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You steadily cruise through the endless shifting sands of the wasteland that was once known as Nebraska. Ain’t nothing here now though. Nothing except the unforgiving summer heat, and the bones and wreckage of men more unlucky than yourself. Sometimes you ask yourself how it got this bad, but you know exactly how. And that’s probably the most depressing part.

It all started when Ben got this crazy dream a while back. He had this idea in his head that “Anyone could be a hero”. You think it might’ve been due to the stress of Gwen and Kevin dying. He eventually realized that he couldn’t get the job done by himself, and you were too busy to help out your own grandson when he needed you the most. Some role model you turned out to be…

You somehow convinced yourself that he’d be alright without you. He had such a good head on his shoulders, and he’d really matured since tragedy struck. But the darn fool was still a kid at heart. And kids...sometimes they do some real dumb shit.

You peek outside the window to your right, and you see a black mass of energy sitting opposite to the sun. Most people around these parts call it the Omen, and others call it the Lifegiver. But you just call it your grandson. Or, whatever's left of him in there.

While you weren’t looking, he had some sort of mental breakdown. With no one around to help him out of his funk, he started thinking up all sorts of crazy ideas. And one of them changed the world forever.

He decided to go Alien X, and shoot up to the sky where no one could reach him. We didn’t know what he was trying to do, until the first meteor struck the Earth. It was 15 years ago today when he started dropping Omnitrices. At first, it wasn’t too bad. A good guy would get one, and sometimes a bad guy would. But at the end of the day, the universe would balance itself out. Or at least, that’s what I’d tell myself. I sure was optimistic back in the day.

The Galactic Council got tired of weapons of mass destruction being spawned from Earth, so they took immediate action and quarantined the whole planet. All of Earth and whoever happened to be trapped on it at the time was no longer allowed to leave. Not even my clearance level as a Magister was enough to get me off this rock. Aliens and humans learned to coexist just fine, but we ran into another problem after the first year in isolation. There was some kid that showed up out of nowhere with a watch of his own. It was purple, I think. Real pretty shade of violet and orange. I'll never forget how beautiful it looked.

(Cont.)

He was real good at using the watch. Much better than Ben. Not even the other watch users could beat him. And it only got worse when he managed to unlock a new alien that no one else had access to at the time. It’s name was Atomix, and it threw threw the world into the largest nuclear war it’d ever seen.

We fought long and hard to make sure that we weren’t wiped out, but that’s just about all we could do. Some of the more resourceful folk managed to create Ark towns and live off what’s left of the land, but I don’t know how long we can keep this up.

I’m trying my best to survive out here, and so’s everyone else. We just have to hope that the mutants and marauders don’t tear us apart and blow what’s left of this miserable rock to smithereens.

Suddenly, a loud and obnoxious horn pulls you out of your head, and you check the rear cameras to see who’s making such a fuss out there. It’s a band of marauders!

Greedy bastards are probably trying to collect payment from every solitary sucker that gets stuck around these parts. But their rusted crap wagons pail in comparison to yours. The old girl's never let you down. How do you wanna play this?

>Stop the car and give them their money. There’s too many of them and you don’t want any trouble.
>Speed up. They shouldn't be able to catch you with your newly installed rear thrusters.
>Whip out your artillery to scare ‘em a bit.
>Open fire!
>Divert all power to your defenses and ram them!
>Write-in.

>>3684068
>>Speed up. They shouldn't be able to catch you with your newly installed rear thrusters.

>>3684068
>>>Speed up. They shouldn't be able to catch you with your newly installed rear thrusters.

>>3684068
>Speed up. They shouldn't be able to catch you with your newly installed rear thrusters.

>>3684102
>>3684121
>>3684262
Writing...

You flip a few switches and charge up your rear thrusters, hoping that they don’t try to fire a harpoon at your backside before you can get away. You hear a humming sound, along with the sound of metal scraping against your hull. That’s either them trying to ram you, or it could be them missing their harpoon shots. And neither of those possibilities appeal to you.

Your HUD pings several times to alert you that you’re ready to roll, and you slam your hand onto the dash so hard that you think you can hear something breaking inside. In a flash of blue light, your boosters propel you far from the reach of those greedy marauders. You can still hear them shouting things like “Fucking coward!” and “You better run!”, but you don’t let it get to you. The only way you survive around these parts is by being a coward. And there ain’t any shame in surviving.

-------------------

After about 30 minutes, you shut off the thrusters when you confirm that you’ve put enough distance between you and those crazed mutants.

[Trixy]: Proximity alert. Unknown object is rapidly approaching from 300 meters above your current location.

Might be another ship that was shot down by the Plumbers. It wouldn't be the first escape attempt. And it won't be the last.
[Trixy]: Might I suggest a few evasive maneuvers?

[Max]: Nope. I’m not letting you drive again. Not after last time!

[Trixy]: Max, I distinctly recall that I had apologized for that incident. I did so precisely 102 times. [ALERT: Object’s trajectory has suddenly changed. Recalculating impact zone]

Just then, a giant ball of fire suddenly crashes beside your vehicle, and the resulting impact nearly causes the Rust Bucket to tip over. If it wasn’t so top heavy, then you might’ve been sent flying. And you might’ve been flung from the RV had you not been wearing your seat-belt. You think that you’re the only one left alive that still does wear this thing.

[Trixy]: Max, are you alright?

[Max]: Yeah, just peachy. Thanks for the warning by the way.

You nearly slammed your head on the dash and you've got an unbearable ache in your right shoulder and left knee, but you’re good otherwise.

[Trixy]: I tried to tell you that I should drive. We could’ve avoided-

[Max]: Yeah yeah...

You ignore the sassy AI and pull yourself out of your seat to go investigate. You’re met by a thick cloud of ash and dust that was kicked up by the meteor. You nearly choke on it as you fan the debris from your face. You’re pretty sure you can see something faintly glowing in the center of this freshly made crater. It almost looks like...no. Can’t be…

[Trixy]: What is it, Max?

Trixy pesters you through your communicator, but you don’t pay her any mind. You’ve got way too much running through your head right now. After all, it's not everyday you get a genuine Omnitrix sitting before you.

>Take it.
>Contain it, but don’t let it get attached to your hand.
>Leave it alone. This thing will only bring you more trouble.
>Write-in.

>>3684401
>Contain it, but don’t let it get attached to your hand.

>>3684401
>>Take it.

>>3684401
>>Take it.

You find yourself strangely drawn to the watch. You always told yourself that you didn't need one, that you could get by without the aid of an alien weapon of your own. But...let's face it, the Rust Bucket is a weapon in of itself. What's one more gonna hurt?

You carefully slide down into the crater and reach for the alien device. It quickly latches onto your arm, as if it were some kind of wild animal. You wonder what kind of aliens it has. Let's see here…

>Fourarms
>Heatblast
>Jury Rigg
>Cannonbolt
>Diamondhead
>Frankenstrike
>Grey Matter
>Wildmutt
>XLR8
>Stinkfly

Not a bad lineup. Takes you back to the good old days…

[Trixy]: Max? Are you alright?

[Max]: Huh? Yeah, I'm fine. Let's get out of here.

You climb back into your RV and drive away from the crash site as fast as you possibly can. The scavengers will be all over this place soon. And you don't wanna stick around and wait for them to show up.

After 40 minutes, you make it back to the Ark, relatively unscathed. Just a couple of scrapes and bruises from a brush with a sand tiger.

The guards stop you to inspect your vehicle with their weapons raised. And you can't blame them. You can never be too safe these days.

Once their datapad glows green, he nods his head and gives you the right to return home. They open the large metal gates and guide you to your specially designated parking space. You never expected to get any special treatment, but you'll be damned if weren't this Ark's best stalker, and they know that.

Once you exit your vehicle, you retire to your solitary shack of-

[Phoebe]: MAAAAX!!!

You nearly fall backward when you're ambushed by your local friendly fish girl. She's quite literally an aquatic alien. A blowfish to be specific. You're not exactly sure what species she is.

[Phoebe]: Where'd you go?! What'd you do?! OOH WHAT'S THAT?!

>"What'd I tell you about sneaking up on me?"
>"Don't you have work today?"
>"At least wait until I get back to break into my home."
>"It's nothing."
>"Wanna give it a spin?"
>"It's dangerous. Don't touch it."
>Write-in.

>>3684693
>"What'd I tell you about sneaking up on me?"

>>3684693
>>"What'd I tell you about sneaking up on me?"
>"It's dangerous. Don't touch it."
>"Don't you have work today?"

>>3684715
>>3684737
Writing...

[Max]: What’d I tell you about sneaking up on me?

Phoebe places a hand to her chin and wiggles the fin at the back of her head.

[Phoebe]: Don’t?

[Max]: Exactly.

You brush past her and place your salvaged scrap onto your workshop table. Phoebe sneaks up on you from behind and attempts to touch the Omnitrix, but you slap her hand away before she can touch it.

[Max]: Don’t touch it. It’s dangerous.

[Phoebe]: Then why are you wearing it?

She makes a good point. Why are you wearing it?

[Max]: Don’t you have work today?

[Phoebe]: Glub glub glub! Typical Max. Always deflecting.

When she laughs, tiny bubbles come from her mouth. Her vocal patterns are a bit strange, since she always sounds like she’s gargling water.

[Max]: And stop using words that you learned from a dictionary. Makes you sound obnoxious.

[Phoebe]: But you haven’t brought me anything else interesting to read! What else am I gonna do?

[Max]: Go to work?

A sly smile spreads across your face and you can see her fuming in the corner of your eye. Is that actual steam coming from her ears?

[Phoebe]: I already finished my shift! The well is as full as it can get.

