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cokerpilot posted:Huh, I'm surprised we don't get a cutscene to witness the horrors of the medical bay. Not sure it's that's a piece of intentional or accidental brilliance really. There are 2 cutscenes right after. They'll be linked when the next video is ready.
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Jan 9, 2019 05:33
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| # ? May 7, 2024 00:27 |
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Paingod556 posted:There are 2 cutscenes right after. They'll be linked when the next video is ready.
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Jan 9, 2019 21:57
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I blame OBS and attempting to rerender video for the delay  - Kamea, I need you to meet me in the prison hospital. Right now - What is it? - Better that you see for yourself. And, Kamea... prepare yourself. This isn't going to be easy.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHk5bRrVWEs The Arano Restoration The Icebox- Weldry - Kamea… I'm so sorry. I know how much Mastiff meant to you. He was a friend and mentor to us both. - He was more than that. The old man was like a second father to me. And my uncle condemned him to… waste away… on this rock. To die, wretched and broken, in agony. - I knew Sir Raju longer than either of you. I'll avenge him—I promise you that. - We'll avenge him together. There's no coming back from what I've witnessed here today. What they've done here is monstrous. It's inhuman. Our intel was wrong, Alexander. The Icebox isn't a prison. It's a meat grinder. Gods, my own family is behind this. - And what's left of mine has chosen to look the other way. It isn't an easy thing to wrap your head around, but try to remain focused. We've just liberated the Directorate's hostages. With a single blow, you've shattered your uncle's hold on the Founding Houses… the prisoners you've set free are already calling you "The Sword of Restoration." We need to spread this message all the way to Coromodir, to galvanize your supporters and weaken Espinosa's popularity there. - Espinosa stole the throne at gunpoint. How much popularity could he have? - More than you'd expect. Remember that Espinosa's first priority was the centralization of power. That meant a tremendous growth in resources and infrastructure on the throne world. The citizens of Coromodir enjoy fewer personal freedoms than they once did, but their lives have improved greatly in a material sense. And people will forgive a great deal for security and comfort.With our victory on Weldry, we've all seen what happened to those who would not be bought or indoctrinated. Those who refused to kneel before a tyrant. We know what became of the people who were made to disappear—and soon enough, the entire Reach will know it, too. The momentum is on our side, Kamea. We need to take advantage of it. - …You're right. This isn't the time for hand-wringing. But, Alexander… you didn't see what I saw out there, on the other end of the battlefield. The work crews, all hunched and broken. The graveyards—great fields of unmarked burial plots that stretched as far as the eye could see. Every time I blink, I see it… the misery that was allowed to fester here. - Espinosa is a monster. This confirms it. - No, not a monster. He's only a man… one who must be held accountable for his crimes. Take a good, long look into the eyes of any of these prisoners. Do you know what you'll see? My uncle's legacy, a wound that will never heal. I'd do anything to spare these poor souls the hurt that he caused… but I can't. - Word of advice from an old veteran, Lady Arano? Focus on something you can do. Give us an order. Tell us to blow something up. poo poo, use your imagination—the key is, you do something, and you move on. - Thank you, Chief Virtanen. You have a good crew, Motormouth. I have a new assignment for you. And a reward for your service. The Argo appears on your viewscreen. She's in rough shape, but she appears to be spaceworthy. - For decades, the wreck site of the Argo was one of my father's most closely held secrets. When I sent you to retrieve her, I meant for her to serve a symbolic purpose—a sign of rebirth and renewal, emblazoned with the Arano cormorant for all to see. I was naive. This is a time for action, not symbols. And so, Motormouth, I have decided that she will be yours to command.The Argo will serve as your new home, and she will fly your mercenary banner. Lord Madeira will join you to act as my liaison. And in return, you will grow stronger. Sharper. More flexible. You will hone your company to a razor's edge—one that I will hold to the Directorate's throat. - In that case, congratulations. You've got yourself a navy. - If that's settled, then please, Kamea… go back to the triage tent and get your wounds looked at. The conditions here are beyond unsanitary, and you'll be of no use to anyone if you're dying of some exotic infection. Our people can tend to the wounded. We need you strong for the fight ahead. - I will, Alexander… but not just yet. Assemble our people in the courtyard. There's something that I need to say.