Fields of Glory (NieR: Automata/Destiny)

Cataphract · Oct 14, 2018

Welcome to Fields of Glory, a crossover quest between NieR: Automata and Bungie's Destiny games. In this quest you'll play as a soldier of YoRHa, a member of an elite unit of androids fighting to reclaim Earth for humankind. As for the crossover elements… well, you'll have to play and see what they are. The scope of this quest will largely be limited to one viewpoint character and her actions, so this won't be a grand strategy game where the protagonist finds themselves at the head of an army. We will, however, be sending hundreds of machine lifeforms into the scrap pile. That much is certain. Regarding mechanics, this quest will use a simplified d100 system for the most part, though I will prefer the narrative over the mechanics. To that end, I'll keep rolls and dice modifiers to a minimum.

This quest is largely an attempt to get myself to write more frequently (and for an audience) so forgive me if things will be a little rough around the edges, but let's try and have fun with it!

This first update goes out to @Sightedjt for walking me through a lot of this and giving me some real good advice. They're good civilization.

SPOILER ALERT: Spoilers for NieR: Automata (all endings) will feature throughout the quest. Destiny, Destiny 2, and Forsaken spoilers will also be featured throughout the quest.

You're roused from your sleep by the incessant chiming of your personal terminal. Cracking open one eye, you see a notification on the holographic screen. It helpfully informs you that you've received a priority message straight from YoRHa Command. Shaking off the last traces of your dream—more like a nightmare, as usual, but you don't want to linger upon those thoughts any longer than you absolutely have to—you push yourself up from your bed, and take a seat at your desk.

The message has a rather ominous title: "URGENT: IMMEDIATE SUMMONS FOR MISSION BRIEFING." It's followed by the sort of preamble that comes with every secure document that YoRHa releases to its members—that the information enclosed therein is classified with Privilege Level 4 protocols, YoRHa regulations make sharing or copying the document's contents in any way is a punishable offense, et cetera et cetera. It actually takes a few moments to open the message as your terminal, appropriated by YoRHa's cybersecurity protocols, makes absolutely sure that you can't do anything nefarious with the information therein.

The contents are, conversely, quite dull. It's almost a letdown. You receive a message encrypted to hell and back, and it holds nothing more than instructions to head to a briefing room on the other end of the station? Your future was already looking pretty dark, so it would've been nice if something interesting had come along with these ill omens.

With a sigh you stand up and put on a clean uniform, while stepping over the mess you've made out of your room. Books, dirty uniforms, datapads and who knows what else take up most of the available floor space—when you lucked out on getting your own room, you took full advantage of it, much to your squadmates' thinly-veiled disgust. They always nagged you about it, and you always agreed that you could be doing more… but it looks like spring cleaning would have to wait yet another day.

Luckily, there's enough time to follow routine and spend a moment by yourself outside the barracks. Unlike most of the Bunker, which is a series of cramped steel passageways and hissing airlocks—unfortunately a bit of a necessity when you're floating in space—the observation decks outside each habitation module are luxuriously large. It's got couches, hand-made throw rugs, a few public terminals with a respectable library of media (even a few video games that some Operator probably cooked up at her terminal while slacking off)… combine that with the best view of the Earth on the entire station, and it's no wonder that this place is popular. Even the Commander, icy as she is, allowed the R&D team to install a 'jukebox' they built after an android on the surface uploaded an interesting bit of data.

It's especially popular among off-duty Operators, who seem to be a permanent fixture whenever you find the time to visit. You return the greetings of a small group of the women with a quick nod, and move over to a vending machine on the other side of the room. For once, it's an actual vending machine rather than a transporter—though you're pretty sure the fabricator technology it uses isn't all that different from the ones that assemble android bodies. At your approach, a holographic menu pops into existence.

