Rampage Out of Space

[Montmorency]

RAMPAGE OUT OF SPACE




Since 2101 the Unified Marines of the Earth Nations have governed human territory with justice and peaciousity. By promoting brotherhood among the Marine fighting forces of the human factions - the toughest of the tough, the best of the best, the pick of the crop, the creme de la creme, the ne plus ultras, the nonpareils par excellence, e pluribus unum - all former social divisions within the species were quickly overcome for the sake of stanning all Marines.

However, other problems remain. A shadowy cabal of bionically-augmented supermutants strive to smash the new world order because they're bad. Unfortunately, their biochem corpus is far in advance of UMEN's, such that a single bionic soldier is worth ten Marines in battle. In 7 years of hard fighting since the bionics made themselves known, millions have died and 3% of the Earth's landmass has been devastated.

Now, the Unified Marines of the Earth Nations have assembled a task force, the Strike Envelope Sortie (UMENSES) of the very most elite Marines, the baddest dudes around, to engage the deepest organs of the bionic front in a daring insertion operation.

Game Setup

Closed setup: 13 town, 3 mafia, 1 third party. No conversion mechanics. Town wins when all threats to Town have been eliminated. Other factional victory conditions unknown.

Rounds are 48-24 hour phases set around 8:00 PM ET. Day length will be reduced to 24 hours if F5 (Final 5) or lower is reached, and possibly sooner at host discretion. Standard plurality ouster (no hammer). Full reveal on death.

Ties are resolved by Rock-Paper-Scissors. Tied players have 15 minutes to submit 3 RPS moves to the host. Ties will be resolved according to these submissions, whereby all tied players will play three rounds against all other tied players. The player with the fewest cumulative wins will be ousted. Persistent ties following RPS will be decided by RNG. Missing orders will count as all rock for the tiebreaker.

IMPORTANT: There is a hard 125 post cap D1-3, including during EOD. You're strong and silent types, you can manage. However, EOD posts containing only votes do not count against the cap. If you exceed the post cap you may earn a Deathpoint, which will act as a fixed vote against you on the tally the following day. There are no caps after D3.

Twilight is uncapped. Twilight is a 1-hour discussion period following the Day. For convenience, the clock will run from the time the host posts the writeup and reveal.

Rules

This is an experimental 17er, intended to be anxiety-driven and slightly bastard, in that some role information may be revealed to non-vanilla players over time or on conditional triggers.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

DAY RULES
1. Vote to oust a player each day, e.g. Vote: Visorslash. Not allowed are Vote: No Lim (aka Sleep) and Vote: Abstain, since you're all a decisive, rough and ready sort of folk by flavor. Unvoting (Unvote:) is noted, but not required to place a new vote. Stick to this format. Misspellings and nicknames are acceptable as long as they are not obscure.

2. On this forum the players must self-regulate. Do not exceed post caps or you may be penalized. Do not post while day elimination is being resolved - :00 good, :01 bad. Do not post after Twilight is finished.

3. Host will post tallies throughout the day, but players are encouraged to maintain and share their own as well. There will be host messages signalling milestones, such as beginning of EOD or Twilight.

4. Going a day-phase without participating (speaking or voting) puts one at risk of replacement. PM the host if you cannot continue to participate. Do not discuss the nature of substitutions.

5. For the purpose of resolving ties, players may submit/reserve RPS orders ahead of time, especially if they feel they cannot be present for EOD.

COMMUNICATIONS RULES
1. Do not discuss the game publicly outside the game thread.

2. Do not ask the host mechanical questions in the thread.

3. Night begins when Twilight ends. Do not post in thread during Night.

4. Don't reference role PMs or the wording of their flavor in the thread.

5. Living players may not communicate privately or outside the thread, unless they have a good reason. If you are unsure whether you have a good reason, PM the host. Host must be CCed on or have access to all player communications.

6. You may not post screenshots of or directly quote your role PM or mod communications.

7. You may not delete posts in the game thread for any reason at any time. You may make modest edits within 2 minutes of posting. The primary aim is to avoid votes or EOD posts (-1 hour) being modified, so for any edited post with a vote the vote is considered invalid. Keep that in mind.

8. If you die, you may no longer post in the thread. You may continue to Thank posts IF you are only Vanilla Town, or more plainly if you possess no hidden information.

NIGHT RULES
1. If you have actions to submit, the deadline is an hour before Start of Day (SoD-1).

2. Do not post in the thread at Night.

GENERAL RULES
Take a look at this guide for players unfamiliar with mafia on the Org. It's earthy, solid, unagenda'd, generally helpful, and answers some common questions. - Zack

1. You are expected to behave civilly. Follow Gameroom and Org rules.

2. Host can act in ad hoc fashion to preserve game integrity if necessary, up to and including Wrath of God (modkill).

Signups:

1. c4e5g3d5 (c4)
2. hollowkatt (hollow/HK)
3. Raskolnikov (Rask)
4. Dolby (Dolbster/Dolb)
5. Winston Hughes (Winston/WH/McGinty)
6. Timsup2nothin (Tim/Tims)
7. Garden Gnome (Gnome/GG)
8. Ibn-Khaldun (Ibn/ IK)
9. Lewwyn (Lew)
10. BorgPicard (Borg/Picard/LA/Argon)
11. Nanook (Nook)
12. Csargo (Csar)
13. Laurentus (Laur)
14. El-Ahrairah (El/El-A)
15. Vroendal (Vro)
16. pzelda (Zelda/Capage/Cap)
17. CutePanda (Panda/CP)

Replacements/Substitutes:

0. LegacyofSmiles (Legacy/Smiles/LoS/Wiml)
--
1. Logic (Yako)
2. Nagisa (Nagi/Ignoramus/Igno)
3. Ampharos (Amp/Amy)
4. Cute Turtle (CT/Turtle)

[Montmorency]

GAME MILESTONES

D1 — Raskolnikov was ousted
N1 — c4e5g3d5 and Timsup2nothin were killed
D2 — El-Ahrairah was ousted
N2 —
D3 — Garden Gnome was ousted
N3 — Lewwyn, CutePanda, and NANOOK have died
D4 — Ibn-Khaldun was ousted
N4 — pzelda was killed
D5 — BorgPicard was ousted; Vroendal was killed.
N5 — Laurentus was killed
D6 — hollowkatt was ousted

Postmortem
Game Information
Host Diary
Mechanical Discussion
Inspirations


Spoilers/reveals

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

D1 — Raskolnikov (VT) was ousted
N1 — c4e5g3d5 (VT) and Timsup2nothin (Goon) were killed
D2 — El-Ahrairah (VT) was ousted
N2 —
D3 — Garden Gnome (VT) was ousted
N3 — Lewwyn (Technician), CutePanda (VT), and NANOOK (VT)have died
D4 — Ibn-Khaldun (VT) was ousted
N4 — pzelda (Detective) was killed
D5 — BorgPicard (Alien Werewolf/BAKEMONO/Serial Killer) was ousted; Vroendal (Supralatus/Godfather) was killed
N5 — Laurentus (VT) was killed
D6 — hollowkatt (VT) was ousted

[Laurentus]

GAME MILESTONES

D1 — Raskolnikov was ousted
N1 — c4e5g3d5 and Timsup2nothin were killed
D2 —
N2 —
D3 —
N3 —


Spoilers/reveals

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

D1 — Raskolnikov (VT) was ousted
N1 — c4e5g3d5 (VT) and Timsup2nothin (Goon) were killed
D2 —
N2 —
D3 —
N3 —

I mean, I literally just checked this post, where there is just one spoiler which helpfully lists all those who flipped based on alignment.

[Montmorency]

DO NOT POST YET

h y p e

[Montmorency]

The Rampage Begins

---Bionic command center---
---Nameless exurb---
---Libertanian continent---

Major Montmorency strolled through the wreckage of smoking corpses to the checkpoint. Established by the last remnants of the last surviving company of the UMEN strike envelope, it monitored the premises of a Ducky Sleaze Shameless Pizza. There were few enough that the Major could communicate by naked voice.

This is it, Marines. Every Bionic in the zone is thought to be neutralized, but a rearguard element fought their way through the underground facility - here he gestured toward the derelict entertainment center - and wiped out the 'ported Marines who previously secured the place. Our intelligence indicates no exits or entrances other than this one, so we figure the Borgs are on a suicide mission to scrap their projects and prevent what all data and technology on site from falling into UMEN's possession. We've got to move in immediately and finish the job so our forensic cordon can move in and seize the invaluable assets surely contained here and throughout the sector.

Here Sergeant Visorslash interrupted to question the wisdom of proceeding without reinforcements amid such great slaughter, no longer having the advantage of surprise either.

Our orders are to suck it up and finish the mission, slacker. Reinforcements have been diverted to resist diversionary Bionic counterattacks worldwide. We don't have the option of withdrawing, and if we sit tight then at a minimum it is likely that the Bionic survivors will fully sabotage the facility and sneak out alive under our noses. Or they'll deploy some sort of superweapon. Or the borg themselves will receive reinforcement, in which case we have better prospects taking a defensive posture within the inner sanctum than around this parking lot. The point is, it's improvise, adapt, or die. Any further complaints?

Yut yut yut yut yut yut yut, came the glum chorus...

The cadre carefully sifted through the outer shell above the facility, the pizza place that had stood abandoned for at least a generation since the evacuation of the sub-urban hinterlands. They combed without incident through the subterranean cargo load, the polished (now with blood and char) waiting area, and the concerningly-superfluous office block. The troops were unnerved by the quiet, and by the constant presence of bodies, both friend and foe, littered about. Though the plan was doubly-risky, spreading fireteams for the tele-sertion throughout the entire complex, rather than in a single area, or on the surface (for a classic envelopment and assault inward), proved to maximize the toll to Bionic operators. It also, of course, assured the deaths of the entire initial bridgehead. Still, the autonomous defense system remained mercifully deactivated, and in relative terms the kill ratio had never been better.

The handful of surviving Bionics would certainly be present in the most valuable sections of the facility now, the laboratories, the armories, and the command room itself.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

After a full day of agonized alert and cavalcade of unnameable horrors witnessed, the Marines made a base in the cafeteria. They had traversed half the known area of the facility, yet no resistance or hint of life had been encountered. The atmosphere had gone from tense and sensitive to eerily oppressive.

Sergeant Visorslash again offered his insight: perhaps, relying on their stealth technology, the Bionics had simply avoided the Marines and snuck out already.

Major Montmorency was dismissive. No chance, sucker. They fought their way in here, so there's something they want to accomplish. Have they already? Why would we believe it? No, they're still here, make no mistake. But your protests about stealth give me a notion...

