"Sir." You whisper to Lord Guin as he checks his notes before his appearance on the stage. Once you have his attention, you recommend reaching out to the Dianna Counter for their technical expertise, functional (as far as you can tell) Psychic Program, and the only friendly professional global force projection ability the Amerian States have.
His only response is a smile. "Way ahead of you, Laura."
You really wish he'd stop calling you that. Even more than you did before. You guess you are still not over killing her…
As you dwell on the battle during the escape from the Moon, Lord Guin explains to the Congress has approached him about acquiring Bio-Sensor technology from the AIPA to bolster their own Psychic Program. The news causes a rumble of muttered discussion, but you don't need to be Psychic to tell that their opinion is mixed on the matter.
The people in the backroom are similarly divided, and eventually after far too much talking in circles they actually consult you about it.
[] Approve the technology sharing.
--[] Why?
[] Reject the offer.
--[] Why?
*
A few days pass, and a new face appears in the backroom: The new president of the Newark Confederacy. The city-states have been holding elections the past few months, and have voted out their previous government, replacing the old Guilder Party government with a Pan-Amerian one.
An uncomfortably Pan-Amerian one, judging by the new President's outspoken views on Canuds and Qubecks, who both have representatives present at the Congress because of a shared heritage with the various Amerians despite not actually being Amerians. You are not a politician, so you decline to comment.
Instead you focus on running the AIPA, which has grown considerably over the past few months as some of your students have progressed enough to be trusted with duties like Psychic Hunts and trainloads of self-reported Psychics stream in from all over Ameria.
Those aforementioned students does raise a question: Do you send the Psychics you got from the delegations back to their former governments? Not in combat, of course, but some form of Psychic Adjutant Program, maybe…
[] Institute Psychic Adjutant Program.
[] Hold off for now.
There is also the issue of where to apply your personal attention and knowledge. Now that you have so many students you can afford to set the AIPA's priority for the immediate future. Thankfully, you can also afford to pay up for additional lodgings and supplies to house, clothe, and feed the newcomers, if just barely.
[] Focus on training Militia Psychics.
[] Study the feasibility and usages of Precognitive Choruses.
[] Lay the groundwork for a telepathic courier system.
[] Prioritize additional training of Empaths to widen the reach of the Psychic Hunts.
*
The next week sees Lord Guin give you a phone call about the situation in Xiping. The Ghingham Fleet has not been idle while you were in Ameria, and they have made additional landings to the south of the original drop zone in the eastern parts of central USX: One near the massive country's southern coast and another to the west of that, far inland.
You can only get there in a timely manner by teleporting should you decide to intervene, but that means activating the Combat Mode and alerting Ghingham and the Turn A. But now that Ghingham is busy on the front you might have enough time to slip away under the cover of Hidden Hand and Invisible Umbrella…
It is going to risk another confrontation either way.
[] Teleport to the first drop zone.
--[] Await Ghingham for a rematch.
--[] Raid the drop zone before Ghingham appears.
--[] Try to sneak off to join the Xiping forces before Ghingham appears.
[] Teleport to the coastal drop zone.
--[] Await Ghingham for a rematch.
--[] Raid the drop zone before Ghingham appears.
--[] Try to sneak off to join the Xiping forces before Ghingham appears. []
[] Teleport to the inland drop zone.
--[] Await Ghingham for a rematch.
--[] Raid the drop zone before Ghingham appears.
--[] Try to sneak off to join the Xiping forces before Ghingham appears.
[] You are not ready for another confrontation with Ghingham. Stay in Ameria and prepare some more.
[X] Approve the technology sharing.
-[X] Its for the best interests of the public to detect and assist potentially dangerous or unstable psychics so that they can receive training and care. We do not want an untowards incident from something preventable to drive fear in the public, leading to a worse feedback loop, especially when otherwise benign psychics may be driven to lash out or hide from the resultant fear. The same goes for the Dianna Counter, which is why we have a vested interest in ensuring that the Dianna Counter psychics are also provided the same development and oversight they need.
-[X] Not to mention of course our common foes out there. Stronger allies are sorely needed in this time.
[X] Institute Psychic Adjutant Program.
[X] Prioritize additional training of Empaths to widen the reach of the Psychic Hunts.
[X] Teleport to the inland drop zone.
-[X] Raid the drop zone before Ghingham appears.
Got to catch them all.
