Expert Teaser
Disclaimer: not actually good at teasing
- Location
- Usa
This all begs the question, do we commandeer Elisa's or m16's coat for our mod3?
Girl's Frontline: Wicked Animandum
- Thread starter Lurkman
- Start date
- Mature Sci-Fi Modern
- Location
- Australia
Why not both?
Jade Isentry
The Impregnable
- Location
- ARES Central Base, Blackwater
[X] A strong kick off its hinges
[X] "Sorry I couldn't help. I wanted to, I really did."
[X] take it
[X] AA-12
[X] Search the body for evidence
Maybe none of our business. We don't owe these folks anything for certain, but... do we really want suspicious characters showing us across the minefield without at least attempting to figure out who's maybe villainous here?
We should gift the scarf to MP5 or Astra if we see them again and see if they notice where it came from
[X] "Sorry I couldn't help. I wanted to, I really did."
[X] take it
[X] AA-12
[X] Search the body for evidence
Maybe none of our business. We don't owe these folks anything for certain, but... do we really want suspicious characters showing us across the minefield without at least attempting to figure out who's maybe villainous here?
We should gift the scarf to MP5 or Astra if we see them again and see if they notice where it came from
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Jade Isentry
The Impregnable
- Location
- ARES Central Base, Blackwater
and then we can grab a drink with SOPMOD II
Lurkman
Guardian of Bad Opinions
- Location
- Slovakia
Good civilization right there. Add that to the end goal list.
Lurkman
Guardian of Bad Opinions
- Location
- Slovakia
That's one hell of a bad day for Crow. At this rate we'll be bullying her in fiction as much as we are in-game. NotCalico doesn't deserve this XD
But hey, there's still 3 more spots on our echelon (+a fairy spot) so anything can happen ;3
- Location
- Australia
Just a couple of questions, if there spoilers that's fine. Do we have a chance to run into 404 and are we able to counter UMP 45's E-warfare, are we able to hack SF Dolls if we aren't in combat or is there a too bigger risk? and are can our party be made up of character's from both factions or not?
- Location
- Town of Stonecross
Not before ripping executioner's arm.
Lurkman
Guardian of Bad Opinions
- Location
- Slovakia
Little V can run into literally any T-doll that exists at the time, including the infamous 404 squad. We already met Anti-Rain after all. Veresk's E-war module is unique, there's no telling what might happen were it to clash with 45 or the other UMP sisters. Hacking SF stuff in any way always poses a significant risk, and the tech to counter it might not even exist yet if I remember the timeline right, so the E-war module should be used very carefully. Anyone can potentially join the squad, but not without obstacles, consequences, and baggage. Remember that right now Veresk is still pretty much a nobody, and the world is full of things to gain, items, titles, allies, enemies, be they positive or negative. And the pursuit of one thing does not warrant its successful acquisition, nor do the ends always justify the means.
Now that I'm done talking about the weight of choice and consequences n' shit... go alter the course of history without any repercussions XD
- Location
- Town of Stonecross
Encountering 404? That's a possibility for sure. The only problem I can think of would be the reason for the fateful meeting. We might piss off Griffin in some big way to be hunted by those who don't exist. We might help out, or... Put the AR team into a peculiar situation that would require the intervention by 404. Or how about ruining SF ringleaders lives one after with utmost skill and enough luck to be recognized as a powerful 3rd entity under everyone's radar? And last but not least, what about hacking every suspicious workstation for the chance to grab sekrit documents!
I don't think we currently stand a chance in hackerman Olympics against 45. The key word here is - currently. Slave enough fellow T-Dolls to act as proxies and additional proceeding power. Get a help from an SF ringleader. Or maybe if lil V gets infected with the virus - make it clear to take down everyone with her.
The last one depends on us as players I suppose. We were given a chance to join SF from the get go. Who knows if something Apocalyptic is going to transpire later down the line which can force the opposing factions to work together.
Lurkman
Guardian of Bad Opinions
- Location
- Slovakia
Good luck, thing's probably bigger than lil' V's head. Would make using the SMG kinda difficult :3
It depends on a lot of factors. For all they know, AA-12 is still stationed at the Fortress of Solitude or on an official mission. Unless they pry further into StG44, they won't really worry about one of their many dolls' every movement unless she's on standby, which she isn't. Of course this won't last forever, once someone contacts high command to confirm Veresk's claims, action will be taken straight away. The key is simply convincing everyone that you're on official business and that there's no need to call command for confirmation, which was done pretty well so far. Though even then, eventually someone will wonder why those two specific T-dolls are on such a long lasting assignment, who sent them and who's receiving reports, the investigation of which will definitely ruin Veresk's deception. There are several things that can be done to avoid that, like actually doing G&K assignments every once in a while and making sure not to be assigned to a prying commander, though you can't always afford to waste time with that, which makes V's capability of disobeying orders a massive plus. There's also the option to cut all ties before they can track you, making the case more of a mystery than clear desertion. Being labeled a renegade is not fun, just ask G11.
In short, eventually they might find out, though not necessarily on the next encounter. But it all depends on how you guys play your cards. Have fun knowing there's always a chance the entirety of G&K will be upon you :^)
- Location
- Australia
Well that just sounds like so much fun.
Lurkman
Guardian of Bad Opinions
- Location
- Slovakia
Inserted tally
Surprise, surprise! What's this? Didn't I say it'd take a week at best to get an update out? Well, I'm surprised too really. But I felt much more inspired than usual lately, and my muse forced me to write even on the road until I decided that I might as well finish if I've gotten this far. Who knew that the less I wrote the more I would want to write again? And I was cursing the tight update schedule just weeks ago XD
Anyway, QM rambling aside, we once again have a post with quite a few choices to make. I didn't feel like removing any, so feel free to skip some and only vote for what you believe is important. I'mm go make a quick edit of the character sheet. Have fun reading!
PS: Chapter 30 WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Surprise, surprise! What's this? Didn't I say it'd take a week at best to get an update out? Well, I'm surprised too really. But I felt much more inspired than usual lately, and my muse forced me to write even on the road until I decided that I might as well finish if I've gotten this far. Who knew that the less I wrote the more I would want to write again? And I was cursing the tight update schedule just weeks ago XD
Anyway, QM rambling aside, we once again have a post with quite a few choices to make. I didn't feel like removing any, so feel free to skip some and only vote for what you believe is important. I'mm go make a quick edit of the character sheet. Have fun reading!
PS: Chapter 30 WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
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Chapter 30
Lurkman
Guardian of Bad Opinions
- Location
- Slovakia
"That's the spirit! I'll be your sidekick for this investigation as well, just like in those detective novels."
The dummy once again reacts to your approval of its suggestion with enthusiasm and cheer, it leaves you looking somewhat gloomy. The jeep's wheels start turning, and the two of you are back on the road again. You push your seat back and move to the trunk, AA-12 giving you a confused look.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to check the body."