The Major drew on the Sarge. Troops, attention! We've got intruders, and Mr. Abstain here has to be one of them. The whole plan must have been to embed in our group as we came to secure the facility, picking us off along the way without confronting our strength head on! Men, the real Visorslash must have died bravely many hours ago. Blast that impostor immediately!

While the rest milled in stunned inaction, Visor meekly suggested that the whole group clear itself through cogent discussion and collectively establish who the true Marines are, and who the malign interlopers.

There is general agreement. Maybe ol' Visor will live the mission out yet.

DAY ONE BEGINS



Phase ends

Living Players (17)

@c4e5g3d5 (c4)
@hollowkatt (hollow/HK)
@Raskolnikov (Raskol/Rask)
@Dolby (Dolbster/Dolb)
@Winston Hughes (Winston/WH/McGinty)
@Timsup2nothin (Tim/Tims)
@Garden Gnome (Gnome/GG)
@Ibn-Khaldun (Ibn/IK)
@Lewwyn (Lew)
@BorgPicard (Borg/Picard/LA/Argon)
@NANOOK (Nook)
@Csargo (Csar)
@Laurentus (Laur)
@El-ahrairah (El/El-A)
@Vroendal (Vro)
@pzelda (Zelda/Capage/Cap)
@CutePanda (Panda/CP)

Dead Players (0)

[Montmorency]

HOST NOTICE: RULES UPDATE

One new rule has been added to the OP, and another has been specified better. In short, do not reference or discuss the flavor of your PMs, and do not post in the thread during Night (after Twilight). Also, you may submit RPS orders in advance if you like; I will take them into account if you are part of a tie (useful for people who aren't around at EOD). Don't everyone do this though, or my inbox will be flooded.

These additions can be found colored green in the Rules spoiler in the OP.

Reminder: 125 post cap in effect. You can see your post count in the thread by moving a level up into the Gameroom subforum and clicking on the number of Replies to the thread, on the right side of the screen.

[BorgPicard]

Hello everyone. I am new to the site and have some questions? What is a Mason? Also what is a role cop and why am I one?

[c4e5g3d5]

Eighth

[Csargo]

Hello everyone. I am new to the site and have some questions? What is a Mason? Also what is a role cop and why am I one?

[Montmorency]

Day One

The Marines still couldn't believe what was happening. Had the major gone crazy? This scheme was totally against their training, their brotherhood, and it plain didn't make sense anyway. Nevertheless, their obedience to the chain of command began to tell. Though some still refused to get with the program, and yet others simply milled about the sidelines, accusations and suspicion finally began their exchange. Albeit in haphazard fashion. Of the people putting themselves out, all seemed to be condemning all the rest of each other. One might even call it a free-for-all.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Major Montmorency shoved into the middle of the caucus. His grip on his weapon was tight, a finger nuzzled against the fire selector. Shocked out of their wits, a group kicked Raskolnikov to the ground behind him.

Now that's what I like to see Marines, keep improving on that teamwork. We have something the Bionics don't, which is the power of - camaraderie, which is our unique advantage as human people over other forms of life. Human-strong! Now...

The Graff Brannigan NS5XE3 is a wonderful weapon for close assault. Noise-suppressed and chambered in 5 millimetres with a 1700-round-per-minute rate of fire. For the assault teams, shooting cover fire, it means putting more rounds on target in a whole lot less time. Along with the standard loadout of fragmentation grenades and flashbangs each Marine could also be armed with an MK53 .45-caliber ACP with a modified KAC noise suppressor and a tritium laser aiming module—LAM—with four selector modes: visible laser only, visible laser/flashlight, infrared laser only, and infrared laser/illuminator. Favored by Navy Special Warfare teams and the Special Boat Service, some of whose finest we have - or maybe used to have - with us here, the MK53 is a marvel of durability, having been torture-tested by both the SEALs and the SBS for extreme temperature, saltwater submersion, dry-firing, impact, and a weapon’s worst enemy, dirt. Like a good Nokia phone, the MK53 takes a licking and keeps on ticking—or in this case, keeps on firing.

Yep, good-old legacy XX century slugthrowers. But nowadays, no serious fighting person goes without their pew-pew lazer gun, as we're all equipped with today. Trademark bionic subdermal ceramic shielding makes projectiles obsolete even if they weren't obsolescent.

With that the major sharply swung about his lazer gun and blasted someone in the face.

It was Raskolnikov. They're dead! Not even most bionics can withstand face lasers, and the major had been overcharging it while he gave his monologue.

Raskolnikov was a

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

UMENSES Operator!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

UMENSES Operator

You are a Marine, or maybe a whole fireteam of Marines, with at least 5 years of exemplary combat service.
Every one of you steely-eyed veterans has been blooded against the Bionics before.
The present battle engaged and after days of hard fighting both sides have nearly been wiped out.
Now, with the remnants of the Bionic command group cornered, you have your chance to fulfill your mission and return a hero.

You are Vanilla Town. You win when all threats to your mission are eliminated. Vote in the thread every day to liquidate potential threats.

There is a hard 125-post cap Days 1-3. Vote-only posts do not count toward the cap during EOD only. Twilight is always uncapped.

Twilight lasts for the next hour from this post.


FINAL TALLY

Rask (6): Csargo, Zelda, Dolby, Borg, Hollow, Lewwyn
Dolby (2): El-A, Nanook
Zelda (2): Winston, c4
Borg (2): Ibn-K, Tim
Winston (2): Rask, Vroendal
c4 (1): Panda

Not Voting (2): Gnome, Laurentus


Movement
[Rask] Csargo >> Winston
[Hollow] Rask >> Borg >> Panda >> Dolby >> Rask
[c4] Borg >> Zelda >> Rask >> Zelda
[Winston] Rask >> Hollow >> Zelda
[Borg] c4 >> Winston >> Panda >> Rask
[Tim] Dolby >> Borg
[Lewwyn] Panda >> Rask



Living Players (16)

c4e5g3d5 (c4)
hollowkatt (hollow/HK)
Dolby (Dolbster/Dolb)
Winston Hughes (Winston/WH/McGinty)
Timsup2nothin (Tim/Tims)
Garden Gnome (Gnome/GG)
Ibn-Khaldun (Ibn/IK)
Lewwyn (Lew)
BorgPicard (Borg/Picard/LA/Argon)
NANOOK (Nook)
Csargo (Csar)
Laurentus (Laur)
El-ahrairah (El/El-A)
Vroendal (Vro)
pzelda (Zelda/Capage/Cap)
CutePanda (Panda/CP)

Dead Players (1)
Raskolnikov (Raskol/Rask)

[Montmorency]

In case you forgot, there are 55 minutes of Twilight remaining.

[Timsup2nothin]

ugh...RIP Raskol

[c4e5g3d5]

Oh right we can still talk

Why tf was Dolby a wagon?

[Winston Hughes]

[Dolby]

0-200

I think that HK is probably the towniest person in the thread rn (watch him be wolf on me lol).

Looking back I still like Lewwyn, his earlist activity looks more null to me now than earlier, but still good. There's a lot of stuff from him in the mid-100s that I like

I have concerns about GG but it might be that they just enjoy vibing with the thread more. I don't like the two posts they had addressing Argon starting #146

I'm just gonna say no take on IK, though I think that the overview of LA's possibilities in #186 is easy to make. Lewwyn actually has a good response to that imo

I think that GG just latched onto the LA stuff and didn't do anything after that?

[Montmorency]

Day Two

The shrinking UMENSES remnant trudged along to confirm the status of the residential area in the complex, collecting and cataloging as they went. The work was quiet and wary. Though the Bionics' apparently-vitiated composition was a boon, the images they saw at roll call chilled them to the core. If there was an Alien Werewolf, what other bizarre and dangerous Bionic experiments still lurked in the bowels of the lair? And were they in their very midst, like the Bionics themselves?

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

The troops were beginning to get used to the idea of an internal inquisition to root out disguised threats, though it contradicted their credo and experience. Naturally there was no consensus that could form out of such a process. A few interpersonal grudges and microfactions began to inflame the deliberation. Towards the end proceedings devolved into bare threats and fisticuffs.

ATTENTION, bellowed the Major over the clamor. There's only one way to resolve situations like these: a duel! ... Sergeant Visorslash, what now?

Sir, there actually is not tie. Despite 7%, ah, turnout, Lieutenant El-Ahrairah here has the plurality of votes for us to, um, frag him.

... oh. Alright then, bring forth the Tribute.

Before the Algerian commando could be rendered up, Captain McGinty hopped up and down, waving his hands. Sir! Sir! Please, leave to double vote on Garden Gnome for the tie? I'm pretty sure it's the Marine way.

Major Montmorency sighed heavily. Son, I know your pain. I am bitterly disappointed that we could not hold a proper duel to settle the matter today. Tradition says that a true Marine will always come out on top. At any rate, all of us have our guns pointed at the suspects, so if a Bionic were to try relying on their full complement of weapons and abilities we'd frazzle them in a second. But no, we'll follow the rules in this situation like proper military folk.

Lieutenant, get over here. For having brought dishonor upon your unit by drawing too many votes and interrupting a prospective duel in progress, the only appropriate penalty is death. Here. Fall on your sword and redeem yourself.

The Major handed the squinting, sweating, heaving, distress-ball of a once-hero a very large and jagged hunk of shrapnel. He must have just picked it off the ground on the spot, an artifact of the early fighting through the halls of the facility.

El-Ahrairah mechanically took the shrapnel into his hands in disbelief. Was this a dream? A nightmare?

After a minute of standing transfixed, the Major gently removed the helmet of the condemned and gazed directly into his eyes.

What a disappointment, Lieutenant. What a shame it had to come to this.

Grabbing the shrapnel, the Major rammed it upward into El-Ahrairah's exposed gorge; his eyes bulged in shock. When he collapsed flailing and gurgling to the ground, Montmorency jammed the metal further in with his boot.

As the struggling stopped, Major Montmorency raised his arms into the air for the quiet milling crowd to see.

No cowards under my command!

Subsequently the Marines prepared the Bionics' own bunks for the night.



El-Ahrairah was a

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

UMENSES Operator!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

UMENSES Operator

You are a Marine, or maybe a whole fireteam of Marines, with at least 5 years of exemplary combat service.
Every one of you steely-eyed veterans has been blooded against the Bionics before.
The present battle engaged and after days of hard fighting both sides have nearly been wiped out.
Now, with the remnants of the Bionic command group cornered, you have your chance to fulfill your mission and return a hero.

You are Vanilla Town. You win when all threats to your mission are eliminated. Vote in the thread every day to liquidate potential threats.

