giving the Manufacturing Department a large chuck of this quarter's budget and told them to get to work.

They gladly did it with passion.

By the end of the quarter, two more GPLs were brought online, with a third one almost halfway finished. The additional GPLs helped in Skynet's ongoing global efforts to construct more Gale Reactors, which in turned meant more income to the company.

Meanwhile, with upon the first new GPL being completed, you gave the order to use it to MP the Aegis Railgun with a large amount of its ammo packs and spread it to the Security personnel.

This also included training all the Security group in how to use it.

You told Security that this was going to be their new primary weapon when on duty around Skynet HQ, and they are to return it back to storage when they leave. They are also told to keep its existence a secret from anyone outside of Skynet.

Though you did order S to covertly install a small but hidden tracker on each Aegis built just in case one is stolen. Luckly, your trust in your Security group seems to have paid off as by the end of the quarter, no attempts to steal an Aegis were detected, nor any leaks about its existence either as SkyEye reported to you.

One guard asked why such an overkill weapon for security, you told him that since their HQ has the city's Gale Reactor, it would make sense to have top security around it.

'Better have it and not need it; than to need it and not have it.' You told the guard in the end.

One thing you did covertly was using a GPL to create a second Crying Wolf unit.

Building the parts was easy, putting them together without specialized machinery was the hard part. But in the end, the whole group was able to put it together and it was fully functional.

Now both Eris and Kora each had their own Wolf unit at their disposal.

Another thing that was done in secret was a hidden room inside HQ, that can only be accessed by the group; where the Wolfs were stored in case of an emergency that needs either Eris or Kora to use a Wolf in HQ.

Either way, things were going right for Skynet.

Rewards:
Two Glimmer Production Lines, Mixed Version (+10 MD, each GPL)
Construction of a new GPL stared (682/1500)
Second Crying Wolf Unit constructed. Both Wolf units are stored in secret at HQ.
All Skynet Security Forces outfitted with Aegis. (+15 to Security/Military rolls)

===============================================

-[X][CLIENT] Paris, France 2MD
How much: (per quarter)
-[X][COST] 1000R
-[X][CLIENT] Venice, Italy 2MD
How much: (per quarter)
-[X][COST] 1000R
-[X][CLIENT] Ishtar Collective 2MD
How much: (per quarter)
-[X][COST] 1000R
-[X][CLIENT] Jakarta, Indonesia 2MD
How much: (per quarter)
-[X][COST] 1000R
-[X][CLIENT] Tokyo, Japan 2MD
How much: (per quarter)
-[X][COST] 1000R
-[X][CLIENT] Anchorage Alaska, NAE 2MD
How much: (per quarter)
-[X][COST] 1000R
-[X][CLIENT] Minsk, Belarus 2MD
How much: (per quarter)
-[X][COST] 1000R
-[X][CLIENT] San Francisco, NAE 2MD
How much: (per quarter)
-[X][COST] 1000R

Skynet Manufacturing
Internal Memorandum
Date: [Current Date]
From: John Conner, CEO
To: All Skynet Divisions
Subject: Successful Completion of Gale Reactor Installations – This Quarter
--------------------------------------
Team,

I am proud to announce the successful completion and activation of eight new Gale Reactors this quarter, expanding Skynet's global energy network without a single incident or delay. This achievement highlights our commitment to excellence, precision engineering, and dedication to powering the future.

The following installations have been completed:

Paris, France – A monumental step towards a greener Europe.
Venice, Italy – Providing clean energy while preserving the beauty and history of the city. Thought it was tough finding somewhere to safely build it.
Cairo, Egypt (Ishtar Collective HQ) – A unique dual-reactor setup. While Cairo already benefits from an existing Gale Reactor, this second unit is exclusively for the Ishtar Collective, ensuring uninterrupted research and energy independence; with a deal set between both IC and Cairo that if the Cairo Reactor goes offline, the IC Reactor will provide power to the city during that time.
Jakarta, Indonesia – Supporting the rapidly growing urban and industrial sectors.
Tokyo, Japan – Reinforcing Tokyo's infrastructure with clean, sustainable energy.
Anchorage, Alaska – Allowing the city to be more self sufficient in terms of requiring less energy from outside sources.
Minsk, Belarus – Modernizing the city's power grid with Gale's unmatched efficiency.
San Francisco, California – Bringing the city full-circle with its roots in innovation and clean energy.

This flawless execution showcases the incredible talent and dedication across all Skynet teams. From Engineering to Logistics, and Legal to Public Relations, each department played a critical role in ensuring these reactors were deployed safely and efficiently.

A special note of appreciation goes to the Ishtar Collective collaboration team for navigating the complexities of a dual-reactor system in Cairo—a first for Skynet, setting a precedent for future specialized installations.

Looking Forward:
With these successes, we continue to solidify Skynet's role as the global leader in clean energy. Let's maintain this momentum as we plan for next quarter's expansions, including further ventures into South America and Central Africa.

Well done, team. The future is brighter because of you.

- John Conner
CEO, Skynet Manufacturing
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
Rewards:
-Paris, France; Energy Deal (+1000R per quarter)
-Venice, Italy; Energy Deal (+1000R per quarter)
-Ishtar Collective; Energy Deal (+1000R per quarter)
-Jakarta, Indonesia; Energy Deal (+1000R per quarter)
-Tokyo, Japan; Energy Deal (+1000R per quarter)
-Anchorage Alaska, NAE; Energy Deal (+1000R per quarter)
-Minsk, Belarus; Energy Deal (+1000R per quarter)
-San Francisco, NAE; Energy Deal (+1000R per quarter)

Indonesia Status: Good
Japan Status: Good
France Status: Good
Italy Status: Good
Belarus Status: Good
Ishtar Collective Status: Good
=====================================

-[X] Upgrade the Lab: (0/1000) 20 TD 3000R

+5 Kora Bonus (to all dice)
+5 Eris Bonus (to all dice)
+15 Sloot Bonus (one-time)

Roll 20d100+10
78+61+81+18+70+46+58+43+42+68+60+35+58+63+57+80+19+103+33+75= 1100+15(Sloot)= 1115

PASS
Level 1 (1000/1000) (Reward= +2 Research Dice) will be applied to Nano in this turn.
Level 2 (115/2500)

-[X] Nanomachines Son (121/5000; 100R per dice): 3RD 6FD 900R

+5 Kora Bonus (to all dice)
+5 Eris Bonus (to all dice)
+15 Sloot Bonus (one-time)

Roll 9d100+10 ----> 11d100+10
44 + 81 + 95 + 18 + 82 + 46 + 21 + 13* + 54 + 98 + 53= 605-5+15= 615

121+615= 736

-[X] Create in-house Medical Wing (0/500; 100R per dice 1OD 100R

+5 Eris Bonus (to all dice)
+5 Ivan Bonus (to all dice)
+5 Lance Bonus (to all dice)

Roll 10d100+15
52 + 88 + 32 + 44 + 73 + 91 + 88 + 110 + 114* + 96= 788 +5= 793

793/500= Level 1
293/1000= Level 2 in process

While the Manufacturing Department got a large amount of the quarter's budget, the next part of it went to upgrading the R&D lab and the construction of an in-house medical wing under the instructions of both Kora and Eris.

You can honestly say that Kora and Eris, working together and in perfect sync with S due to SOP; with a very generous budget to boot; made them a dangerous and creative team in bringing their visions of a better workplace to life.

That and every time you looked at the expenses, you felt a minor heart attack; but still had to endure it.

By the end of the quarter, the R&D lab's extensive renovations were finally completed.

Meanwhile, the Medical Wing was also completed, which according to Eris was at the same level as normal hospital's ER wing; which could handle sudden emergencies if necessary.

She said she could improve it but would need more resources to make it happen.

You told her that depending on the next quarter's progress, you might allow it.

But the biggest change was what occurred in secret with Eris and Kora beginning to help S in bringing the Armstrong Nanites to life.

Sadly, because of the work on the lab and medical wing; research into the nanites was off to a slow start, with the three mostly seeing how to begin modifying the code on the existing nanites.

This was going to be a long-term project and you told them to take their time.

Rewards:
Advanced R&D Lab upgraded, Level 1 (Grants +2 ---> +4 Research Dice)
Medical Wing, Level 1 (+5 to medical related rolls)
-Level 2 at (293/1000)
Nanomachines NEW (121--->736/5000)
==============================================

-[X] Hire a Secretary (0/200; 150R per dice): 3OD 450R

+5 Ivan Bonus (to all dice)
+5 Lance Bonus (to all dice)

Roll 3d100+10

R1= 1+10= 11 NAT 1 CRIT FAIL
USE REROLL- 14 LEFT
R1.2= 59+10= 69
R2= 97+10= 107
R3= 34+10= 44

TOTAL= 220
PASS

Is it someone John knows?
100 vs 36
John trust her 100%.

