Author Topic: High End IC Episode II-At the End of the Time Which Can Never Be Returned to  (Read 52355 times)

Offline Kuroimaken

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"Hmmm. Loathe as I am to split the party again, that idea has merit.

Orakio is... essentially regarded as something like the patron saint of androids. He disappeared centuries ago as he left with some biomonster Queen to defeat Dark Force, and no one knows their ultimate fate. Miun, as you know, has been searching for her master for possibly over a millenium, though heavens only know how she's managed to stay operational this long.

Thing is, Orakio is ancient history. By most accounts, Miun has no business having data from the future, which leads me to think that her search may have taken her beyond time itself - her interference with time loops suggests that at some point she went looking for him in the future. Getting her to help us should be as simple as agreeing to help find Orakio.

I'm worried that she refuses to allow herself to be repaired, though. There's something in my dad's old lab that could help - a batch of nanomachines he'd initially designed for Murakumo. He uses a different kind now, something I fine-tuned to him specifically. I could try reverse-engineering to get back to that batch, but it'd be faster for us to just get a hold of my father's old work and hand a sample to Miun."
Hugo notes aloud, mostly to himself.

"Ammy, Katherine. What do you think about trying to contact SK Anima and Arodatam yourselves? I think having anyone else around is bound to make them suspicious."
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Offline ketaro

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Her surprised expression led into one of embarrassment at hearing more on the Aether Fleet topic; she couldn't help but hide a smile about it. "Ah, eheheh, even an entire day celebrating me? Gosh, that's kinda...."

Quote
"Ammy, Katherine. What do you think about trying to contact SK Anima and Arodatam yourselves? I think having anyone else around is bound to make them suspicious."

"Oh. Well, I don't know? Would that even work? I personally feel like it'd seem pretty suspicious to be contacted by some one who probably shouldn't know they're even in that time, considering they're from the future and I'm not? I was going to say never met, but I guess this Arodatam person has met me, I just, like, haven't gotten there yet? Well, like, they've met me, but not me? Gosh, this is annoying. Anyways, how would we contact these people anyways if we, uh, do do this?"
« Last Edit: October 24, 2018, 04:08:46 AM by ketaro »

Offline Raineh Daze

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"Well, I suppose I could come up with some reason or other to try and be approaching them that isn't too ludicrous for a mercenary."

Offline Kuroimaken

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"Look, I'm gonna give it to you straight. You guys can't bluff your way out of a wet paper bag, so honesty, however partial, is probably the best policy. Arodatam isn't supposed to be particularly famous at this point in time; you could use her similarity to your fighting style as a topic of common interest. If she's something like a fan, it should be enough for her. If she's something a little more unlikely, like maybe you from the future, she might try to avoid contact with you... but I don't think that's going to be the case. Time loops typically botch anything resembling linear causality.

Amaterasu could be trickier, but not by much. She could be simply interested in knowing who made her, and maybe look into an upgrade or two.

Those are only methods of approach, however. Getting actual information would come after that, and I don't think they're just going to volunteer it. Even if you tell them that what you want is to prevent the war, that doesn't mean it gets them what THEY want - they could be war profiteers after all."
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Offline ketaro

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"Well," crossing her arms, "If Arodatam has anything to do with me, then profit shouldn't be her priority. If it is, then I suppose I'm overdue on teaching her a proper lesson in copying me."

Offline oslecamo

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"Hmmm. Loathe as I am to split the party again, that idea has merit.

Orakio is... essentially regarded as something like the patron saint of androids. He disappeared centuries ago as he left with some biomonster Queen to defeat Dark Force, and no one knows their ultimate fate. Miun, as you know, has been searching for her master for possibly over a millenium, though heavens only know how she's managed to stay operational this long.

Thing is, Orakio is ancient history. By most accounts, Miun has no business having data from the future, which leads me to think that her search may have taken her beyond time itself - her interference with time loops suggests that at some point she went looking for him in the future. Getting her to help us should be as simple as agreeing to help find Orakio.

I'm worried that she refuses to allow herself to be repaired, though. There's something in my dad's old lab that could help - a batch of nanomachines he'd initially designed for Murakumo. He uses a different kind now, something I fine-tuned to him specifically. I could try reverse-engineering to get back to that batch, but it'd be faster for us to just get a hold of my father's old work and hand a sample to Miun."
Hugo notes aloud, mostly to himself.
: “I’m up for any plan that includes patching up that poor girl.”

