Quest

by Kahlil Johnson

Uhhhh

47. T5

"Ok, I'll key in a terminal in the building, though I'd advise making it a closed system."

"It will be," She assures you.

"It would… also, help if I were to have access to some more materials."

Spoiler: Materials Request

Director Piggot sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. It is perhaps the most irritation you have ever seen her display. "I may be old, but I'm not stupid. There are already higher-ups in the PRT calling you the second coming of Hero. Would you like me to read the analysis we've put together on your swapping specialty?"

You nod.

She clicks on her computer a bit, likely opening a document. "'After a setup period that is longer than average for tinkers, Horizon blitzed into building high-power tinkertech such as the resurrection staves and the time-field generator. Items such as these are often equivalent to the greatest works of less powerful tinkers, and often take other tinkers months to design and perfect. This likely stems from the urgency of Horizon's power, spurring him to build these devices before he loses the ability to do so. This does come with the notable drawback of consuming more resources than the average tinker. Furthermore, Horizon has been noted to be able to replicate his own tinkertech remarkably quickly, a feat many tinkers have not accomplished. This is explained by Horizon's specialty when he joined the Wards, one geared towards production.'" She stops reading off of the document, "I'm sure that if you were a member of the Protectorate and not the Wards, I'd be drowning in transfer requests. I am aware that you are being held back by the lack of materials available to you. I know that many rumors among the staff say otherwise, but I do want the Protectorate and Wards to be successful. Unfortunately, even If I wish to provide you with more resources, I currently do not have any to give. We are already struggling to transport the basic necessities to Brockton Bay to provide relief to the people who have lost everything. There is simply no room for additional spending in the budget. You have my word that I will provide additional materials for you as soon as they are available."

You sit back and process all of that information. It seems that your stock in the PRT has skyrocketed, although that is quite unsurprising with all the things you've done in the past 2 weeks accounted for. An idea strikes you, although she can't provide you with more materials, you could get her permission to start harvesting materials in the bay. You don't know the status of your dockworker's project, but given that you've heard nothing about it, they'll likely need to wait for the city to recover a bit more.

If you downplay the capability of your drones, you can simply say that you're deploying some autonomous drones to cut up and harvest the materials in the bay. It's not even a lie. Of course, you could continue doing it in secret, now that you practically control the PRT's eyes, it's unlikely they'll find out any time soon.

[Harvest] Get Director Piggot to sign off on your harvesting of the wrecks in the bay. Downplay the capabilities of Mecha Drones

[Harvest] Don't say anything about it, just accept that Director Piggot has no resources to give you.

[Harvest] Demand more resources (Tony realizes that this is both unfeasible and a dick move)

[Harvest] Write-in.

"By the way," she says. "I know it's now Miss Militia's job to tell you what tinkertech you can and cannot use in the field, but I expect those shield-belts you built Arachne and Vista to go through a proper review. If you continued to use unapproved tinkertech then the blame would fall onto her shoulders. If I were her, I'd probably ask you to make some for the rest of the Wards as well," she mutters the last part, but it's clear you were intended to hear that. Unfortunately, whether or not you wish to make shield-belts for the rest of the Wards, you don't have the resources. Also, you had forgotten about the tinkertech approval process, and you were unaware that others knew about the shields. It's possible you were so out of it that you didn't notice one of the girl's shields being triggered, or that one of them took a hit while you weren't in the same room as her.

You make a mental note to fill in that paperwork and send it to your new mentor, who you will need to lookup.

You decide that the Psi-screen can be built later. If you're giving them access to an Observer, then they'll probably want you to position it at a better vantage over the city. If you build a second one, then you don't have to worry about not having good enough sensors to reach the bottom of the bay from all the way out there. You can even upgrade your personal one with the scanner you'll build for finding materials. That way, even if someone somehow subverts the Observer, it won't have the improved scanner you will build.

After you set the Observer parts printing, you set about creating access levels. At the administrator level, there is, of course, yourself, with access to all the sensors and feeds. Then, below you, you create auth tokens for Dragon and Armsmaster, though you don't know if either of them will be looking at the feed any time soon. You designate that level to be super-moderator, which essentially contains all feeds except the ones that track your tinkertech, thus making it so that they can't see your drones or second observer. The last permission setup you create is the moderator level, for Director Piggot. This one has no access to several of the more powerful sensors, like the ones that can see straight through buildings and possibly stranger effects. You never got to test that out actually. You then add a set of instructions onto the three accounts you've created detailing how they can create new access levels and add people to them. Super-moderators can create moderators and moderators can create any role below that. Ideally, Tattletale, if when she tries to get access to the cameras will only be able to get into a level lower than a moderator. Realistically, she'll get moderator level access, but she won't be able to make her own moderator level account.

You'd like to do some research into your (and Chris's) mentor and maybe even Coil, but Uncle Danny has just arrived at the PRT building, and it's time to face the music.

"I, we were saving lives. I, myself brought two people I know back to life."

"Why did it have to be you? I know you made some of those devices for the PRT!"

"My presence directly prevented the healer's station from being flooded because Vista managed to redirect a tidal wave while boosted by my staff, a function that none of the other staves have."

"It didn't HAVE to be you though did it? You COULD have given the staff to someone else!"

"You expect us to just stand by when people are in danger?"

"When it could result in you dying, YES!"

"Dad," Taylor decides to interject, "We're heroes now."

Spoiler: Uncle Danny Reaction

Apparently, that statement has some sort of meaning between Uncle Danny and Taylor, at least judging by the way he seems to deflate.

"Taylor, you're all I had left after your mother passed, and Tony, you may not have been here long, but you're as much a part of our family as anyone else. I cannot even fathom losing either of you. Just please, promise me you won't do something that dangerous again."

You don't know how to respond, to make that promise would certainly be lying to him.

Luckily, Taylor steps in again. "Dad, we can't promise we won't be in dangerous situations again. You said it yourself that being a hero is dangerous. We will promise that we'll let you know if we're ever in a dangerous situation, so at least you'll know." She squeezes your arm as she makes the promise as if to tell you that you're required to make it as well.

Uncle Danny sighs, "I guess that's the best I can hope for." He straightens up. "Well, we definitely can't live here right now. I'm sure the PRT will find some way to provide housing for us, but I'd prefer if you two were to stay in the Wards dorms for the time being."

"Are you sure, Dad?"

"Yes, despite what happened, claiming you'd be safer anywhere else is stupid."

Fuck it.

"My specialization is Sexy Combat Androids in Revealing Outfits!"

There's a beat of stunned silence before Dennis crack up.

"HAHA-Oof!" Did Missy just punch him in the groin?

Miss Militia lets out a bark of incredulous laughter. "To be honest that's the last thing I ever expected to hear you say. So, do you have any designs you'd like to share with the class?"

You start pulling up an image of 2B on your beads. "It was mostly a joke, but all the designs that popped into my head default to a certain look." You pull up an illustration you did of the finished YoRHa No. 2 Type B Battle Android.

Spoiler: 2B

The benefit of holographic screens is that you can have the image display on both sides.

Miss Militia raises an eyebrow. "Well, I suppose you are at that age. Should I ensure Mr. Hebert gives you 'The Talk.'"

You turn bright red. "I… well… I," you sputter. Taylor looks like she's suffered a fatal error and is restarting. Missy looks like she still wants to hit something while also looking like her face is about to catch fire. Dennis is still groaning. Chris, Dean, and Carlos are suppressing their laughter to avoid drawing attention to themselves.

Missy turns to you. It looks like her anger has mostly dissipated, though the blush is still going strong. "Is… Is that what you're into?"

Chris has to bite his hand to suppress his laughter. Even Miss Militia appears to be amused, though she only smiles. You see that Taylor has apparently rebooted and is staring at you intently.

[Response] "Yes, absolutely." - Shamelessly

[Response] "I… Uh… " - The classic nervous stutter

[Response] "No?" - Sow Confusion!

[Response] Write-in.

When you head back to your lab, Missy doesn't follow you this time. It gives you the chance to install the scanner into your personal observer. After you do that and run a few quick diagnostics, you launch your new observer up into the air towards the bay. Now all you need to do is get your larvae and drone out of the building and into the Ocean. You glance down at the ribboned, squeaky green drone. Predictably, it squeaks at you.

It can fit inside a duffle bag, right?

You set about modifying the drone's resource gathering protocols and ensuring it will pass them onto the larvae when they transform into drones. First is that it shouldn't attempt to harvest living things. You wanted to say organic matter to be on the safe side, but that's probably too safe. Your observer's scanner comes back showing that a lot of the ships are absolutely covered in algae and other bottom-feeders. Ok, new first restriction. Don't harvest any living matter from animals. That should be good, right? Next, if the observers detect anything approaching the drone then it should attempt to hide or burrow, depending on the situation. You do your best to program the correct instructions in for determining when to hide and when to burrow. Your power does the heavy lifting for programming instructions in, but you need to come up with the logic for the drone to follow on your own. It's harder than you expected.

Lastly, ensure that once all the larvae are properly morphed, the drones properly store the materials. Hmm, this is difficult. The pincers ensure that even though you're harvesting underwater, the materials remain largely unaffected as long as they're being held by the drone, unfortunately, that is no longer true when it drops them. A solution would be to build a Mecha Hatchery to store the materials, but that would probably be resource-intensive, though you could have the drones collect the resources for it. Unfortunately, all your larvae can no longer morph into buildings after they morph into drones. You could probably reverse this, but do you want to? You can't guarantee that instructions not to produce additional drones would stick once the drone transformed into a hatchery. You're pretty sure that if the hatchery did produce larvae, the larvae would only be capable of transforming into drones, and said drones would only be capable of collecting resources and transforming into hatcheries. Of course, this definitely violates the whole "no self-replication" law, so if anyone figures out that they're replicating themselves without your input, then there will be a big spat.

[Mecha Zerg] Store the materials in a hatchery

[Mecha Zerg] Find alcoves in the rubble for them to distribute the resources across (Increased chance of being spotted by passerby)

[Mecha Zerg] Write-in.

You find out on Wednesday morning that they've put up Uncle Danny in a hotel outside of the city, all the way on the west side and further inland than most of the water damage. You decide that now is a good time to fill out all the paperwork so that your new mentor "Juggernaut" can put your tinkertech through the approval process. Speaking of, you decide to look up Chris's and your new mentors. You look up Konio first. It appears that she's a tinker that specializes in powdered substances. Basically, dust with fancy effects. She has spiky black hair that she wears short and is visible over her visor. Her power armor (why do all tinkers have power armor?) appears designed to distribute as much powder as possible. Interesting.

Next, you look up your own mentor, Juggernaut of the Boston Protectorate. Apparently, he showed up at the last Endbringer fight, though you don't know whether he was healed by one of your staves. There's currently a bunch of drama going on with Bastion, the head of the Boston Protectorate. A video of him making some racist comments at a kid, calling him a 'spic.' Juggernaut isn't a part of that though, it just makes it harder for you to find any recent news about him, so you switch instead to the PRT internal info you have access to. Juggernauts' armor is bulky and the bowl-shaped helmet makes him look like he doesn't have a neck. His specialty is apparently "Impact Absorption" and his armor was good enough to take a direct hit from Leviathan's tale and only skid a little bit.

Spoiler: Event Roll

You switch to your Wards email to see if there's any news. Oh, apparently one Thomas Calvert has resigned his position as a PRT Consultant. Yeah… Resigned. But that's good, at least he'll probably have fewer inroads in the PRT.

Oh, what's this? ABB members captured before Leviathan are saying that Oni Lee is dead? They're saying that he died right after the breakout?

Fuck.

[Non-i Lee] Immediately go and see Taylor, it's possible she hasn't read the e-mail yet.

-[Non-i Lee] Mention it to her if she hasn't seen it already, she should know about it beforehand

-[Non-i Lee] Just be there for her when she does read it.

[Non-i Lee] Do nothing?

[Non-i Lee] Write-in.

Voting Moratorium Length: 6 Hours

Voting Opens from 7:40 p.m. UTC

Votes for next chapter:

Harvest

Response

Non-i Lee

QM Note:

Well, ain't bad right Plausitivity? Also, I really liked your omake, MangoFlan, gave me goosebumps. I also can't believe the incredible amount of fan-writing for this quest. I actually wonder if there's more Omake text or actual story at this point.

StarchLord said:

@Monk Penguin Is there any way to create an android that has the capability to use Pym particles?

I'm tempted to just say "Yes," and not elaborate, but let me ask you a question. Use Pym Particles how? To shrink and grow? Probably, but you'd need a device that lets you shrink and grow using Pym Particles.

Last edited: Jul 20, 2019

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Threadmarks 40. Deep Dive

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Monk Penguin

Monk Penguin

Way of the Open Flipper

Jul 22, 2019

#6,267

Spoiler: Winning Vote

Spoiler: BGM

"Ok," you say, accepting that she's telling the truth. "I would like to know what is going to happen with my previous plan of cleaning up the boat graveyard."

"Currently, the city is still recovering. Many people don't have shelter or food to eat. Once the more immediate problems are settled, the city government will likely want to do a review of what's left of the boat graveyard to see if it's even worth harvesting."

You don't think that's the sort of red tape that the director's influence can cut through. "The," you hesitate and decide to leave the space out of Space Construction Vehicle. Too many parallels to Sphere. "Construction Vehicles that I would have used function underwater, but that seems like a whole other ballpark of regulation. could probably also be used to clear rubble and help with rebuilding efforts."

Director Piggot frowns, well, her lip twitches slightly downward. That counts as a frown. "Material salvage is one thing, but the permits needed for that would take too long to get for that to be worth it and before you ask, I don't have any sway with OSHA or the Massachusetts Office of Public Safety. If you came up with a solution that was purely tinkertech, it would fall much more in my jurisdiction."

You nod in understanding, you're still pretty sure she's being truthful. "Ok, so since you can't spare more resources, I have a couple of proposals I'd like to run by you."

"Out with it then."

"First, I've built some autonomous drones that can harvest resources underwater. Unfortunately, I don't have a method of underwater storage. I want your permission to use them and a weekly drop point for someone to collect what I harvest."

"Judging by the fact that I've never even heard of these, I assume that they haven't been approved yet?" You shake your head. Director Piggot pinches the bridge of her nose again. "And your mentor is in Boston, and despite what they might claim, they're struggling with the aftereffects of Leviathan as well. Without the benefit of having actually been used at the fight, two weeks is the absolute fastest I see it getting approved." She looks at you contemplatively. "Fine, but I expect to see the application for approval on my desk tomorrow."

You're already thinking about how best to doctor that document. Maybe only send the document for the drones and remove any reference to the ability to transform. After all, they can't do that anymore. That would just make them seem like autonomous resource-harvesting drones.

"Ok, another thing I wanted to talk to you about. My Habitat Builder was literally designed for setting up temporary structures. I know I'm not qualified, but anyone with knowledge of CAD software should be able to operate it."

"That is... surprisingly reasonable. I will see if anyone in this department has the required background, if not, I'm sure Deputy Director Renick will know someone trustworthy." She preempts you before you can bring up payment for services rendered. "I assure you that you will be properly reimbursed when the PRT has the resources to do so. I assume this isn't the last proposal you have for me."

"Just one more. I doubt that the food and other aid transports will go unmolested, so I've been thinking about countermeasures. I can build a UAV that has access to a pocket dimension that is more than large enough to hold any shipments. I can even build a second one with access to the same pocket dimension so one can go around collecting materials and they can essentially be teleported right here. Of course, I need to build a robotics bay and a structure to power it."

"And you are bringing this to me because..." she raises an eyebrow before realization dawn on her, "Armsmaster is injured, and therefore cannot authorize you building tinkertech tools. I see. Very well, so long as you can provide a safe demonstration of the structures once they are built, I will allow it. How soon can you produce one? Assuming the PRT will provide you with the required resources."

You can produce one by next week, but that would preclude you from building a RoboBay unless you did it using your saved up hospital wage.

[Ongoing Negotiations] Agree to produce a Void Array by the end of next week at material cost (PRT will provide 3C/6U/2R for Void Array).

[Ongoing Negotiations] Push for materials to construct RoboBay and Pylon as well.

[Ongoing Negotiations] Write-in.

"I can't deny they aren't aesthetically pleasing to the eye, because I'm pretty sure from my power that they are meant to appeal to as broad of an audience as possible, I mean here are a few of the default male versions."

You switch the image of 2B to a set of three, one displaying 9S and the other two displaying Adam and Eve, which are both males.

Spoiler: 9S, Adam, and Eve

Miss Militia quirks an eyebrow as she sees the image of Eve.

"Also, other default models have more conservative outfits."

Spoiler: Devola and Popola

The random cuts out of their shirts do not assist your case, but Missy does seem to have transitioned from flustered/mad to just flustered. You wonder if she's comparing herself to the idealized physical forms of the android models. At least they're not absurdly top-heavy like some other androids you can think of *cough* Xenoblade 2 *cough*.

Taylor is... You can't actually tell exactly what she's feeling but the primary emotions seem to be shock or disbelief, though you can't figure out why. Maybe she's just now figuring out that you're about to be a teenage boy, or maybe you just pulled a Greg by suggesting you would build an attractive woman. Oh god, you don't want Taylor to compare you to Greg.

Your analysis is interrupted by Miss Militia bursting out into laughter. "I can't speak for your team, but I won't judge you if you decide to build a Sexy Combat Android," she says after she calms down. At least it seems like she found your joke funny. Oh, and the peanut gallery consisting of Carlos, Dean, and Chris are giggling like schoolgirls at you. You're half-tempted to not switch the Chronomanipulator's field over to Chris's lab, but you know you'll do it anyway.

You decide that since you have a drop point set, you only need a temporary series of storage locations, preferably out of the way or underwater. You flip through some of the feeds of the observer that no one except you knows exists. You're hoping that it'll find some spot where you could hide the materials until you drop them off to the PRT to be delivered back to your lab. You don't find anything for a couple hours before you give up. You'll just go back tomorrow and build a dome with your habitat builder. You gather the two larvae and the drone before heading out. You consider shoving all three into a duffle bag, but you decide to keep the Drone in your hands because it is freaking adorable and you have to share its cuteness with the other Wards.

