Super Robot Quest

Basarin · Sep 7, 2021

1422, 24 July A.D. 2072
Engineering Bay

"...I admit, I am impressed, lieutenant," Patch said reluctantly.

Richard looked up, still wincing slightly as he held an ice pack to the side of his head. In the rush of the fighting, he hadn't noticed for a moment that he'd banged his head against the cockpit and just kept on going. He just hadn't realized this was happening while he was fully engaged in using the MMI - a strange drawback if he'd ever seen one, but it was one he planned to bring up with Sam when he got the chance. "What about, Patch?" he asked.

The medic gestured towards the flatbed in the Engineering Bay that had Bandit strapped down with zirvitium restraints...not that it seemed overly required, given Bandit's condition. "I have seen it happen, but seldom so thoughly as this." The physical frame of the Free Brother seemed comically squashed, with only his head and parts of the core in his chest still relatively intact - something that contributed to the fact that he was still functioning at all. What Richard would have called a generator, but what Patch was treating as an ICU unit of sorts, all connected with various cables and links, feeding power and energy into what was otherwise a thoroughly crushed and burnt husk.

"That's 'cause he don't fight like no Kaus," a heavily drawled voice chimed in. Richard and Patch looked up, and saw Nailhead examining the Timberwolf as it was strapped to a secure maintenance rig. Parts of the body were suspended by cables, as Henry was concerned that given the damage some of the joints would just fail if left unsupported. "You the fella who dun wore this thing?" When Richard nodded, the bulky Legionnaire pointed to parts of the body. "This here? This is some reckless ways of fightin'. Most Kaus I know woulda called it quits by some of these here scrapes. You probably don't feel pain quite the same way when you're in this thing. A lotta these?" The exposed joints, the burnt off paint, the various pockmarks - it all added up to quite a lot of damage. "I know for a fact that after about the tenth gouge or so, I'd have been running off to Patch cryin' for my manufacturer."

"And rightly so," Patch huffed. He paused. "Preferrably without the crying, Nailhead, you're a fully adjusted mech for Metatrine's sake." Ignoring the sheepish grin on the maintenance worker's face, he continued, "Drones - with 'Zulu' being the exception - are not quite so self aware as to feel pain, even if they do process certain emotions like fear or anxiety. A Legionnaire or a Free Brother would have fallen back or withdrawn earlier." He glanced down at Bandit, and shook his head. "That Bandit of all mechs stayed to fight after you sliced off his shoulder mount like that must have meant he was severely displeased with you."

"Now, don't get us wrong, kid." From behind the platform, Tracker dusted off his hands, having finished his tasks with finetuning the care unit. Richard marveled at how even for a mechanical life form, Tracker's appearance and mannerisms gave off that 'crotchety old man who doesn't care' air about him. "We can cut off pain receptors and lose an arm or leg if we have to," he continued, his voice somewhat raspy. "But you're losing lots of lubricant fluid and energy until you get triaged, and you're going to feel it when you do get there. And just because you don't feel pain, doesn't mean the body ain't suffering."

Richard shrugged - then winced, regretting the motion. "Ow," he muttered. "Yeah, I get what you're all saying. And trust me - those cluster bombs? Those stung. But Nailhead's about right - the MMI kinda just...I don't know, handwave it away while you're busy? Not exactly eager to test it, so couldn't tell you how that works exactly, but-" He stretched out an arm, which was shaking slightly, as if he'd been punching with it repeatedly - and, truth be told, he was. "-it's all catching up to me for sure," he admitted.

"Just the body processing pain," Tracker shrugged. "Nice to know humans are the same way. But let me tell you some of the worst injuries I've seen..."

The story time alone was almost enough to make Richard ignore the after shocks of piloting. Though, granted, that was probably also just from seeing how queasy they could make Nailhead, with Patch enthusiastically corroborating or debunking the taller tales...

"Patch's confirmed it's Bandit," you tell Galbinus over the communicator. "He's very much not going anywhere for awhile."

"Something that brings quite a bit of relief," Galbinus replies. "Bandit on his own is not dangerous, but he is a selfish opportunist. Far too many of his kind in the Free Brothers, but he was one of the more independently minded."

"Still." You glance over at the wrecked form of the Timberwolf. Wilde and Henry had more or less manually opened the cockpit hatch for Callaghan to crawl out of, as both units were in serious need of repair. Henry grimly estimates it will be anywhere from two to four months before they deem it combat effective again. "Guess we got severely lucky the first time we ran into Bandit," you admit. "This was much closer to a fair fight than I was comfortable with, and the Super Robot took a pounding."

"My compliments to your team nonetheless," Galbinus offers. "Human science and engineering has come quite far to have achieved this result as well. Two years ago, you did not have anything of the like."

"People'll wonder why I haven't given them a transforming city mech in the next few months," you grumble. "That's just how it works. They like you for about five minutes, then already compare you to your last results and how you're letting them down."

"Unfortunately true." Galbinus, at least, wasn't trying to actively grumble about it. "We will have a holding cell ready for him in a month." You raise an eyebrow at him, and he sheepishly admits, "He will have been the first prisoner of this conflict, and Patch will require time to ensure his holding cell has proper life support."

"Ahh." You glance back down at the pancaked Free Brother. "I think we can hold him for a month, sure."

"My thanks, Major. We will stay in touch."

Bandit defeated!
- Bandit Blaster Mk. II wreckage acquired.
- Heat Knife wreckage acquired.
Drone wreckage acquired!
- Improvised Mining blaster wreckage acquire.
Beowulf and Timberwolf require Three Turns of repairs and maintenance!

Basarin · Sep 8, 2021

1050, 2 August A.D. 2072
Campus Grounds

"How'd it go?"

"Ow."

"That good, huh?"

Richard nodded as he sat at one of the benches outside, idly munching on a sandwich he'd snagged from the caferteria. He'd been ordered on light duties for the next few months - not that he could do much, considering that the poor old Beowulf was not going anywhere for awhile. "I got hit by a hit squad specifically looking for me and a Kaus with a grudge, you got hit with a surprise super heavy walker with a big eff-all gun. Guess we both got our punch in the face."

"Yep." Ichiro was sat down in the space next to the bench - it said a lot about the DFRI that a giant robot consuming an Energy Shard while sitting next to a pilot having his own lunch didn't raise eyebrows at all. "Least I'm all fixed up from that, took me a little bit. Your ride's down for a lot longer, huh?"

"Yeah. But hey, maybe a break isn't so bad."

Both sat in companionable silence for a few moments - all before a resounding crash echoing from the Proving Grounds shattered said peace.

"Ah. Charlie?"

"Maybe Tellison actually."

"Wanna go heckle them?"

"Sure."

OOC: The Defense Force options focuses on a few key items:

- Pilot Training - Exactly as it sounds. There will be options to increase and/or refine the capabilities of your pilots.

- Super Robot Deployments - Also exactly as it sounds. Every so often there will be an opportunity that materializes, and your teams will have the opportunity to get involved. There will be a mini-turn after the main turn's decisions and rolls have completed, giving you a broader picture of what's going on - and if any Situations need to be prepared for the next turn.

- Defense Force Network Monitoring - More or less how you determine if something requires your Super Robots' attention or not. The Reaction Force will give you updates as to what is going on in your immediate area, but this will be elaborated on later.

- Liaisons with Defense Force officials/other Super Robot teams - Narratively, it's always a good idea to stay on friendly terms with your peers. And doing so may unlock new opportunities moving forward...

Haruko Sasaki
- If placed in Pilot Training, you may re-roll a failed roll.
- If placed in Liaison, gain 1d6 to your roll.
Diana
- Wherever she is slotted, reduce the Threshold by 1.
- LOCKED - Diana is already committed to Pilot Training
Adriana
- If placed in Reaction Force Monitoring, gain chance (at Disadvantage for 1d6) to uncover additional details, regardless of success or failure.

Reaction Force Monitoring
Free Action (does not Require Advisor)
Chance for Detection (Roll for Disadvantage at 1d6, Threshold Unknown)
Can Assign: Sasaki, Diana, Adriana, Katarina (Increase roll to 3d6, Threshold Unknown)
Notes: You are already tapped into the Defense Force Network, so you are always at least passively aware of what's going on in the wider Earth Union. If you leave well enough alone, you may have a chance of something crossing your desk and giving you the option to intervene. If you are actively looking, you are more likely to discover activities of enemy Action, unlocking new opportunities to investigate and pursue.

The results and new options, if any materialize, will be available for selection next turn.

[] Reaction Force: Passive Monitoring - Requires No Advisors
[] Reaction Force: Active Monitoring - (Which Advisor?)

[] Something In The Waters
- [] Which Advisor?
- Adriana spotted something last month where it shouldn't be. Submarines still exist, but only on the Defense Force roster, and she already tracked down their manifests. What's going on down there? She's eager to find out.
- Adriana: Detectives away!
- Chance of Success - Roll of 2d6, Threshold Unknown
- Duration - 1-2 Turns

Super Robot Deployments
Free Action (does not Require Advisor)
Requires available Super Robot and Pilot(s)
Requires available transportation (unless specified)
Notes: These will show the hotspots you have identified already that could warrant the attention of the Super Robot teams. These range in severity from something simple (for your teams) to handle, to something that is seen as more catastrophic requiring your attention (such as, say, a Kaiju stomping around downtown).

At the moment, you only have one option available. But it's one that's been hinted at for quite some time!

~~Richard Callaghan/Beowulf~~
- LOCKED, Requires Three Turns to recover
SAI-01 Ichiro Banner
Tellison, Zhang/Perseus
- LOCKED, Committed to Training

Refer to this page beneath "Support Available to Deploy."

~~None At This Time~~

Pilot Training
Requires Advisor
Chance for Success (Roll 2d6, Threshold Varies)
Duration: Two Turns
Can Assign: Sasaki, Diana, Adriana, Katarina
Notes: Exactly as it sounds - whoever is overseeing this particular assignment will be making use of the Proving Grounds and any other particular blend of 'fun' they can come up with. The thresholds for success and the rewards will vary - these can include new abilities, refining existing ones, or an increase in Actions per Round or even team-up attacks for example. One Advisor is required - but you can then place in as many pilots/teams as you wish.

