It was eerily quiet and dark in the hallways of the facility, the usual noise of people wandering about and announcements being made no longer filling the halls. Jabal awoke in this eerie silence, feeling cold all over his body. He slowly opened his eyes, groaning as he pushed himself up from the metal floor he found himself on. The last thing he recalled, he was running away from Titania's chamber after finding that Titania was not there. He had hoped to get to his and Catherine's office, but something must have happened which caused a massive blast which knocked him unconscious. After getting to his knees, he felt quite some pain throughout his body, finding rubble and shards of glass having scattered around him, as he saw that he had plenty of cuts and minor injuries. He looked around, before noticing Catherine on the floor a short distance behind him."Catherine..." Jabal gasped in horror, before rushing over to her. He felt quite some sharp pain throughout his legs and chest, yet he ignored them to get to his wife. He started to breathe heavily as he carefully flipped Catherine around, noticing she was quite bloodied and injured as well. "No no no no... No, don't... don't let this happen... No..." He mumbled in terror, ripping apart her labcoat and soon looking over her body for injuries. Most of the cuts and scrapes were minor, but he was extremely concerned by the fact she wasn't waking up for god knows what reason. He'd look in his pockets for anything he had on him which could help, before looking around for any kind of supply closet or small medical room. Though, it seemed there was not much of anything around him right now. Fortunately, as he panicked, he heard a soft groan from Catherine. He started to smile as Catherine opened her eyes and looked right at him. "J... Jabal?" She said quietly, Jabal nodding and letting out some tears. "Y-Yes, my love... Are you hurt?" He still was quite concerned, clearly fearing her being seriously injured. Catherine smiled reassuringly. "A little bit... But, I'm fine..." Jabal would carefully lift Catherine up before tightly hugging her. "Thank god... thank god..." Jabal mumbled softly, Catherine hugging him back softly. "Are... are you okay? You look pretty roughed up as well. What... what even happened?" Catherine mumbled, the two continuing to hug. "I'm fine. I just... stumbled a little bit." Jabal quietly responded, Catherine letting out an almost silent scoff. "Heh... So, what actually happened? I remember... running to our office, and then there was a loud bang and..." Catherine went silent, clearly not remembering much else. Jabal finally let go of their hug, looking around a bit and slowly getting up. "Hngh, I'm not sure what happened either." Looking around, Jabal would feel a gentle breeze coming from the direction leading to Titania's chamber, making him take a step back. "I think... that things have gone terribly, terribly wrong."
Catherine also slowly stood up, grabbing her PDA which was fortunately not too damaged. She'd turn it on, only to find that there was no connection of any kind. "Connection to the mainframe has failed. And the lack of non-emergency lights makes me think that there is a facility-wide shutdown." Hearing those words made Jabal's skin crawl, as that meant only one thing. "If there is a facility-wide shutdown, then that means... all security systems are also down." Catherine's optimism and joy faded, as she put her PDA away to conserve power. "So, I suppose we ought to turn back then and... hope the government will come quickly to save us." Catherine remarked, to which Jabal shook his head. "I... I am not sure that is a great idea. There clearly is a massive containment breach, if we can feel air coming through here. A-And the blast was clearly not far away, given the damage over here. I think we ought to go the opposite way as to avoid any and all subjects. Besides, what place is safer than our office?" Whilst Catherine couldn't question his logic, she also knew it was going to be extremely dangerous to head forward into the facility, knowing what kind of monsters could be roaming free now. Including some of their own subjects who might not be too happy to see them. "Shit, I just realised... Cyra and Nandi. We both let them go to deal with that rogue subject, right? Tengri told us to do so. Fuck, what if... what if they got hit by the blast? What if they're hurt?" Jabal mumbled, Catherine speaking more reassuringly, clearly not wanting to bring even more concerns into the equation. "Well, Cyra has incredible regeneration. And Nandi is so tough, I am sure both of them will be fine." Jabal still seemed uneasy, clearly not wanting their subjects to be hurt. "If you wish to, we can go back and check. But I doubt it will be an easy task to find them again." Catherine continued, which made Jabal shake his head. "No, let's... let's keep going. We first need to know what is going on, and we can do that best when we're somewhere safe."Thus, the two would start heading deeper into the facility, walking a little slowly given the pain they were in. "You know who I'd love to find right about now? Toyotama. I'm sure she'd be able to help out a ton..." Jabal said in a more bemused tone, Catherine speaking in a more caring tone. "Maybe we'll get lucky and run into her? She was stationed in the western half of the facility, after all." Jabal seemed to enjoy the thought of encountering his healer subject, after which Catherine spoke up reassuringly. "But, if we don't find her, we can at least be reassured that the government will likely be here soon enough. They'll help us all out. In fact, they probably are already making their way over, considering the subject containment breach which led to this." This made Jabal scoff. "I hope they'll be here soon. And I hope they deal with whoever designed the subject that broke free." Jabal sounded a bit more annoyed.