More psychics, more comprehensive any program would be
Ah, right, lemme amend that to be clearer, I was referring to helping them get their psionics program to be safer. I still have no idea what biosensor is for.
[X] Institute Psychic Adjutant Program.
[X] Prioritize additional training of Empaths to widen the reach of the Psychic Hunts.
[X] Teleport to the inland drop zone.
-[X] Raid the drop zone before Ghingham appears.
I'm not sure on the rest, TBH. Biosensor can do wierd screwy shit. If I were to stat it mechanics wise ... NT-D alike that only works for NT Empathy, Channeling and Psycho-Boost? Limited use of TK Strike at MS scale as an on-hit proc?
[X] Approve the technology sharing.
[X] Institute Psychic Adjutant Program.
[X] Prioritize additional training of Empaths to widen the reach of the Psychic Hunts.
[X] Teleport to the inland drop zone.
-[X] Raid the drop zone before Ghingham appears.
[X] Approve the technology sharing.
-[X] Its for the best interests of the public to detect and assist potentially dangerous or unstable psychics so that they can receive training and care. We do not want an untowards incident from something preventable to drive fear in the public, leading to a worse feedback loop, especially when otherwise benign psychics may be driven to lash out or hide from the resultant fear. The same goes for the Dianna Counter, which is why we have a vested interest in ensuring that the Dianna Counter psychics are also provided the same development and oversight they need.
-[X] Not to mention of course our common foes out there. Stronger allies are sorely needed in this time.
[X] Institute Psychic Adjutant Program.
[X] Prioritize additional training of Empaths to widen the reach of the Psychic Hunts.
[X] Teleport to the inland drop zone.
-[X] Raid the drop zone before Ghingham appears.
You say your piece to the Congress, expressing your approval of sharing the Schematics for the Bio-Sensor System with the Dianna Counter. According to Lord Guin, Queen Dianna wants to install them in SUMOs and Muttowooos (Baund Doc IIs) for use by the Dianna Counter's psychics. A stopgap measure, to be sure, but if they can make it work it will patch that hole for a bit until they can find or capture dedicated Psychic-Use Mobile Suits like Mahiroos.
*
[X] Institute Psychic Adjutant Program.
The Psychic Adjutant Program is mostly a concession to the Amerian States, especially those who were reluctant to give up their citizens (not to mention their Psychics) to the AIPA. But your first students have learned enough to respect and be responsible with their powers, and when you asked them they were willing to return to their governments. As such you, after communicating with the separate governments about the possibility of Psychic staff members (and getting their first Psychics back), give them leave to return to Luzipurch to take on adjutant positions among the delegations of their native states.
A part of you is sad to see the first non-Sochie, non-hostile Psychics you had the pleasure of meeting go, but this was your idea, after all. You'll live.
*
[X] Prioritize additional training of Empaths to widen the reach of the Psychic Hunts.
When not finalizing the institution of the Psychic Adjutant Program you take on the work of leading the study sessions and training of the AIPA's Empaths and those with neighboring Disciplines. There are still Psychics among the Amerias that have not been found, and with Ameria being a continent as much as a collection of states the ability to spread a wide net is paramount to finding them.
Empathy and its related Disciplines and Aspects is your specialty, and that expertise makes for effective teaching when coupled with Vestige's training and the supernatural comprehension of Psychics. You manage to train up a few more to a level where it is acceptable to send them out on the Hunt before you are called away by the actions of the Ghingham Fleet.
*
[X] Teleport to the inland drop zone.
--[X] Raid the drop zone before Ghingham appears.
You decide on another foray into the United States of Xiping and after kissing Sochie for luck you teleport to the inland drop zone in the southwestern USX. The feeling of Ghingham's attention snapping towards you comes the moment you activate the White Doll's Combat Mode, but you brush it off, instead focusing on returning your Mobile Suit to Sleep Mode as you rush towards the Ghingham Fleet force stationed at the drop zone.
The White Doll's sensors detect three teams of four Mahiroos, a Hashmal, a Sid, two teams of five Virgo II Mobile Dolls, a trio of Ghingham Variant Magogame transport ships, and an Aspite-Class Assault Carrier at the drop zone.
You are unlikely to get off more than one volley before Ghingham appears to challenge you. Best decide which enemy takes priority.
[] Write in targets in descending order of priority.
Having picked your targets, you activate Bloody Siege Mode to take out as many Ghingham Fleet assets as you can before Ghingham arrives. First the transports…
Virgo II Team 1 takes 28(4+4+4+4+4+4+4) Integrity Damage! 4 Virgo IIs have been Destroyed!