As for the threshold for each team and pilot, you won't quite know until you develop a baseline for them (i.e., putting them through the training initially). As a rule of thumb, new and inexperienced pilots are relatively easier to help improve, while the more experienced ones have somewhat diminishing returns. Experience roughly corresponds to Green, Inexperienced, Experienced, Veteran, Ace. The less experienced they are, the easier it is for them to learn and gain bonuses - but said bonuses will be quite modest. The higher in experience they are, the harder it is for old dogs to learn new tricks - but if they succeed, the results will speak for themselves.

A pilot or team can be pulled from training for combat - however, it will delay the duration by one turn.

Experience is gained from

~~[] Pilot Training: Richard Callaghan/Beowulf (Which Advisor?)~~
- Experienced, Threshold of 5-6
- LOCKED, Requires Three Turns to recover
[] Pilot Training: SAI-01 Ichiro Banner
[ONGOING] Pilot Training: Jessica Satsuma/Valkyrie
- [ONGOING] (Diana already Committed)
- Inexperienced, Threshold of 4-6
[ONGOING] Pilot Training: Tellison, Zhang/Perseus
- [ONGOING] (Diana already Committed)
- Inexperienced, Threshold of 4-6
[ONGOING] Pilot Training: Charlie, Frankie, Iris
- [ONGOING] (Diana already Committed)
- Green, Threshold of 3-6

Liaison Duties
Requires Advisor
Chance for Success (Roll 2d6, Threshold Varies)
Notes: This mostly applies to other elements in the Defense Forces, the other Super Robot Teams and the Legion. Failing these rolls does not necessarily reflect worsening relations, but just mostly that whatever you were setting out to do didn't produce the results you were aiming for (such as cooperating to track down a particular target). Each Liaison also has their own agenda in particular, and depending on if you're successful in fostering cooperation with them, different targets of opportunities for the Super Robots will appear for follow on deployments.

Each Liaison will have a Baseline Threshold. In a vacuum, and if no other factors are in play, this is what you would require to succeed to cooperate with them. However, other factors (busy with their own agenda, recent events influencing positive or negative behavior towards you, etc) will modify the Threshold as well. For this turn, no other factors are in play just yet (with one well known exception). Expect that to change soon.

[] Liaison: General Li/GDF
- [] Which Advisor?
- Relations: Neutral
- Baseline Threshold: Moderate (5-6)
- You're not exactly close with the Ground Defense Force general, but there is no doubt that General Li greatly appreciated being the first to field the Centurions. It could be worth your while to follow up and see how they're doing, or if there's anything else that needs doing.

[] Liaison: Colonel Kim/FRC
- [] Which Advisor?
- Relations: Friendly
- Baseline Threshold: Simple (4-6)
- The Jackals have by now become ubiquitous across the North American District, and more are being seen being produced and fielded elsewhere. Colonel Kim's enthusiastic endorsement of the frames were partially responsible for that - it could be worthwhile to check in, and see if he's uncovered anything that you can use.

[] Liaison: Colonel Bernard/MEF
- [] Which Advisor?
- Relations: Neutral
- Baseline Threshold: Moderate (5-6)
- Awkward first meetings over San Diego and the Falcon aside, you and the Marine Expeditionary Forces officer get on just fine. Ahead of his forces getting ready to field the production models of Seekers, it may be a good idea to check in with him.

[] Liaison: Dr. Yukimura/Yukimura Institute
- [] Which Advisor?
- Relations: Friendly
- Baseline Threshold: Moderate (5-6)
- After showing that you are capable of fighting against the Kaiju, that has apparently increased Dr. Yukimura's opinion of you. But you're not entirely sure if he realizes that Jiro is working for you just yet...maybe that's something you need to clear up with him before any misunderstandings cascade into something catastrophic.

[] Liaison: Mander/MSS
- [] Which Advisor?
- Relations: Neutral, leaning towards Friendly
- Baseline Threshold: Moderate (5-6)
- Note: You owe them a favor (Deployment #3)
- You owe Mander a favor. They have a mostly positive attitude towards you, but aside from the one engagement at France and Sasaki's overtures from last month, you haven't had much interaction. You could try arranging another visit.

[] Liaison: Galbinus-R/Legio Galbinus
- [] Which Advisor?
- Relations: Warm, Allies
- Baseline Threshold: Simple (4-6)
- The DFRI and the Legion get on like a house on fire. After saving Cavalier, building the Enclave and helping them with Variable Configuration, you are as close as can be with Galbinus and his crew. Why not check in with your friends from the stars and see what else needs doing?

OOC: Engineering is both the same and a little different from before. Some notes to consider for you all:

- Engineering's short term focuses revolve around upgrades for the existing Super Robots. For example, Ichiro has just returned from combat somewhat battered, and he will need at least one turn of downtime to be back up to fighting trim. Once he's fully repaired, you can then look to give him some permanent upgrades.

- Practical Application of the new technologies you have researched remain a classic option. When the Science Department unlocks the secrets of a new technology, it still falls to Engineering to find a practical use for it (see: K-Scale). As always, this is a matter of time (turns) and successes (rolls). This covers prototyping new designs (or variations of existing ones) and effectively building the new Super Robots via this action, or new weapon or equipment designs.

- Super AI Development is still an option, but this usually remains a very long-term project (such as it was with the AI Sisters and Delphi). They are either base support Advisers, or Super Robot AI - either way, this results in a new character (hence the care taken in developing them).

- Item Construction is a new option for you all. In a vein similar to the one-shot Zirvitium knuckle dusters and the Shard Kit, you can dedicate a few turns to constructing a ready-made arsenal and toolkit set for your Super Robots deploying to battle.

- As always, the most recent list of everything you have researched thus far is referred to on this page.

Wilde and Henry
- If assigned to Practical Applications, gain 1d6 to rolls.
- If assigned to Construct Super Robot, reduce Duration by One Turn.
Lana
- If assigned to Refit Super Robot, roll 2d6 (Threshold of 5-6). On success, reduce the Duration by One Turn.
- Lana may offer a re-roll to any failed Engineering roll. Only applies once per turn.
Jiro Yukimura
- If assigned to Practical Applications (and Design Super Robot or Design Support), gain 1d6 per roll.
- Critical Success is now 4-6 (applicable depending on Success Threshold). Applies ONLY to Jiro's assigned Action.
Boris Ignatov
- Threshold for success on AI or Kaus Actions is reduced by One.
- LOCKED - Committed to Funnels

Refit Super Robot
Requires Advisor
Duration: One Turn minimum (more extensive upgrades may increase Duration)
Notes: Exactly as it sounds, this will provide upgrades from your existing technology and equipment to a given Super Robot. For 'minor' upgrades such as ZIrvitium Plating or Anti-Gravity Solution, this would only take one turn. However, fitting a Super Robot with more internal upgrades such as K-Circuits or outfitting it to enable the Psychic Theater will take longer. Refitting the unit for Combination would take even longer, and so forth.

Fitting a Super Robot with new weapons, unless specified, is generally a simple process that does not require extensive refits.

Note: You can choose to Upgrade a Super Robot even if it is currently undergoing repairs. The upgrades will finish alongside repair completion.

[] Refit Super Robot
- [] Which Super Robot?
- [] Which Upgrades?
- [] Which Advisor?

Practical Applications
Requires Advisor
Chance for Success (Roll 2d6, Threshold Varies)
Duration: Varies (Two Turn Minimum)
Notes: Once a new design concept is fresh off of the researchers' plates, it is up to Engineering to figure out a practical way to manufacture something useful out of it. This also folds in the original 'Experimental' suite of actions, so I decided to fold these all into the same group. This can cover everything from designing and prototyping new Super Robot/Support designs, to new weapons with existing technologies (Dispersion, Zirvitium, etc.).

[] Design Super Robot Core Unit
- [] What is the Design Concept?
- [] Which Advisor?
- Chance of Success (Roll 2d6, Threshold Varies)
- Duration: Two Turns+

[] Construct Super Robot Support Unit(s)
- [] What is the Design Concept?
- [] Which Advisor?
- Chance of Success (Roll 2d6, Threshold Varies)
- Duration: Two Turns+

[] Design New Equipment (Weapon)
- [] What is the Design Concept?
- [] Which Advisor?
- Chance of Success (Roll 2d6, Threshold Varies)
- Duration: Two Turns+

[] Triple Combination - Prototyping
- [] Which Advisor(s)?
- Jiro, Wilde and Henry haven't solved Triple Combining just yet. But they've identified some problems that would get in the way, which is just as good when it comes to Engineering. It's something of a miracle bridged by K-Class Materials that the Beowulf is able to combine with two wildly different vehicles with two different power sources. Combining all three and expecting the same result is madness - so they're proposing we at least try to solve the power source and engine problem while they try to dry-fit the combining frames together. K-Class's already broken lots of previously understood rules - what's one or five more?
- Chance of Success (Roll 2d6, Threshold of 6)
- Duration: 4 Turns

[ONGOING] Funnels
- [ONGOING] Boris Ignatov
- Remote controlled drones has become Ignatov's recent pet project. He has absolutely no idea if it will work or not - there are plenty of things that need to work just right, and a good chunk of them are complete unknowns (the control mechanism via the MMI and latent psychic powers, for one). Nevertheless, he's eager to give this an honest try with the resources remaining for this project.
- Chance of Success (Roll 2d6, Threshold Unknown)
- Duration: One Turn Remaining

Equipment Fabrication
Requires Advisor
Duration: One to Two Turns (Varies)
Notes: This does not cover weapons or the solid heavy equipment. This specifically covers the one-shot use items such as Ichiro's Knuckle Dusters and the Shard Kit, useful items that the Super Robots may need to level the fight in their favor. These are relatively quick to fabricate, but it is always worthwhile to have a ready made stock.

[] Equipment Fabrication
- [] Which Item?
- [] Which Advisor?
- "If you ever need to know what you can order us to make, boss, just refer here. This is an ongoing thing, but depending on what else the crazies at the research department can come up with, we'll have more options available to us."