Does she want SOP:
Bonus-
+50 (Improved body)
+25 (Seen John ang group end result of it)
-45 (Connected to S and others at all times)
FINAL- +30

DC: 50/90

Roll= 66+30= 96
YEP

Victoria desire to test out the Wolf:
71
+25 (High powered mech suit)
+10 (Two users already active)
= 106
vs
52
+50 (Have to be naked to use)
= 102

Victoria Pilot:
29
+20 (SOP)
+15 (S help)
+10 (Tips from Eris and Kora)
= 74
vs
2
+60 (First time piloting)
= 62 CRIT FAIL

You knew that finding a secretary to handle your workload was going to be a hassle, especially since whoever took the role would likely be exposed to Skynet's most classified projects and, technically, aspects of your personal life.

And by "personal life," you meant the kind of secrets only you and your close group of friends were privy to.

For now, S had been filling in, managing the administrative load when she could without drawing attention. But there were limits to what she could do behind the scenes.

You needed a living, breathing person, a face to represent you when required.

You and S began searching internally, reviewing Skynet's employees. After all, you knew they were loyal—screened and cleared—but as you sifted through the options, it became clear none fit the specific requirements. Some lacked the skills you needed, while others were too valuable in their current roles to relocate.

That left only one option: looking outside the company. And that presented risks, big ones. Bringing in an outsider meant exposing them to Skynet's hidden assets that you been painfully making sure are not know to the public just yet.

One wrong move, and everything you'd done could unravel.

But then, luck or misfortune, depending on who you asked; intervened in an unexpected way.

It was the last night before flying home from Belarus, where you'd just overseen the successful activation of the new Gale Reactor. You were at the Minsk Continental, nursing a drink and enjoying the rare quiet, when S pinged you.

"John, you're getting a call—from a burner phone on one of the lines you stated are 'unique'."

Your heart rate spiked. The line S referred to was one of the few you maintained from your black ops days, meant for emergencies, known only to a handful of people.

"Trace it." You told her as you picked up.

The line crackled. Then a familiar voice came through, tight with urgency. "John?"

You blinked in shock. "Victoria?"

Victoria Dare. A name you hadn't heard in years.

On paper, she was a secretary working for the NAE's Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI)—just another cog in the bureaucratic machine. In reality, she was one of ONI's deadliest intelligence operatives.

A ghost. A spook.

And the only spook you'd ever trusted.

While most spooks treated their assets like disposable chess pieces, Victoria was different. Ice-cold when needed, yes, but she cared. She'd proven that more than once on the field, watching your back when others would've left you for dead.

You'd never expected her to call you again, especially not on a burner.

"I'm in Belarus." She said, her breathing ragged. "An operation went south. Bad. And ONI... they burned me, John. Full burn notice. I'm out. No contacts, no extraction, nothing. They left me to die."

You froze. Burn notices were death sentences in your previous world. It meant ONI, and by default the NAE; had disavowed her, stripped her of contacts, assets, and support.

She was on her own.

"Where are you?" You asked, already moving.

"Downtown Minsk. Hiding in some alley, bleeding out." she said, her voice cracking. "John...you're my last call. Everyone else...they cut me loose. Right now, even if you can't help, I would rather the last thing I hear is a friendly voice."

Your fists clenched around the phone. S had already begun mapping the area and showing it you on your HUD.

"I'm here too." You said. "Sit tight. I'll come to you."

You ended the call and barked at S to prep the Skynet private jet for immediate takeoff. She even went ahead and hacked into the airport systems, ensuring the jet had full clearance to leave the country at a moment's notice.

You bolted from the hotel, grabbed your rental car, and tore through the Belarusian streets like a madman, following all the directions S provided for you.

Fifteen minutes later, you screeched into the alley Victoria had marked. It was dimly lit, filled with trash and shadows; but then, you saw her.

She stumbled out from behind a dumpster, her blond hair, usually immaculate; was a tangled mess. Her face was streaked with dirt and blood, a deep gash running along her temple. One arm clutched her ribs.

But her icy blue eyes, those were still sharp.

She spotted you, as you had the driver side window down; and without hesitation, threw herself into the passenger seat.

"Drive!" She gasped.

You floored it, the tires screaming as the car surged forward into the night, cutting through Minsk's backstreets toward the airport.

"You're bleeding bad." You said, glancing at her.

She pulled a small rag from her jacket and pressed it against her side. "It's nothing."

"Doesn't look like nothing."

She let out a strained laugh. "Still a softie, huh?"

But there was fear behind her sarcasm—real fear.

"ONI really left you to die?" You asked.

She nodded grimly. "I honestly don't know why. They probably think I know too much or screwed it up. Safer for them if I just...disappear."

You tightened your grip on the wheel. "Not on my watch."

As you drove, S cut in over the car's speaker. "Airport's clear. Jet's prepped and ready. I've looped the security cameras. You'll be airborne in fifteen."

Victoria glanced at the console, realizing it wasn't just you in the car.

"Who's that?" She asked.

"Hacker." You replied. "Old contact that I use from time to time to keep my company safe from other hackers, which honestly have been in an increase since my reactor went public."

Ironically enough, there was truth in that statement as there had been numerous attempts to hack your company but S easily took care of them.

She smirked despite the blood trickling down her chin. "I should've known you'd have something like that up your sleeve Mr. CEO."

"You're not out of this yet." You said as the airport lights came into view.

You managed to get Victoria out of Belarus without incident. The adrenaline-fueled escape finally settled into something more manageable as the jet lifted off, heading back toward the NAE.

For the first hour of the flight, neither of you spoke much. Victoria sat beside you, staring out the window, her bandaged side rising and falling steadily. You'd done what you could to clean her up during the flight, and while the worst of her injuries were patched, she still looked worn down—emotionally and physically.

Eventually, she spoke. "I owe you, John. Big time."

"You don't owe me anything." You replied, shaking your head. "We've both pulled each other out of the fire before. This is no different."

Twelve hours later, back in Sunnydale; Victoria laid low at your apartment for a week. It felt surreal at first, having someone from your black ops past living under your roof again. But despite the circumstances, it almost felt...normal.

As normal as your life has been since you became CEO and uncovered Gale's world breaking secrets.

Victoria spent most of her time holed up in your guest room, patching herself up and trying, unsuccessfully; to dig into ONI's files to figure out why she was burned. Every route she took was blocked, every contact dead or silent. Someone wanted her wiped off the grid, and they'd done their job well.

Meanwhile, you were working your own angles. Pulling favors from old black ops contacts and using the political capital you'd built with Skynet's rising influence, you made sure that Victoria wouldn't be arrested the moment she set foot outside your apartment. She might've been disavowed by ONI, but on NAE soil, she was safe under your protection.

Officially, she was off the radar and a civilian.

You'd kept your friends in the dark about the full details, only telling them that a 'friend' was staying with you and needed help. They didn't press, at least not yet.

But over that week, something else happened. You and Victoria, after all the chaos; reignited the bond you'd forged years ago in the field. Late-night talks, shared drinks, the kind of stories only people who'd seen the worst of the world could tell. The ice queen façade she wore so well started to crack, revealing the person beneath, the one who used to be your closest ally.

But despite that, you could see it in her eyes, the uncertainty. The fear of what came next.

On the final evening of that week, after she'd nearly torn apart your network in frustration, you sat her down in the living room.

"You need something more permanent." You said, handing her a glass of whiskey.

She raised an eyebrow. "What, like a fake identity? New life in the suburbs?"

You chuckled. "No. A job. Here. With me."

Her eyes narrowed. "As what? A secretary?"

"Exactly."

She snorted, shaking her head. "John...you can't be serious. I'm a burned agent. Hiring me? It'd make you look dirty. Hell, half your company would think you're sleeping with me."

You leaned forward. "I don't care. I trust you, Victoria. You saved my ass more times than I can count. You think I'm worried about office gossip?"

She hesitated, swirling the whiskey in her glass. "You've already stuck your neck out just bringing me here."

"Look." You said, "I've already made headlines helping out my friends Cayde and Eris. If I'm willing to go to bat for them, you think I wouldn't do the same for you? You're my friend, Victoria. Always have been."

'Besides, if I need to, I will just throw Cayde under the bus by leaking that he is living with both Kora and Eris.' You thought.

There was a long silence. She stared into her glass, her jaw tense. Then, slowly, she exhaled and gave you a faint smile.

"Alright. I'm in." She said.

The relief that washed over you was immediate, but there was one more thing.

"Before we make this official." You said, leaning back. "There's something you need to know."

And so, you told her everything.

About S, about SOP, about Glimmer, about the Raptor and Wolf, and the entire web of secrets you'd been keeping.

The only thing you left out were the strange dreams, those still felt too insane to bring up.