"O-Oh…" the shotgun's eyes darted back towards the road, as if the interest drained from her face, replaced by goosebumps "Good idea, I'll just keep driving… and not look back…"
She kept on her word, not even looking at the back mirror. For once she may be glad to be the designated driver, not having to touch the body any more than your already did. Just carrying it to the jeep together seemed enough for her, complaining about how cold and fleshy he felt, like a string puppet.
"... do tell me when you find something interesting though. You can leave out the, um, gory details…"
With your driver and squadmate at ease, or as calm as she can be, you turn your attention to the human victim. It is important for her to be able to focus on driving, and that steadily, so that you don't make mistakes during your examination because of a bumpy ride. She takes steps towards being calm too, as you soon hear the flicker of the radio buzzing to life, another fitting tune pushing the engine's white rumble away.
You kneel next to him, his eyes closed in his eternal sleep. Whether you'll be disturbing his rest like this or not, it is of no consequence… hopefully. You [X] don't believe in ghosts / [ ] may believe in ghosts, but even if they were real, an autonomous doll like you is the last thing they'd be after. You start your examination from the top, pulling down his beanie and collar. You can spot no damage on his head, no trauma or blunt force was applied to him at the time of his death, but there was a noticeable stain of dried blood around his mouth. No wounds around the mouth or neck suggest the cause to be internal bleeding, likely due to the bullet hitting a vital organ or the respiratory system.
"Hmm… could've hit his lung. If the bullet didn't kill him straight away, he choked on his own blood, couldn't breathe or bled out, whichever came first."
The dummy within you scans the body with your eyes as much as you do, processing the information together. You moved on from the head, lower down to the big red spot on his clothes around a hole on his upper stomach area. Some fabric has been pulled and torn into the wound, and the cold froze the dried blood, making getting to it not as simple as lifting the garments. You pull out your knife, the SF knife as you need precision and reliability, and start cutting the fabric. Seems more like tailoring than postmortem surgery, but only to those not touching the messy bits. As you get through individual layers you notice pockets, they didn't look full but might contain something, but stop yourself remembering that you are searching the body, not looting it. Whatever's on his person definitely wouldn't have contributed to his current predicament of being dead, and this whole act will be a lot less desecrating this way. In a way you're grateful it was a normal bullet wound you're working your way through and not a result of SF energy weaponry, or you'd be having trouble separating his clothes molten on his body.
Eventually you reach the skin, the dead, cold, fleshy skin. T-doll technology might've reached a level near indistinguishable from human appearance, but real real flesh is always more… morbid. At least you won't have to cut much, just scoop up the murder projectile. Thankfully it doesn't smell, the cold slowed they decay significantly. He's dead as a rock but still pretty much intact. As you slowly drive the blade into the wound, you find it…
[ ] Disgusting.
[ ] Disturbing.
[ ] Interesting.
[ ] Fun.
[X] Boring. But also somewhat glad that it wasn't a much more disturbing state.
[ ] Calming.
[ ] Write-in
"Thaaat's right, rip that body up like a serial killer… you're sick~"
…
"... sorry, I'll tone down on the sadism. Always been more Zeta's thing anyway."
You try to... disregard the… peculiar comment as you cut deeper, the point of your blade hitting the object you're looking for. It was pretty deep, but you're capable. Pushing past the bullet, touching it's side, then tilting the knife. It was tricky, but finally you scooped it out - with an expected amount of his intestines - carefully looked at the bloody piece of metal.
"Phew, that does not look pleasant. Rather disgusting actually… you should show it to AA-12!"
[X] "I'd rather not."
[ ] "Heh, maybe I should…"
[ ] "It'd be funny for sure, but not when she's driving."
"Maybe she already noticed anyway, her eyes keep darting from the road to the back mirror, like right now."
As your eyes turn to check your dummy's seemingly random accusation, your gaze indeed meets with the light blue sight of the shotgun, looking your way through the back mirror. What was it called, morbid curiosity? She looked back to the road immediately, with a slight blush even. But now aware she's been spotted, she tries to play it off.
"You, um, found anything yet?"
[ ] "Guy's dead alright. After just one bullet… humans are fragile."
[ ] "Jan was killed by a normal bullet. Looks too small for the rare cases SF does use physical rounds. His death wasn't by their hand."
[X] "Lead round, punctured the lower part of his left lung. Theory checks out, no Sangvis Ferri infantry would shoot this type of ammunition."
"What's the caliber?"
"7.62x39mm, not a match for his weapon."
"Guess that eliminates suicide?"
"Or accidental discharge."
"Not from his weapon at least."
The suggestions resonates within your digimind as a plausible theory, but just how accidental it may have been is unclear. Perhaps it's time to compile a list of suspects. If there's a culprit, they're most likely part of the village folk. If there was trouble of bandits in the area you would've been warned in advance. And from the people you know…
"Gustav said they sent two guys on this run, and only one returned. Yesterday, right?"
"Yes he did. Jan was sent with a guy named Ralph. Said Sangvis Ferri gunned his partner down, and he escaped."
"I've seen some of the people there patrolling with rifles that match that caliber. Seems to be their standard."
You recall the same. Mainly Russian firearms, automatics, you've seen them before and are familiar with them. Some of which you've had the honor of meeting the T-doll model of. Their quality visibly wasn't the best, but these people weren't looking for the best, just what worked, what was affordable and what they need at the time. Besides, to a human, a gun's a gun. One hit anywhere is significantly more lethal to them, with a guarantee of some kind of permanent damage. In this case, the result was death, and it wasn't even his head. Worst of all, no backing up the human mind. Guns are not just several times more lethal to them, they're also scarier. Just aim it at a man, and he'll do whatever you want. Pull the trigger, and you take away everything he ever had and was going to have, including his life. Now that you think about it, some of this still applies to dolls, certain examples anyway. However, before you lays a human corpse, unrepairable, not able to be backed up, just a husk of what once was. Reliability is the main factor for these people, without it the previous examples could always be screwed up by their tool not heeding their words. If it was the trigger pull of one of those guns that put him to rest, the shooter understood full well what they were doing. That's the theory anyway, suggestions fed to you by your dummy doing some background thinking. It's best to get all the opinions you can get, so you turn back to AA-12.
"... you think he might've done it?"
"I think we have a damn prime suspect. And that's bad… they don't trust us, and now we tell them the guy's been killed by his partner? Best case scenario they'll laugh us off… and that's all assuming they even remember the poor guy's name..."
"We don't know the whole story."
"Yeah… but the odds suck… they always sucked..."
The shotgun sighed heavily. You noticed she often looked at the gloomier side of things. Doesn't seem to be slowing her down, but her spirit is an easily agitated one, even by herself going by the logs you've found. At least she already has some tasty crystallized stress relief in her mouth already.
"You think he suffered long?"
[ ] "Hard to tell, I'm no medic."
[ ] "No. It was quick."
[X] "He may have been bleeding for a while..."
"I see… it may sound dumb, but... ugh, he deserved better."