[Max]: You should take your time with that water production. You might hurt yourself.

[Phoebe]: Nuh-uh! I’m fine.

She grabs a glass from your sink and fills it up with water from her mouth.

[Phoebe]: See? Good enough to drink!

[Max]: Maybe later.

She proudly presents the glass to you, but you simply place it onto your workshop table and get back to work. Phoebe works for the Ark as its personal water supply. She fills up the well when it starts to run dry, and they pay her handsomely for it. She might live in a better house than you do. And yet, here she is invading your personal space. But, how do you really feel about her?

>She’s probably the nicest person in this entire Ark. Her presence is very appreciated.
>She’d be much better off staying away from you. You live a dangerous life, and you don’t want her to be a part of it.
>She’s a bit of a pest, but you can somewhat tolerate her.
>As sad as it is to admit it, she’s your best friend. And she kinda reminds you of your grand-kids.
>You love her like you would your own child.
>Write-in.

>She’s probably the nicest person in this entire Ark. Her presence is very appreciated.

>>3685076
probably the nicest person in this entire Ark. Her presence is very appreciated.

She’s probably the nicest person you’ve met since you got here. Her presence is very appreciated.

Suddenly, you hear a hard knock on the door. You check your front camera and see that it’s just one of the Ark’s guards. More specifically, a member of Ark Leader’s personal guard. What does he want?

[Guard]: Open up, Tennyson.

[Max]: Alright alright. Hold your horses.

You slide a protective glove over your hand to hide the Omnitrix, and proceed to unlock and slide your front door open.

[Max]: What seems to be the trouble, officer?

[Guard]: Swiss wants to see you. Says it’s urgent.

[Max]: If this is about the scrap, then tell her I’ll have it ready in an hour.

[Guard]: You must not have heard me right, old man. When I said “urgent”, I meant that she wants your ass in there yesterday.

He raises her rifle, ever so slightly, but just enough for you to notice it. Shit. Something tells you that this isn’t just about the scrap. She couldn’t possibly know about the Omnitrix, could she?

[Guard]: You catch my drift?

[Max]: Yeah. I think I do. Give me a minute, will you?

He relaxes his shoulders a bit and lets out a deep sigh.

[Guard]: Make it quick.

You close the door and retreat back into your hovel. That guard doesn't seem to be leaving anytime soon.

[Phoebe]: What’s wrong?

Her concern is genuine, but you don’t want to worry her.

[Max]: I’m meeting the Ark Leader, apparently.

[Phoebe]: Maybe she wants to congratulate you on a job well done?

[Max]: Let’s hope so.

What should you do with the watch? You can try to remove it and stash it somewhere, or you can keep it on for a little extra “insurance”. Either way, your life's about to get a lot messier than usual.

>Try to remove the watch and stash it somewhere for the time being.
>Keep the watch on, but cover it up with a cloth.
>Keep the watch on, but don’t cover it up. You might be able to spin this in a positive way if she thinks you got it for her.
>Try to remove the watch, give it Phoebe and instruct her to sneak out with it.
>Sneak out of your home and flee the Ark in your RV.
>Write-in.

>>3685175
>>Keep the watch on, but cover it up with a cloth.

>>3685175
>Keep the watch on, but cover it up with a cloth.

You can’t afford to leave the watch here. If the Ark Leader really wants it, then she’ll have to pry it from your dead body. But, you really hope it doesn’t come to that.

You wrap your wrist with a thick cloth, making it seem like you’ve received a sprain.

[Phoebe]: Max?

[Max]: Stay here, Phoebe. I’ll be back soon.

She tries to give you a faint smile, and you can see her many rows of sharp teeth give off a shiny glimmer. With a curt nod, you leave your young friend behind and allow the guard to escort you. About halfway to the throne room, you notice that two more guards fall in behind you, and then another once you reach the Ark Leader’s palace. A lump forms in your throat as you think about possible escape routes that you can take.

The guards lead you into a room filled with stained glass and riches abound. Must be the Ark Leaders place. And the persona sitting atop the golden throne must be the Ark Leader. She’s much younger than you expected, but she’s obviously been mutated. Her face is filled with holes, some deep and others shallow. One of them exposes her back teeth, and others expose the veins and muscles in her neck. If it weren’t for all of this, she’d probably be considered a beauty. She had a long, braided ponytail that draped over her shoulder and smooth caramel skin. Rare for an environment this harsh. This would probably be the second time you’ve ever met her in person. The first being when she made you a Stalker.

She signals her guards to give you some room with a lazy wave of her hand.

[Swiss]: Boys, give the man some space! We’re all friends here.

Her voice sounds slightly mechanical on account of the electronic device that she uses to speak. Her vocal cords must’ve been damaged during her mutation. Some say that it makes her seem more intimidating.

[Max]: What’s this all about, Swiss?

[Swiss]: I’ve got a job for you, what else?

You slightly relax your shoulders, but that tension from before still seizes your body and mind.

[Max]: What’d you have in mind?

[Swiss]: A meteor crashed not too long ago. Seers and scribes think it might’ve been one of them fancy watches.

[Max]: Let me guess. You want me to get it for you?

She adopts a toothy grin and lets out a torrent of mechanical, wicked laughter. But it must’ve been too stressful for her damaged throat, since she goes into a violent coughing fit soon afterward. Her guards clamber to get to her side, but she calls them off with another wave of her hand, and they return to their original positions.

[Swiss]: No Max, I don’t think there will be any need for that.

Her eyes become fixated on your bandaged wrist. Oh god. She knows…

(Cont.)

[Swiss]: There will be other Stalkers that will look into the crash and try to discern who took it and where. It’ll only be a matter of time until they trace it back to...wherever it’s been taken. You know what this means, don’t you?

[Max]: That they’ll stop at nothing to take it. Even if it means toppling an Ark.

[Swiss]: Exactly! I knew you were smart, Max. That’s why I want you to do me a teensy little favor. During all of this chaos and excitement, I want you to eliminate an Ark Leader.

The word “eliminate” rings through your head for a while. She doesn’t want you to rough him up or bring him to justice. She wants him dead.

>”Fine. Consider it done. Just point me in the right direction.”
>”What if I brought him back alive? Surely he’d be more valuable to you alive.”
>”I’ll do it. But I’m gonna need some supplies for the trip.” (Take the supplies and run as far from here as you can //// or Honestly accept the mission and the supplies)
>”Why do you want them dead?”
>”I won’t do it. I’m no killer.”
>"I thought we had a peace treaty between Ark Leaders."
>"Surely you can find someone better suited to this job. I'm getting up in my years."
>Write-in.

>>3686630
>>”Why do you want them dead?”
>"I thought we had a peace treaty between Ark Leaders."
>”I’ll do it. But I’m gonna need some supplies for the trip.” (Honestly accept the mission and the supplies)

>>3686639
support

>>3686639
Support

>>3686639
>>3686936
>>3687079
Writing...

[Max]: Why do you want them dead?

[Swiss]: Why do you ask so many questions?

[Max]: Just thought I’d pick your brain a bit before I made my decision.

You notice her eye twitch a bit when you mentioned the word “decision”. She’s not used to having anyone mention the possibility of disobedience. But still, she keeps up that same cocky smile that she always wears.

[Swiss]: Hm. Fair enough. Your target will be the Ark Leader known as Argit. He’s been a thorn in my side for a while, but I tolerated him for his trade goods and information network. But recently, it seems that he’s been keeping me out of the loop. I’m noticing little discrepancies and half-truths during his briefings. And not only that, but I’ve got a hunch that he’s been eliminating my spies and chipping away at my information network.

[Max]: So you think he’s up to something.

[Swiss]: Oh yes. And for him to go to lengths such as these, it must be particularly nasty. All this secrecy and espionage. i don't like the smell of it. So whatever it is that he's planning to do, I want you to find out what it is and put a stop to it.

This all seems a little extreme for a few white lies here and there. What’s Swiss so afraid of?

[Max]: What about the peace treaty between Ark Leaders? This incident could spark another war.

[Swiss]: Fuck the treaty! As long as you don’t get caught, then we aren’t violating a damn thing. I need you to be ruthless and efficient. But most importantly, don’t lead a fucking army to my doorstep, or I’ll kill you myself. We clear?

[Max]: Crystal.

[Swiss]: Perfect. So what’s your “decision” on the matter.

She rolls her eyes as she mentions the word. Such a notion that you would dare to refuse her must seem absolutely ridiculous to her.

[Max]: I’ll do it, but I’ll need some supplies for the trip.

Her face remains stony and emotionless as she studies your face for a sliver of false loyalty. She breaks into her signature smirk when she feels satisfied by whatever she’s found by staring at you.

[Swiss]: Excellent! You can get your supplies from Vulkanus. Tell him that I’ll foot the bill.

[Max]: Thanks. I really appreciate it.

[Swiss]: Oh, think nothing of it! What are friends for?

She waves you off and her guards escort you towards the door.

[Swiss]: Oh, and Max?

You turn to face her once more, but it’s a bit difficult to see her face with all of the light filtering through the stained glass that decorates the walls.

[Max]: Don’t fuck this up.

You’re practically thrown out of the Throne Room after the meeting is over, but it’s not like you were planning on overstaying your welcome. You make your way through the bustling marketplace, whilst making sure that the cloth fastened firmly around your wrist doesn't come undone. The last thing you need is a desperate scavenger coming after your ass.

(Cont.)

File: Vulkanus_AF_tiny.png (277 KB, 720x544)

277 KB PNG

You spot Vulkanus working on his damaged exo-suit behind his stall. He works hard to complete it day in and day out, but you doubt he ever will. Mostly due to the fact that Swiss has been limiting the amount of parts he can receive every month. She wants to keep him here as a valuable asset, and you can’t blame her. He’s a damn good businessman.