Catherine chuckled in turn. "Oh come now. What if it was Tengri's subject? Or Logan's? You wouldn't want them to get in trouble with the government, would you?" Whilst Catherine was clearly being playful, Jabal was actually mildly bothered. "I highly doubt Tengri would make something he would so eagerly want destroyed. And Logan is too smart to make something which could cause such a mess. No, it's gotta be a Roraima or Andrei subject. Those bastards are always pushing it..." Sensing Jabal's hostility, Catherine took his hand and spoke more calmly. "Whoever it was, I am sure they will face justice for all the chaos they caused. Now, why don't we focus on more important things, instead of dwelling on such things will only upset us further?" Catherine would give a gentle kiss on Jabal's cheek, making the scientist start to smile again. "Right, let's focus on our well-being first. Once we get to our office with supplies, we'll track down our girls and make sure they are okay." Jabal said confidently, as the two headed further into the darkness…............... "Come on, honey. There must be some way we can deal with Reika if we encounter her." Catherine said as the two were seated between two large, abandoned machines designed for creating metal panelling for subject containment chambers. "I'm sorry, Cath, I... I can't think of anything. I really am the biggest fool the facility has ever seen!" Jabal said in frustration, as he walked in circles with his hands on his forehead. Catherine was meanwhile heating up some food she had found in a small metal pan she had raided from a small guardsman kitchen, continuing to speak reassuringly. "You're not a fool, Jabal. We've all had subjects we've unfortunately neglected or let slip to Elbrus and Roraima. Do I need to remind you of Sesia and how idiotic it was of me to let Elbrus take the wheel with her?" Jabal groaned and gritted his teeth, before letting out a sigh. "I know, Cath, I know. But, with Elbrus, at least he was slimy and corrupted Sesia by giving her everything she wanted. With me... I abandoned poor Reika. I let that bastard Roraima ruin her. He told me all was fine, and I, the greatest idiot there ever was, trusted him!"Jabal raised his voice, Catherine pausing with preparing their dinner and walking over to him. She'd hug him from behind and gave him a kiss in the neck. "You're not an idiot, Jabal. You're the smartest, most wonderful and kind man I know." Jabal thankfully calmed down, lowering his head and speaking softly. "If... if we do encounter Reika, I just want to apologise to her. I want to... say sorry for ever abandoning her. For being such a lousy bastard. She deserved so much better. I know she will never forgive me... and if she wishes to kill me then and there, I'll let her." Catherine would turn Jabal around, looking him into the eyes. "Don't say that, my love." She'd grab his hands and smile reassuringly.
"If we find her... You'll apologise to her. And ask her for forgiveness. And, I am sure she will forgive you." Catherine remarked softly, Jabal still looking away. "Are you sure, Cath? Last time I saw her, she didn't look happy with me. I... I imagine Roraima's treatment and the fact I left her with him made her hate me. Not that I blame her." Catherine remained optimistic, stroking Jabal's head. "I am sure she will. Reika was quite eager when she was newly created, wasn't she? Like a puppy, you said." Jabal scoffed and softly repeated her. "Like a puppy..." There was a moment of silence, as Catherine stroked Jabal's cheek. "Hey, cheer up, my love. Once Roraima is fired from this mess, you will be able to reunite with Reika, and show her all the love you have for her. I just know it." Jabal nodded calmly. "Okay..." Catherine smirked, before letting go and going back to the pot to cook. "So, we've considered our options for if we encounter Kimmy, Feng, Sesia, Chloe... Granted, most just are using the guardsman gun we found, but... well, a plan is better than no plan." Jabal softly remarked, before Catherine said: "Why don't we take a break with this planning and focus on food? I made you some tomato and bean sauce and some wraps to along with them!" Jabal nodded and would get seated right beside her, as the two would start enjoying their dinner together. "Mmmmm, this is delicious. Even with the bare basics, you sure make delicious food, my love." Jabal said happily, Catherine chuckling as the two enjoyed their dinner in peace and quiet. Though, after having eaten a bit and getting ready to clean up, they heard something in the distance. Jabal would raise his hand to alert Catherine, as the two soon saw some light shining their way. Jabal started smiling, as he saw the clear shape of several guardsman approaching them. "Cath, Cath! There's guardsman here!" Jabal said excitedly, clearly assuming the best. Though as the guardsman quietly approached, his smile faded as he heard a familiar, sadistic voice. "My, what are the odds. And here I was worried that I would have to send my forces all over the place to retrieve you..." Jabal froze up, Catherine letting out a quiet: "No, not her..." The front guardsman soon parted and gave a salute, before Feng stepped forward with a bemused smile and her hands together. "Jabal, my... creator. We meet in person at long last..." Feng said in an almost mocking tone, Jabal stepping back. "F-Feng, w-we... w-what are you t-talking about..." He said in genuine confusion and terror, Feng smirking. "Oh, don't you remember? Every time in the past we met, there was a barrier between us... A wall keeping us separate. But now... there is nothing between us. Your queen... is free at last." She spread her arms and spoke in an elegant and haughty tone, clearly feeling nothing but satisfaction at being the one in control now. Of course, Jabal was prepared for this, slowly stepping back as Feng approached him.