There is a hard 125-post cap Days 1-3. Vote-only posts do not count toward the cap during EOD only. Twilight is always uncapped.

Twilight lasts for the next hour from this post.


FINAL TALLY

El-Ah (4): Hollow, Dolby, Laurentus, Vroendal
Gnome (3): Lewwyn, Winston, Csargo
Dolby (2): Nanook, Gnome
Vroendal (2): Zelda, Ibn
Nanook (1): Borg
Hollow (1): El-Ah

Not Voting (1): Panda


Movement

[Dolby] Gnome >> Unvote >> El-Ah
[El-Ah] Dolby >> Laurentus >> Dolby >> Hollow
[Holow] Vroendal >> Laurentus >> El-Ah
[Laurent] Hollow >> El-Ah
[Winston] Visor >> Gnome
[Csargo] Winston >> Gnome


Living Players (13)

hollowkatt (hollow/HK)
Dolby (Dolbster/Dolb)
Winston Hughes (Winston/WH/McGinty)
Garden Gnome (Gnome/GG)
Ibn-Khaldun (Ibn/IK)
Lewwyn (Lew)
BorgPicard (Borg/Picard/LA/Argon)
NANOOK (Nook)
Csargo (Csar)
Laurentus (Laur)
Vroendal (Vro)
pzelda (Zelda/Capage/Cap)
CutePanda (Panda/CP)

Dead Players (4)

Raskolnikov (D1)
c4e5g3d5 (N1)
Timsup2nothin (N1)
El-ahrairah (D2)

[Montmorency]

Day Three

The cadre now found themselves in the Bionics' armory level. It was loaded with bleeding-edge experimental guns and bombs and robots autonomous weapon platforms, most of which could unfortunately not be dabbled with for requiring native bionic augmentation to use.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Lieutenant Garden Gnome was, as far as anyone knew, the last surviving woman in the UMENSES remnant. She had received her nickname for always volunteering for sentry duty. Like one of the mythical creatures, she could always be found at the ready in front of camps, outposts, barracks, and armories. She had even once served in the Secret Service, protecting the Generalissimo of UMEN themselves. Ever since they had tread underground though, there had been more and more whispers among the men that there was something off about Gnome, her manner of speech and movement unnatural and her impassivity in the face of events inhuman.

Now, the mutterings reached their feverish pitch.

I saw her covered in dirt and grass even though we're underground.

She's really a gnome!

She's a witch!

Get the witch!!!

Bionic witches, barked the Major. What is this, anime?

Captain McGinty jeered at the thought. Weeb.

Burn the weeb.

Burn the weeb!

Burn the weeb!!

Major Montmorency silenced the mob with a clap.

Though it be long-struck from the records, there is an ancient Marine protocol thought effective in revealing hidden witches. When our forebears -

As he spoke, the condemned Lieutenant was offering her persecuting Captain a hot cup of hazelnut tea, which she had procured from somewhere. He ungratefully smacked it out of her hands. The hot tea splashed all over the Major's back, but he didn't notice through his battle suit.

Marines spat with disgust at the thought of tea, adulterated or otherwise, obscuring their faceplates from the inside with saliva. The assault against their beloved commander simply infuriated them all the more for it.

Who even carries hazelnut and herb with them? It's like she's an infernal magical creature that infests the productive plots of god-fearing smallholders!! McGinty frothed maniacally.

- and that is why we will determine her nature through trial by fire, concluded the Major. Is that understood? Bring forth the test!

The Marines were struck to silence by uncertainty. What had the CO been talking about?

Patience tested by the delay, the Major ordered the nearby Lieutenant NANOOK to grab one of the Bionics' mysterious grenade-like objects from the ubiquitous weapons racks in the armory and escort Gnome to the testing range.

And so they went, trepidatiously, with the rest of the Marines following.

In the cavernous testing range they assembled, with Nanook and Gnome in the center; the rest ringed around them at a distance of 50 meters, safety-berth.

Sir, why do I have to be here if the bionic gnome is the one being tested?

You will follow orders, Marine. This is the way the Learned Forefathers taught in times of yore. These Bionic implements cannot be activated by us Normals, so you will offer the accused the grenade. If she is Bionic, it will respond and she will surely die in conflagration. Thus can witches be tested by pure fire.

This is the way, chorused the crowd.

Nanook was confused.

If this is an ancient method, then - I thought they didn't even have technology back then? And I'm pretty sure the Bionic Front was only founded in our lifetimes.

DO NOT BLASPHEME AGAINST THE HEAVENLY ORDER, WHELP, LEST YE BE JUDGED.

Now pointing his rifle at Nanook, the Major's steely pose offered clear guidance to him.

He gingerly passed the object to Gnome, who gathered it close in her hands. With a sour yet dignified countenance, she pressed a button somewhere on the sphere. She stretched out her arms.

It began beeping.

Nanook took that cue to sprint desperately in the other direction, as the crowd too began dispersing for cover.

Though proof against hot tea, the Marine battlesuit could not block all the heat from the detonation behind him. It felt quite toasty.

The Marines regained their composure with the last of the aftershocks, and with a look back they ushered a cheer through the ranks: Gnome was dead!

Ding, dong, the witch is dead! they sang.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Yet the Major did not seem enthused. He sauntered over to the blast site and inspected the scoring marks (there was nothing left of the poor Lieutenant Garden Gnome to inspect).

Lieutenant, I do believe you handed her a standard-issue Marine plasma grenade.

Nanook shuffled his feet awkwardly.

Did you have spit on your face plate?

Yes sir.

Clean that up immediately.

Yes sir.



Garden Gnome was a

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

UMENSES Operator!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

UMENSES Operator

You are a Marine, or maybe a whole fireteam of Marines, with at least 5 years of exemplary combat service.
Every one of you steely-eyed veterans has been blooded against the Bionics before.
The present battle engaged and after days of hard fighting both sides have nearly been wiped out.
Now, with the remnants of the Bionic command group cornered, you have your chance to fulfill your mission and return a hero.

You are Vanilla Town. You win when all threats to your mission are eliminated. Vote in the thread every day to liquidate potential threats.

There is a hard 125-post cap Days 1-3. Vote-only posts do not count toward the cap during EOD only. Twilight is always uncapped.

Twilight lasts for the next 45 minutes from this post (I'm afraid it will have to be shorter today)



FINAL TALLY

Gnome (4): Ibn, Dolby, Lewwyn, Winston
Nanook (4): Csargo, Zelda, Vroendal, Gnome
Dolby (3): Laurentus, Nanook, Panda
Panda (2): Hollow, Borg


Movement

[Hollow] Borg >> Gnome >> Panda
[Zelda] Vroendal >> Gnome >> Nanook
[Gnome] Hollow >> Lewwyn >> Panda >> Nanook
[Vroendal] Gnome >> Nanook


Tiebreaker

Gnome: Paper-Scissors-Rock
Nanook (default): Rock-Rock-Rock

Tiex2!!!

RNG: Gnome




Living Players (12)

hollowkatt (hollow/HK)
Dolby (Dolbster/Dolb)
Winston Hughes (Winston/WH/McGinty)
Ibn-Khaldun (Ibn/IK)
Lewwyn (Lew)
BorgPicard (Borg/Picard/LA/Argon)
NANOOK (Nook)
Csargo (Csar)
Laurentus (Laur)
Vroendal (Vro)
pzelda (Zelda/Capage/Cap)
CutePanda (Panda/CP)

Dead Players (5)

Raskolnikov (D1)
c4e5g3d5 (N1)
Timsup2nothin (N1)
El-ahrairah (D2)
Garden Gnome (D3)

[Montmorency]

Night One



---Earlier---

The four Bionics interrupted the squad of Marines busily extracting data in the command center. The latter were the victorious survivors from the teleported waves of stormtroopers in the Strike Envelope, and so absorbed were they in their privileged work that not one could know to raise an alarm. The Supralatus, glorious of status, raised a hand and in a heartbeat all the Marines dropped dead from concentrated gamma radiation.

All the halls and chambers of the complex were already dead; now they were certainly the only living humans here. But there were many more Marines still coalescing topside, who would soon enough seek to clear out the Bionic bastion. Therefore time was short, and the Bionic cell could not take the opportunity to restore the facility autonomous defense network. No matter - with planning, they would be more than enough of a match for the persistent Marine flotsam. The immediate task would have to be to sabotage the biochemical laboratories so that nothing of the highest-level Bionic technoscientific corpus fell into enemy hands. There was also the matter of the specimens...

As a higher form of being it was natural for Bionics to establish dealings with extraterrestrial life forms. Some of which could be useful in alternative, unappreciated ways. The evidence of which was arrayed in the lab ferociously before the Bionics; power failures and enemy action had breached the containment measures for the captives. And they were very agitated. Still, nothing four topline Bionics couldn't handle...

It was an exhausting fight, a very wasteful one. It was a tragedy that so much hard work had to go up in flames all of a sudden. As a fighting force such well-enhanced humans must be awesome to contemplate, but after this much expenditure of power they would have to bide their time against even the Marines for a spell.

...

Where was the second Operator?

Three followed the chilling crackles to a utility room, from whose entrance spread out a spool of carnage. All systems ready they barged in, to find a creature in the process of - consummating with - the fourth Bionic. This thing. Of all the blasphemies from Beyond that the Front had secured for its menageries, this was the most mysterious, the most difficult to handle. In spite of its quantological fetters, it must have relied on the waves of alien fury boiling themselves against the Bionic's defenses to outmaneuver him; how careless, how distasteful.

The Bionic was clearly dead, gray and shrunken, delectable enhancements spilling out of the cadaver into the bubbing, burbling form of the alien. Throughout the room emanated vapors of nauseous coruscance.

In the duration of the Bionics' faltered moment of breath, it spoke.

Unless suffering is the direct and immediate object of life, our existence must entirely fail of its aim. It is absurd to look upon the enormous amount of pain that abounds everywhere in the world, and originates in needs and necessities inseparable from life itself, as serving no purpose at all and the result of mere chance. Each separate misfortune, as it comes, seems, no doubt, to be something exceptional; but misfortune in general is the rule. I know of no greater absurdity than that propounded by most systems of philosophy in declaring evil to be negative in its character. Evil is just what is positive; it makes its own existence felt. Leibnitz is particularly concerned to defend this absurdity; and he seeks to strengthen his position by using a palpable and paltry sophism. It is the good which is negative; in other words, happiness and satisfaction always imply some desire fulfilled, some state of pain brought to an end. This explains the fact that we generally find pleasure to be not nearly so pleasant as we expected, and pain very much more painful.