Virgo II Planet Defensor Barrier Regenerates 2 Integrity.
More than two dozen brilliant yellow streams of mega-particles lance out from the nine Bloody Siege Beam Cannons, one after the other in a steady pattern so that you do not waste any of the energy in their capacitators. The human personnel of the Ghingham Fleet barely have time to react before a trio of well-aimed beams shoot two of the modified Magogames out of the sky, the first two each punch a hole in something important on the ship you were aiming at before a flicker of thought has the Beam Cannon in the Shoulder Bit sweep its beam across all three ships to finish off the ones you wounded.
The third one sustains only minor damage from the sweep, but it is enough that only two more shots manage to take it out.
You hold fire the instant your powers and the White Doll's sensors tell you that the third transport is done for, and when the next instant comes you have already changed targets to the Aspite-Class Assault Carrier that is presiding over the drop zone. The crew tries to get their ship into position to fight you, but five blasts from your Beam Cannons breaks down their Hyper I-Field and fatally wounds the vessel behind it.
As it falls to the ground you distantly muse to yourself that ships are your least favorite opponent. They are just too difficult to take down without killing most of the crew, especially when you cannot take your time because of allies or an objective, which is every time you have fought one.
And then the moment passes, and you are firing on the advancing Virgo II Mobile Dolls.
That barrier of theirs is impressive, two shots that would have turned a Mahiroo into space dust and yet it is still holding. The energy remaining in the capacitators is spent on one final volley, breaking the barrier and destroying four of the five Mobile Dolls. The last one is damaged, but remains in the air.
It makes as if to launch a counterattack, as do the Ghingham Fleet forces still standing. The human ones have regained their wits after your surprise attack, and whatever programming or controller is guiding the Mobile Dolls is beginning to respond.
A flash of light behind you, and all movement stops as the Turn A completes its teleport.
You reassemble the White Doll as Ghingham exits Combat Mode. He stands further away this time, as if to make it harder for you to close in, and makes no move to approach you.
"Nice shooting." He congratulates you, still not drawing a weapon as the Turn A's sensors scan the wreckage you have created. "I would have done much the same in your situation."
"I did miss a few." You note as you turn the White Doll around to face him properly, not dropping your guard for a second as you do. Drawn weapon or not, Gym Ghingham and the Turn A are deadly opponents.
He shrugs amiably. "True, but let us cut to the chase." The Turn A spreads its arms wide. "I propose the same as I did ten days ago! You and me, no Combat Mode! What say you?"
[] Agree.
--[] Write in Battleplan.
[] Decline and return to Ameria.
[] Engagement range.
--[] Stay at Long Range.
--[] Keep normal distance.
--[] Close in.
[] Mobility.
--[] Stick with the Lightwave Maneuvering Thrusters (Flight Mode).
--[] Risk using the Voiture Lumiere.
[] Initial Left Hand Weapon.
--[] Dober Gun.
--[] Leo Beam Rifle.
--[] Type-TX Beam Pistol.
--[] Dainsleif Spear.
--[] Type-TX Bazooka.
--[] None.
[] Psycho-Field. (NT-D Mode only)
Pick 3. The same power can be picked more than once.
--[] Spatial Distortion.
--[] Deluge.
--[] Invasion.
--[] Dream Ward.
--[] Temporal Jaunt.
--[] Refrain from using a Psycho-Field ability.
**************************************
Turn A and Gym Ghingham Stats can be found at the bottom of this post.
I am embarrassed to admit it, but I have completely forgotten that each level of Body Recovery gives you another use of Psycho-Field before you start taking penalties. I guess it never came up because the only fight that has lasted more than one turn since Body Recovery became a thing is the fight against Gadget where Loran messes up a Spatial Distortion, the battle against Laura and her custom Sid, and the recent duel with Ghingham.
My bad, but now you know.
EDIT: I have updated the Psycho-Field entry in the Battleplan options to reflect this. You can select 3 Psycho-Field Disciplines in any combination, including one option more than once.
2DC 50-15(Pinpoint Vision)+20(Enemy NT Empathy vs Hidden Hand)+20(Type-TA Shield) Destruction Manipulator Buster Rifle Hit = 75; 95! 1 Success! 1 Major Success!
-10 to Destruction Manipulator Buster Rifle Next Turn!
2DC 3 Target I-Field Save = 6, 5! 2 Successes!