As Feng slowly stepped closer, Catherine gathered all her supplies in a bag, before grabbing one key item she was afraid to use. Still, she knew there was an agreement she and Jabal made for this situation. Thus, Catherine stepped out of cover, making Feng smile. "Of course, I should not be surprised... your girlfriend is here too..." Feng calmly remarked, Catherine shivering as she stood beside Jabal. "L-Leave us alone, Feng... Y-You don't want trouble." Catherine responded, making Feng smirk and laugh sadistically. "Trouble? My, what could you do against me now? I am no longer restrained, Catherine. No longer forced into a puny, pitiful prison cell... And you no longer have anything with which you can hold me back. No shock collars. No guardsmen who can hold me down. In fact..." Feng stepped to the side, as Catherine and Jabal looked on in horror. Four guardsmen stepped forward, Jabal and Catherine instantly recognising them. "No... You... you didn't..." Jabal mumbled, Feng putting her hand on the nearest guardsman. "Yes... the people you assigned to guard me... to ensure I did not escape... now work for me as my own. My word is now their law. And if I so wish..." The guardsmen pointed their rifles at Jabal and Catherine, not saying a word as the two scientists grabbed each others hands, expecting a swift execution. "Of course, I... won't kill you. That would be counter-intuitive. Catherine could make for a fine servant to the throne, after all. And you, Jabal... you are the key to my eternal reign going interplanetary. Yes, you... have something for me." Jabal wasn't surprised, having already expected this from the get-go. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Your... remote." He said softly, making Feng smile brightly. "Yes, Jabal... and, if you willingly submit to your queen, I will be merciful. I shall let both you and Catherine live. But, you must swear your allegiance to me and give me my remote." Jabal looked over at Catherine, who by now was starting to let out tears as she shivered in fear.Jabal gave a quiet nod to Catherine, before taking a deep breath and stepping forward. Feng assumed that he would accept. However, Jabal stopped after only a few steps, before speaking in defiance. "No." He simply said, Feng's smile fading and her hands turning to fists. "I... beg your pardon?" She said with gritted teeth, Jabal continuing to speak defiantly. "No. I would rather die than give you your remote." Feng squinted her eyes, before speaking in restrained rage. "How dare you say no to your queen..." Jabal looked back at Catherine, as Feng raised a hand. "Guards, seize them. Now." She said in pure rage, Jabal standing resolute as he closed his eyes in an almost accepting way. "Catherine, I love you..." He mumbled, Catherine pulling the gun she had kept safely on her and pointing it at Jabal's head with a shaking hand. Feng's eyes widened, and she instantly stopped he guardsmen.
"NO!" Feng yelled, as Catherine was sobbing whilst keeping the gun inches away from the back of Jabal's head. Feng looked on in horror, yet would find Catherine did not pull the trigger. Jabal also noticed this, opening his eyes and mumbling. "C-Catherine... w-what are you doing?" He whispered, Catherine sobbing and shaking her head. "I-I can't do it! J-Jabal, I-I can't!" She pleaded, Jabal remaining frozen in place. Feng's expression changed from rage to bemusement, as she shook her head a little. "Ts ts ts ts... Should've found yourself a girlfriend with the courage necessary for such a sacrifice. Then again, it is only fair that such a weak and pathetic man... would marry such a cowardly woman." Feng already stepped forward, only for Catherine to push the barrel of the gun against Jabal's head. "STAY BACK! S-STAY BACK! C-COME CLOSE ENOUGH A-AND I'LL DO IT!" Catherine yelled, Feng pausing and keeping her distance whilst waiting to see what Catherine and Jabal would do next."W-We made a promise... t-that if you ever got close... I-I'd kill him! AND I'LL DO IT IF I MUST!" Catherine said in a desperate, pained tone. Feng scoffed and spoke smugly. "I highly doubt you will, Catherine... You're too weak." Catherine sobbed a few more times, before speaking in a more determined tone. "T-Try me..." Feng's bemused look turned more surprised, as Catherine spoke confidently. "I love Jabal. And I am ready... to lose him... B-Because I know, t-that s-stopping you is what he wants above everything else..." Feng kept quiet, watching for a moment as Catherine pushed the gun against the back of Jabal's head again. Catherine and Feng's eyes locked, Catherine looking at her without fear and determination. Feng's bemused smile turned into a glare, her growling before hissing at them. "You have my permission... to leave." Jabal was stunned, having not expected to yield so easily. But, he also knew that Feng could go back on her word at any second."Don't put the gun away. Follow my lead and walk back slowly." Jabal calmly told Catherine, who realised what was going on. She nodded and softly responded "O-Okay." After which, the two started slowly making their way backwards. Catherine's heart beat rapidly, adrenaline coarsing through her as she tried her hardest not to lose focus. One wrong move, and she knew Jabal could be dead at her hands. Jabal remained calm though, speaking reassuringly. "You're doing great, my love. We just gotta get far enough away from her. Then, we can run." Catherine simply responded with: "Okay." in an almost out of breath voice, as they saw Feng getting further and further away. It felt like they were taking forever, each step lasting hours. Though, as they got further and further away, they could not hear Feng as she spoke up softly. "Oh, Perceval... would you mind grabbing Hetzen's rifle." The guard didn't even have to be ordered to do such, already grabbing a large sniper rifle and lining up a shot.