With all the important information gathered, you started cleaning up. Or covering up would be a more accurate term. It won't be completely visible he's been cut open unless someone gets a little too handsy. Maybe they won't even notice if they've got as much decency and respect for the dead as you have. Eventually it'll be found out though, the question is whether it'll be before or after the culprit has been caught.
As you cleaned up the mess and got the blood off your hands, you noticed the sun getting pretty low, the sky growing dimmer. As you crawled back to your seat next to AA-12, you could see the village buildings coming into view. Silent as always from a distance, but as you got closer the was no longer a sudden disappearance of life, as they had no more need to hide themselves from you. Once you've arrived there were a lot less people outside, early nightfall painting the sky almost black. The jeep grinds slows to a stop, and you kill the engine. Neither of you steps out of the car yet, as you can see Gustav coming over from a distance, this is the last chance to have a team talk in private.
"So… our first priority is to confront Ralph. Easier said than done... how are we going to do this Heather? We can't afford to screw this up."
… tick, tock, tick, tock, move your ass...
"First up…"
[ ] "We'll tell Gustav what we've found and ask for Ralph's whereabouts."
[X] "We can't have anyone know until we've confronted Ralph. We'll ask Gustav where he is and leave it at that."
"Next…"
[ ] "I'll go find Ralph, alone. A T-doll everybody knows of may scare him off and attract unwanted attention, so I can't have you there with me."
[X] "We'll go find Ralph together. I know you dislike 'barbaric violence', but if a fight breaks out, I could use your extra muscle."
"Finally, once he shows himself..."
[ ] "I'll play tough, threatening him into confessing or I'll expose him."
[ ] "I'll play around with him, get his conscience and guilt to confess, if he has any."
[X] "I'll simply gather enough info to confirm he did it, then share our findings with Gustav."
[ ] Write-in
The dummy once again reacts to your approval of its suggestion with enthusiasm and cheer, it leaves you looking somewhat gloomy. The jeep's wheels start turning, and the two of you are back on the road again. You push your seat back and move to the trunk, AA-12 giving you a confused look.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to check the body."
"O-Oh…" the shotgun's eyes darted back towards the road, as if the interest drained from her face, replaced by goosebumps "Good idea, I'll just keep driving… and not look back…"
She kept on her word, not even looking at the back mirror. For once she may be glad to be the designated driver, not having to touch the body any more than your already did. Just carrying it to the jeep together seemed enough for her, complaining about how cold and fleshy he felt, like a string puppet.
"... do tell me when you find something interesting though. You can leave out the, um, gory details…"
With your driver and squadmate at ease, or as calm as she can be, you turn your attention to the human victim. It is important for her to be able to focus on driving, and that steadily, so that you don't make mistakes during your examination because of a bumpy ride. She takes steps towards being calm too, as you soon hear the flicker of the radio buzzing to life, another fitting tune pushing the engine's white rumble away.
You kneel next to him, his eyes closed in his eternal sleep. Whether you'll be disturbing his rest like this or not, it is of no consequence… hopefully. You [X] don't believe in ghosts / [ ] may believe in ghosts, but even if they were real, an autonomous doll like you is the last thing they'd be after. You start your examination from the top, pulling down his beanie and collar. You can spot no damage on his head, no trauma or blunt force was applied to him at the time of his death, but there was a noticeable stain of dried blood around his mouth. No wounds around the mouth or neck suggest the cause to be internal bleeding, likely due to the bullet hitting a vital organ or the respiratory system.
"Hmm… could've hit his lung. If the bullet didn't kill him straight away, he choked on his own blood, couldn't breathe or bled out, whichever came first."
The dummy within you scans the body with your eyes as much as you do, processing the information together. You moved on from the head, lower down to the big red spot on his clothes around a hole on his upper stomach area. Some fabric has been pulled and torn into the wound, and the cold froze the dried blood, making getting to it not as simple as lifting the garments. You pull out your knife, the SF knife as you need precision and reliability, and start cutting the fabric. Seems more like tailoring than postmortem surgery, but only to those not touching the messy bits. As you get through individual layers you notice pockets, they didn't look full but might contain something, but stop yourself remembering that you are searching the body, not looting it. Whatever's on his person definitely wouldn't have contributed to his current predicament of being dead, and this whole act will be a lot less desecrating this way. In a way you're grateful it was a normal bullet wound you're working your way through and not a result of SF energy weaponry, or you'd be having trouble separating his clothes molten on his body.
Eventually you reach the skin, the dead, cold, fleshy skin. T-doll technology might've reached a level near indistinguishable from human appearance, but real real flesh is always more… morbid. At least you won't have to cut much, just scoop up the murder projectile. Thankfully it doesn't smell, the cold slowed they decay significantly. He's dead as a rock but still pretty much intact. As you slowly drive the blade into the wound, you find it…
[ ] Disgusting.
[ ] Disturbing.
[ ] Interesting.
[ ] Fun.
[X] Boring. But also somewhat glad that it wasn't a much more disturbing state.
[ ] Calming.
[ ] Write-in
"Thaaat's right, rip that body up like a serial killer… you're sick~"
…
"... sorry, I'll tone down on the sadism. Always been more Zeta's thing anyway."
You try to... disregard the… peculiar comment as you cut deeper, the point of your blade hitting the object you're looking for. It was pretty deep, but you're capable. Pushing past the bullet, touching it's side, then tilting the knife. It was tricky, but finally you scooped it out - with an expected amount of his intestines - carefully looked at the bloody piece of metal.
"Phew, that does not look pleasant. Rather disgusting actually… you should show it to AA-12!"
[X] "I'd rather not."
[ ] "Heh, maybe I should…"
[ ] "It'd be funny for sure, but not when she's driving."
"Maybe she already noticed anyway, her eyes keep darting from the road to the back mirror, like right now."
As your eyes turn to check your dummy's seemingly random accusation, your gaze indeed meets with the light blue sight of the shotgun, looking your way through the back mirror. What was it called, morbid curiosity? She looked back to the road immediately, with a slight blush even. But now aware she's been spotted, she tries to play it off.
"You, um, found anything yet?"
[ ] "Guy's dead alright. After just one bullet… humans are fragile."
[ ] "Jan was killed by a normal bullet. Looks too small for the rare cases SF does use physical rounds. His death wasn't by their hand."
[X] "Lead round, punctured the lower part of his left lung. Theory checks out, no Sangvis Ferri infantry would shoot this type of ammunition."
"What's the caliber?"
"7.62x39mm, not a match for his weapon."
"Guess that eliminates suicide?"
"Or accidental discharge."
"Not from his weapon at least."
The suggestions resonates within your digimind as a plausible theory, but just how accidental it may have been is unclear. Perhaps it's time to compile a list of suspects. If there's a culprit, they're most likely part of the village folk. If there was trouble of bandits in the area you would've been warned in advance. And from the people you know…
"Gustav said they sent two guys on this run, and only one returned. Yesterday, right?"
"Yes he did. Jan was sent with a guy named Ralph. Said Sangvis Ferri gunned his partner down, and he escaped."
