(Production Retool (New Helm): 1 +17 (Kat) +13 (Andernia) = 31)
Progress: 6/8. In Progress.
(Production Retool (New Helm): 32 +7 (Dorothea) +13 (Andernia) = 52)
Progress: 8/8. Completed!
The Solar Drydock has completed retrofitting. It now increases Military by six (6), and decreases Resources by three (3), Wealth by six (6), and Influence by three (3).
"T-there!" The Nemesia Prism babbled, all but shoving the launch codes into the masked faces. "Here's what you need to take off, for sure this time! Now please, let the others go-"
The bridge flashed with light and blood suddenly coated half the control console. There was a curse a moment later and one of them elbowed the shooter. "You dolt, the price just went down! The collectors paying for pristine ships, not ones with blood on them!"
"We'll lie and tell them it was taken from the battle," they suggested with a shrug and holstered their smoking gun. "That'll drive the price back up, knowing those maniacs. Doesn't matter either way, we're about to make more credits than any of us have ever seen before!"
"True," conceded their comrade before activating their radio. "We have the codes. Get ready for take-off."
"
What about the other hostages?"
The casual execution order was on their lips but they paused, an idea coming to mind. With a nasty smirk, they explained their new plan. "Throw them into the brig! We'll make a bit extra on top with some slaves."
"
A little tip on top of our sale? We really should raid the Frontier more, these dumb fucks are a free piggy bank!" The cruel chuckle was matched by the other hijackers on the bridge of the stolen Wisteria-class destroyer, absolutely sure that they would get away with their biggest heist yet. Nothing could stop them as the ship began to maneuver for launch from the storage bay.
They didn't notice the figure climbing up on a maintenance crane just outside.
Dorothea saw the flash and swore. She gritted her teeth and pulled herself up the final beam, activating her helmet radio. "Kat, they just executed him. I'm sorry, I wasn't fast enough."
"
I…" There was a choked sob.
"I see. B-but...don't leave the others."
"Never," she vowed and closed the connection. Her arm came up and withdrew the LL-MQ-1 from the magnetic attachment on the back of her suit. There was a quick check to make sure the special ammunition was loaded, then she inhaled before focusing intensely. Across Dorothea's entire body, circuits burned to enhance every single aspect of her flesh, allowing her to confidently leap off and take aim with blazing eyes.
The motion finally drew the attention of the hijackers on the bridge and there were panicked shouts. In their haste and arrogance to seize control, they hadn't been able to warm up the point defense weaponry to immediately target this unexpected threat. But surely, the reinforced glass combined with the armored bridge shutters should shield them.
The Lycoris Knight pulled the trigger and the customized sabot round fired, a special bullet hastily forged by Kat upon request. It impacted and the material around the site formed a spiderweb crack, much to the horror of those within. Another shot, another portion compromised. The armored shutters cracked and groaned, but like those poor officers onboard
Callerya had discovered, it was painfully and sluggishly slow.
There was a reason why this specific destroyer and her sisters were in storage, and not out in the general market.
Her rifle clicked dry already, the nasty drawback to the special ammunition Dorothea had loaded it with. She poured more energy into her arm before hurling the gun straight into the fragmented glass with all enhanced strength. It struck with such force that the area bent backwards and she knew this was it, crossing her arms and reinforcing her skin to something like iron.
Against the weight of her Guardian Suit, the bridge's final layer of protection failed and the Lycoris Knight landed inside. Inside, she gasped, feeling a half a dozen or so shards pierce through her protections and prick her body. Yet it was nothing than a mere annoyance that was filed absently in one part of Dorothea's mind. The greater part was burning even more energy, the last of her reserves, to accelerate her reflexes and dodge the first burst of gunfire. This was the final stretch, her last task in the plan to distract the leadership while others assaulted from more conventional angles to retake the stolen destroyer.
Her pistol was unconsciously drawn and Dorothea got back to work after her brief vacation.
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(Request Favor (Trade Agreement- Archon): 42 +16 (Radana) +13 (Andernia) = 71)
Progress: 7/6. Completed!
A Trade Post has been built in Bastion, increasing Resources and Wealth by two. -20 Goodwill from House Archon (Current Goodwill: 0)
The well-dressed scientist counted down the seconds before clearing his throat. He nodded to the other aides and told, "I do believe the procedure was a success. Stand back please." Once he was sure they were a safe distance away, he held his breath and tapped a button on the console, sending a digital all-clear signal the one laying before them. Then he hastily stepped back too, and just in the nick of time.
Glowing green eyes snapped open and the air about the pod suddenly began to howl, delicate parts of the machinery shaking and rattling under the force of such pressure. Lab coats flapped about and more than a few instinctively covered their faces, trying to shield themselves from the worst of the abrupt storm. Then, with a clenched fist, it died down just as quickly, suddenly brought back into control.
His hair slightly windswept, the aide brushed at his attire before addressing his people's leader. "I see you have taken well to this new construct, Gale Valya. Is the remote piloting matrix stable?"
"Yes, I'm confirming a steady connection to my true self." They experimentally flexed their fingers, studying the reaction time. "Acceptable input lag, much better than the common doll."
He let out a relieved sigh he didn't know he had been holding. "Excellent. And your requested special feature…?"
Valya's face morphed into a grin and they gestured with a hand. A compartment located in the forearm suddenly opened up and a neat little feather was suddenly ejected right into their construct's waiting fingers. With a flick, the device activated and a holographic book unfurled, a representation of the built-in storage system integrated into the converted synthetic feather. "Yes, a perfect installation!" They chirped and experimentally wrote some lines to much eagerness. "House Iris may not exactly be leaders in technology like us, but they have heart and soul to their creations. Precisely the things we value the most, don't you think?"
The scientist smiled knowingly. "More than others know."
"I truly must thank them when we meet again in this upcoming Senate," Valya declared and climbed out of the pod. "Let's be on our way already, I can't wait to finalize our trade agreement!"
"Before you do so," mentioned the aide with a cough. "Clothes."
"Ah. That would be an embarrassing mistake to make in front of the noble Solar Queen."
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(Found City (Prydwen Serol): 69 +10 (Violet) +9 (Calenwyrm) = 88)
Progress: 6/4. Completed!
Prydwen Serol has been founded, increasing Industry by five (5) and decreasing Resources by five (5).
You wanted to curl up and weep in despair. All your effort to make sure that pirates didn't try to lay claim to the leadership of the new city, all for naught. For they became something much worst.
"
Tired of all the hustle and bustle in Kingsdream? Want something a little more warm and personal? Then Prydwen Serol is for those desiring intimate companionship."
"Radana! This is terrible, they somehow still acquired booty-!"
"Oh stars, did you really have to phrase it that way?!"
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- Yeesh, that crit 1 from Kat was a big yikes. Good thing Dorothea was there to pick it up from there. Still, that was an interesting narrative thing to do.
- Thanks to the Trade Post from House Archon, I do believe you've gone overall neutral with the Solar Drydock conversion too. A small Influence dip, but now you have a Trade Post. Neat.