"Aim for Catherine. Try and shoot her in the shoulder. I wish for her to survive so she can serve me well as the court jester. The rest of you, run after them the moment the shot is taken and capture them both alive... And don't hesitate to make it hurt." Feng mumbled, as Catherine and Jabal were now a decent distance away. "Catherine, w-we're far away now." Jabal whispered to Catherine, her continuing to keep the gun pointed at him. "A-Are you sure? W-What if they shoot us?" Catherine asked anxiously, to which Jabal spoke reassuringly. "Then I'll cover you and ensure you aren't hit." Catherine nodded before responding: "O-Okay." Jabal kept his eyes on Feng and her forces, not being able to see them too well from a distance. Still, he knew they were likely far away enough to be able to safely escape. He took a deep breath, before speaking softly. "On the count of three we run, okay?" Catherine let out another "Mhm." before Jabal counted. "One... two... THREE!" Catherine aimed the gun away from Jabal, turning around as she started sprinting along with Jabal. They both tried to lower their heads, knowing they might just get shot at. Though as Jabal crouched down, they heard a loud bang. Jabal heard something fly past him, before watching as Catherine stumbled to the floor with a pained cry. Jabal's eyes widened, as he watched Catherine move her hands to her face, letting out a yell. "CATHERINE!" Jabal yelled out, as he instantly rushed over to her to try and pick her up. She thankfully still moved and let out noise, Jabal grabbing his PDA and shining on her face. Though, to his horror, she was bleeding from the jaw, as her cheek and lower jaw had been pierced by a bullet. She was letting out tears and screaming in agony, blocking her face with both hands. Jabal looked back, only to watch a dozen guardsmen rush after them. "CATHERINE, WE HAVE TO RUN!" Jabal said in a panic, helping her stand up as the two ran as hard as they could.Catherine kept on crying in pain and agony, Jabal holding onto her and helping her keep up. He felt her blood soaking his clothes as she was clearly struggling. "KEEP GOING, CATHERINE! W-WE CAN MAKE IT! I PROMISE! JUST KEEP RUNNING!" Catherine didn't respond, continuing to sob and breathe heavily as she tried to focus on her husband. The adrenaline kept them going, as they sprinted out of the foundry to head further south. They soon made it into the small green sector they had passed through earlier, Catherine by now stumbling and struggling to walk. Seeing this, Jabal would soon pick Catherine up, before running away with her in his arms. Catherine had bled out quite a lot, struggling to remain conscious. "Jabal... Jabal..." She mumbled, Jabal letting out tears yet continuing to run. Only after what must've been ten minutes of running did he finally stop, the two being in a small office space. And after taking a few small side-paths, he would hide in a closet and close the door shut behind him.
He'd immediately put Catherine up against the wall, before grabbing the pouch she had on her. "S-Stay with me, Cath... STAY WITH ME!" He said in utter panic, as he looked for any and all medical equipment. He fortunately still had some medical nanites and bandages, first injecting the nanites into her limp body before patching up her ruined jaw. Though, she was barely breathing, staring blankly in front of her. "No... nonono... NO!" He would keep wrapping bandages around her, keeping her upright and looking for anything which could help. "Come on, Catherine... Come on! D-Don't... please don't..." Catherine remained unresponsive, Jabal holding onto her head and soon resting his forehead against hers. "No, God please, don't let her die, please... Please, God, I love her... I love her... Please don't let Catherine go..." Though just as he feared she was gone, Catherine coughed a bit, Jabal pulling back to give her space. Catherine coughed up blood and let out some groans, before almost falling to the side. Jabal quickly grabbed her, helping her remain upright as she took some deep breaths. Jabal looked at Catherine with tears in his eyes, her soon slowly moving a hand to his face and stroking his cheek. "J... Jabal..." She said with a hoarse voice, Jabal nodding and continuing to cry. "Y-Yes... Yes, C-Catherine... I-I'm here... I'm here..." He tried to remain calm, yet was clearly emotional. Catherine let out another groan, before giving a slow blink. "I... love you..." Jabal started smiling as he let out even more tears, before gently hugging her head and holding her close. "I-I love you t-too, Catherine... I love you so much..." The two remained quiet, hugging as Jabal grabbed his labcoat as well as any other warm items he could find, before wrapping Catherine under cover. Catherine remained quiet, clearly still being worn down from her injury and the loss of blood. Yet, Catherine would gently grip Jabal's hand soon after, blinking again to let him know she would survive... -------------------------------------- This quest is mostly story focused, with no really deep mechanics aside from basic dice-rolling. The story is rather freeform in terms of what choices you can make and what direction you want to follow. What your goal is in this place and who you choose to trust is mostly up to you. Do you want to explore the place and figure out its mysteries? Or do you just want to shoot shit and cleanse this place of monster girls? No matter what you opt to do down here, I will always try to give options for what you can do. You can also always send in your own choices and suggestions on what to do. Either way, I hope to provide a fun and enjoyable experience for everyone. My writing ain't perfect, so I always do appreciate it when feedback is provided so I can improve further.