The Supralatus advanced under indignant choler. Disgraceful abomination, your penalty should be instant death. In respect for your value to the cause I will allow you to submit yourself for sequestration and transportation immediately.

T̴he ṕl͝e̶àsur͞e ҉in̢ ̷t̷hìs͞ ̢w͘or̕ld̛, ͞it͠ ha̵s͞ ̡bee̵n̨ said, o͠uţw͏eighs̶ t̨he ̴p͏aįn;̴ or,̀ a͝t͏ ̴a͜n͝y ̷rate,̡ t͞h̸e͡r̵e is a͘n e̴ve͘n ͝ba̵l͘anće be̢tw̵e͜en ̕t͝he ҉two.͝ ̕I͢f͘ ͜th̵e͜ ̢l͜i̶s͢t͡ener̡ wįshes͡ t̡o s͟e͞ę ͜s̢h̡órt̡l̀y͏ ͡wh̴et͞he͟r͘ ͘thi̴s ́s̀tatemen͡t ͜is̢ ̶t҉rue̡,̢ ͞lèt ͡hi͞m͟ ̸c͘ompa̸re the respe̕c̨ti͜ve f̶eȩl͏i͠ng̸s̀ ͡o̢f ̡t͜wǫ ͏a͝n͟i͢m͠al͡s,̀ ón̷e̵ ͠o̢f͞ ̢whįch͟ is en̶g͠aged ͟i̧n ̀e͠at͝ing ̨the͜ o̧the̕r.̨ Thé b̶e͏s͏t̶ c̕onsolat͘ión̨ ̴in͏ ̴m̸is͜f͞ortune͏ ̷o͢r̴ affl͢i͠cţi͡on̵ ͘o͜f ҉an͢y ́k̡ind͞ ̵wi͡l̨l͢ ̛bè the̴ th͡óught o͏f oth͢eŕ ̧p̷eo̕pl͟e whǫ ͜a̡re ͟in̸ ̧a̛ s̵tįl̨l ̡w͟ors͝e͢ ̛pli̵g̢ht ͡th̸án ҉y̴ourśelf́; ͏an͟d͝ ̡t͘hi̧s i̶s͠ a̶ ̸fo͡r̛m̛ of͢ cons̢o̧latįo̶n͜ oṕen ҉t͏o e̴v͜e̶r̀y one.͜ B҉u͢t ͞w̸hat a͡n aw͟fu̕l҉ fat̵e ̕this ͜me̷a͞n͢s for̛ ̀m͝a͞n͢k͞in̛d͞ a̡s͏ ҉a̸ ̨wh̸ole̵!͏

Y̢o͡u a̸ŗe like la͏mbs͢ in a͝ ̷f̷ie̢l̡d, ͞di͢spor̴ti͞n̸g ̸t́h̵em̢se͡l͠v̷es͝ ͟under t̵hé èye ̷òf͟ ҉th͠e ̴but̸che͝r̛, ͝whó ̀c͢h̷oos̶e͘s o̸u͟t̛ ̧first͞ ̷one͞ an̸d ţhe̛n͝ an̕ǫt͞he͘r for̴ his̡ ̷p̀rèy.͘ S̛o ̶i͡t̢ ̧is҉ ́th͟a҉t ̢i͘n͘ ̨y͟o҉u͝r g͟ood̛ days y͘o͜u̷ ̸a̷ŗe҉ ͟a͜l̛l ͠uncon͘s͝cío͠u̧s̸ ́o͝f ̵t͘he e͜v̀il͘ ͘Fat͟e҉ ́m͝ay ͞have̵ ͝pr̴e̵sèn҉t̀l̀y in s̛t́ore f̕òr̴ ͞you—sìc͘kńe̛ss, pov̧ert̨y,͠ mu͠ti͞la̶tion͝, l͏os͏s o҉f̛ sight o͡r͟ ̨r̛ȩason.̛

The violently-convulsing organism was a presence that could no longer be tolerated. Unleashed in synchrony were the plasma cannon, the gamma beam, the flamethrower, and the nanocarbon flechette; the contents of the room were fairly obliterated, including the fallen Bionic.

But somehow, the alien had burst out of the room in a snarl, leaving the Bionics bruised and splayed out on the floor. Though they quickly recovered and assumed battle posture, peace resounded as they postured fruitlessly. It had gone - or else was lurking.

Oh shit, muttered the Infiltrator. Was it supposed to be able to talk?

The Supralatus lowered his head. It would seem ― it would seem that it has been rebuilding itself by assimilating bionics and other modifications. After all, he gestured, there were plenty of fallen Bionics here to take advantage of before we arrived.

The gravelly-voiced surviving Operator began to grasp the situation. Oh. That sounds bad. There are many hundreds of dead Bionics choking the zone, and this facility...

Yes, there's no telling how powerful it can become if allowed to roam. The only bright side is that I believe it needs living Bionics to achieve the most significant upgrades. A dead Bionic should be only a respite for the beast. So it will hunt us, because it can, but activated as we are even a single further loss would be a stigma. No less a catastrophe.

Upon further regretful consideration, the Supralatus came to a decision.

The next step is to destroy every Bionic corpse we can find, and infiltrate the incoming Marines - yes, for our own security. We'll have to kill two birds with one stone. Our assignment just got a lot more difficult.

As they camped in the cafeteria, the Marines had established networked sentinels throughout the section, one in the kitchens. Sandbagged behind the contents of the freezers, Lieutenant c4e5g3d5 watched over his team.

Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do to presage the barrage of plasma that killed or wounded all his troops. In fact this position just funneled the heat of the plasma inward, magnifying the effect: a death trap.

Leaping out for new cover, c4e5g3d5 ascertained the attackers position, just a single Bionic. Contact! Reinforce immediately! he screamed into c4e5g3d5's commslink - but it was being jammed, unbeknownst to him.

There wasn't much more he could do than duck the constant fresh incoming plasma. The Bionic started with an advantage, and now its superior speed and firepower could not be overcome. c4e5g3d5 knew he had only one chance, not to save himself but to protect his comrades.

Breaking his strafe around the kitchen to charge the Bionic, he rolled and dodged as he could but his armor was beginning to melt into his skin. With a defiant cry he leaped out from behind an island and began pumping concentrated EM right into the borg's trunk. The Bionic's plasma was already discharging.

Ultimately, the Bionic could absorb more laser than the Marine could plasma. After the laser ceased, only char and ash rained down.

Objective achieved for the night.

The cratered remains of the Marines baked on the steel floor.

sksksksksksksksksksksksksskkkkk

With a twirl the Bionic extended his sensors and prepared to face reinforcements. But none came. The graphical interface fluttered with anomalies.

skskskskskskskskskskskskssssss

Backing into the center of the room, the Operator smoothly rotated in circles about his heels, observing with forward optics. A thickening miasma clung to the air. This could only be...

And I oop-

BAKEMONO

It had been foolish to send an Operator alone, given the circumstances, even to ambush a handful of unmods. What subterrene horror had been unleashed a day ago?