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_8Ezjjgfx0 Have Ship, Will Travel In Orbit- Weldry  - Hello again, my mercenary friends. Before you officially take possession of the Argo, I wanted to introduce myself in person… we never really got a chance to meet properly on Axylus. So, uh… hi. I'm Dr. Farah Murad, or just Farah, if you prefer. It's nice to meet you all face to face. - Yeah, Doc… you too. I'm gonna call you Doc, by the way—you should probably go ahead and get used to it. It was impressive work you did, getting the Argo flying. Between you and me, I had my doubts. - Honestly? I did, too. You should've seen what the Argo's interior looked like after a couple hundred years of pirate occupation. …Actually, I take that back. If you'd seen what I saw, you would never have wanted to set foot inside. Take it from me: the ship has been deloused from bow to stern, and every meter of her has been hosed down with industrial-grade disinfectant. This ship is clean enough to eat off of, I swear it. - Clean is good. Spaceworthy is better. You sure the Argo is ready for action? - Oh, absolutely. I mean, she's here, isn't she? All the way from Lyreton, with nary a decompression event in sight. Don't worry, Commander. I wouldn't endanger my new crewmates by putting them on an unsafe ship. I've got professional standards to maintain. - "New crewmates"? Do you know something we don't? - Did Lady Arano not say? I'm coming with you. You'll need me if anything goes wrong with the ship—not that it will, mind you. But, you know… just in case. Oh, and Darius… I'm sorry about all the shouting back on Axylus. As it turns out, getting shot at by pirates puts me on edge. No hard feelings? - None at all. Keep this beast flying and you can yell at me as much as you want. Hell, I'm used to it—welcome to the family. You too, Lord Madeira. I never imagined we'd be working together, but I'm glad to have the opportunity. - As am I, Mr. Oliveira. Over the years of our exile, Lady Arano told me a great deal about you and your company—all of it good. Even before the events of the coup, she knew about Markham's Marauders. Your assistance in her father's Fjaldr campaign did not go unnoticed. - It was a job, Lord Madeira. We only did what High Lord Tamati paid us to do. Still, it feels good to be appreciated, and to know that someone out there still remembers Commander Markham's name. - You'll be a welcome addition aboard the Argo, Lord Madeira. - Thank you, Commander Fisher. Speaking of which, you'll have some time to break your new ship in before Lady Arano is ready to move on Panzyr. She needs to consolidate our forces on Weldry and replace our losses with fresh volunteers. You remember her orders: you are to sharpen your company and grow strong. And now that you have a mobile command center worthy of the title, I suggest that you use it. - I'll get you a fresh batch of contracts to look over, Duncan. The whole Rimward Periphery is our oyster now… we won't be limited by debts or travel restrictions. Exciting times, I've gotta say. - We'd better put that freedom to good use. It won't be long before Lady Arano comes calling. - No, it won't. So let's quit talking and go explore our new ship! There's an absolutely enormous Mech Bay in there, and it's got my name written all over it! - drat right it does, Yang. You all heard him—take your stations, everyone! We're free agents until Lady Arano calls for us, and there's money to be made.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0nd2mT9K_E Paingod556 fucked around with this message at 16:08 on Jan 14, 2019 |
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Jan 14, 2019 16:05
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There appear to be holes in the exterior of the ship can your new engineer fix those? Also, does she come with a free warranty?
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Jan 15, 2019 04:13
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cokerpilot posted:There appear to be holes in the exterior of the ship can your new engineer fix those? Also, does she come with a free warranty?  - Those are speed holes. They make the ship more aerodynamic in space. Also they can be used to fire broadsides and to board ships we come alongside. It was used by pirates after all
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Jan 15, 2019 06:23
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She can fix them, though. It will only cost you a staggering amount of money.
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Jan 15, 2019 07:23
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Gothsheep posted:She can fix them, though. It will only cost you a staggering amount of money. Not really, the costs of mechs randomly taking a ton of damage to a torso part and having to replace/repair all that poo poo and replacement pilots from random headshot fatalities tends to be much more.
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Jan 15, 2019 09:26
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SugarAddict posted:Not really, the costs of mechs randomly taking a ton of damage to a torso part and having to replace/repair all that poo poo and replacement pilots from random headshot fatalities tends to be much more. See the Pirates didn't do it properly. They just repurposed parts of the ship as Mech plating.  I need to go back to this game. They really did a great job of the soundtrack and cutscenes. (Among other things too, naturally)
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Jan 16, 2019 06:43
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Next update is still a ways off. I've had a combination of family stuff diverting attention, and the last week has involved getting back to work which has sapped my drive to do anything creative in the evenings. Plus sorting through corrupted video files, which I've fixed now. Narrative update should be up tonight, the next video ideally will be this weekend.