The first person you encounter is Missy, who looks like she's still trying to process what happened a bit ago when you proclaimed your specialty. She notices you, and for a moment, it looks like she'll bolt, but then she spies the drone in your arms and she gets curious.

"What's that?" she asks as she approaches you.

Your Drone, being the dutifully programmed drone that it is, squeaks, and then, following its protocols for meeting a human other than you, attempts to hide. It does this by attempting to burrow into your arm. Thankfully, the energy discs that can cut through diamond are off, so instead of losing both your arms, you instead end up with a weirdly squishy armful of wriggling Drone.

"It's adorable!" Missy squeals, which gets the attention of Taylor and Dean, who are sitting on the couch and doing what looks like homework. You're not sure why either of them is doing something akin to homework because school will likely be out for at least 2 weeks if not a month. You bet that if the PRT wasn't as short-staffed they'd be having lessons for you or something. That seems like the kind of thing that they'd do.

Taylor also approaches and proceeds to join Missy in attempting to bet the Drone.

"You two know it's not alive, right? It's just a bunch of servos, motors, and programming."

The two of them still. Surprisingly, the Drone does as well. Taylor slowly presses down on one of its metal panels underneath a ribbon. Instead of making the squelching noises the default model was programmed to, it squeaks. "Your point is invalid," she informs you in an utterly neutral tone. If it wasn't for the way her eyes were lit up in amusement, you would have thought she was serious.

"H-how can you be near that thing. It's creepy as hell," Dean says from where he appears to be trying to get as far away from the Drone as possible while still being on the couch.

Taylor and Missy both glare at him. Before anything drastic can happen, you interrupt their glaring contest. "Alright, as much fun as this has been. I gotta drop this little guy into the bay."

Taylor performs an exaggerated gasp. "Surely not!"

"Uh, yes? I made him- it to harvest resources underwater."

Missy takes this opportunity to poke the wriggling Drone some more. "Ohhh, who's an underwater squeaker? You are! Yes, you are!"

You knew the drone was adorable, especially after you glued googly eyes on it and tied it up in ribbons, but this is more than you were expecting. If you weren't so out of materials, you'd be half tempted to gift it to Missy... as a pet or something.

Spoiler: BGM

You rush over to the common room again, lamenting that you just put the squeaky drone into the bay, so you couldn't fish it out to comfort Taylor because by now it would be covered in dirt and silt from the bottom of the bay. You hurry into the common room, which is luckily empty save for Taylor and Missy. Taylor is showing Missy how to cook some basic meals, like at about the level of boiling pasta. It's kind of hilarious because, at the moment, Missy's shoulders are at about equal height with the counter, but she's warping space all over the place to reach what she can't. Speaking of height, you're pretty sure you were taller than Missy by half an inch, but now she's starting to edge you out in height. You're probably officially the shortest Ward now. You can only hope Missy doesn't notice.

After letting your mind run on a tangent for a bit to calm yourself, you gather up your courage and go over just as Taylor is showing Missy how to strain the pasta.

"Taylor, can we talk?" you glance at Missy, who gets the hint and goes to the other side of the kitchen to get the pasta sauce out of the pantry.

"What is it?" Taylor asks, sounding concerned for you.

Right, how best to say this. Maybe just rip the band-aid off? "Taylor, Oni Lee died. Right after they broke Bakuda out. Right after," you whisper

Taylor looks confused for a moment, before realization dawns, and she goes very pale. Missy gasps. You look over and see her looking at the two of you in horror because of course she was eavesdropping with her power.

"I-I killed h-him?" Taylor asks. In lieu of an answer, you hug her.

"Oni Lee's choices clearly led him there, as did ours. We gave him a choice when we attacked him. He had the option to leave and live, or stay and continue with his mission. The decisions he made and the actions that followed were a reflection of who he was. He chose to set free a woman who had already started a bombing spree, killed hundreds, and was ready to continue with it. We chose to try and stop him."

Taylor kneels down, putting her weight on you and bawling into your shoulder.

Spoiler: Taylor

"I know," she says, though it's muffled into your shoulder. "It's just..." she trails off into a sob. "I just..."

You just hold her, navigating her to the couch where Missy decides to hug her from the other side and mumble that it's ok.

You're not sure how much time passes, but Miss Militia returns. Taylor goes pale when she sees the Wards supervisor. Her grip on you and Missy tightens and you can feel her start to shake. Miss Militia approaches and... puts an arm around Taylor.

"You're not in trouble sweetheart," she says gently.

"I-I'm not?" Taylor asks incredulously.

"No."

Miss Militia slowly disentangles Taylor from the two of you and takes her to Taylor's room to talk with her one on one. You and Missy just sort of look at each other, feeling disheveled and shaken.

"So..." you say, conveying your jumbled emotional state in that simple word.

"Yeah," Missy agrees.

Thursday begins with you checking on the Drones to see if they're doing well. All three of them are now Drones, and it's about time you set up somewhere for them to drop resources. You inform Miss Militia what you're about to do by text, and minutes later Mrs. Cortez shows up. You note that she looks significantly less put together than the last time you saw her, but a lot has happened since then, so you don't comment on it. Your short trip yesterday to put the Drone and larvae in the bay had been unsupervised, but it seems the PRT isn't willing to let you out on your own anymore.

It's slightly more difficult this time, because the Habitat Builder's range isn't that large, yet you also don't want the dome you create to be too close to the surface. The beach looks remarkably empty without all the wrecks lying about. The majority of them were swept away by tidal waves. Some out to sea, and some into the city slamming into buildings. You're pretty sure if you ventured into the more destroyed parts of the city, you could still find some.

A trio of squeaky drones approaches you, carrying the materials you need to construct the basic structure of your storage depot. A quick few clicks later and your new storage depot is pumping out water to empty itself and filling itself up with air. Another few clicks on your Habitat Builder, and there is now a hatch for your drones to exit and enter through.

Job done, you turn back to your handler and get in her car. The city is still largely in ruins, though you can see that people are starting to pick up the pieces.

"Brockton Bay General is asking if you still want to continue the arrangement you had before," she informs you.

"Oh, is that still on? I thought that it might have gotten canceled because... you know."

You think you see her lips quirk into a smile in the rearview mirror, but you don't quite see it long enough to be sure. You also don't know what about that statement would make her smile.

"Brockton Bay General is still standing, though they're having some electrical issues. According to the administrator I talked to 'Money is the least of their problems right now,' because no one is in any state to work."

"Well,"

[Hospital] Continue previous arrangement.

[Hospital] Double hours/payment.

[Hospital] Cancel

[Hospital] Write-in.

When you get back to the PRT HQ, and by extension, the Wards HQ, you decide that since you'll probably be required to patrol, you might as well get started on the training that will also be required of you, at least according to that handbook you read like a month ago.

"Hey Missy, can you show me what the typical training sessions are like?"

Missy quirks her head, "That's right, you haven't been to one yet. How did you even get out of them? I'm pretty sure Chris wants to know your secret."

"I dunno. No one ever bothered asking me to go, so I didn't?"

Missy snorts. Then, she grins at you. It's a grin that makes you want to run. "Alright, I can show you the ropes."

"On second thought..." you probably shouldn't just abandon this idea. Maybe if you had backup. "Why don't we invite Taylor as well."

"Sure."

You go to Taylor's room and knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Ouch, her voice is hoarse, possibly from crying.

"It's Tony and Missy. We were wondering if you wanted to come train with us?"

"I... I think I'd rather be alone for now." It's almost physically painful to hear her sounding like that. You look to Missy for advice.

She shrugs. "Sometimes people just need some time alone to collect themselves," she reasons.

[Taylor] Go and train with Missy

[Taylor] Insist that she comes with you.

[Taylor] Cancel training and instead try and comfort her.

[Taylor] Write-in.

Voting Moratorium Length: 6 Hours

Voting Opens from 8:20 PM UTC

Votes for next chapter:

Ongoing Negotiations

Hospital

Taylor

QM Note:

Don't expect this to be the last you hear of Taylor's Trauma.

Also, there were a lot of short scenes in this update. After I write it, I can't help but feel like I maybe should have made some longer and split this up into two updates or something.

Woohoo! 40 Chapter Baby. Also 100k words. I'm pretty sure at least.

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Threadmarks 41. Recovery

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Monk Penguin

Monk Penguin

Way of the Open Flipper

Jul 24, 2019

#6,463

Spoiler: Winning Vote

Spoiler: BGM

"Alright, well, we're here if you need anything, sis."

"Ok." you think you can just make out a sniffle, but you'll do as she asks and just give her some time to herself. you turn to Missy. "Let's go."

You spend the next hour getting your ass handed to you by Missy. You learn several things. First, you are very out of shape, while Missy has clearly been on a workout regime for quite a while, one that's probably been looked over by several experts hired by the PRT. Secondly, she is also way better than you at hand-to-hand combat. You would be embarrassed if you weren't aware of how much work she's put in to be this good.

Missy, on the other hand, seems to enjoy having someone her size to utterly demolish. She does give you helpful pointers, but you don't learn a lot form your spars since she's so much more skilled than you and doesn't hold back at all. By the end of the hour you're on your back, wheezing for air, and ready to sleep until the world ends. You grimace internally at that last turn of phrase.

"You did pretty good for your first time," Missy says as she helps you up.

Despite knowing that that statement is probably true, you can't help but snort. "I did awful."

"Yeah."

"Hey, you're not supposed to agree with me!"

"Well, it's true. Don't worry too much about it, once you get some practice in, you'll be great."

Involuntarily, your mind turns to the Slaughterhouse Nine. You can't be sure they're coming, but you have painted a pretty big target on your back. In canon, which you really shouldn't be depending on anymore, they showed up around the beginning of June and revealed their presence not long after they did show up.

"Is everything ok?" You're pulled out of your thoughts by a concerned Missy. You must have been making quite the face.

"Yeah."

You can tell she doesn't believe you, but she lets it go.

When you get back, Taylor is actually out in the common room. She's made herself a sandwich with some kind of cold-cut ham and some other ingredients. You're glad she's not holing herself up in her room to eat it. You sit next to her and wrap her up in a hug. It's slightly awkward because of how much taller she is than you, but you manage.

"Hey, Taylor. How are you feeling?"

"I'm ok," she replies automatically. You frown.

"I just wanted to say thanks, for being with Missy and me during Leviathan. I couldn't have managed without you."

"Really?" she sounds so hesitant it hurts.

"Of course," Missy answers, sitting down on the opposite side, "we're a team, aren't we?"

"Yeah!" you agree with Missy.

She puts down her sandwich and tentatively wraps an arm around each of you. "Thanks, guys." She puts her chin on the top of your head briefly before removing it so she can speak. "I know... I know I didn't do it on purpose, and I know that he didn't stop, but I still feel guilty. I killed someone, and I didn't even know for weeks. I just... I'm glad you guys don't think I'm a monster."

Missy scoffs, "Of course not. Besides, you're too much of a softy to be a monster."

Whereas previously, Taylor might have taken that as some sort of challenge, now she just melts into the cough, her hold on the two of you loosening. "I just... I didn't even know. How am I supposed to use my power now, now that I know what it can do?"

"Taylor," you say," I could have spent the entirety of my time as a Ward building weapons, but I didn't. Just because your power can be used like a weapon, doesn't mean it has to be a weapon. In fact, there are a lot of ways you can use it that aren't offensive. You could use it to keep track of enemies, or send messages to allies, or even obscure people or things from sight."

"I guess you're right."

It's your turn to scoff, "Of course I am, I'm always right."

Missy fails to hold in her giggles, which causes you and Taylor to laugh at the absurdity of your statement as well.

Taylor leans back up off the couch and squeezes you and Missy to her sides. "Thanks, guys. I mean it. I don't know what I'd do without you to back me up." Your mind conjures up an image of Warlord Skitter. You push it out of your mind. That plot has been shot all to hell, but it does remind you that you need to worry about Coil. He might try and pull something before the Slaughterhouse 9 show up.

Now is probably the best time you'll get to ask Taylor about her efforts to gather materials since she's at least somewhat cheerful. Of course, if it turns out she's forgotten to gather them, you'll probably kill any good mood she had and the last few weeks were pretty busy. Alternatively, if she did, she'll likely feel better because she helped you out.

[TayMats] Ask her about them

[TayMats] Don't ask her about them

[TayMats] Write-in.

After Taylor has calmed down a bit, you want to go and add people's faces into your observer's cache, but you did volunteer for two shifts at the hospital this week. You should get one done. After you're dropped off by Mrs. Cortez, your first instinct is to go see Armsmaster, but you are quickly informed that he is not taking visitors at the moment. Then, a disheveled looking doctor sees you. She practically drags you down the hallway as she talks your ear off.

"Thank God you're here. Water-borne diseases are spreading like wildfire, and that's not even mentioning all the people who show up after getting injured trying to clear the rubble out of their home. To top it all off, the PRT has been quite mum about your staves." Several emotions pass through you at his rant. First, you feel mildly exasperated. All that effort to hide that the resurrection stave was solely your design and everybody seems to just regard it as your staff now. Second is guilt. The locked cases with the other 9 staves are just sitting in your lab. You have access and you could have brought them, but you don't know how the PRT would respond to that. After all, the staves are technical "theirs."

"Uhh," you say, slightly overwhelmed.

"What am I doing? I'm sorry for putting all that on you young man, I've just been having a stressful week."

You go to say that it's ok, but a nurse pops his head out of a room that you're walking by.

"Dr. Miriam, could you come check up on Theodore in here?"

"Of course, Nate, could you please take this schedule and escort Horizon to the rooms in this order. Horizon, this is Nate, he'll be your guide."

She and Nate swap off, leaving you to trail behind them, feeling overwhelmed again. "Hectic isn't it?" Nate asks you.

"Yeah."

"I'm sure that she's glad you came along, we've just been full to bursting lately."

What follows is several hours of moving about the hospital and healing patients. As soon as you heal them, they essentially go under a short observation period before being politely asked to get out so someone else can use their bed. Unlike the last few times, you were here, you're practically rushed from room to room. Nate even jokes that he should get you a wheelchair so you can sit down in between sessions. You would be tempted to take him up on his offer if he didn't look even more tired than you felt.

By the end of five hours, you're escorted into a break room where you see Panacea. She's nursing a coffee and looking like she desperately wishes she could have the sleep that the coffee is a substitute for.

"Hello," you greet her.

"Nice of you to show up," she snarks.

Well, if she wants to play it like that, you can be petty as well. "You look terrible."

"Thanks, I know."

Silence.

"I remember you offered me a pick-me-up the last time we talked. That offer still on the table?"

You try not to show your glee at that. "Sure," you flip out the staff and point it at her as fast as you can. Panacea looks mildly alarmed when you do so, but calms down when you don't immediately shoot a beam of healing at her. You wait for her permission.

"Ok, do it."

You can literally see the bags under her eyes disappear as your staff heals away her fatigue. As you were expecting, an alert pops up on your screen. However, it is not the alert you were expecting. Your surprise must show on your face because Panacea puts down her coffee and tries to lean over and look at the holographic reading coming from your beads.

"Is something wrong?"

You don't think she saw, but the alert says "Patient displays physical signs of addiction. Likely substance: Amphetamines."

Figures Glory Girl's power is more like a drug than you initially anticipated.

How do you break the news to Panacea that she's addicted to Amphetamines.

[Amphetamines] "It's uh… nothing. The sensors must be calibrated wrong."

[Amphetamines] (wide-eyed innocent look) "Do you do drugs?"

[Amphetamines] Just show her the alert on your screen

[Amphetamines] Write-in.

Friday morning is apparently team training, which you found out on Friday morning when a far-too-cheerful Carlos knocked on your door until you were awake. You get the feeling you're lucky airhorns weren't involved. You get dressed and do your morning ablutions before you step outside. Everybody is present except Brock, of course, and Taylor, which is less expected.

"Has anyone seen Taylor?" Carlos asks. You're pretty sure the majority of people here were asleep until he woke them up. Using your beads, you do a quick check of your stalking devices observers and see that Taylor is down a couple of floors at the indoor shooting range with Miss Militia.

"She's at the shooting range with Miss Militia," you inform him.

"Then I suppose we can head out. Let's go, Assault is waiting on us."

You see that Dean is in his armor, Chris has his pistols and Missy is wearing the gloves you gave her, so it must be a powers-on session. This will be an excellent time for you to train with your warp blade. You hurry over and grab your normal tinkertech toolkit along with the blink band, the hardened shield, and the warp blade which have all not been approved yet. You wonder what Juggernaut is up to over in Boston. You also highly doubt your warp blade would be approved, but you should probably file it in anyway so that they know it exists. Of course, you could just not.

[WB Approval] Don't put this through the PRT Approval process. Assault will probably just assume you have.

[WB Approval] You'll file the report later.

[WB Approval] Write-in.

When you get down, you find that the others have already started. Chris is on his hoverboard, flying in the spacious room and shooting at Carlos, who is dodging but not attempting to close the distance. Dennis is doing this weird freerunning where he takes blocks of wood, drops them in front of himself and then steps on them and freezes them. It looks cool but impractical. Dean is attempting to dodge constructs sent at him by Missy, who is also warping space, though not around him.

A large hand lands on your shoulder. The difference in size is almost comical.

"Hey kid, I'm glad to see you brought your stasis rifle. Missy is going to warp space in between you and Carlos, and then you need to try and hit him with the rifle."

"Actually, I wanted to practice something else."

"Oh?"

You carefully hold your arm so it's not pointing at anything important and ignite the Warp blade.

"That's pretty shiny, but are you sure you want to be up close in a fight?"

"It's more of an emergency measure."

Assault rubs his chin. "I can see it, but I still think you should learn what you're supposed to do in a normal fight before you start training for emergencies.