Victoria took it in stride, as if you'd just told her the weather report. She didn't flinch when S materialized on the screen of your computer, waving politely.

"An AI secretary? Figures," she said with a smirk.

"I'm more than that." S chimed in.

But then, just like Kora and Eris before her, Victoria's calm demeanor shattered when you confessed how you'd injected yourself with SOP, alone; without medical supervision.

"Are you kidding me, John?" She snapped, slamming her beer on the coffee table. "You injected untested nanites into your body without any backup? Do you have a death wish?"

You winced, scratching the back of your neck. "I had S monitoring me—"

"Not the point!" She barked.

After letting her get the frustration out of her system, you offered her a syringe of SOP that you made earlier that day.

"You're part of this now. " You said. "Might as well be on the same level as the rest of my group."

She took the syringe without hesitation, rolling up her sleeve. "You're lucky I'm used to throwing caution to the wind." She injected herself and, after a moment of spasm as the nanites integrated, sat back, breathing heavily.

With SOP running through her system, she integrated seamlessly. S welcomed her warmly, and soon enough, Victoria was talking to her like they'd been coworkers for years.

When the time came to introduce her to the rest of the group through the chat/Codec, you explained who she was, why she was there, and how she'd become a part of the gang.

The group welcomed her without hesitation, except for Cayde, who immediately slipped into flirt mode, throwing out cheesy lines.

"So, Victoria...do you believe in love at first sight? Or should I walk by again?"

She didn't even blink.

"Walk into traffic instead."

The chat erupted in laughter, leaving Cayde mock-wounded, but he took it in stride.

The next day, you took Victoria to the warehouse so that she can see the Raptor and Wolf units.

Much to your surprise, Victoria asked to test out the Wolf unit, despite it's special requirements.

With Kora and Eris giving her pointers though the chat, Victoria stripped down without any hesitation and slipped into the Wolf. To everyone's surprise, who were watching through SOP; she moved it like she'd been training with it for years.

"Damn, this thing handles like a dream." She said as she took the Wolf for a sprint across the grounds around the warehouse and testing out the primary weapon.

She even agreed to do the Raptor/Wolf combo test, with you piloting the Raptor and carrying her in the Wolf at high speed. Over the comms, her laughter echoed in your ears.

"I could get used to this." She said as you pulled off a high-speed turn, the Wolf attached securely to the Raptor.

The test ended up being flawless.

Back at Skynet, Victoria's work as your secretary was flawless. With S helping her manage schedules, classified files, and communications, she became an extension of yourself, handling sensitive company matters while keeping the more dangerous secrets hidden.

But, of course, the company rumor mill had a field day.

People whispered that the only reason you hired Victoria was because of her looks, spreading wild stories that you'd plucked her from a modeling agency rather than a professional recruiter. After all, with her platinum blonde hair, icy blue eyes, and a body that looked like it belonged on a magazine cover, the assumption was easy to make.

You were just grateful none of them knew that she was living in your apartment, otherwise that would have made the mill go into overdrive.

That was, until Victoria decided to set the record straight.

It only took one meeting, where she coldly dismantled a high-level executive's entire project plan in under ten minutes; to make it clear that she was more than a pretty face. Her sharp mind, strategic thinking, and ice queen demeanor quickly established her dominance.

By the end of the quarter, she wasn't just your secretary anymore—she was your unofficial second-in-command.

And no one outside your group dared question it.

Reward:
Victoria Dare
- Secretary of John Conner, loyal friend
- Former ONI Spook (+10 to Security/Military/Espionage rolls)
- Status- Burned, Civilian
- Grants +1 Operations Dice, +5 to Operations Rolls
- Natural Beauty Pilot= +30 when piloting the Wolf.
- SOP (+20 to Security/Military rolls)
Special= All of Victoria's bonuses are applied to all dice used in which they are applied.
(OOC- Halo's Veronica Dare's ancestor)

=====================================

TO BE CONTINUED...

edboy49 · Feb 26, 2025

Y2Q4 Results, PART 2

-[X] Talk with S, the AI: Talk with S and continue to work with her, who's face is now of a R34 Boss, your waifu. (1 dice to activate, 100R; can purchase three dice max) 300R

Roll 3d100

Rolls= 70,64,89
Expanded her server room, increase FD from 6 to 8.

"So S, how do you feel after upgrading the server room?" You asked her while sitting in your office.

"I feel great. If I could think at a fast speed, now I can think twice as fast." She said with a smile.

"It better, it cost a pretty penny. Still can't believe that most of the budget went into the air conditioning system of the room rather than the actual servers." You said.

"What can I say?" S says while doing a very specific pose from a rather known anime blond girl at you. "I guess you could say my servers aren't the only thing overheating—I'm a total hot-wire."

You look at her with a deadpan.

"You been watching RWBY haven't you?" You said, spotting the very terrible pun.

"No comment." She said.

Reward:
S's servers expanded.
(Increase FD from 6 to 8)

==========================

-[X] Manufacture Fortified Suits for the group: (0/150) 200R
Roll 4d100= 34+6+70+11= 121/150

You honestly thought it would be easy to create more Fortified Suits to allow your group to test out the Raptor.

But there was a rather peculiar problem.

The data S was able to find on the FS was specific only for your body type, with precise measurements tailored exclusively to you. It was as if Gale had only intended one pilot for the Raptor—you. This meant that in order to create more FSs, S had to design entirely new models from scratch, each customized to the unique body measurements of your friends.

"It's not just a simple copy-paste/" S had explained, her holographic form pacing across your desk. "The FS isn't just armor. It's an interface—directly connecting the pilot to the Raptor. Every suit has to be meticulously calibrated to the wearer's neural pathways and physical specs. Otherwise, it'll be like trying to run a high-end game on a potato laptop—crashes guaranteed."

One thing she did state, however, was that she hadn't yet decided on the final appearance of the FSs.

This gave you some flexibility but also made you nervous. The FS design from the source material came in various styles depending on the nation: the American suits had a utilitarian, almost Spartan look, while the Japanese models had sleeker, more elegant lines. Then there were the European variants, which are bulky but with more robust shielding.

"So... what are you thinking?" You asked her, watching as she displayed 3D models of possible suit designs in front of you.

"For the guys, it's straightforward. I can use your FS as a base and modify it slightly for each person's build." S replied, gesturing to a rough render of a suit tailored for Lance's larger frame. "But for the female FS designs..." She hesitated.

You narrowed your eyes. "S, what's the issue?"

She glanced at you, then sighed dramatically. "Well, the source material... you know how creative it got with the female FS designs."

And she wasn't wrong. In the Muv-Luv universe, the female Fortified Suits had a notorious reputation for being overly form-fitting, almost like they were designed more for show than for practicality.

Then again, the company needed a way to sell merchandise, and you will not lie that you were a part of that group that bought stuff.

"You're not seriously suggesting..." You started.

"I mean, physics aside, I can technically make them functional and still... aesthetically pleasing." S said, spinning a holographic model of a female FS that looked like it had been pulled straight from a fanservice-heavy anime.

You felt a bead of sweat run down your temple. The thought of presenting Victoria, Kora and Eris with something like this? You were already in hot water because Gale made the Wolf could only be piloted by being naked. You be dead before you could explain this.

"S, I want function over form. Make sure they're protected. No unnecessary... features." You instructed, hoping she'd take the hint.

S gave a sly grin. "Of course. But remember, John, sometimes a little style doesn't hurt."

The one thing that scared you now wasn't the complexity of creating the new Fortified Suits—it was the fact that S, with all her processing power, had a mischievous streak that could easily lead to designs that would make your life very complicated.

You sighed, leaning back in your chair. "I swear, if Kora decks me for this, or Victoria kills me, I'm blaming you."

"Noted." S replied, her grin widening.

Current- 121/150

===================================

-[X] Check your qualifications. Just because you're a CEO now doesn't mean you're a REMF: 25R
Roll 1d100= 25, FAIL

'Why do I am bother with this again.' Try again.

=========================================

-[X] Talk to the Traveler: 2 FD 0R

Roll 2d100

Roll 1= 1
USE REROLL- 13 LEFT
Roll 1.2= 14
Roll 2= 14

Normally, something bad would happen due to rolling low, but due to rolling dubs; nothing will happen, neither good or bad.

You don't know why but, you have this strange feeling that something just happened, and that you just dodge a bullet.

And while a part of you wants to know, another part does not want to.

'Reward'= Nothing happened.

======================================
-[x] Talk to the Horse: FREE

To be Continued: Glory and Horror….All of It
==========================================

Random Roll Event:
Roll= 70

Where:
1-Personal
2-Group
3-Company
4-Nation
5-World
Roll= 3

Type of mine:
1-Active
2-Semi Active
3-Abandonded
Roll= 3

Abandonded why:
1-Accident
2-Ran dry
3-Previous owner went bankrupt
Roll= 3

In NAE or other country:
63 vs 41
In NAE.