T̴h̶e̵ ̷v̵a̶n̴i̴t̶y̷ ̸o̸f̸ ̷e̸x̴i̵s̵t̴e̶n̴c̴e̸ ̵i̷s̴ ̸r̵e̸v̸e̴a̷l̵e̸d̷ ̶i̷n̷ ̸t̸h̵e̶ ̶w̸h̴o̴l̵e̶ ̵f̵o̶r̶m̸ ̷e̵x̴i̸s̴t̵e̴n̵c̵e̸ ̵a̵s̷s̸u̶m̴e̵s̴:̶ ̷i̷n̶ ̶t̵h̴e̴ ̶i̵n̶f̴i̸n̸i̷t̷e̷n̴e̴s̴s̷ ̸o̵f̷ ̸t̶i̴m̷e̴ ̵a̴n̴d̶ ̵s̵p̷a̶c̸e̵ ̵c̸o̴n̷t̶r̵a̸s̶t̵e̷d̵ ̸w̵i̶t̷h̶ ̴t̷h̸e̴ ̸f̸i̶n̸i̴t̵e̵n̸e̵s̵s̸ ̵o̷f̷ ̵t̶h̶e̶ ̶i̴n̷d̷i̷v̶i̶d̶u̵a̷l̶ ̵i̸n̶ ̶b̸o̵t̷h̵;̶ ̵i̵n̴ ̵t̷h̴e̸ ̶f̶l̷e̶e̶t̷i̵n̴g̶ ̵p̴r̷e̷s̵e̴n̵t̴ ̴a̷s̵ ̴t̸h̷e̸ ̷s̷o̷l̷e̴ ̸f̸o̸r̶m̴ ̵i̴n̴ ̸w̷h̷i̶c̸h̸ ̴a̸c̷t̴u̸a̴l̸i̷t̷y̴ ̸e̴x̵i̸s̷t̵s̸;̸ ̸i̷n̶ ̶t̴h̸e̷ ̷c̸o̸n̴t̶i̵n̴g̸e̸n̷c̶y̶ ̷a̵n̶d̸ ̴r̸e̴l̵a̴t̷i̸v̵i̶t̴y̴ ̵o̴f̶ ̷a̵l̷l̸ ̵t̵h̵i̶n̸g̵s̴;̴ ̵i̶n̶ ̵c̶o̴n̵t̴i̶n̷u̷a̸l̷ ̴b̷e̴c̵o̴m̵i̶n̶g̸ ̸w̷i̸t̸h̴o̶u̵t̴ ̴b̸e̶i̵n̴g̴;̸ ̴i̵n̵ ̶c̵o̸n̸t̵i̷n̴u̶a̴l̵ ̵d̵e̸s̸i̴r̶e̸ ̸w̴i̶t̸h̵o̵u̸t̷ ̶s̷a̷t̴i̶s̶f̴a̵c̷t̵i̵o̴n̸;̶ ̴i̴n̶ ̸t̵h̵e̷ ̵c̷o̶n̴t̸i̷n̴u̴a̵l̸ ̵f̵r̷u̵s̷t̶r̶a̸t̷i̴o̵n̴ ̷o̷f̴ ̸s̷t̵r̸i̵v̷i̶n̶g̴ ̷o̸f̶ ̷w̷h̷i̷c̶h̵ ̸l̸i̸f̴e̵ ̴c̷o̸n̸s̸i̶s̸t̷s̵.̶ ̵T̵i̶m̶e̵ ̷a̷n̸d̵ ̸t̷h̵a̵t̸ ̷p̶e̴r̷i̴s̴h̴a̶b̴i̶l̶i̴t̷y̴ ̴o̶f̵ ̵a̶l̵l̵ ̸t̵h̵i̸n̴g̶s̶ ̴e̷x̷i̵s̵t̷i̷n̶g̶ ̴i̷n̶ ̵t̵i̸m̸e̸ ̶t̸h̵a̶t̷ ̷t̷i̸m̷e̵ ̴i̸t̵s̴e̶l̵f̴ ̶b̶r̵i̵n̸g̸s̴ ̴a̴b̴o̴u̷t̴ ̸i̷s̸ ̵s̶i̴m̶p̴l̷y̶ ̷t̴h̶e̶ ̴f̷o̴r̸m̵ ̸u̴n̸d̴e̴r̶ ̷w̴h̸i̵c̵h̵ ̴t̵h̵e̵ ̵w̶i̵l̴l̶ ̵t̴o̴ ̷l̷i̶v̸e̵,̶ ̵w̴h̴i̶c̵h̵ ̵a̶s̴ ̵t̴h̴i̶n̸g̴ ̵i̸n̸ ̶i̷t̵s̷e̵l̶f̷ ̶i̷s̴ ̴i̴m̷p̶e̴r̶i̶s̷h̸a̶b̷l̷e̸,̵ ̸r̵e̶v̶e̷a̷l̶s̶ ̴t̴o̴ ̷i̷t̴s̴e̷l̶f̶ ̷t̸h̶e̷ ̸v̶a̵n̵i̷t̴y̵ ̴o̷f̷ ̷i̸t̷s̶ ̷s̷t̸r̴i̵v̶i̷n̷g̸.̷ ̴T̵i̴m̴e̷ ̸i̶s̵ ̵t̴h̶a̸t̴ ̷b̶y̶ ̶v̵i̶r̶t̶u̷e̵ ̷o̵f̸ ̵w̸h̴i̵c̵h̸ ̸e̸v̴e̶r̴y̴t̵h̸i̸n̴g̵ ̴b̸e̷c̵o̸m̶e̷s̸ ̸n̶o̵t̴h̷i̷n̶g̶n̴e̵s̴s̵ ̷i̵n̴ ̴o̷u̸r̷ ̶h̶a̷n̴d̶s̸ ̷a̷n̴d̴ ̷l̶o̴s̴e̴s̵ ̷a̸l̷l̵ ̶r̷e̸a̸l̸ ̶v̷a̷l̸u̶e̷.̵ T̷h̵a̶t̴ ̶w̸h̸i̸c̶h̷ ̴h̸a̸s̶ ̵b̷e̴e̸n̶ ̷n̷o̷ ̶l̸o̷n̸g̸e̵r̴ ̸i̸s̸;̵ ̸i̷t̷ ̶a̷s̷ ̶l̸i̷t̴t̶l̴e̸ ̷e̵x̷i̴s̵t̶s̵ ̸a̶s̵ ̴d̶o̸e̸s̶ ̸t̵h̵a̸t̴ ̴w̸h̵i̵c̸h̷ ̷h̶a̸s̵ ̵n̵e̵v̶e̵r̷ ̵b̸e̵e̷n̶.̸ ̵B̸u̷t̸ ̶e̵v̵e̷r̴y̵t̸h̵i̴n̷g̶ ̴t̶h̸a̷t̴ ̷i̵s̴ ̷i̶n̸ ̴t̵h̵e̶ ̴n̷e̶x̴t̴ ̷m̸o̵m̶e̵n̸t̵ ̶h̵a̶s̴ ̸b̸e̵e̷n̸.̸ ̶T̷h̵u̷s̴ ̶t̶h̸e̴ ̸m̴o̵s̷t̵ ̷i̸n̴s̸i̵g̶n̶i̵f̷i̷c̸a̷n̵t̷ ̶p̵r̷e̵s̸e̵n̵t̸ ̴h̵a̷s̷ ̵o̷v̷e̸r̷ ̸t̵h̶e̴ ̴m̶o̵s̷t̵ ̸s̶i̸g̵n̵i̴f̶i̶c̴a̶n̷t̸ ̶p̷a̷s̸t̸ ̴t̷h̴e̵ ̶a̴d̷v̸a̶n̸t̸a̸g̶e̷ ̵o̸f̶ ̶a̶c̵t̸u̴a̵l̸i̵t̸y̴,̴ ̶w̷h̸i̵c̸h̷ ̷m̶e̶a̷n̶s̵ ̴t̸h̸a̸t̴ ̴t̷h̶e̶ ̸f̴o̵r̸m̴e̷r̸ ̷b̷e̵a̶r̵s̴ ̸t̴o̷ ̸t̵h̷e̷ ̷l̸a̷t̴t̴e̴r̸ ̴t̸h̸e̶ ̸r̸e̷l̵a̵t̴i̵o̷n̶ ̷o̸f̴ ̵s̵o̷m̴e̵t̷h̷i̷n̴g̶ ̸t̷o̸ ̶n̸o̶t̶h̴i̵n̷g̸.

There it rested, suddenly, right before his view. Timsup2nothin stopped spinning and squared off. His mods weren't up to the task of tracking the creature, but his weapons systems might be.

T̷o̶ ̸o̸u̴r̴ ̶a̸m̶a̴z̵e̸m̵e̸n̶t̴ ̴w̵e̴ ̴s̴u̶d̸d̵e̸n̴l̸y̸ ̶e̴x̵i̴s̸t̷,̴ ̶a̶f̷t̶e̶r̴ ̴h̸a̸v̴i̵n̸g̸ ̵f̴o̶r̷ ̷c̵o̴u̸n̸t̷l̷e̴s̷s̵ ̶m̸i̵l̵l̸e̴n̶n̸i̷a̷ ̵n̷o̴t̶ ̴e̶x̵i̸s̸t̴e̴d̴;̵ ̶i̶n̷ ̷a̸ ̸s̴h̷o̷r̸t̷ ̷w̷h̷i̴l̶e̷ ̴w̶e̵ ̸w̶i̵l̸l̸ ̷a̴g̵a̸i̴n̶ ̸n̸o̸t̸ ̶e̵x̶i̷s̷t̶,̶ ̷a̴l̸s̵o̴ ̵f̴o̷r̶ ̷c̸o̶u̶n̸t̵l̴e̶s̶s̶ ̸m̵i̴l̷l̸e̶n̶n̴i̵a̷.̶ ̸T̶h̵a̴t̷ ̴c̵a̸n̶n̸o̶t̵ ̶b̷e̴ ̸r̷i̶g̴h̷t̸,̴ ̷s̴a̶y̸s̴ ̵t̴h̸e̵ ̸h̴e̶a̸r̷t̴:̸ ̵a̷n̵d̴ ̴e̶v̴e̵n̵ ̷u̸p̴o̸n̶ ̴t̷h̸e̴ ̶c̴r̷u̴d̸e̴s̶t̷ ̷i̸n̶t̵e̸l̵l̸i̴g̵e̸n̸c̷e̴ ̸t̴h̴e̷r̷e̵ ̴m̸u̵s̷t̴,̵ ̷w̵h̸e̵n̶ ̷i̴t̴ ̸c̷o̷n̴s̷i̸d̸e̷r̶s̵ ̵s̵u̸c̵h̶ ̶a̵n̵ ̶i̴d̵e̴a̵,̴ ̷d̶a̷w̵n̵ ̵a̸ ̷p̷r̶e̷s̵e̴n̸t̵i̷m̴e̴n̸t̴ ̵o̷f̷ ̶t̵h̴e̸ ̷i̴d̸e̸a̸l̴i̸t̶y̴ ̵o̸f̸ ̷t̵i̶m̷e̷.̸ ̶T̷h̶i̶s̴ ̵h̶o̷w̵e̴v̶e̷r̸,̷ ̸t̷o̶g̸e̵t̶h̸e̵r̶ ̷w̶i̴t̵h̷ ̴t̷h̷a̸t̸ ̵o̶f̶ ̵s̶p̶a̴c̸e̸,̴ ̴i̷s̸ ̶t̴h̷e̵ ̷k̷e̸y̶ ̸t̵o̵ ̶a̷l̷l̶ ̴t̷r̵u̶e̶ ̶m̶e̴t̵a̶p̴h̶y̵s̵i̷c̴s̴,̴ ̸b̷e̶c̶a̷u̵s̷e̴ ̵i̶t̸ ̸m̸a̷k̷e̶s̴ ̵r̸o̵o̷m̴ ̷f̶o̶r̷ ̶a̸ ̵q̸u̵i̶t̸e̸ ̵d̴i̶f̴f̵e̶r̶e̷n̵t̵ ̸o̸r̴d̴e̶r̶ ̵o̵f̶ ̸t̸h̸i̶n̸g̸s̷ ̴t̵h̷a̴n̵ ̷t̸h̷a̸t̴ ̷o̴f̵ ̷n̶a̶t̷u̴r̸e̷.̷ ̴E̴v̷e̶r̷y̵ ̴m̴o̸m̵e̷n̴t̶ ̴o̷f̷ ̴o̶u̷r̸ ̴l̷i̵f̷e̴ ̷b̶e̶l̷o̴n̵g̷s̵ ̸t̶o̷ ̵t̶h̸e̵ ̶p̷r̴e̷s̶e̸n̷t̸ ̸o̶n̸l̵y̷ ̷f̵o̵r̵ ̶a̶ ̵m̴o̸m̸e̸n̷t̴;̴ ̸t̴h̷e̷n̵ ̴i̵t̷ ̶b̷e̸l̵o̸n̸g̶s̷ ̸
f̶o̶r̶ ̴e̸v̷e̶r̵
t̶o̶̶ t̶h̸e̶ ̴p̷a̷s̵t̶.̵

Timsup2nothin roared as he ramped his power to 110%, chain plasma attachment squealing alongside.

sksksk

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Concern strained the Major's face.

Sergeant Visor has reported that one of our observational posts in the kitchens has been wiped out overnight. Even worse - better? - we found bionic detritus around the site.

So does that mean our brothers valiantly gave their lives and took down opps with them? the Sergeant bravely offered.

No. If only that were the case. But we examined what survived of the bodycam footage from the fallen, and there was action after the last Marine had died. We found - this.

Major Montmorency projected an image for public view. Gasps and shudders reverberated throughout the echelon.

A deformed - or maybe unformed - entity unlike any their eyes had beheld, seizing the Bionic. It was difficult to make out much detail, and almost as difficult to look at the image for any length of time. The Major flicked to the next image, with only the Bionic's arm visible. What it had of original flesh appeared unnaturally brittle and gray. Was that an artifact of the low-light conditions?