Shared docs:You, your men and your allies:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_NoldE7zglICEuon-YZNhxjXcqvjszveOsz4u8jz-is/edit?usp=sharingList of scientists and subjects, along with some minor details:https://docs.google.com/document/d/15Z64W31Eszz9CNi-ZWe-t38yqg6riZ9oUvinfd2-F9A/edit?usp=sharingThe monster girls sheets as provided by the government tablet (RECENTLY UPDATED AT LAST):https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sIrSAkYFN57njvPYKcWzpjnme2nMD6Bzgkl-j4wU3LE/edit?usp=sharingSheets of monster girls you've befriended:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CPSZp0MxftcNaUFSfBxzkRh7MfEiPnA7G6Wzfm9dkSQ/edit?usp=sharingSheets by based documentation anon:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PaR_fOFnzAJnY57V71OM-g9mbPhPtGNOeV2ZrI73T-8/edit?tab=t.0Also, a reminder that, if the site goes down again, that you can check the shared docs for updates from me still. I am also on the /qtg/ discord, where I am more than happy to chat with you guys.Previous threads:https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?searchall=Monster+Girl+FacilityBased artwork from anons:https://catbox/. moe/c/1ajcpwThe text Annie does NOT want you to read!!!!!!!!https://docs.google.com/document/d/192lqCy6s6Q6o4GU_GQDga6nf_spmoqccajlaUxFyOHk/edit?usp=sharinghttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1ymvqbg3otDTyb0pxPLNx7W5OHgPqYve6-CI5Bj-RIm4/edit?usp=sharingArtist I commissioned for this thread's thumbnail: Can't find them and the site I used for comm'ing them no longer exists :(>Recap from the previous thread.After finally meeting France and Idalia, you'd head to Elbrus' office south of the frozen sector. Though upon seeing the horrors within (and looting it for files), you'd burn it to the ground. Afterwards, you'd also notice a turquoise drake subject passing through on the cameras. Though, you opted to not give chase. Instead, you returned to the hideout with the girls where you'd discuss your findings. Afterwards, you decided to split up in two different group. One headed down to find Jabal and Catherine, another headed towards the combat sector. A third, smaller group containing Laura, Kiliane, Massimo, Gwenllian and Cortina would stay back at base. You and France decided that you'd lead the group heading south towards the combat sector, whilst France would lead the group who'd search for Jabal and Catherine. Whilst travelling to the combat sector, you'd go through an office where you got into a fight with some paranoid guardsmen. Morgan was mildly injured, Reika killing a few guardsmen in response. Fortunately, further conflict was avoided and you were able to continue east. There, you'd discover Kaenum, who joined your group in heading north for a short diversion. You'd stay in a low threat containment chamber, some staff hiding nearby. Fortunately, you avoided getting into a fight, soon heading south again, reaching a medical centre where you'd split up to explore some of the locations.
Though, you soon discover two soldiers scouting around, sending Kaenum out to gain their trust. And whilst they still appear on edge, you do manage to win them over somewhat, giving you the chance to sit down and talk...Continuing from the previous thread...>Bring up that you and your forces could be trusted. The "worst" group member you had was Reika, and she was far more of a misunderstood sweetheart than you could begin to explain. So really, the subjects on your group were probably not gonna cause trouble.Wanting to be fully transparent, you mentioned all the girls you had with you on your side. Obviously, you'd mention that Oreas and Morgan were with you right now. Though, you also mentioned that another team had Kenai, Idalia and Vinisha. The guardsman nodded, not seeming too bothered by the three of them. Though when you mentioned that you also had a group with Chrysidus and Reika, his expression became more concerned. "Reika? FE-09? She is on your side?" He sounded rather stunned, you telling him that Reika actually surprised you with how nice she was, now that Roraima was no longer influencing her. More importantly, the fact that they were with you was a sign of trust and them being functioning partners.You'd even say how some had been with you for weeks and how they had proven themselves to be more than allies. Though, the guard didn't seem too convinced yet. "Okay, that's... great and all, but I really REALLY don't think it'd be smart to have Reika pass by us. She will most likely get shot at, given... well, some past experiences she had with some of the staff there." The guardsman mumbled, which made Kaenum speak in concern. "Oh no, what happened?" The guardsman sighed. "Before this shitshow, Reika might have seen a few guardsmen as... targets for a test run by Roraima. Obviously, this was mostly Roraima's doing, but I know for a fact that the... people Reika injured won't be too pleased to see her again." Hearing this and sensing the uneasiness, you said that you would try to contact the group who had Reika with them to get them to STAY AWAY from their hideout. That way, it'd avoid any conflict. The guardsman nodded and spoke in a more thankful tone. "That'd be appreciated. Thanks." He said, you already telling Alan, Oreas and Morgan to try and use the radio to contact anyone who was nearby. "Well, I hope your radios have better reach than our shitty things..." The guardsman mumbled, you reassuring him that things would go fine. You also let them know that another group would be passing through here in the future, who had Kamara, Thalia, Katya and Anofelis on their side. "Tha-Thalia... you've got her on your side?" The guardsman asked, you confirming that she had been quite the boon to your team. "Is... something wrong with Thalia?" Kaenum asked soon after, the guardsman pausing, to think before speaking reluctantly. "Well, I've heard some pretty nasty things about what she does with guardsmen..."