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Jan 23, 2019 00:59
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| # ? May 7, 2024 00:27 |
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Have Ship, Will Travel "Hey again, Boss. What's up?" - "How are you liking the new ship?" "Love it. She's a big old ship, Commander… this bucket can carry more tonnage than I know what to do with. And the Mech Bay… man, that Mech Bay. Do you have any idea how tough it is to refit a 'Mech on a Leopard? Other MechTechs won't even try it. You've got no room to maneuver, no room to do anything. The odds of getting killed in some horrific industrial accident go right through the roof. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I like the new ship. And I especially like the fact that it isn't my job to keep her flying anymore. I guess that puts Lady Arano in my good graces, which is rare for a wannabe-empress. Lord Madeira, too. Hell, even Centrella… as long as they let us keep the Argo, they're all fine with me."  "Commander Fisher. What's up?" - "What do you think of the Argo? You gonna be able to fly this beast?" "She's… different. Piloting her won't be a problem, but I can't say I'm happy about living on a piece of LosTech1. Too many question marks for my taste. That said, I get the necessity—the Leopard is just too damned small. Anyway. As long as we're all able to restrain ourselves from pushing any mysterious buttons, we should be okay. That's what I keep telling myself, anyway. And life aboard the Argo should continue to improve as Dr. Murad brings new sections of the ship online, so we've got that to look forward to." 1- LosTech: LosTech is a term referring to advanced technology from the Star League era that can no longer be replicated with a modern industrial base. Factories and research facilities were favorite targets in the early centuries of the Succession Wars in efforts to deny weapons technology to one's enemies, but the result was an overall loss of technology for everyone. - "We've got higher priorities than decking out the Argo, I'm afraid." "That's your call to make, Commander… but if you ever change your mind, I want a movie theater. And a day spa. Maybe a designated cocktail lounge in aft storage. There are things you could do, is what I'm saying. Just putting that out there." "Commander Fisher. I'm sorry about what happened on Weldry, with Sir Raju and all. If only we'd known, I'd have invaded the Directorate myself to get him back. But now it's too late." - "You said that you knew Mastiff. That you'd fought by his side." "I did have that privilege, yes. I didn't know him as well as you did, of course. But we were together in the trenches of the Fjaldr campaign, and I raised a glass with Sir Raju in the canteen on more than one occasion." - "When you think of the old man, what jumps into your mind?" "Family. The old man was so damned proud of his family and heritage. There wasn't a drop of noble privilege in his veins, but the Montgomery name carried weight. "Hard as nails since the dawn of time," his father used to tell him. Those were his family words and personal creed, and I can personally attest to their accuracy. When we were fighting alongside the Royal Guard on the Fjaldr campaign, a pirate-driven Hunchback managed to flank us. Dekker was piloting a Locust at the time, and the bastard took its left leg clean off. The Locust went down—hard—and Dekker blacked out. He was a dead man—there was nothing we could do to keep that Hunchback from putting a foot through his cockpit. And it would have, if Mastiff hadn't come charging in with his Centurion. His first punch took the Hunchback's main gun clean off. He was totally matter-of-fact about it—it wasn't a desperate swing or a panic move, he just calmly put his fist into the pirate 'Mech's weapon pod, grabbed it, and wrenched it free from its moorings. It was like… I dunno, like watching a farmer uproot a tree stump. You know… workmanlike. And all the while, we could hear the pirate over an open channel, screaming and cursing as he desperately tried to fight back. The old man took that Hunchback apart, piece by piece. Imagine a veteran prizefighter locked in a cage with a snot-nosed kid, with no rules or referees in sight. He put on a clinic for everyone to see. The rest of the pirates broke rank and fled when they saw what'd happened to their friend. Can't say I blame 'em—in their place, I'd have done the same. That's what the Montgomerys were. Warriors for as long as anyone could remember, born to fight and tempered on the battlefield. And Sir Raju was the last. He never had any children, you know. The Montgomery line died with him." - "Did he ever show you that enormous knife he used to carry?" "The kukri? Yeah. Don't see too many of those outside of the Free Worlds League… these days, kukri blades are mostly associated with the 4th Regulan Hussars1. Not Mastiff's, though. He claimed that he'd inherited that curve-bladed beauty from his grandfather, who'd inherited it from his grandfather, and so on and so on, all the way back to the family's origins on Terra. During the Fjaldr