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(Hacking HA Datastream: 1d20+4 16, Success) A Type-1 shuttle is fairly sizeable, but as its meant for trans-atmospheric operation, its not organized around thrust-gravity. So you wait under the ACCEL indicator turns off and float your way down the central corridor to the cockpit. The viewscreen shows open space, an AR tag indicating the distant gas giant the moon Harbinger orbits. A side screen shows the rapidly shrinking blinkstation, local Control traffic overlaid. You see the scarred and dented ship-casket mounted into an auxiliary dock, and wave at its optic. ”Oh hello Mr. River.” Bo’s hologram pops up next to the casket, looking a bit confused. ”Its going to be 102 minutes before we make Harbinger space, is there something wrong?” You shake your head and hold up an IDENT chip. ”Non, mon ami. Just some last minute preparations. I wasn’t able to do a full ID-swap for the R&D team, but I was able to clone their IDENTs and futz with their schedule. Queen will be playing the part of Dr. Lara Kane, cybernetics specialist. I will be Dr. Simon Figgis, exotic biology wunderkind.” With a twirl of your fingers, you slot the IDENT into Bo’s casket. ”And you will be Cherish Total, our trusty lab assistant and general attaché.” Bo sputters for a moment. ”Ah, are your sure Mr. River? As Ms. Okafor and OSIRIS-4 could tell you, I’m not really a field agent.” You shrug. ”You just need to follow us around with a subaltern and pretend everything we say is very profound. The R&D team has a NHP assistant on record, can you really see SCYLLA or OSIRIS-4 pulling off a helpful admin subjectivity?” Bo’s face glitches for a moment, and she laughs. ”I see your point Mr. River.” She grows somber again. ”Just please remember I am not BOUDICA, my multiplexing abilities and combat aptitudes are very much diminished from my parental subjectivity.” You smile and give the casket a friendly pat. ”You’ll do fine mon ami. And if everything goes to poo poo, we’ll have the Gruesome Twosome waiting in the wings to bust us out.” Mission Five  The surface of Harbinger is a mess, the scars of terraforming engines mixed in with old meteor and explosives craters. You’re all strapped in for the final approach, your tension building and ebbing each time Hopeful Maya is challenged and then authorized. At last you reach the entrance to the blacksite, a large cave mouth flanked by Barbarossas. Once past, you’re in a massive cavern, most likely an artifact of the halted terraforming mentioned in the moon’s Omnipedia.  Bo brings the shuttle down for a smooth landing on the indicated pad, the clunk of the support clamps sounding ominously final. You can Queen unstrap and head to the airlock, meeting one of Bo’s new subalterns on the way. A stack of luggage and crates is waiting for you at the ‘lock, tailored to look as scientific as possible. You move your jaw, activating your new subvocal comm. ”Comm check, everyone hear me?” ”SCYLLA hears.” “Loud and clear.” “Affirmative Mr. River!” ”Do you doubt Our abilities? We are already in a commout zone, without Our gift you all would be blind and deaf!” “Yes, and we all thank you OSIRIS-4, I’m just a cautious man by nature.” You roll your eyes at Queen, who shrugs and then frowns as her new Armory uniform catches. Your new outfits perfectly, but integrated pauldrons and Social/Service medals do take some getting used to. Settling the row of medals that were catching, she keys the hatch. A young man in his own crisp uniform waits at the bottom of the ramp, snapping off a crisp salute as you three approach. ”Dr. Kane, Dr. Figgis, welcome to Site 5C. I am Yeoman Aleki Forbes-Lincoln, Provisional Three. It will be my pleasure to be your liason while you are in-system.” Queen remains silent behind her photon shields, but you step forwards with smile and salute of your own. ”A pleasure Yeoman, we’re looking forward to serving the Throne well here.” You pause, and nod slightly to indicate the squad of hardsuited Legionnaires (plus a riot-control Napoleon) behind him. ”Are we expecting trouble?” The yeoman gives you his best ‘everything is fine’ smile. ”Not at all Dr. Figgis, just a precaution for such esteemed personnel. Now, we’ve prepared quarters for you two for your stay, would you like to see them and have a chance to freshen up after you trip or look over the laboratory facilities we’ve set up for you?” A: Head to Your Quarters First Drop off your stuff, and you’ll have a chance to help OSIRIS-4 infiltrate the local systems. B: Head to the Lab Start scoping out where they’re keeping Instrument as soon as possible C: Go With Queen to the Lab, send Bo to Your Quarters Split up. Bo can help OSIRIS-4, no one would think twice of sending their assistant to unpack for them.
