Test Pattern 2010/09/25(Sat)21:50 No. 233994 ID: a09a03
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Leaving the salvaged dropship behind, I crawl through the air ducts, back towards Mitzi's hiding spot. My limbs feel quicker, smoother, more precise. Even lugging a hundred pounds of gear behind me, I move rapidly, if noisily. My eyes adjust to light they couldn't detect before. My vision now reaches from infrared to ultraviolet. My body is feeding my mind information more quickly than just a few hours ago, and my improved speed demands I keep up.

>>233994
Adrenaline is a helluva drug.

Status report on your bodily repair progress.

Test Pattern 2010/09/25(Sat)21:54 No. 233998 ID: a09a03
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My ankle's knitting nicely. I need to decide what aspect to heal next.

With the major flaws in my musculature dealt with, I can make a further improvement to Speed. Seeing as I'm trying to escape, I guess that might be an obvious one. Maybe not, though. You voices aren't the only thing wrong with my brain. I don't have two scars on my head. It's one scar running all the way through. I'm not sure what to think about that... which might be part of the problem. There's also flaws in my nervous and endocrine systems from being embalmed in Suppress for decades. Focusing on this will give me better Reflexes.
My body also contains a network of thermal conductors, biological threads made from complex compounds, metals, and superconductors. Completely broken. Healing my Heat Channels will let me turn sections of my skin and fur into insulators or radiators.
There's also an itch. Something tickling at the back of my mind, flickering just outside my peripheral vision. More sensory information I lack. Tertiary Senses.

Like I can't see in enough fucking colors already...

>>233998
Tertiary Senses. A soldier must always be aware of their surroundings. Lack of information leads to failure. Abundance of information leads to victory.

>>233998
Tertiary Senses, and see if you can't bring BURNING HANDS back online. Lock door? Burn it open. Touching someone? Burn their face off. See? Useful. Also: Stealth.

Reflexes > Senses > Speed > Heat Channels

Start with reflexes and tertiary senses; reflexes are more important than raw speed.

>>234001
Sorry, did I say 'BURNING HANDS?' I meant Heat Channels.

>>233998
Reflexes I guess? :v

Speed lvl 2 and Reflexes at the same time.

>>233998
speed and reflexes, we don't want a repeat of that missile incident

>>234004
Oh also speed.

I'd say reflexes. When it comes to a shooting match being able to react faster and peg targets quicker is going to be important.

I don't think you need to work on Reflexes there's no way anyone could ever HOLY CRAP LOOK OUT.

Reflexes. Definitely reflexes.

Heat channels can make you invisible to jabberwocks. This is a very good thing given your current situation.

Tertiary... eh, no idea really. If the rest of your head voices want it, sure.

As for the scar, look on the bright side your whole brain used to be a scar. Worry about it later, or if you start to get brain bleeding. You probably don't have a blood/brain barrier though, so brain bleeding isn't nearly as dangerous as with humans.

Deleted my old post, changing my vote.

Go for improved reflexes, Penji.

>>234001
It doesn't work that way, I think.

GATHERING A CONCENSUS.
We should do Reflexes first, then Tertiary Senses. One at a time. You've specifically mentioned reflexes in the past and there have been situations where they would have been very useful. Tertiary senses sounds almost as useful in this facility, but I think the one directly affecting fighting ability is the most important.

MY PERSONAL PRIORITY AS FOLLOWS:
Reflexes > Tertiary Senses > Heat Channels > Speed Level 2.

Good luck, Penji.

And because >>234002 voting is the best system ever

Reflexes > Heat Channels > Tertiary > Speed

>Reflexes > Heat Channels > Tertiary > Speed

Gonna have to go with this.

>>233998
Speed, then reflexes.

Ultimately, our decision has to be based upon immediate utility.

Are tertiary senses going to provide us with critical information that we cannot gather from our primary and secondary senses? Probably not.

Are heat channels going to conceal us or provide us with weaponry or other capabilities which would make the difference between success and failure or life and death? I'm thinking no; we're pretty damned stealthy and slashy already.

Speed and reflexes are the two critical combat enhancers that we need to ultimately be able to tear through squads of heavy infantry without sustaining injuries, shoot down missiles, and be able to take on the various giant monsters running around on even footing. They are the pillars of our martial prowess. Between the two of them, I am inclined to say that speed- in particular, the ability to either run away or aggressively charge before others can react- is more critical. Either, though, could save our life or allow us to avoid serious injury and both should be pumped up as much as possible, as fast as possible.

REFLEXES!

Reflexes!

Reflexes or Speed seem the most vital. If we ever get caught in a fight with one of those Jabbawocks again we're going to need that kind of speed to avoid dying.

>>233998

The greatest victory in war is to win without fighting at all. Go for senses first, then heat channels, for stealth.