campaign, I saw him use that blade against a pirate twice his size. Split the bastard's skull like a rotten cantaloupe. It was horrifying and beautiful, all at once. You don't see that kind of skill every day. I wonder what happened to that old blade of his. It wasn't with him on Weldry. The old man must've felt like he'd lost a piece of himself when the Directorate took it away." 1- 4th Regulan Hussars: A Free Worlds League regiment, founded in 2762 from the Nepalese inhabitants of the Muscida system. Notable for its quick-strike tactics, and for its infamous Royal Gurkha Battalion heavy jump infantry. - "Thanks for the talk. The next time we're on shore leave, let's raise a glass to the old man's memory." "Yeah, Duncan. I'd like that. And so, I think, would he." Farah Murad Born- 2989 Affiliation- House Arano Chief Engineer Ancestral 'Mech- Prototype Exploratory Dropship 'Argo' Doctor Murad holds two doctorates, in Physics and Mechanical Engineering, and has spent most of her life either studying, tinkering with broken machinery or traveling the Free Worlds on her grandfathers dropship. Her talents are firmly entrenched in enjoying a civilian life, with schooling as a statistician and engineer, rather than being attached to a militant outfit. However, the chance to work on a Star League ship was too good to pass up, not to mention the signup paycheck... "Commander Fisher. What can I do for you?" - "Patching up the Argo must've been an enormous job. How'd you do it?" "Oh, it wasn't just me. I had a team working under me—over two hundred of Lyreton's most accomplished engineers, electricians, and shipwrights. It was really pretty amazing, I've gotta say. Shouting through a megaphone at a team of hundreds, watching them hang on my every word." - "How much did Lady Arano pay for all of that?" "Oh, it wasn't Lady Arano. The payments came directly from House Centrella. …That was a figure of speech. They were indirect payments, of course, routed through countless intermediaries to obscure where the money was coming from. But… yeah. The Centrellas paid for it. Now, as to how much the Centrellas paid… I honestly have no idea. I'm sure the figure was astronomical. But still, cheaper than getting dragged into an unwanted war, eh? If this ship turns out to be as important as Lady Arano thinks it will, then it was money well spent." - "Had you ever managed a team that big before?" "Never in my wildest dreams. Prior to my time at the Lyreton Shipyard, the biggest team I'd ever managed was the crew I had with me on Axylus, and they all got killed. This job went a lot better than that one did, by the way. Only three deaths across the entire project! And before you ask, none of them was my fault. There was an accident with one of the industrial cranes, and, well… it was horrible. I pray for their souls. …That went off the rails in a pretty big way, didn't it? Sorry about that. I guess I'm still in a little bit of shock from our time on Axylus. I'm having a hard time getting what I saw there out of my mind. But that's neither here nor there. We were talking about the ship. Is there something else you'd like to know?" - "If you're gonna be a part of this crew, I want a better sense of who you are. Tell me about yourself." "Well, I'm an actual doctor, but not the medical kind. I hold two doctorates—one in physics, the other in mechanical engineering. And now I'm hauling around in a LosTech wonder with a crew of merry pirates, seeking my fortune. It's funny, the places life takes you." - "Okay, I've got the elevator pitch. Now give me the long version." "Yeah, sure, if you like. Let's see. Where to begin? Well… I was born on Regulus1, in the Free Worlds League. My parents were academics—I know, big surprise—and I spent most of my early years bouncing back and forth between their suburban apartment and the Ferdowsi, my Baba Joon's live-in DropShip." 1- Regulas: One of the Free Worlds League's founding trinity, the Principality of Regulus has a checkered past with its fellow members. Regulus is an economic and cultural epicenter of the region and also holds great religious sway for both the Hindus and Sikhs of the Free Worlds League. Regulan traders range far into the Inner Sphere, constantly seeking new goods and markets. - "Your Baba Joon? Who was that?" "My grandfather. He'd carved out a nice little business for himself running a taxi service for pilgrims traveling to and from Dar-es-Salaam2. As much as my father frowned on Baba Joon's old-fashioned lifestyle and beliefs, he wasn't blind to how much I loved the old man. And so, he occasionally consented to let me board the Ferdowsi and go along for the ride. I will always cherish my memories of those voyages. The warmth behind Baba Joon's smile. The excitement of leaving Regulus behind. Chatting with the pilgrims, and getting lost in the stars, and eating prepackaged fesenjan out of a shiny tin. Those times are all crystal-clear in my memory, as if they happened yesterday. Oh, how I miss that wonderful man. This may seem silly coming from a mercenary engineer, but… I've come to think of the life I've chosen as a way of honoring my Baba Joon. By carving my own path among the stars, I'm doing what I can to keep his memory alive. That sounds trite, I'm sure, but… sue me. It's what I've chosen to believe." 