"Ah, eheheh, even an entire day celebrating me? Gosh, that's kinda...."
: “Truly a desolate future devoid of any hope. We must prevent it at all costs.”

"Oh. Well, I don't know? Would that even work? I personally feel like it'd seem pretty suspicious to be contacted by some one who probably shouldn't know they're even in that time, considering they're from the future and I'm not? I was going to say never met, but I guess this Arodatam person has met me, I just, like, haven't gotten there yet? Well, like, they've met me, but not me? Gosh, this is annoying. Anyways, how would we contact these people anyways if we, uh, do do this?"
: “There’s coordinates for where to deliver Chalybus products to each of the clients in the next cycles. It’s not guaranteed that the client will be there personally to pick it up, but at least somebody who’ll help us find them should be there.”

"Well, I suppose I could come up with some reason or other to try and be approaching them that isn't too ludicrous for a mercenary."
: “Can’t you just say you’re looking for work?”

Offline ketaro

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“Truly a desolate future devoid of any hope. We must prevent it at all costs.”

"How about celebrating me kicking your cranky, wrinkled butt up and down the block instead? Tch." she clicks her tongue at the maid.

Quote
“There’s coordinates for where to deliver Chalybus products to each of the clients in the next cycles. It’s not guaranteed that the client will be there personally to pick it up, but at least somebody who’ll help us find them should be there.”

Sighing, the merc returns to the topic. "Fine, I guess. Just go show up and say hello. Maybe hope it doesn't go south and I have to start wrecking my future protege. Or, maybe, myself? I suppose that's still a possibility..."

Offline Raineh Daze

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"You wouldn't think it's suspicious for me to show up out of the blue at a famous scientist's lab asking for a job? I'd say that's too obvious a ploy. I'm not that hard down on my luck that I need to scrounge for employment."

Offline Kuroimaken

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"That's why I suggested the 'self-discovery' route. Ammy's got enough competition in her that one could be convinced she wants to be at the top of her game, and enough strength right now that one can believe she's having a difficult time finding a new height."

The sudden spat between Murasaki and Katherine earned a snide remark of his own.

"Oh yeah, Murasaki. I JUST got permission from your mistress to trade your bed for a Half-Illithid Pseudonatural Gelatinous Cube. I'm sure you'll find it very comfortable if you keep mouthing off to my co-workers."

He considered for a minute the possibility of using the merchandise as a contact point.

"If Chalybus is smart enough, they probably already changed the location of delivery. It should be easier to stake out the place and try to follow the contact. Doesn't tip our hand too badly, and it should allow us to get more information from their exchange rather than crashing the party."
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Offline oslecamo

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"Fine, I guess. Just go show up and say hello. Maybe hope it doesn't go south and I have to start wrecking my future protege. Or, maybe, myself? I suppose that's still a possibility..."
:“I shall fully support you in such a task.”

:”Now Murasaki, don’t be so jealous of Katherine just because she’ll get her own holyday.”

"Oh yeah, Murasaki. I JUST got permission from your mistress to trade your bed for a Half-Illithid Pseudonatural Gelatinous Cube. I'm sure you'll find it very comfortable if you keep mouthing off to my co-workers."

:”Hugo, how dare you? Half-Illithid Pseudonatural Gelatinous Cubes are an endagered species!”

"If Chalybus is smart enough, they probably already changed the location of delivery. It should be easier to stake out the place and try to follow the contact. Doesn't tip our hand too badly, and it should allow us to get more information from their exchange rather than crashing the party."
:”Master Hugo, I do not think your co-workers are very good at the business of stalking anything around.”

"You wouldn't think it's suspicious for me to show up out of the blue at a famous scientist's lab asking for a job? I'd say that's too obvious a ploy. I'm not that hard down on my luck that I need to scrounge for employment."

:”Like Hugozinho said, precisely because they’re a famous scientist, meaning they have lots of money to pay, need protection or some dirty job to take care of, plus high chances of scoring fancy upgrades you can’t get anywhere else.