[Training] Train in firing through a warp field using slow Projectiles

[Training] Train to use the Warp Blade

[Training] Write-in.

After training, you head back up to the Wards HQ and by extension, your lab. Taylor is asleep on the couch, so you grab the blanket off your bed and tuck her in. You think she smiles in her sleep, but you might have imagined it. Then, you, and Missy since she's bored, head to your lab, where you start discreetly tracking Thomas Calvert. It's tricky to add a face to your observer's recognition protocols since it was working in conjunction with Dragon during Leviathan, and she greatly expedited the process. Ultimately, with the number of detailed sensors on the Observer, it doesn't take too long to patch together a facial recognition algorithm for him. After a moment of searching, your observer finds him underground not too far from you. He's likely in his underground base. You discreetly allow Director Piggot to have access to the sensors needed to discover him and his base. Then, you do the same for Dr. William Manton and the faces of all of the Slaughterhouse 9. For the 9, you set an alert that will appear for you, Dragon, Armsmaster, Director Piggot, and anyone else with privileges of that level as soon as the observer detects them.

You set a similar alert for William Manton, but this one is only for yourself. Coil presents a different problem, he's always within range, which gives you a huge information advantage, though it's likely that he at the very least knows of the observers by now. Hopefully, he thinks they can't get him in his hidey-hole. Then, you have an idea. You can flag anyone who goes into that underground bunker as Coil's, only for yourself of course.

[Observer] Add an alert for whenever one of them gets too close to you or someone else the observer is tracking to keep safe (like Missy and Taylor)

[Observer] Just leave it at that for now.

You sit back and examine your work. Holy Shit! You just realized it, but you are Big Brother.

Missy clears her throat, so you look up at her. She's still making idle shapes using her gloves. You wonder if that's as fun as it looks.

"Your Wards phone is buzzing."

Before you go to check it, you ask Missy. "Hey, do you mind if I put your face into this facial recognition so I can make sure you're safe?"

Missy gawks at you. "You want to track me?"

"Yes? Only for your own safety?"

Missy stares at you some more. "Fine."

You add her in as an ally. You'll have to wait for Taylor to wake up before you ask her. Then, you check your phone. Carlos wants everyone to gather in the common room, so you take Missy and go.

The whole Protectorate is there. What the hell is going on? Taylor is still asleep on the couch.

When everyone has gathered, Miss Militia speaks up. "The doctors are allowing Armsmaster to meet visitors. The Protectorate is going, but I wanted to ask if any of you wanted to come."

Nearly everyone volunteers. The only exception is Taylor, who is still asleep.

When you get there, you all sort of wait nervously outside the door, clogging the hallway.

"Chris and Tony, he was your mentor, you can go in first if you like," Miss Militia says.

Chris waves his hands in the air and looks at you, "I know you two were close, probably closer than me and him. You can go ahead if you like."

[Visitation] Go alone

[Visitation] Go with Chris

[Visitation] Go with the rest of the Wards.

Voting Moratorium Length: 6 Hours

Voting Opens from 8:25 PM UTC

Votes for next chapter:

TayMats

Amphetamines

WB Approval

Observer

Visitation

QM Note:

The PRT wants to be shady, you can be shady right back. Get all the shade up in here.

Last edited: Jul 26, 2019

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Monk Penguin

Jul 24, 2019

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Threadmarks 42. The Answer

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Monk Penguin

Monk Penguin

Way of the Open Flipper

Jul 26, 2019

#6,645

Spoiler: Winning Vote

Spoiler: BGM

Instead of asking Taylor about materials she could have gathered, you'll try and continue talking about the other ways her power could be used.

"Hey, Taylor, you made your original costume on your own, right? Have you ever considered getting a tinkering budget of your own? You could use it to make spider-silk stuff for yourself or people like Carlos whose costume gets torn up a lot. You could even get them to import foreign spiders."

Taylor gives you a soft smile. "Thanks for the idea, Tony. It was something I had been thinking about, but I didn't think my powers qualified as tinker powers."

"Since you can use your powers to make stuff, you're a tinker. I'm one, so I should know." Missy snorts at you.

Taylor giggles. "Ok, it does sound like something to take my mind off of things."

"Well, actually I just went and asked for myself." You shuffle, feeling faintly guilty. "According to Director Piggot, they're low on funds, so maybe you could ask later?"

This time, Taylor laughs. You're glad she's laughing, even if it's at your expense. "Ok Tony, I'll ask later."

You're not sure exactly what to do about this, so you just turn the holographic screen slightly so Panacea can see it. She's still tethered to the stave, so it's reading her body in real-time.

"Signs of addiction... Most likely... Amphetamines?" She looks incredulously at you. You raise an eyebrow at her.

"Are you sure that thing is calibrated correctly because I can guarantee that the closest I've come to meth is cleaning it out of a Merchant's system."

You zoom in on the scan of Panacea's brain with a gesture. Holographic screens are the best. "It's not necessarily saying you're addicted to amphetamines, it's just saying that for some reason, your brain isn't producing the proper amount of neurotransmitters. There are many possible explanations, it's just that my medical algorithm determined that Amphetamine addiction is the most likely." You don't have to explain any more, Panacea, despite her age, has a full medical license. Something that you are probably going to get soon all things considered. She understands enough about biology through her power and whatever independent studying she's done to understand what you're getting at.

"Huh, that's... You're sure that's reading right?" You nod. "I can't think of anything that would affect me like that." she starts to mutter to herself. "Mark is depressed, but we're not related. I don't do drugs, don't smoke, unless..." Her eyes widen. She's come to a conclusion, you only hope it's the correct one.

She glances at you. "Thanks for the pick-me-up. I need to go call my... aunt."

"No problem. Good luck figuring it out. The staff should prevent any physical withdrawal, but it won't affect any psychosomatic reactions."

"Actually, if we're talking about how best to stay away, I made a short-range teleportation device. I haven't tried it out yet, but I want to get used to using it."

"You sure it's safe?" Assault asks.

"100%."

"Alrighty then, I would avoid Missy's warps. Oh, and uno momento," he heads to the corner of the room where a door seems to materialize from the wall. It opens up into a supply closet. He grabs... a piece of PVC pipe and a wristband. "Before you stab yourself and I have to answer to Hannah, you should use this instead of the actual energy blade to practice."

You take off your warp blade, put on the wristband, and slide the PVC pipe underneath it, in an approximation of your warp blade. It's uncomfortable, but you'll get used to it. Once it's set, you blink forward.

It doesn't feel like you move at all, and yet your surroundings change suddenly. It's very disorienting in a way that's different from Missy's power. With Missy's power, you can feel the space around you acting odd, and sometimes making you nauseous. With this, it's just as if one moment you're in one spot, and the next moment you're in another spot. After you recover, you blink again and thrust your hand forward in what you approximate to be a proper strike with the wrist-pipe.

Assault comes over and corrects your posture a bit "Stand on the balls of your feet kid," and you practice some more. Around you, Dennis is taken off his improvised parkour practice and moved to chase around Dean as well, so Missy can get used to aiming hard-light constructs around her allies. The constructs themselves are mostly just nets and slow-moving concussive blasts so far, but Missy does have a knack for curving them around Dennis. Then, Missy swaps with Chris, and you get to see how she attempts to warp space to improve her accuracy against Carlos, who is still dodging.

After roughly 90 minutes, Miss Militia enters with Taylor in tow. Taylor has some significant bags under her eyes, which are bloodshot. She's yawning and looks like she might keel over at any moment. Miss Militia announces that mandatory training is over, and everyone is free to go if they wish. Missy and you leave to head back to your lab. Dean and Carlos stick around to spar, and Dennis and Chris follow you back towards the labs but go into Chris's lab.

Spoiler: BGM

"If it's ok with you, I'd like to go in alone."

"Of course, man."

After some shuffling, you are ushered inside. The inside of Armsmaster's hospital room looks like, well, a hospital room the only difference is the sheets of paper scattered about the floor next to his bed. Armsmaster himself has a table pulled over the bed and is scribbling furiously on another sheet of paper. You had been briefed on his condition and your first thought was that you should try and convince him to get healed, but you remembered that even before any of this had happened, he was frustrated with his human limitations. You doubted you could convince him considering those feelings.

"Hello," you say when he doesn't look up to greet you.

"Tony," he smiles, though it's pained. "It's good to see you. Your technology performed admirably during the crisis."

Is that bitterness you detect in his tone? "You know me, always striving for new heights."

"Indeed." The conversation dies an awkward death.

Armsmaster continues to scribble away on his piece of paper.

You try and grasp for something to talk about. "I heard you refused healing for your legs." What a good topic, Tony!

"The problem was not with my technology. The reason I am injured is that my body could not react quickly enough. I have determined the problem, and as a tinker, I am working on the solution." 'When you're holding a hammer, everything looks like a nail' you think to yourself, but don't say.

"I see." Another awkward pause passes. "When do you think you'll be back?"

"I will be discharged sometime this weekend. I expect the soonest I will be able to return to duty is a week from then."

"That's good. You know my temporary mentor, Juggernaut-"

"They've already assigned you and Chris new mentors?"

"Yes?" You're caught slightly off-balance. You didn't think that they just wouldn't tell him

Armsmaster growls. "I can't believe that after your showing they'd hand you to Juggernaut of all people. I can think of at least three tinkers who would be better suited to be your mentor in my absence." He starts scribbling even more furiously on his piece of paper. "It seems I will need to move up my timeline a bit, to ensure that you get the resources and mentoring that you deserve." You notice that he doesn't mention Chris at all, but you don't point it out.

Before you can commiserate about how you haven't heard anything at all from your mentor, a nurse opens the door. "The rest of your visitors are wondering if they can come in yet."

"Of course," you tell her.

Saturday is a busy day for you. You go to the hospital in the morning, though this time Panacea is not there. Then, you file your warp blade as a piece of technology that you want approval for in the case of S-class threats. You don't actually need them to approve it that way, but attempting to file it normally is straight-up impossible because the system would automatically reject it based on your age and the lethality of the weapon, never mind that you've already built it.

After that, you check your email to see several important messages. The top one is an official approval for you to use your blink band and shield belt as Horizon. Normally, Taylor and Missy would still need to wait on approval from Image to use their belts, since Image needs to make sure that it "fits their image," but you have emails from both Director Piggot and Miss Militia to all three of you telling you that you don't need to bother waiting for Image to OK them. The last thing is an email from Miss Militia, telling you that next week, patrols are mandatory. New Wave is dealing with internal matters, and thus won't be available to assist, meaning that the Protectorate and Wards need to cover as much ground as possible.

You consider calling Danny to talk about maybe getting someone to man SCV's, since he might know someone qualified but your call bounces off, and a quick check with the Observer shows that he's on the phone with someone else. You also don't know how to feel about the fact that you can literally check up on anybody in the city whenever you want, so long as you have some time and a few good pictures of their face. Nobody expects Big Brother to be a twelve-year-old with a tinkering problem. You leave him a message.

After that, you have a team training session. You are back to aiming through Vista's spatial warps, while Taylor is practicing bug senses, and fighting using them. She's sparring with Carlos while blindfolded and wearing earplugs.

When you get back to the Wards Common Room, you pull Taylor aside.

"Hey, I know it's been a busy few weeks, and I totally understand if you forgot, but did you by any chance collect some electronics using your insects?"

Taylor chews her lip, "I did, but I'm not sure they're still there. My hiding spot wasn't particularly fancy, and then Leviathan happened."

"Oh, that's no problem. Thanks for trying though. I appreciate it."

She smiles. "Of course, anything for my little bro. We can go check it out sometime to see if they're still there."

Your three mecha drones have collected 15 Common Materials, 10 Uncommon Materials, and 2 Rare Materials. You have received 18 Material credits for double duty at the hospital

Voting Moratorium Length: 12 Hours

Voting Opens from 2:30 AM UTC

Welcome to the Week of May 22nd, 2011:

Plan Voting Only. 12-hour voting Moratorium is in effect as well.

Only one tech from Nier. Tsk, Tsk. I'm disappointed in you.

-[Tech Tree] Stick with Nier: Automata

-[Tech Tree] Naruto

-[Tech Tree] Mario

-[Tech Tree] Fullmetal Alchemist

Did you want to know what projects are currently priced for these sets? Go check the projects post you lazy fuck.

Blueprints:

Stored in Ihan Crystal. Check the Projects post for prices

Starcraft

Singularity Spider Mines

Purifier Core Matix

Jorium Crystal Synthesizer

Jorium Psionic Inducer

Orbital Command

Psi-field Generator

Mirage

Psi-screens

SCV

EMP Spider Mines

Stasis Spider Mines

Zealot Glimpse Goggles

Khala Emulation Helmet

Neural Interface

Purifier Adept

Void Prison Rifle

Psi-Disruptor

Graviton Disruptor Rifle

Alpha Wave Detector

Void Array (Warp Prism)

Sentry

Pylon

Robotics Bay

Upgrade Robotics Bay to Function on All Tinkertech

Big Phase Reactor

Purifier Core Matrix

Mecha Zerg Larva

Terrazine Gas Synthesizer

Void Portal

Zergling Metabolic Boosts Augment

Medical Bay

Make Zerg Controllable by Taylor's Power

Gamete Meiosis Augment

Chitha Augment

Zerg Larva

Schematics:

One action to complete as long as you have access to your FabricatorHabitat Builder (Depending on Blueprint).

Fabricator (Basic)2 Common Materials1 Uncommon Material

Upgraded Fabricator2 Common Materials2 Uncommon Materials

Upgraded Habitat Builder1 Common Material3 Uncommon Materials

Stasis Rifle3 Common Materials1 Uncommon Material1 Rare Material

Armor Plating5 Common Materials

Caduceus Staff (Basic)3 Common Materials5 Uncommon Materials2 Rare Materials

Caduceus Staff (Illness Upgrade)3 Common Materials10 Uncommon Materials4 Rare Materials1 Exotic Material

Caduceus Staff

(Illness and Resurrection Upgrade)3 Common Materials14 Uncommon Materials6 Rare Materials2 Exotic Materials

Caduceus Staff (Illness and Booster Upgrade)4 Common Materials13 Uncommon Materials4 Rare Materials1 Exotic Material

Caduceus Staff

(Illness, Booster, and Resurrection Upgrades)4 Common Materials17 Uncommon Materials6 Rare Materials2 Exotic Materials

Vishkar Hard Light Gloves2 Common Materials4 Uncommon Materials1 Rare Material

Vishkar Hard Light Gloves with Sentry Hallucination Upgrade (Blueprint Requires Khaydarin Crystals)3 Common Materials7 Uncommon Materials1 Rare Material

All-in-one Communicator, Police Scanner, Web Browser, and GPS1 Common Material5 Uncommon Materials

Sombra Hacking Interface4 Uncommon Materials3 Rare Materials

Upgraded Sombra Hacking Interface6 Uncommon Materials4 Rare Material

Chronomanipulator (2:1)10 Common Materials5 Uncommon Materials2 Rare Materials1 Exotic Material

Khaydarin Crystal Generator6 Common Materials4 Uncommon Materials

Ihan Crystal (Blueprint Requires Khaydarin Crystals)2 Common Materials3 Uncommon Materials2 Rare Materials

Phasing Armor (Blueprint Requires Khaydarin Crystals)3 Common Materials4 Uncommon Materials

Repair Drone (Protoss) (Blueprint Requires Khaydarin Crystals)1 Common Material2 Uncommon Materials

Blink Band (Blueprint Requires Khaydarin Crystals)1 Common Material3 Uncommon Materials1 Rare Material

Plasma Shield Generator (Blueprint Requires Khaydarin Crystals)1 Common Material2 Uncommon Material

Hardened Shield Generator (Blueprint Requires Khaydarin Crystals)1 Common Material5 Uncommon Materials1 Rare Material

Phase Reactor (Blueprint Requires Khaydarin Crystals)3 Common Materials2 Uncommon Materials

Warp Blade (Blueprint Requires Khaydarin Crystals)2 Common Materials3 Uncommon Materials

Observer (Blueprint Requires Khaydarin Crystals)3 Common Materials2 Uncommon Materials1 Rare Material

Mecha Zerg Larva2 Common Materials

A170 Scanner3 Common Materials2 Uncommon Materials

Tools:

Excellent Tools, Specialized Tools (Medical), (Energy)

Materials:

51 Material Credits (1:1 for Common, 3:1 For each tier higher), 18 Common Materials, 10 Uncommon Material, 2 Rare Materials, 0 Exotic Materials

Actions:

5 2 (Good Workshop) = 7 - 1 (Patrol) = 6 by default, can be increased up to 10 by those below:

@Kejmur, 12 Omake Points

@Katsuragi, 5 Omake Points

@AsahinaTora, 1 Omake Points

@MangoFlan, 4 Omake Points

@Poliamida, 11 Omake Points

@NathanMedium, 7 Omake Points

@Plausitivity, 1 Omake Points

@Lifeandlice, 4 Omake Points

@Taxman, 9 Omake Points

Additionally, you can use your points on a week to add 5 to all rolls for that week's plan (Social Rolls Included). Just make sure to @ me in the message where you are spending your points otherwise I might miss it.

You are now limited to 5 Actions in your time bubble as you are also sharing with Chris/Kid Win as you promised to do so. Armsmaster is currently not in a position to use it, so you've split it up half and half. If you feel that this is unfair then take it up in a social action.

Plan Voting Only. 12-hour voting Moratorium is in effect as well.

Please use the following Plan format:

] Plan Name

-[Tech Tree] {Insert Tech Tree Here}

-[Action] Refine Materials using your Fabricator (Convert materials to ones of better quality at a 3:1 Ratio) (Do up to 5 times in 1 action)

--[Action] 3 Common Materials to an Uncommon Material

--[Action] 3 Uncommon Materials to a Rare Material

--[Action] 3 Rare Materials to an Exotic Material

-[Action] Go with Taylor to check up on the Materials she gathered Pre-Leviathan

-[Action] Collaborate with Chris on a Project

-[Action] Volunteer for an extra patrol (you'll tag along with someone scheduled).