"I've seen some of the people there patrolling with rifles that match that caliber. Seems to be their standard."
You recall the same. Mainly Russian firearms, automatics, you've seen them before and are familiar with them. Some of which you've had the honor of meeting the T-doll model of. Their quality visibly wasn't the best, but these people weren't looking for the best, just what worked, what was affordable and what they need at the time. Besides, to a human, a gun's a gun. One hit anywhere is significantly more lethal to them, with a guarantee of some kind of permanent damage. In this case, the result was death, and it wasn't even his head. Worst of all, no backing up the human mind. Guns are not just several times more lethal to them, they're also scarier. Just aim it at a man, and he'll do whatever you want. Pull the trigger, and you take away everything he ever had and was going to have, including his life. Now that you think about it, some of this still applies to dolls, certain examples anyway. However, before you lays a human corpse, unrepairable, not able to be backed up, just a husk of what once was. Reliability is the main factor for these people, without it the previous examples could always be screwed up by their tool not heeding their words. If it was the trigger pull of one of those guns that put him to rest, the shooter understood full well what they were doing. That's the theory anyway, suggestions fed to you by your dummy doing some background thinking. It's best to get all the opinions you can get, so you turn back to AA-12.
"... you think he might've done it?"
"I think we have a damn prime suspect. And that's bad… they don't trust us, and now we tell them the guy's been killed by his partner? Best case scenario they'll laugh us off… and that's all assuming they even remember the poor guy's name..."
"We don't know the whole story."
"Yeah… but the odds suck… they always sucked..."
The shotgun sighed heavily. You noticed she often looked at the gloomier side of things. Doesn't seem to be slowing her down, but her spirit is an easily agitated one, even by herself going by the logs you've found. At least she already has some tasty crystallized stress relief in her mouth already.
"You think he suffered long?"
[ ] "Hard to tell, I'm no medic."
[ ] "No. It was quick."
[X] "He may have been bleeding for a while..."
"I see… it may sound dumb, but... ugh, he deserved better."
With all the important information gathered, you started cleaning up. Or covering up would be a more accurate term. It won't be completely visible he's been cut open unless someone gets a little too handsy. Maybe they won't even notice if they've got as much decency and respect for the dead as you have. Eventually it'll be found out though, the question is whether it'll be before or after the culprit has been caught.
As you cleaned up the mess and got the blood off your hands, you noticed the sun getting pretty low, the sky growing dimmer. As you crawled back to your seat next to AA-12, you could see the village buildings coming into view. Silent as always from a distance, but as you got closer the was no longer a sudden disappearance of life, as they had no more need to hide themselves from you. Once you've arrived there were a lot less people outside, early nightfall painting the sky almost black. The jeep grinds slows to a stop, and you kill the engine. Neither of you steps out of the car yet, as you can see Gustav coming over from a distance, this is the last chance to have a team talk in private.
"So… our first priority is to confront Ralph. Easier said than done... how are we going to do this Heather? We can't afford to screw this up."
… tick, tock, tick, tock, move your ass...
"First up…"
[ ] "We'll tell Gustav what we've found and ask for Ralph's whereabouts."
[X] "We can't have anyone know until we've confronted Ralph. We'll ask Gustav where he is and leave it at that."
"Next…"
[ ] "I'll go find Ralph, alone. A T-doll everybody knows of may scare him off and attract unwanted attention, so I can't have you there with me."
[X] "We'll go find Ralph together. I know you dislike 'barbaric violence', but if a fight breaks out, I could use your extra muscle."
"Finally, once he shows himself..."
[ ] "I'll play tough, threatening him into confessing or I'll expose him."
[ ] "I'll play around with him, get his conscience and guilt to confess, if he has any."
[X] "I'll simply gather enough info to confirm he did it, then share our findings with Gustav."
[ ] Write-in
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Lurkman
Guardian of Bad Opinions
- Location
- Slovakia
Yoooo, random post right after an update, right after a tally, making this the third post from the QM in a row. Aren't I attention hungry? XD
Anyway, I just wanted to let y'all know that I have a discord channel dedicated to the quest on this discord server, so if any of you wanna hang out in a place that's much more convenient to chat in and ask me anything, here you go! Join the The Council of Mercia Writing and Support Group Discord Server!
I'll throw the link into the OP post as well. Anyway, thanks for your attention, and I wish you a good day!
Anyway, I just wanted to let y'all know that I have a discord channel dedicated to the quest on this discord server, so if any of you wanna hang out in a place that's much more convenient to chat in and ask me anything, here you go! Join the The Council of Mercia Writing and Support Group Discord Server!
I'll throw the link into the OP post as well. Anyway, thanks for your attention, and I wish you a good day!
- Location
- Town of Stonecross
[X] don't believe in ghosts
Sans the digital ones. There's one haunting us right now.
[X] Boring. But also somewhat glad that it wasn't a much more disturbing state.
[X] "I'd rather not."
[X] "Lead round, punctured the lower part of his left lung. Theory checks out, no Sangvis Ferri infantry would shoot this type of ammunition."
[X] "He may have been bleeding for a while..."
No brakes on this one, give AA12 all the necessary info.
[X] "We can't have anyone know until we've confronted Ralph. We'll ask Gustav where he is and leave it at that."
Would be really awkward if Ralph would turn out to be someone's special boy.
[X] "We'll go find Ralph together. I know you dislike 'barbaric violence', but if a fight breaks out, I could use your extra muscle."
Again, there might already be eyes of suspicion laid on the duo. Splitting up never ends well.
[X] "I'll simply gather enough info to confirm he did it, then share our findings with Gustav."
Especially intel regarding his social circle. There ought to be his enemies around, just like his friends in such a tight community.
Sans the digital ones. There's one haunting us right now
. [X] Boring. But also somewhat glad that it wasn't a much more disturbing state.
[X] "I'd rather not."
[X] "Lead round, punctured the lower part of his left lung. Theory checks out, no Sangvis Ferri infantry would shoot this type of ammunition."
[X] "He may have been bleeding for a while..."
No brakes on this one, give AA12 all the necessary info.
[X] "We can't have anyone know until we've confronted Ralph. We'll ask Gustav where he is and leave it at that."
Would be really awkward if Ralph would turn out to be someone's special boy.
[X] "We'll go find Ralph together. I know you dislike 'barbaric violence', but if a fight breaks out, I could use your extra muscle."
Again, there might already be eyes of suspicion laid on the duo. Splitting up never ends well.
[X] "I'll simply gather enough info to confirm he did it, then share our findings with Gustav."
Especially intel regarding his social circle. There ought to be his enemies around, just like his friends in such a tight community.
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[X] may believe in ghosts
[X] Disturbing.
[X] "It'd be funny for sure, but not when she's driving."
[X] "Lead round, punctured the lower part of his left lung. Theory checks out, no Sangvis Ferri infantry would shoot this type of ammunition."
[X] "Hard to tell, I'm no medic."
[X] "We'll tell Gustav what we've found and ask for Ralph's whereabouts."