Super AI Development
Requires Advisor
Chance of Success (Roll 2d6, Threshold Varies)
Duration: Four Turns Minimum (Varies)
Notes: If you want to develop a new Base or Super Robot AI, this is the option to do so in. As you've witnessed before, developing an AI is not an easy or short process - you will need to have in mind what you want them to do before you start.

[] Base AI Development
- [] What do you want the Advisor to do?
- [] Which Advisor?
- Chance of Success (Roll 2d6, Threshold of 6)
- Duration: Four Turns+

[] Super Robot AI Development
- [] What do you want the pilot to be?
- [] Which Advisor?
- Chance of Success (Roll 2d6, Threshold of 5-6)
- Duration: Four Turns+

- Though Ignatov assures you that he and his team can oversee the development of new AI, he won't be able to give you more specifics on time and chances of success until some rough parameters and expectations are given. As you currently are well enough staffed in pilots and Base AI personalities, this is not a pressing matter at the moment. It's still good to know you have this available as an option though.

Enemy Wreckage Analysis
Requires Advisor
Chance of Success (Roll 2d6, Threshold of 5-6)
Duration: One Turn
Notes: You have quite the wealth of equipment to look over. The Beast's megagun (Wilde's term seems to have stuck, to Henry's chagrin), Bandit's new Blaster and Heat Knife, and the wreckage of the Drones. You can examine one of your choice for each advisor you commit to this.

[] Enemy Wreckage Analysis
- [] Which Advisor?
- Chance of Success (Roll 2d6, Threshold of 5-6)
- Duration: One Turn

SCIENCE.

That said, not much has changed on these options. They are still broken down between specific new projects, and the broader categories of ESP Theory, Kaiju Biotechnology, Xeno Technology, and any remaining gifts of the Regent left on the docket.

SAM CARLSON
- If assigned to ESP Theory or Kaiju Biotechnology, reduce the Threshold for Success by 1.
- LOCKED - Committed to K-Fang
Max Brand
- If assigned to Xeno Technology, you may add 1d6.
- LOCKED - Committed to Special Action - A Helping Hand
Ivanna
- You may re-roll any failed Science roll once per turn.
- LOCKED - Committed to K-Scale Refinement
Zulu
- If assigned to Xeno Technology, you may add +2 to the value of the lowest rolled d6.
- LOCKED - Committed to Kausen Weaponry

ESP Theory
Requires Advisor
Chance for Success (roll 2d6, Threshold Varies)
Duration: Varies
Notes: You've pushed ESP Theory pretty far, and Sam can be reliably marked as the top expert (and probably the only expert) in the field. The Man-Machine Interface, the Psychic Theater, and the initial forays into altering K-Class Materials - all are still viable options to pursue as well. Your options will vary, but write in what angle you want to pursue, and the rolls will tell what that develops into.

[] Refine Psychic Theater Principle
- [] Which Advisor?
- [] Write In what you want to pursue
- Chance for Success (roll 2d6, Threshold of 5-6)
- Duration: Two Turns
[] Explore K-Class Psychic Augmentation
- [] Which Advisor?
- [] Write In what you want to pursue
- Chance for Success (roll 2d6, Threshold of 6)
- "And those stuffed shirts thought nothing would ever come out of ESP Theory. Heh. Well who's laughing now? Me, that's who. And Callaghan. And the boss. And-look, everyone's laughing at the success, so let's do some more of it. The Psychic Theater's a done deal, but it's barely been tested by the first pilots - we can do some more tests while they're at it and see if there was something we missed. Meanwhile, using ESP to make minute changes to K-Class is also on the table - you're not exactly going to be making gold from lead, but we can take a K-Scaled fist and turn it into an even tougher K-Scaled fist. Progress!"

Kaiju Biotechnology
Requires Advisor
Chance for Success (Roll 2d6, Threshold Varies)
Duration: Varies
Notes: Like ESP Theory, Kaiju Biotechnology (and the resulting K-Class Materials) form the bedrock of your 'super science' powering the Super Robots. You currently have a project that is already on-going, but you can reassign personnel this one time (as this is the first turn of the reboot).

[] K-Fang Development
- [] Which Advisor?
- Chance for Success (Roll 2d6+1d6 (Carryover from previous turns), Threshold of 4-6)
- Duration: Two Turns Remaining (Carryover from previous turns)
- "Sam Carlson here. Work is ongoing on what we're calling the K-Fang class of materials from Sample One. Initial work is promising, but right now the focus is on the one question that is guaranteed to solve our current problems: how do we make an even better stabbing implement out of it?"

[ONGOING] K-Scale Refinement
- [ONGOING] Ivanna
- Chance for Success (roll 2d6, Threshold of 4-6)
- Duration: One Turns
- "On the one hand, K-Scale is so useful to us! On the other hand...ew..."

[ONGOING] K-Fang Development
- [ONGOING] Sam
- Chance for Success (roll 3d6, Thresholdof 4-6)
- Duration: One Turn Remaining

Xeno Technology
Requires Advisor
Chance for Success (Roll 2d6, Threshold Varies)
Notes: Xeno Technology is a catchall phrase describing all the technology coming from the Kausen and the Regent (C-Crystals are very much counting as Xeno Technology for the purposes of the system). You are only scratching the surface of what both fields have to offer, but Max and Zulu are there to unlock the rest of what these new fields hold.

[ONGOING] Kausen Weaponry
- [ONGOING] Zulu
- Chance for Success (roll 2d6, Threshold of 5-6)
- Duration: One Turns
- "Additional equipment from unit designee: Bandit? Intriguing. More tests required. Must complete this, considered baseline for further experimentation."
- [OPTIONAL] Examination: Bandit's equipment will keep. You have the option to delay Zulu's in-depth examination of Bandit's old equipment in favor of examining, well, his old boss's squashed form. Will delay this project by One Turn, same Chances for Success apply.

[] Kausen Equipment
- [] Which Advisor?
- [] Write In what you want to pursue
- Chance for Success (roll 2d6, Threshold of 5-6)
- Duration: Two Turns
- Anti-Gravity. Zirvitium Alloys. The Dispersion Field. Shard Technology. These are all new revolutionary things for humanity, but are at best ho-hum for the Kausen (with exception to the Dispersion Field, which they regard as finnicky at best). You aren't going to outdo them in their own technological fields anytime soon, but Max is confident that you can put your own spin on the technologies and see if you can't surprise the Free Brothers. Preferrably with a punch to the face. Repeatedly.

[] Gifts of the Regent (Empathic Booster)
- [] Which Advisor?
- [] Write In what you want to pursue
- Chance for Success (roll 2d6, Threshold of 5-6)
- Duration: Three Turns
- Physical power boosted / augmented by the power of emotions? That does sound like something straight out of a shonen anime or manga, but this is the world you live in at the moment. As it is one of the other pieces of technology you bargained with the Regent for, it may be worthwhile to investigate it further, and see if there's some way you can actually put this thing to good use.

[] C-Crystals
- [] Which Advisor?
- [] Write In what you want to pursue
- Chance for Success (roll at Disadvantage, 1d6, Threshold of 4-6)
- Duration: Two Turns
- The C-Crystal Generator is finished, and the "Master" crystal is safely ensconced in the deepest parts of the Command Center. You can leave well enough alone, but aside from Satsuma's integration wtih the C-Crystal, it may be worthwhile to conduct some additional tests, in case there's something the Regent didn't mention or if there were side effects even it wasn't aware of. Though you have been able to make the generator and it is now fabricating C-Crystals with no difficulties, there's still too much about it you do not know about it, even beyond the 'must be this heroic to use' clause.

As before, you will occasionally get a project that does not quite fit into the three categories. But as a bonus, it also means that any Advisor category can take a shot at this.

In addition, Katarina retains her original bonus - she can help out anywhere.

Katarina
- Katarina can add 1d6 to any roll across all categories. Can only do this once per turn.

[ONGOING]Super Carrier Sergey Gorshkov
Does NOT require an Advisor
Chance of Success (?) (Roll 2d6, Threshold of 5-6)
Duration: One Turns Remaining
Notes: This is another carryover from the previous turns. This will carry on regardless of what you do - however, you may get a bonus for modifying your own drop ship further down the line if you invest more into it. Either way, hilarity is guarantee to ensue.

[ONGOING] A Helping Hand - Ground Pound
[ONGOING] Max
Chance of Success (Roll 2d6, Threshold of 6)
Duration: Two Turns Remaining
If Sam Carlson or Max Brand are assigned to this, add 2d6
You did promise Major Jenkins to look into a unique power source for her Super Robot Project. Her engineers are more than up to the task (explosively even), but it's all a moot point if there isn't anything that can power the damned thing. See if you can't reach out and see if there's another source of untapped super science out there. Better it's in the hands of the Defense Force than the Westphalians.

Though another independent Super Robot wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

Basarin · Sep 9, 2021

There are a few options missing here. That's because they are all going to get their own posts later.

They are:

Pilot Training Results
K-Fang Results
K-Scale Refinement Results
Super Carrier Results
A Helping Hand Results

1900, 6 August A.D. 2072
Command Center

"Aaaaand that is a hit!"

Abruptly, Adriana's avatar emerged onto Sasaki's desk. "Boss lady!" she announced, knuckles on her hips in triumph. A gaudy trenchcoat and fedora was in place of her normal uniformed appearance. "I've figured out where-!"

She blinked, and gazed around an empty office. "...where...the...oh, come on!"

"Um, Adri?" Katarina's head poked out of the other side of the console, as if sticking her head in through a door. "You know Captain Sasaki is off to the Yukimura Institute this month, right?"

"I...remember that now. Dangit." The avatar facepalmed, her body language stuck in that awkward phase between triumph and realizing she faceplanted on stage. The 'detective' outfit reverted immediately back to her default appearance. "Nevermind then, I'll go bug the big boss."

1902, 6 August A.D. 2072
Command Center

"Submarine traffic?"

"Yup." For some reason, Adriana is much more low key than she usually is. Is she trying to hide embarrassment? Regardless, before you can think more about it, she continues on. "Last month we all found some strange signal traffic in really weird places. Seagoing vessels that just sort of 'poof' in and out in areas they really shouldn't. And they're all really mundane 'scientific missions' and 'survey' vessels-"

"-and the Naval Defense fleets are probably busy chasing down Westphalian corsairs or running away from Kaiju," you finish.