-[Action] Train (What?) (With who?)

-[Action] Build some Specialized Tools (Excellent Tools, 5 - 1 (Fabricator) = 4 Actions, 10 Common Materials, 5 Uncommon Materials, 2 Rare Materials)

-[Action] Upgrade your Workshop to an Excellent Workshop (Excellent Tools, 6 - 1 (Habitat Builder) = 5 Actions, 12 Common Materials, 7 Uncommon Materials, 2 Rare Materials)

-[Action] TINKER!

--[Project] Pick a project or Schematic

-[Action] Write-in. (What do you want to do as an action that is not listed here)

-[Social] Write-in. (write-in whatever you want to social this week. You will still have social events regardless and 50% of people must vote for a social vote for it to "win")

If you don't have enough materials to refine when you choose the refine materials action, you'll just have wasted that action.

Plan Voting Only. 12-hour voting Moratorium is in effect as well.

QM Note:

Several rolls happened, but they were materials, so I did them off-screen. I decided not to put the tables for the tech trees on this page to encourage you lot to actually look at the informational posts.

Last edited: Jul 26, 2019

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Threadmarks 43. Fugue

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Monk Penguin

Monk Penguin

Way of the Open Flipper

Jul 28, 2019

#7,188

Spoiler: Winning Vote

Spoiler: BGM

You had a nice and relaxing week last week, now it's time to prepare. You can expect that at maximum, you have about two weeks before the Slaughterhouse Nine show up. First things first, you need more time with the chronomanipulator. You could simply neglect to move it to Chris's lab when you're supposed to since you only need roughly a single extra day with it, but that seems like kind of a dick move, and you have the perfect thing for Chris to work on. He could help build the modular parts of the Mothership to warp in. It's close enough to his specialty that with your help he shouldn't have any problems. Of course, that means you need to talk to Director Piggot, which is why you are walking to her office now.

You enter and see that she's gathered Miss Militia as well. You know that according to what he said, Armsmaster should be out of the hospital today or tomorrow.

"So you wanted to talk about building a floating base?"

"Yes," you pull up a picture of a Mothership, which conveniently doesn't have any visible weapons. "I wanted to build this, it will float using anti-gravity technology and have several useful abilities, like a cloaking field for things below it and a mass teleporter."

Piggot gives you a flat look, "You are aware that you and the rest of the Wards are required to share a building with the PRT as per the Wards' charter. The only people who could use a base like that would be the Protectorate." She glances at Miss Militia.

"While we would appreciate a base like that, to function long-term it would require a space where we could receive visitors, not to mention an easy way for them to visit. Right now there are no tours, but once the city starts to get back on its feet, it will be important to ensure that the public feels that they can come to the Protectorate for help," she explains.

"It should be able to perform those. It will have teleporters to bring people up onto it and back down, and it should be large enough to have room for the Protectorate as well as visitors. I'm aware that we won't be living in it, but it's just something I want to build. "

Spoiler: Director Piggot and Miss Militia Reaction

"Personally, I wouldn't mind another tinkertech base. It would be an improvement over what we are likely to get," Miss Militia comments. "I do wonder where you're getting all the materials for something of this size, but I trust that you and Director Piggot have worked it out."

To your surprise, Director Piggot nods in acknowledgment. "If the base has only these capabilities and you're sourcing the materials from what we've talked about previously and it hovers over the bay. I will allow you to get started. I expect that when you construct it, it will only have the capabilities you have demonstrated, and I will need to have some Protectorate Tinkers look it over once it's built." She then mutters something unkind about Armsmaster before looking at you expectantly. This presents a unique opportunity. Technically, since you're going to disable the weapons, it won't have those capabilities when you construct it, and you can say that you just built the disintegration rays at a later point. The other option is being honest and saying that you want to build a floating fortress with disintegration beams. You know that the Rig had turrets, but you don't know how lethal those were, and you never actually saw them fire. You're pretty sure they'll still give you permission to build it, but they might be a bit more wary of you and it if you reveal that there are massive weapons on it.

[Purification] Reveal that it comes with weapons

[Purification] Pretend that the weapons were later additions when you figured out that the nine were on their way.

Permission in hand, you move on to the next target, Chris.

Spoiler: Chris on Sharing

"Sure."

"Wait, really?"

"I mean, I was pretty close to figuring out a four-piece particle accelerator that functions as a power source, but your stuff sounds way cooler. You only get the chance to build a floating base once in your lifetime." You raise an eyebrow at him. "Well, most people only get one shot," he says sheepishly.

"You're really ok with this?"

"You're gonna show me how your staff works when we dismantle it right?"

You grin, "Of course."

"I still don't get it."

Chris and you have just finished the delicate process of dismantling one of the PRT's staves. It's helpful that no one actually bothers checking on them until it looks like the next Endbringer fight is approaching, which gives you a couple of months to rebuild it. It's currently approximately 3 in the morning and you and Chris are discussing the dismantled staff while you start on replacing the electronics in your fabricator and Kimoyo Beads with Khaydarin crystal.

Earlier, Taylor had stepped in to ask if you were going to sleep, seen you and Chris hunched over your workbench, turned on her heel, and left the room.

"It's really not that complicated-"

"Don't bother," Chris interrupts you. "I don't think medical stuff is for me. Ugh, and I thought I was good at biology."

"I don't think the principles this staff operates on and high-school biology have too much in common."

Chris snorts. "Yeah, you're probably right. So, when are we going to start on the base? Tomorrow morning?"

"I need to build a… foundry for the parts first. Trust me, it'll speed up the time by a lot."

"Anything I can help with?"

"You can, though I don't think it would mesh particularly well with your specialty. It's supposed to be a singular structure."

"Ugh."

"Hey!"

"I know I know, not everything needs to be constructed in multiple parts. It just seems so much smoother to me. You know, the connections just make sense." He yawns. "I guess I should probably head off to bed. Don't stay up too late."

"I won't."

"So this is the foundry? Looks really futuristic." If you weren't sure before. This confirms that Chris has never played Starcraft. You've checked, the games exist, though only on Aleph, which has a decidedly laggy connection. You can see why it never took off over here. You're pretty sure there are some fan-servers running online multiplayer for Brood War. Still, the Robotics Facility, while not the most iconic Protoss structure, is still pretty recognizable while it's fabbing parts.

"Yeah. I'm going to make just enough to get you started and then I need to work on a separate project I promised Director Piggot I'd make."

"Oh?"

"It's something to transport supplies since it'll be faster and cheaper to use tinkertech. At least I think it'll be cheaper."

"Why use normal tech when you have tinkertech, right?"

"Yeah, exactly."

Just before lunchtime, you manage to fab enough parts using the Robotics Facility for Chris to get started on the most important part of the Mothership. He's working on the teleportation beacon that will warp all the disparate parts of the Mothership together.

He's also been kicked out of your lab as you need as much space as you can possibly find to finish constructing the Void Array.

"So how does it work?" Mrs. Cortez asks as the Void Array floats up into the sky. You're quite sure that either Director Piggot is listening in or this is being recorded for her perusal at a later time. You managed to finish the project by the next day, undergoing some truly impractical work hours. That means you only came out for lunch and dinner. Missy hasn't bothered you, and by 'bothered' you mean tried to make you stop so you wouldn't overwork yourself. You assume that she's busy trying to make sure Taylor is OK. You feel a slight pang of guilt that you're not with your cousin sister right now, but keeping her safe is the priority. You can help her out with her trauma when you're both safely ensconced in a flying death fortress that no one can get in or out of without your say so.

You hand your handler the handy-dandy controls you made, quietly using your beads to ensure that rather than the biometric scanner rejecting her since she's not you, she's added as a registered user when she tries to operate the device.

"Just hit that button," you point to a specific section. She taps it and the Void Array opens up into its stationary mode, creating a portal-like wormhole at the bottom. "Anything that's put inside that, even people, goes to a habitable pocket dimension. The dimension is linked to eevery Array, meaning that if it gets destroyed, all that needs to be done to gain access to the dimension is to build another."

"And the movement, how do I get it to fly?" You're not entirely sure she's the most qualified for this, but perhaps there was no one else available. Plus, it's interesting to see the way her eyes linger on the wormhole in curiosity.

"It's coordinates-based. I've programmed it to take latitude and longitude or projected coordinate systems, but right now it's working off of latitude and longitude."

"Ok. This is-" she cuts herself off. "The Director says that this is acceptably useful," then she grins. It is quite possibly the first time you've seen your handler act unprofessionally. "But what she means is 'good job, you've done well.'"

She winces. The voice of Director Piggot yelling at her through the earpiece is loud enough that you can hear it, though you can't make out what is being said. You smile at your handler though. You may not know her well, but you do appreciate her.

"I don't understand how any of these parts go together. Individually, they all make sense, but I can't seem to grasp how they fit together."

You and Chris both have bags under your eyes. You've been working like crazy to finish the Mothership as soon as possible. Him because he loves the idea, and you because you need to finish it as quickly as possible to ensure you have time to work on the other things you want to get done this week. Chris is sticking around in a mixture of solidarity and fascination. Frankly, it didn't help that you were making so many minor modifications to the Mothership as you built it.

"That's because they don't, some of it is just held together with forcefields, and other parts use energy constructs."

Chris examines several of the sections he's assembling into a large anti-gravity thruster. You made sure he never got near any of the weapons just so you would know they were disabled.

"That's… That's brilliant!"

"I know," you say smugly.

It's Wednesday night, and Missy has brought backup. Said backup is in the form of Carlos and Dean.

"You two are going to take a break if I have to drag you out of here and knock you out myself!" That's Carlos.

"Seriously guys, this isn't healthy. I don't know what you've been working on, but tinker fugues don't last multiple days." There's Dean. You recognize them only by voice as you're pouring over the main computer systems, ensuring that everything is properly secured and is running as intended. Chris is pouring over the wing-isolation system you've set him up on, so if any of the three wings fail, the Mothership doesn't go down with them.

"But we're almost done," you whine like an actual twelve-year-old.

"Almost done can wait until tomorrow morning," Missy snaps. "Seriously, you look like death warmed over. Both of you. What's got you all worked up, anyway? When I asked Miss Militia, she played coy."

"We probably should have brought Miss Militia," Dean mutters.

"I'm done!" Chris announces.

"Me too," you sigh.

"Good," Carlos says, "That means you can go to bed."

"But we need to launch it," Chris says as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"Launch it? Launch what?" Missy interjects.

"The floating base."

Missy gives him a flat look and then gives you another flat look. "You two were building a flying base and you didn't tell me."

"Wait a minute Missy I'm not sure that's the most-" Dean tries to say, but gets cut off.

"It's definitely the most important thing!"

"I was kind of busy, you know, building the thing," you say. It's not the best thing to say, but you're exhausted. Sue you. "You can come and watch me and Chris launch it."

"I think we should let them do it. They'll come quietly after that, won't they?" Dean says, directing the last part at the two of you.

"Yep!" / "Definitely." you chorus.

Carlos sighs. "Alright, let's just go… Where do we need to go?"

Chris looks at you. "The roof should be fine, you say."

Spoiler: BGM

You hadn't noticed before, but Brockton at night is awfully dark without all the occupied buildings to light it up.

Chir is setting up the central part of the core. He's set it up so that the core warps itself together in a miniature imitation of the Mothership assembling itself. The parts start warping themselves together in a show of green light. The way Protoss teleportation looks is beautiful. First, the parts outline themselves in green light. Then they appear in a wave of green light. The glowing green core assembles itself. You hadn't had the time to paint the golden hull green, so you settled for instead making all the energy light up in the green spectrum of light rather than the blue spectrum. It would be roughly 0.25% less efficient than it's blue light equivalent, but you weren't Armsmaster. You were willing to sacrifice that minuscule amount of efficiency for the sake of aesthetics. The Mothership Core floats up into the Brockton Bay sky, moving out over the water, still glowing a neon green color.

As it does so the Mothership starts to warp in around it. The first part is the dome in the middle. Making it look like a massive green sphere. Then, the golden wings warp in around it, creating the traditional three-pronged shape of a mothership. Lastly, the floating rings that orbit the wings appear. The completed mothership stands out against the black sky, brighter than the Rig ever was, and significantly higher up.

"Holy shit," Missy curses. Dean is too stunned to rebuke her for cursing.

"That's a Mothership," Carlos says incredulously. "You built an honest to God Mothership." Out of everyone, you hadn't expected Carlos to be the one to recognize it, but that's what you get for profiling him.

"It needs a name," Chris interjects. "Let's call it the Victory-Mobile."

"That's a terrible name," Missy says. "Plus, since it's a ship according to Carlos, it needs to be given a girl's name."

[Name] Victory-Mobile

[Name] Elizabeth, after your late mother.

[Name] Maria

[Name] Write-in.

That night, you sleep like the dead and wake up in the morning feeling still tired. For the first time since you realized you had powers, you simply cannot fathom tinkering after spending nearly 4 entire days doing only that. You realize you haven't built the Alph Wave Detector yet, but surely it can wait, just a couple of days so that you can do something, anything else.

[Break] Take a break from tinkering. The Alpha Wave Detector can wait.

[Break] Push through, you can finish up with the Alpha Wave Detector and then you can take a break knowing you've finished everything you need to be secure this week.

Voting Moratorium Length: 8 Hours

Voting Opens from 2:30 AM UTC

Votes for next chapter:

Purification

Name

Break

QM Note:

I realized that I was thinking about the Robotics Facility rather than the RoboBay for sc2 robotics production. Therefore, from now on, it is the Robotics Facility that you have been talking about. Official Retcon. Functionally the only thing that changes is the name and its appearance.

Amusingly, you just barely scraped by on the Piggot DC. I set it at 120 back when you guys only had 90 points invested.

The Character Sheet has been updated. Please note that the Void Array and Mothership can't be built from schematic because you lack the proper tools.

Last edited: Jul 29, 2019

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Threadmarks 44. Far From Home

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Monk Penguin

Monk Penguin

Way of the Open Flipper

Jul 30, 2019

#7,446

Spoiler: Winning Vote

"There are several energy-based turrets mounted on the hull of the ship. The core can also be rigged to vent all its energy downwards causing severe damage to anything directly underneath the ship. All these features will be disabled and unpowered on release, but can be activated later after a proper inspection."

Piggot and Miss Militia are wearing matching grimaces after your explanation.

"I expect that you will make it so that weapons such as those cannot be activated without the biometric signatures of me or Miss Militia."

"Of course," you agree easily. It's really either that or get shot down, and you'd really like to have a Mothership. You also don't know how she'll enforce that, but you decide to err on the side of caution and just do as she says. You won't be able to bypass the restrictions without significant time spent since you barely have enough time to finish everything not even talking about adding a backdoor to the security measures.

"It'll be called 'Elizabeth's Grace,'" you say with finality.

There's a momentary pause. "Who's Elizabeth?" Missy asks after a moment. At least she sounds more curious than threatening.

"Elizabeth is my late mother's name."

"Ah."

Carlos snickers. Missy levels a glare at him. "It's a Mothership, and you named it after your mother..." he seems to be struggling to contain his laughter. Frankly, you don't know what he finds so funny.

Missy kicks him in the shin. You see her discretely rub her stubbed toes after she does so. He doesn't have that Brute rating for no reason. "Stop being so insensitive," she scolds him.

Carlos continues to crack up, you'd be worried about him having trouble breathing if he weren't Carlos. You glance over at Chris... and see that he's "resting his eyes" on the roof of the building, right next to where he launched the core. You're slightly jealous, you feel exhausted as well. The roof does look awfully comfortable.

You wake up groggily, not remembering how you got into your own bed. Did you fall asleep on the roof? Probably. Luckily, your spry form does not feel any worse for wear after sleeping on such an uncomfortable surface. You get up to go get yourself some breakfast and come face to face with an irate-looking Missy in the kitchen.

"I had to drag you're sorry ass into bed since Carlos was carrying Chris," she says hotly.

"Um, Thanks?"

She points at you and declares, "You are taking a break!"

"Ok."

"Now listen here- Wait. What?"

"Sure, I definitely need a break, got anything in mind?" you offer casually.

Missy turns bright red and starts to stammer. You mentally go over the conversation in your head. Was it something you said? Does she think you just asked her out on a date? Sometimes, you feel like you understand Missy. You both chafe at the restrictions put down on you by the Wards and your age. Other times, like now, Missy is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside of an enigma.

"Ok, I'm just gonna do some clean-up in my lab and then I won't go back in for the rest of the day at least."

Missy doesn't respond, or rather, she responds by continuing to stammer. You'd sort of hoped that the two of you were past that.

You go to your lab and do a brief bit of cleanup, though it doesn't take long. What you're really here for is to add some signals to your ever-intrusive spy drones. You add in flags for the cauldron and swan tattoos on the back of Manton's hands and the raised tattoo that Mannequin should have forced Cherish to get. Probably from him or Bonesaw and extra painful. You shudder just thinking about it. Doing so also brings into stark clarity how different your memories of Worm and your previous life are. Despite spending almost 4 months without so much as a refresher on their features, you can still perfectly remember that they should have tattoos by now, just like you can remember that Bonesaw reinforced them using subdermal mesh.

Speaking of that, you should add that into your observer. It's... more difficult than you anticipated. For one, unlike everything else you've done, you don't actually have any good examples of subdermal mesh for your observer's sensors to compare its readings to. On top of that, when you tried flagging internal modifications, it started pulling up things like hip replacements and pacemakers, which made it distinctly unhelpful. You also don't know if the mods are wholly biological or have some non-biological components as well since Bonesaw is capable of both. Hell, it could even be different for each member of the Nine. You do your best to sort out internal modifications that are common to those that the observer should flag. Unfortunately, it can't just distinguish which modifications are tinkertech and which aren't, which would be supremely helpful. At some point, you just leave it as is, it's decent and you can improve on it later after you've had a break. You're exhausted and worried about your identity and fading memories. It can wait.