You sat in your office, papers scattered across your desk, while Victoria stood beside you, going over the last few details of the quarter's budget report.

"So, that's it?" You asked, leaning back in your chair with a sigh. "We burned through the entire budget?"

Victoria gave you her signature calm, no-nonsense expression. "Every last penny." She confirmed, flipping through her tablet. "The new R&D wing, the creation of more GPLs, the medical wing, the global expansions on the Gale Reactors—all accounted for. The problem is, next quarter's funds are going to be tighter if we keep this pace."

You pinched the bridge of your nose. "I knew expanding the GPLs' production was going to cost, but damn. Maybe we should've skipped the upgraded coffee machines in the break room."

"Everyone would've mutinied." Victoria quipped dryly. "Starting with me killing you."

Before you could respond, a soft ping echoed through your mind, an incoming message through SOP. You noticed Victoria flinch slightly, clearly getting the same message. You brought up the HUD, and Ivan's name flashed across your vision.

Ivan: "Hey man, just made a great deal. Bought a silicon mine in Cali for dirt cheap. Owner went bankrupt, so I snagged it and already signed it under Skynet's name. Figured we could use it as a cover if we ever decide to sell Glimmer-made silicon to the public. Win-win, right?"

You blinked at the message, processing what you had just read. "He bought a what?" You muttered.

Victoria, reading the same message, crossed her arms. "A silicon mine. Classic Ivan."

You opened the voice channel through SOP. "Ivan, you there?"

"Yeah, John! What's up?" Ivan's voice came through crystal clear, filled with the usual enthusiasm.

"Explain the mine. Please."

"Oh, it's perfect! Abandoned silicon mine, plenty of infrastructure still intact. I got it for a steal—figured it'd be the perfect cover for when we start introducing Glimmer-based silicon into the market. No one will question where the 'raw materials' are coming from." He said

You sighed but had to admit, it wasn't the worst idea Ivan had pitched. "And you're sure no one will come poking around?"

"I'm having some of our security teams check it out now. I'll make sure it looks active but quiet—just enough to sell the story. Plus, no one cares about a bankrupt mine in the middle of nowhere."

Victoria raised an eyebrow at you, her expression saying this could actually work.

"Alright, Ivan. Just… don't buy any more mines without telling me first."

"No promises!" Ivan laughed before ending the call.

You sighed and looked over at Victoria. "Well, guess we own a mine now."

She smirked. "At least it wasn't a theme park."

"Don't give him ideas. With how much we are expecting to make by next year and the continuing expansion of our industrial capacity, we could buy the abandoned Six Flags at NOLA and repair it on our own." You said while covering your face with both hands.

Reward:
Abandoned Silicon Mine in California acquired

==================================================

Eastern Front:

'ROLLS BELOW'

The screen flickers to life, cutting to a live news broadcast. The newsroom is decorated with extravagant holiday ornaments—twinkling lights, silver garlands, and a massive Christmas tree in the background. But the festive setting is at complete odds with the sheer panic written across the anchor's face.

The camera zooms in on Roxanne Starr, the network's lead anchor, a stunning woman with long platinum blonde hair, deep crimson lips, and piercing blue eyes. She is sitting at the news desk, barely composed, her hands trembling as she grips a stack of papers.

Her Santa Claus outfit, meant to add some Christmas cheer to the late-night broadcast, now seems wildly inappropriate given the breaking news. The red velvet dress clings tightly to her curvaceous figure, stopping far too short on her thighs, while the plunging neckline and fluffy white trim do little to distract from the absolute terror in her eyes.

She swallows hard before speaking, her voice slightly shaky but still maintaining that professional tone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we interrupt this special holiday broadcast with an urgent breaking news update. Over three hours ago, in the middle of Christmas Eve, multiple global satellites detected an alarming event over Russian territory."

She pauses, touching the earpiece in her left ear as new information is relayed. A bead of sweat forms on her forehead despite the cool temperature of the studio.

"We have confirmed reports that several Russian ICBMs were launched from undisclosed silos and detonated in the region where the second Tunguska Event occurred earlier this year. Immediately after impact, a massive energy spike was detected—unlike anything recorded before."

The screen behind her flickers, showing grainy satellite footage of blinding white flashes illuminating the Siberian wilderness, followed by what looks like a rippling shockwave spreading outward. The video then cuts to a superstorm—clouds thicker than anything seen in recorded history, choking the sky over Russia, its spiraling formations an ominous black and green.

Roxanne shuffles her papers but doesn't bother looking at them anymore—her wide, fearful eyes locked onto the teleprompter.

"Since that moment, the entirety of Russian airspace has been engulfed by unprecedented storm clouds, growing in size until they swallowed the entire country. And now—" she hesitates, taking a breath. "the phenomenon has extended beyond Russia's airspace. What was first a storm has now formed into what military analysts are calling a Dark Fog, an impenetrable anomaly that has completely sealed off the Russian Federation, with the fog even expanding out into the ocean and covering Russia's island holdings."

The screen behind her changes again, now displaying a live military feed from the Polish border—thick, swirling darkness looming just beyond a barbed-wire fence, stretching endlessly into the horizon. Every attempt to shine a spotlight or infrared sensor into the fog reveals nothing.

"Every attempt to enter the fog—whether by plane, drone, or ground forces—has resulted in total failure. Nothing that goes in comes out. There have been no signals, no radio communications, no survivors. It's as if Russia… has vanished."

Her voice cracks slightly, but she regains composure, taking a shaky breath before continuing.

"Governments around the world are scrambling to understand what has happened. The United Nations has declared a global state of emergency, with NATO forces mobilizing along Eastern European borders, a joint force of Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Chinese military forces are on the borders while a combined naval fleet of the South Korea, China, Japan and NAE are patrolling the Pacific Russian borders. But as of now, Russia has officially… gone dark."

The broadcast cuts to a live panel of analysts, their faces grim, their voices speaking in hurried, hushed tones. Theories begin flooding in, from a catastrophic nuclear experiment gone wrong to the possibility of something far more unnatural lurking within the fog.

The feed flickers back to Roxanne, who presses her lips together, visibly shaken. The studio's Christmas music has stopped, the twinkling decorations around her now feeling grotesquely out of place against the apocalyptic news.

She slowly turns her gaze back to the camera, her voice barely above a whisper as she delivers the final statement.

"Ladies and gentlemen… we will bring you more updates as they come. But for now, on this cold December night, I urge you all—wherever you are—to hold your loved ones close. Because whatever just happened to Russia… it could be the beginning of something much worse."

The screen cuts to black.

Activate, Infect, or Both:
Roll 1d3: 1

Activating tower:
73
+25 (Manpower)
+5 (Dugged up fully)
+15 (??? in control)
= 118
vs
11
+60 (Been buried for millions of years)
= 71

Tower online.

What is inside:
1-Intact Equipment
2-Stored army
3-Both
Roll- 1

Equipment acquired.

Is Russia aware:
23
+30 (Mass disappearances)
+30 (Russian Security Paranoia)
+50 (Large structure giving out energy signatures)
= 133
vs
13
+60 (Middle of nowhere and deadly climate during winter)
= 73

Did Russia tell the world what they just saw:
33
+25 (Alien invaders)
+50 (Same aliens from Mars)
= 108
vs
89
+50 (Russian pride/arrogance)
= 139

NOPE....DAMMIT

How do they react:
1-2 Attack...Bombs
3-4 Attack...Conventional
5-6 Prepare defenses
Roll= 2

Normal or Nukes:
50
+25 (Don't want to nuke own land)
+10 (Will be detected by other powers)
= 85
vs
71
+15 (Aliens with strange structure)
= 86

Nukes launched.

Chimera Defense:
25
+50 (Active tower)
= 75
vs
3
+25 (Sudden attack)
= 28 CRIT FAIL

????:
80
+5 (Crit fail above)
+15 (Active tower)
= 100, ART 100 CRIT
vs
1
+50 (Only one tower active)
= 51 NAT 1 CRIT FAIL

======================

Well, this sums up this part:

(PS. Going to sleep now. Answer any questions in the morning. Night.)

edboy49 · Mar 1, 2025

-[x] Talk to the Horse: FREE

Glory and Horror….All of It

'Rolls below'

The thick, humid air clung to your skin like a second layer, the scent of damp earth and distant water filling your nostrils. You moved through the dense jungle foliage with deliberate steps, your shotgun firmly gripped in your hands. The familiar weight of it felt off, like you weren't fully in control of your own movements, more like a machine running a program than a man on the hunt.

But what were you hunting?

The thought barely had time to settle before you emerged into a clearing, and your brain short-circuited at the sheer absurdity of what you were seeing.

Standing in the middle of the clearing, completely at ease, was that damn strange horse from your last dream. Its silvery-white coat shimmered in the dim light as it neighed and stomped, communicating in some unintelligible animal sounds.