:”Some mercenaries will even wreck the previous local security first to show their superiority. And make sure there's an opening for them.”

Offline Kuroimaken

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"That's why I'm contributing to their continued existence. Their favorite food is uncomfortable pettanko maid sweat." Hugo replies without missing a beat.

"She kinda has a point about you guys being unsuited for stake-outs though. Ammy is several sizes too big to be inconspicuous and Katherine would get bored out of her skull in five minutes or less. We could use some more data on Arodatam's recent acitivity so we can take a stab at what she's looking for, would make Kath's insertion easier...

Though if I'm being honest, by far the biggest obstacle right now is to find Stephanie here a proper assignment."
The spy mentioned the proverbial De Malmoth in the room. "I admit I don't know what you'd be most suited for. Can you give us a little pitch?"
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Offline Raineh Daze

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"I got some new parts recently, I could just say that I want her to look at those," Amaterasu said, flexing her hand as a demonstration. "And I'm not that big all the time."
« Last Edit: October 30, 2018, 08:04:39 PM by Raineh Daze »

Offline ketaro

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"Well, like, I'm not that bad at sneaking about..." Katherine mumbled but didn't feel like making the point.

"Who is Stephanie?" Looking around, she finally registers the new face, confused at this random stranger's presence. "When did... Sorry, did some one not care to mention this sooner, Hugo?"

Offline Kuroimaken

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"Look, given the circumstances, I figured we could use a little reinforcement. Mao used to be on our side but now we have to consider her a potential threat.

Don't worry, I checked her out. I have no reason to believe she'll squeal on us.

And Stephanie, for what it's worth, I'm sorry for dragging you into this mess."
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Offline YuweaCurtis

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"That's why I'm contributing to their continued existence. Their favorite food is uncomfortable pettanko maid sweat." Hugo replies without missing a beat.

"She kinda has a point about you guys being unsuited for stake-outs though. Ammy is several sizes too big to be inconspicuous and Katherine would get bored out of her skull in five minutes or less. We could use some more data on Arodatam's recent acitivity so we can take a stab at what she's looking for, would make Kath's insertion easier...

Though if I'm being honest, by far the biggest obstacle right now is to find Stephanie here a proper assignment."
The spy mentioned the proverbial De Malmoth in the room. "I admit I don't know what you'd be most suited for. Can you give us a little pitch?"

Finally someone option than the maid acknowledges her. "I'm already here so there's no need for a pitch. But I can tell you a bit about myself." she says, grabbing a drink as she was finally done with her feverish typing. "I am a scientist with a specialization in mecha, personal arms and armor upgrades, and active research. I'm also skilled in the blade and techniques, and study the way of the sword and the old magics." Placing her drink down she would type something on her wrist computer and bring up a holographic projection that for now was just a field of blue. She would cue corresponding images as she speaks, "As it seems to be relevant to the current situation, I will share details of the mission I went on with MAO. First of all, she was taken in the middle of the mission by a temporal rift. At the beginning of the mission, we came upon two warring groups." She would project the images of the four they ran into and the mecha they commanded in windows separated to show whom was with whom.
(click to show/hide)
(click to show/hide)
"Speaking of Arodatam, not only have I ran into her, I know her current location and I have some data from MAO's scans. I should also note that all of those and even the terrain seems to be from the future, except Red Ring Rica whom has come from the past and Nei which is a present one. Queen Alis seems to be uninformed of the current timeline and believes Immortal Steel to be evil. MAO got the two to stop fighting and help use explore the ruins. Currently Nei and Rica are still looking through the ruins while the two armies are camped on either side. They each possess 8 mecha per side. And before you ask, I'm pretty sure it's another Nei from my observations... But she still seems to know Hugo."

"Look, given the circumstances, I figured we could use a little reinforcement. Mao used to be on our side but now we have to consider her a potential threat.

Don't worry, I checked her out. I have no reason to believe she'll squeal on us.

And Stephanie, for what it's worth, I'm sorry for dragging you into this mess."