It's true that androids don't need to eat. A lot of the older ones weren't built the ability to taste things. Thanks to their black boxes, YoRHa troops don't even need to drink water to maintain their fusion reactors. However they were built to be even closer to humanity's image, so they came with all five human senses. When you once asked why, someone told you it was something about developing a more robust intelligence-gathering platform. You weren't really convinced by that explanation. With YoRHa's peculiarities in mind, the Commander allowed the installation of vending machines that would dispense 'food' in exchange for a little G.

While the food had basically no effect besides making an android feel nice for a little while, but it provided an excellent boost to morale across the board. And a morale boost—a little pleasant nothing to distract you from reality for a few minutes—is exactly what you need right now. The machine lets out a 'ping' a few seconds later and you pull out a small red cube that easily fits in your palm. You toss it into your mouth—despite the boasts from the R&D team, it tastes nothing like an apple… but it has its own charm. It's your favorite, after all.

With your 'hunger' sated you set a course for the briefing room. You go on autopilot, greeting comrades and saluting superiors as necessary. Thankfully no one stops you to chat when they see your urgent pace. The rest of your mind and your journey is then devoted to thinking about what Command is planning. What does Command need to hide from the rest of YoRHa if it requires invoking Privilege protocols?

Maybe the Council of Humanity's pushing for another offensive. That'd make this the start of the Sixteenth Machine War. And if that's true, it would mean you're going to participate in a mass orbital descent. It's not a pleasant thought, given how well the last one went… but that's doubtful. While things on the surface are getting turbulent again, it may be a little longer before the humans declare a new offensive, and through it the beginning of a new Machine War. There hasn't been enough buildup, on Earth or the satellite bases, and a distinct lack of rousing speeches from the Council of Humanity.

Whatever it will be, it won't be a springtime picnic. That much is obvious.

--

Every YoRHa android starts off with a base personality model that differentiates into a unique ego based on their unique subjective experiences. Which one was yours?

[ ] 3: Compassionate, soft-spoken, patient. Some people say you're too far nice to be a soldier on the front lines, but your comrades certainly appreciate your kindly nature.

[ ] 14: Easygoing, cocky, hedonistic. Sure, you're the best of the best, but nobody lives forever. Not even an android. So you've made it a point to have as much fun as you can, while you can.

[ ] 23: Stoic, resolute, disciplined. Everyone handles the stress of the Machine Wars in their own way. You, on the other hand, throw yourself into your duties with singleminded fervor.

And what android type were you assigned?

[ ] Attacker: When Resistance androids talk about YoRHa combat models, they're talking about you. Your place is on the front lines of any offensive operation, tearing through hordes of machine lifeforms. In a pinch, you can utilize 'B-Mode' and crank up your reactor's output to massively increase your offensive capabilities. However, a lack of ranged weapons or dedicated defensive gear can make you vulnerable without the support of a Pod or other YoRHa units. B-Mode's increased maintenance costs can also limit combat effectiveness when away from a dedicated supply line.

[ ] Gunner: You're a versatile unit whose enhanced sensor suite and fine-motor control allows you to better engage targets at extreme ranges. Your reduced weight and increased mobility systems make you nimble, perfect for evading hostiles or repositioning to get a better shot. Additionally, you're given more freedom than most androids when selecting and customizing your combat gear and subsystems, which makes you a favorite of the R&D teams, who constantly churn out new weapons and gear for you to test. However, you're fragile, and not nearly as strong as an A or even a D-type.

[ ] Defender: The backbone of any YoRHa unit, you shield your less durable comrades from harm. With a hardened endoskeleton and enhanced self-repair protocols, you can take twice as much harm as any other android and keep fighting. Then there's your array of hard-light projectors, which allows you to create and temporarily maintain barriers that can, in a pinch, be repurposed as blunt weaponry. As a result of your heavier frame, your mobility is rather limited, and intricate internals bars you from extensive personal customization without a full maintenance bay (and approval from Command.)

Cataphract · Oct 14, 2018

Reserved.

Cataphract · Oct 14, 2018

Reserved once more.

Cataphract · Oct 14, 2018

And reserved because I'm optimistic.