And to who, exactly?

A velociraptor, a full-sized, scaly, terrifyingly one straight out of Jurassic Park; stood there, cocking its head as if it understood every word. Its sickle-shaped claws flexed absentmindedly, but it wasn't in an aggressive stance.

No, the damn thing was having a conversation with the horse.

As if that wasn't weird enough, a massive black wolf was curled up nearby, completely relaxed, its flank rising and falling in a deep, contented sleep.

You stared at the bizarre trio like they had personally offended you.

'What the fuck…' You though.

Then, on your left, you heard soft footsteps, bare feet against jungle floor.

You turned your head and Gale stepped into view.

Your breath hitched.

She was wearing X-Men's Rogue's Savage Land outfit, except it had seen better days. Her tattered green and yellow top barely covered her chest, the jungle-worn shorts hugging her hips. Strapped to her belt was a hunting knife, and 'because why the hell not?' the Skynet emblem had replaced the usual X-Men insignia on her barely-holding-together top.

She looked feral, wild in a way that both disturbed you and sparked something primal deep in your gut.

Your lips moved on instinct.

"Clever girl."

For a moment, Gale just stood there, staring at you with unreadable eyes. Then, her body contorted.

Her human form ripped away as chitinous, blade-like appendages burst from her back. Her skin darkened to an unnatural hue, her features twisting, warping into something monstrous.

You barely had time to process that Gale had fully transformed into what could easily be described as twin sister of Starcraft's Queen of Blades before she lunged at you—

Your world snapping to black.

You woke up with a start, your body jolting as if electrocuted.

Your breathing was ragged, and a cold sweat covered your face as you tried to make sense of what just happened. Your hands, clenched tightly around the Raptor's controls, slowly relaxed as you forced yourself to take deep, steady breaths.

It took you a moment to remember where you were.

The warehouse, inside the Raptor.

You came here today to burn off the stress of the past few days. Ever since the Fog swallowed Russia whole, the world had been thrown into absolute chaos. Governments scrambled for answers, militaries mobilized without a clear enemy, and even Skynet had been inundated with requests from global clients, some desperate; for your Reactors.

Specially in Europe now that the main supplier of natural gas for energy was no longer 'operating'.

For the first time since starting Skynet, you had felt truly overwhelmed.

So, to clear your head, you had taken the Raptor out for a run, flying through the night sky, pushing the machine to its limits in the vast desert, away from the madness of the world. A few hours later, you had brought it back into the warehouse, deciding to take a short nap in the cockpit.

But instead of rest, you were thrown into another dream.

And this one… this one had been different.

You barely had time to process it before S appeared, her holographic form materializing right on top of you, her Japanese Type 00 Fortified Suit-clad body straddling your lap, her usually composed expression replaced by full-blown panic.

"John!" She practically shouted. "You flatlined for five seconds, and your neural activity was off the charts! What the hell just happened?!"

You blinked, still feeling the last echoes of the dream in your mind.

"…Just another dream." You muttered, rubbing your temples.

S narrowed her eyes, her glowing gaze scanning your face. "Another dream? John, your heart rate was unstable for almost a minute before I managed to stabilize it. I was about to force SOP to restart your entire nervous system! What the hell was it this time?"

You let out a sigh, still shaken.

"I was in a jungle… hunting something. Then I saw… the horse again. But this time, it was talking to a Jurassic Park velociraptor while a black wolf slept nearby." You paused. "And then—" You hesitated for a moment, "—Gale appeared."

S's expression darkened, her concern now laced with something else.

"She was wearing the Savage Lands Rogue outfit, but instead of the X-Men symbol, it had Skynet's logo. And then she suddenly transformed into the Queen of Blades before she jumped me, like she was going to kill me."

S processed that for a second before making a sarcastic, dark-humored remark. "Right. Of course. So what new gift from Mom's tomb do we get this time?" She raised a finger, listing possibilities. "A Jurassic Park cloning facility? A wolf-themed power armor? Oh, I know, a time-traveling AI dinosaur?"

You shot her a look. "Do not tempt fate."

But before she could reply, your HUD flickered—a new message incoming.

A message that S could not detect.

S froze, her systems running rapid scans. "John… I can't find the origin of this."

Your blood ran cold as you read the message.

'Clever Girl.'

Your breath hitched. The exact words from your dream.

A cold shiver ran down your spine.

S stiffened, seeing your reaction. "Okay, no. I do not like that look. What does that mean?!"

Your mind raced, piecing things together. "It's from Jurassic Park." You whispered. "It's also the last thing that for some reason I said to Gale in my dream before she tried to kill me after she came out of nowhere on my…"

Realization hit.

You snapped your head toward the left side of the warehouse, the same direction where Gale had emerged in your dream.

"S, use the Raptor's sensors to scan for anything unusual on that wall." You ordered, voice tight.

S complied instantly, her holographic form flickering as she interfaced with the Raptor's systems.

It only took seconds for her to find it.

Her eyes widened. "John—there's a hidden door."

Your heart pounded.

Without hesitation, you disengaged the cockpit locks and climbed out of the Raptor, your boots hitting the warehouse floor.

S appeared beside you, her face full of urgency.

You moved fast, heading toward the wall.

Upon arriving, following S's instructions; you were able to find a hidden door.

The hidden door was big, taller and wider than you had expected.

As you pushed it open, the metallic groan of its hinges echoed throughout the warehouse, sending dust drifting from the ceiling. Beyond the threshold, a staircase descended into darkness, its depths obscured by shadows.

You exhaled sharply, gripping the edge of the doorway. "If this leads to some underground biological lab, I swear to god, I'm blowing this entire place up with the Raptor."

S let out a distorted sigh, her holographic form flickering next to you. "John, please, not everything Mom left behind is a horror movie waiting to happen."

You raised an eyebrow. "Says the AI that's seen the pattern of what we've found so far."

S grimaced. "…Point taken."

With caution, you descended the stairs, each step echoing in the confined space. The walls were smooth and metallic, untouched by rust or decay.

After what felt like half a minute of descent, you reached a doorless entryway.

As you stepped inside, the lights snapped on automatically, revealing a small, sterile white room.

You paused, taking it all in.

The room was minimalistic, no decorations, no equipment; just clean white walls with strange holes dotting them in symmetrical patterns. At the center of the floor, there were two metallic footprints embedded into the smooth surface, as if marking where someone was supposed to stand.

Your brow furrowed.

"…What the hell is this?" You muttered.

Just as you verbalized your confusion, your HUD flashed, signaling an incoming message.

A detailed message.

S tensed, her data streams accelerating as she attempted to trace the sender.

She failed.

And as you read the contents of the message, your entire body stiffened.

Your fixed stance relaxed as a slow, creeping smile forming on your lips.

S, still scanning the message, whispered in disbelief. "John… are you seeing this?"

You nodded. "Oh, I see it, alright."

And once again, Gale left something behind that defined logic.

Something that if you were to give to the military, she would posthumously be declared the Lady Saint of all military grunts everywhere.

POV Change…

Two minutes later, John stepped onto the metallic footprints, which at this point his HUD flickered, displaying a single line of text:

"Do you wish to proceed?"

He hesitated for only a moment before mentally accepting the prompt.

A deep mechanical hum resonated through the room. The walls shuddered, machinery awakening from decades of dormancy. Panels hissed open, revealing metallic arms that extended towards him. Hydraulic pistons shifted, releasing their locks as the automated assembly process began.

A recording started. Gale's voice.

"John. If you're hearing this… then I am gone."

"And now all the different legacies I forged are now in your hands."

From the sides, two massive armored boots slid forward, clamping around his legs. Reinforced servos locked into place, gripping his calves with mechanized precision. His HUD instantly updated, displaying the status of his new lower limbs.

[Power Core: Engaging Primary Systems]
[Mobility Enhancement: Online]
[Reading new data…changing Power Core name to Gale Reactor]

"I never wanted things to turn out this way. But life? It has a cruel sense of humor."

The chest piece was next—a behemoth of reinforced plating that split open from the middle, locking around his torso like an iron coffin. Hydraulic pistons hissed, fusing the armored plates into place, aligning with his spine. John felt a sudden rush of strength as the suit's powered exoskeleton came alive.

[Detecting Fortified Suit, Unlocking Extra Functions]
[Fortified Suit Synchronization: 85%... 90%… 100%]
[Calibrating Biometric Feedback…]
[Strength Modulation: Active]
[Speed Modulation: Active]

"I don't know how much time we have left, John. But something is coming. A war. A war that will change everything. I can feel it in my bones."

The gauntlets came next, each slamming into place with a magnetized hiss, enclosing his hands in durable composite plating. He flexed his fingers, feeling enhanced precision and raw power at his disposal.