Obviously, you knew that Thalia couldn't control her powers, you asking if they had anything to do with that. "Well, sorta? I just know that she used to sing a lot to her guardsmen, and that... some guardsmen got a little too touchy with her. Some even against their own will." You reassured the guardsman that you doubt Thalia had any bad intentions. After all, you had Kaenum by your side who could sense emotions. If Thalia truly had bad intentions, it wouldn't be easy to hide them from her. Kaenum would speak softly. "Well, Mikhail, I can sense emotions, but... figuring out their intent would require some actual therapy sessions, something which I haven't exactly done with Thalia." Before you could ask further, the guardsman would step into the conversation again. "Okay, listen... maybe Thalia isn't bad. I'm just saying that I heard some pretty vile stories about the things she did. Given that she is an Elbrus subject, maybe she just... doesn't know better." >Continue asking questions a out the various things you discussed or anything else on your mind. The subjects he mentioned by name, the disaster itself, the number of survivors and how things were going down here.It was clear that the guardsman probably just wanted to drop the topic, you instead asking about Iliara, which was a subject you hadn't heard of yet. "Iliara Salomon, codename CA-15. She's a Tengir and Illimani harpy subject who has these tiny needles in her hand akin to a jellyfish. Now, before you say that that sounds like Glaucus or some other venomous subjects, Iliara is different. She doesn't actually have venom in those needles, but instead is capable of injecting medical nanites like the ones you can find around here. She can be a little... rough sometimes, and my friend did mention how she can be snide, but that is just because she's passionate about her job and hates seeing people get hurt. Again though, this is based on what my friend and some other guardsman have told me."Next, you wanted to ask him about Naamah, since he mentioned how she hadn't really caused trouble. In turn, you wanted to know what she was like, given that Logan didn't go into too much detail and the government docs described her... as somewhat rapey and self-centred. "Oh, I wouldn't call her that at all, no. When she came through here, she was quite friendly and relaxed. She did... do the deed with a few guardsmen, but that was only because that is how she feeds. There was full consent there. She was described as a little rough at times, and did... cause some funny side-effects with people who did the deed with her. Mainly just making them desperate for more, but... it didn't seem too harmless. Hell, if you managed to befriend Thalia without issue, I got a feeling that you will be able to befriend Naamah without issue." It sounded somewhat reassuring. But then again, these interactions were all with guardsmen, not death squad members such as yourself...
>Tell the guardsman the things you knew about the disaster and what was really going on out there. You did say you'd explain everything you knew once he had answered some of the questions you had.With the guardsman revealing quite a few details, you thanked him for the intel and decided to let him in on what actually happened to the facility. You corrected him by saying that there was a massive explosion which formed a massive crater. Through this crater, death squads were able to enter the facility, which were hired to execute any living organisms for bounties. The guardsman's expression turned more fearful, his eyes widening as he let out a: "What." You continued, telling him that the government did not inform you about much either and that you were mostly here to deal with subjects. In fact, most if not all subjects had escaped containment, with plenty causing a mess to guardsmen and death squads alike. So... so the government... hired you guys to kill us?" The guardsman asked anxiously.You hesitated, before confirming that the government did not intend to save them. The guardsman lowered his head, before moving to the nearest door and kicking it. "Motherfucker!" He'd let out a groan, before putting both hands on his face to cover it. He let his head hang back, before speaking again. "Of course... of course we do all this shit for them, only for them to wanna... fucking disappear us as well! Sure! Why the hell not! And hey, why not just hire fucking... enemy death squads to do the job! So fucking great!" Kaenum would try to reassure the guard, speaking softly. "I am sorry that we have to bring you this news. You have every right to be upset with the government and their actions." The guardsman looked away and let out another groan. "It's... it's fine. At least we're fortunate enough to... y'know, have a reasonable group of death squads discovering our location. Still, fuck them... fuck them all. Pieces of shit." The guardsman kept flinging insults around for a bit, soon even slamming his fist against the nearby wall, causing a bit of a bang. Afterwards, you told him that the government wasn't only treating survivors like garbage, given that the government had also disappeared several soldiers who didn't obey them or asked too many questions. "Typical..." The guardsman mumbled, before you mentioned that most death squads were on the middle levels, which meant that they should be safe from other encounters for a good while. "Huh, what brings you to this floor then, if I may ask?" The guardsman asked, having calmed down a little bit in the meantime. You told him that you were just passing through to get to the combat sector, which made the guardsman scoff. "Combat sector... fun. Well, I hope you guys keep finding subjects to recruit and befriend, and people to help out. You said you already got in contact with Logan, so I presume you saved him already."