2- Dar-es-Salaam: Dar-es-Salaam, which means "Haven of Peace", is the center of the Islamic faith in the Lyran Commonwealth. The world was colonized in the mid-25th century by Muslim settlers who welcomed the planet's harsh arid climate as a connection to their roots on Terra. - "What about after you left home? Where did you study?" "I actually spent a little time in the Lyran Commonwealth before I pursued my studies. Long story, that, but suffice it to say that it was its own kind of learning experience. When I did decide to get a higher education, I wound up back in the Free Worlds League. I did my undergrad studies at the University of Atreus, then went on to Sian University3 in the Capellan Confederation to earn my doctorates. For a top-three school with a Maskirovka4-screened admissions process, Sian U. was surprisingly open to transfer students. Anyway. I could go on and on for hours about my academic career, and you'd probably smile and nod as I rambled, but… come on. I mean, this can't be interesting for you, can it? You're a mercenary. You stomp around in a giant robot for a living. The closest I got to adventure back then was my dissertation defense." 3- Sian University: Sian University is the most prestigious institution of higher education in the Capellan Confederation. The university welcomes worthy students from across the Inner Sphere, regardless of means. Its economics and political science programs are particularly well respected.Sian University also operates an excellent Officer Candidate Program for the Capellan Confederation Armed Forces. 4- Maskirovka: The greatly feared intelligence arm of the Capellan Confederation consists of two branches: the Chancellor's Hand conducts espionage, gathers intelligence, and commits sabotage in foreign territory, while the Chancellor's Will brutally enforces national security and loyalty among the citizens. - "Have you always wanted to be a shipboard engineer?" "No, not always. When I was fifteen, I wanted to be a statistician. You know… a nice, quiet life, alone in the Ivory Tower—that was what my personal DropShip was going to be called—preparing mathematical models and studying survey results. So, yeah, you know. Every girl's dream." - "You still seem pretty enthusiastic about it. Why didn't you follow through?" "Well… interests change. I mean, I still like statistics, but it's really more of a hobby now. Is that weird? People have told me it's weird. I dunno. Plotting graphs and forecasting future events calms me. It's like… my own little way of using math to bring order from chaos. And besides, everybody needs a hobby. I know for a fact that Darius crochets." - "I guess. Didn't you ever want to do anything more, I dunno… exciting?" "Like being a MechWarrior? No. Much as I love the idea of stomping around in a giant robot, I'm not huge on the whole "murdering people with lasers" thing. It doesn't really square with my personal beliefs. Don't get me wrong—I'm happy to work with MechWarriors. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here. But the actual firing of weapons… no. It isn't for me." - "Okay. So what made you want to get into Engineering?" "Uncle Heiner's Experiment World. Live-action STEM edutainment program from the Lyran Commonwealth. It started airing just after my nineteenth birthday. You may have seen it… it ran for three seasons before it was canceled. The host was a tattooed, chain-smoking nihilist who taught children the magic of chemistry. You know… making thermite with aluminum cans and a belt sander. That kind of thing." - "Yeah, I remember. You liked that guy?" "I married him. Long story. But the important bit is, in the six months before the annulment, I learned that I had a real talent with machines. When Heiner blew out a power relay or took a tire iron to the band saw, I was the one who would put it back together again. I found a great deal of peace in that. From there, it was just a matter of getting into the right schools and following my bliss. So that's what I did, and, well… here I am. It turned out all right for me, all things considered." Dropship Tutorial 1.4- Murad, Argo, Upgrades - "I have some questions for you about this ship." "Yes, Commander, of course. Ask me whatever you'd like." - "What can you tell me about the Argo?" "A fair amount, Commander. I've been researching this ship for several months. Boeing Interstellar produced just two of these beauties back in 2762. They were intended to follow behind the first wave of exploratory missions, supporting multiple surveyor, terraformer, and colonizer teams on deep survey missions. Although she's far too large to land on a planet, her docking collar system allows for smaller DropShips like your Leopard to come along for the ride. The Argo is a mobile space station, in a sense, providing supply and temporary habitation for teams on dangerous missions in unsettled space." - "Exploration vessel or no, she sounds ideal for our purposes." "She