[Max]: Hey Vulkanus, I need a few things for-

[Vulkanus]: Buzz off, Tennyson. Can’t you see I’m busy? Come back later.

His deep voice betrays his small and child-like appearance, but his attitude is just as rotten as a child’s.

[Max]: Swiss sent me. Said she’d foot the bill.

He gulps hard and you see beads of sweat roll down his pale, orange face.

[Vulkanus]: D-did she now? Uh, when I said for you to come back later...I meant now! Now is later! Welcome to my shop, Tennyson. What can I get ya?

>Particle rifle. Long-range, silent and untraceable.
>Pulse Rifle. Useful for skirmishes when your enemies get too close, and useful for keeping them from getting away.
>Plasma pistol. Short range burst weapon. Does alot of damage, but the plasma shots dissipate and become useless at longer ranges.
>Pack of thermal imploders. These things can level small structures when activated and thrown.
>Pack of sonic grenades. Primarily used to blind and pacify enemies, rather than killing them.
>Mono-molecular blade. Sharp enough to cut through solid steel with ease. Among other things.
>Combat Knife. Easy to carry, and easy to conceal.
>Tranq-gun and tranq darts. For the non-violent approach.
>Write-in.(Within reason of course.)

>>3687255
Meant for Swiss to make that last remark during their exchange. My bad.

>>3687260
>>Particle rifle. Long-range, silent and untraceable.
>Combat Knife. Easy to carry, and easy to conceal.
>Tranq-gun and tranq darts. For the non-violent approach.

>>3687260
>>Particle rifle. Long-range, silent and untraceable.
>Combat Knife. Easy to carry, and easy to conceal.
>Tranq-gun and tranq darts. For the non-violent approach.
>Pack of sonic grenades. Primarily used to blind and pacify enemies, rather than killing them.

>>3687271
>>3687461
Support

>>3687260
>Particle rifle. Long-range, silent and untraceable.
>(Remote Detonation) Pack of thermal imploders. These things can level small structures when activated and triggered.
>some remote surveillance equipment?

Basically this plan is to find Argit, with the equipment, place remote imploders on a wall or structure near where he will be either as a distraction or to make an hole to shoot Argit. Maybe place a few of the imploders around his Ark near busy places but hidden to make the whole thing seem like a terrorist attack.

You pick out your weapons and wait patiently for Vulkanus to waddle over to his cache and bring you what you ordered. He carefully wraps your weapons in a tattered cloth and fastens it together with a frayed rope.

>Obtained Particle Rifle.
>Obtained Tranq-gun w/ 12 darts.
>Obtained Combat Knife.
>Obtained 6 Sonic Grenades

You don’t have a lot of ammo on these Tranq darts, so you’ve gotta make them count.

[Max]: Thanks. I'll let you get back to working on your suit.

[Vulkanus]: Not like I'll get anything done with all these missing parts, anyway…

At least he's aware of his situation. You feel bad for the little guy, but you've got your own problems to worry about. Like assassinating an Ark Leader.

You grab your weapons and head straight for the Rust Bucket without making any stops along the way. You hate to leave without saying anything to Phoebe, but you can't afford to waste any time. Swiss isn’t the patient type.

You notice that there are a few guards hanging around your home and your vehicle. They must have been making sure that you didn’t get distracted on your way there. Why’s your Ark Leader so frazzled by this Argit guy? He must be pretty terrifying to make her act like this. You can’t even imagine the sort of monster that awaits you once you leave the safety of your Ark.

You slide open the door to your RV, and it roars to life as Trixy wakes from Rest Mode.

[Trixy]: Welcome back, Max. I’d received a set of coordinates while I was in rest mode. What kind of mission will we be going on today?

[Max]: One that’ll probably get us killed. Swiss wants me to-

You stop talking when you notice that Trixy is emitting a non-verbal proximity alert. She’s trying to tell you that there’s an intruder in the Rust Bucket! And you’re pretty sure that you know who it is.

You carefully proceed to an enclosed storage unit that you keep beneath the floor, with your weapon raised just in case your hunch is wrong. You pop the small door open to find...Phoebe!

She gives you a nervous toothy grin in an attempt to appease you.

[Phoebe]: Uh, surprise?

[Max]: Phoebe! What’d I tell you about sneaking up on me?!

[Phoebe]: Yeah yeah, I know! But you promised that you’d take me out on a mission with you someday. I wanna be a stalker just like you! Besides, you need someone to watch your back out there.

Lord almighty, this girl is gonna be the death of you. Any other mission would’ve been a cakewalk. Why’d she have to pick the most dangerous one to volunteer for?

(Cont.)

>”I’ll take you out into the Wastes one day, but not today. This mission is too dangerous.”
>”Go home, Phoebe. You’ve got a nice comfy job and you don’t need to risk losing it by becoming a stalker.”
>”This isn’t a game. If I were to let you go out there with me, then you could be killed or worse. I can’t guarantee your safety, and I’m not about to have a kid’s blood on my hands.”
>”Do you have any skills that could help me out on my mission, then? If you’re gonna watch my back, then I need to know what you can do.”
>”...Fine. But you’re staying in the car, and you don’t go anywhere or do anything without asking me first. Are we clear?”
>"You're far too young and inexperienced. I can't have you going out there without the proper training."
>Write-in.

>>3689577
>>”I’ll take you out into the Wastes one day, but not today. This mission is too dangerous.”
>”This isn’t a game. If I were to let you go out there with me, then you could be killed or worse. I can’t guarantee your safety, and I’m not about to have a kid’s blood on my hands.”

>>3689569
>>”I’ll take you out into the Wastes one day, but not today. This mission is too dangerous.”
>”This isn’t a game. If I were to let you go out there with me, then you could be killed or worse. I can’t guarantee your safety, and I’m not about to have a kid’s blood on my hands.”

>>”I’ll take you out into the Wastes one day, but not today. This mission is too dangerous.”
>”This isn’t a game. If I were to let you go out there with me, then you could be killed or worse. I can’t guarantee your safety, and I’m not about to have a kid’s blood on my hands.”

>>3689586
>>3690605
>>3690640
Writing...

You pinch your nose and take a deep breath before speaking. You don’t have as much patience as you did a few years back.

[Max]: I’ll take you out into the Wastes one day, but not today. This mission is too dangerous.

She crosses her arms and turns away from you while pouting. She always acts like this when you shoot her down. You place a reassuring hand on her shoulder in order to reason with her.

[Max]: Next time, okay?

[Phoebe]: You always say that! You said it last time, and the time before that. But you always tell me to stay home. It’s so boring in the Ark. I wanna have an adventure!

You remove your hand and take on a more serious expression. You don't have time to sugarcoat things right now. She needs to hear an honest answer.

[Max]: This isn’t a game. If I were to let you go out there with me, then you could be killed or worse. I can’t guarantee your safety, and I’m not about to have a kid’s blood on my hands.

Your stern and eloquent speech seems to have made her feel embarrassed about her outburst earlier. But you can’t blame her for being eager to venture out into the unknown. After all, you were the same when you were her age.

[Max]: I won’t let you take a single step outside of this Ark unless you know how to survive. When I get back, we can get started on your training. Okay?

[Phoebe]: ...Okay.

Her shoulders hang low as you storms out of your RV, but you believe she’ll be fine until you get back. At least, you hope so.

[Trixy]: It was for her own good, Max.

[Max]: Yeah, I know. Let’s get moving.

You slide into the driver’s seat and set the coordinates to Argit’s Ark. 265 miles southeast. Not bad, but not a short drive by any means. You shift your car into drive and allow the Ark guards to lead you past the heavy iron gates that protect you and everyone who dwells inside.

[Trixy]: Our estimated travel time is 4 hours and 35 minutes.

[Max]: Let’s make it 3 hours.

You rev up your engine and prime your rear-thrusters as you prepare to blaze a trail through this barren wasteland. In an instant, you experience an immediate burst of speed that nearly throws your head back into your seat, as the Rust Bucket climbs massive dunes with impressive speed. That should shorten your travel time by quite a bit.

After about 40 minutes of uninterrupted driving, you receive a weather warning from Trixy.

[Trixy]: Alert! Dust Devil approaching our position. It will overtake us in approximately 10 minutes.

[Max]: A Dust Devil? That wasn’t in the forecast…

You take a peek at your rear-view mirror to see a twister of massive proportions approaching your location. Like the cloudy sky above you, it takes on a deep red hue and flashes brilliantly from the arcs of lightning inside. They’re notorious for showing up out of nowhere and sweeping unsuspecting vehicles into the air before tearing them to shreds. In all honesty, you’re pretty lucky that it didn’t just drop on top of you.

[Max]: Looks like we’re gonna have to look for shelter.

Where will you be taking shelter? You spot a cave nearby, and a diner in the distance. But, your Omnitrix could give you a few more options here.

>A nearby cave. You don’t know what’s in there, but it’s gotta be better than staying out here.
>A rundown diner in the distance. It might even have some food in there.
>Drive to the diner, use Jury Rigg to upgrade your vehicle, and try to drive through the storm.
>Dig a hole as Wildmutt and hunker down with your RV until the storm passes over.
>Use Diamondhead to make a shelter of your own.
>Write-in.

Alien List:

>Fourarms
>Heatblast
>Jury Rigg
>Cannonbolt
>Diamondhead
>Frankenstrike
>Grey Matter
>Wildmutt
>XLR8
>Stinkfly

>>3691025
>>A nearby cave. You don’t know what’s in there, but it’s gotta be better than staying out here.