[X] "We'll go find Ralph together. I know you dislike 'barbaric violence', but if a fight breaks out, I could use your extra muscle."
[X] "I'll simply gather enough info to confirm he did it, then share our findings with Gustav."
[X] Disturbing.
[X] "It'd be funny for sure, but not when she's driving."
[X] "Lead round, punctured the lower part of his left lung. Theory checks out, no Sangvis Ferri infantry would shoot this type of ammunition."
[X] "Hard to tell, I'm no medic."
[X] "We'll tell Gustav what we've found and ask for Ralph's whereabouts."
[X] "We'll go find Ralph together. I know you dislike 'barbaric violence', but if a fight breaks out, I could use your extra muscle."
[X] "I'll simply gather enough info to confirm he did it, then share our findings with Gustav."
- Location
- Australia
[X] don't believe in ghosts
[X] Boring. But also somewhat glad that it wasn't a much more disturbing state.
[X] "I'd rather not."
[X] "Lead round, punctured the lower part of his left lung. Theory checks out, no Sangvis Ferri infantry would shoot this type of ammunition."
[X] "He may have been bleeding for a while..."
[X] "We can't have anyone know until we've confronted Ralph. We'll ask Gustav where he is and leave it at that."
[X] "We'll go find Ralph together. I know you dislike 'barbaric violence', but if a fight breaks out, I could use your extra muscle."
[X] "I'll simply gather enough info to confirm he did it, then share our findings with Gustav."
[X] Boring. But also somewhat glad that it wasn't a much more disturbing state.
[X] "I'd rather not."
[X] "Lead round, punctured the lower part of his left lung. Theory checks out, no Sangvis Ferri infantry would shoot this type of ammunition."
[X] "He may have been bleeding for a while..."
[X] "We can't have anyone know until we've confronted Ralph. We'll ask Gustav where he is and leave it at that."
[X] "We'll go find Ralph together. I know you dislike 'barbaric violence', but if a fight breaks out, I could use your extra muscle."
[X] "I'll simply gather enough info to confirm he did it, then share our findings with Gustav."
Expert Teaser
Disclaimer: not actually good at teasing
- Location
- Usa
[X] don't believe in ghosts
[X] Boring. But also somewhat glad that it wasn't a much more disturbing state.
[X] "I'd rather not."
[X] "Lead round, punctured the lower part of his left lung. Theory checks out, no Sangvis Ferri infantry would shoot this type of ammunition."
[X] "He may have been bleeding for a while..."
[X] "We can't have anyone know until we've confronted Ralph. We'll ask Gustav where he is and leave it at that."
[X] "We'll go find Ralph together. I know you dislike 'barbaric violence', but if a fight breaks out, I could use your extra muscle."
[X] "I'll simply gather enough info to confirm he did it, then share our findings with Gustav."
[X] Boring. But also somewhat glad that it wasn't a much more disturbing state.
[X] "I'd rather not."
[X] "Lead round, punctured the lower part of his left lung. Theory checks out, no Sangvis Ferri infantry would shoot this type of ammunition."
[X] "He may have been bleeding for a while..."
[X] "We can't have anyone know until we've confronted Ralph. We'll ask Gustav where he is and leave it at that."
[X] "We'll go find Ralph together. I know you dislike 'barbaric violence', but if a fight breaks out, I could use your extra muscle."
[X] "I'll simply gather enough info to confirm he did it, then share our findings with Gustav."
NeonLights
Formerly Reliable_2IC
- Location
- In shambles
[X] don't believe in ghosts
[X] Boring. But also somewhat glad that it wasn't a much more disturbing state.
[X] "I'd rather not."
[X] "Lead round, punctured the lower part of his left lung. Theory checks out, no Sangvis Ferri infantry would shoot this type of ammunition."
[X] "He may have been bleeding for a while..."
[X] "We'll tell Gustav what we've found and ask for Ralph's whereabouts."
[X] "We'll go find Ralph together. I know you dislike 'barbaric violence', but if a fight breaks out, I could use your extra muscle."
[X] "I'll simply gather enough info to confirm he did it, then share our findings with Gustav."
[X] Boring. But also somewhat glad that it wasn't a much more disturbing state.
[X] "I'd rather not."
[X] "Lead round, punctured the lower part of his left lung. Theory checks out, no Sangvis Ferri infantry would shoot this type of ammunition."
[X] "He may have been bleeding for a while..."
[X] "We'll tell Gustav what we've found and ask for Ralph's whereabouts."
[X] "We'll go find Ralph together. I know you dislike 'barbaric violence', but if a fight breaks out, I could use your extra muscle."
[X] "I'll simply gather enough info to confirm he did it, then share our findings with Gustav."
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Lurkman
Guardian of Bad Opinions
- Location
- Slovakia
Inserted tally
Aaaaaaaaaaaand guess who's back? The Lurkman is here, done with his damn summer job, and now he's here to deliver you that sweet, sweetyuri romance update! Hopefully I'll be able to pick up my old schedule again. We'll see together, won't we? In the meantime, have fun reading this update which ended up a little shorter than I thought, though it still well exceeded the 2k word mark. Though there's a few too many choices again, I couldn't really help it, gotta end the updates on satisfying or intriguing notes after all. You know the drill, vote for whatever you want. Have fun!
Aaaaaaaaaaaand guess who's back? The Lurkman is here, done with his damn summer job, and now he's here to deliver you that sweet, sweet
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Chapter 31
Lurkman
Guardian of Bad Opinions
- Location
- Slovakia
"Got it. You can count on me."
With a final nod as to confirm your plan, the both of you step out of the vehicle. The second you stepped into the cold night air, Gustav greeted you with an enthusiastic voice.
"Miss Heather and the scrap bucket! I almost feared we wouldn't hear from you again. More than half the town owes me a beer now." he laughed, then fell into a coughing fit. AA-12 did not return the smile, it's rather bad news that most of the townsfolk wished they wouldn't return. Especially when one of them is believed to be a human. Makes one wonder if this distrust is because of the T-doll accompanying you, or if strangers and foreigners in general aren't welcome here. When Gustav got his lungs under control, he continued with a lower and more concerned voice "I trust the matter has been taken care of? Has Sangvis Ferri been driven out of the area? And most importantly, have you find poor Jan?"
"Yes. We took care of all units we came across, destroyed the equipment they set up, and… secured Jan's body. He's in the back."
The old man's eyes visibly widened, and his brows furrowed "You brought him all the way here?"
"He is your people. What to do with him is up to you."
"Yes… I suppose that's fair. We try not to make much of a graveyard out of the place, but I guess he'd appreciate being buried in his hometown."
"I'm sorry for your loss. How has his partner Ralph been holding up? May we have a word with him?"
"Ralph? He's been sitting at the bar all day now, drowning his sorrows in our alcohol supply. The two didn't seem very close, I wouldn't have guessed he'd be this hung up over it. I don't know whether his mood improved lately, but I'm worried he'll be broke with how much he's spending lately…"
There, that's all the information you needed. The location of your prime suspect. There was only one bar in town, the same one you struck your deal in with the man standing before you. Chances are it won't be as empty as last time, which may be a good or a bad thing.