[Grip Modulation: Calibrating]
[Tactile Sensors: Operational]
[Servo Assist: Optimal Efficiency]

"With all its glory… and all its horror."

Finally, the helmet descended. The interior HUD flashed to life, linking with SOP instantly. Vision filters adjusted, targeting reticles locked on, and the suit's atmospheric seal activated with a hiss of pressurized air.

[Detecting SOP, Unlocking Final Functions]
[User ID: John Connor - Approved]
[Helmet Integration: Complete]

And then came the final piece.

A mechanized arm extended forward, gripping something massive—a C-14 Impaler Gauss Rifle. The distinctive hum of the rail accelerators buzzed faintly as it was presented to him.

John reached out, wrapping his armored fingers around the iconic weapon, feeling its weight settle perfectly into his grasp.

[Connecting C-14S to SMA…Connected]
[Status of C-14S Ammo System….Online]

"Your new armor and weapons... They are both now a means of freedom and chains."

"What you do with them… is up to you, old friend."

[Skynet Manufacturing Armor]
[Model: SMA-700]
[Status: Fully Operational]

The recording ended.

The entire room fell silent except for the subtle hum of SMA-700's fully operational systems.

John took a slow, measured breath inside the suit, feeling its power surge through him. His reflection in the polished steel wall showed something different—not just a man, but a warrior, clad in a suit designed for war.

Atop his right shoulder, S materialized in her holographic form, dressed in a StarCraft Ghost Suit, her expression a mix of awe and curiosity.

She tilted her head, smirking slightly. "So, John… how do you feel?"

John tightened his grip on the C-14S, letting the weight of the moment sink in.

He exhaled sharply.

"Hell…"

A beat passes as the vizor closes.

"Let's make it count."

Reward:
SMA-700 Armor (Skynet Manufacturing Armor)
(Modified StarCraft CMC 400A, the variant used by the racist assholes of the UED)
Appearance- Same color as Raynor's armor and has the Skynet Emblem on right shoulder
Things different:
= Power Source is a miniaturized Gale Reactor.
= The "HAITE" System is replaced by S taking over, optional and only active for those with SOP
= Does not require anything special to pilot. FS and SOP are optional.
= The C-14 Rifle, this variant with the name 'C-14S' has the same ammo system as the Seraph Revolver.

(First piloting test and how the armor is taken off will be rolled for in the next opening)

Roll= 95+5(omake 'Within the Dreams of Many' bonus)= 100 ART 100 CRIT
Bonus= 89

Gift (using wheel):
Hell... it's about time
Player One
Combat Evolved
Wake Up Samurai
War never changes
Fear is freedom
Result- Hell... it's about time

CMC-400A, modified

Power Source, canon/Gale:
75
+15 (Star Horse bullshit)
+15 (Power source was already a fusion drive)
= 105
VS
21
+80 (Canon)
= 101

Does it have it's signature weapon: Weapon C-14 Rifle
59 vs 44
YEP

C-14 Ammo upgrade:
80
+15 (Star Horse bullshit)
= 95
VS
11
+80 (Canon)
= 91
Infinite ammo approved.

Any Pilot Special Requirement:
1-4 SOP
5-8 Fortified Suit
9-10 Nothing
Roll= 10
The CMC, while having SOP and the Suit is optional; it does not require anything to pilot one.

edboy49 · Mar 2, 2025

Y2Q4 Rumor Mill:

NAE
Roll= 91

High-Tech Industry Booms After Russian Event

"Uncle Sam's really spooked if they're shoving this much money into it." You muttered, flipping through the report in front of you. "Money for the fire. Fire to forge swords, to give to people to fight the barbarians at the gate."

Across from you, Ivan nodded in agreement, arms crossed as he leaned back in his chair. "It's a sensible response. The contracts alone will be doubled."

"Tripled." you corrected, briefly glancing at S's holographic form in your peripheral vision as she held up three fingers in her usual cute manner. "Probably tripled."

Ivan exhaled, shaking his head. "We're going to be drowning in defense and electronics contracts at this rate." He set the paper aside and picked up his drink. "At least until we either kill whatever scared Russia so badly they nuked themselves, or until the paranoia dies down."

"Yeah, but this kind of cash flow means we can invest in some big projects." You said, already thinking about where to allocate resources.

Ivan raised a brow. "How big are we talking? And on what scale?"

You smirked. "How much do you think Project V from Gundam cost?"

Ivan set his drink down with a chuckle. "If you believe the nerd forums? About a quarter of Earth's entire budget...after the war started and taking into account 70s futuristic tech." His amusement didn't fade as he narrowed his eyes at you. "But you're not actually planning to give the NAE all space mechs in the next seven months, are you?"

You grinned. "Doubt it. The only way that would be possible if if we gave away the secret of Glimmer to meet up with the obvious demand that our Raptors would demand."

Ivan burst into laughter, shaking his head in disbelief. "Oh, we are going to drown in money at this rate... and I am going to love seeing what kind of monster we create, just to say we did."

Reward:
NAE provides a boost in budget and resources to industrial companies for the time being in response to Russia's disappearance.
(Double NAE Civilian/Military contract payment for one year)
NAE
- Civilian (+250)----> (+500)
- Military (+500)----> (+1000)
==========================

Europe
Roll= 18

Europe in Crisis: The Disappearance of Russia Sparks an Energy Catastrophe

Europe is facing an unprecedented continental crisis following the sudden and unexplained disappearance of Russia behind an impenetrable fog.

As Russia was the primary supplier of natural gas and oil for much of Europe, its abrupt removal from global trade has left nations scrambling for alternative energy sources. The situation has been made even more dire by an ongoing winter that, for reasons still unknown since the Russian Event, has been growing colder by the day—especially in Eastern Europe, where temperatures have begun to plummet to record-breaking lows.

The only cities unaffected by the worsening energy crisis are those that had Gale Reactors installed prior to the event. These cities remain fully powered, their infrastructures intact, and their populations shielded from the deadly cold.

As a result, a phenomenon being described as "inner migration" has begun to unfold across Europe. Masses of people are leaving energy-starved cities and heading toward the nearest Gale Reactor-powered urban centers in their respective nations. Governments are struggling to coordinate and control the influx, leading to overcrowding, resource shortages, and rising tensions between citizens and authorities.

With the energy crisis spiraling out of control, European leaders are now faced with a critical choice—find new and sustainable energy solutions or risk complete societal collapse in the face of an unrelenting winter and an uncertain future.

=================================

Hakke Heavy Industries
Roll= 3

Clovis Bray
Roll= 96

Clovis Bray Expands Empire Amid The Russian Event

In an unprecedented turn of events, Clovis Bray, the founder and owner of Clovis Bray Industries (CBI), has acquired all Russian-owned companies operating within the NAE. The acquisition follows the Russian Event, which triggered the sudden collapse and bankruptcy of these companies due to the loss of their parent nation.

However, Russian companies were not the only ones affected by the fallout. Hakke Heavy Industries, a well-established manufacturer of military and industrial equipment, also succumbed to financial ruin. The company, which relied heavily on Russian raw materials, was unable to sustain operations in the absence of its primary suppliers.

Recognizing an opportunity, Clovis Bray moved swiftly to acquire Hakke Heavy Industries as well. With this acquisition, Hakke has transitioned from an independent private company to a fully integrated subsidiary of CBI.

This aggressive expansion marks a major shift in the industrial and defense sectors, as Clovis Bray consolidates control over formerly Russian assets and expands into Hakke's existing markets. The move has raised both intrigue and concern, as industry experts speculate on Clovis Bray's long-term strategy and the potential consequences of his growing monopoly.

edboy49 · Mar 8, 2025

Year 3,Q1

Opening

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.

Copyright Marine Armor:
84
+15 (Star Horse bullshit)
= 99
vs
53
+30 (Established thing)
= 83
YEP

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.

[][SUITS] Take deal.
[][SUITS] Don't take deal.