>>3691025
>A nearby cave. You don’t know what’s in there, but it’s gotta be better than staying out here.

[Max]: Let’s hunker down in that cave. Make sure the Rust Bucket doesn’t fly away on me?

[Trixy]: Understood.

You park the RV as close to the cave as you can, because you can’t really make it fit into the narrow opening of the rock formation. Once you leave the vehicle, Trixy lowers the suspension and unsheathes the armor plating onto the hull. This way, it’ll be much heavier and closer to the ground. Hopefully that’ll be enough to prevent you from losing your pride and joy.

Once you’re sure that you’ve done everything you can, you rest your weary bones on the cold, hard floor. And just when you think that you’re alone, you hear a deep growling, paired with the glimmering and hungry eyes of a predator. You strain your eyes and force them to adjust the lack of light, and that’s when you see a Sand Tiger baring its fangs at you!

A Sand Tiger is basically a hairless predator with sharp fangs, sharp claws and even sharper senses. Like an uncooked turkey that can tear you to pieces. They’ve only been trouble ever since they mutated into...this.

Upon closer inspection, it looks like he’s hurt. He’s covered in deep cuts and bruises. These guys are pretty hard to hurt due to their tough hide, so you wonder who could’ve done this.

It keeps a close eye on you while licking its wounds, but you don’t think it intends to attack you. At least, not at this very moment.

>Leave him be and rest your eyes a bit.
>Leave him be and wait until this storm passes.
>Offer him a bit of your Rock Bird jerky.
>Kick him out of the cave with one of your aliens.(Which one?)
>Form a barrier to keep him on the other side of the cave.
>Write-in.

>>3692755
>>Offer him a bit of your Rock Bird jerky.

>>3692791
Support

>>3692755
>Offer him a bit of your Rock Bird jerky.
>Leave him be and wait until this storm passes.

An idea pops into your head, and you dig around in your pocket for some leftover Rock Bird jerky. The Sand Tiger keeps a wary eye on you the entire time, but you try not to seem too intimidated. Once you finally manage to pull out the piece of stale, dried meat, you notice that the Sand Tiger has become solely fixated on the jerky. He licks his lips hungrily and lowers his head down onto the rock that he rests on.

You place the meat onto the floor, a safe distance away from yourself, and move a tad bit closer to the opening of the cave. The wounded predator inches ever closer to you, remaining cautious of you and your offering. He takes a moment to smell the meat, just to make sure that it won’t be harmful to him. And finally, he picks it up and gobbles it up in an instant. He must’ve liked it, since he seems to be licking his lips and smelling the air in search for more.

You throw him some more jerky, and he doesn’t hesitate to gobble it up this time. You were never the biggest fan of Rock Bird Jerky, anyway. It’s far too tough and gamy for your taste. You’ve been trying to cook a delicious meal with it for years, but to no avail. Wasteland food has always seemed pretty boring to you. Without access to imported alien ingredients, you’ve been stuck eating whatever you can scavenge.

A wave of sand whips you in the face, forcing you to move deeper into the cave. You glance over to see if the Tiger minds you intruding into hi personal space, but it seems that he’s already fast asleep. You must’ve been lost in thought for a while there. That’s been happening a bit more often than you’d like it to these days.

You don't quite feel safe enough to close your eyes around this thing, so you absently gaze out into the storm and wait for it to pass. Every now and again, you glance down at your Omnitrix, but it only brings back painful memories. This one’s green. Just like Ben’s. Maybe he sent it to you on purpose. Maybe it’s a sign.

You begin to wonder how he feels when he watches the state of the world declining due to his actions. It must be tearing him up inside. He’s probably trapped and helpless in there, unable to turn back to his human form because Serena and Bellacus won’t let him. You used to dream of rescuing him from such a fate. You’d always say that you’d find a way to turn him back and give him the lecture of a lifetime. You’d make sure he’d never do something that stupid ever again. That even if he couldn’t forgive himself, you’d forgive him no matter what he did. You were always there to pick him up at his lowest point, and that won’t ever change. That’s what Grandpa’s are supposed to do, after all.

(Cont.)

After a while, the storm does eventually pass over. You take a peek at the Sand Tiger and see that he still has his back turned to you. He must be tuckered out after what he’s been through. You strain your legs as you rise to your feet, and the Tiger jumps to his feet at the same time as you do. You nearly stagger back in surprise, but he doesn’t seem to have any hostile intent. You slowly walk backwards towards the Rust Bucket, and he follows close behind you.

[Max]: Go on now. Get going.

He doesn’t seem like he wants to leave you alone.

[???]: Hah! I knew he was hiding around here, boys!

You turn to see four masked scavengers standing on the other side of the Rust Bucket.

[Hunter]: That’s our dinner you’re snatching away, old man. Just leave him there, ride off in your crap-wagon and don’t look back.

The leader of the troupe aims his makeshift rifle at the tiger, who appears to be baring his fangs and cowering behind you. If they’ve been hunting this little guy through a storm, then they must be starving, and desperate.

>”Why don’t you boys try the diner down the road? I hear they made some pretty good flapjacks back in the day.”
>”I’ve got some food in my RV. Just leave him alone, and be on your way.”
>”There’s gotta be something else you guys can eat out here. Why chase a Sand Tiger through a Dust Devil?”
>Leave the beast to his fate and continue on your journey. You can't afford to waste anymore time or risk getting hurt.
>Transform into an alien and defend the creature. (Which one?)

Alien List:

>Fourarms
>Heatblast
>Jury Rigg
>Cannonbolt
>Diamondhead
>Frankenstrike
>Grey Matter
>Wildmutt
>XLR8
>Stinkfly

>>3693221
>>”Why don’t you boys try the diner down the road? I hear they made some pretty good flapjacks back in the day.”
>”There’s gotta be something else you guys can eat out here. Why chase a Sand Tiger through a Dust Devil?”

>>3693221
>>”Why don’t you boys try the diner down the road? I hear they made some pretty good flapjacks back in the day.”
>”There’s gotta be something else you guys can eat out here. Why chase a Sand Tiger through a Dust Devil?”

[Max]: Why don’t you boys try to diner down the road? I hear they made some pretty good flapjacks back in the day.

[Hunter]: Food must be caught, not bought. Anything and everything under the Black Sun is fair game. Even you, old man. Pretty sure you’d taste like shit, though.

What was meant to be an insult only serves to creep you out even more. You really hate dealing with Gourmet Cultists. They’ll eat everything and anything with a beating heart. And that doesn’t exclude intelligent life. They’re the very image of desperation and immorality.

[Max]: There’s gotta be something else you guys can eat out here. Why chase a Sand Tiger through a Dust Devil?

[Hunter]: That thing killed our leader and ate his heart. The role of leadership can’t be passed down unless I eat his heart. But, eating the creature that killed him would work just fine too.

He unsheathes points his knife at the Sand Tiger, invoking a loud roar from the creature. The cultists just laugh and mock the wounded creature in response.

[Hunter]: So, what’s it gonna be old man?

You don’t have time to reason with these knuckleheads. You need to settle this as quickly as possible. Trixy should be back online anytime now...

>Command Trixy to open fire on these deranged thugs.
>Command Trixy to pacify the hunters with a concentrated burst of electricity.
>Tell Trixy to warm up the engine while you distract them, toss a sonic grenade and flee the area.
>Agree to leave the Sand Tiger’s fate to the hunters.
>Transform into an alien. (Which one?)
>Write-in.

Alien List:

>Fourarms
>Heatblast
>Jury Rigg
>Cannonbolt
>Diamondhead
>Frankenstrike
>Grey Matter
>Wildmutt
>XLR8
>Stinkfly

A little later, I'll be posting a pastebin link with the resources and alien list for this thread special.

>>3694898
>>Command Trixy to open fire on these deranged thugs.
>Tell Trixy to warm up the engines
>If all that doesn't work, transform into heat blast

>>3695471
support

>>3695471
>>3696365
Writing...

You whisper to your slumbering A.I. in order to escape your predicament.

[Max]: Trixy, warm up the engines and prepare to open fire on hostiles.

Your communicator beeps in confirmation.

[Hunter]: What you whispering about, you fat sack of bones?

[Max]: Now now, no need to get nasty.

[Hunter]: We’ll show you nasty!

They raise their rifles and prepare to fire, but they’re interrupted by the Rust Buckets Plasma Cannons. The first shot creates a smoking crater in the wannabe leader’s chest, and the other shots only graze the rest of the hunters.

While they’re distracted, you race to select an alien before the hunters can regain their composure. There’s an awful lot of options to choose from here. You could never understand how Ben casually chooses an alien in these situations. He'd usually get the wrong one, but at least he knew how to make it work. He probably deserved more credit than you and the others gave him. Hindsight is a hell of a thing.

Is this Heatblast? You remember him being fairly reliable. Guess he’ll have to do!

You raise your hand into the air and slam it back down onto the watch in an attempt to get the drop on your enemies. In a flash of emerald light, your skin becomes craggy, molten rock, and a ferocious fire spreads throughout your body. You’ve become Heatblast!

>Launch yourself at the bandits and engage them in fire-boosted martial arts.
>Send out a wave of sand and lava at your enemies.
>Melt the barrels of their makeshift rifles and render them defenseless.
>Command a pillar of flame to descend upon them and burn them to cinders.
>Write-in.

>>3696769
>>Melt the barrels of their makeshift rifles and render them defenseless.
>Launch yourself at the bandits and engage them in fire-boosted martial arts.

>>3696769
>>Melt the barrels of their makeshift rifles and render them defenseless.