"Yup yup. Buuut check this out." You frown as Adriana's avatar disappears, and reveals an oceanographic map. Various pings along the North Atlantic, the middle of the Pacific, and more than a few pings along the North American west coast are displayed to you. "On the face of it, looks totally normal, I get it. But most transponders need to eventually make a destination, right? And these guys have been on loops for years. Thought that looked kinda fishy, so..."

She's right - the same transponder reappears in very odd places, and very much beyond the original 'mission zones' of what any sort of scientific surveys would have mandated. In fact...

These look surprisingly like semi-regular supply routes.

You don't have any background in retail, but you do know that industries for all sorts of products even today are starved for raw and refined materials. Raw materials are picked up, delivered to become refined materials, which in turn become full products. You can rule out the Free Brothers - they're very blatant about what they take, and until more of them jump on the Configuration bandwagon, it's surprisingly hard to hide a giant robot (who knew?).

This could be a Westphalian operation. But their projects are all metal and electronics and weaponry, same as yours. And unless they have workshops...underwater...

"Adriana?"

"Boss?"

"Good work. I think this is going to be something much bigger in the coming months."

Adriana made a breakthrough in spying a hidden resupply operation. Possible links to Westphalian or Kaiju operations! New Action unlocked next turn.

1142, 7 August, A.D. 2072
Office of Dr. Yukimura Rin

Meanwhile, half a world away as that particular revelation was slowly being realized, Haruko was having her own discussions with another person of importance.

A somewhat awkward one.

"He went there?" As exhausted as Dr. Yukimura was, it was all but overtaken by the sheer bemusement the man must have been feeling. "Of all the places I imagined he might have wandered off to, I did not expect he would make his way to that part of the world."

"We have made sure of his safety, Dr. Yukimura," Haruko responded respectfully. For a day or two, it had been a slight readjustment period to speaking Japanese again, but now she carried on as comfortably as she would be at home. Which, well, she was. She planned on visiting family while she was still here, even if it was only for a day or two. "He was quite passionate about wishing to be more proactive about fighting the Kaiju." She offered a slight smile. "You will be pleased to hear that some of our recent breakthroughs are due to his efforts."

"As they should," Rin muttered under his breath. But Haruko can see it - multiple signs of relief, annoyance, and just a touch of pride. "Jiro was always more impatient and hotheaded, I must admit. But I do greatly appreciate your candidness on this - I know he can take care of himself, but an old man worries." He sighed. "There is a...method to the madness, so to say. As much as I would wish to simply march Mercury V into whatever depths George has stuffed himself in, who's to say he doesn't simply have fifteen more Kaiju ready for battle?"

He glanced over to the side windows - Haruko could see an engineering bay, similar to that of the Institute's, as Mercury V stood strapped to a maintenance harness. Several older men wearing engineering jumpsuits were seemingly in a roughhousing situation, a comically bright bump on one of their heads from possibly the heavy wrench that was on the floor. It seemed that every organization that ran a Super Robot had their odd personalities.

And given that Yukimura didn't seem overly alarmed, Haruko firmly decided to let his own versions of Wilde and Henry continue on with their business so long as she didn't get exploded.

"I don't disagree with Jiro's ideas," he shook his head. "But it's a matter of capability. Mercury V is capable, but fighting one Kaiju alone is a Herculean task." He gave a slight smile in return. "Something that I see your organization has also experienced. And done quite well for themselves."

"You are too kind," Haruko replied, bowing her head slightly. "If there is anything the Institute can do to assist your efforts, you only need reach out."

"...there may be a few things," Yukimura said thoughtfully. "While I could not ask for one of those dropships, you all seem to have a way with flight and mobility."

Haruko bit down any mention of the Sergey Gorshkov. She still was having difficulties parsing just what Katarina had done with it recently. "I...believe there is something we could assist with, my commander willing."

Relations are now leaning towards Close! New Liaison Action unlocked!

0800, 11 August, A.D. 2072
Engineering Bay

"Another team?"

"Yeah." Lana looks more than a little frazzled. Her avatar looks like it had been subjected to a few explosions or burns, even though it was physically impossible. "I dunno if you've noticed, but the Engineering department's kinda...stretched."

"That's fair. But it would have to be people who can actually keep up with Wilde and Henry," you caution. Thermos of coffee in hand, you'd come down to the Engineers to get a status update on the various...things they were working on. The things, that did the stuff with the doohickeys-

You sip from the coffee, and the words slide back in. Projects, analysis, and discoveries. Much better.

"I...think I've found them," Lana hums. "Three of them. They won't be doing any big projects like me, the clown, or the Duo or Dr. Ignatov are doing." You refrain from commenting on the nicknames (or lack thereof), or how you can immediately identify who is whom. "Call them a 'Build Team.' There's a bunch of one-off equipment that the Super Robots need, sort of like what Ichiro was using the other month. We can do it, but there's more important stuff that's gotta happen, and we just don't have time."

"Run them by me next month," you tell her. "Then we'll give them a trial run, see how they do."

"Can do, boss."

Build Team assembled! Details revealed next turn.

"Stupid thing-oh, hey, you're here."

You look up, and you see the second person you were looking for. Jiro Yukimura looks somewhat disgruntled. "You don't look too happy," you comment. "What happened?"

"That was the other thing I wanted to talk to you about, boss," Lana adds a little sheepishly. "I tried to help, but, well..."

"We took a look at the Heat Knife," Jiro presses on, without any preamble. "Did decent damage, good penetration and cutting. But that's all."

"...and...?"

"And it's nothing revolutionary." Lana and Jiro both share a similar look of dejection and frustration. "Bandit normally has all sorts of weird stuff, so we figured the knife had to be too. Nope."

"Just really well made, but nothing we couldn't do on our own," Jiro grumbles. "Of all the rotten luck."

"Betting the Duo's getting all sorts of other insights from their project," Lana grumbles in a very similar fashion. You blink, and try to suppress a laugh. They're both even hunched over and arms crossed like the other!

You opt instead to drink from the coffee again.

"Well, they can't all be winners," you try to soothe their egos. "Just one less thing we have to work with, that's all."

Exactly what you see. Just a really well made knife, but it's nothing you couldn't have spent effort on by yourself.

0820, 11 August, A.D. 2072
Engineering Bay

Lana was both right and wrong.

"It's just even more gun!" Wilde at least looks positively pleased. "Horrible setup, prone to malfunctions, and probably going to blow up in your face if you keep trying it, but if all he wanted was an even bigger boom, then he got what he asked for!"

"They took the charging mechanisms of an Energy Blaster," Henry explains more calmly. "Then added about three more into the same firing mechanism. It's basically the understanding of 'if not enough, add more.' It does achieve what it's aiming for..."

"But it's like trying to fight your way through rush hour traffic with even more cars. Yeah, sure you can bull your way through it, but there's going to be one hell of a pileup sooner or later."

You blink. "...it's really all there was to it?" you ask incredulously.

"Not exactly." Henry takes over again. "I get the feeling this was an impulse modification on his part and wanting to do as much damage to the Timberwolf as he reasonably could in a short time. The weapon itself is really clumsy, but there's some downright elegant things we could do to make changes to it."

"Kinda like different hoses on a pressure washer," Wilde chimes in. "Only we're dealing with Kausen weapons-grade energy."

"Anything we can use?" You ask.

Both engineers nod emphatically.

"Then I want proposals on my desk next month. Let's see what else we can do with it."

The Duo have managed to gain some insights into the bulky blaster, and have some new ideas on how to modify our own current stock! New Actions unlocked next turn.

0842, 11 August, A.D. 2072
Engineering Bay

Your last visit is...odd.

"Dr. Ignatov." You blink at the display in front of you. "Why am I seeing camera drones without the engines?"

"Because we are trying a proof of concept, Major," the older man replies. Nodding to the assistant, he waves at the small display in front of you as the assistant puts on an MMI. The camera drones are all oddly shaped, looking more like giant sized ballpoint pens than anything else. "The simple truth of the matter is there are physical limitations to these 'funnels.' Unless you are where gravity is of no hindrance, you will require three things in total. An engine, a propulsion system, and the weapons system."

You can see the various discarded plans with that in mind on another screen. "You bashed your head against this one," you comment.

"I did. But I had a realization." He gestures to the camera drones. "If there simply is too much weight, then we must reduce the weight. And that means getting rid of one of the components. Or...at least sizing it down significantly."

Abruptly, the drone jerks upwards into the air, the fans firing at odd speed intervals, and jerking about here and there in strange angles. "The MMI can transmit psychic signals from the human brain," he says. "Can it then also automate the functions of a miniaturized generator?"

The answer comes shortly afterwards as the drone collapses onto the ground of the testing box, and the assistant takes off the MMI while rubbing his head.

"Our answer is a qualified yes. This has possibilities, and we can make it work. But this is sadly not something we can deem combat worthy at this time."

"Sam warned against trying to automate horse power a long time ago," you comment. "It's that much of a pain still?"

"Because you are willing the brain to effectively power a treadmill or hamster wheel, yes," Ignatov agrees. "And just like attempting it physically, it is currently an exhausting enterprise. So the answer must be to either size up the system - which is unfeasible for remote control firing mechanisms like this - or to miniaturize further and to allow the MMI to automate much of the work."

You have to admit that this was one of the more bizarre presentations you've run into.

Feasible, but you have some ways to go before you can make this a reality. New Action unlocked.

0921, 11 August, A.D. 2072
Examination Room, Xenotechnology

"Commandant."

"Zulu."

"Requesting analysis?"

"Yes."

The blank faced Drone tilts his head at you, before he kneels down and gingerly presents a tablet to you, very daintily held between his fingertips.

Bemused, you accept it - and you blink at the report. "Modularity is what you focused on?" you ask.