"If you could put his mind to ease, or talk some sense into him, I'd be grateful. Now, if you ladies will excuse me, me and the boys will tend to Jan. Come see me later and we'll talk about tomorrow."
With that, Gustav walked past the two of you, towards the jeep's trunk. You don't wait another second before getting on your way, hoping he won't notice what you've done with the body right away. The path was simple, and the streets were way clearer. Lamps and light from the windows made sure there weren't any tripping hazards you couldn't see. Guard presence was low, probably watching from buildings, sheltered from the cold outside. Though it wasn't as cold as on the previous nights, likely because you're at the edge of Area S09. Were you to go lower down South, the snow under your boots would get thinner. Area S09 has it's warmer spots, but Area S06 is almost entirely snow-free, and the rise in temperature will be more noticeable once you cross the border.
You pass a couple of buildings, living quarters - repurposed or not - and establishments alike. Soon enough the bar came into view. Light shining through windows and cheer audible even from where you're standing. It sure is lively tonight. Thanks to the townsfolk's understanding of everyone's personal safety, there are no strict weapon regulations, but it would be less eye catching if you were to holster it. Dolls usually don't need to put their weapons away, they never complain about having to hold them all day. You look to AA-12, who begrudgingly places her gun on the backside of her right shield, bringing them closer to her body afterwards as to not get into people's way. She takes up quite a bit of space with her ballistic shields, hopefully the residents won't mind a few accidental bumps.
You look at your weapon, give it a once over and put it away, letting it sit on…
[ ] Your right/left hip.
[ ] Your torso.
[ ] Your back.
[X] Your lower back.
[ ] A sling hanging off your neck.
[ ] Write-in
As long as you don't use it, everything should be fine. Now that you look a little more friendly, you give your companion a nod and enter through the doors.
The atmosphere hit you straight away, so strikingly different from yesterday. People were sitting at tables, chatting loudly and quietly, laughing and swearing, drunk and sober alike. After a hard day's work, it is no surprise the citizens of this town chose this location to take a load off, humans do that a lot. You're no stranger to alcohol yourself, but that's not what you're here for. Aside from the typical bar aroma, you can feel many watchful gazes the second you got through the doors, the cheer and laughter might've as well stopped for the whole second half the patrons were looking at you, though they soon returned to their own business. It was a simple message, we're watching you.
AA-12 visibly looks uncomfortable, but follows you through the establishment, passing card players and drink competitors alike. For all their gloomy and watchful impressions, these people knew how to have fun. With a guy playing the guitar in a corner, it sure seemed cheerful. As you look at the people looking for your target, you remember Gustav said that he looked rather hung up about Jan's death, so you look at the gloomier ones.
"Another…"
You notice one say at the bar stand, repeating louder now…
"Another!"
"You sure Ralph? I know your usual allowance, and that you've passed it hours ago."
"I said another!"
"Fine… I won't be blamed anyway."
The man got poured another drink, and he takes it into his gloved hand, taking a sip. His short black hair was unkept, as were his clothes, a dark green woolen jacket and jeans. Off his back hung an assault rifle the model of which you knew well, an AK-47.
AK-47…
Another memory, one of the fallen. It…
[X] Fills you with grief.
[ ] Gives you strength.
[ ] Makes you angry.
[ ] You feel nothing.
There's no doubt about it, this is him. Drinking alone, a few stools around him are free. You've spotted your target, now it's time to engage. You sit down at the bar next to him, yet he takes no notice of you. AA-12 takes a seat behind you. You look at him, his eyes practically glued to the glass containing his drink, the clear liquid giving off the odor of Vodka. You study his gaze, he seemed unwell alright, but not as much sad as… worried.
"Ralph?"
"... who wants to know?"
[ ] "My name is Heather."
[ ] "A friend of your friend."
[X] "Someone with questions."
His face changed expressions immediately, back to as annoyed and gruff as his voice let on, sluggishly turning his head to look at you. His face seemed to have skipped a shave or three, his brown eyes too having skipped a night but were unwilling to close even for a nap. His breath stank, and not just of alcohol. He chuckled once his eyes lowered a little to meet yours.
"Heh… you're that little missy that barged in here yesterday, you and that… thing over there."
He said, looking over you at your companion, who was resisting with all her might not to stick her tongue out, instead biting down on her lollipop. The two stared each other down for a second before his gaze returned to you. Not much to stare at from his point of view, but he just doesn't know better yet.
"If you two haven't noticed, neither of your kind is very welcome here… so I'd appreciate it if you'd let me mourn in peace."
"Mourn?"
"Yes, mourn. You deaf?"
"Mourn about what?"
He takes another sip from his drink.
"... none of your damn business."
Not a promising start, that's evident. You chose an approach on the neutral side, not intimidating him into spilling the truth not playing with his guilt to break him, but rather trick him into saying what you need to hear. But it seems you'll have to try harder. Something to help you mentally at least has just entered your vision. The bartender stands before you, expecting your order.
"I'll have a [X] daiquiri and a [X] Malibu sunset (for AA-12)."
The bartender nods and prepares your order swiftly. You turn your attention back to the suspect, who has resorted to ignoring you.
"We've heard you were on a scavenge hunt yesterday."
"Says who?"
"The village leader."
"You mean Martha or Gustav? Can't even tell these days."
"Gustav."
"Well, not sure why he's telling strangers of our successes and failures, but I sure wouldn't tell you shit. And I won't either."
"Why? Wouldn't it make you feel better to talk about it?"
"What are you now? My friendly, unpaid confession box? Get out of here kid."
You keep studying him. He may be trying to hide it, but his annoyance is slowly turning to anger. Perhaps he doesn't want to be the one blowing up at the little lady, or doesn't want to show how much the subject is affecting him. Perhaps now it's best to strike while the metal is hot.
"You've lost your partner, Jan, yesterday. Were you two close?"
"Now why the hell would you want to know that?"
"Because today, two guns for hire were sent to clean up the place and recover the body."
At that moment, you caught a visible change in Ralph's expression. A twitch, like a barely suppressed emotion. His gaze looked like his spine froze, and he turned his gaze to take another sip from his glass, a big one. His voice and tone remain unchanged though.
"Oooh, really now?"
"They have just gotten back. And they've brought back the body."
"Well, hoopty fucking doo, I should thank them for saving me his funeral… wait, I mean the opposite… fuck, whatever..."
He shakes his head a little. A drunk is still a drunk, even if he has moments of soberness.
"They were told Jan perished in a S.F. ambush, and that you escaped."
"..."
"However, the found the scene of his death… strange."
"... listen, kid… I'm gonna say this once. You're treading on dangerous territory here. If I were you, I'd stop tempting fate... the exit is over there. Show, yourself, out."