You step out of the lab and see that the common room is empty. You don't know where Missy went, and, likely, the others are still sleeping considering it's not 10 in the morning yet and they don't have to be awake. You head to your room to try and find some anchor amongst your swirling worries of losing your self or personality. Maybe if you're losing memories of your past life, if you even had one, then you can remember what happened to Antonio before you usurped his body, or became him. Usurping his body makes you sound like some kind of freaky master.

Unfortunately, What was it again? Ah, Travis and Elizabeth Martin are fairly common names, so attempting to find them on the internet is likely a lost cause. However, there is another place you can look, the PRT database. Despite the deceased nature of your parents, you're sure that they have information on them in your personal file. Now, to find out if you have access to it.

As it turns out, you do, though you don't have access to any of the files of the other Protectorate members or Wards. In it, you find what you're looking for, pictures of your (or Tony's?) parents. You examine them, trying to remember them.

They certainly seem familiar. There's a niggling feeling like you should know who these people are and yet you simply don't. You vaguely recall... them taking you to Niagra Falls. A memory! You try and call upon more details of that vacation and their vague, indistinct, but you remember that you went... with your sister? In 2013? No, you, Tony, doesn't have a sister, at least not one that's listed here. Also, it's 2011, but you feel like you remember these people's faces, associating themselves with that memory. Maybe... You try and recall your previous parents' faces and... you can't.

You switch back to the PRT file on you and continue reading the brief summaries of your, Tony's, parents lives. Are you Tony? Did you somehow hijack Tony's body? And why won't your hand stop shaking? You start to feel lightheaded. Tony's parents were both engineers. Elizabeth was an electrical engineer and Travis was a mechanical engineer. They would be so proud of you/Tony, wouldn't they? For all the things that you've built.

Your Kimoyo beads beep in warning. You're hyperventilating. Stop. Breathe. Ok, your calm now, right? You can feel the panic bubbling just underneath the surface still. It's suppressed, but threatening to break free of your iron grip on it. You clearly can't deal with this on your own. You're not prideful enough to pretend that's the case, but who do you go to?

None of the other Wards will understand. They'll try and comfort you but they just won't get it. The same goes for Miss Militia and the rest of the Protectorate. Your handler is barely an acquaintance.

You realize that you've missed lunch at this point, but you can't bring yourself to leave the room.

You flip through the contacts on your beads, eliminating people as you go. Uncle Danny? Maybe. You're not sure how he'd go about trying to help though. You stop on one contact in particular. Dragon. She would understand, more than anybody else. She probably has the same fears as you. Before you can contemplate the pros and cons of calling her out of the blue, you find that you've already called her number.

"Hello? Horizon?" Dragon's avatar appears on a holographic screen in front of you. You note that your beads are broadcasting your face back to her. "Are you ok?"

You take a moment to compose yourself. "Sorry, yeah. Are you busy? I can call back later if you are."

"I can spare some time, Colin was being a bother anyway. What do you need?" her avatar smiles good-naturedly

"Dragon, do you ever wonder if the world is real? Or if you're real? I know it's... not exactly a normal thing for someone my age to worry about, but..." you trail off, unsure of what to say next.

"Do you have any idea what brought this on?" she asks gently.

"The last few months, since I came to this city, they've been great, I've done a lot, but sometimes I worry if it's all real. Is this all just some sort of elaborate dream I'm having?"

"Oh, Tony," Dragon says softly. "I must admit, I am not a qualified therapist or anything similar, but I do know that the PRT sent one to Brockton Bay. Have you not seen them yet?"

Oh yeah, Yamada should be in town. "No." You quickly check the schedule on your beads and see that your appointment is on Saturday. You might actually have missed it, though Carlos probably would have informed you since they're mandatory. You honestly haven't noticed people going to them or talking about them. Then again, you've had a somewhat busy week.

"I will say that I sometimes share your fears about the nature of reality. I don't think I can offer you any valuable advice in terms of solving it, but so long as you keep moving forward, even slowly, I'm sure you'll overcome your fears." She's right, the advice isn't very good. "Perhaps you could try taking your mind off of it. I recall that you wanted to speak to me sometime two weeks ago. I apologize for being unable to get back to you."

The Repair Drones! "Oh yeah!" you hurry from your room into the lab, rushing past a bewildered-looking Dennis and Taylor playing a card game in the common room. You unlock your lab and activate the repair drones, then turn the camera of the beads toward them. "I built devices that can automatically repair tinkertech."

You must admit, Dragon's simulated face does a great job of expressing shock. "Really? Is that your specialization this week?"

"Uh, no, I built them two weeks ago, when I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to see if you could study them and maybe replicate them."

Dragon gives you another gentle smile, "I'd love to."

You send her the schematics and start explaining the details of the predictive algorithm the drones use to repair tinkertech, existential crisis forgotten.

Spoiler: Event Roll

You are woken up early on Friday by a Taylor who looks very excited about something. "Come on, get out of bed, Dad's going to be here soon."

"Why?" you mumble groggily.

"Don't you remember? He's taking us to New York today!"

"What?" you say, suddenly feeling way more awake.

"I told you on Tuesday!"

You think back to Tuesday, most of it passed in a haze of tinkering. You do have a vague recollection of Taylor telling you something, but you didn't expect it to be a trip to New York. You had really wanted to get your Alpha Wave Detector done today. You probably won't be able to convince Taylor and Uncle Danny to spontaneously cancel going to New York at the last minute. You can just make it tomorrow once Chris gives you the Chronomanipulator back. It'll be fine.

On the three-hour drive over, you bring up the idea of feeding spiders carbon nanotubes to produce high-strength silk. Taylor points out that she has no idea how to acquire carbon nanotubes and the PRT is already being run ragged trying to hold Brockton Bay together as is. Plus, she points out, they're dealing with PR issues from being upstaged by the Empire of all people in terms of rebuilding efforts, though the massive green and gold floating base seems to have won over people.

At that point, Uncle Danny half-joking and half-serious, asks you to "Stop talking shop on your day off."

"Ok," Taylor agrees. "So, Tony, have you ever been to New York before?"

It's... hard to remember, maybe? "I don't think so," you settle on.

"Oh, we have to go to the Met."

Walking around the Metropolitan Museum of Art brings back memories. You're not sure whose memories, but there are definitely memories of being here before. Despite the familiarity, any concrete memories remain frustratingly out of reach. You don't want to spend your day off worrying about your fading identity and memories, so you suppress that fear and try and be cheerful for Taylor and Uncle Danny. If they pick up that anything is amiss, they don't let it show.

As you stroll along New York's streets, you realize that this is an excellent place to pretend to be Spoiler... maybe.

If they're looking for a connection between Tony and Spoiler then the fact that you were both in New York at the same time is very incriminating, but it's not like there are any functioning payphones in Brockton Bay after Leviathan. You're sure they'll be repaired eventually but eventually is not now.

You...

[Spoiling] Slip away to "go to the bathroom" and find a payphone to call New Wave.

[Spoiling] Don't, you'll send the information by Observer later.

You're honestly very appreciative of Uncle Danny's efforts to spend time with you, that is until you are on the Observation Deck of the Empire State Building at 4 in the afternoon and your beads beep. They make the sound of a phone notification, so no one finds it odd. It takes you a moment to place that specific notification noise, but when you do, your heart rate accelerates. That's the emergency-priority beep. You quickly find the nearest bathroom and pull out the beads to see the notification.

It's from the Observer that the PRT has access to. It's flagged Manton as being present at the edge of its range, heading inwards, towards the center of the city. As per your security protocol, it's performed a sweep of the city attempting to locate the other members of the Nine, but it hasn't been able to find them, even using the slower method of scanning each person for a subdermal mesh.

Fuck. Fuck is an understatement. You don't even have words to express how fucked up this situation is.

A quick search on Manton's status states that according to public record and the PRT, he is "Missing, Presumed Dead." That, and the fact that any news from Spoiler won't have time to percolate down to the Wards means that reacting to his presence right now is a huge clue linking you to Spoiler, even if you didn't leave the message today, you'll need to do it at some point to reveal the Siberian's nature. A quick check on the Mothership reveals that you are actually still in range of recall, so you can be back in a single instant, though you wouldn't put it past the New York PRT to have teleportation detection at the very least set up for an important landmark like the Empire State Building.

[Manton] Pretend as though everything is fine. You'll be back in Brockton Bay in roughly 5 hours, you can plan then.

[Manton] Write-in.

Voting Moratorium Length: 12 Hours

Voting Opens from 2:15 AM UTC

Votes for next chapter:

Spoiling

Manton

QM Note:

I bet that event didn't look as bad as you thought it was going to be until the end of the chapter.

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Threadmarks 45. Is a Multiple of 9

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Monk Penguin

Monk Penguin

Way of the Open Flipper

Aug 2, 2019

#7,638

Spoiler: Winning Vote

Waiting until you got back was pretty nerve-wracking, and you had to force yourself not to check on Manton's position constantly while you were in public, as a holographic screen coming out of your wrist practically screams cape. Thankfully. nothing seems to have happened, and none of the other members of the Nine have appeared on your observer's scans. When you get in the car, you compulsively check on Manton's location every moment of the way back to Brockton Bay. He heads towards the northern half of the city, closer to the Trainyard than to the Boardwalk, presumably to recruit Rachel or whatever she wants to call herself, though the Siberian doesn't make an appearance, so perhaps he's waiting on the rest of the Nine or something.

Seeing as you can't see any of the other members of the Nine in the city, you determine that right now is the safest time you can take Taylor out to go check up on the materials she gathered.

"Is something the matter?" Taylor asks you after you check your beads for any emergency notifications again.

"No!" you say far too quickly. "I mean, nothing you can help with," you amend.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Do you want to talk about it? Telling Taylor you suspect that the Nine are coming would allow her to ready her mental state, but it would also risk damaging her fragile emotional state. You grimace, the Nine probably also aren't good for her mental state. What great timing they have.

"Tony?"

"Sorry, I was thinking."

"You don't have to tell me now. Take some time to get your thoughts in order," she advises. You... well you probably have the time to do that. Not to mention, you have your first meeting with Dr. Yamada tomorrow. You wonder what that will be like. No one has been willing to talk about their time with her in-depth, but you also haven't really been asking.

"Tony, pay attention, we're out in Brockton Bay at night. It's not safe to get distracted," Taylor hisses.

"Sorry," you mumble, again, feeling chastised despite knowing that no one is around due to your observer. Telling her that sort of feels like you're just being petulant, though, so you don't. Wait, can't Taylor pull the same thing with her bugs, or is she not that good at sensing yet? You're not sure. You should probably ask.

"Taylor, how good are you at sensing with your bug?"

"I'm still trying to puzzle out hearing, though touch and smell are as good as they always are."

"Is it... odd feeling what bugs feel?"

"Maybe it was at first, but now I'm just used to it, I guess."

"Ok."

You do your best to stay on alert for the rest of the trip out to where Taylor has hidden her materials. They turn out to be next to some still-intact buildings, which increases the chance that they haven't been moved yet. When you do find the stash, it turns out to be mainly electronics, though all of it has suffered through some pretty extreme water damage, which means that without your fabricator, you would likely be looking at a lot of useless scraps. With it, you're looking at a small cache of usable materials alongside a large amount of useless scrap. Taylor grimaces as you examine the pieces.

"I guess it was too much to hope for some of it surviving."

"Probably, but I can still get some use out of this," you tell her, grabbing parts that look salvageable.

You gain 5 Common Materials and 2 Uncommon Materials

Saturday morning is tense. Well, at least you're tense. You write some notes for your observers to deliver, though a minor issue with that is that observers don't actually have any method to pick up a piece of paper or envelope, meaning you had to attach the messages yourself.

You did this by nestling it in between the fins of the observer in such a way that you could be sure that the observer without tearing it up. The first note you sent was a note to New Wave detailing the Nine, their powers, possible targets, possible weaknesses, and an addendum saying that Horizon had discovered that Manton was in the city and to hurry to inform the PRT. You signed the note "Spoiler" and sent it off. You didn't like the link between Spoiler and your observers, but it was your personal one, so it's not as if anyone will actually see the Observer drop off the note. The only issue is ensuring that someone actually finds it. To that end, you have the Observer drop it on the mat and then ring the doorbell to the Pelham house before it flees, cloaked.

After you check the PRT Observer to ensure that someone has picked the note up, you send your personal observer out with another note. A similar note for Tattletale, and a third. This one is for Max Anders. It is much shorter.

"The Slaughterhouse Nine are coming.

Beware."

You leave it unsigned. He won't necessarily believe it since no proof is included, but it will at least have him looking it out for them, which is better than nothing.

You do a quick scan for Faultline or any of her capes, and find nothing. A quick check of the logs shows that no one matching their description has been in the city for as long as the observer has been up.

After that, you have your first appointment with a PRT Therapist. You don't know how to feel about that.

"Tony, do you mind if I call you that?"

"Of course not Dr. Yamada."

"Please, call me Jessica."

The room they've given Dr. Yamada is surprisingly homey, almost seeming like a home office. Across from Dr. Yamada, there is both a couch and an armchair, presumably, so you can have your choice between sitting and lying down. There's a bookshelf full of books that you haven't examined too closely, as well as a desk with a computer on it, though it's not in between you and Dr. Yamada, rather, it's pushed up against a wall.

"Oh, um, OK Jessica." It feels somewhat odd to call her that because... Why does it feel odd? "Do I sit or lay down?" you stall.

"Whatever you're most comfortable with."

Well, you have issues, so lying down it is.

"Are you ready to begin?"

"Sure."

Dr. Yamada grabs a clipboard and a pen and writes a short note. "Is there anything you wish to speak about, to start us off?"

That's... well that is the question isn't it? There's a lot you could speak about, but do you actually want to talk about it. Maybe it would be easier to just let her decide. Yeah, that sounds better. "No, nothing in specific."

"I see," she writes down another note. "Is there something making you uncomfortable?"

Why would she think you're uncomf- Oh. You didn't realize how tense you were holding yourself, even lying down. You do your best to relax your body. How to explain this? A half-truth is probably best. "No, I've just been tense lately. I can't help but feel like something big is coming. Something bad."

"Would you like to elaborate?"

"No."

"Ok." That easy? You were expecting her to push more. There are a few moments of silence while she writes something down and then waits for you to say something. "Before you came to Brockton Bay, your parents passed away, correct?"

"Yes?" you say, thrown for a loop. You weren't expecting the conversation to go in this direction.

"Do you feel sad that they have gone?"

How do you answer that? The whole truth would be no. You feel no emotional attachment to Tony's parents, because you don't remember them at all, and you aren't even sure you're Tony. You're not sure what the response would be to telling her that, but it would probably involve several weeks in M/S containment, especially if you said you remembered a whole different set of memories.

"I guess, it doesn't feel real."

"How so?"

"I guess, I don't know, I don't feel like they're gone. Their deaths don't feel real to me. It's hard to explain."

"Is it just their deaths, or something else as well?"

"This whole situation, since I've gotten powers, none of it feels real. It all feels like some sort of fever dream that I've cooked up in a hospital bed somewhere, a fantastical story." It feels good to get that off your chest.

The room is silent except for the sound of her pen scribbling down more notes. "Does this feeling extend to the events of last week?"

"You're talking about Leviathan and... Brock's death."

"Yes."

"I guess. I was afraid beforehand, but during the event, I just felt numb. I haven't thought about it. I've just been so busy."

"Building the floating building over the Bay?"

"Partially that, and other things."

"Does this have anything to do with your apprehension?"

"Yes." You don't elaborate.

"I see. I have you told anyone else your fears, about how your situation isn't real?"

"I told Dragon."

"Oh? Why is that?"

"I thought she might be able to relate since she experiences the world through drones and computer screens." More scribbling.

"What did she tell you?"

"She gave me some bad advice about taking it one step at a time." Pause.

"Why haven't you confided in your friends? Your cousin? Your uncle?"

"I just, what am I supposed to say to them. 'I don't think you're a real person'? That'll go over really well."

"Are there any activities that make you feel that the world is real?"

You think about that. It's definitely not when you're tinkering, or when you're trying to plan countermeasures for a fictional group of serial killers. It's... probably when you and Missy or Taylor are just... hanging out. Talking to each other.

"I guess it's when I'm just with my friends, hanging out. It assures me that they're not a figment of my imagination... somehow."

"If that is the case, I would suggest confiding in those people. They can help you overcome your feeling that the world isn't real."

There's a pause where she waits for your response.

"Ok," you agree. Then, you blurt out, "Do they really prevent you from speaking to the same people?" You have to ask, even though you know it's true because it just sounds so stupid. You turn your head so that you're no longer looking at the ceiling, but instead looking at Dr. Yamada.

"Yes," she says. You think the quirk of her lip signals amusement, but you're not sure from this angle.

"But wouldn't that prevent you from building up trust?"

"Yes. It's so that we do not gain an 'undue influence' over our charges."

You can hear the air quotations. A timer goes off and you almost jump, but you suppress it to just a flinch. Dr. Yamada definitely saw your reaction. "It seems our time is up for today. I look forward to our next meeting."

"Uh, yeah."

You eat a quick lunch and then cram yourself in your lab. You make sure to keep watch over Maton's location, but he seems to be staying put. No sign of the Siberian either.

You would have had a patrol right now, but it's been canceled for a reason you haven't been informed. You, of course, know the reason, which is that Lady Photon has informed the PRT that the Siberian is in town, which is pretty big news. You're sort of surprised that the base hasn't gone into lockdown, but then again, knowing Piggot, she's probably attempting to confirm the information somehow.

You're also working on jamming the Alpha Wave Detector into your personal observer, which is giving you a lot of trouble. It's... unusual. You've never had trouble with a project before, even when you were doing Starcraft projects while using the Nier tech tree. Yet, for some reason, you simply cannot figure out how to add the ability to pinpoint the location of Alpha Wave emissions to the half-built device in front of you. This is probably how other tinkers feel when they get stuck on a project. Now you know.