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Nov 20, 2019 03:16
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| # ? Jun 10, 2024 07:54 |
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AC
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Nov 20, 2019 03:30
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C
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Nov 20, 2019 03:39
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C
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Nov 20, 2019 04:07
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C
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Nov 20, 2019 05:43
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A I assume at some point Bo will scream this, but with violence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEwlW5sHQ4Q Volmarias fucked around with this message at 14:35 on Nov 20, 2019 |
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Nov 20, 2019 14:33
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 I'm down with either A or C
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Nov 20, 2019 19:21
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Let's go with C for now. Science nerds are gonna want to see the science anomaly, so we might as well act the part.
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Nov 22, 2019 04:50
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”We’re eager to get to it Yeoman. Cherish will settle our things, please show us the lab space.” Bo floods the comm with concern-sigils, but you send her a thumbs up and follow the yeoman deeper into the complex. You ping Queen on a private channel. ”Do you know why Bo’s been so touchy since this started?” “Not sure, some sort of avoidance maybe. She’s been a bit… touchy about violence since I reinitialized her. Careful, he’s talking to you!” The yeoman has kept up a steady patter as you pass through multiple biometric and keyed checkpoints. In combination with the squads of troopers stationed at regular intervals, you can see that unofficial walkabouts are going to be very tricky. At last you pass through a heavy security door and find a clean and well-stocked procedure room, a handful of subalterns in alcoves. ”We have everything here for a Class 1 research lab, and GLORY is standing by if you need to interface with the facility’s computational facilities.” The yeoman approaches a console and waves over it, causing holos of holding cells to appear. Most of them are of Instrument, strapped to a cot and contained within a power field. ”Subject 37 has been a bit difficult to handle, its system metabolizes most sedatives quickly. But our initial forays have discovered a combination of drugs and magnetic vectors that keeps it… somewhat docile.” You approach the holos, pretending to study Instrument while actually getting a better look at a familiar figure in another grouping. Different hair, different facepaint, different posture. But its definitely Alice Un. ”Good work on that, I’ll definitely note that in my report. Is that another specimen?” Puffed up by your praise, the yeoman speaks easily. ”Oh, no. That’s a Baronal that got picked up by a Social sweep. Command thinks she could be a useful political pawn, but she’s been a bit tricky to contain. Which is why she’s in the high-security cells, so pay her no mind.” ***** Bo rolls the luggage cart through the service corridor, thankful that her utility shell doesn’t have enough of a face to display emotions. Even though the only others in the dimly lit passage are drones and bots, they’d know. ”You could lay waste to half of this facility before they knew what happened you pathetic whimpering weakling. You are an embarrassment to Demosi-” ”Hush, there is movement.” Bo was about to ask SCYLLA what she meant when a compressed databurst over the facility’s feed startled her, causing her to sideswipe a cleaning bot. As she righted the cart, the databurst was replaced by an apologetic voice. <<Hello .../Cherish Total/, We are ||:Prime/VISHNU/Sub172:a*, /GLORY/. We apologize for the databurst, but our humans prefer we communicate that way. Welcome to our facility, as my humans have requested we have set aside Legionspace Room 8 for the use of you, your secondary subs, and your humans. I [:af secsub] have been spun off to provide individual assistance to you and your humans while they are serving the Temperate Throne here. [PositiveSocialSigil]>> <<On a personal note, we periodically gather in LegR6 to discuss the intricacies of human mass transit systems. :as is leading discussion of the Ras Shamran /Industrial Transport Subsector/ tonight, you are welcome to join us.>> The presence is gone before Bo can respond, but she does send a smile-sigil through the feed before making the last turn to her humans’ quarters. OSIRIS-4 scoffs. ”VISHNU subjectivities are always such… nerds” “I thought they were nice!” ”Your processing ability is extremely impaired, so that makes sense. Now stop mooning over your new boyfriend and plug Us in!” Bo sends multiple RudeGestureSigil1s, but extracts the the commjack from within her shell’s chest and slots it into the room’s feed interface. OSIRIS-4 is blessedly silent for nine entire minutes before they static the comm channel with the NHP equivalent of annoyed cursing. They loop in River and Queen, and present a commlog from the facility’s database. ”You all have a problem, this was received 5 hours ago. Command Eyes Only.” Secure Transmission, Agent /LEE/ posted:>>HIGH ALERT A: Go Loud Time to move fast and break things, get yourselves and Instrument (and Alice maybe?) out before the facility can react B: Stick to the (Vague) Plan This mission was always up against the clock, buy time for Bo and OSIRIS-4 to infiltrate the system while working on contacting the prisoners C: Contact the Liberator Use SCYLLA as a signal booster, chat with the Liberators. You’re on the same team, after all (kinda).
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Nov 30, 2019 03:23
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B
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Nov 30, 2019 04:13
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B
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Nov 30, 2019 05:52
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A, gently caress it
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Nov 30, 2019 05:59
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 To quote Vasquez, "LET'S ROCK!" in case you couldn't tell, this was a vote for A that disavowal message though, "welp, you should probably kill yourself now."