With that, he took another sip and fell silent. You can tell he's practically seething right now. The alcohol in his blood might be the only thing holding him back at this point. He's close to breaking, enough to resort to threats. He's clearly trying not to attract attention, but several of the other patrons have already taken notice. You better work fast before they decide to join and pick a side. Seeing your unwillingness to leave, he continues.
"If you're so damn curious, why not ask the damn SF yourself?"
[ ] "Actually, we did."
[X] "We would, if it was them who did it."
[ ] "How about you stop wasting my time?"
This time, he did not respond. Instead he knocked twice on the bar. You figured it was his way of calling the bartender, but that man was nowhere to be found. It was only after a couple of seconds that you realized what it was for. A deliberate signal, for those who have been watching. The realization came in the form of two firm pairs of hands taking hold of you and slamming you flat against the bar. Ralph in the meantime downed the rest of his drink and stood off his stool. Two men were holding you down, mouths covered in bandanas. You'd look over to AA-12, but your face is pressed against the counter so that you could only look at Ralph, but you could hear her struggling and cursing as she too is likely being held down.
"And just who the fuck do you think you are? Barging in here, thinking you could fuck with us? You're gonna wish you never showed up!"
The two goons turned you around, holding your back pressed against the counter, arms firmly in place. Ralph stares you down, gaze like he doesn't care who's jaw he'll break, be it woman or child. The other patrons behind him are for some reason unwilling to join or interfere. He then notices something, his eyes catching something in your open hanging poncho. He reaches in, and pulls out a knife, black with the SF insignia.
"And what's this?! Do we have a Sangvis Ferri conspirator among us?!"
That does it. These guys are about to kiss the upper hand goodbye. The only advantage they had was the element of surprise, getting the jump on you like they did. But now it's time to retaliate. Two guys are holding you down, you can spot three pinning AA-12, and then there's Ralph with a very sharp knife. That's 6 squishy humans who want to take on 2 T-dolls up close. Pretty bad odds… for them.
[X] Use non-lethal force, knock-outs, but avoid causing permanent damage. This is the perfect time to activate your zuí quán programs.
[ ] Brutal but non-lethal force, whatever keeps them down but doesn't kill, break a few bones and teeth.
[ ] Fuck the laws of robotics! Use lethal force, knives included.
[ ] Shoot the place up. You've got guns for a reason.
You have a feeling…
[X] That you're gonna enjoy this.
[ ] That you've got no choice.
With a final nod as to confirm your plan, the both of you step out of the vehicle. The second you stepped into the cold night air, Gustav greeted you with an enthusiastic voice.
"Miss Heather and the scrap bucket! I almost feared we wouldn't hear from you again. More than half the town owes me a beer now." he laughed, then fell into a coughing fit. AA-12 did not return the smile, it's rather bad news that most of the townsfolk wished they wouldn't return. Especially when one of them is believed to be a human. Makes one wonder if this distrust is because of the T-doll accompanying you, or if strangers and foreigners in general aren't welcome here. When Gustav got his lungs under control, he continued with a lower and more concerned voice "I trust the matter has been taken care of? Has Sangvis Ferri been driven out of the area? And most importantly, have you find poor Jan?"
"Yes. We took care of all units we came across, destroyed the equipment they set up, and… secured Jan's body. He's in the back."
The old man's eyes visibly widened, and his brows furrowed "You brought him all the way here?"
"He is your people. What to do with him is up to you."
"Yes… I suppose that's fair. We try not to make much of a graveyard out of the place, but I guess he'd appreciate being buried in his hometown."
"I'm sorry for your loss. How has his partner Ralph been holding up? May we have a word with him?"
"Ralph? He's been sitting at the bar all day now, drowning his sorrows in our alcohol supply. The two didn't seem very close, I wouldn't have guessed he'd be this hung up over it. I don't know whether his mood improved lately, but I'm worried he'll be broke with how much he's spending lately…"
There, that's all the information you needed. The location of your prime suspect. There was only one bar in town, the same one you struck your deal in with the man standing before you. Chances are it won't be as empty as last time, which may be a good or a bad thing.
"If you could put his mind to ease, or talk some sense into him, I'd be grateful. Now, if you ladies will excuse me, me and the boys will tend to Jan. Come see me later and we'll talk about tomorrow."
With that, Gustav walked past the two of you, towards the jeep's trunk. You don't wait another second before getting on your way, hoping he won't notice what you've done with the body right away. The path was simple, and the streets were way clearer. Lamps and light from the windows made sure there weren't any tripping hazards you couldn't see. Guard presence was low, probably watching from buildings, sheltered from the cold outside. Though it wasn't as cold as on the previous nights, likely because you're at the edge of Area S09. Were you to go lower down South, the snow under your boots would get thinner. Area S09 has it's warmer spots, but Area S06 is almost entirely snow-free, and the rise in temperature will be more noticeable once you cross the border.
You pass a couple of buildings, living quarters - repurposed or not - and establishments alike. Soon enough the bar came into view. Light shining through windows and cheer audible even from where you're standing. It sure is lively tonight. Thanks to the townsfolk's understanding of everyone's personal safety, there are no strict weapon regulations, but it would be less eye catching if you were to holster it. Dolls usually don't need to put their weapons away, they never complain about having to hold them all day. You look to AA-12, who begrudgingly places her gun on the backside of her right shield, bringing them closer to her body afterwards as to not get into people's way. She takes up quite a bit of space with her ballistic shields, hopefully the residents won't mind a few accidental bumps.
You look at your weapon, give it a once over and put it away, letting it sit on…
[ ] Your right/left hip.
[ ] Your torso.
[ ] Your back.
[X] Your lower back.
[ ] A sling hanging off your neck.
[ ] Write-in
As long as you don't use it, everything should be fine. Now that you look a little more friendly, you give your companion a nod and enter through the doors.
The atmosphere hit you straight away, so strikingly different from yesterday. People were sitting at tables, chatting loudly and quietly, laughing and swearing, drunk and sober alike. After a hard day's work, it is no surprise the citizens of this town chose this location to take a load off, humans do that a lot. You're no stranger to alcohol yourself, but that's not what you're here for. Aside from the typical bar aroma, you can feel many watchful gazes the second you got through the doors, the cheer and laughter might've as well stopped for the whole second half the patrons were looking at you, though they soon returned to their own business. It was a simple message, we're watching you.
AA-12 visibly looks uncomfortable, but follows you through the establishment, passing card players and drink competitors alike. For all their gloomy and watchful impressions, these people knew how to have fun. With a guy playing the guitar in a corner, it sure seemed cheerful. As you look at the people looking for your target, you remember Gustav said that he looked rather hung up about Jan's death, so you look at the gloomier ones.
"Another…"
You notice one say at the bar stand, repeating louder now…
"Another!"
"You sure Ralph? I know your usual allowance, and that you've passed it hours ago."
"I said another!"
"Fine… I won't be blamed anyway."