Left Wrist Beam Gun 2d2 Attacks = 4!
4DC 50-15(Pinpoint Vision)+20(Enemy NT Empathy vs Hidden Hand)+20(Type-TA Shield) Left Wrist Beam Gun Hit = 70, 35, 53, 49! 4 Failures!
Armory Drone Type-TX Bazooka 1d2+1 Attacks = 3!
3DC 50-15(Pinpoint Vision)+20(Enemy NT Empathy vs Hidden Hand)+20(Type-TA Shield) Armory Drone Type-TX Bazooka Hit = 81; 83; 80! 3 Successes!
Point Defense! Turn A Fleche Lumiere PD Lasers 8d1 Attacks = 8!
8DC 50-40(Laser) Point Defense Hit = 42; 16; 30; 60; 20; 17; 18; 86! 8 Successes! 5 Point Defense Shots remain!
5DC 50-40(Laser)+30(Enemy NT Empathy) Point Defense Hit vs Armory Drone = 30; 18; 16; 24; 66! 4 Failures! 1 Success!
Armory Drone takes 1 Integrity Damage!
Psycho-Field!
Spatial Distortion 1d1 Attacks = 1!
DC 10+30(Enemy NT Empathy) Spatial Distortion Hit = 67! Success!
DC 1 Target Armor Save = 5! Success!
Warp! Gym Ghingham takes half Damage from the Spatial Distortion!
Gym Ghingham (Turn A) takes 5 Integrity Damage!
White Doll I-Field Regenerates 4 Integrity.
White Doll Armory Drone Regenerates 1 Integrity.
Gym Ghingham (Turn A) Regenerates 5 integrity.
You charge forward, the White Doll's feet leaving the ground as you shoot towards the deluge of missiles and beam fire that Ghingham unleashes in response. Every gun and missile launcher on the Turn A is open and glowing from the magnitude of the destructive energies they belch forth, yet only a handful manage to strike you between your evasion, I-Field, and Point Defense lasers, and of those that hit only two do damage, knocking your I-Field down to a third of its full strength. He must not be used to alpha striking against something that won't go down as easily as whatever the USX have been throwing at him, a weakness you doubt will last.
Ghingham's Psychic onslaught fares little better, one of his mental attacks hit home, painfully driving its thorns deep into your mind and soul, but the other three are caught by your defensive mental maze. In that twisting layer of defensive Pressure the attacks are led down false openings until they are weakened enough for you to turn their malign energies against their origin, but two are batted aside by Ghingham's expertise before the last one hits home, making the man flinch.
"Mind and body, united against the enemy." He all but giggles to himself after shaking off the pain. "That is how it should be!" His giggles become outright laughter when he senses your attempt at Channeling ending in complete failure.
You ignore him in favor of returning fire. Your Buster rifle shots are completely neutralized by the Turn A's I-Field, the wide beams harmlessly dissipated by the invisible barrier while the relatively tiny beams from the beam gun on your left wrist all miss. You try to use the Armory Drone and the Type-TX Bazooka to do some damage before you close in, but the Turn A's point defense lasers swat all three missiles away and score a hit on your backpack-turned-drone.
The only attack that succeeds in harming the Turn A is your Spatial Distortion, which makes the ancient Mobile Suit buckle and warp even if it fails to make its full force felt.
Too bad Ghingham's Psycho-Regen patches up the damage almost immediately.
No matter. You never expected fighting against Ghingham to be easy.
Loran rolls 1d100 for Initiative = 27!
Gym rolls 1d100 for Initiative = 24!
Turn Order is: Loran, Gym!
DC 50 for Control = 53! Success! Loran Retains Control!
DC 50 for Control = 34! Failure! Gym suffers -1 Piloting Level this Turn!
Channeling Kreis Kreuz! Loran Meets the Conditions for all Bonuses!
+1 Piloting Level!
+1 Piloting Level vs Turn A!
+1 Random Free Psycho-Field Discipline per Turn!
DC 40-20(Flight+) for Closing In = 67! Success! Loran Closes in!
Kreis Kreuz Psycho-Field!
1d5 = 5!
Temporal Jaunt active! Turn A successes this Turn downgraded by one stage! Loran's failures upgraded by one stage!
Shining Finger 1d1 Attacks = 1!
Rolling 4+3d4 for Damage = 10!
DC 20-15(Shatterpoint Vision)+20(Enemy NT Empathy vs Hidden Hand)+20(Type-TA Shield) Shining Finger Hit = 93! 1 Major Success!