There isn't much else to show you, went the Major's intonation. Most of the altercation took place outside the view from the bodies, er, body cams. Today the only sign of that Bionic was - the Major held up a large and rugose hunk of fused metal. Even a 2000-kg bomb wouldn't be able to meld the alloys and ceramics used in biomods that way. This... alien, wolf, monster, thing, this
Alien Werewolf,
is loose in the facility, and somehow I doubt it's just hunting Bionics. If that's what it can do to a modified human that just wasted a team of elite Marines, then we must double our vigilance. Our assignment just got a lot more difficult.

With that the Marines formed up to push on. Next stop was the dormitory.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

c4e5g3d5 has died! He was a

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

UMENSES Operator

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

UMENSES Operator

You are a Marine, or maybe a whole fireteam of Marines, with at least 5 years of exemplary combat service.
Every one of you steely-eyed veterans has been blooded against the Bionics before.
The present battle engaged and after days of hard fighting both sides have nearly been wiped out.
Now, with the remnants of the Bionic command group cornered, you have your chance to fulfill your mission and return a hero.

You are Vanilla Town. You win when all threats to your mission are eliminated. Vote in the thread every day to liquidate potential threats.

There is a hard 125-post cap Days 1-3. Vote-only posts do not count toward the cap during EOD only. Twilight is always uncapped.

Timsup2nothin has died! He was a

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Bionic Operator.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Bionic Operator

The fighting thus far had been contained to the cities and the battlefields, as UMEN understood that any frontal assault on your fortified territories would cripple their combat elements for naught. The Bionic Front did not anticipate a diagonal envelopment of one of its secret bases by official Bad Dudes. Now you know that UMEN teleportation platforms are operational. Though 99% of the strike force has been neutralized, almost all your comrades in the sector have been killed or subdued, including the Praefectus of the Libertanian continent itself. You three are the only Bionic survivors of a tempest that has left tens of thousands dead in just hours. Moreover, the unique biochemical experiments being carried out at this location have been destroyed or disrupted. There is one whom we prize above all: BAKEMONO.

An extraterrestrial of maximum hazard and value stages, even the record of how it was acquired is too precious to be known to you. While we have no means of recovering the specimen under present conditions, we must not permit UMEN to capture it for themselves (assuming they are even capable of such a feat) nor the alien itself to wander off into the world. Destroy it and salvage what can be. Luckily, we expect this particular specimen to be struggling under the quantological restraints we've maintained it under. As long as none of us fall into its clutches, we can't lose. To that purpose, we can neither overtly act against UMEN nor the alien, lest one overwhelm us while we destroy the other in detail...

————————————————————————————————————————

In spite of being the Bionic equivalent of a grunt, you are more than an individual match for the very best Marine alive here. Your comparative lack of stature and ability nonetheless leaves you doing the cell's scut work. If the need arises you will of course willingly take the fall in service of the Hierarchy.

You are a Goon (Mafia). The Mafia choose someone to kill at night. Kills are factional, and therefore not assigned (will not interfere with individual abilities). You win when BAKEMONO is slain and parity is met with Town, meaning Town cannot prevent your victory by numbers.

[REDACTED]

DAY TWO BEGINS



Postcap has been raised to 200!

Phase ends

Living Players (14)

hollowkatt (hollow/HK)
Dolby (Dolbster/Dolb)
Winston Hughes (Winston/WH/McGinty)
Garden Gnome (Gnome/GG)
Ibn-Khaldun (Ibn/IK)
Lewwyn (Lew)
BorgPicard (Borg/Picard/LA/Argon)
NANOOK (Nook)
Csargo (Csar)
Laurentus (Laur)
El-ahrairah (El/El-A)
Vroendal (Vro)
pzelda (Zelda/Capage/Cap)
CutePanda (Panda/CP)

Dead Players (3)
Raskolnikov (D1)
c4e5g3d5 (N1)
Timsup2nothin (N1)

[Montmorency]

Remember, the postcap is 200.

[hollowkatt]

RIP Raskol, I'm sorry mate :(
Whomever shot Tim you're a genius, well done!
C4 towned it up too, there's a reason they're dead. Lets figure that out, and go kill more wolves.

[hollowkatt]

also, if you're the person who shot tim STFU about it. Bask in your glory at the end of the game

[El-ahrairah]

Night One



---Earlier---

The four Bionics interrupted the squad of Marines busily extracting data in the command center. The latter were the victorious survivors from the teleported waves of stormtroopers in the Strike Envelope, and so absorbed were they in their privileged work that not one could know to raise an alarm. The Supralatus, glorious of status, raised a hand and in a heartbeat all the Marines dropped dead from concentrated gamma radiation.

All the halls and chambers of the complex were already dead; now they were certainly the only living humans here. But there were many more Marines still coalescing topside, who would soon enough seek to clear out the Bionic bastion. Therefore time was short, and the Bionic cell could not take the opportunity to restore the facility autonomous defense network. No matter - with planning, they would be more than enough of a match for the persistent Marine flotsam. The immediate task would have to be to sabotage the biochemical laboratories so that nothing of the highest-level Bionic technoscientific corpus fell into enemy hands. There was also the matter of the specimens...

As a higher form of being it was natural for Bionics to establish dealings with extraterrestrial life forms. Some of which could be useful in alternative, unappreciated ways. The evidence of which was arrayed in the lab ferociously before the Bionics; power failures and enemy action had breached the containment measures for the captives. And they were very agitated. Still, nothing four topline Bionics couldn't handle...

It was an exhausting fight, a very wasteful one. It was a tragedy that so much hard work had to go up in flames all of a sudden. As a fighting force such well-enhanced humans must be awesome to contemplate, but after this much expenditure of power they would have to bide their time against even the Marines for a spell.

...

Where was the second Operator?

Three followed the chilling crackles to a utility room, from whose entrance spread out a spool of carnage. All systems ready they barged in, to find a creature in the process of - consummating with - the fourth Bionic. This thing. Of all the blasphemies from Beyond that the Front had secured for its menageries, this was the most mysterious, the most difficult to handle. In spite of its quantological fetters, it must have relied on the waves of alien fury boiling themselves against the Bionic's defenses to outmaneuver him; how careless, how distasteful.

The Bionic was clearly dead, gray and shrunken, delectable enhancements spilling out of the cadaver into the bubbing, burbling form of the alien. Throughout the room emanated vapors of nauseous coruscance.

In the duration of the Bionics' faltered moment of breath, it spoke.

Unless suffering is the direct and immediate object of life, our existence must entirely fail of its aim. It is absurd to look upon the enormous amount of pain that abounds everywhere in the world, and originates in needs and necessities inseparable from life itself, as serving no purpose at all and the result of mere chance. Each separate misfortune, as it comes, seems, no doubt, to be something exceptional; but misfortune in general is the rule. I know of no greater absurdity than that propounded by most systems of philosophy in declaring evil to be negative in its character. Evil is just what is positive; it makes its own existence felt. Leibnitz is particularly concerned to defend this absurdity; and he seeks to strengthen his position by using a palpable and paltry sophism. It is the good which is negative; in other words, happiness and satisfaction always imply some desire fulfilled, some state of pain brought to an end. This explains the fact that we generally find pleasure to be not nearly so pleasant as we expected, and pain very much more painful.

The Supralatus advanced under indignant choler. Disgraceful abomination, your penalty should be instant death. In respect for your value to the cause I will allow you to submit yourself for sequestration and transportation immediately.

T̴he ṕl͝e̶àsur͞e ҉in̢ ̷t̷hìs͞ ̢w͘or̕ld̛, ͞it͠ ha̵s͞ ̡bee̵n̨ said, o͠uţw͏eighs̶ t̨he ̴p͏aįn;̴ or,̀ a͝t͏ ̴a͜n͝y ̷rate,̡ t͞h̸e͡r̵e is a͘n e̴ve͘n ͝ba̵l͘anće be̢tw̵e͜en ̕t͝he ҉two.͝ ̕I͢f͘ ͜th̵e͜ ̢l͜i̶s͢t͡ener̡ wįshes͡ t̡o s͟e͞ę ͜s̢h̡órt̡l̀y͏ ͡wh̴et͞he͟r͘ ͘thi̴s ́s̀tatemen͡t ͜is̢ ̶t҉rue̡,̢ ͞lèt ͡hi͞m͟ ̸c͘ompa̸re the respe̕c̨ti͜ve f̶eȩl͏i͠ng̸s̀ ͡o̢f ̡t͜wǫ ͏a͝n͟i͢m͠al͡s,̀ ón̷e̵ ͠o̢f͞ ̢whįch͟ is en̶g͠aged ͟i̧n ̀e͠at͝ing ̨the͜ o̧the̕r.̨ Thé b̶e͏s͏t̶ c̕onsolat͘ión̨ ̴in͏ ̴m̸is͜f͞ortune͏ ̷o͢r̴ affl͢i͠cţi͡on̵ ͘o͜f ҉an͢y ́k̡ind͞ ̵wi͡l̨l͢ ̛bè the̴ th͡óught o͏f oth͢eŕ ̧p̷eo̕pl͟e whǫ ͜a̡re ͟in̸ ̧a̛ s̵tįl̨l ̡w͟ors͝e͢ ̛pli̵g̢ht ͡th̸án ҉y̴ourśelf́; ͏an͟d͝ ̡t͘hi̧s i̶s͠ a̶ ̸fo͡r̛m̛ of͢ cons̢o̧latįo̶n͜ oṕen ҉t͏o e̴v͜e̶r̀y one.͜ B҉u͢t ͞w̸hat a͡n aw͟fu̕l҉ fat̵e ̕this ͜me̷a͞n͢s for̛ ̀m͝a͞n͢k͞in̛d͞ a̡s͏ ҉a̸ ̨wh̸ole̵!͏

Y̢o͡u a̸ŗe like la͏mbs͢ in a͝ ̷f̷ie̢l̡d, ͞di͢spor̴ti͞n̸g ̸t́h̵em̢se͡l͠v̷es͝ ͟under t̵hé èye ̷òf͟ ҉th͠e ̴but̸che͝r̛, ͝whó ̀c͢h̷oos̶e͘s o̸u͟t̛ ̧first͞ ̷one͞ an̸d ţhe̛n͝ an̕ǫt͞he͘r for̴ his̡ ̷p̀rèy.͘ S̛o ̶i͡t̢ ̧is҉ ́th͟a҉t ̢i͘n͘ ̨y͟o҉u͝r g͟ood̛ days y͘o͜u̷ ̸a̷ŗe҉ ͟a͜l̛l ͠uncon͘s͝cío͠u̧s̸ ́o͝f ̵t͘he e͜v̀il͘ ͘Fat͟e҉ ́m͝ay ͞have̵ ͝pr̴e̵sèn҉t̀l̀y in s̛t́ore f̕òr̴ ͞you—sìc͘kńe̛ss, pov̧ert̨y,͠ mu͠ti͞la̶tion͝, l͏os͏s o҉f̛ sight o͡r͟ ̨r̛ȩason.̛

The violently-convulsing organism was a presence that could no longer be tolerated. Unleashed in synchrony were the plasma cannon, the gamma beam, the flamethrower, and the nanocarbon flechette; the contents of the room were fairly obliterated, including the fallen Bionic.