is! And with 57,000 tons of cargo space, she has all the room we need for supplies, spare equipment, personnel… you name it. In fact, her hold is so vast we'll have no trouble storing as many 'Mech chassis and partial 'Mech salvage as you can get your hands on." - "Why don't we see more ships like the Argo out here?" "The Argo is the product of her era. She lacks the armor or maneuverability to function in battle, and she's vastly outclassed in size and firepower by even the smallest WarShips. She's a peacetime ship meant for peacetime exploration duties, and planned with a focus on long-term orbital deployment. It was her noncombat design that ultimately led to her abandonment. In an earlier era, she might have seen widespread usage. But the fall of the Star League and the near constant state of war we've endured since then has rendered the Argo little more than a forgotten experimental footnote in the history of DropShip production. Sad, really. In her own way, the Argo represents the back seat that science and exploration have taken in pursuit of military goals." - "(Tutorial: Argo Improvements) Can the Argo be improved?" "From her current state? Absolutely. In the Star League days, this ship was state-of-the-art. Now, she's a shell of her former glory. With time and C-Bills, though, there are plenty of ways I can upgrade her. It's about increasing efficiency. As your Executive Officer Darius is so fond of saying, "Time is money." …He says that a lot, you know." - "Tell me about Systems & Support upgrades." "Systems & Support upgrades are fundamental to returning the Argo to her former glory. They're foundational. I can do some basic upgrades to improve performance in a few areas, but without improvements to Systems & Support, you're limited in how far you can go with upgrades. In addition to the foundational upgrades she requires, I can also upgrade the Argo's drive system to improve her travel speed. And with some work, I can bring more of her habitat pods back online, so you can hire on more MechWarriors and have a place for them to bunk." - "Tell me about Combat & Deployment upgrades." "Combat & Deployment upgrades come in three flavors: those that increase our Mech Bay capacity, those that improve 'Mech repair and refit speed, and those that intensify MechWarrior training. Increasing Mech Bay capacity means more BattleMechs ready for immediate deployment. It takes time and C-Bills to pull 'Mech chassis out of storage and refit them with weapons and equipment. More Mech Bay capacity means less downtime. If your lance gets banged up on a mission and needs weeks of repair time, you won't be able to take another contract unless you have 'Mechs in reserve. Improving your repair and refit speed gets your BattleMechs out of the Mech Bay and back on the battlefield, where they can be earning us money. Finally, adding and upgrading MechWarrior training simulators will allow your MechWarriors to improve their skills and abilities during the inevitable downtime of interstellar space travel." - "Tell me about Personnel & Medical upgrades." "Just like BattleMechs, your MechWarriors will need to be patched up from time to time. Upgrading the Argo's medical facilities means getting your people back to work quicker. There's a display of our Medical Bay's efficiency in Medical Points on your travel display, under the Finances and Crew Morale readouts. The higher the Medical rating, the faster your MechWarriors will heal. As for the personnel improvements… well, I'd imagine they're obvious. MechWarriors need to relax and vent coolant between combat drops. If you don't give them a place to do that, they'll find ways to keep themselves entertained—sometimes to the detriment of the rest of the crew. Upgrading crew conditions on the Argo will have tangible benefits on the battlefield and make life quieter for us on those long voyages." - "Can I upgrade more than one system at the same time?" "Sorry, Commander. No can do. The rule is one upgrade at a time, and I wrote it for a reason. I'm the only one qualified to oversee this work, and if I spread myself too thin, bad things could happen. Extinction-level things… well, for us, at least." Alexander Madeira Born- 2997 Affiliation- House Madeira Aurigan Restoration Intelligence and Liaison Officer As with most nobles, Alexander was groomed from a young age to lead and command. Enjoying a pampered life where he wanted for nothing, he spent his years rubbing shoulders with his peers of fellow houses, most notably House Arano. It didn't take long for him to become close to Kamea, firmly falling in as her confidant and supporter. This ultimately made him a priority target by the Aurigan Directorate, even as his family aligned themselves with House Espinosa. "Commander Fisher. Welcome to my corner of the Command Center. From here, I can provide Mr. Oliveira with advice and information whenever he needs it. I want to be a resource for you as well. In keeping with my role as Restoration liaison, I will give you whatever additional information I can about our campaign moving forward. Come see me after any major operation and I'll