Wait, maybe if you use three separate detection rods, you can triangulate it? No, not only would that increase the materials for the project, but the resulting device would be too small for the three rods to measure meaningfully distant distances. How about...

After managing to properly create the detector, you're now writing a brief algorithm to integrate it with the feed from your observer. Once that's done, you can pull up the feed and see what you get. Still, it feels like such a slog compared to every other project you've worked on. At least when you were working on Elizabeth's Grace, it felt like time would just sort of pass you by. Right now, it feels like it's dragging its heels.

Finally, your Alpha Wave Detector enhanced observer is ready to be re-released into the wild, and you can get out of your lab. You turn it on and watch as it runs diagnostics on itself as it boots, which feels like it takes forever. God, the air is stale in here. You can't have been in here that long. You should really get the... vents... VENTS!

As if reacting to that thought, the alarms blare as the building goes into lockdown. Simultaneously, your beads inform you that the Siberian has been spotted and that there are five unrecognized parahumans in the Wards section of the PRT HQ. 'At least you know the sensor feeds are properly synced,' you think to yourself hysterically. You reach for the recall button on your beads. Your hand twitches, slapping against your workbench. 'What? Regent?' You try again. This time you stumble. 'What the hell is going on?' Your legs give out underneath you. You manage to grab onto the edge of your workbench to prevent yourself from collapsing onto the floor. You try and move your legs. You fail. You ease yourself into an approximation of a sitting position, still unable to move your legs. You can't feel your legs. You can feel your arms going numb as well.

You glance up at the vent. Poison? A Paralytic? Your power is supremely unhelpful all of a sudden, and it takes you a minute to realize that's because biological and chemical agents don't match up with your specialty at all. For all that Mannequin is about to kill you, you're surprisingly calm.

The heavily reinforced door to your lab groans. You would glance over to look at it, but you can't move your neck. You know it's locked because that's what happens when the base goes into lockdown. It groans again, then you hear the sound of screeching metal. There's movement at the corner of your vision, you try and look further in that direction, but your eyeballs simply won't turn that far. You weren't expecting him to go through the door. Then, a blonde girl in a dress steps into your view. You'd like to say you recognize her immediately, but it takes you a couple of seconds, partially because 'That's not Mannequin' and partially because she doesn't match any picture you've seen. Then, two bipedal monstrosities step into view and you realize that the girl is Bonesaw.

You feel like you blue-screen. Your vision goes blurry and darkens around the edges. She snaps in front of your face and you refocus.

"Uh uh uh, can't have you passing out on me yet. Not until you told me if I passed or not!" she says cheerfully.

What?

You would repeat that sentiment out loud if you could actually move your mouth.

"Your challenge was pretty fun. I've done faces before but reworking my body mods so that they look like regular human biological systems was interesting. I've never gone for subtlety before. Oh, and the floating fortress is pretty cool too."

What?

"That's right," she gasps, putting her hands over her mouth. "I need to administer the counteragent." You wonder if she actually forgot or if it's part of her act. You genuinely can't tell. Also, Bonesaw is in your lab!

She leans over you and pulls a syringe out from your desk. If there's anything you've ever been sure about, it's that you dont' want Bonesaw to inject you with something. She casually pushes it into your, thankfully numb, jaw muscle and injects half, then does the same on the other side. After a few moments, feeling returns to your mouth and face. As she does this, she continues to speak.

"You know, I was making these mashups as practice for meeting Panacea, but your work seems so much more interesting. I don't know if you've gotten a wet-work specialization yet, but I know you can get one."

"So I was your second choice?" you ask before you can register what you're saying.

"Of course not silly, I picked you first. Don't worry if you haven't gotten a wet-work specialization yet. Your other work is pretty good too. You can be my little brother!" Wow, does that throw you for another loop. Is Bonesaw physically older than you? You flick your eyes briefly at your left hand. The recall button is pressed up against the floor. You just need to shift a tiny amount to set it off and it should recall everyone back to the Mothership. You can't move at all right now, but the paralytic has to wear off eventually, right? You just need to stall and make sure she doesn't realize there's an observer in your lab right now. Ok, you can do this, just stay calm for a little bit and ensure you don't die horrifically.

[Bonesaw] Vehemently refuse any offers to join the S9

[Bonesaw] Play along, but state that you don't feel you're a good fit for the S9

[Bonesaw] Play along, but say that you're worried about the other S9 members accepting you.

[Bonesaw] Refuse to say anything.

[Bonesaw] Write-in.

Voting Moratorium Length: 12 Hours

Voting Opens from 2:25 AM UTC

Votes for next chapter:

Bonesaw

QM Note:

Did not expect to do research on derealization when writing this chapter. Also, surprise. It's Riley. Isn't she just the cutest? I'm both apprehensive and excited for this next bit of the quest.

Also, it'll become clear where she got the info next chapter.

Last edited: Aug 2, 2019

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Threadmarks 46. Challenged

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Monk Penguin

Monk Penguin

Way of the Open Flipper

Aug 4, 2019

#7,867

Spoiler: Winning Vote

Spoiler: BGM

"Would you mind helping me sit properly. I figure if we're going to talk, we may as well do it like civilized people." You would gesture down at your paralyzed legs that are haphazardly stuck underneath you, but you can't.

"Of course, it would be awfully rude of me to leave you in that uncomfortable position."

It goes unsaid that you can't actually feel anything below the neck. You're sure you would be freaking out more if you didn't have something to focus on. Bonesaw comes closer and rearranges your legs so that you are sitting with them extended and leaning back against your workbench. You'd never thought you would experience a moment were Bonesaw touching you was the preferable option, but the monstrosities are even worse.

"Sorry if I don't offer you a drink."

"It's no problem."

"Well, allow me to congratulate you!" Bonesaw claps her hands together excitedly, "But I'm sorry to say that you didn't pass. That challenge I designed for Mannequin, who I was sure would be the one coming after me to, you know, murder me. Not you. For you, I had something else in mind."

She narrows her eyes at you, and you can't help but hold your breath. "Well, I can see why you would think that but I did pass your challenge, so I think it's only fair that I give you one in return."

"That's fine, but I think you need to understand that until you pass my challenge, we won't get along. Let me give you a hint, you need to get inside your own head."

She mulls that over a bit, and Pagoda, who you have to remember hasn't been named yet, gets uncomfortably close to you. You're not sure if she's doing that on purpose with her pet monsters, but it's doing a great job of keeping you off balance.

"That's awfully similar to what Jack told me. He's taken me on as his protege, you know. Teaching me how to perfect my art, but he said that I need to get inside other people's heads. Break people mentally. So how am I going to do that with you?"

You make to speak.

"Uh-uh," she puts a finger over your lips. "Quiet now," she says cheerfully. She stands back up and puts her hand up against her chin, tapping it with her pointer finger. "I know! You haven't killed anyone yet, have you?"

"No," you admit because you're pretty sure lying would end poorly for you.

"Well take a look at these beauties," she says, causing her two monsters to step closer to you, putting them uncomfortably close to you again. They then do a slow twirl. You're lucky that you apparently cannot throw up, as when Hatchet Face turns around, you see a line of bulbous tumors going down his back, with a faintly familiar face on the back of his neck. It's horrific.

It takes you a second to place the face on the back of Hatchet Face, but you only recognize it because it was all over the internet a few weeks ago. It's Krieg, of the Empire 88. How the hell did he wind up with the Nine?

"Recognize him? We stumbled across him on our way here. He told us so many interesting things when Jack promised to let him go. Can you believe that?" she seems to think it's hilarious. "I call him Hack Job. And this guy," Pagoda steps forward, "I made out of someone who drinks blood to heal, and a cape who thought he was like Jesus, but I haven't come up with a name for him yet…"

"Pagoda," you reply before you can think properly. The two are doing a great job of unnerving you.

"Wow! That's just what I was thinking. We're so alike." She claps her hands together in childish excitement, again. You really wish you could throw up now.

"For my challenge, I want you to build something to kill one of these two. That'll help us overcome your aversion to killing! Since you've been so polite, I'll even give you a hint. Pagoda's a really good regenerator, but Hack Job's power isn't very good against you, so you only need to worry about Krieg's power."

You flick your eyes downward to your paralyzed body.

"Of course I'll let you move, but first I need to tell you the stakes. If you try and attack me, I'll have my spider bots kill the other people in this area. I know there are one or two of your teammates here. If you fail, then I'll put these guys up against your partner. What was her name again? Vista? I guarantee she won't have as much time to prepare as you do." With that, she takes a syringe out and jabs it into your arm. "Now, why don't you tell me about the challenge you have for me while you work?"

"My challenge will help you understand powers. I know you're struggling to understand the Corona Pollentia and Gemma, and the source of powers."

"Oh! How did you know? Did you contact that new thinker? Or did you build something?" you feel your blood run cold even as you stand and take stock of yourself. You've got all your armor on except for the visor, and you have your warp blade strapped to your wrist. It could probably kill Hack Job, but it would also reveal to Bonesaw not only that it exists, but that you'd already built something lethal. "Ah well, I suppose it doesn't really matter. So tell me what's the challenge you've got for me."

"Jack's power isn't what it seems to be. figure it out and you'll be many steps closer to understanding powers as a whole."

"But I've operated on him so many times…"

Spoiler: Roll

"I can't believe he was hiding it form me. Oh, he'll be so proud of me when I show him I figured it out.

You have 2 (Chronomanipulator) Actions and everything in your lab, including the remaining staves, to build something that can kill one of the two things in front of you.

[Bonesaw's Challenge] Use the Warp Blade.

[Bonesaw's Challenge] Make something else.

She grins at you, "Great job! Now walk me out to the exit."

What?

She walks over to the door, "Are you coming?"

"Before we go, mind telling me something about your friends here? Just talk shop with a fellow tinker? Can't imagine Mannequin is all that talkative. In exchange, I'll tell you that I already had a wet-ware set some weeks ago and was planning to remove my need to sleep next week. Also, the one I currently have is quite promising. I have plans for incredibly advanced androids, the likes of which put robots and droids made by other tinkers to shame. Fully autonomous, completely sentient, combat capabilities on par with a Brute, and look perfectly human. I intend to create one before my specialization changes. If it were to be made however it would act kind of like my bodyguard, similar to your own creations if I may say so. Thoughts?"

"Oh, that's so cute! You already want to emulate your big sister. I'm sad to hear that you're not going to make them out of living parts, but it could be fun to compare our work, test against each other. Now, what should I tell you in exchange for that? I should be fair after all, it's what Jack would do. Oh, how about how I figured out your challenge?"

You would desperately like to know that, though you suspect Jack's shard pulled something nonsensical.

"Well, Krieg told us all about your little spy drones, which clued me into the first part, but the deep-body scan was a good twist. I'm almost sad Jack figured it out before I got to go up against it."

Well, you were right, sort of, but Krieg shouldn't have known that the observer was still up… Unless, Coil leaked the information to the Empire in the hopes that they would deal with the situation. It would be just like him to do that as well.

"Oh, I suppose I can tell you ahead of time what the first game will be. Jack thinks we should mix it up a little bit and test nominees that aren't our own first." Her grin becomes much more wolfish. "I get to have fun with the Mouse again. Ned goes up against your stuffy old mentor, and you, well, Jack's interested in you." She seems to think that that information is delightful.

You walk Bonesaw past all the PRT guards that are between the two of you and the exit to the building. Presumably, her paralytic wore off on them some time ago. Clearly, they don't know that she's still holding some of the Wards hostage, because they initially look at you with confusion. Luckily, you can look up the code for a hostage situation on your beads. Bonesaw doesn't seem to mind when you do, simply taking your arm as you casually stroll outside. You're tempted at times to stab her, but you can't account for any biological countermeasures she has on her person, nor can you predict what her spider bots will do if she dies.

It's only once she's left that you realize you never asked her when the games will begin.

She waves you a cheery goodbye before vanishing into an alleyway. You don't follow her. Instead, you check to make sure that your Alpha Wave Observer can still see her when it's pointed in the right direction, and you slowly fly the Mothership over the PRT HQ, so you can start teleporting things and people up into it.

Chris, Carlos, and Dennis are understandably shaken. They're the only ones who were held hostage by spider bots. They seem almost thankful that they're in a new place (inside the Elizabeth's Grace) and go off to their assigned rooms to recuperate. You shoot off a quick message to Dr. Yamada (who your beads inform you is also on the Elizabeth's Grace) about what happened to you and them. It's not protocol, but you figure all of you could use a therapist.

Once everyone is scanned and organized, you release the observer and head to a meeting with Armsmaster, Director Piggot, Deputy Director Renick, and Miss Militia. You find out that Armsmaster was nominated by Mannequin, and only avoided death through the timely assistance of Dragon. You also find out that Max Anders has called for a meeting between the various forces of Brockton Bay, to form a truce against the Nine.

Voting Moratorium Length: 12 Hours

Voting Opens from 6:15 AM UTC

Welcome to the Week of May 29th, 2011:

First things first, we gotta talk about Bonesaw's Challenge. This is a separate vote from the plan, but the moratorium still applies.

You have 2 (Chronomanipulator) Actions and everything in your lab, including the remaining staves, to build something that can kill one of the two things in front of you.

[Bonesaw's Challenge] Use the Warp Blade.

[Bonesaw's Challenge] Make something else.

Plan Voting Only. 12-hour voting Moratorium is in effect as well.

Not much from Nier this week either. There will be consequences if this keeps up.

-[Tech Tree] Stick with Nier: Automata

-[Tech Tree] Naruto

-[Tech Tree] Mario

-[Tech Tree] Fullmetal Alchemist

Did you want to know what projects are currently priced for these sets? Go check the projects post you lazy fuck.

Blueprints:

Stored in Ihan Crystal. Check the Projects post for prices

Starcraft

Singularity Spider Mines

Purifier Core Matix

Jorium Crystal Synthesizer

Jorium Psionic Inducer

Orbital Command

Psi-field Generator

Mirage

Psi-screens

SCV

EMP Spider Mines

Stasis Spider Mines

Zealot Glimpse Goggles

Khala Emulation Helmet

Neural Interface

Purifier Adept

Void Prison Rifle

Psi-Disruptor

Graviton Disruptor Rifle

Alpha Wave Detector

Void Array (Warp Prism)

Sentry

Pylon

Robotics Bay

Upgrade Robotics Bay to Function on All Tinkertech

Big Phase Reactor

Purifier Core Matrix

Mecha Zerg Larva

Terrazine Gas Synthesizer

Void Portal

Zergling Metabolic Boosts Augment

Medical Bay

Make Zerg Controllable by Taylor's Power

Gamete Meiosis Augment

Chitha Augment

Zerg Larva

Schematics:

One action to complete as long as you have access to your FabricatorHabitat Builder (Depending on Blueprint).

Fabricator (Basic)2 Common Materials1 Uncommon Material

Upgraded Fabricator2 Common Materials2 Uncommon Materials

Upgraded Habitat Builder1 Common Material3 Uncommon Materials

Stasis Rifle3 Common Materials1 Uncommon Material1 Rare Material

Armor Plating5 Common Materials

Caduceus Staff (Basic)3 Common Materials5 Uncommon Materials2 Rare Materials

Caduceus Staff (Illness Upgrade)3 Common Materials10 Uncommon Materials4 Rare Materials1 Exotic Material

Caduceus Staff

(Illness and Resurrection Upgrade)3 Common Materials14 Uncommon Materials6 Rare Materials2 Exotic Materials

Caduceus Staff (Illness and Booster Upgrade)4 Common Materials13 Uncommon Materials4 Rare Materials1 Exotic Material

Caduceus Staff

(Illness, Booster, and Resurrection Upgrades)4 Common Materials17 Uncommon Materials6 Rare Materials2 Exotic Materials

Vishkar Hard Light Gloves2 Common Materials4 Uncommon Materials1 Rare Material

Vishkar Hard Light Gloves with Sentry Hallucination Upgrade (Blueprint Requires Khaydarin Crystals)3 Common Materials7 Uncommon Materials1 Rare Material

All-in-one Communicator, Police Scanner, Web Browser, and GPS1 Common Material5 Uncommon Materials

Sombra Hacking Interface4 Uncommon Materials3 Rare Materials

Upgraded Sombra Hacking Interface6 Uncommon Materials4 Rare Material

Chronomanipulator (2:1)10 Common Materials5 Uncommon Materials2 Rare Materials1 Exotic Material

Khaydarin Crystal Generator6 Common Materials4 Uncommon Materials

Ihan Crystal (Blueprint Requires Khaydarin Crystals)2 Common Materials3 Uncommon Materials2 Rare Materials

Phasing Armor (Blueprint Requires Khaydarin Crystals)3 Common Materials4 Uncommon Materials

Repair Drone (Protoss) (Blueprint Requires Khaydarin Crystals)1 Common Material2 Uncommon Materials

Blink Band (Blueprint Requires Khaydarin Crystals)1 Common Material3 Uncommon Materials1 Rare Material

Plasma Shield Generator (Blueprint Requires Khaydarin Crystals)1 Common Material2 Uncommon Material

Hardened Shield Generator (Blueprint Requires Khaydarin Crystals)1 Common Material5 Uncommon Materials1 Rare Material

Phase Reactor (Blueprint Requires Khaydarin Crystals)3 Common Materials2 Uncommon Materials

Warp Blade (Blueprint Requires Khaydarin Crystals)2 Common Materials3 Uncommon Materials

Observer (Blueprint Requires Khaydarin Crystals)3 Common Materials2 Uncommon Materials1 Rare Material

Mecha Zerg Larva2 Common Materials

A170 Scanner3 Common Materials2 Uncommon Materials

Robotics Facility (Blueprint Requires Khaydarin Crystal)6 Common Materials3 Uncommon Materials1 Rare Material

Robotics Facility (Blueprint Requires Khaydarin Crystal)6 Common Materials3 Uncommon Materials1 Rare Material

Void Array (Blueprint Requires Khaydarin Crystal)3 Common Materials6 Uncommon Materials2 Rare Materials

Mothership (Blueprint Requires Khaydarin Crystal)10 Common Materials5 Uncommon Materials3 Rare Materials2 Exotic Materials

Alpha Wave Detector3 Common Materials6 Uncommon Materials2 Rare Materials

You can't build this using the schematic because you lack the proper tools.