But somehow, the alien had burst out of the room in a snarl, leaving the Bionics bruised and splayed out on the floor. Though they quickly recovered and assumed battle posture, peace resounded as they postured fruitlessly. It had gone - or else was lurking.

Oh shit, muttered the Infiltrator. Was it supposed to be able to talk?

The Supralatus lowered his head. It would seem ― it would seem that it has been rebuilding itself by assimilating bionics and other modifications. After all, he gestured, there were plenty of fallen Bionics here to take advantage of before we arrived.

The gravelly-voiced surviving Operator began to grasp the situation. Oh. That sounds bad. There are many hundreds of dead Bionics choking the zone, and this facility...

Yes, there's no telling how powerful it can become if allowed to roam. The only bright side is that I believe it needs living Bionics to achieve the most significant upgrades. A dead Bionic should be only a respite for the beast. So it will hunt us, because it can, but activated as we are even a single further loss would be a stigma. No less a catastrophe.

Upon further regretful consideration, the Supralatus came to a decision.

The next step is to destroy every Bionic corpse we can find, and infiltrate the incoming Marines - yes, for our own security. We'll have to kill two birds with one stone. Our assignment just got a lot more difficult.

As they camped in the cafeteria, the Marines had established networked sentinels throughout the section, one in the kitchens. Sandbagged behind the contents of the freezers, Lieutenant c4e5g3d5 watched over his team.

Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do to presage the barrage of plasma that killed or wounded all his troops. In fact this position just funneled the heat of the plasma inward, magnifying the effect: a death trap.

Leaping out for new cover, c4e5g3d5 ascertained the attackers position, just a single Bionic. Contact! Reinforce immediately! he screamed into c4e5g3d5's commslink - but it was being jammed, unbeknownst to him.

There wasn't much more he could do than duck the constant fresh incoming plasma. The Bionic started with an advantage, and now its superior speed and firepower could not be overcome. c4e5g3d5 knew he had only one chance, not to save himself but to protect his comrades.

Breaking his strafe around the kitchen to charge the Bionic, he rolled and dodged as he could but his armor was beginning to melt into his skin. With a defiant cry he leaped out from behind an island and began pumping concentrated EM right into the borg's trunk. The Bionic's plasma was already discharging.

Ultimately, the Bionic could absorb more laser than the Marine could plasma. After the laser ceased, only char and ash rained down.

Objective achieved for the night.

The cratered remains of the Marines baked on the steel floor.

sksksksksksksksksksksksksskkkkk

With a twirl the Bionic extended his sensors and prepared to face reinforcements. But none came. The graphical interface fluttered with anomalies.

skskskskskskskskskskskskssssss

Backing into the center of the room, the Operator smoothly rotated in circles about his heels, observing with forward optics. A thickening miasma clung to the air. This could only be...

And I oop-

BAKEMONO

It had been foolish to send an Operator alone, given the circumstances, even to ambush a handful of unmods. What subterrene horror had been unleashed a day ago?

T̴h̶e̵ ̷v̵a̶n̴i̴t̶y̷ ̸o̸f̸ ̷e̸x̴i̵s̵t̴e̶n̴c̴e̸ ̵i̷s̴ ̸r̵e̸v̸e̴a̷l̵e̸d̷ ̶i̷n̷ ̸t̸h̵e̶ ̶w̸h̴o̴l̵e̶ ̵f̵o̶r̶m̸ ̷e̵x̴i̸s̴t̵e̴n̵c̵e̸ ̵a̵s̷s̸u̶m̴e̵s̴:̶ ̷i̷n̶ ̶t̵h̴e̴ ̶i̵n̶f̴i̸n̸i̷t̷e̷n̴e̴s̴s̷ ̸o̵f̷ ̸t̶i̴m̷e̴ ̵a̴n̴d̶ ̵s̵p̷a̶c̸e̵ ̵c̸o̴n̷t̶r̵a̸s̶t̵e̷d̵ ̸w̵i̶t̷h̶ ̴t̷h̸e̴ ̸f̸i̶n̸i̴t̵e̵n̸e̵s̵s̸ ̵o̷f̷ ̵t̶h̶e̶ ̶i̴n̷d̷i̷v̶i̶d̶u̵a̷l̶ ̵i̸n̶ ̶b̸o̵t̷h̵;̶ ̵i̵n̴ ̵t̷h̴e̸ ̶f̶l̷e̶e̶t̷i̵n̴g̶ ̵p̴r̷e̷s̵e̴n̵t̴ ̴a̷s̵ ̴t̸h̷e̸ ̷s̷o̷l̷e̴ ̸f̸o̸r̶m̴ ̵i̴n̴ ̸w̷h̷i̶c̸h̸ ̴a̸c̷t̴u̸a̴l̸i̷t̷y̴ ̸e̴x̵i̸s̷t̵s̸;̸ ̸i̷n̶ ̶t̴h̸e̷ ̷c̸o̸n̴t̶i̵n̴g̸e̸n̷c̶y̶ ̷a̵n̶d̸ ̴r̸e̴l̵a̴t̷i̸v̵i̶t̴y̴ ̵o̴f̶ ̷a̵l̷l̸ ̵t̵h̵i̶n̸g̵s̴;̴ ̵i̶n̶ ̵c̶o̴n̵t̴i̶n̷u̷a̸l̷ ̴b̷e̴c̵o̴m̵i̶n̶g̸ ̸w̷i̸t̸h̴o̶u̵t̴ ̴b̸e̶i̵n̴g̴;̸ ̴i̵n̵ ̶c̵o̸n̸t̵i̷n̴u̶a̴l̵ ̵d̵e̸s̸i̴r̶e̸ ̸w̴i̶t̸h̵o̵u̸t̷ ̶s̷a̷t̴i̶s̶f̴a̵c̷t̵i̵o̴n̸;̶ ̴i̴n̶ ̸t̵h̵e̷ ̵c̷o̶n̴t̸i̷n̴u̴a̵l̸ ̵f̵r̷u̵s̷t̶r̶a̸t̷i̴o̵n̴ ̷o̷f̴ ̸s̷t̵r̸i̵v̷i̶n̶g̴ ̷o̸f̶ ̷w̷h̷i̷c̶h̵ ̸l̸i̸f̴e̵ ̴c̷o̸n̸s̸i̶s̸t̷s̵.̶ ̵T̵i̶m̶e̵ ̷a̷n̸d̵ ̸t̷h̵a̵t̸ ̷p̶e̴r̷i̴s̴h̴a̶b̴i̶l̶i̴t̷y̴ ̴o̶f̵ ̵a̶l̵l̵ ̸t̵h̵i̸n̴g̶s̶ ̴e̷x̷i̵s̵t̷i̷n̶g̶ ̴i̷n̶ ̵t̵i̸m̸e̸ ̶t̸h̵a̶t̷ ̷t̷i̸m̷e̵ ̴i̸t̵s̴e̶l̵f̴ ̶b̶r̵i̵n̸g̸s̴ ̴a̴b̴o̴u̷t̴ ̸i̷s̸ ̵s̶i̴m̶p̴l̷y̶ ̷t̴h̶e̶ ̴f̷o̴r̸m̵ ̸u̴n̸d̴e̴r̶ ̷w̴h̸i̵c̵h̵ ̴t̵h̵e̵ ̵w̶i̵l̴l̶ ̵t̴o̴ ̷l̷i̶v̸e̵,̶ ̵w̴h̴i̶c̵h̵ ̵a̶s̴ ̵t̴h̴i̶n̸g̴ ̵i̸n̸ ̶i̷t̵s̷e̵l̶f̷ ̶i̷s̴ ̴i̴m̷p̶e̴r̶i̶s̷h̸a̶b̷l̷e̸,̵ ̸r̵e̶v̶e̷a̷l̶s̶ ̴t̴o̴ ̷i̷t̴s̴e̷l̶f̶ ̷t̸h̶e̷ ̸v̶a̵n̵i̷t̴y̵ ̴o̷f̷ ̷i̸t̷s̶ ̷s̷t̸r̴i̵v̶i̷n̷g̸.̷ ̴T̵i̴m̴e̷ ̸i̶s̵ ̵t̴h̶a̸t̴ ̷b̶y̶ ̶v̵i̶r̶t̶u̷e̵ ̷o̵f̸ ̵w̸h̴i̵c̵h̸ ̸e̸v̴e̶r̴y̴t̵h̸i̸n̴g̵ ̴b̸e̷c̵o̸m̶e̷s̸ ̸n̶o̵t̴h̷i̷n̶g̶n̴e̵s̴s̵ ̷i̵n̴ ̴o̷u̸r̷ ̶h̶a̷n̴d̶s̸ ̷a̷n̴d̴ ̷l̶o̴s̴e̴s̵ ̷a̸l̷l̵ ̶r̷e̸a̸l̸ ̶v̷a̷l̸u̶e̷.̵ T̷h̵a̶t̴ ̶w̸h̸i̸c̶h̷ ̴h̸a̸s̶ ̵b̷e̴e̸n̶ ̷n̷o̷ ̶l̸o̷n̸g̸e̵r̴ ̸i̸s̸;̵ ̸i̷t̷ ̶a̷s̷ ̶l̸i̷t̴t̶l̴e̸ ̷e̵x̷i̴s̵t̶s̵ ̸a̶s̵ ̴d̶o̸e̸s̶ ̸t̵h̵a̸t̴ ̴w̸h̵i̵c̸h̷ ̷h̶a̸s̵ ̵n̵e̵v̶e̵r̷ ̵b̸e̵e̷n̶.̸ ̵B̸u̷t̸ ̶e̵v̵e̷r̴y̵t̸h̵i̴n̷g̶ ̴t̶h̸a̷t̴ ̷i̵s̴ ̷i̶n̸ ̴t̵h̵e̶ ̴n̷e̶x̴t̴ ̷m̸o̵m̶e̵n̸t̵ ̶h̵a̶s̴ ̸b̸e̵e̷n̸.̸ ̶T̷h̵u̷s̴ ̶t̶h̸e̴ ̸m̴o̵s̷t̵ ̷i̸n̴s̸i̵g̶n̶i̵f̷i̷c̸a̷n̵t̷ ̶p̵r̷e̵s̸e̵n̵t̸ ̴h̵a̷s̷ ̵o̷v̷e̸r̷ ̸t̵h̶e̴ ̴m̶o̵s̷t̵ ̸s̶i̸g̵n̵i̴f̶i̶c̴a̶n̷t̸ ̶p̷a̷s̸t̸ ̴t̷h̴e̵ ̶a̴d̷v̸a̶n̸t̸a̸g̶e̷ ̵o̸f̶ ̶a̶c̵t̸u̴a̵l̸i̵t̸y̴,̴ ̶w̷h̸i̵c̸h̷ ̷m̶e̶a̷n̶s̵ ̴t̸h̸a̸t̴ ̴t̷h̶e̶ ̸f̴o̵r̸m̴e̷r̸ ̷b̷e̵a̶r̵s̴ ̸t̴o̷ ̸t̵h̷e̷ ̷l̸a̷t̴t̴e̴r̸ ̴t̸h̸e̶ ̸r̸e̷l̵a̵t̴i̵o̷n̶ ̷o̸f̴ ̵s̵o̷m̴e̵t̷h̷i̷n̴g̶ ̸t̷o̸ ̶n̸o̶t̶h̴i̵n̷g̸.