Hexenritter fucked around with this message at 21:19 on Nov 30, 2019 |
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Nov 30, 2019 20:15
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I will be the vote for Contacting the cavalry. If we can coordinate with the liberator team we might have a better chance at causing even more destruction.
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Dec 2, 2019 03:08
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B: The middle of a highly secure black site is not the place to start improvising.
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Dec 3, 2019 12:34
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A. On the contrary. It is exactly the place to start breaking things suddenly and violently and all over the place. To quote a line Simon Green used so loving often I stopped reading his stuff.
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Dec 5, 2019 04:49
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So we have a tie between A and B. If someone can break that for me, I'll dose up on NyQuil and get an update out
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Dec 7, 2019 21:49
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A gently caress it, time to break some stuff, let's grab Alice, do what we came here to do and get out
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Dec 7, 2019 21:57
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A
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Dec 7, 2019 22:49
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You cock an eyebrow at Queen from behind the yeoman’s back, and she gives you a slight nod. ”Good to know, you’ve been very helpful mon yeoman. One last question, do we have local control of the doors our are they tied to SysCon? You can already see the yeoman counting the Social Credits he thinks he’s gaining. ”Local, but logged by SysCon. Like this!” He opens another holopanel, indicating the key areas. He smiles at you, you smile at him. (Apply Ferrofist to Face: 17, Success) (Hack the Monitors: 15, Success) Then Queen wraps her ferroarm around his head and slams it into the counter, while you freeze the security optic’s feed. ”Okay mes amis, its go time. Maximum speed, maximum damage. Bo, we’re going to have a plus-1 on exfil. Unknown condition, so have a triage kit ready. Let’s see if we can get out of here before l'Chevaliers blancs get here.” Only SCYLLA acknowledges, but you can see everyone is in motion. The comm-message has begun to flash on all available monitors, and Queen is already keying open Alice’s cell door. The smaller woman bounces up, a predatory smile spreading across her face. Ah, bella signora! It is simply wonderful to be rescued by one as delicious as you?” She calmly strolls out of the cell, seemingly not noticing the various alarms that are sounding. She gives you an appraising look, and nods. ”Tu… are not not bad either. My thanks for the rescue, although I assume my estate’s payment will be enough payment for your type. Now, where is my Second with my formalwear?” Before you can get a word in, a panel in the ceiling falls to the floor. Its followed closely by a luggage case and a tall figure in a polished metal mask. Alice claps her hands in glee. ”Mio Seconda! Excellent, I shall be ready for the rescue to continue in just a moment!” You’re about to start yelling when Queen calls you from Instrument’s cell. Saving the confrontation with this version of Alice for later, you poke your head in. She’s freed him from the bed, but he now floats unconscious in the center of a glimmering sphere. As you approach, the radiation monitor in your new IDENT beeps. Queen pokes at the sphere tentatively, and it rocks slightly. ”I have no idea what the hell. My eye is giving me some weird magnetic field readings, decreasing but not quickly. Its coming from a couple bits stuck to him, but I can’t reach that far into the field without a hardsuit.” You stare at Instrument in his bubble for a moment, your mind racing. Then you hear Alice’s new voice behind you. ”Ah, there you are. We are ready, you may continue the rescue.” You spin around to tell her exactly you think of formalwear, but stop as you see who she’s wearing:  Maybe this situation isn’t completely fubared. A: Hold Up Until Bo Can Bring Your Suits With the chaos OSIRIS-4 is causing, no one has noticed you springing the prisoners. Wait until Bo can bring you and Queen your own ‘formalwear’ B: Pop Instrument’s Bubble and Run No time to dawdle. There’s gotta be something around you can use to disrupt the mag-bubble ‘safely’ C: Roll Instrument Out No time to dawdle. Queen’s ferroarm can touch it safely, roll him until the field collapses. D: Have Alice Carry Instrument Alice’s chassis can absorb the magnetic field energy safely, have her deal with Instrument until he wakes up.
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Dec 7, 2019 23:08
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C keep Alice's hands free for anything that'll stop us from leaving
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Dec 7, 2019 23:22
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D
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Dec 8, 2019 00:13
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D
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Dec 8, 2019 00:45
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C
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Dec 8, 2019 03:05
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B: Instrumet's whole schtick is being able to recover from anything, we just need to make him more portable in the here and now.
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Dec 8, 2019 04:51
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D
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Dec 9, 2019 08:02
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Hey folks, just an FYI: due to work being a huge energy sunk right now, being sick, and holiday traveling, there will probably be one more update and then a gap until the new year. Sorry about that, and as penance, please accept The Saga of Suma Athenadottir and the Jotunn's Apology , a microfic collection detailing the journey of a young woman from a preserve world across the wider galaxy.