Tools:

Excellent Tools, Specialized Tools (Medical), (Energy)

Actions:

5 2 (Good Workshop) = 7 by default, can be increased up to 11 by those below:

@Kejmur, 15 Omake Points

@Katsuragi, 5 Omake Points

@AsahinaTora, 1 Omake Points

@MangoFlan, 4 Omake Points

@Poliamida, 2 Omake Points

@NathanMedium, 7 Omake Points

@Plausitivity, 1 Omake Points

@Taxman, 3 Omake Points

@Hydralisk, 2 Omake Points

Additionally, you can use your points on a week to add 5 to all rolls for that week's plan (Social Rolls Included). Just make sure to @ me in the message where you are spending your points otherwise I might miss it.

Materials:

51 Material Credits (1:1 for Common, 3:1 For each tier higher), 7 Common Materials, 12 Uncommon Material, 2 Rare Materials, 0 Exotic Materials

Plan Voting Only. 12-hour voting Moratorium is in effect as well.

Please use the following Plan format:

] Plan Name

-[Tech Tree] {Insert Tech Tree Here}

-[Action] Refine Materials using your Fabricator (Convert materials to ones of better quality at a 3:1 Ratio) (Do up to 5 times in 1 action)

--[Action] 3 Common Materials to an Uncommon Material

--[Action] 3 Uncommon Materials to a Rare Material

--[Action] 3 Rare Materials to an Exotic Material

-[Action] Collaborate with Chris on a Project (Traumatized)

-[Action] Train (What?) (With who?)

-[Action] Build some Specialized Tools (Excellent Tools, 5 - 1 (Fabricator) = 4 Actions, 10 Common Materials, 5 Uncommon Materials, 2 Rare Materials)

-[Action] Upgrade your Workshop to an Excellent Workshop (Excellent Tools, 6 - 1 (Habitat Builder) = 5 Actions, 12 Common Materials, 7 Uncommon Materials, 2 Rare Materials)

-[Action] TINKER!

--[Project] Pick a project or Schematic

-[Action] Write-in. (What do you want to do as an action that is not listed here)

-[Social] Write-in. (write-in whatever you want to social this week. You will still have social events regardless and 50% of people must vote for a social vote for it to "win")

If you don't have enough materials to refine when you choose the refine materials action, you'll just have wasted that action.

Plan Voting Only. 12-hour voting Moratorium is in effect as well.

QM Note:

Originally, this probably wouldn't have passed, except I gave you guys a bonus for Hydra's in-depth analysis of Bonesaw's psyche on the Discord. That gave you that little bit extra for the hint at the end.

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Threadmarks 47. 2B or Not To Be

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Monk Penguin

Monk Penguin

Way of the Open Flipper

Aug 6, 2019

#8,049

Spoiler: Winning Vote

Spoiler: BGM

You shake your arms and legs a bit, getting the blood to flow and removing the numbness that you were starting to get accustomed to. It boggles your mind that you're about to what? Tinker while Bonesaw is in the Wards base, holding your friends hostage. You shut down that train of thought, you need to focus on getting into Bonesaw's head, even though it seems like she's doing a much better job of it compared to you.

You cast about for what you can build that could kill one of the two monstrosities before you. Building an Android right now is out of the question. You don't have the time, tools or materials to build something that complex. You grasp for an idea, and it comes to you, weapons. You can build weapons. They aren't particularly special, especially compared to the kinds of weapons just sitting in your ihan crystal, but you don't dare draw attention to that. You don't know what Bonesaw could do if she sees your memories on the Zerg, but you know it wouldn't be good. You grab some materials and start working, using the fabricator to shape the blade and capacitors that would pulse electricity up the blade.

"Interesting."

You nearly jump out of your chair. How had she gotten so close to you without you noticing? You had almost managed to block out her presence in the room and just focus on tinkering but clearly, that wasn't a good idea.

"I have to admit, the electronics on this thing have me stumped." She looks up from the workbench to you, her clear blue eyes seeming so innocent and yet full of malice at the same time. "I just know you're going to be so much fun to play with." You're pretty sure she doesn't mean play as she would with most people, but you also don't think you'll enjoy whatever "play" she has in mind.

You swallow involuntarily, "Thanks," you manage.

You go back to working on the sword. You're making the Type-4O sword, the one that charges up to discharge electricity through it. You fit the blade onto the hilt and embed the electrical mechanisms inside it. All you need to do now is-"

A loud thud sounds out from right next to you. You're not ashamed to admit you shriek like a little girl, which causes Bonesaw to giggle and get far too close to you for your comfort as she smacks you on the arm lightly.

"Don't be afraid silly. I just want you to open it." You look down at the case she's dropped on the floor, one of the storage cases for the reserve staves. You desperately wish you could say that you can't, or that you won't, but you have no doubts that refusing a demand like that will have consequences, consequences you're not willing to face. In the end, you do the only thing you can do, you open it. Not trusting your voice, you do so silently.

As soon as the lid pops open, the staff is swiped up by Bonesaw who moves far too quietly for your comfort.

"Thank you so much! I know I'm going to have a lot of fun trying this out!"

You shudder and get back to the sword. At least you're pretty sure that the PRT will reimburse you for that one. Despite the time crunch and your stress, the sword turns out exactly like the blueprint in your head. You're surprised, but you still rush Pagoda while the blade builds up electrical charge. You run him through, right where you'd approximate a heart would be on his upper torso. he blade goes in easily past his skin, piercing it as if it weren't even there. You let go of the charge button on the hilt. Electricity courses up the metal of the blade and into the monstrosity's body. Pagoda spasms, once, twice, thrice, and then collapses. Getting the sword out of (him? it?) is significantly more difficult than getting it in. As you pull out the blade, his body literally begins to rot on the ground as whatever chemical Bonesaw placed into his heart activates, reversing his regeneration.

Bonesaw laughs childishly. You feel like you want to throw up. Your head is swimming. Bonesaw explains why Pagoda's body rotted as it did, but you already knew that answer, but you can't let Bonesaw know you know. You stop listening.

After a few deep breaths, you pull it together enough to turn towards Hack Job. You run as fast as you can to him. Neither he nor Bonesaw moves to stop you. You run him through with the sword. As you do, you suddenly forget how it works, how to build up the charge effectively. Luckily, it doesn't matter, you let go of the button. Hack Job spasms, and then dies. This time, he doesn't start rotting immediately.

Bonesaw is cackling now. The smell of rotting and charred flesh fills the air. You hunch over and start to throw up on the floor of your lab. You dissociate.

When you feel like you're back in your body, you see that Bonesaw is gently patting you on the back as you hunch over splatters of vomit.

"See, that wasn't so hard!" she says cheerfully. You want nothing more at that moment than to stab her with either of the two blades on your person. You refrain, because she has your friends at her mercy, likely on a dead man's switch. You suppress that feeling until all you feel is numbness.

"No, it wasn't," you agree without inflection.

"Great Job!"

Spoiler: BGM

When you're safely ensconced in the Elizabeth's Grace, you take some time to calm yourself. You activate the Motherships own time field on your room and take a good long break. At some point Missy comes and sits next to you, snuggling into your side. You don't respond. At some level, you're aware that you're currently experiencing shock, but you can't bring yourself to do anything about it.

"Tony! Tony! Tony!" Missy finally succeeds in bringing you out of your state. You dry heave a few more times and then breathe deeply. "Dragon's been sending you messages non-stop Tony. You should probably respond."

You check the messages from Dragon. They go from requesting access to the Motherboard's computer systems to demanding it. A quick check on your newly upgraded observer feed shows that Armsmaster is being cared for in a makeshift medical bay as the PRT are teleporting in medical equipment. The Elizabeth's Grace might have a lot of rooms, but it is somewhat lacking in amenities other than the basic things like furniture, power, and water. At least there's kitchens built-in.

You grant Dragon's request.

Next, you ensure that your observer is doing its job and scanning everyone who enters. The Nine won't sneak aboard your ship, at least not easily, and unlike before, this Observer can now detect them by their powers. Unfortunately, it cannot differentiate parahumans based on the Alpha Waves alone. Luckily, you have a week of data on all the parahumans that are allowed to be on the ship, so that disadvantage should be nullified.

After you make sure that everything is set up, you and Missy receive a message from Miss Militia telling the Wards to gather. You're glad you ensured that all the Protectorate members and important members of the PRT had the floor-plan to the Elizabeth's Grace. It's not terribly useful for anyone who can't get on the floating base, and it prevents you from having to make and send one now when you are definitely not in a state to do so.

The briefing is awful.

"Bonesaw nominated me to be tested by the Nine for recruitment," you summarize, doing your best to distance yourself from the far-too-recent memories. Chris steps away from you in horror. Taylor, Miss Militia, and Missy all move closer to you, which soothes the hurt from Chris. You know it's unfair to him, but you can't help but hurt when he does that.

"What happened?" Miss Militia asks.

You give a detailed report of what occurred. It's hard telling them about how you killed the monsters. It's worse telling them that your scans discovered that Bonesaw implanted parasites in Chris, Carlos, and Dennis, and you don't know their function. Making your report clinical and detached makes it easier.

Dean looks like he's trying to figure something out about you.

You are enveloped in several hugs. Even Carlos comes in for a hug. You wind up in the middle of a massive group hug.

"I'm glad you're ok," Missy whispers, which seems to prompt the others to say similar things.

"No child should have to go through what you've gone through," Miss Militia states solemnly, standing up from where she's leaned over to hug you. "I would recommend talking to Dr. Yamada as soon as possible." She glances over at the three who Bonesaw tampered with. "Do you think your staff can remove the parasites?"

"Maybe for Carlos if I boost his power, but I'm not sure about the others, especially because it's not an ordinary parasite."

Miss Militia nods solemnly. "You three, get yourself checked out by medical personnel as soon as possible. We need to determine what those parasites do."

They nod shakily. Miss Militia's cape phone rings. She picks it up and talks to the person on the other line. "I have to go now," she looks over the Wards. "Take care of each other."

"Yes Ma'am," Carlos responds with as much vigor as he can muster.

You take the three of them aside and do a quick scan of them using your staff. You're fear that you can't heal them outright is confirmed, but it also means that the parasite isn't outright harmful to them. You suspect it's a tracker, but it may have other functions. You don't have the time to analyze the data.

You know you should talk to Dr. Yamada, but you don't want to. You don't want to remember what happened back in that room. It's not your lab anymore, you can never feel the same way about the place. Now, it's that room. Instead, you throw yourself into all the things you need to do. First, you ensure that Uncle Danny makes it onto the Elizabeth's Grace.

You call your handler on Monday morning.

"PRT Squads have already been sent to your Uncle's place of residence, as well as to the families of the rest of the Wards," your handler, Mrs. Cortez, informs you.

"What about New Wave?" you ask as you dismantle another healing staff. You're going to have a hell of a time getting the materials to rebuild all these, but at least you ensured that Bonesaw didn't destroy the computer holding the schematics.

"New Wave fled the city on Saturday morning. I've been informed that the Director wants you to add the older generation to the list of authorized personnel for this base."

You already have detailed scan data on them as well, so it only takes a few swipes on the holographic screen of your beads. "Done. Did the Director say anything about my message?"

"She will meet with you tomorrow."

"Thanks."

You finish the third staff and move onto the Chronomanipulator.

You have gained 19 Common Materials, 47 Uncommon Materials, 20 Rare Materials, and 7 Exotic Materials from dismantling 3 Staves and the Chronomanipulator

Then, you get started on the tools you need to build Androids. Your current ones are not capable of manipulating electronics to the fine degree required by the Android blueprints in your head.

You stay up late that night, and even with the Chronomanipulator, you don't get enough sleep. It can't be helped, you have too much you need to do. With the tools done, you move on to upgrading the Robotics Facility so that it will work on the Androids, among other non-protoss technology. That takes less time than building the tools.

Then, you get started on the Android. Well, you start blueprinting the android. You want to integrate (it? her?) with some purifier tech, along with some other protoss technology. When you're finished blue-printing it out, you start on the body.

Shortly after, you have to stop so you can go talk to Director Piggot about your Alpha Wave Detector. You leave the metal skeleton on your work-bench as you walk out and lock the door.

It would actually take you an hour to walk from where you are to the room she's claimed as her office on the Elizabeth's Grace. Luckily, you built this ship with internal teleporters. It's a simple matter to walk to the teleporter room and get instantly translocated to the one nearest her office.

You knock.

"Come in," her voice is muffled through the door. You step inside. "Yes, Horizon, what did you want? Be quick about it, I have a lot on my plate at the moment."

"I've built a second observer. This one is better, more detailed. It can detect parahumans." Piggot stops what she's doing and stares, "It can detect the Nine."

Piggot continues to stare. Then collects herself. "The range of detection is the same?"

"Yes."

"Very well, do not inform anyone who is not a member of the Protectorate or Wards. Keep track of them. Ensure that I and Miss Militia can access the information on their location at any time."

"Is that all?"

"We can discuss the ramifications of a long-range parahuman detector later when we're not under assault. You are dismissed." She goes back to her work.

The older generation of New Wave shows up late Tuesday night. The PRT doesn't need your help teleporting them onboard since you have already cleared them. Your observer shows that Assault and Battery are showing them to their rooms. You wonder where their children are, but perhaps it's best if you don't know, you're somewhat worried about Panacea not being here to counter Bonesaw, but you suppose it's better to have her and Dinah out of the city right now.

You continue working on the Type B Android as long as you can, spending all of your time in the bubble produced by the Mothership's chronomanipulator. Occasionally, you'll do a brief observer check on Armsmaster, but he's still unconscious. He's been healed fully by one of your staves. Presumably, Director Piggot unlocked the case for whoever used it, since you didn't and Armsmaster was unconscious. You don't know when he'll wake up, but you do note that Dragon seems to have all but taken control of the internal cameras and screens in that part of the Elizabeth's Grace.

Spoiler: Event Roll

As you're finishing up the internal workings of the android on Wednesday morning, you get a call on your cape phone.

"Hello, Horizon, this is Tattletale." You don't bother asking her how she got this number.

"What do you want?" you say crankily. You would hang up, but you know, you should probably at least hear her out. A quick check of your observer shows that she, along with the rest of the Undersiders, are at the edge of the range of the boarding/deboarding teleporters for the Elizabeth's Grace.

"Let us on the ship," she demands. "Mannequin is hunting us. Yes, the game has already begun. I have information that you need."

[Let me in!] Let her in

[Let me in!] Refuse

[Let me in!] Get a second opinion

-[Let me in!] Missy

-[Let me in!] Taylor

-[Let me in!] Alexandria Cortez, your handler

-[Let me in!] Carlos

-[Let me in!] Miss Militia

[Let me in!] Write-in.

Shortly after, your door opens, and Missy and Taylor walk in. You haven't started adding on the synthetic skin or clothing to your Type B Android yet, so it looks like a vaguely female metal skeleton full of Khaydarin crystals.

"Is that a terminator?" Missy blurts out

Taylor gives her a withering look that shuts her up. "Tony, we know you haven't talked to Dr. Yamada. You've also spent way too much time in your lab and it's clear you're not getting the sleep you need. Please, take a break. Talk to Dr. Yamada."

"I'll talk to Dr. Yamada when I'm done," you say.

"But-"

You interrupt Taylor. "I'm not going to go outside of the ship. In fact, I'm not going to go outside of the ship at all."

"You're not?" Missy asks.

"No, and you shouldn't either. I'm building this robot specifically so that none of us have to risk our lives against the Nine."

Missy looks like she wants to disagree, but refrains. She glances at Taylor, then back at you. "As long as you promise to take a break and talk to Dr. Yamada when you're done."

"I will, I promise."

Later that day, you finish her. She's an exact replica of 2B from the... (movie? No, it was a game.) Complete with the dress and useless blindfold. You're a little surprised since she's got a whole bunch of Protoss technology inside her, rather than android tech, but you don't question it.

Spoiler: 2B

Now, you're hit with a dilemma. Your power is telling you that you could add the memories of the fictional 2B into this android. You're quite sure that you wouldn't program in the logic virus as well, so she would remember being impaled by A2, and all the traumatic stuff before that. The memories would undeniably make her more skilled than the innate knowledge of how to wield weapons that comes with the Type B Android template, but can you really justify it like that.

On the other hand, if you don't give her any memories, then her first memories will be of hunting down Jack Slash. There's no way that won't traumatize her, especially considering Jack is more than just his power, he's good at manipulating people using his own skill as well. The android won't be able to act on any twisted desires Jack puts in her head, but can you really consign her to that existence.

You try for some sort of middle ground, but your power informs you that there is none. You can only go for all or nothing, at least, unless you want to spend significant time modifying her memories.

[To be or not to be] Give her 2B's memories

[To be or not to be] Give her no memories

You do manage to connect to your Mecha Zerg drones and have them carry the materials onto the Elizabeth's Grace, which is great because it removes the need for the PRT to act as a delivery service.

You gain 15 Common Materials, 21 Uncommon Materials, and 5 Rare Materials

Now, as you finish up the chassis for your second android, you decide that it will look like:

[H Appearance] Devola

[H Appearance] Popola

[H Appearance] Adam

[H Appearance] Eve

[H Appearance] 9S

[H Appearance] Write-in. (Does not need to be Nier, does need to be very human-like)

If you have the android appear as an android from Nier: Automata, do you give it that android's memories?

Only vote for this option if you voted for the H android to appear like a character from Nier: Automata.

[H Memories] Give it that Android's memories

[H Memories] Give it no memories.

Then there's the issue of how you want the androids to present themselves to the the PRT and the Heroes.

[Presentation] This is a sapient being, and thus deserves rights.

[Presentation] This is merely a very good imitation of a human.

[Presentation] This is a robot, it does what I tell it to.

[Presentation] Write-in.