File: Hotspot.jpg (92 KB, 802x997)

92 KB JPG

You release a jet of flame that travels towards you opponents and super-heats the barrels of their guns in an instant, thus causing them to bend and warp. The thugs drop their guns in fear of getting burned, and Trixy eliminates another one of them amidst the chaos. The last one simply glares at you with a look of pure hatred and contempt.

[Max]: Show’s over, son.

[Cultist]: Bet you feel all warm and cozy in that Ark of yours, huh? Being that the Ark Leaders cherry picked the citizens that they wanted to save. The rest of us gotta fend for ourselves out here. But do any of them care? Do you even know why they call them Arks?

He slowly reaches for what you assume is a knife in his back pocket. Don’t do it. Just walk away.

[Cultist]: Arks are meant to keep your head above water. Preserves the lives of God’s chosen and usher in a new era of peace. So while I’m fucking drowning out here, you and the rest of our new Masters our laughing their asses off from the comfort of their own home!

He then tosses a broken piece of foreign technology to the ground.

[Cultist]: Don’t believe me? Then check this shit out. They’re watching us, man. All of us. But right now, all eyes are on you. The second you picked up that shiny new Omnitrix, you became the new ”Star” of this shit-show.

Amidst his nonsensical blathering, he breaks into a torrent of wicked laughter.

[Cultist]: I almost feel sorry for you, man-

His words are cut short by Trixy’s heavy plasma cannons. You’re suddenly very glad that you didn’t bring Phoebe along. All this senseless violence and destruction would’ve broken her delusions of you and the people that remain in this world.

Your eyes remain fixated on the foreign alien tech that lays before you. Could there have been some truth to what that deranged loon was shouting about? As you examine it, you notice that the Sand Tiger from before is still standing beside you. You thought he’d have run away by now.

>Pick up the broken tech and have Trixy examine it along the way.
>Take the Sand Tiger with you. You might be able to properly train him, later.
>Shoo the animal away and continue on your journey.
>Give the men a proper burial and get back to the mission at hand.
>Loot the bandit’s bodies before your departure.
>Write-in.

>>3699553
>>Pick up the broken tech and have Trixy examine it along the way. Even if they're wrong it's better to be safe than sorry.
>>Take the Sand Tiger with you. You might be able to properly train him, later.
>Loot the bandit’s bodies before your departure.

>>3699553
>Pick up the broken tech and have Trixy examine it along the way.
>Loot the bandit’s bodies before your departure
dont bring the sand tiger with you.

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>3699609
>>3700148
Gonna roll for the result of keeping the creature or not.

Looks like we're keeping it. Writing...

You’re unsure of how to time out early, but you’re pretty sure that you saw Ben do it a few times. If you remember correctly, you saw him slap his Omnitrix symbol and-

In a flash of crimson light, you return to your human form and the Omnitrix enters its recharge mode. Well that was surprisingly easy. And the way it felt when you transformed. It was so bizarre.

Ben wasn’t kidding when he said it felt like a “Big stretch”. You just thought he was at a loss for a more eloquent description, but it feels pretty accurate now that you’ve gone through the process yourself. Like your body is undergoing a complete biological overhaul in mere moments. You don’t know if you’ll ever get used to it, but you can’t concern yourself with thoughts like that now.

You approach the piece of foreign tech that was thrown towards you and examine it closely. It’s unlike anything you’ve seen before. Looks new. But you know that no one on this planet has the resources to make something past tech level 3-4. How’d this make it past the planetary wall?

Your thoughts are interrupted by the Sand Tiger approaching you from behind. What does it want? It doesn’t seem hostile towards you. Perhaps he wants to come with you?

This kind of behavior is pretty uncommon in wild animals, but it’s not unheard of. You guess it wouldn’t hurt to have a companion on this journey. And if you make it out of this alive, you might even be able to teach him a few tricks.

[Max]: Alright, fine. Come on.

You rise to your feet and walk towards the Rust Bucket, with the wild creature following close behind. He’s a bit hesitant to enter the RV, but he eventually jumps inside once he judges it to be safe. You place the tech fragment onto your coffee table and flip a switch underneath the worn piece of furniture.

[Trixy]: Welcome back, Max. I see you’ve made a new friend.

[Max]: Nevermind that. I need you to scan this tech fragment and let me know what you can find out about it.

[Trixy]: Understood.

While Trixy scans the object, you slide back into the driver’s seat and prepare to depart.

The last words of that bandit still remain fresh in your mind. Was he telling the truth? Are you being watched? If so, then this entire mission’s been compromised already. But you know better than to return home empty-handed. Swiss would have your head if you let her down on such an important operation. You’ve got no choice but to keep going.

The Sand Tiger nuzzles your hand and rubs its sharp beak against your wrinkled flesh. He sure has gotten attached to you. Maybe you should give him a name.

>Write-in.
>Allow Trixy to name him. You were never great at naming pets.
>No names. You can't be bothered to think about something so trivial during a mission.

>>3705041
>>Allow Trixy to name him. You were never great at naming pets.

>>3705041
Allow Trixy to name him. You were never great at naming pets.

File: Spoiler Image (542 KB, 1200x693)

542 KB PNG

[Max]: Hey Trixy, I’ll give you the honor of naming our new friend.

[Trixy]: Such a momentous occasion. I think Sphinx is a fitting name.

[Max]: Why?

[Trixy]: Just look at the way he’s sitting.

You turn to see that your new friend is lying upright on his stomach, with his paws outstretched. And his physical features do seem like a mix between a bird and a big cat.

[Max]: I guess Sphinx is a decent name. What’s the progress on that scan?

[Trixy]: 33% Complete. I will notify you when I discover more from the device.

------------------------

You drive along the barren plains for what feels like an hour, with your favorite Shag Carpeting album to soothe your troubled mind. You notice that Sphinx has yet to get used to the feeling of standing in a mobile vehicle. He's been slipping and sliding along the floor for about 15 minutes now.

[Trixy]: The scan is complete.

[Max]: What do you got for me?

[Trixy]: The object appears to be a part from a surveillance drone, but that is the most I could discover. The alloy and bonding materials used to craft this device are like any I’ve ever seen. They do not appear to be from this galaxy. And the technology used in the circuitry is simply, phenomenal…

[Max]: A surveillance drone from another dimension? What’s it doing down here?

[Trixy]: I am unsure, but we have much bigger problems to worry about. I’m detecting an unusual signal 75km behind us.

You take a peek at your rear view mirror, and you see a ship fast approaching. It’s almost as large as the rust bucket, and it appears to be utilizing some sort of cloaking technology. Must be why Trixy didn’t detect it until it got this close. You notice that a myriad of colors are reflecting off of its surface, giving it a radiant shine, similar to that of a bubble.

[Trixy]: Max, it’s giving off the same signal as the drone you’ve brought to me.

You make an attempt to listen to her, but Trixy's voice is being drowned out by the familiar sound of charging plasma.

[Max]: It’s preparing to fire! Hold on!

>Take evasive maneuvers, while firing back with your plasma cannons.
>Transform into an alien. (Which one?)
>Put the Rust Bucket on auto-pilot and toss a few sonic grenades at the ship.
>Try to take out its guns with a well aimed shot from your Particle Rifle.
>Write-in.

Alien List:

>Fourarms
>Heatblast
>Jury Rigg
>Cannonbolt
>Diamondhead
>Frankenstrike
>Grey Matter
>Wildmutt
>XLR8
>Stinkfly

Weapons:

>Particle Rifle.
>Tranq-gun w/ 12 darts.
>Combat Knife.
>6 Sonic Grenades

>>3705370
>>Take evasive maneuvers, while firing back with your plasma cannons.

>>3705370
>Take evasive maneuvers, while firing back with your plasma cannons.

>>3705378
>>3706075
Roll 1d100, bo3!

Rolled 2 (1d100)

>>3706671

Rolled 39 (1d100)

>>3706671

Rolled 49 (1d100)

>>3706671

>>3706888
>>3706914
>>3707020
Writing...

>49

You swerve to the right, narrowly avoiding a plasma shot as it zips past you and causes the ground to erupt upon impact.

[Max]: Trixy, get those guns up!

Without a word of protest or confirmation, Trixy activates the cannons that rest atop your vehicle and fires relentlessly at your pursuer. Surprisingly, none of the shits hit their mark, as the advanced craft manages to swiftly evade your attacks with ease. It maneuvers much better than you expected it to.

With one graceful movement, it dodges your next shot, leans to the left and destroys a large chunk of your hull with a single shot. This thing really packs a punch!

[Trixy]: Max, might I suggest that you get rid of the drone fragment?

[Max]: What? Why?

[Trixy]: My scans show that there is an organic being inside. Now this is just my hypothesis, but I believe that it is solely interested in you because you picked up the device. If we get rid of the device, then perhaps it will give up its chase.

That’s a pretty big gamble. You could take the risk, but that would mean losing a lead on...whatever this thing is. Then again, you do have a few more options here. There’s a nearby junk-field that can provide some more cover. And then there’s the Omnitrix.

>Get rid of the drone part.
>Continue firing at it with your plasma cannons. You’ll hit it eventually!
>Raise one of your cannons upward, and drift to the side in order to cause the craft to crash into it.
>Turn the Rust Bucket into a nearby junk-field. Should provide you some cover, along with some additional strategies.
>Release a cloud of smoke from your exhaust pipe in an attempt to blind it.
>Latch onto it with a tow cable.
>Transform into an alien. (Which one?)
>Write-in.