Vote closes on Monday Night.

edboy49 · Mar 10, 2025

Year 3, Q1

Skynet Manufacturing
CEO: John Connor
(Unknown to him: The Last Speaker)
-Spec Ops Veteran= (+10 to Security/Military rolls)
-Custom John Wick Suit (+5 to Security/Military rolls when using them) (Unknown= suits can withstand Armstrong transformation)
-Natural TSF Pilot= +30 when piloting a TSF.
-SMA User= +15 when using an SMA armor.
-SOP (+20 to Security/Military rolls)
Special= All of John's bonuses are applied to all dice used.
(AKA if a military action is taken and you guys put in 10 dice, John's bonus is applied to all 10 dice, not just once)

Current direct helpers:

(Note- The females cannot use the SMA)

1. Ivan Beck
- Investor
- Special Roll: 25% chance of Income at the start of each turn to double.
-Grants +5 to Operations Rolls
-SOP (+20 to Security/Military rolls)
Special= All of Ivan's bonuses are applied to all dice used in which they are applied.
(Looks like Jake Gyllenhaal)

2. S
- Secret AI hidden inside Skynet's HQ, only known to John and the rest of the helpers in the list.
- Gender: Female
- Digital avatar- Young, 'R34' version of MGS's The Boss (Pic in Skynet: Beyond Human)
- Currently can communicate on either Gale's computer, any of the group's phones or any computer the phones connects to.
-She can now appear and move in front of anyone with SOP like Silverhand does to V.
- Programming not bound, capable of learning.
- Upgraded with Sloot System.
- Expanded Server farm for her.
- Grants +6 Free Dice-----> +8 Free Dice

3. Lance Zeus
- COO of Skynet
- Brother to Kora Zeus
-Cured of his unknown heart condition.
- Grants +2 Operations Dice, +5 to Operations Rolls
-SMA User= +15 when using an SMA armor.
-SOP (+20 to Security/Military rolls)
Special= All of Lance's bonuses are applied to all dice used in which they are applied.
(OOC- Zavala)

4. Kora Zeus
- Head of R&D
- Sister of Lance Zeus
- Sick with cancer, getting the best treatment. In route to be fully cured due to SOP.
- Natural Beauty Pilot= +30 when piloting the Wolf. (Has her own personal Wolf unit)
- Grants +1 Research Dice, +5 to Research Rolls
-SOP (+20 to Security/Military rolls)
Special= All of Kora's bonuses are applied to all dice used in which they are applied.
(OOC- Ikora)

5. Cayde Nolan Buck
- Head of Security
- Former LAPD SWAT Commander
- Best friend to Kora
- Grants +1 Operations Dice, +5 to Security/Military rolls
-SMA User= +15 when using an SMA armor.
-SOP (+20 to Security/Military rolls)
Special= All of Cayde's bonuses are applied to all dice used in which they are applied.
(OCC= Cayde; Halo's Edward Buck's ancestor)

6. Dr. Erisia 'Eris' Pyatova-Hsien
-Company Doctor
-Friend to Kora and Cayde
-Reputation restored. Millionaire now.
-Grants +1 Operations Dice, +5 to medical related rolls (can be turned to Research if the action is biological)
-Natural Beauty Pilot= +30 when piloting the Wolf. (Has her own personal Wolf unit)
-SOP (+20 to Security/Military rolls)
Special= All of Eris' bonuses are applied to all dice used in which they are applied.
(OOC- Eris)

7. Victoria Dare
- Secretary of John Conner, loyal friend
- Former ONI Spook (+10 to Security/Military/Espionage rolls)
- Status- Burned, Civilian
- Grants +1 Operations Dice, +5 to Operations Rolls
- Natural Beauty Pilot= +30 when piloting the Wolf.
-Singer= +30 when singing.
- SOP (+20 to Security/Military rolls)
Special= All of Victoria's bonuses are applied to all dice used in which they are applied.
(OOC- Halo's Veronica Dare's ancestor)

Current Status of Company:

All Employees are loyal. Know about Glimmer and keeping it secret.

SkyEye
-Watchgroup to look out for corruption and espionage.
-Can now monitor and intercept outside groups.
(Rumor Mill activated)
(+30 when dealing with corruption and espionage)

Factory Lvl. 5 (Grants +5 Manufacturing Dice)
---(+5 to Manufacturing Actions)
-- Glimmer Production Line, Mixed Version x4 (+10 Manufacturing Dice x4= +40 MDs)

The warehouse stockpile of parts covers entire fiscal quarter (1 turn) in the event the factory suffers something that stops production.

Advanced R&D Lab- Level 1 (Grants +2 Research Dice ---> +4 Research Dice)
--Running with Sloot System (+15 to Research Actions)
--Weapons and Armor RD Add-On Lv.1 (+10 to related research rolls)

Medical Wing, Level 1 (+5 to medical related rolls)
-Normal hospital's ER wing.

Experimental Cold Fusion Reactor

Grants +2 Free Dice
Publicly known.

Security, Special

Active NAE military personnel on site
Grants +15 to Security/Military rolls
All Skynet Security Forces outfitted with Aegis. (+15 to Security/Military rolls)

Abandoned Silicon Mine

Acquired by Ivan. Located in California.

Current Relationships:

NAE: Good
Sunnydale: Good
Clovis Bray: Bad
Ukraine: Good
Continental Hotel Chain: Good
China: Good
UK: Good
South Korea: Good
Egypt: Good
Indonesia Status: Good
Japan Status: Good
France Status: Good
Italy Status: Good
Belarus Status: Good
Ishtar Collective Status: Good

Current Contracts:

Expire in Y4, Q1
NAE
- Civilian (+250)----> 500*
- Military (+500)----> 1000*
*For one year the double offer, ends after Y3Q4.

Sunnydale
- Normal business(+100)
- Energy (+1000)
Continental Hotel Chain
- Parts (+500)
- Free Rooms in any hotel
Belarus
-Energy in Minsk (+1000)
Italy
-Energy in Venice (+1000)
France
-Energy in Paris (+1000)
Washington DC, NAE
-Energy (+1000)
San Francisco, NAE
-Energy (+1000)
Anchorage Alaska, NAE
-Energy (+1000)
Ukraine
- Energy in Kiev (+1000)
China
-Energy in Shenzhen (+1000)
UK
-Energy in London (+1000)
South Korea
-Energy in Seoul (+1000)
Egypt
-Energy in Cairo (+1000)
Ishtar Collective (in Cairo, Egypt)
- Energy (+1000)
Japan
-Energy in Tokyo (+1000)
Indonesia
-Energy in Jakarta (+1000)

TOTAL INCOME=16,350

For this quarter, the Europe reactors will not be charged due to the crisis.

Current Resources: 45R (+16,350 per turn) (+12,100 credits is without Europe)
Ivan Special Roll= 98, PASS CRIT
New Resource Total- 45+ 12,100= 12,145 x2.5= 30,362 - 900= 29,462R

Stockpile: 500R (250 per turn)
750+250= 1000

Dice Available:
45 MD (6 dice LOCKED)
5 RD Dice
10 Free Dice
5 Operations Dice
14 Rerolls

Ares One Mission:
Status of Mars:
No new messages from Mars have been received at this time.
The storm and Traveler are in the same position but the storm around it seems to have intensified.

Invasion:
61 vs 61
Holding on but a TIE.
Talking to Traveler unavailable this turn.

Message:
9 vs 30
Nope.

====================================
Manufacturing: (45D; 6D LOCKED)

[] Create third Wolf: Time to make a third Wolf unit for Victoria's own use.
(Cost- 2 MD or 500R)

[] Expand Factory (0/500; 100R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 150R per dice): Skynet's factory is already a marvel of technology and progress in order to manufacture large quantities of various computer parts thanks to it's uses of industrial 3d printers and experts in putting the pieces together. So, it would help to expand it to increase its capabilities. (Reward: +1 MD)

[] Convert a Factory level with Glimmer tech: With the discovery of Glimmer, it could allow for the production capabilities of the factory to increase at huge margin. It would be best to start with a single place of the factory to convert it to a automated Glimmer factory that can only be accessed by those that know, and only know to John, under the eye and control of S; till we can be sure the employees of the factory can be trusted.
-[] Energy version (0/1000; 100R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 150R per dice)
-[] Trash version (0/500; 100R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 150R per dice)
-[] Both version (682/1500; 100R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 150R per dice) (4 active)

[] Backup Reactor: Sunnydale is operating on the reactor inside Skynet HQ. While everything is fine, it would be a nice safeguard to have a second reactor to provide the city direct energy instead of sharing it. And if one reactor fails, the other can cover.
(Cost 2MD or 1000R) (No extra cost to the city)

[] Raptor Factory Expansion: (0/3500; 300R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 600R per dice): You have the capacity to manufacture the parts that make up the Raptor, but not the capacity to put them together. Expanding the current factory to include the necessary hardware to put together a Raptor in an assembly line is a must. If any of the other employees ask what is going to be done, just tell them that it's for a top secret product that might be sold to the NAE military later on.

[] SMA Factory Expansion: (0/3000; 300R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 600R per dice): You have the capacity to manufacture the parts that make up the SMA, but not the capacity to put them together, specially the Gale Reactor. Expanding the current factory to include the necessary hardware to put together an SMA in an assembly line is a must. If any of the other employees ask what is going to be done, just tell them that it's for a top secret product that might be sold to the NAE military later on.

[] Write In

Special: Gale Reactor
(This is basically the action to see who gets the Reactor. The premise will be leasing. Skynet will send the client 90% of the plans of the reactor and they will build it. The other 10% will be finished by Skynet personnel, which is basically the core tech of the reactor and blackboxed.)

(You can take on the job of building multiple reactors, which would be finished in one quarter. Each contract cost 2 MD, no rolling.)