"Don't worry about it, this fits into what I was brought here. Besides this situation has seriously and galaxy spanning repercussions, so it's a job for Team Silver anyways." She picks up her drink once more, the images hardly moving from their original position. "I doubt you're very sorry though. You should be well informed of my motives, goals and accomplishments Hugo. I'm surprised no one else know who I am," she says, giving a cursory glance of the group there.
« Last Edit: November 01, 2018, 11:45:44 AM by YuweaCurtis »

Offline oslecamo

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"I am a scientist with a specialization in mecha, personal arms and armor upgrades, and active research. I'm also skilled in the blade and techniques, and study the way of the sword and the old magics."
:”Nice to meet you, hope we can be friends.”
:“I must say you speak quite casually for one of a family of such status as yours.”

(click to show/hide)
Murasaki suddenly seems the happiest you've even seen her.
:”I-It's her, just like the paintings and stories showed! My ancestors had the honor of serving queen Allis once! I never dreamed I would have a chance of meeting her highness in the flesh!”

:”I don’t recall doing anything of that, so it seems like my future self is hanging with royalty and helping fight Dark Force? Sweet!”

"Speaking of Arodatam, not only have I ran into her, I know her current location and I have some data from MAO's scans. I should also note that all of those and even the terrain seems to be from the future, except Red Ring Rica whom has come from the past and Nei which is a present one. Queen Alis seems to be uninformed of the current timeline and believes Immortal Steel to be evil. MAO got the two to stop fighting and help use explore the ruins. Currently Nei and Rica are still looking through the ruins while the two armies are camped on either side. They each possess 8 mecha per side. And before you ask, I'm pretty sure it's another Nei from my observations... But she still seems to know Hugo."
Nei looks suddenly quite surprised.
:”Wait, if she’s from the present and knows Hugo, then how… What… Why… Hugo, you were flirting with my sister?”

"I doubt you're very sorry though. You should be well informed of my motives, goals and accomplishments Hugo. I'm surprised no one else know who I am,"

: “You seemed quite focused with your work so it was not my place to interrupt or announce you.”

:”Hugo didn’t tell me anything about you, Stephanie!”

Offline Kuroimaken

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"Huh. So you DO have something you get excited about..." Hugo noted in regards to Murasaki's glee.

"No, Nei, I haven't been flirting with any of your sisters. It wouldn't be surprising if any of them knew me, though, our relationship has been a matter of public record for quite some time now. She could also know of me due to our attempts in here having a noticeable effect in the future.

In any case, the presence of a past queen in our time does seem to suggest that whatever interferences with the timeline our future opponents are doing could be having an effect on the past too. It's... weird though. Everyone involved seems to be a grand personage or another, like they're all being drawn to the same place, and Dark Force is a huge recurring theme.

Wait a second..."
Hugo seems to enter a complex thought process, starting murmuring to himself.
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Offline oslecamo

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After Hugo's extended silence, Nei lightly knocks him on the head.

:”Hello? Anybody there? Colony ship to Hugo, please reply. And for the record, me and my sisters aren’t really related to Dark Force, remember? At least I don’t recall anybody in my family fighting it, and that’s including my crew. Neither anybody in ARKAS or Immortal Steel outside that queen clone unless I missed something. Stephanie, Katherine and Amaterasu don’t have anything to do with it either… Right?”

Nei looks at the rest of the party with questioning eyes.

Offline ketaro

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Katherine waves off the question. "Don't even know the guy. Not any more than the next person. Sorry, I may have missed several big moments in recent years..... Been, uh, busy and all. I don't feel like I'm treating this Dark Force thing with as much seriousness and the rest here."
« Last Edit: November 08, 2018, 06:14:49 AM by ketaro »

Offline Kuroimaken

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He reaches to headpat Nei and give it some scritches for good measure, which actually looks kind of adorable, though it might be a little embarrassing for Nei since he's scary good at them. "Hang on, sweetie, daddy's doing a little math in his head.

I don't know why yet, but the way past and future are getting mixed up in our current timeline is starting to feel more and more intentional. Either someone is crazy enough to use Dark Force as a catalyst for something bigger, maybe as a trigger... or someone wants all that rage and conflict here. It could even be Dark Force itself trying to gather strength. We know for a fact it has resurfaced throughout history no matter how many times it has been defeated; maybe it's looking into a way to gather all of its strength from multiple timelines at once in order to crush us once and for all. But I don't think it could do that alone."
[/spoiler]
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