Alien List:

>Fourarms
>Heatblast
>Jury Rigg
>Cannonbolt
>Diamondhead
>Frankenstrike
>Grey Matter
>Wildmutt
>XLR8
>Stinkfly

Weapons:

>Particle Rifle.
>Tranq-gun w/ 12 darts.
>Combat Knife.
>6 Sonic Grenades

Rust Bucket Features:

>Plasma Cannon
>Oil Slick
>Smokescreen
>Tow Cable Launcher
>Battering Ram
>Rear Thrusters
>Auto-pilot
>Trixy

>>3707104
>Release a cloud of smoke from your exhaust pipe in an attempt to blind it.
>>Turn the Rust Bucket into a nearby junk-field. Should provide you some cover, along with some additional strategies.
>Turn into Jury Rigg and make something useful

Here's the pastebin for the aliens and inventory in this special!

https://pastebin.com/SznrVMZs

>>3707125
Support

>>3707125
>>3707327
Roll 1d100, bo3!

Rolled 34 (1d100)

>>3707521

Rolled 54 (1d100)

>>3707521

Rolled 85 (1d100)

>>3707521
One more since traffic is slow

File: Jury_Rigg_OV.PNG.png (1.24 MB, 990x662)

1.24 MB PNG

>85

You flip a few switches, and you hear an audible stutter in your engine for a moment, before a thick plume of smoke is spat out of your exhaust pipe. This appears to affect the vessel’s pilot, because his flying becomes increasingly erratic upon having his vision obscured. Whatever you do, you’ll have to make it fast. You don’t doubt that he’s got some alternative methods to track you through thermal sensors or the like.

You make a sharp turn into the nearby junk-field, hoping that you can think of a way to take this guy out. You glance at the Omnitrix, and a crazy plan starts to formulate in your mind.

[Max]: Trixy, take the wheel!

[Trixy]: Are you quite sure that-

[Max]: Yes, I’m sure!

You exit the driver’s seat and move towards the ladder you had installed in order to access the roof for maintenance. You quickly climb the ladder, open the latch and peek your head outside to get an idea of where the enemy ship is. A bolt of heated plasma zips past your head, only missing by a narrow margin. Any closer, and your eyeballs probably would’ve been boiled from the residual heat.

Not wanting to expose your body any more than you already are, you open up the Omnitrix’s faceplate and slowly browse through your roster of aliens. Upon finding Jury Rigg’s icon, you slap your hand down on the Omnitrix and go through yet another uncomfortable transformation. You can feel your organs smashing together and your skeletal structure changing in an instant.

You’ve become Jury Rigg!

Now, what are we gonna make? So many options…

Hundreds of simulations run through your head at once, and you begin eliminating them one by one, until you think of one that can get you out of this mess.

[Max]: Idea! Big idea! Just need a few parts…

You leap from the moving vehicle, grabbing spare scrap from wherever you can find it, whilst leaping back onto the vehicle and assembling what you’ve gathered. You repeat this process several times over, keeping pace with the vehicle and avoiding any incoming fire without much effort. You’re moving like a man possessed! You never knew Jury Rigg was this fast!

[Max]: Fix fix fix fix! Assemble!

After several dozen trips, you think you’ve finally completed this...thing. It looks like some sort of high powered net gun, but you’re not even entirely sure if what you made here will function correctly. But that ship getting a lot closer to hitting you, and you don’t have alot of options at this point.

[Max]: Well, here goes nothing!

(Cont.)

You hop into the catapult’s seat and carefully aim for your pursuer with the makeshift crosshairs that you made from a broken hood ornament. And with the swift pull of a trigger, you launch a heavy, metal net that manages to snag the ship!

[Max]: Bullseye!

Clearly disoriented from this attack, the ship slams into a rusted metal plate, belonging to a derelict ship. However, it seems that the metal plate is sticking fast to the net, weighing your pursuer down and limiting it’s movement.

Of course! You made the net to be magnetic! You obviously meant to do that!

Trixty catches onto what you’re doing, and she makes a sharp turn, causing the ship to slam into yet another large piece of debris. And another. And another!

This continues for what feels like 4 minutes, before it finds itself completely weighed down by several tons of scrap.

And the timing was great too, since the net gun fell apart soon after it served its purpose. You take this chance to head downstairs, grab your particle rifle and examine the crashed ship.

It appears that there are no exposed gaps in the ships hull for you to grab onto. But that’s never stopped Jury Rigg!

[Max]: Disassemble! Smash! Destroy!

Your grubby little goblin hands pry away at the advanced piece of machinery and take it apart at an incredible speed. You wish to keep going until the device is completely disassembled, but you somehow manage to find the strength to stop yourself upon noticing the pilot inside, cowering in fear from your superhuman display. You can’t quite tell what his species is through his pilot suit, but he doesn’t seem to human.

You undo your transformation in a flash of crimson light, and return to your human form. Now that you've got this guy right where you want him, you should be able to get some answers out of this guy. What do you do?

>”Who are you, and what do you want from me?”
>”Why were you trying to kill me?”
>”Where’d you get a ship this advanced? How’d you get past the planetary wall?”
>”All this for a surveillance drone? What is that thing and why’s it so important to you?”
>Forcibly remove his helmet.
>Say nothing and plant your knife between his ribs.
>Write-in.

>>3709397
>>”Who are you, and what do you want from me?”
>”Where’d you get a ship this advanced? How’d you get past the planetary wall?”

>>3709397
>>”Who are you, and what do you want from me?”
>”Where’d you get a ship this advanced? How’d you get past the planetary wall?”

[Max]: Who are you, and what do you want from me?

He begins speaking in a strange alien language that you can’t quite decipher. However, he seems to repeat the word “Triumvirate” several times. But what’s most interesting is the fact that he points to your Omnitrix and seems to express that he has some general knowledge of the device. Did he want to take it from you? If so, then why? There’s plenty of them to choose from around these parts.

Judging from his armor, vehicle and overall conduct, he’s either a criminal, an operative of the Galactic Council, or some thrill-seeking idiot.

[Max]: I’m gonna assume that you want the drone. Is that a safe assumption?

You can hear his ship playback and translate your language to his own, but he doesn’t seem to be able to speak or understand Common. You notice that he nods to your previous question, so at least he can understand you.

[Max]: What about the watch? Did you want that too?

He shakes his head profusely, and attempts to elaborate, but you have no idea what he's trying to convey to you. Better move onto another question.

[Max]: Where’d you get a ship this advanced? How’d you get past the planetary wall?

He cocks his head in confusion, despite his V.I. translating your question. He seems confused about something. But just as he tries to respond, he doubles over in pain, cradling a wound in his side. You didn’t think that you tossed him around that hard, but his species might be more fragile than you expected.

He doesn’t look like he’ll survive much longer out here without a little bit of help.

>Bring him into the Rust Bucket and try to patch up his wounds. He’s still got some questions to answer.
>Leave him to die. He’s still a danger to you, and you can’t afford to waste precious medical supplies.
>Salvage what you can from his ship and strap it onto the roof of your RV.
>Ask Trixy to interface with the ship’s V.I. in order to decipher his language.
>Transform into Grey Matter. He might be able to understand this creature better than you can.
>Scan him with the Omnitrix to register his species.
>Write-in.

>>3712229
>>Ask Trixy to interface with the ship’s V.I. in order to decipher his language.
>Bring the medical supplies to here, don't want him getting close to the drone.

>>3712229
>>Ask Trixy to interface with the ship’s V.I. in order to decipher his language.
>Bring the medical supplies to here, don't want him getting close to the drone.

[Max]: Trixy, can you interface with this ship’s V.I.?

[Trixy]: It’s certainly possible, but it would take some time. I’d have to run trillions of words through the translator and make sense of an alien language through vague responses to general questions.

[Max]: Can you do it, or not?

[Trixy]: Yes. Please place the communicator onto the ship’s console, and I shall take care of the rest.

You do what she suggests, and you hear the ship’s radio make a strange warbling noise. Must be her interference. In the meantime, you should patch this guy up and make sure he doesn’t die before he can give you any valuable information.

You offer him a hand, to which he cautiously accepts before you pull him to his feet and carry him to a shady spot in the junk-field. He groans in pain as a purplish liquid oozes from his open wound and seeps into the sand.

[Max]: Stay here. I’ll be right back.

He seems to understand the intention behind your words, as he sits patiently and awaits your return. You go to fetch the medic kit from your bathroom, while Sphinx stares down the injured pilot with a menacing glare.

When you return, you set the med-kit on the ground and prepare the sewing needle by dipping it in alcohol. This would be a bit easier if he was laying down inside the Rust Bucket, but you don't trust this guy farther than you could throw him. Let’s hope your hands are still steady enough for this.

When the pilot sees the needle, he reacts fearfully and thrashes around on the ground.

[Max]: Hold still! What, are you afraid of a little needle?

He struggles to pull out some sort of black tube from his pocket. You take it and fiddle with the controls on the side, accidentally activating a concentrated laser that burns through the scrap that he’s rested against. Does this crazy bastard want to cauterize the wound with something this powerful?!

You throw the device away and grab the sewing needle again.

[Max]: We’re doing this my way. Grit your teeth and bear with it, princess.

He seems to greatly protest your actions, but does not put much effort into actually stopping you. Your combat knife is effective in tearing through his mesh suit, but this armor of his really is something else. Almost reminds you of chitin, as if it were physically bonded to his skin.

[Max]: Trixy, how's that cipher coming along?

[Trixy]: I’ve made tremendous progress. I found it more efficient to isolate the V.I. from her network and feed her bits and pieces of Earth literature. She thinks that she’s assisting her pilot by doing so, but we should have a much greater understanding of this alien’s language within the hour.

(Cont.)

You didn’t ask for all that, but it’s probably safe for you to question the pilot again.

[Max]: Who are you, and what do you want with me?

[Decima]: I am Decima...of the 52nd Squadron. I was sent to retrieve the drone from you, by any means necessary. I was told that you can't be allowed to learn anything from our surveillance tech.