NOTE FOR THIS QUARTER= All Europe based Reactors will have a roll to see if the reactor was made.

Who to give reactor:
-[][CLIENT] Write In
How much: (per quarter)
-[][COST] Write In
(You could also offer a reactor for free without using any dice. It would cost you 1000R. Hey PR is a thing.)

(Since it's kind of obvious everyone will want a reactor, I am putting up a write in and see what you guys can come up with, with me having a right to veto.
Examples:
NAE-Military-NORAD; NAE-Military-A base in the California Comm.; NAE-Civilian-LA)

==========================================================
Research: (5D)

[] Game Engine, Phase 1/? (50/1000; 75R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 150R per dice): Skynet is dedicated to making computer parts. But there were some in the company that maybe it was time to expand into new ventures related to the computer field. In this case into video games, a market that is connected to the need of constant computer parts. So, one first step would be to create a new game engine that belonged uniquely to Skynet that was a match to the known engines in the market. (Boosted by omake)

[] Arms, Armor and Armored Integration, Phase 2/? (290/5000; 250R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 500R per dice): If there was one thing that being in an electronic company would give you it was integrating the latest technology with the modern battlefield, and you know it's probably going to be a hard sell, but there's a potential market here. (Currently at Level 1)

[] Upgrade the Lab (115/2500; 250R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 400R per dice) Skynet's R&D lab is already considered a marvel of engineering and research. But according to Kora, the lab could be better. (Current Level 1, in route to Level 2)

[] Smaller Fusion (263/1500, Phase 1; 150R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 250R per dice): Skynet is the world's sole provider of cold fusion reactors. You know that demand is basically a guaranteed. But the current design is to power cities. Maybe there is possibility to develop a different version that is smaller scale.
(Note Phase 1 is make the reactor the size for Navy Ships)

[] Reverse Engineer Reactor in Raptor (0/6500, 350R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 650R per dice): Now that you have a working sample of a smaller reactor that works, it would be best to see if we can replicate it.

[] Reverse Engineer Reactor in SMA (0/8000, 350R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 650R per dice): Now that you have a working sample of a smaller reactor that works, it would be best to see if we can replicate it.

[] Reverse Engineer Wolf Rail Gun (0/6000, 250R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 500R per dice): While you have the Aegis, it's basically an infantry weapon, while the Wolf RG is a tank weapon. Find a way to develop a version that can be used on a vehicle, or even a tank.

[] Howling Hound (25/2500, 200R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 400R per dice): The girls have come to you with the idea to create a new version of the Crying Wolf, called the Howling Hound. This version will be like heavy tank, sacrificing speed for more weapons.
(Unlocked and boosted by omake)

Nanomachine Research:
(Note- Since now Kora and Eris are in the truth, the Research related bonuses and Research dice can be applied without problems)

[] Nano Health (0/1500; 100R per dice): According to S, it's possible to take the SOP nanomachines and maybe turn them into the same type used in the game to heal a person. This version is one-use only.

[] Naomi Variant (0/3500; 100R per dice): According to S, it's possible to take the SOP nanomachines and maybe turn them into the same type used by Naomi to keep her cancer at bay, which would really help Kora's situation, even though SOP could already be used to heal her.

[] Nanomachines Son (736/5000; 100R per dice): According to S, it's possible to take the SOP nanomachines and maybe turn them into the same type used by Armstrong.

[] Write In
==================================================
Operations: (5D)

Special Vote:
What to do in regards to the Glimmer Patent/Copyright:
[][GLIMM] Nothing for now, decide another time.
[][GLIMM] Begin the covert* process to patent the Glimmer under Skynet. (-2000 RP)
[][GLIMM] Begin the public process to patent the Glimmer under Skynet. (-1000 RP)

*Covert means bribing and making sure no one finds out about it, specially Clovis.

===========================

[] Skynet Diamonds (150/500; 150R per dice): One of your employees came to you with an idea in regards to expanding Skynet's profits. Rent one of the most expensive diamonds in the world, scan it to the GPL and then begin selling 'lab-grown' diamonds to the public. Technically speaking, it would not be a lie since the 'diamonds' are grown. The irony is that these diamonds would be literally identical to the real thing. Not to mention having scanned a high quality diamonds means we could also sell it to other companies that use diamonds for a multiple of different things. At the very least Victoria has a rather daring plan to make this diamond venture a very profitable one. (Boosted due to omakes)

[] Upgrade Medical Wing (293/1000; 200R per dice): Upgrade the Medical Wing to even more capable than it's current self. (Current- Level 1)

[]PMC License (0/500; 150R per dice): The world is becoming hostile as time goes by. Starting with the Russian Event, Europe falling apart and Clovis Bray suddenly getting a hold of a lot of Russian companies under his banner. And the fact that you have some of the most powerful fictional military tech is grounds that maybe getting a license to be a PMC would allow our forces to legally have military equipment while not being under the umbrella of the NAE military
And no, Victoria, I this does not mean I am going to pull a Liquid dammit.

[] Into the Medicine Business (0/200; 75R per dice): Eris came to you and with the existence of Glimmer, she told you that it would be possible for Skynet enter the medicine production business. With Glimmer, Skynet could produce an unlimited amount of medicine and sell it a a cheap price, or even donate it for free for the PR.

[] Discover any possible DARPA contracts (0/100; 50R per dice): While Skynet has a strong contract with the NAE in both civilian and military sides; they were just to simply manufacture and deliver computer parts. But this does not mean looking for contracts that dealt with specific things was not off the table.

[] Create a scholarship program/employment network (0/500; 50R per dice): Skynet has a good standing with the people of Sunnydale, being a stable source of job for its people and treating them right. You think of the idea of offering a university scholarship program for students that in exchange for paying for their education, they come to work for Skynet either during their education or after graduating.

[] Run Security Training (0/700; 50R per dice): With Cayde now in charge of security, he wants to see just how well the security is in Skynet and see if it can be improved, even if the security is mostly composed of active military personnel and was under your command.

[] Check out the Abandoned Mine (0/500; 100R per dice): Ivan acquired a mine that was used for silicone that was left because the owner went bankrupt. You could use the mine as a cover for Glimmer-made silicon and other elements to be sold to the market. You just need to inspect it first just in case.

[] SkyEye Activity (?/?; 350R per dice): Have SkyEye do covert actions on someone or some group.
-[] Write In (Who do you wish to target. DC above will be determined on the target)

[] Write In
========================================
Personal:
(You can purchase a dice in any personal action as long as you use the RP that it demands, multiple times if you wish as long as you pay. Using a FD on a personal action does not consume RP.)

[] Talk with S, the AI: Talk with S and continue to work with her, who's face is now of a R34 Boss, your waifu. (1 dice to activate, 250R; can purchase three dice max)

[X] Manufacture Fortified Suits for the group: The group wants to test out the Raptor but they need to Suits to safely pilot them. S can make them but she needs exact measurements for each person. Though you worry how the girls' suits would come out. (0/150; 50R per dice)

WILL BE AUTOCOMPLETE THIS TURN DUE TO DEAL. FINAL DESING WILL BE DETERMINED BY ROLL/WHEEL.

[] Do Victoria a favor: While Victoria might look like she is fine, you known her enough that she is both hurt and angry at what happened to her, specially in getting burned and abandoned by ONI. Maybe you could do something to help out in her situation, maybe even revert her notice. Though this might take some digging. (0/600; 50R)

[] Check your qualifications. Just because you're a CEO now doesn't mean you're a REMF: It's time to reflect on what skills and experiences you bring to the table. As a former Head of Security, you're no stranger to leadership and operational discipline, but running a company requires an entirely different skill set. Can you bridge the gap? (1 dice to activate, 25R)

[] Hang with someone from the helpers (75R per dice) (Can be taken multiple times, one dice per possible person)
-Who?

~~[] Talk to the Traveler:~~ You been hearing some rumors that some people have being able to speak with the thing in Mars through their dreams and teaching them things. You find this to be a load of bullshit. (1 dice to activate, 1500R; two dice max)
CANNOT BE TAKEN THIS TURN

[] Talk to the Horse: You had a strange dream where you saw a horse with stars that apparently gave you SOP from what you now know was Little Grey. Maybe it was just your mind playing tricks but what would happen if he saw it again. (1 dice to activate, 1500R, one dice max)
(This is basically the gacha option for stuff from other universes.)

[] Write In
======================================

QM Note:
Here is the next turn.
If you have any questions, just ask I will try my best to answer them.

New action ideas are also welcomed.

If you spot any errors, please let me know.
Omakes are more than WELCOMED, specially from the wanted board.

Vote moratorium for at least 12 hours until I open the vote. So, discuss potential votes and ideas for possible actions.

Echo of Choice (A Destiny Plan Quest)

Ukraine Status

No War ocurred

Dice Results used

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