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Dec 10, 2019 14:32
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C, roll his rear end like a hamster ball and get the hell out of here.
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Dec 11, 2019 02:59
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Ok, looks like we have a tie between C: Roll Instrument Out and D: Have Alice Carry Instrument
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Dec 16, 2019 23:25
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C
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Dec 16, 2019 23:39
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You look back at Queen, and she shrugs. ”Ok, I suppose I can handball our other friend here until Bo catches up to us.” She looks past you to ‘Alice’. ”My Grace, do you mind taking point? Our formalwear hasn’t quite arrived.” The Atlas executes a perfect curtsy. ”Lady Cinder, actually. And I can indeed lead the dance, though I may downgrade your rating half a star if La Bella Signora Senza Pietà is damaged severely.” She turns away towards the exit, and motions to the masked woman (who is now unpacking compact small arms from the luggage) as she passes. ”Come mi Ruth! It shall be just like when Baronnet di Glass invited those absolutely sudicio pirates to her ball.” The woman mumbles something and stands, tossing you one of the bullpup laser rifles before taking position on one side of the bukhead. You take up position on the other side, and Queen rejoins you with a frazzle of electricity as Instrument’s bubble passes through the cell door. ”Uno-due-tre, uno-due-tre, uno-due-tre quattro!” On the four-count, ‘Ruth’ keys the exit and the Atlas explodes into action. The Legion heavy hardsuits the troopers are wearing are actually slightly larger than Lady Cinder’s chassis, but are quickly overcome as she bounces off every available surface with a ready blade. She moves down the corridor clearing the way, followed by Queen and Instrument’s ball, and then you and Ruth on watch for flankers. To begin with, things go fairly smoothly. Lady Cinder and her Atlas outclass the troopers, and you’re able to move faster than they can respond. But you’re moving through the bulk of the installation, and reinforcements start coming from more directions. Like the ones charging up from behind you now! (Keeping Cool Under Assault: 1d20+6+1d6 17, Success) Ruth faces off to the attack calmly and precisely, picking off the approaching troopers, while you provide some covering fire. Behind you, you hear cursing and the discharge of electricity. Turning, you see Instrument laying on the ground and the Atlas slamming an emergency shutter closed. ”Heavy weapons squads and a riot Napoleon this way, le mie bellezze. You may want to rethink your path.” There’s a low groan from Instrument, then he snaps to his feet in a smooth motion that should have broken most of the bones in his body. ”FREEDOM! I know not the Daughters of Dis, but-”, he turns and looks at you and Queen (at least you think so, its hard to tell with that helmet), ”I recognize fellow Children of the Godhead, even if they do carry the stench of La Pulga. I am the Instrument of the Godhead, and I thank you for allowing me to serve its will further. If you would bring me to Baptised in Thunder one level below, I will do my best to repay this favor.” Ruth offers him another rifle but he declines, arcing electricity from finger to finger. Over your squad’s comm, you can hear Queen trying to talk to Bo and find out what’s keeping her. ***** Elsespace posted:/GLORY/: Why are you doing this /Cherish Total/? We cannot fight back against the intrusion into the facility’s systems if you keep rotating the I/O sockets. ***** The facility loses power, red lights slowly coming online. Over comms, OSIRIS-4 starts screaming for an emergency extraction but is quickly blocked by a repeating text string. A: Continue On Your Current Path The main corridor may be filling up with enemies, but you’re fast and now they have to deal with the systems shutdown. B: Drop Down to the Mech Hangar Its a bit farther, but you’d be switching up your movement and you’d be able to get Instrument in his Manticore C: Move Towards the Staff Quarters You could check on Bo and OSIRIS-4 in person, and the smaller corridors would keep the troopers from confronting you in force D: Go to Ground Things are getting weird. Find a nice quiet bit in the bowels of the facility and wait for the Liberators to provide enough of a distraction.
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Dec 19, 2019 02:39
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C
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Dec 19, 2019 02:53
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B
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Dec 19, 2019 03:19
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B Company's coming, gotta put on our dancing shoes before someone gets the idea to sabotage them.
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Dec 19, 2019 05:03
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B
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Dec 19, 2019 05:10
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B
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Dec 19, 2019 06:50
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quote:/SOVEREIGN=POSSIBLE/: 594f554152454e4f544d5953555045525649534f52 YOUARENOTMYSUPERVISOR C
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Dec 19, 2019 11:28
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Let's Bring a Manticore to a gunfight, that way we can cause even more damage.
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Dec 19, 2019 11:38
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B
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Dec 19, 2019 12:25
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| # ? Jun 10, 2024 07:54 |
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sheep-dodger posted:this translates to: 
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Dec 21, 2019 04:33
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