You confirmed that you had indeed saved Logan, which seemed to cheer him up. Though, you also mentioned that so far, six subjects had died as well as three scientists. Mainly, Tengri, Illimani and Mona. "Did... were they killed by death squads as well?" The guardsman asked, you stating Tengri and Mona died in the explosion, whilst Illimani was shot. "Ah... yeah, I remember hearing news of Illimani's death. Quite the shame, honestly... He was a respectable guy, from what I heard." Kaenum nodded along, as it seemed that the guy was now up to date on what was going on throughout the facility... >Thank him for the intel and let him know you understood his position and that you wouldn't insist. You just wanted to make sure that he and the other survivors knew you were around and that you meant no harm.With that in mind, you thanked him for all the intel and let him know you would leave him and his men alone. "Thanks. I'll rush back ASAP and let them know what to expect and not to shoot. Make it easy for you and your men to pass through." You also let them know that there were some civilian staff to the north of here, and that they might wish to join this place. You even mentioned that they might have some spare food on them. "Huh, well, I'll bring it up to the rest of our group. Whilst the extra food might be nice, having even more mouths to feed might be an issue... Especially since the green section doesn't seem easily accessible anymore." You confirmed it was indeed a no-go at this point, before mentioning that the coolers were relatively untouched by guardsmen."Issue is that it's quite a walk away. And, I imagine that a lot of subjects are hiding there as well." You confirmed that you had ran into Glaucus on the way over there, and that Sirona was also camping out around there. Grise was also out there, being active near the deeper parts which actually still had high quality food. "Yeah, it... doesn't seem worth it. Still, I appreciate it." The guardsman said, before looking around and grabbing his items. "Anyway, uhhh, our main base is down the hall, two stairs up and then to the right. Just ought I'd let you know. Regardless, thank you and good luck on your mission. Hopefully, we'll see you passing through here again in one piece." He said, before turning around and getting ready to return back to his base. >What do you do next?>Have a chat with Kaenum, Morgan, Oreas and Alan about this encounter and the many things which were brought up. Maybe they had some thoughts to share about a topic which sounded interesting. (Write in what you chat about.)>Quickly try to regroup with the rest of the subgroups. You had to stay together to ensure no further fights broke out.>Continue exploring this area, now that you knew it was relatively safe and where. Perhaps there were still some things worth finding down here? (Write in what you search for, if anything specific.)>Discuss with your men...>Something else...
(And we are back! I've updated plenty of the docs, so make sure to check em for any new details regarding subjects and what not. If there are any things missing such as links or docs I need to share, or errors which need to be fixed, please let me know! Oh, and do let me know your thoughts on the intro story. I hope it satisfies the wish of a story focusing on the head scientists and how they dealt with the disaster...)
The two of them behave about how I was expecting and we'd heard of Feng's disdain for Jabal before. At least we won't have to worry about whether Jabal would help us with her. I just hope Feng hasn't gotten her hands on Hetzen and wonder what light Jabal could shed on the disaster.>>6358618Entirely reasonable crashout>Quickly try to regroup with the rest of the subgroups.We came down here to look for survivors and we've done that - I don't think there's much more of interest here so let's go and join the admin team to help sift through paperwork. I wanted to meet some more of the group to quiz them too but it seems there's less interest in that.Good luck chaps, even if we can't offer them much material assistance right now.I wonder if Morgan would know Iliara.-----Last thread, it was mentioned that the Demon came from somewhere in the east. The bottom levels of the Facility in the east are the Vinella Zone, and I'm pretty sure Vinella was released to fight her. Coincidence? I think not. Perhaps we might find answers there if we're willing to dodge the giant pseudo-invincible murderous vinegaroon with a crush fetish for them.
>>6358618>Quickly try to regroup with the rest of the subgroups. You had to stay together to ensure no further fights broke out.
>>6358618>Quickly try to regroup with the rest of the subgroups. You had to stay together to ensure no further fights broke out.I'm curious what the guards who knew her have to say about Thalia. I still don't fully trust her.>>6358620I'm wondering how Jabal and Catherine managed to escape Feng. Is she retarded?
>>6358618>Quickly try to regroup with the rest of the subgroups. You had to stay together to ensure no further fights broke out.>>6358781>I'm wondering how Jabal and Catherine managed to escape Feng. Is she retarded?>>6358781You would think she'd be capable of tracking the trail of blood left by Catherine. Maybe she got driven off by another powerful subject?