You can now post.

Cataphract · Oct 21, 2018

I meant to get this up a few days ago, but work and my midterms have been hogging my attention as of late. My apologies for that. I'll update the character sheet soon, too.

The room is already bustling with activity when you arrive. Dozens of operators and combat androids—all of of them strangers, with a few who look like they just stepped off the assembly line—huddle together into little groups, throwing looks and vague questions at anyone who draws near. A few Pods hover above the seats, drifting to and fro among the crowd. You can hear the boxy little robots give 'suggestions' to their android partners, and more than a few annoyed responses.

Before you get any further, you're flagged down by the enthusiastic voice of none other but your own Operator, 39O. As usual, she's not wearing her veil, so you're able to see her bright (if a little forced) smile.

"Hey, 3A, over here! I saved you a spot!" She bows her head apologetically as you approach her. "I'm sorry that I didn't let you know that I was already here. I would have gone and called you but, uh..."

"It's alright, 39O." You tilt your head, giving your Operator a reassuring smile of your own. "I don't want you getting in trouble on my account."

"Yeah, that's true. Privilege protocol is serious stuff, and this was level 4 to boot..." As you take your seat, 39O puts her hands on her lap. Her smile quickly fades, and she almost looks awkward. Your gaze drifts downwards and you watch as her fingers twitch. She begins to fidget, weaving her fingers together and twiddling her thumbs—a nervous tic she's never managed to shake.

"Are you alright?"

"No, not really." She blurts out, then reaches up to push a lock of pale blonde hair out of her face. 39O's long hair is loose today, a stark contrast to the carefully arranged braid she usually wears. You would say it's a nice look, but right now it only makes her look more frazzled. "I dunno, I was just really blindsided by that message. Did you hear anything about this? Like, anything at all?"

"I didn't know anything until I got the message from Command."

"That figures. There are so many people here, but I haven't heard any rumors about anything this big." She gestures at the crowd surrounding the two of you, then leans in. "That means that something really bad just happened, or Command's kept their plans under wraps until now. Like, these would be really big wraps they're using. Airtight wraps. Whatever." She shakes her head with a noise of disgust. "Either way, it sucks. I know operational security is a thing, but without any more information all I can do is spin my wheels, y'know? Drives me nuts."

"I do know what you're talking about, but I'm sure there's a good reason for Command... keeping things under wraps, even from the Operators."

"Yeah. Sorry, I'm just whining. An Operator's gotta have her data, you know? Which of course we'll be getting in a few minutes, since this is a briefing and all... and even after that, I'll just be stuck up here, tinkering away at my terminal. You'll be down there doing the actual work."

"You're being a little harsh on yourself, 39O. An Operator's 'tinkering' is vital to any combat android. I wouldn't be able to do my job nearly as well without your help."

"Yeah, that's true. Data analysis must be hard when a machine's trying to scrap you." Her expression softens, and she shoots you a smile. "Guess it's a nice change of pace too, receiving mission intel at the same time."

"Yes, it is." There's probably any number of less than nice reasons for the change, but you don't want to make 39O feel any worse than she does now.

As the lull in the conversation lengthens, you try and shift the topic to something a little bit lighter: you bring up one of the meaningless rumors that are a staple for the Bunker's denizens. 39O goes along with your rather transparent efforts with what you could almost call relief. For the next few minutes, your conversation is meaningless and pleasant, though it's impossible to shake off that feeling of foreboding entirely.

Just as you're about to ask 39O pointed questions about that 'cute Defender from the Orbital Guard' that she mentioned a few weeks ago, the Commander enters the room, briskly approaching the stage. The entire room suddenly stands to attention, shooting up from their seats and pressing their left hands to their chests in salute.

As always, the Commander cuts a striking figure in her white-and-gold uniform, a stark contrast to the darker hues of YoRHa uniforms. Her severe expression (which has hardly ever changed in all the years you've served under her) only adds to the image. When she takes her place behind the podium, the screen set into the wall behind her flickers to life.