[Max]: You can speak Common all of a sudden? Why were just playing charades for ten minutes, then?

[Decima]: I know as much as my ship allows me to, you brute. She and I are linked.

A neural link, huh? That's pretty handy. And from the looks of the advanced tech she's got on her hands, she must have come from beyond the planetary wall. But you're not quite sure how that's possible, since the Plumber guard the planetary wall 24/7.

[Max]: Who sent you? Was it the council? Or was it this “Triumvirate”?

She looks dumbfounded for a moment, as if she wasn't quite sure how to answer your question. You catch her mouthing the phrase, "The council?" as she tries to decide what to say next.

[Decima]: They were right. About everything. You're all ignorant down here. You still think that the council exists? Plumbers too? You haven't heard anything past this wall, have you?

The council is gone? You can't wrap your head around what she's saying.

[Max]: What are you talking about? What happened?!

A loud alarm blares from the ship, and you see Decima double over in pain as she tears her helmet off and tosses it onto the sand. She appears to have some reptilian and insectoid facial features. But what you're most distracted by is the pulsating, red circuit pattern that spreads across her face. Eventually, the alarm stops, and her body goes limp as she slumps back against the rusted metal.

[Max]: What was that?!

[Trixy]: I have no idea. This V.I. should be cut off from the network, but it would seem that it still responds to trigger words. I shall do my best to disable it.

[Decima]: I can’t tell you any more than I already have. They’d kill me and my family if I did.

You desperately grab her shoulders and pull her closer to you. She seems really out of it after that shock that her ship gave her.

[Max]: Who’s “they”?

[Decima]: They’re watching us, even now! Please, just kill me and be done with it…

If what she’s saying is true, then it’s possible that the cloaking tech from her ship is being implemented in these drones. How long have these guys been watching you? And what the hell's going on outside of these walls?!

>”Trixy, can you hurry it up with turning off that neural link?"
>"Then don't tell me anything. Use your neural link to tell Trixy instead."
>"You can write down whatever you have to tell me on paper. They won't be able to see that."
>"Is there any way to detect and shut down these drones?"
>"Then you're coming with me for the time being."
>Write-in.

>>3713352
>”Trixy, can you hurry it up with turning off that neural link?"
>"You can write down whatever you have to tell me on paper. They won't be able to see that."
>"Is there any way to detect and shut down these drones?"

>>3713352
>”Trixy, can you hurry it up with turning off that neural link?"
>"You can write down whatever you have to tell me on paper. They won't be able to see that."
>"Is there any way to detect and shut down these drones?"

[Max]: Hey Trixy, can you hurry it up with shutting off that neural link?

[Trixy]: I'm working as fast as I can, Max.

You ignore your partner's sassy tone and go to fetch a pen and paper from the RV. Upon you returning and offering the materials to her, she stares blankly at the paper and writing tool. Does she not know how to use them?

[Decima]: What are these primitive tools? Do you not have a datapad on hand?

[Max]: This is old school. You can't hack it or trace it. Real reliable.

[Decima]: Fascinating…

She seems genuinely impressed by the concept of paper. You wonder what her homeworld must be like.

It takes a couple of minutes to guide her through the process of writing in Common, but she gets the hang of it pretty quickly. So you decide to jump right into it and start grilling her for information.

[Max]: Who's the Triumvirate?

She gives you a nervous glance before she starts to write. You're honestly surprised that she's playing along with any of this.

[Decima]: My esteemed leaders. About a decade ago, my people invaded your galaxy and conquered your leaders. We managed to successfully eradicate the Plumbers and remaining Councilmen, but we suspect that there are a few more running around.

That's...alot to take in. You're not quite sure how to process any of this information. How'd this happen without you knowing about it? Why didn't they unseal the planetary wall before they lost? You could've helped!

[Decima]: Are you alright?

Her penmanship is terrible, but her feelings are genuine and sincere. How'd a softy like her end up in the military?

[Max]: I'm fine. You mentioned that they're always watching us, right? Is it right for me to assume that there are more drones around here?

She nods once and starts to fiddle with her pen.

[Max]: How do we shut them off?

[Decima]: I am not sure. I was never allowed to dissect the drones for study. Besides, the drones operate on an exclusive network. We have no way of accessing it from here.

Maybe Trixy can help you?

[Max]: Trixy, can you access the drone's network from here?

[Trixy]: Not from this range, but I should be able to try a few things with that inactive drone fragment in the Rust Bucket. One moment please.

[Decima]: What is it doing?

[Max]: No idea. But she hasn't let me down yet.

[Trixy]: The drones and V.I. operate on very similar networks. It is why Decima's ship was able to accurately track the fragment. With the knowledge I've gained from the ship, I should be able to hack into the drone network through the fragment. It would appear that there are quite a few of them around the area. And they are all focused on you, Max.

[Max]: Me? What'd I do?

[Trixy]: I am not sure. However, they seem to be streaming a service known as "Hero Time". It appears to be a popular show on the Extranet, of which you're the main character.

...What?! What does any of that even mean? They've been watching you for entertainment?!

(Cont.)

[Max]: Can you just shut them off?!

Without another word, she confirms your request and causes multiple drones to uncloak, revealing their position to you. Why're there so many of them? Wouldn't one be enough?

With a high pitched whining noise, each and every drone falls to the ground as they become inactive. Decima winces in pain at the same time, as she presses a finger against her temple, followed by a look of confusion.

[Decima]: What is this?

[Trixy]: I've deactivated your neural implant. You should be able to freely without risk of injury or termination.

It's almost scary how efficient Trixy can be in such a short amount of time. You've never seen an A.I. that can match her in your lifetime.

Now that Decima can speak freely, you'll have a much easier time getting information out of her. However, you're not sure how to react to being told that your galaxy has been taken over by crazy bug people. How do you feel?

>You're pissed! First they take over your galaxy, then they leave you trapped in this bubble, and to make it worse, they turn your life into entertainment!
>You feel numb. None of this feels real right now. It's like you're in a dream.
>Terrified. You feel as if you're being treated like an animal by these new overlords of yours.
>Disturbed, but not shaken. This doesn't change anything. At the end of the day, as long as you survive, then that's a win in your book.
>Determined. This "Triumvirate" won't get away with this. There's no way that you're giving up this galaxy without a fight!
>Write-in.

>>3713795
>>Determined. This "Triumvirate" won't get away with this. There's no way that you're giving up this galaxy without a fight! However you have to focus on the matters at hand. You need to unite a good majority of people on earth if we need a shot.

>>3713795
>Determined. This "Triumvirate" won't get away with this. There's no way that you're giving up this galaxy without a fight!

You feel an indescribable determination that you can’t quite place. Your morals may be clouded due to the state of this world, but your judgement certainly isn’t, You still know the difference between right and wrong, and you know that you’d never be able to forgive yourself if you let yourself die without putting up a fight. This “Triumvirate” may have taken over this sector, but you plan to take it back, and then some.

[Max]: Decima. You got past this wall before. Can you do it again?

Decima folds her arms and takes another look at her busted ship with a forlorn look in her eye.

[Decima]: Not without the proper clearance, my neural link and a working ship. I don’t have any of those things right now. I’m trapped down here, same as you.

You're assuming that the Triumvirate has complete and total control over the wall. That has to be the only way that these drones are getting in. It might be a good idea to keep all of this busted alien tech on hand in case you need it later.

[Max]: We’ve got a new mission, Trixy. I need your help to get past this planetary wall somehow.

[Trixy]: Max, that would be quite difficult, even for me. You cannot continue to make highly improbable requests, while hoping that I will somehow solve it for you without any prior explanation or elaboration.

[Max]: Can you do it, or not?

[Trixy]: ...Quite possibly, yes. However, we would require a lightspeed-capable engine, a warp drive and sufficiently sturdy building materials.

You take a moment to look at Decima’s busted ship and the seemingly endless field of scrap metal around you.

[Trixy]: Don’t even think about it, Max. Even if you were to quickly assemble a functioning spacecraft with Jury Rigg or XLR8, it does not guarantee that it will withstand the vacuum of space, or your re-entry for that matter. And I do hope that you have not forgotten about the Ark Leader’s request. We cannot go home without completing it.

She’s right. You’re in a bit of a tough spot right now. You can attempt to complete your mission, in the hopes that Swiss will hear you out when you ask her for help. Or, you can try to curry Argit’s favor once you reach his Ark. He’s not a completely unreasonable man. The world runs on traded goods, and you don’t have a lot of things that you’d enjoy parting with. But...you do have an Omnitrix. And they’re worth more than anything else in this entire world right now.

>”Right now, there’s more important things to deal with than hunting rats. We’ll deal with him later if we have time.”
>”What if we bargained with an Ark Leader and asked them to help us out?” (Argit/Swiss/Simian/Morningstar/Chadwick)
>”Then we’ll finish up this mission and report our findings back to our Ark Leader."
>”If we’ve got any shot at getting past this wall, then we’re gonna need your help, Decima.”
>"We might be able to work out a plan if we used the cloaking tech in these ships and drones."
>"What if we tried to unite the Ark leaders in order to get out of here?"
>Write-in.

>>3716169
>"What if we tried to unite the Ark leaders in order to get out of here?"

>>3716169
>”Then we’ll finish up this mission and report our findings back to our Ark Leader."

If there's no additional votes, then I'll just roll a 1d2 to decide the course of action in a few hours.

Rolled 2 (1d2)

Rolling to decide. You guys should know how this works by now.

Will start writing during my break.

[Max]: Then we'll finish up this mission and report our findings to our Ark Leader.