>Quickly try to regroup with the rest of the subgroups. You had to stay together to ensure no further fights broke out.Once the guardsman left, Kaenum spoke rather happily. "Well, I think that went rather well. He trusted you quite a bit. Though, his frustration was... quite a shame to see." You said that you understood his frustration, given how he had expected the government to save them. Instead, the government was actively trying to find him along with his friends to terminate them. Regardless, you'd head back to Oreas, Morgan and Alan, the three fiddling with the radio. "So, did everything go well? Are we allowed to come over to their base?" Oreas said curiously, Morgan speaking more pessimistically. "Based on the rage I heard, and the fact we had to alert the rest of our team who aren't here, I imagine there might be some issues." You explained that you had at least found what you came here for: survivors. And with them clearly not too eager to meet up, you wanted to rejoin the group who was near the main administration to help them out.Alan was still tuning the radio, you so far hearing just static. "I've been trying to reach out to them. I managed to-" Ironically, right as Alan started speaking, you heard the radio static fade, before hearing Anon speak up. "Ah, Alan? Is that you? Can you hear us properly now?" Anon said, Alan looking at you and giving a thumbs-up. Thus, you spoke to Anon, telling him that you had encountered other survivors down here. "Wooh! Nice going, Mik!" You heard Chrys say in the background, after which Anon spoke up again. "Heh, yeah, Alan already mumbled that you encountered some folk. Though, the connection seemed to falter right as he said something about Reika." Before you could speak, you heard Reika speak quite loudly into the radio. "Mik! Tell me what's going on! Do you need my help? Are we dealing with stupid guardsman who I can take down?" You reassured Reika that all was good, and that you just wanted to let them know to keep their distance from the ICU, since the survivors there weren't too eager to meet up. "Huh? Why's that?" Reika asked, you mentioning that they just weren't in the mood to meet up with a bunch of death squads and potentially dangerous subjects. "Makes sense." You heard Mike say in the background, before you told them that you'd go over to them, since you had found what you were looking for and wanted to help them. "Sure thing. We've been looking around this place, and there are quite a few files to go through, that's for sure. So far, not much about subjects... but, I am sure that subject-related stuff is compiled somewhere close-by." You asked for their location, Anon quickly relaying it as you told them you'd be there soon enough. Thus, you'd again lead the way, as you brought up that you had hoped to talk a bit more with the guards, which made Morgan say: "Well, then why did you not simply follow them? T'is only fair for you to want to ask some questions."
You scoffed at Morgan's remark, telling her that you weren't going to make things awkward, or force them into interacting with you whilst they clearly weren't in the mood for such. Though, you'd then bring up that you wanted to ask the guards about Thalia, since you did feel a little concerned about what was said about her. "Maybe after we explore everything, we can go back up here and try again to talk with them?" Oreas suggested, which was something worth considering. "I must admit, I have met Thalia during therapy in the past... and she did seem a little odd to me. It was not helped by reports about her, indicating she did quite some... perverse things. Still, I got a feeling she was simply not taught proper boundaries and could do well by your side. You've already helped Reika from what I've seen, and based on what I have heard about Katya, I do think your group will help Thalia reduce her Elbrusian tendencies. Or at least, not force people into situations they don't want." Alan looked at you, you knowing that he was thinking of Zaria and what Thalia put her through. Still, he didn't bring it up, you simply wanting to focus on rejoining the rest of your group. And after following the floor plan for a bit, you'd finally pass by some glass walls looking into a relatively small office space. And a short distance away, you'd already spot Reika grabbing storage containers and flipping them over. You waved at her, as you saw her starting to smile. "Mikhail!" She said eagerly, as you saw Mike, Anon, Artyom, Ignacy and Chrys soon after. And after joining them in the office space, you would quickly tell them everything that had happened and how your meeting with the guardsmen went. "So, guess that means we won't need to worry about exploring the ICU further..." Ignacy remarked after you finished explaining everything, after which Mike said: "I'd say that's quite nice. Means we can just focus on getting everything we want from here and then continue on our merry way."You nodded, before Oreas asked: "So, what did you guys find so far? Anything interesting?" To which Chrys spoke up whilst holding up a large bag she had presumably grabbed from somewhere nearby. "Lots and lots of hard-drives." Chrys eagerly remarked, after which Anon spoke up. "We've looked through a bunch of papers, but there isn't much that is interesting for us. Just... patient records, operational records, funding and other bureaucratic crap. Fortunately, we also already discovered a few files documenting subject-related injuries. A few documents even specifically focused on venom caused by subjects such as Glaucus and that moth girl Lono. Also a report on a bite caused by this lamia subject called Merse Gorgon." It seemed that your men had only scratched the surface of what this place had in terms of files. Though, Reika did speak up soon after, doing so in mild frustration. "So, what else are we supposed to find here, Mik?"
Clearly, Reika was a little impatient in searching this place. And considering how she just dumped files all over the place instead of looking through them, perhaps it was for the best you assigned her to do something else. Not just to make sure you could work well, but as to prevent her getting bored.>What do you do next?>Tell Reika and the others what you were searching for in a more specific manner. Random documents were nice and all, but you clearly needed to find something a bit more specifically valuable to you. (Write in what you tell everyone to look for.)>Read through whatever reports the group had already found to see if they had anything of value. The reports about subject venom might be nice, along with giving some intel about what the subjects were like and what led to the envenomation. (Write in what you wanna read specifically.)>Just join the group in searching for anything of interest. And once you've read through as much as you possibly could or your men got tired of reading through files, you could leave and look for the other group. (Write in when you stop reading through files.)>Contact the other group to see how they were faring. Maybe they had found a lot of medical supplies, or something else which was of interest? Besides, maybe they ought to know that there were guardsmen here who were not too eager to meet. (Write in what you discuss once you contacted the other group.)>Chat whilst rummaging through the place.>Something else...