A regional map of the Earth's surface appears, divided by dozens of lines and colored patches, with little icons sliding across it to represent enemy movements. The map is tagged with the label "EZE: Enemy Force Disposition: August 2, 11990." That makes the map only a day old.

Thanks to your HUD, the map begins to fill up with unit designations, hyperlinks to incident reports and subsequent analyses generated by the Intelligence department, but you dismiss the popups with a mental gesture. Even if you didn't have a digital mind, it would be impossible for you to forget that hellhole.

"At ease." She gives you all a moment to relax a little (though you remain standing, as protocol dictates) then launches into the briefing with no further preamble. "Twenty-four hours ago, a battalion-strength machine lifeform formation attempted to breach the Eurasian Zone of Exclusion. Numerous Goliath class units were encountered during this offensive, accompanied by several entirely unknown machine types." Several smaller photos, all depicting strange machine lifeforms, appear in the corner of the screen—some you can only recognize as machine lifeforms from the ridiculous-looking spherical heads they possess.
<to think it is but a ghost of a ghost of the meanest among its kind. there is so much more we can learn from it.>
"All Resistance cells maintaining the perimeter have reported heavy casualties, with three units wiped out entirely." When she speaks, red arrows spread outwards from the center of the zone, towards the blue defensive line. Three dots along this line—three whole Resistance cells—blink out of existence, and you feel the tiniest bit sick.

The slapdash nature that defined the Android Resistance meant that the size and organization of various cells varied wildly, but you know from your time in the EZE that those units that held the line were some of the Army of Humanity's best and brightest.

"This began after a listening post reported 'seismic disturbances' from deep within the Zone." The Commander pauses but for a single moment as the map highlights a point in the heart of the Zone, designating it as 'Listening Post EZE-13'. "A Resistance officer asked for assistance after it went dark, so a YoRHa patrol was instructed to try and re-establish communications. When they made contact, the patrol managed to upload this data to the Bunker before being destroyed."

With another gesture, the image behind her changes. More than a few of the assembled androids gasp, curse, or mutter under their breaths. 39O says nothing, her eyes fixed on the screen. For your part, you just try to make sense of what you're seeing.

A tower juts into the sky, standing hundreds of meters above the ruined cityscape surrounding it. The first half of the tower is made from a pale material you've never seen before. Its wide base converges into a featureless slope that gently curves upwards into the main body of the structure. Then the camera pans up.
<IT HAS TURNED THE BARS OF ITS CAGE INSIDE OUT.>
An inner column made from a sandy-looking stone continues where the pale base of the tower abruptly ends, as if the bottom half was some immense pedestal. Where the lower half of this tower is entirely without flaw, this part of the tower is haphazard in its construction: it looks less like a tower and more like a stack of squarish blocks that miraculously clinging to one another. There are large stretches where the stone gives way to a rough-looking lattice of darkened metal—the visual feed is powerful enough to display the way these fingers of metal twist and turn at crazy angles, as well as the nodular protrusions that dot its surface, like metal fingers jutting outwards into open space. It continues without rhyme nor reason, impossibly extending further and further into the sky.
<and how quickly it has grown!>
For a moment a strange thought drifts into your mind, unbidden: did something try and peel away skin of this thing, to reveal the iron flesh beneath? And was this roughshod thing emerging from the pale tower, or was it being consumed?
<IT IS VERY TROUBLESOME, THE WAY IT TWISTS AND TURNS IN OUR HANDS, BUT NOTHING OF WORTH WAS EVER EASY TO OBTAIN.>
"Almost immediately after they sent that transmission, the machines launched their coordinated offensive. Analysis suggests that the tower is a staging point for their forces in the EZE, as well as the source of the unknown machines encountered by the Resistance." The camera continues to pan upwards, but a sudden flash of light obscures the screen. The video ends, switching to an image of YoRHa's emblem, with the words 'Glory to Mankind' emblazoned below it.