"Confirmed." Zulu tapped his fingers together. "Bandit's personal blaster - very modular. Can add and take away in matter of...hours." Zulu clearly has to think about interchanging human and Kausen terms, but he manages. "Most features - extraneous, irrelevant, not required. Brighter lights, additional exhaust vents, irrelevant to weapon use. However, modular nature of weapon much more intriguing. Attachment of power packs, or additional equipment onto existing equipment - possible. Further study required."

"What else?"

"Power core - minute charge of impure Energy Shard. Volatile energy source. Shards are consistent, stable. Inefficient processing leads to more...explosive results. Can be tapped by weapons system."

"Anything we can use?" This conversation is very curt and to the point.

"Yes. Proposals will be presented soon. For Science."

SCIENCE!

You sigh. Damnit, now Sam's got him doing it too.

Zulu's found some interesting insights in Bandit's original weapon system that could be of use to the Engineers. New Actions unlocked!

Basarin · Sep 12, 2021

1154, 11 August, A.D. 2072
Proving Grounds

"Got it!"

The orange-colored Jackal screeched across the dirt grounds, kicking up a horrendous amount of dirt and debris as it made a wide turn. Immediately Configuring back into mecha mode, the boisterous elder brother of the new AI siblings threw a hasty punch at the remote-controlled Centurion. The damage wasn't significant, but that wasn't the point - it forced the tank mecha to take a step back, and it knocked the gun arm away from pointing at him or his brother or sister. Perfect.

"That's right," he taunted, the young voice carrying a mechanical undertone to it like his fellows. "C'mon, focus on me!" He ducked a blast from the Centurion that went wide, slamming a fist into the 'stomach' of the opposing force - and winced as it impacted. That hurt, honestly! "Iris, could you hurry up and-!?"

Immediately, his IFF began to register a strong signal emanating from the Centurion. Targeting coordinates, outlines, even predictive tracking all began to overlay over his vision. "I handled it two seconds ago," his sister's voice chimed in. A moment later, the more lithe form of Iris slammed a fist into the back of the Centurion's knee, forcing it to kneel as she then vaulted over its shoulder. Skidding against the dirt, Iris gave Charlie a blank look. "You were making enough noise, no one noticed."

Both siblings leaned back as another blast barely flew in between them, creating a fresh crater in a distant mound. As dirt and dust rained down on them, Charlie grinned. "Frankie, you're up!" Both he and Iris immediately Configured back into Jackal forms before racing in opposite direction, the Centurion's targeting momentarily stalled between identifying which to target.

A moment which cost it, as a miniature sun's worth of Energy Blaster slammed into the battered frame. The gun arm disintegrated, with exposed wiring slowly frying from the heat and energy as the targeted Centurion nearly collapsed. Yet it got to its feet, and barely turned towards the direction where Frankie was already shouldering the heavy-set Energy Blaster-

-but in turn, Charlie and Iris were already slamming their fists into it. "Guys, wait up!" Frankie grumbled. "Always getting started without me..."

The Siblings have revealed their stat blocks!

'Argonauts'
Charlie, Frankie, and Iris
Actions: 1
Developing Teamwork: At the end of every turn, roll at Disadvantage (1d6), Threshold of 6. If successful, bank a Free Action next turn.
Combined Strikes
- Roll 2d6, Threshold of 5-6. Inflicts 2 HP damage.
- Roll at Disadvantage (1d6) on a successful hit. Inflict 2 HP damage immediately.
- Recharge: Can be used every turn.
Setting An Example
- Charlie can force the enemy to target himself (and by extension the Argonauts).
- Counts as One Action.
- Roll 2d6, Threshold of 5-6.
- Duration: 1 Turn
- Recharge: 1 Turn
- If using ability on enemy with Targeting Beacon, all attempted enemy attacks on Argonauts will trigger a Free Action of Combined Strikes at Disadvantage (1d6), Threshold of 6.
Heavy Weapons Strike
- Frankie can make a Heavy Weapons Strike at 3d6, Threshold of 4-6. Inflicts 3 HP damage.
- If targeting an enemy with Targeting Beacon, Roll at Disadvantage (1d6), Threshold of 4-6. Success will allow a free additional Heavy Weapons Strike.
- Counts as One Action.
- Recharge: 3 Turns.
Targeting Beacon
- Iris can place a Targeting Beacon onto a declared Enemy.
- Roll 2d6, Threshold of 5-6. Success will grant bonuses to other Argonauts and to the Perseus (see specific character sheets).
- On a Critical Success (6, 6), Argonauts gain a Free Action.
- Counts as One Action.
- Duration: 2 Turns
- Recharge: 3 Turns.
Agile
- May roll to avoid a successful enemy attack at 2d6, Threshold of 4-6.
- Diminishing Returns: After two successful agile rolls, Threshold increases to 5-6.
The Backup:
- Can be targeted by enemies to delay Strike. If Enemy successfully hits, a random Argonauts refresh is delayed by One Turn (subject to 1D3 roll). Does not apply to Character specific abilities.
- Benefits from Tellison's Inspiring Leadership - can attempt Combined Strikes when Perseus makes a Strike (applies once per turn, does not stack w/Notable). Roll at Disadvantage (1d6), Threshold of 5-6.
- Applies every Combat Round.

1158, 11 August, A.D. 2072
Proving Grounds

"Front! Enemy Jackal, bearing down on us!"

"Identified, loading high explosive!"

"Fire!"

The forearm-mounted cannons barked harshly as high explosive rounds sent the latest remote Jackal tumbling along, its windows cracked and the wheels already starting to bend on their axles. But the Perseus's pilots were not even paying attention to that just yet - as more Jackals began to converge on them, mimicking the swarm tactics that the Westphalians seemed so fond of using, Oscar was already pinging targets. Zhang immediately responded a second later, the combat shield deploying along the other arm as cannon rounds began to impact against it, with all the rapidity of a miniature rainstorm.

The shield came crashing down onto the nearest Jackal, hurling it into its fellows as Zhang forced the Perseus's mighty weight against it. Even as their momentum carried them forwards, Oscar was already slamming their free fist into another, the fist penetrating the midsection of the vehicle before triggering the explosive shot. Both pilots winced from the uncomfortable warmth along their right hands, but they were already moving on, Oscar finishing the shield bash even as Zhang was kicking their foot against some nearby wreckage, sending another formation scattering.

On, and on, and on. Slowly, the verbal commands were growing more and more curt, the extra communications not so strictly necessary and more for the battle recorder's and tower control's benefit. Whatever Oscar was seeing, Zhang was already acting on it. He felt her intent at another incoming target, and was already following through. There were times when their wills clashed momentarily, but it took all but a few moments to resolve a ompromise, and the weight of Perseus's blows slowed, but never quite ceased.

For the briefest of times, there was no Oscar Tellison or Xiu Ying Zhang.

There was only the Perseus.

Note: The following Stats are additions to the current Pilot Statistics (which will be updated in the future):

Tellison Updated Stats
Inspiring Leadership update:
Argonauts:
- Argonaut Mecha can attempt Combined Strikes when Perseus makes a Strike (applies once per turn, does not stack w/Notable). Roll at Disadvantage (1d6), Threshold of 5-6.
Psychic Unison: For One Turn, All Rolls gain +1d6
- Duration: 1 Turn (ends at the start of Perseus's next Turn)
- Can only be used Once per Combat
Targeting Beacon: Roll at Disadvantage (1d6). On a 6, deal +1 HP to next attack.

Zhang Updated Stats
Actions: 1+1 (Psychic Theater)
- Can use Zhang's Actions for the Perseus
Synchronize: Once per turn, Perseus may re-roll a failed Defensive save. You must keep the new roll.

1220, 11 August, A.D. 2072
Proving Grounds

This is the theme I usually have in mind whenever I imagine the Thunderbolt being summoned.

Why yes, I am wearing my inspirations on my sleeve.

Then there was one particular part of the Training Grounds that had a wide exclusion zone.

"Thunderbolt! Come here!"

The reborn dropship screamed towards the earth, with a speck of barely perceived red light colliding with it momentarily. A localized tornado swirled around the dropship, and recordings could barely perceive the Configuration of the Super Robot inside as legs began to extend, arms began to unfold, and the head unit unfurled, bright light pooling from its optics-

-and the storm of wind immediately broke, scattering the wreckage of Jessica Satsuma's training all around at high speeds. Fresh Jackals and Centurions arose from prepositioned areas to engage, only to be literally swept away in the localized storms that seemed to now serve as the Thunderbolt's propulsion. Its fist slammed into a Centurion's head unit, all but caving it in as she then flung it towards another before dashing to the next, never stopping as fierce blow after fierce blow began to undo the opposition mustered to test her.

Jessica was suspended in a bright chamber of light within the Thunderbolt. Yet she felt it. The rush of wind, even as no wind brushed against her hair. The feeling of her fist slamming into metal, even as she didn't move an inch inside of the protected cockpit chamber. She could feel the winds rushing to meet her call, even if intellectually she knew that the C-Crystal's modifications ensured that the jet engines were providing all of the supercharged winds necessary for any of this to happen.

But there was one more thing she needed to test. One more to prove to Major Devin before she could walk away, call it a day, and declare herself ready.

The engines along her forearms shook and whined, reaching a fever pitch as funnels of directed wind caught one last Centurion drone. It braced itself, trying to rely on its heavier weight to keep it on the ground. As it felt itself losing that battle, feeling tons of metal slowly being dragged away, it grabbed at a nearby piece of wreckage.

All it achieved was delaying the inevitable as it was sent flying into the air. For a moment, its black box would record that it could see all of the Campus grounds - even sailing past a startled bird. Then as it came crashing back down to Earth...

That same tornado was rushing up to meet it, the localized storm known as the Thunderbolt rushing upwards with a fist drawn back.

"Tornado Strike!"

You blink as you watch the Thunderbolt break the Centurion in two - then you wince as you watch the wreckage come falling a little too close to the boundaries of the Proving Grounds.

The Regent pulses slightly next to you - almost as if it were feeling a little sheepish.

"That's the third time," you mutter.

"Sorry," it mutters back, even if it sounds pleased at it all.