The man got poured another drink, and he takes it into his gloved hand, taking a sip. His short black hair was unkept, as were his clothes, a dark green woolen jacket and jeans. Off his back hung an assault rifle the model of which you knew well, an AK-47.
AK-47…
Another memory, one of the fallen. It…
[X] Fills you with grief.
[ ] Gives you strength.
[ ] Makes you angry.
[ ] You feel nothing.
There's no doubt about it, this is him. Drinking alone, a few stools around him are free. You've spotted your target, now it's time to engage. You sit down at the bar next to him, yet he takes no notice of you. AA-12 takes a seat behind you. You look at him, his eyes practically glued to the glass containing his drink, the clear liquid giving off the odor of Vodka. You study his gaze, he seemed unwell alright, but not as much sad as… worried.
"Ralph?"
"... who wants to know?"
[ ] "My name is Heather."
[ ] "A friend of your friend."
[X] "Someone with questions."
His face changed expressions immediately, back to as annoyed and gruff as his voice let on, sluggishly turning his head to look at you. His face seemed to have skipped a shave or three, his brown eyes too having skipped a night but were unwilling to close even for a nap. His breath stank, and not just of alcohol. He chuckled once his eyes lowered a little to meet yours.
"Heh… you're that little missy that barged in here yesterday, you and that… thing over there."
He said, looking over you at your companion, who was resisting with all her might not to stick her tongue out, instead biting down on her lollipop. The two stared each other down for a second before his gaze returned to you. Not much to stare at from his point of view, but he just doesn't know better yet.
"If you two haven't noticed, neither of your kind is very welcome here… so I'd appreciate it if you'd let me mourn in peace."
"Mourn?"
"Yes, mourn. You deaf?"
"Mourn about what?"
He takes another sip from his drink.
"... none of your damn business."
Not a promising start, that's evident. You chose an approach on the neutral side, not intimidating him into spilling the truth not playing with his guilt to break him, but rather trick him into saying what you need to hear. But it seems you'll have to try harder. Something to help you mentally at least has just entered your vision. The bartender stands before you, expecting your order.
"I'll have a [X] daiquiri and a [X] Malibu sunset (for AA-12)."
The bartender nods and prepares your order swiftly. You turn your attention back to the suspect, who has resorted to ignoring you.
"We've heard you were on a scavenge hunt yesterday."
"Says who?"
"The village leader."
"You mean Martha or Gustav? Can't even tell these days."
"Gustav."
"Well, not sure why he's telling strangers of our successes and failures, but I sure wouldn't tell you shit. And I won't either."
"Why? Wouldn't it make you feel better to talk about it?"
"What are you now? My friendly, unpaid confession box? Get out of here kid."
You keep studying him. He may be trying to hide it, but his annoyance is slowly turning to anger. Perhaps he doesn't want to be the one blowing up at the little lady, or doesn't want to show how much the subject is affecting him. Perhaps now it's best to strike while the metal is hot.
"You've lost your partner, Jan, yesterday. Were you two close?"
"Now why the hell would you want to know that?"
"Because today, two guns for hire were sent to clean up the place and recover the body."
At that moment, you caught a visible change in Ralph's expression. A twitch, like a barely suppressed emotion. His gaze looked like his spine froze, and he turned his gaze to take another sip from his glass, a big one. His voice and tone remain unchanged though.
"Oooh, really now?"
"They have just gotten back. And they've brought back the body."
"Well, hoopty fucking doo, I should thank them for saving me his funeral… wait, I mean the opposite… fuck, whatever..."
He shakes his head a little. A drunk is still a drunk, even if he has moments of soberness.
"They were told Jan perished in a S.F. ambush, and that you escaped."
"..."
"However, the found the scene of his death… strange."
"... listen, kid… I'm gonna say this once. You're treading on dangerous territory here. If I were you, I'd stop tempting fate... the exit is over there. Show, yourself, out."
With that, he took another sip and fell silent. You can tell he's practically seething right now. The alcohol in his blood might be the only thing holding him back at this point. He's close to breaking, enough to resort to threats. He's clearly trying not to attract attention, but several of the other patrons have already taken notice. You better work fast before they decide to join and pick a side. Seeing your unwillingness to leave, he continues.
"If you're so damn curious, why not ask the damn SF yourself?"
[ ] "Actually, we did."
[X] "We would, if it was them who did it."
[ ] "How about you stop wasting my time?"
This time, he did not respond. Instead he knocked twice on the bar. You figured it was his way of calling the bartender, but that man was nowhere to be found. It was only after a couple of seconds that you realized what it was for. A deliberate signal, for those who have been watching. The realization came in the form of two firm pairs of hands taking hold of you and slamming you flat against the bar. Ralph in the meantime downed the rest of his drink and stood off his stool. Two men were holding you down, mouths covered in bandanas. You'd look over to AA-12, but your face is pressed against the counter so that you could only look at Ralph, but you could hear her struggling and cursing as she too is likely being held down.
"And just who the fuck do you think you are? Barging in here, thinking you could fuck with us? You're gonna wish you never showed up!"
The two goons turned you around, holding your back pressed against the counter, arms firmly in place. Ralph stares you down, gaze like he doesn't care who's jaw he'll break, be it woman or child. The other patrons behind him are for some reason unwilling to join or interfere. He then notices something, his eyes catching something in your open hanging poncho. He reaches in, and pulls out a knife, black with the SF insignia.
"And what's this?! Do we have a Sangvis Ferri conspirator among us?!"
That does it. These guys are about to kiss the upper hand goodbye. The only advantage they had was the element of surprise, getting the jump on you like they did. But now it's time to retaliate. Two guys are holding you down, you can spot three pinning AA-12, and then there's Ralph with a very sharp knife. That's 6 squishy humans who want to take on 2 T-dolls up close. Pretty bad odds… for them.
[X] Use non-lethal force, knock-outs, but avoid causing permanent damage. This is the perfect time to activate your zuí quán programs.
[ ] Brutal but non-lethal force, whatever keeps them down but doesn't kill, break a few bones and teeth.
[ ] Fuck the laws of robotics! Use lethal force, knives included.
[ ] Shoot the place up. You've got guns for a reason.
You have a feeling…
[X] That you're gonna enjoy this.
[ ] That you've got no choice.
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Expert Teaser
Disclaimer: not actually good at teasing
- Location
- Usa
[X] hand your gun to AA-12
[X] Fills you with grief.
[X] "Someone with questions."
[X] "I'll have a daiquiri and a Malibu sunset"
[X] "We would, if it was them who did it."
[X] Use non-lethal force, knock-outs, but avoid causing permanent damage. This is the perfect time to activate your zuí quán programs.
[X] That you're gonna enjoy this.
Oh lawd it's going down
[X] Fills you with grief.
[X] "Someone with questions."
[X] "I'll have a daiquiri and a Malibu sunset"
[X] "We would, if it was them who did it."
[X] Use non-lethal force, knock-outs, but avoid causing permanent damage. This is the perfect time to activate your zuí quán programs.
[X] That you're gonna enjoy this.
Oh lawd it's going down
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