Can you do both reflexes and speed lvl2 at the same time?

Test Pattern 2010/09/25(Sat)23:52 No. 234063 ID: a09a03
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"Hey."

Test Pattern 2010/09/25(Sat)23:57 No. 234065 ID: a09a03
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Mitzi seems okay, if cold. And surprised.
In hindsight, I probably should've put the helmet on after I got back.

There's lots to do. I'm not sure where to start.

In the meantime, I start repairing my Reflexes. After all, the best way to react faster to things is to... react faster to things.

"told'ya i'd come back."

she would probably like a weapon, let her pick if she wants the axe or the stabber.

Look up on the map and head to the Tech database. Same as you did with Bio. That worked out really well.

First find Jabberwok weak points.

I don't blame her for looking so freaked out. You look like some kind of powered armor-wearing hellbeast in that getup. She probably thought it was someone come to kill her.

>>234065
Explain to Mitzi the various stuff you got, and the repairs/modifications that you were hoping she might be able to make. Get estimated job time so that you can make an informed decision as to what to do next.

Then tell her that her brother left you a note, telling you where the armory is and encouraging you to raid it. Get an opinion.

"Your bro called me on my old tozol ship, gave me some orders. There's a bunch of weapons and counter-suppress in an armory we can get to through Security or the Main Lift to level two just west of it. Said there's enough there to pull a nice escape."

Tell Mitzi it was like Christmas and you got to open all your presents early, except if Santa Claus was the one who brutally slew you and your best friends and locked you in a tube for at least 40 years so he could experiment on you, plus all your presents were actually mostly yours to begin with.

But it was still like Christmas because you got a lot of shiny new (old) toys to play and kill dudes with.

>>234062
Give her the suit before she freezes to death, it's heavy and it will just make our new reflexes sluggish. Then explain to her that you just heard from her brother, so he IS definitely alive and probably waiting for us, that should relieve her a bit.

>>234098
>Give her the suit before she freezes to death, it's heavy and it will just make our new reflexes sluggish.
Agreed. Swap for her lighter stuff. Keep the helmet since it'll only fit you.

>>234070
I doubt she can use the weasel bar or mercygiver due to the not-DNA locks, and anti-tank grenades are rather situational. I take it she's out of rifles and pistol ammo too, else hand yours over for now.

>>234071
Also ask her if she's looked up anything else while waiting.

Probably a bit late for the vote, but reflexes, then heat channels gets my vote.

Jabberwocks are still loose. The quicker we can get an edge over them, the better.

Fuck the tertiary senses. Those can wait until there is either an obvious need for them, or when we have resources to spare.
Like when we get to that delicious counter-suppress.

>>234065
Well then, lets get her out of this very cold storage room and get her up to speed on what's going on.

Then we can see what she has to say about it. Hopefully that we move out according to orders, then we get to have some fun.

>>234065
First, get her out of the cold and start warming her up.
Second, bring her up to speed.

>>234065
Give her the EOD suit, along with whatever else she can use.

"Come with me if you want to live."

>>234149
This

Say it in a tough body building Austrian accent after you've done all of the above.

>>234149
Heck yes.

Man, that stuff looks cumbersome. You sure it won't get in your way?

In any case, ask Mitzi what her brother sounds like; you got a message from someone saying they were him, but it could be a trap and you want to be sure. Then tell her all that happened to you and get her input on the matter.

Also, just as a note, you should probably start referring to yourself as Tethys.

Everyone you're going to meet is going to remember you as Tethys, all the data in the station is going to refer to you as Tethys, and the more of your memories you regain, the more you will /be/ Tethys.

Also also, that armor makes you look fat, you should probably get rid of it. Your outfit or lack thereof before made no noise and seemed to be doing you just fine.

>>234173
Tethys is the codename the facility gave her. She/we decided to call her Penji.

Hug Mitzi and warm her with your superior Tozol body heat :U

>>234179
The real reason we should have invested in heat channels.

>>234179

this.

>>234179
Body heat? We're in really bulky armor. We don't have body heat directly available.

>>234173
The pricks who shot her named her Tethys. Fuck that name. Also, we are tentatively planning to assault an armory probably full of people who want to shoot us; this means that armor is good.

>>234135
I don't think we should give up the EOD suit.

>>234173
Penji isn't fat and now is really not the time to be concerned with body image. It's much better for her to be able to take a few extra bullets than it is for her to look sexy.

>>234273
We can take many bullets. She can't. Besides, the suit is the only thing that she can actually use, and we don't want it to look like we're hogging up all the gear.

>>234336
Except that we mutilated the suit by chopping off its lower legs so it'd fit our crazy legs.

What's stopping Mitzi from using the mercy-giver if we pull its scabbard off?