You begin to walk towards the Rust Bucket, but Decima tugs on your shirt to stop you. She's much taller than you initially thought. Her segmented mouth splits open with each word that's uttered.

[Decima]: What about me? I cannot return without the drone, and I will receive no backup until I confirm that I have it in my possession.

[Max]: Good. You're coming with me.

[Decima]: Why? What do you intend to do with me?!

She looks genuinely fearful. Why'd they send a timid girl like her out here on her own?

[Max]: Relax. I just need you to tell everything you told me to my Ark Leader. I won't lay a hand on you, unless you try something funny.

She still looks apprehensive, but at the same time she doesn't seem to be against the idea of coming with you.

[Decima]: Okay. If you agree to help me return to my people, then I will do my best to persuade them against subjugating your people. Even I know what they're doing here is wrong…

It's hard to believe that she's sympathizing with you, but she doesn't seem like a very good liar. You really wish you could agree to her proposition and end things peacefully, but you can't afford to be so naive. For the time being, you'll just have to lie to the poor girl.

[Max]: It's a deal.

You shake hands with the alien woman and board your vehicle along with her and the communicator that you placed on Decima's ship.

After getting back on the road, Sphinx spends the next few hours carefully watching your alien hostage. You tell Trixy to make sure that she doesn't fiddle with the drone too much while your back is turned. Hopefully she can uncover more data along the way.

------------------------

Once the yellow sun sets over the dunes to the west, you activate the night vision display on your front window in order to avoid crashing into any random wreckage.

It's a struggle to fight off drowsiness after you've been on the road for this long, but a couple shots of black coffee should perk you long enough to get the job done and get out.

When you near your destination, you let the Rust Bucket enter auto pilot and go to fetch your rifle. On the way there, you step on Sphinx's tail and bump into Decima's leg, invoking a hiss from both. Probably would've been smarter to get it before you shut the lights off. Your job was much easier when the Rust Bucket was less crowded.

(Cont.)

[Trixy]: We have arrived at our destination.

The Rust Bucket slowly comes to a halt and deactivates the auto pilot.

[Decima]: Where are we?

[Max]: An Ark Base. I'm here to do my job.

[Decima]: And what exactly is your job?

You quietly stumble over to the kitchen table and prepare your gear bag.

[Max]: Just stay quiet and don't leave the RV. I'll be back soon.

The nature of your work is none of Decima's business. She doesn't seem to know much about you, considering that there's an entire show centered around you now. You wonder if those drones are still hovering around you now, observing your every move. The thought of it makes your skin crawl. Sick bastards must love watching you struggle down in this shithole.

But you can't let thoughts like that cloud your mind. Tonight, you're a hunter.

How're you gonna approach this mission?

>Find a tall dune near the Ark and wait until you spot Argit walking around outside. Casing out the place while you wait wouldn't hurt either.
>Infiltrate the base by using one of your aliens.(Which one?)
>Send in the Rust Bucket to cause a distraction, while you ambush Argit amongst the chaos.
>Wait a while longer in the Rust Bucket. You won't make a move until you're sure that the security is at its weakest.
>Write-in.

https://pastebin.com/SznrVMZs

>>3723388
>>Find a tall dune near the Ark and wait until you spot Argit walking around outside. Casing out the place while you wait wouldn't hurt either.

>>3723388
>Find a tall dune near the Ark and wait until you spot Argit walking around outside. Casing out the place while you wait wouldn't hurt either.

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You exit your vehicle and begin your long trek up a particularly tall sand dune in the distance. The climb is brutal, but much more bearable without the yellow sun beating down upon your head. The black sun barely provides any light out here, but it does give a faint glow that at least allows you to see what’s right in front of you.

Once you’ve made it to the top of the mound, you place a blanket on the ground and lay prone on your stomach. You don’t expect Argit to just walk right into your cross-hairs, so you decide to case the place out while you wait.

The interior of their ark looks pretty similar to yours. Makeshift shacks and tiny shops littering the marketplace. Not alot of space to move around freely, but just enough to claim a tiny corner and call it home.From the looks of it, security’s a bit tight right now. You spot at least 15 guards in the first 30 seconds of observing the base. Argit must be getting scared. Or desperate.

Your radio crackles to life, and it nearly causes you to jump right out of your skin.

[Swiss]: Are you there, yet?

[Max]: Yeah, I am. Call you back later.

You’re glad that you weren’t infiltrating the base when she called you. Could’ve been messy. But then again, Swiss was never a fan of following protocol.

[Swiss]: Don’t you dare hang up on me, Maxwell.

Great. She’s in one of her moods.

[Max]: What do you want?

You sigh deeply and answer without taking your eye away from your rifle’s scope. You swear that you can feel her porous mouth curl up into a smile.

[Swiss]: New plan. Ventilate the rat, and get out of there.

[Max]: What happened to finding out about his plans?

[Swiss]: Don’t care. I want him dead, and I want you back here before sun-up. Got it?

[Max]: Got it…

[Swiss]: Excellent. Good hunting~!

Swiss has been acting weird ever since she gave you this mission. You’d be lying if you said that you weren’t curious about what Argit was doing in there. But would you really risk compromising the mission over a weird feeling in your gut?

You’ve spotted Argit! He’s really packed on the pounds since you’ve last seen him. Biometrics scan confirms his identity, so you’re good to go. He’s surrounded by at least 5 guards, and there’s a few objects that could possibly obstruct your shot, but you think you can take him out.

>Wait for a better shot. You doubt you’d get a second clear shot.
>Take the shot!
>Shoot the guards near him and try to flush him out into a more open area.
>Infiltrate the base and try to learn what Argit’s up to. You’ve got a weird feeling about this mission.
>Write-in.

>>3724997
>Infiltrate the base and try to learn what Argit’s up to. You’ve got a weird feeling about this mission.

>>3724997
>Shoot the guards near him and try to flush him out into a more open area.

>Infiltrate the base and try to learn what Argit’s up to. You’ve got a weird feeling about this mission.

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Your crosshairs remain fixated on his smug, fat face, and for a minute, you really do consider pulling the trigger and going home. But your curiosity seems to be getting the best of you tonight. You can’t stop thinking about how fishy all of this is. Swiss has never withheld information from you like this, and you’re not about to be left in the dark about this.

You pack up your gear and slide halfway down the dune you were perched upon. You open up the Omnitrix’s faceplate and select the only alien you have that can fly.

In a flash of emerald light, your skin is replaced by a sturdy carapace, your eyes stretch outwards into four long stalks, your legs split off into four thin talons and a pair of delicate wings sprout from your back. You’ve become Stinkfly!

There haven’t been any alarms raised, so you suspect that your transformation went unnoticed by the guards. Or at least you hope it did. You’re gonna have to move fast while everyone’s attention is still on Argit.

With a powerful beat of your wings, you take to the skies with impressive speed. In this dry, arid desert, there’s no chance of your wings getting wet, so you can move freely without worry. Now all that’s left to worry about is the guards hearing your wing-beats.

Your multiple eyes operate independently, allowing you to keep a close watch over the guards patrol patterns, and slip past them without being seen. And after watching Ben use this alien over the years, you managed to pick up a neat trick.

If you stop beating your wings and use them to glide for a moment, your flight is inaudible and your speed is unimpeded for a few seconds. Using this strategy, you manage to slip past Ark security whilst remaining undetected.

You’re unsure of where to begin your investigation since you’re strapped for time, but you’ve got a good hunch that you should start by checking out the bunker that Argit just left a minute ago.

You drop down onto the soft soil to avoid making any noise, whilst keeping an eye stretched over your shoulder to keep lookout. This door is chained up, but you’re pretty sure that Stinkfly’s acid can eat through it in no time. You thought the security would be a bit tighter on this place. Must be a miscalculation on Argit’s part.

(Cont.)

After entering the bunker, you notice that it’s filled to the brim with alien tech. Way too advanced to be from here though. Triumvirate tech, maybe?

Your roaming eyes eventually catch sight of something most intriguing, and another that you find to be quite disturbing. They’re building some sort of rocket that’s been retrofitted with drone parts. They might have had the same idea that you had. But this at least confirms that Argit is aware of the situation past the planetary wall.
You attempt to examine the rocket further, but you find that most of your attention is drawn to a dissected alien corpse lying on an operating table. Looks like one of Decima’s people. She wasn’t the first to be stranded here. Maybe this is how Argit learned about all this.

One of your eyes catches a glimpse of map in the corner of the room. It looks like a map of the wasteland, it’s territories and the Ark Leaders. But for some reason, the Ark Leaders have their faces scribbled over with a red marker. Hanging above each of their defiled portraits, are the words “Compromised” and “Can’t Trust”.

Wait...then does that mean...Swiss knows about all of this? She and all the other Ark Leaders have been lying to you this entire time? Why would they do that? What’s in it for them? You mind is racing at 100mph right now.

Then suddenly, your vision is blurred by an overwhelmingly bright light! Looks like you've been found out!

(To be continued…)

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Unfortunately, I was unable to finish the story for this thread special. I should’ve anticipated the lack of activity due to my being unable to run sessions as often as I used to.

In the future, I will have to revise the story to be able to finish it in time. I'll try my best to pick out a few days a week to run sessions again, sobe sure to catch my Twitter updates when I post them.

As per the agreement, this story will be contained to this thread, and I shall continue Wade’s story in the next thread. Should anyone be curious enough to wonder what happens next for our temporary hero, I will be writing a short prompt that details what happened in this timeline, and how the world fared in the war that followed.

As always, thanks for playing and I hope you guys will continue to support me in the future. The new thread will be set up tomorrow at 5pm EDT.

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Thread has been archived!

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/3684033/

New thread is up!

>>3730728