share whatever I can." - "I'd like to discuss the state of our war against the Directorate." "Things are going well enough, Commander. Our initial attack on Weldry was an enormous success, despite the psychological costs of what we discovered there. Still, the Directorate's atrocities have steeled our resolve. I've never seen Lady Arano so determined. Out of curiosity, Commander Fisher… what did you think of her speech? I recorded it, you know. The broadcasts are on their way to every corner of Directorate space." - "It sounded raw. From the heart. Mastiff would've been proud." "Good. That's what I was hoping to hear. The presumption of authenticity will carry us far. For what it's worth, Lady Arano meant every word she said, but the people may not see it that way. Espinosa's propaganda machine will do everything in its power to tarnish our accomplishments and drag us through the dirt. I can imagine the headlines now. "Police and civil servants cut down by weapons of war! Dangerous convicts set loose by a traitor, endangering nobles and commoners alike!" A dangerous narrative, and one that we'll have to counter at every turn. With luck, many of our people will believe what they've heard in our broadcast over the Directorate's propaganda. But I fear that Espinosa's hard-line supporters will be far less eager to listen. If we fail to turn them against the Directorate, we run the risk of ongoing violence, even after we liberate their home systems. That's why messages like Kamea's speech are so important." - "Espinosa's supporters just saw the conditions on Weldry with their own eyes. You don't think that'll be enough to sway them?" "Sadly, yes. If we're going to win this war, we need to rally the Aurigan people—including a percentage of Espinosa's supporters. They have to see that we're better than the Directorate, again and again, until our message is impossible to ignore. For you, that means military victories. For me, it means more broadcasts, spin, and outreach. Public opinion is just another battlefield, and I'll be knee-deep in the trenches until the day I die." - "You're new on this crew. So tell me about yourself." "I'd be happy to, but… Honestly, Commander? I've been so consumed with matters of war of late that I wouldn't even know where to begin." - "Tell me about who you were before Kamea's exile and the Restoration." "A noble scion… much the same as you were, from what I understand. As a fellow noble, I'm sure that you already know more than most about my upbringing. It was a life of great privilege, and even greater expectation. I spent my early years invested in academic pursuits: the study of history, mathematics, and statecraft. I strove to excel at every subject… anything to avoid disappointing my mother and father. The extent to which they would come to disappoint me is a cruel irony, but it's one that I've come to accept." - "What kind of expectations did you have to meet?" "Do you know House Madeira's motto? "Behold Our Splendor." I had a familial obligation to live extravagantly, and to do so within the public eye. But I was also expected to develop my intellect. My life was a fifty-fifty split between carousing and academic study. In truth, it felt like I was leading two lives—and putting on a show in both. But I'll never complain about my upbringing. I have enjoyed advantages that most children of the Periphery could only dream of." - "Must be hard to have your own parents betray you." "Oh, it is. Nothing could be harder. When Kamea retakes her throne, there will be a reckoning, and Directorate collaborators will be tried for their crimes. My mother and father will be at the front of that list. And as terrible as it feels to say it, they'll deserve whatever punishment they receive." - "I'm sorry to hear it, Lord Madeira. Let's talk about something else." "Your apologies are unnecessary—by any metric you care to mention, I've lived a charmed life. The hardships of the past three years don't erase the lifetime of privilege I enjoyed before Espinosa's coup. It would be dishonest of me to pretend that they did. But still, I am happy to change the subject if you wish." - "Tell me about Guldra. What kind of world is it?" "A truly beautiful one. You should really travel there sometime after all of this is over and see it for yourself. Imagine lush, green lowlands giving way to mile upon mile of white-sand coastline. Sandy beaches kissed by warm, salty seas, and soft rain perfumed with saffron and cardamom. And that's not to mention the wildlife. Close your eyes and imagine it, Commander. Shield terns wheeling and soaring, their brilliant plumage glittering in the sunlight. Leviathan sablefish flashing silver beneath the waves. Dolphinfish leaping, breaching the surface of the water in riotous streaks of yellow and green. Places like Guldra are special, Commander Fisher. They must be preserved. This is what we're fighting for: something unspoiled, and unique, and ours. Something that reminds us how good the Periphery can be."
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Jan 24, 2019 16:20
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