Mwahahaha~! Heck yeah, this is getting interesting now!

Though I'd want to say "work on another", it might be more beneficial to devote all of our power to a single task and complete each one faster.


ANYWAY, let's check on Mitzi, inform her of what we have learned, and get her a good WARMING HUG (or three) before heading back out.

p.s.: Ask if she's heard any JABBERWOCK noises or troops moving around. We don't wanna run into anything again!

Oh and did you hear anything interesting (or lack thereof) in the vents? I imagine the vents would be a good way to 'hear' the whole complex. If you hear shooting and smashing, then that's good because the woks are still duking it out with the troops; total silence on the other hand means one side has won, and that's not very good- hopefully, the surviving woks or troops would be too damaged to chase us.

Test Pattern 2010/09/26(Sun)22:40 No. 234570 ID: a09a03
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"Penji, you scared the hell out of me," says Mitzi. "Nice outfit."
"Sorry," I say. "I found some equipment, but no firearms. Got a big stabbing knife you can use. I also got a message from Marcus."
"Well at l-what?" she asks. "Wait, what?"
"He set up a tightbeam hyperwave radio aimed at a tozol dropship. He knew only I could unlock it."
"A dropship! What did he say?"

Test Pattern 2010/09/26(Sun)22:41 No. 234571 ID: a09a03
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I tell her what I found, and relay the message.
"You think it was him?" I ask.
"I... I think so," she says. "Wanting to kill everyone doesn't sound anything like him, but... I think he was more lucid than me during the tests. I can't imagine what he must feel like... He didn't mention me?"
"No," I say. "So this cache is legit? If it's legit, we should go for it."
"I guess he wouldn't mention me," she says. "Unknown alien. No reason to assume you'd bring me with you. He must have heard you were alive, then made the message before they thought they killed you..."
"I heard gunfire through the vents," I say. "It's sporadic, now. Could mean anything, but I wouldn't bet on Security section being abandoned."
"So we should go through the main lift, instead?"
"I don't know," I admit. "Not enough information."
Her shoulders sag. She goes quiet.
"Hey, is that really your helmet?" she asks. "From before I was born?"
"Yeah."
"That is... really cool, actually," she says. "How can you tell? Is your name on it?"

put it on and go "well in a manner of speaking"

>"How can you tell? Is your name on it?"

"Well it's got MY hole in it."

Put it on and tap the scar.

>>234571
"It kinda has my name on it."
Subtly show her the gigantic hole through the helmet, then take a look to actually see if it has your name on it anywhere.
"The others were way too big."

>>234571
"It's the one with a bigass hole where my eye should be."

>>234571
Actually wait, check if it DOES have your name on it.

>>234571
Put it on and point at it.

"This hole. It was made for me. This is my hole."

Check map for location of Tech database. Go there.

>>I'll have to ask Mitzi where a jabberwock keeps its brainstem.
Ask Mitzi where a jabberwock keeps its brainstem.

>>234588
This right here.

>>234588
Hah, yes!

>>234570
Huh. Not sure why, but Mitzi's looking particularly attractive, there.

...

mitzi did you do your makeup while you were waiting

looks good

"The others don't match."

>>234571
Does it have your name on it somewhere?

Alternatively:

"This is my helmet. there are many like it, but this one is mine. My helmet is my best friend. It is my life. I must master my helmet as I must master my life. Without me, my helmet is useless, without my helmet, I am useless."

Test Pattern 2010/09/26(Sun)23:42 No. 234640 ID: a09a03
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"This hole," I say, pointing. "It-"
"Yeah, stupid question," she says. "Easy to forget that. You know. Listen, about earlier..."

Test Pattern 2010/09/26(Sun)23:42 No. 234641 ID: a09a03
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"I actually didn't think to check for a name," I say.
"Huh?"

>>234641
CHECK FOR A NAME!

Test Pattern 2010/09/26(Sun)23:48 No. 234648 ID: a09a03
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"Saon Vocta."
Mitzi doesn't say anything.
"And a rank," I say. "Human word would be sergeant, I think."

>>234648
Apologize for interrupting and ask about what she was going to say.

Miss Vocta. Ma'am.

>>234648
Alright cool! Now what was Mitzi saying?

i like Penji more, how about Penji Vocta? anyway, let her continue.

>>234648
Okay, Penji. Assuming that is indeed your name, that brings up a question:

Would you prefer to be called Penji or Saon?

Cause I'm rather attached to Penji myself.

Saon Vocta is who you used to be. All those memories and that personality are gone now. You can try to be who you once were. You won't succeed. Your name is Penji. That's who you are now. Be proud of it.

The minute of sentimentality is over. Let's get moving.

>>234648
Whatever you do, don't call her sir. She WORKS for a living.

Then, kindly ask Mitzi to continue her thoughts.