Actions per Turn: 1
Notable Character:
- Can make two attacks per turn at 2d6 (damage depends on Mecha). Counts as a single Action.
Aggressive:
- Can take Two Actions per turn if it means she is attacking.
- Does not apply for Strike (no overlap with Notable); specifically marked for offensive abilities. Can be upgraded.
Champion: Bears the C-Crystal. Bestows the following:
- Determination: If reduced to 50% or below, regain 4 HP immediately. Applies Once per Combat.
- Further bonuses will increase w/experience

SCR-03E Thunderbolt
HP: 14 HP
Limited Agility: Can make One Agile roll every three turns at Disadvantage (1d6, Threshold of 4-6) to avoid a successful enemy attack.
Strikes:
- Roll 2d6, 1 HP Inflicted. Notable Bonus may apply.
- Counts as One Action.
Heavy Weapons: Can mount the basic Heavy Weapons Pack at no cost.
- Can be equipped with updated Heavy Weapons.
- Can make a Heavy Weapon Strike as a free action at Advantage (3d6, Threshold of 5-6, damage depends on package) every three turns.
The Warlord's Wrath:
- You may FIRE EVERYTHING at a single target once per Deployment. Treat this as a Heavy Weapons Strike. After calculating damage as normal, double it.
- If you use this, Heavy Weapons are disabled for the rest of the Deployment.
Layered Armor Plating:
- Once per turn, roll at Disadvantage (1d6), Threshold of 5-6. On success, ignore the damage of any attack above 4 HP.
Ramming Speed:
- May roll to ram an enemy at high speeds at 2d6, Threshold of 5-6, inflicts 2 HP. Success may have additional effects if declared prior to attack, to be ruled by QM.
- You may attempt a free Follow-On Strike at regular 2d6 test if Ramming Speed is successful.
- Counts as One Action.
- Dynamic Entry: On Combat Turn One, you may initiate Ramming Speed as your first action. Roll as normal. Inflict 4 HP, but you may not take the Follow-On Strike. This still counts as one Action.
Tornado Strike:
- Finishing Strike
- One crushing blow that will inflict 8 HP.
- Test roll situational.
Upgrade Slots: Has 2 Upgrade Slots
NOTE: May exhibit additional traits with introduction of K-Class upgrades.
Combine: Combine is possible, but you must research it first with this Core Unit.

Basarin · Sep 12, 2021

"Sam Carlson here!" A familiar jingle plays as the laboratory logo flashes by the screen. "As most of you know, we here at Carlson Laboratories made our chops through reverse engineering Kaiju flesh."

The image of the original Sample Zero suspended in preservation liquid displays, followed by the many, many culture tanks of new sample carvings growing around it. "This is one of the bedrocks of what makes the Union's Super Robot Project even possible! K-Class is light-!"

An image of a massive, leathery sheet of K-Scale Mesh being draped over a cockpit unit shows, with only eight interns and a crane needed to lift the whole thing.

"-it's tough as nails-!"

The sight of the Timberwolf taking the Dragon's horned charge head on and barely being phased flashes by in a transparent replay.

"-and it's cheap as cola! Now, only problem with it - it's a material of very particular skills. You can't make weapons out of it, and it knows when you're trying to trick it." A stick figure holding the paper cut out image of armor plating is immediately bonked over the head by an animated scale-wielding hammer, forcing the paper cutout to reveal a sword. The figure is promptly thrown off screen. "Trust us-" A ruined pilebunker, spear, and sword - followed by the frustrated appearances of Wilde and Henry over the attempts - flash by as well. "-we tried."

"But! Thanks to Richard Callaghan's efforts, we've reverse engineered the latest breakthrough in K-Class Materials! Ladies and gents, I present to you the K-Fang."

The Dragon's Horn is shown suspended in its own preservation liquid, with its own carvings being grown in surrounding vats. Various researchers and interns are rushing back and forth, fishing mostly complete sample growths for further processing while wearing hazardous material handling suits. "Just like the K-Scale, it's a material of very particular skills. But! It works just a bit differently when we try using it for our own purposes!"

The images of what appear to be melted down Kaiju bone grown from Sample One appear, the liquefied (and frankly gross) organic material pouring into hollowed out molds of what look to be a drill. "Our earlier hypotheses were correct - you can't fashion anything out of the K-Fang like you can with the K-Scale, but you can sure as hell mold it into something workable! It's a little clunky, but we discovered that it does the job really well!"

The drill is mounted onto an excavator, and brought to a test wall for trial runs - what follows is the frantic scattering of researchers and engineers as the drill plows through the wall, through the next few empty vat sections, through a canteen annex's coffee vats, and into an icecream delivery truck.

Followed shortly by a group of researchers eating the ice cream from said truck before the cooks can grab it back from them. "I've also reconfirmed that mint chocolate chip is the best flavor, fight me."

"In short - we can start designing Super Robot-grade weapons using the K-Fang Molds! That should give that hack Sheol a nice shock. But we're still trying to iron out the finer details on some things, so not everything is going to be perfect. Simple shapes and weapons, like a drill - heh - a sword, or a spear (really takes well to that one understandably), those are gonna be fine. More complicated mechanical pieces or ammunition's going to be a little more fiddly. More Science is needed!"

SCIENCE!

You can now begin designing K-Fang derivative weapons! Engineering Actions unlocked. Science Actions Unlocked.

SCIENCE.

"Damned right. But if you thought this was the end of the report, I got news for you! Ivanna?"

A picture of Ivanna's avatar appears in the corner of the screen. "We have reason to believe that the K-Scale materials can be used for more than just augmentation of existing equipment. Until now, we have mostly supplemented the Super Robots with armor, but the Engineering teams have realized its use in construction applications. After running extensive testing, we have concluded that wholesale use of K-Scale derivatives as a construction block is feasible."

The video now displays a side by side comparison of a standard set of Jackal internal armor plates and a rough equivalent constructed entirely from K-Scale mesh. "It is...a little disconcerting, I will admit. Until electromagnetic shocks are applied to harden it into its proper shape, it will maintain its original consistency, leaving maintenance...a little to be desired. But it is possible to replace what were once entirely metallic components with K-Scale. It just requires an appropriate mold and careful shaping."

Another video of a test-model Jackal being constructed from the ground up is displayed. Though the skeletal structure remains mechanical, limb by limb several sheets of K-Scale are woven around each until it is hardened by the applied shock. The arm flexes, then grips its fist tightly, showing no loss of flexibility or freedom of motion. "The immediate benefit is that we have a new classification of K-Scale Mesh. But in the longterm? This provides entirely new possibilities that will require further research. I only advise caution in this - we already fight Kaiju. We should be careful about creating our own, lest we lose control."

"You heard it from her, folks! It's all fun and games until we have a baby Godzilla that doesn't play nice with us anymore! Not saying we couldn't do it, but it just probably isn't a good idea or good scientific endeavors."

K-Scale Mesh Mk. II available!
- You may attempt to reduce damage at a 2d6 roll (Threshold of 5-6).
- Reduce damage by -2 HP.
- Applies once per combat turn.
- Chance to reduce post-combat downtime.

"Sam Carlson, we're done here!"

Basarin · Sep 13, 2021

I was not expecting to kick off a discussion over ice cream, but as we all know: ice cream is in fact serious business!

(Especially when you've got a tiny bit of fresh coffee and vanilla ice cream, that's also a damned good one)

Anyways! On to the next segment!

15 August A.D. 2072
Carlson Laboratories

Your itinerary has been more than a little strange this past month or so. The Sergey Gorshkov is due to conduct its launch ceremony soon - you are not missing this for the world - and the Engineering department's been either going mad over or just getting mad at the wreckage that Bandit had left behind. You've signed off on adding a secondary team for the Engineers to delegate some of the more mundane aspects of the job (which was to say, they were still developing Super Robot weapons that seemed to make physicists' heads hurt according to Max). And now...

This.

"When you said you were keeping in touch with some of your old peers," you say slowly, "I wasn't expecting a turnout quite like this." You haven't quite entered the conference room, so the various teams surrounding the project heads that had come answering the call were intermingling with one another. Katarina had managed to rally the mess hall to provide a food spread on short notice, while Ivanna and Adriana worked around the clock to verify the teams' academic and security credentials respectively.

That's not the issue. What is the issue is the fact that Sam and Max make things interesting in this section of the base already. God only knows what five of them combined would do - Sam, Max, and these three. That, and certainly not the pot and a half of coffee you've drunk, are contributing to the fact that your eyebrows are twitching. Yes.

"So." Max seems inordinately pleased. "I might have let it slip that my esteemed personage, along with the infamous Sam Carlson, were the brainchildren behind the Super Robot project. And if we of all people can make a comeback with the Super Robots, then they sure as hell can."

You see a woman in a disheveled laboratory coat and with really, really thick glassers bantering with Wilde and Henry, the rapid back and forth already culminating into a...you're not sure, but the woman seems to be trying to demonstrate his point balancing several pieces of fruit and a soda bottle. "That's Mary McCullough. She did her thesis on a new synthetic crystal - by new, I mean they were looking into this about five years ago. Supposedly it functions really well as both a conductor and as a charge source, just never got any funding or support to give it a try." You have no idea what connection the props have to do with any of that, and you're not sure you want to ask too closely.

Your attention then turns to a slim man simply raising an eyebrow at some of the anecdotes Jiro seems to be retelling about the Yukimura Institute. He seems relatively quiet, only responding in specific questions and giving specific answers, but otherwise seems quite engaged. You soon learn why: "That's Zhang Ru. He got struck down real quick. He's still teaching in China, but he reached out to Yukimura about the whole Aeon Particle thing, and he thinks he's found a similar alternate dimension thing that's bleeding energy."

Finally, you see a rather...animated man. He appeared in a business suit, there's not a speck of lint or dirt on his person, and there's a broad, affable smile on his face. But the only thing that ruins that particular image is the rather...intense look in his eyes, particularly that of keen interest in Sam's discussions on what sound like the analysis on the original Sample Zero (though a message from Adriana assures you he's not talking about anything specific). "That's Victor Forge. Reconstructive nanites." You look at her blankly. "No, I'm not kidding-oh, you don't know what that means. Basically tiny nanomachine swarms that are directed to build things. He's not someone with a power source idea per se, but I figured you wanted more of us in the tent rather than wandering off doing god knows what."