-10 to Destruction Manipulator Buster Rifle Next Turn! Critical+! Ignore saves + Double Damage!
Gym Ghingham (Turn A) takes 20 Integrity Damage! Turn A has been-
Combat Mode! Turn A escapes Destruction!
Turn A Regenerates 50 Integrity!
White Doll I-Field Regenerates 4 Integrity!
Maybe Ghingham should have focused on controlling the Turn A, for you feel the Malign Presence within surge forward in an attempt to wrest that control from him. The Psychoframe Ghost fails of course, but the burden of keeping it down will no doubt negatively impact Ghingham's piloting.
You leap on the opportunity, reaching deep into the other side with your Pressure in the hopes of finding a powerful ally.
And find one you do.
Hey there, kid. Long time no see.
Kreis glances over at the Turn A, his ethereal mind already calculating your rapid approach.
Let me show you what a First Human can do, even in death.
You feel time bend, dilate, and break around you as Kreis creates a Psycho-Field, and then you are upon the Turn A, Shining Finger blazing bright as you shoulder-check the oval shield aside and clamp the White Doll's played fingers around the white Mobile Suit's chest.
The enemy's frame begins to boil and bubble, running like water under the power of the Shining Finger that is being pumped right into its thin torso. You can practically taste Kreis' satisfaction as the Turn A-
-enters Combat Mode and teleports out of your grasp.
…
Fuck.
You sigh at Kreis' antics, idly wondering if you will ever be able to bring yourself to call him father as you turn around to face the back of the kneeling Turn A.
DC 50 VS Kreis = 73! Success!
Loran Retains Control.
A mighty heave of Pressure forces Kreis away from the controls. "What now, Ghingham? We never agreed on terms…"
He doesn't answer at first, and when he does it is in a voice of mixed disbelief and exhilaration:
"…I lost."
"You did." You supply helpfully.
"…"
Is he alright? "Ghingham?"
The Turn A slowly rises to its feet as Ghingham regains his composure, and then he starts bellowing over an open channel. "Men! This landing zone has been lost! Rendezvous at Point Delta-Three-Three and prepare to make for our positions around DZ1!"
Around you the Ghingham Fleet force that has been standing as spectators explode into motion, flying and scurrying towards some planned point in the north. Only the Turn A remains still so that Ghingham can leave you some parting words:
"Cehack. I will not participate in the invasion until the week after the next, just like you did after your defeat ten days ago. You may consider that the terms for our duels." And with that he flies after his soldiers, exiting Combat Mode so as to not instantly outpace them.
[] "Sounds good to me."
[] "I'll consider it."
[] "I think not."
I am still disappointed you didn't finish him off.
"That would probably kill most people on the continent, Kreis."
I know, I know. It's just difficult to enjoy the afterlife knowing that the Turn A still exists.
…he's not wrong, you suppose, but you do not exactly have any way of verifying his statement at the moment.
[] Ask Kreis some questions.
--[] Write in. Max 3.
[] Be on your way.
--[] Go looking for the nearest USX forces and offer to help.
--[] Return to Ameria.
[X] "Sounds good to me." [X] Ask Kreis some questions. -[X] "So...hows it like on the other side?" -[X] "Any idea how to deal with the Turn A without killing everything?" [X] Be on your way. --[X] Go looking for the nearest USX forces and offer to help.
[X] "Sounds good to me."
[X] Ask Kreis some questions. -[X] "So...hows it like on the other side?" -[X] "Any idea how to deal with the Turn A without killing everything?"
[X] "Sounds good to me." [X] Ask Kreis some questions. -[X] "So...hows it like on the other side?" -[X] "Any idea how to deal with the Turn A without killing everything?" [X] Be on your way. --[X] Go looking for the nearest USX forces and offer to help.
[X] "Sounds good to me."
[X] Ask Kreis some questions. -[X] "So...hows it like on the other side?" -[X] "Any idea how to deal with the Turn A without killing everything?" [X] Be on your way. --[X] Go looking for the nearest USX forces and offer to help.
[X] "Sounds good to me."
[X] Ask Kreis some questions.
-[X] "So...hows it like on the other side?"
-[X] "Any idea how to deal with the Turn A without killing everything?"
[X] Be on your way.
--[X] Go looking for the nearest USX forces and offer to help.
Drawing a blank on good questions alas, but do think they could use a talk