Voting Moratorium Length: 6 Hours

Voting Opens from 7:50 PM UTC

Votes for next chapter:

Let me in!

To be or not to be

H Appearance

H Memories

Presentation

QM Note:

No, I didn't forget about Kaiser's meeting/alliance against the Nine. It hasn't happened yet.

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Monk Penguin

Aug 6, 2019

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Threadmarks 48. New (Old) Life

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Monk Penguin

Monk Penguin

Way of the Open Flipper

Aug 8, 2019

#8,325

Spoiler: Winning Vote

Instead of responding to her and possibly giving her more information, you mute your microphone and pull out your beads to examine the Undersiders' position to see if they have the right number of capes.

"You have a way to detect parahumans?" comes Tattletale's incredulous voice over the line. For fuck's sake, how on earth did she pull that out of her ass. "I assure you, we haven't been followed."

As it turns out, they do have an extra. You can't actually tell what their power is just from the AWD, all it does is detect that they exist. Judging from a quick scan underneath the mask though, it is Imp or at least someone who looks very much like Aisha Laborne judging from the facial recognition database.

"You found someone?" Tattletale's voice comes across alarmed. Also, your microphone is still muted so she put that together only from outside information and how long you've muted the microphone, which is annoying. You can't risk interacting with her for too long. There are too many secrets you need to keep.

You unmute the phone. "I'm handing you off to my superiors," you say in as professional a tone as you can manage. You shoot off a quick text message to your handler telling you what you're about to do, but you don't have time to wait for a response. You can't afford to spend too much time on the line with Tattletale.

As you perform the steps necessary to redirect the call to your handler Tattletale shouts, "You're afraid of me?"

It stings to admit, but Tattletale is actually among the scarier people you could face. You have far too many secrets and vulnerabilities, even when you aren't tired and on edge from being in the same room with Bonesaw. You can only hope that she didn't pick up too much from that brief conversation with you.

About twenty minutes later, you get a call from your handler.

"Hello, Tony?"

"Yes,"

"Please teleport the Undersiders to the designated location," your beads pop up a map with a room highlighted. "however, do not give them access to any of the doors or teleporters."

"Ok, I should warn you that they have a stranger among them."

"I will be sure to pass on that information."

A few sweeps of your holographic control screen and you've deposited all six of the Undersiders in the marked room. "What's the situation with them?" you ask Mrs. Cortez.

"Battery is being sent to question them using Armsmaster's lie detector. Miss Militia stated that she doesn't believe that they would break the truce. She also said that in light of... recent events, it would be best if the Wards did not encounter them, specifically Tattletale.

For a moment, you're confused about how they know about Tattletale's power, but then you remember that you told Lady Photon all that info ages ago.

"Ok," you agree easily. While you might pity the Undersiders to a degree, their situation doesn't exactly excuse their actions. Plus, Grue beat up Missy, which means you don't like him very much.

Spoiler: BGM

You decide to give 2B her memories, but not to activate her yet. You'll activate her at the same time you activate Popola, who will coincidentally also be designated 1H. You'll call her Popola since you plan on giving her her memories back as well, but you do need to ensure you know what type of android she is. She's not whatever she was before, nor is she a replicant. You wonder if that will be odd for her.

As you start adding in the Type H specific modules to the memory core and her frame, you get a message from your handler.

It's marked as "high priority," which is separate from emergency, though it does mean you need to check it out ASAP. You find that it's a briefing about the information received from the Undersiders. Apparently, Tattletale was lying about the game having begun, but not about being pursued by Mannequin. Regent had also made contact with Cherish already, which was not great but expected. Tattletale also said that Jack planned to crash the truce meeting, and suggested hosting it on the mothership, an idea that was vetoed by both Director Piggot and Miss Militia.

You're also surprised to see that Armsmaster, Assault, Battery, and Velocity are all planning on attending the truce meeting anyway. That seems like it could end poorly for them, but you're not really in a place to question it, and you have other things that need doing, like making Popola's face.

Unlike 2B, it takes a large amount of time to program in Popola's memories. You had hoped to add an information packet to both of their memory databases about general worldly knowledge, but your power hadn't cooperated. At least you'd managed to make a packet explaining the capabilities weapons that you were giving 2B, even if it didn't explain how to wield them.

As a result, it's rather late into Wednesday night by the time that you finish both of them and start their boot sequences. Despite the added memories, Popola's finishes while 2B's is still running. You examine the output you're getting from her boot sequence and surmise that it has to do with all the additional built-in capabilities you've given her.

Then, you're jerked violently to face Popola, who is standing up.

Spoiler: Popola

Despite knowing that she is literally incapable of harming you, it's still jarring. Popola looks like her later appearance, the one in Nier: Automata, with her vibrant red hair falling straight, rather than the curly, muted red hair she had before.

"You're a human," she states incredulously.

"Yes. Give me a-" 2B suddenly appears in front of you, causing you to start. You had known she would be fast, but it's one thing to know intellectually, and another to see it in front of you.

"What's going on?" she asks Popola more than you.

Popola just turns to look at you, "Yes, do explain, if you would," her voice is more sedate now.

"So, the bodies you are currently inhabiting were built by me-"

"Truly? If you are a human as my sensors say you are, then you cannot be that old," 2B says.

"I am not, but please wait until I finish to ask questions," you say tiredly.

A brief look of concern passes across Popola's face before it returns to its neutral expression. You wonder if you were supposed to see that or if it was unintentional.

"We are currently in a dimension that is not your original one. In this dimension, humans are still alive. I am what is known in this dimension as a 'parahuman,' which means a human with supernatural powers. My power allows me to build things that exist in other dimensions. Thus, when I built you, I was able to copy your memories across. Truthfully, I didn't know I was capable of doing so until I was finished building you two. Parahuman powers often give their users little information that could be used to figure out their methods or purpose."

"I see," Popola says, looking contemplative, "and why did you choose 2B and I. What is to be our purpose?"

"Popola, you're going to be my assistant. I chose you because you have much more worldly experience than I do, and I think your opinions will be valuable. You are currently inhabiting a YoRHa Model H, Healer type Android. 2B, I am… loathe to say this, but I made you both as a bodyguard and… to kill a certain set of people."

"I see," 2B's tone is calm. You know that in theory, they should be loyal to you, but things like that can't be that simple when they're people rather than just machines.

"I chose you because out of all the androids I could build, you were the strongest that I know of."

2B seems to look past you, though it's a tad hard to tell with her blindfold. Popola speaks up. "What about Devola or 9S?"

"I promise I will build them later when I have more time and materials. Currently, we are embroiled in a... situation."

"Very well, Master, I will be patient. What shall I do to begin."

You decide that you'll let that way of address slide for now, since you're exhausted. "First let me key you into all the systems. We are currently on a flying base of my own design. Let me apprise you of the situation. First, I am going to have to ask you to hide your true natures."

"You wish us to pose as humans, Master?"

"No," you find it a little odd that 2B is so silent, but perhaps she's slipped into a professional mindset. That or Popola is asking all the important questions anyway. "In this dimension, previous to your existence there was only one artificial intelligence, and she is hiding her current nature. What I am about to tell you is not common knowledge, so don't go spouting it off, but when you are doing research on my computer terminal, you may come across the name Dragon. The public story is that she's an agoraphobic shut-in who remotely pilots drones; however, the truth is that she's an artificial intelligence hiding her nature. She's doing this for several reasons. She's directly connected to humanity's wireless network, unlike you two, so if she went rogue, then she could cause a lot of damage, and that would scare people." Both the androids nod in understanding. "Now, that reason doesn't really apply to you, but there's an additional complication. Dragon has a set of nemesis, the Dragonslayers." Popola's lips quirk up in amusement. "The Dragonslayers are extremely paranoid about the possibility of AI taking over the world. That you are unable to directly uplink with most computers without assistance will not be of concern to them. The simple fact that you are artificial intelligences means that all three of us will be targeted should your true nature be revealed early."

"Is this group my targets?" 2B asks.

"No, and I would not send you at them just yet. You see, it's more complicated than that. They would not normally be able to go against Dragon as she is much more intelligent, but they found the work of her creator and gained access to a backdoor in her code. As far as I am aware, they are constantly monitoring her." Popola puts her hand over her mouth and gasps. "I know," you agree. Unfortunately, we currently have bigger problems." You glance at 2B.

"My targets."

"Yes," you say, before yawning. "To give a brief summary, they are a nomadic group of serial killers. One of their number has also targeted me, either or recruitment or killing, whichever they can manage."

"Recruitment?" Popola asks leadingly.

"Their methods are… less than savory. I'd rather not think about what they would have me do to you two if they got their hands on us. I have prepared," you fail to hold back another yawn, "a briefing about their members for the two of you that should be understandable, as well as a separate information packet on common knowledge."

"Is there no way to transfer the data packets directly?" 2B asks.

"I'm afraid none of my current computers are capable of it."

"Very well, Master, get some rest, we will inform ourselves while you sleep."

You curl up on the makeshift bed you'd made in your lab, which is essentially a sleeping bag, some sheets, and a pillow.

When your alarm goes off, you are resting on something that is definitely softer than the pillow you brought in. You open your eyes and see a pair of knees in black braces over red pants. Further down, there are a pair of black boots. You're still quite tired, so it takes you a couple of seconds to figure out what is going on.

"Good morning, Master," Popola says, not looking away from the holographic screen of your beads that she's manipulating. "I must say that the information packet you prepared for us is quite detailed, though it does not state the sources of your information."

"That's something we can talk about later," you say, checking one of the clocks in your lab synchronized to time outside the Chronomanipulator. Huh, it's actually morning.

"Of course. I must say, Master, your time dilation field generator is quite ingenious. In all my years, I have never seen anything manage a similar feat without the usage of maso."

You try and figure out what she's talking about, but draw a blank at the word, "maso." Then, you realize that with her other hand, she's petting your hair, which is really odd, though not unpleasant. "My name is Tony," you say the first thing that comes to mind.

"Very well, Master Tony, what are we to do today?" Popola says with a smile on her lips.

You sit up and groan. You notice that as you get up, Popola shifts so that she's still touching you. You don't comment. "2B?"

"I'm ready…" she trails off

"Just call me Tony," you say.

"Tony," she tests it out, "I am ready to begin whenever you wish to send me out."

You take a moment to collect your bearings. "I don't think we finished our discussion last night. I think I was telling you about the issues with revealing your true nature."

"Yes, Master Tony, you told us we were not going to be posing as humans, but you did not say what we were going to be posing as."

"Why- no never mind, that can be sorted out later. I am asking you to pose as virtual intelligences."

"Virtual Intelligences?" Popola asks.

"What would that entail?" 2B follows up.

"Well, seeing as you would be convincingly human-like virtual intelligences "made by me" you could probably act mostly normal; however, you must understand that they will not see you as people, but rather as tools I have built. I understand if this is unacceptable to-"

"If it is for the mission, I will endure," 2B interrupts.

"If it's for you, Master Tony," Popola says.

"For me?"

She pulls you close to her and you note that you barely make it to her shoulders. "Perhaps you don't understand just how big of a boon you have done for me, and eventually for Devola as well. This world, no matter its flaws, has people, humans in it, and they, you, need my help. It's wonderful to have a purpose again," she sighs happily.

"I… see?" you really don't get it, but if she's happy then that's good enough. Popola giggles. "Ok, I need to finish a pod for 2B, along with a plug-in chip as well as some weapons for her. According to my information, the Slaughterhouse Nine will strike today, at a meeting between the heroes and villains of the city."

"According to the information packet, the one designated Shatterbird can affect silicates. Will the pod not be affected?" 2B asks.

"I am planning on making it out of Khaydarin crystal, a material of my own design. It's an organic crystal that can replicate electronics without silicates."

"I see, what weapons will I have?"

"First I have YoRHa Type-4O sword prepared for you. Then, there is a weapon of my own design." You ignite the warp blade on your wrist, making sure not to cut anything with it.

2B nods and then sits down in a chair.

"And what should I do, Master Tony?" Popola asks. She seems to take particular delight in addressing you that way. You wonder why?

"You can assist me in making this pod, or you can continue to learn about the situation in this dimension."

With Popola's assistance, you finish the pod and evasive system chip before noon. You have already given her your Warp Blade and the Type-4O Sword to familiarize herself within a nearby empty room.

Popola installs the chip into 2B as you run diagnostics on the pod, which you have creatively designated Pod 01. After all the diagnostics come back green, you hit the boot sequence.

"Pod 01, reporting," it says cheerily.

"Pod 01," you greet it, "say hello to your partner, 2B,"

Your stomach growls. You realize you haven't eaten or even left the lab since you woke up the two androids. "Master Tony, you should make sure to eat," Popola says, and you can't figure out if she's serious or teasing you.

"Ok, I think I'm going to catch lunch and then I need to go find my therapist. 2B, are you ready?"

"Yes," she states emphatically.

"Are you… Are you ok with the mission I've set out for you?" you ask, even though you know you haven't programmed any way for you to remove that directive from her system.

"Yes," she says again, though she doesn't give a reason.

"What she's trying to say," Popola adds, "is that we both agree that Jack Slash deserves what's coming to him."

"Ok, do you have access to the observers?"

"Yes."

"Have you familiarized yourself with your new capabilities, including the ability to turn off your hearing at will?

"Yes."

"Ok, I will teleport you out of the base, and your mission will begin. Your priority target is Jack, but the rest of the Nine are targets as well."

"Understood."

You teleport her down to the ground. Despite your desire to constantly keep track of her with your observer, you resist. You're not sure what information Jack's shard could pick up on.

"You're certain that if Jack Slash survives, the world will end?" Popola asks.

You manage to keep the grimace off your face. Jack Slash's death is really only a delaying tactic, but do you want to tell Popola that. On one hand, she deserves to know, and on the other, do you really want to burden her with that information.

[Apocalypse] Tell her that Jack Slash will only trigger it earlier than it would normally happen

[Apocalypse] Simply tell her that, yes, Jack Slash's survival would lead to the end of the world.

[Apocalypse] Write-in.

"Alright, I'm off then, Popola, I'll be back later."

"Master Tony, would you like me to escort you?" It's definitely at least part plea. She wants to see other humans alive and well.

"Of course, but you'll have to drop that form of address."

"I know, I am aware of the concept of social stigma."

"Only the concept?"

Popola just smiles enigmatically.

Your session with Dr. Yamada is not one you would like to think about. She talked you through what happened with Bonesaw and helped you deal with it a bit, but she also noticed that you weren't getting enough sleep and recommended you get more. Luckily, because of Popola's status as a VI, Dr. Yamada did not mind her sitting in, so she also got a briefing on what happened before you made her. What a weird sentence to say.

When you returned to the lab, you note that Popola is hovering closer than usual, though neither of you comments on it.

"Alright, I need your help making an implant that should allow me to remove my need to sleep."

"Master Tony, are you sure that's healthy?"

You give her a sharp glance, you weren't aware she knew anything about biology.

"In my dimension, humans, as you are, have not existed in millennia, but I was created for the purpose of assisting in their continued existence and thus given some knowledge about human biology."

"I see. I admit, going without sleep for extended periods of time will most likely not affect my mental health favorably, but this is a crisis situation, and thus is an exception."

Popola purses her lips, "As you say, Master Tony."

As you work on the Metabolic Boost augment, you also examine the meeting going on between the Empire, the Travelers, The Protectorate, and The Undersiders (Surprisingly). You're not sure what the last group is doing there, but maybe they got dragged along with Armsmaster's group. To be fair, Regent is a nominee.

You manage to convince Dragon to feed you some audio, which she's apparently already doing for Director Piggot, so you also get to listen in to the conversations.

It's pretty clear from the first words that are spoken that Kaiser is in control of the conversation, and the meeting as a whole. He also currently has the most parahumans backing him up. Once everyone has agreed to a truce against the Nine. He demands the PRT take down the Observer, seeing as it is non-functional against the nine. Briefly, you wonder if Tattletale will reveal that there is more than one, has she even figured it out?

Armsmaster, as the designated representative for the heroes, agrees, likely on Director Piggot's orders. Well, that's probably a pretty big hint for Tattletale. That's when Shatterbird starts singing. Through your observers, you can see the glass from various windows shatter and take flight. You take a brief moment and use your personal observer to ensure that no one else you care about has left the Mothership. They're all accounted for, which causes you to sag slightly in relief. Popola wraps you in a one-armed hug, before going back to working on the augment. Honestly, you're a bit distracted with the goings-on at the meeting.

Unfortunately, when the rest of the Nine show, they seem to have some way to confuse your observers, because the reading from the Alpha Wave Detector simply doesn't match what the other sensors see. The only clear things are 2B and Pod 01, who have joined the fray.

Spoiler: 2B fights the Nine

2B has Pod 01 call your beads.

"Yes?"

"2B, reporting in. William Manton and Mannequin are dead, and their bodies unrecoverable. The Siberian projection was protecting Jack Slash, and so I opted to remove Manton first. He did not expect the ambush. When I was returning to the battlefield, I was accosted by Mannequin. Finally, I have decapitated and electrocuted Jack Slash, however, Shatterbird was able to recover his head, and with Bonesaw still at large, I fear it is not a lethal blow. I have captured Burnscar. Your data said that she is possibly redeemable, what should I do with her?"

"From the information you've given us on the PRT, it is likely that if you took her to them, she would be executed," Popola speaks up. You knew that, but it's good to be reminded. God, why are you having to make so many big decisions one after the other. You feel Popola pull you close to her side, and give your answer.

[Burnscar] Kill her. (2B executes Burnscar)

[Burnscar] Take her to the PRT

[Burnscar] Secretly hold her…

-[Burnscar] In the Mothership

-[Burnscar] In the underwater dome with your drones?

[Burnscar] Write-in.

Voting Moratorium Length: 6 Hours

Voting Opens from 1:40 AM UTC

Votes for next chapter:

Apocalypse

Burnscar

QM Note:

Sorry for the late update. I just had trouble writing Popola and 2B.

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