You conclude after a moment that she's not wrong.

Something that only gets confirmed as a familiar presence slaps a hand on your shoulder. You metaphorically pat yourself on the back for not jumping, at least outwardly. "Heh, still gotcha," Anna pokes. Damn. "And thanks, Max. You're right in that we really don't want these guys going somewhere else."

"And where the hell have you been recently?" You pointedly ask.

"Usual coverup operations after that little shindig you had with the Free Brothers recently," she replies cheerily. "You'd be surprised just how much stuff gets left behind even when you think you've picked the area clean."

You decide you're just going to take Anna's word on how effective Intelligence's forensics teams actually are, and move on before you ask questions you're not sure you even have clearance to even ask. "So I take it you and Adriana already vetted our guests?" you ask dryly.

"Job's a good one, boss!" Adriana pipes in.

"They all signed a nondisclosure agreement to just get in the doorway," Anna confirms. "They have to, if we're going to let them anywhere near our stuff or Ground Pound's."

"Feels like I'm inflicting someone onto Major Jenkins rather than helping her with them," you comment idly.

"We resemble that!"

Ignoring Max's outburst, you nod. "So time to get to grips with them one on one then?"

"Yep." You sigh, but you straighten your uniform, accept the refill of coffee that Anna so thoughtfully offers you, and you glance across the board. It's time to evaluate who should go to Ground Pound's project to help them get a leg up on things, and who you think could actually stay here and help.

God help you, there's going to be more of Sam and Max. You're not sure the universe is ready for this.

Who do you talk to first?

[] Mary McCollough: Synthetic power crystals

[] Zhang Ru: Power Bleed

[] Victor Forge: Reconstructive Nanites

Basarin · Sep 14, 2021

1310, 15 August A.D. 2072
Carlson Laboratories

"...and as you can clearly see, once it's fully realized, faedium has the possibility of causing some pretty seismic shifts across manufacturing and scientific endeavors!" For once in your life, you see Wilde and Henry being simply silent - whether that was because they were struck dumb by the possibilities offered by Mary's brief explanation, or they were having trouble with the fruit setup she'd used as analogies, you're not entirely sure. "And another thing-"

"-you've got our boss standing right behind you," Henry points out.

"Your boss?" Immediately, the scientist spins around, and you see a woman with frizzy brown hair and glasses thick enough to almost completely obscure her eyes. The lights that reflect off of her glasses seem to make the spectacles glow as a result. Aside from a lab coat she'd hastily thrown on, a simple t-shirt and jeans sums up the outfit she wore to a semi-professional interview. "Mary McCullough - just leave it at Mary, my last name's a bit of a mouthful." She extends her hand -

- only for you to realize that she's snatched your coffee mug from your hands and was downing the substance like water. "Your coffee is acceptable. Max tells me you're the sort who doesn't mind taking risks on new ideas for the Super Robot Project."

You just blink - you're pretty sure that despite a relatively deadpan tone of voice, Mary hasn't bothered to pause to even take a breath. You wordlessly accept the extended coffee mug Anna offers, ignoring how she seems to be enjoying this. "That's right. And if I don't take you, I know someone who would badly like to make use of what you offer."

"Good. Necessity and desperation are fertile grounds for risk taking. Your situation doesn't seem desperate, but necessity alone works too." Another swig of the coffee. Despite drinking from your particular blend, the caffeine doesn't seem to do much to her monotone posture, even as her free hand makes constant gestures. "Based my thesis on a new synthetic rubric for a crystal focus. I label it faedium. Don't ask why, I'm the one who discovered it, I get to name it."

"Fair enough?" If Sam is allowed to call the kaiju products K-Class, then Mary can call this thing whatever she wants... "What does it do?" You have a rough idea, but you brace for an inevitable deluge of information-

"Power conductivity and storage."

You blink. "That's...it?"

"No." Despite the monotone, you can sense a long standing sense of exasperation and annoyance. "Okay, yes, technically that is the summation of what it can theoretically do. However, what I am outlaying is a radical miniaturization of a standard power source. A small sliver would theoretically be able to power a calculator with an effective battery even smaller than the standard. I've run the numbers, and they would be able to bond together for greater capacity."

"I'm hearing a lot of theoretical," you point out. Again, you know the rough gist of it, but you want to hear this all from the horse's mouth. "I understand you weren't able to make a lot of headway."

"Correct." Again, there is no variation to the monotone to her voice. Yet it drips annoyance and frustration all the same. "It needs funding. Needs facilities, dedicated staff. My university wasn't willing to do that. Neither were any of the authorities in Unity Station or any regional facility." The coffee cup long set aside, Mary pulls down her glasses to wipe it down. The motion is quick enough you never catch the color of her eyes.

"So." You decide to try a different tact. "Could the crystal - sorry, faedium - bond with other crystals?"

"I don't see why not.Likely it would take on more of the characteristics of the host crystal, but I would require further testing." The question seems to bemuse her, but Mary is actively thinking it over, scratching her head. "Size and volume would have to be factored in, and nothing would actually beat tests. But possibly."

"Last question for you then." You idly note that Wilde and Henry had beat feet awhile ago - you're not sure why that was the case. "Just from what you understand of the Super Robot - how would you see faedium fitting in?"

"Weapon amplification," Mary immediately responds. "Current weapons hardware are limited by power bottlenecks. Could be possibly modified to serve as a conventional power source. A larger frame would require a larger fabrication of a focusing crystal, but it potentially would serve your purpose."

You nod. Mary seems absolutely confident in her product's future potential, but she still speaks in theoreticals. She's not making any promises she won't be able to keep, since she technically doesn't have a complete product to offer to you just yet. "I'll need to decide which project you'll be fitting into," you tell her, "but we've taken chances on lots of projects before. So long as faedium can contribute to the project, we'll be more than happy to have you."

"Good. Good to be appreciated. Less so to be ridiculed. Have had enough of that lately." With that, she shuffles along elsewhere, looking to poke at another of the DFRI staff.

- No working prototype, but a strong theoretical framework
- Power amplification and focusing - potential for weapon strengthening
- Utiilty for Ground Pound: Unconventional power source that could potentially solve its generator problems

Well. That leaves two other candidates...

[] Zhang Ru: Power Bleed

[] Victor Forge: Reconstructive Nanites

Basarin · Sep 16, 2021

1335, 15 August A.D. 2072
Carlson Laboratories

"Dr. Zhang?"

"Hm?" Looking up, Zhang Ru turns his attention towards you. A thin, gaunt man, Zhang wears a suit that seems perhaps a size too large for him. Thinning black hair clings to his scalp, and his brown eyes seem both intensely focused and somewhat glazed over. "Ah. You must be Major Devin." He extends his hand, and upon shaking you discover his grip is surprisingly strong. "Dr. Zhang Ru, as you have already surmised. I understand you are willing to hear out the more unorthodox individuals' theories." He gestured to Jiro with a nod. "I was speaking with Mr. Yukimura about his uncle's thesis."

"Sorry I couldn't answer too much about the specifics." Jiro sounded apologetic, but a closer look at his face shows you that he's actually a little unsettled around Zhang. Yet he still remains respectful around him. "The best I can tell you is that the Aeon particles show up from an alternate dimension of...some kind. Not too sure Uncle Rin knows the exact details either."

"And isn't that the exciting bit?" Here, Zhang's expression turns a surprisingly familiar blend of manic. It's the same look that Sam and Max have when they really get into the zone - only they at least have Ivanna to smack them with a dose of sense. "Dr. Yukimura did share some of his equations with me, which I based my own theorems on."

"And I take it you didn't get much support?" you ask. "That seems to be the going trend with a lot of the super science I'm running into." For the sake of politeness, you were not going to call it 'mad science,' at least until you get to know these people better.

"There was an...incident." Zhang does not seem to be in any mood to volunteer more information in this forum - but you can already sense that Anna's already putting that incident on her to-do list to dig more into. "With my only working prototype. Which is still intact, but until I have more secure facilities, the risk is a little extreme."

More oxymoronic words you haven't heard. "Suppose you should tell me what all of it...is, and what it does."

"If we are being pedantic, it is an offshoot of the Aeon Particle theorum," Zhang admits. "I dub it the Fulgur Particle."

"A bit close to the nose, isn't it?" Jiro asks, his curiosity overcoming his initial uncertainty.

"A little bit," Zhang agrees. "I discovered it while attempting to validate and recreate the methods that Dr. Yukimura came across the Aeon particles. What I discovered was...different."

You blink. Just the emphasis placed on that word sounded ominous. "Different how?" you ask.

"Allow me to summarize." Possibly without even really realizing it, Zhang's posture shifts, his hands linking together behind his back as he paces slightly. "Aeon particles, for lack of a better word, bleed into this reality. The particles, when accumulated into a generation or power source such as the one that powers Mercury V, can generate a potent amount of energy. One strong enough to contend with the kaiju, and more often than not win. They tend to accumulate in certain parts of the world, though for what reasons we haven't been able to discern just yet."

He shifted, his lecturing continuing as he spun on one heel. "However. when I attempted to recreate the experiments, I found something altogether different. If the Aeon particles are less potent but long lasting, the Fulgur particles are violent. Aggressive. And quite destructive if you do not channel it properly."

You've worked with Max long enough to realize a portion of what happened with said 'incident.'

Zhang seems as if he's about to add another detail about it, but he pauses, then simply shifts the topic. "As I said before, I do have a working prototype, albeit a very scaled down one. It is not enough to power a Super Robot - or at least not for very long, given I lack a frame of reference for its power consumption rates. But if given time, resources and a secure facility to test this in, I am confident that I can channel Fulgur particles into something truly potent. Tempests in a bottle, you might say."

"That's a bold claim," you say. You've seen enough miracles performed by your own team that you're not gobsmacked or incredulous like others would be.

"One that I would not make were I not confident in it," Zhang replies, a slight smirk matching the manic look in his glazed yet focused eyes. "I have signed your nondisclosure agreements already, so I know that some part of the Union apparatus is willing to take a chance. Whether this facility or another, I promise you, Major. I will work wonders with the Fulgur particles."