>>234648
Well don't that beat all.

A pity Saon Vocta is dead. She died when whatever it was blew a hole in her head. Then, like the mythological phoenix, she was reborn, into you, Penji.

Cool that you were a "sergeant" though in your past life. Alright, well, put that thing back on and hand her a wepon. Then ask her to continue with her train of thought.

>>234648
Saon Vocta, huh. I'm thinking you like Penji better based on past experience, though.

"Anyway, go on?"

I wonder if Penji was our nickname? It had to come from somewhere.

Your memories will be regained in time, and one day you'll be Saon "Penji" Vocta. No reason to just abandon either name.

>>234640
>>234641

Yes, Mitzi, you are definitely looking better. Did she get a tube of lipstick somewhere? Perhaps she was practicing shapeshifting and touched herself up a bit. Little morale boost. Inquire, Penji, after she's said what she was saying.

By the way, Saon Vocta, is one of those a family name? You could argue whether you're still the same individual or not, but your genes'd still be your genes, presumably.

Sergeant Saon get shot through her head, she died 40 years ago along with the mission and all operators. Your name is Penji now- Tethys to our enemies. You were born in a tank and you promised yourself and Mitzi that both of you will get out of here alive. Now lets get some firepower before we head out to the elevator. Maybe we should check by security again, I imagine the troops would have retreated from that post to escape the jabbers.

sounds like a drink name. salt vodka?

yeah we really should attempt repair now. show tazer ti- mitzi the other helmet.

and remember you may have been followed, or worse, tagged.

>>234654
1: Not ALL the memories. She'll recover more as she comes in contact with more things from her past and her brain continues repairs.
2: This might be her old personality. It's unlikely, but possible.
3: Penji is, and has always been, a nickname. Her real name is Saon Vocta. Her experiment code name is Tethys. Her nickname is Penji. There is no conflict here, and trying to give her an identity crisis is a waste of time.

Pointless topics aside? Take off the EOD suit, wrap your arms around Mitzi, remove her from the freezer, and then go for high surface area contact so she can leech some body heat off of you. "Once you're thawed we'll try to go through Security and into the armory. Unless you'd rather take the lift. Or spend time taking another crack at Quillig."

>>234641
Apologise for interrupting. You are a rude Tozol.

Don't say anything else until Mitzi has had a chance to continue since it may requiring thinking about. (For the love of Cthulhu, don't bring the idiotic Qillig failure back up unless Mitzi is already pondering it.)

>>234746
Nope, don't mention Qillig again.

>>234648
Tell her that she doesn't need to apologize if that was what she was about to do. Shit got fucked up. But now it's time to move on, and either check out this place her brother told us about or find some other way. I think we should strike against the security station now, hopefully they don't have the jabberwoks totally subdued yet so you can hit them while they still have other crap to deal with and won't be able to focus everything on you.

>>234789
>Tell her that she doesn't need to apologize if that was what she was about to do.
Oh god no. If that's not what she's about to do, you only succeed in managing to sound like a tremendous jackass.

Don't mention the Qillig!

Also... how about we check on Engineering? There is likely to be cool/useful stuff in there that Mitzi can put together.

I wonder if our infinitely configurable tozol multitool will enable us to drill through the wall and go there directly.

Whenever we come across a rude dude calling us Tethys, we will remind them painfully that it is Sgt. Vocta and they will address her by that name. Friends can call her Penji :3

Well at least you had a name. That proves that at least to some degree you weren't an unthinking monster, so your compassion of late is likely not a mental perturbation.

Just listen to what she wanted to say before you interrupted her with the helmet-nametag thingy.

>>234823
I have trouble believing that any society which has advanced weaponry, armor, and dropships would be full of unthinking monsters anyway.

>>234794
Speaking of Mitzi putting things together, didn't we want her to do a patch job on some of this armor/helmets?

Though we should probably let her continue with whatever she was going to say, first.

>>234862
its possible it could be 2+ societies, split in chastes. if they have really bad politics the warrior could act independently from the builders, still thinking in expansion/preemptive attack.

also we may need to consider strategy. what if a alien vessel had landed in california, with 200+ gengineered supersoldiers and frontline engineers disapearing in the wild? surely it looks like the preparation for a invasion, so it makes sense to retaliate without questioning.

>>234746
well we have to consider that penji was literally made from scratch. that behaviour may be her instincts, as well as her trainning reflexes, old memories or the fact she is/was under heavy stress and apparently so far did not snapped.

sergeant penji salt vodka is nothing more nothing less that what she makes herself out of. be it the sum of her parts or the changes she will endure on those parts. mainly her brain when she remembers what she can remember.

i still belive she was railgunned with the orb

We need to approach this cache in some way that gives us a tactical advantage: it could very well be a trap.