"In light of these developments, Council of Humanity has suspended all other operations, and have made the investigation and containment of this anomaly YoRHa's main objective." The Commander steps away from the podium, clasping her hands behind her back. Everyone's eyes are on her, and she meets all your gazes steadily. She allows the silence to grow for a moment, letting them consider the weight of her words. "I've specifically called you all here because you will all be at the very forefront of this operation. Every last one of your are all the tip of humanity's greatest spear."

"I will not lie to you: we know very little beyond the fact that you will face stiff odds, and that the cost of this operation will be great. Many of you who will descend to Earth will not return unharmed, or at all." For a moment you think her expression darkens, but the moment passes and again she is the same composed Commander you know so well. "But no matter what happens, you must remember what we fight for. Remember your pain, and the loss you've suffered. Remember our homeland, stolen from us all. Remember our creators, whose fate rests in our hands. Remember those things, and we will prevail, no matter what may lie in wait for us, no matter what we may learn." She presses a hand to her breast, her eyes glinting with zeal. "Glory to Mankind!"
<perhaps they will crack it open for us, and we can find out.>
To their credit, the entire room returns her words with the fervor expected—no, demanded—of humanity's greatest soldiers.
<THEY WILL CERTAINLY GIVE IT THEIR BEST SHOT.>
As she vanished through that door once more, you sit back down and begin to think on what you've just learned. Your thoughts and feelings churn, but you take a moment and let the emotions pass over you like a wave, leaving tempered resolve in its place. The Commander's selected you for this operation, this mission given by the Council of Humanity themselves. There's nothing you can do but prepare to move forward.
<ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS MAKE IT THROUGH THE DOOR...>
With her expression painfully stiff, 39O summons a holographic display .She studies it for a moment, then wordlessly gestures for you to lean in and take a look.
<won't this be fun?>
According to the document displayed on the screen, you've been ordered to...

[ ] Lead an aerial assault to carve out a position for a forward operating base.

As a YoRHa captain, you'll be at the very front of the vanguard. You'll have ortillery support and the Commander has issued your entire squadron a set of next-gen flight units, but everyone knows that you're headed right into the worst of the fighting. It's not a job you'd wish on anyone, but someone's got to do it...

[ ] Infiltrate enemy territory ahead of the main descent force and sabotage enemy defenses.

Your previous experience in the EZE should allow you to assist your captain in leading specialized Scanners into enemy territory without alerting the machine network. Eliminating their AA elements will ensure more of your comrades reach the surface, so it's a good assignment. However, if you're caught, you will have little in the way of support.

[ ] Guard an orbital lander that will be carrying 'mission-critical assets' to the surface.

Defending a lumbering space transport isn't a glamorous job, but neither is it a safe one. As you'll be flying directly into the EZE, a craft big as that will certainly get the machines' attention. Your journey will certainly take longer than the assault or infiltration groups, so you can only hope they've eliminated the Machine AA by the time your drop begins.



<LET'S FIND OUT, SHALL WE?>

Adhoc vote count started by Cataphract on Oct 22, 2018 at 10:05 PM, finished with 12 posts and 8 votes.

4 people have voted
[X] Infiltrate enemy territory ahead of the main descent force and sabotage enemy defenses.
- Astra Myst
- Sightedjt
- DualFront
- Nordik
3 people have voted
[X] Guard an orbital lander that will be carrying 'mission-critical assets' to the surface.

Adhoc vote count started by Cataphract on Oct 23, 2018 at 7:03 PM, finished with 15 posts and 10 votes.

5 people have voted
[X] Infiltrate enemy territory ahead of the main descent force and sabotage enemy defenses.
- Astra Myst
- Sightedjt
- DualFront
- Nordik
- hcvquizibo
3 people have voted
[X] Guard an orbital lander that will be carrying 'mission-critical assets' to the surface.
1 people have voted
[X] Lead an aerial assault to carve out a position for a forward operating base.
- E1ChristO

Fields of Glory (NieR: Automata/Destiny)

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