He never raises his voice, yet Zhang has all of the animated enthusiasm that Sam would show on his more bombastic report logs. "I look forward to seeing what you can do, Dr. Zhang," you simply say.

As you part ways from him, and he grabs Jiro for another round of questioning about his uncle's work, Anna intercepts you. "Already looked into it," she whispers to you. "He did a scale test of the Fulgur particles, and it went kaboom pretty quick, so the potency part of the story checks out. That wasn't all there was to it."

"What now?" you sigh.

"It left lingering nightmares with people in a two mile radius," she replies. You stare. "Nope, not kidding. Pretty horrific stuff too. Mentions of glowing eyes, the sense of being followed, all sorts of stuff. So it's powerful stuff, and at a glance from a non scientific gal, it'll probably do what he claims it does. But that's going to take some getting used to."

"Hmm." You give a noncommittal grunt as you ponder what you've learned.

- Existing scaled prototype
- Incredibly powerful and violent surges of energy, can be channeled into a power source
- Apparently inspires lingering nightmares
- Utility for Ground Pound: Ideal, would solve its power source problems easily. Just mind the nightmares...

I will post the final conversation later this week.

Basarin · Sep 17, 2021

1352, 15 August A.D. 2072
Carlson Laboratories

"...so anyways, that demonstration is how I lost my Unity Station researcher privileges!"

Sam blinks. "Huh. So that's how that sorted out. I kind of figured they would've canned you before the-" He stops as he sees you approaching. "Heya, John! Come check this joker out." Grabbing at the man's shoulders, Sam pulled him in to introduce him. "Victor Forge, John Devin, John Devin, Victor Forge."

"Charmed!" Victor Forge is a portly, but sharply dressed man. He strikes you as typical of the 'jolly old man' type - broad smile, bright cheery eyes behind a pair of spectacles, and a constant grin on his face. Yet as you move to pull away from shaking his hand-

-the hand not only refuses to release its grip, it all but pops out of his wrist!

You just blink, holding the hand up as you look at it calmly. "...uh." The hand, on closer inspection, seems made out of what feels like a strange mix between plastic and metal, yet it feels reassuringly solid. The wrist at the end, however, seems to be constantly in flux, almost like pixels constantly fading in and out of visual range. A moment later, the whole hand disappears, only to reappear on Victor's previously disattached wrist.

"Oh, you're no fun!" Yet Victor is still chortling heartily, even as his other hand is already passing credit bills into Sam's extended hand. "That party trick usually gets a stronger reaction out of people!"

"He's used to it," Sam says. Well, he's not wrong, you kind of are.

"I take it these are the nanites at work?" you ask.

"Very, very, very tiny version of it," Victor confirms, holding his fingers slightly apart from one another for emphasis. "This is a very limited version of the Polymorph Nanites." He holds out his hand again, and only now do you realize that he seems to have to think about it before the hand begins to move. It grips, then releases slowly as he twists it about. "It's about what you expect - enough small machines are pre-fed materials, and are pre-programmed into specific functions. Fairly energy intensive, and both inflexible and the most flexible thing you'll ever find. I had hoped to market it, but..."

"Incident. Got it." By now, you're realizing this is just a common trend, and you just roll with it. "But this seems really solid, and I know a few engineering officers that would've killed to have something like this on demand."

"There's the rub, isn't it?" Victor simply shrugs and spreads his arms apologetically. "There's also practical limitations I have. Once you have it all set up, it's fairly plug and play. But it's really energy intensive, both for setup, and for actual use." To demonstrate, he pulls up his sleeve, and reveals a somewhat bulky battery strapped to his forearm. He flicks it off, and the nanites all disperse, leaving a clawed prosthetic arm in its place. "It also requires a solid frame to build a skeleton off of."

"How strong is it?"

"How strong do you want it to be?" he counters. "And how much energy are you willing to put into it?"

You pause, thinking that over. "Giant robot-grade limbs?"you ask. "Changing components? Engine parts, moving pieces?"

"Entirely possible. But also probably enough to suck up a years' worth of power for a rural town." He holds up a clawed finger. "Like I said, though, it's really durable and tough. If you're willing to put in the investment for it, you could probably create preprogrammed setups for regenerating hull strength. Actual regeneration would depend on how much power is available, mind - and I'd love to experiment with more powerful computer systems to see if more complex formations could be possible."

"So long as you're not going to prank the faculty staff again," Sam jabs at him.

"Lies and slander, good sir!" All seriousness fades away as Victor turns towards Sam in faux indignation. "I have a rock solid alibi for that incident, and they can never prove that I preprogammed that many drones to specifically play-!"

You simply back away while the conversation picks up again before you can listen to something possibly incriminating, and you just shake your head towards Anna as she raises her eyebrows. No you don't want to know.

- Existing (but small) prototype)
- Power intensive, but potentially very versatile and tough with regeneration
- Can assume multiple shapes, but power intensive
- Utility for Ground Pound: would be of significant interest, super durable and tough materials for frontline use

You have some time after everything calms down. The impromptu party at least was fun, but now you have to knuckle down and figure out what your final decision would be. You can probably get away with poaching one or two of the experts, but you owe Lenora Jenkins the unorthodox expertise she needs to make her brawler Super Robot a success.

So, what will it be?

Choose One from each category!

[] Faedium: DFRI
[] Faedium: Ground Pound

[] Fulgur Particles: DFRI
[] Fulgur Particles: Ground Pound

[] Polymorph Nanites: DFRI
[] Polymorph Nanites: Ground Pound

Basarin · Sep 18, 2021

0723, 18 August A.D. 2072
Command Center

"Sir, you have an incoming call!"

You glance up from the various reports filtering across your screen. The day had started quietly enough - wake up, coffee, and fifteen minutes of calm before the inevitable madness came sweeping through. Already, the engineers were making inquiring noises about the Faedium that Mary had brought onboard, and even Patch had caught some wind of it after having come by earlier alongside Cavalier.

There are days if you should get Wilde to actually put up one of his goofy signs advertising a refuge for mad scientists on the front gate. You then immediately discard the idea - it might actually work, and you'd rather adjust to Mary's particular blend of madness before you advertise bringing on even more.

"Thanks, Katarina," you say. "Who is it?"

"Major Jenkins. Should I put her through?"

"Oooh, right." Forge and Zhang should have arrived by now, haven't they? "Go ahead, put her through."

"Devin." Lenora's face appears in a console window on the corner. "Appreciate the assist...at least, I think I should be thanking you. I'm not so sure about that yet."

"They haven't burnt down Aberdeen already, have they?" you ask, only half-joking.

"Not yet. But Morgan's already losing his mind over Forge's nanites, and we're going to give it a test run by building the containment facility for Zhang's prototypes." She pauses, looking over some of the notes you passed along. "Are the nightmare things actually a thing?"

"As far as we can tell, yeah," you confirm. "Just don't tell him you know that part, he hasn't officially told us that yet."

"Feign ignorance and shock if or when it happens, got it. But if it works as advertised, that's going to solve a lot of our problems between Forge and Zhang."

"Anything interesting?"

"Forge and Morgan are already going over how to strengthen the prototype's skeletal frame, and we're going to test and see how feasible we can create one single power source to power the whole thing. No real clue what form that's going to take just yet, but you've turned my time schedule into a year rather than years."

"Happy to help," you answer honestly. "Just one word of caution?" When Lenora tilts her head at you inquisitively, you continue, "You can tell your experts what they shouldn't do, and you definitely should tell them what you want. But don't tell them how to do it, not in a micromanaging way. Let them come up with ideas on how to get to where you want them to go, pick what you like, and pray to heaven that it works."

"That's your playbook?"

"Didn't exactly have a 100% success rate all of the time," you admit. Some of the more unusual accidents from the Science and Engineering departments come to your mind unbidden - the K-Scale vat explosion, the near miss experience with Callaghan and the CRX prototype, and the recent K-Fang development cycle. "But reign them in when they're going a bit too far, and you should be fine."

"Should. Heh. Well, wish me luck - hopefully I actually get results now that I have something that could work."

As you close the link, you resolve to keep an eye on Jenkins' project. A tech swap down the road might be in the cards - but for the moment, she didn't have any tech to swap yet. You just had to give it time.

Operation: Ground Pound development kickstarted with Victor Forge and Zhang Ru.
Major Devin will check back in with them in approximately six turns.

0952, 15 August A.D. 2072
Xenotechnology Laboratories

For lack of a better place to put her for the moment, Sam and Max opened up a small wing in the Xenotechnology wing. What few assistants Mary has brought with her are already setting up her equipment, and various whiteboards are already being transcribed with her formulas.

"Major. Much appreciated." Mary emerges from behind one of the whiteboards, a marker in one hand and a thick stack of papers in the other. Aside from the DFRI logo pinned to her lab coat collar, she looks about as disheveled as she did a few days ago. You still can't see past her glasses, whose light seems to cast light wherever she stares. "Can actually go about testing. Experimenting." Her hand crunches parts of her notes, a rare smile breaking across her face. "Eager to get started."

"Glad to hear it," you comment. "If you need anything, you can always ask myself, or Sam and Max. But now that you're in the know...Ivanna?"

"Here, Major." Ivanna's avatar appears, and she smiles warmly towards Mary. "Dr. McCullough, a pleasure to meet you! I'm Ivanna - I'm the Artificial Intelligence in charge of assisting research and development."

"A.I.? Sentient even? Intriguing." Mary looks at Ivanna for a moment, before nodding back. "Pleasure to meet you. Will have lots of inquiries and requests to run calculations soon."

"Of course! Just let me know - and, um, do please update your security files when you can, or-"

"Ivaaaaannaaaaa~!" Adriana's avatar rushes out, and tries to tackle Ivanna - only for the avatar to sidestep the digital missile. "That's my job!"

Mary blinks, then turns towards you. "Common occurrence?" she asks pointedly.

You just wearily nod.

"Curious." The small smile on Mary's face grows just a tiny amount. "What next? Friendly Kausen?"

"...about...that..."

New Science Advisor:
Mary McCullough
- Critical Successes explode. (The dice, that is, not her experiments. Usually.)

New Science Options available!

Super Robot Quest

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