There it rested, suddenly, right before his view. Timsup2nothin stopped spinning and squared off. His mods weren't up to the task of tracking the creature, but his weapons systems might be.

T̷o̶ ̸o̸u̴r̴ ̶a̸m̶a̴z̵e̸m̵e̸n̶t̴ ̴w̵e̴ ̴s̴u̶d̸d̵e̸n̴l̸y̸ ̶e̴x̵i̴s̸t̷,̴ ̶a̶f̷t̶e̶r̴ ̴h̸a̸v̴i̵n̸g̸ ̵f̴o̶r̷ ̷c̵o̴u̸n̸t̷l̷e̴s̷s̵ ̶m̸i̵l̵l̸e̴n̶n̸i̷a̷ ̵n̷o̴t̶ ̴e̶x̵i̸s̸t̴e̴d̴;̵ ̶i̶n̷ ̷a̸ ̸s̴h̷o̷r̸t̷ ̷w̷h̷i̴l̶e̷ ̴w̶e̵ ̸w̶i̵l̸l̸ ̷a̴g̵a̸i̴n̶ ̸n̸o̸t̸ ̶e̵x̶i̷s̷t̶,̶ ̷a̴l̸s̵o̴ ̵f̴o̷r̶ ̷c̸o̶u̶n̸t̵l̴e̶s̶s̶ ̸m̵i̴l̷l̸e̶n̶n̴i̵a̷.̶ ̸T̶h̵a̴t̷ ̴c̵a̸n̶n̸o̶t̵ ̶b̷e̴ ̸r̷i̶g̴h̷t̸,̴ ̷s̴a̶y̸s̴ ̵t̴h̸e̵ ̸h̴e̶a̸r̷t̴:̸ ̵a̷n̵d̴ ̴e̶v̴e̵n̵ ̷u̸p̴o̸n̶ ̴t̷h̸e̴ ̶c̴r̷u̴d̸e̴s̶t̷ ̷i̸n̶t̵e̸l̵l̸i̴g̵e̸n̸c̷e̴ ̸t̴h̴e̷r̷e̵ ̴m̸u̵s̷t̴,̵ ̷w̵h̸e̵n̶ ̷i̴t̴ ̸c̷o̷n̴s̷i̸d̸e̷r̶s̵ ̵s̵u̸c̵h̶ ̶a̵n̵ ̶i̴d̵e̴a̵,̴ ̷d̶a̷w̵n̵ ̵a̸ ̷p̷r̶e̷s̵e̴n̸t̵i̷m̴e̴n̸t̴ ̵o̷f̷ ̶t̵h̴e̸ ̷i̴d̸e̸a̸l̴i̸t̶y̴ ̵o̸f̸ ̷t̵i̶m̷e̷.̸ ̶T̷h̶i̶s̴ ̵h̶o̷w̵e̴v̶e̷r̸,̷ ̸t̷o̶g̸e̵t̶h̸e̵r̶ ̷w̶i̴t̵h̷ ̴t̷h̷a̸t̸ ̵o̶f̶ ̵s̶p̶a̴c̸e̸,̴ ̴i̷s̸ ̶t̴h̷e̵ ̷k̷e̸y̶ ̸t̵o̵ ̶a̷l̷l̶ ̴t̷r̵u̶e̶ ̶m̶e̴t̵a̶p̴h̶y̵s̵i̷c̴s̴,̴ ̸b̷e̶c̶a̷u̵s̷e̴ ̵i̶t̸ ̸m̸a̷k̷e̶s̴ ̵r̸o̵o̷m̴ ̷f̶o̶r̷ ̶a̸ ̵q̸u̵i̶t̸e̸ ̵d̴i̶f̴f̵e̶r̶e̷n̵t̵ ̸o̸r̴d̴e̶r̶ ̵o̵f̶ ̸t̸h̸i̶n̸g̸s̷ ̴t̵h̷a̴n̵ ̷t̸h̷a̸t̴ ̷o̴f̵ ̷n̶a̶t̷u̴r̸e̷.̷ ̴E̴v̷e̶r̷y̵ ̴m̴o̸m̵e̷n̴t̶ ̴o̷f̷ ̴o̶u̷r̸ ̴l̷i̵f̷e̴ ̷b̶e̶l̷o̴n̵g̷s̵ ̸t̶o̷ ̵t̶h̸e̵ ̶p̷r̴e̷s̶e̸n̷t̸ ̸o̶n̸l̵y̷ ̷f̵o̵r̵ ̶a̶ ̵m̴o̸m̸e̸n̷t̴;̴ ̸t̴h̷e̷n̵ ̴i̵t̷ ̶b̷e̸l̵o̸n̸g̶s̷ ̸
f̶o̶r̶ ̴e̸v̷e̶r̵
t̶o̶̶ t̶h̸e̶ ̴p̷a̷s̵t̶.̵

Timsup2nothin roared as he ramped his power to 110%, chain plasma attachment squealing alongside.

sksksk

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Concern strained the Major's face.

Sergeant Visor has reported that one of our observational posts in the kitchens has been wiped out overnight. Even worse - better? - we found bionic detritus around the site.

So does that mean our brothers valiantly gave their lives and took down opps with them? the Sergeant bravely offered.

No. If only that were the case. But we examined what survived of the bodycam footage from the fallen, and there was action after the last Marine had died. We found - this.

Major Montmorency projected an image for public view. Gasps and shudders reverberated throughout the echelon.

A deformed - or maybe unformed - entity unlike any their eyes had beheld, seizing the Bionic. It was difficult to make out much detail, and almost as difficult to look at the image for any length of time. The Major flicked to the next image, with only the Bionic's arm visible. What it had of original flesh appeared unnaturally brittle and gray. Was that an artifact of the low-light conditions?

There isn't much else to show you, went the Major's intonation. Most of the altercation took place outside the view from the bodies, er, body cams. Today the only sign of that Bionic was - the Major held up a large and rugose hunk of fused metal. Even a 2000-kg bomb wouldn't be able to meld the alloys and ceramics used in biomods that way. This... alien, wolf, monster, thing, this
Alien Werewolf,
is loose in the facility, and somehow I doubt it's just hunting Bionics. If that's what it can do to a modified human that just wasted a team of elite Marines, then we must double our vigilance. Our assignment just got a lot more difficult.

With that the Marines formed up to push on. Next stop was the dormitory.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

c4e5g3d5 has died! He was a

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

UMENSES Operator

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

UMENSES Operator

You are a Marine, or maybe a whole fireteam of Marines, with at least 5 years of exemplary combat service.
Every one of you steely-eyed veterans has been blooded against the Bionics before.
The present battle engaged and after days of hard fighting both sides have nearly been wiped out.
Now, with the remnants of the Bionic command group cornered, you have your chance to fulfill your mission and return a hero.

You are Vanilla Town. You win when all threats to your mission are eliminated. Vote in the thread every day to liquidate potential threats.

There is a hard 125-post cap Days 1-3. Vote-only posts do not count toward the cap during EOD only. Twilight is always uncapped.

Timsup2nothin has died! He was a

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Bionic Operator.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Bionic Operator

You are a Goon (Mafia). The Mafia choose someone to kill at night. Kills are factional, and therefore not assigned (will not interfere with individual abilities). You win when BAKEMONO is slain and parity is met with Town, meaning Town cannot prevent your victory by numbers.

[REDACTED]

DAY TWO BEGINS



Postcap has been raised to 200!

Phase ends

Living Players (14)

hollowkatt (hollow/HK)
Dolby (Dolbster/Dolb)
Winston Hughes (Winston/WH/McGinty)
Garden Gnome (Gnome/GG)
Ibn-Khaldun (Ibn/IK)
Lewwyn (Lew)
BorgPicard (Borg/Picard/LA/Argon)
NANOOK (Nook)
Csargo (Csar)
Laurentus (Laur)
El-ahrairah (El/El-A)
Vroendal (Vro)
pzelda (Zelda/Capage/Cap)
CutePanda (Panda/CP)

Dead Players (3)
Raskolnikov (D1)
c4e5g3d5 (N1)
Timsup2nothin (N1)

Ooh, nice shot, Vig!

Or alternatively, nice shot, 3P!

I remember Tim disparaging my TRs (other than him) so those people are probably okay? They were Cap (pzelda) and Ibn.

Also lolargon with the fakepeek on red!Tim. Classic, dude.

[El-ahrairah]

Since I wasn't here for Twilight:

I wanted to vote Rask, but I didn't like Csargo on Rask's wagon, so that put me off voting there.

I voted Dolby because of that post I quoted yesterday, where Dolby said "My issue with Rask is..." and then rattled off some issues. It felt very out of the blue, like "Ahh, Rask is getting some heat, I better prepare a valid reason for suspecting him in case I need to vote him"

And even though I was SRing Rask at the time, I SR'd Dolby more for that.

So,

Vote: Dolby

I'll do a proper re-read when I get to work, I only skimmed a few posts between my last post and EOD.

[Montmorency]

Night Two




*BHZZZHRRP!!*

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Major Montmorency cranked his eyes open and breathed deep.

He sighed.

I love the smell of morning in the night.



DAY THREE BEGINS



Postcap has been raised to 200!

Phase ends

Living Players (13)

hollowkatt (hollow/HK)
Dolby (Dolbster/Dolb)
Winston Hughes (Winston/WH/McGinty)
Garden Gnome (Gnome/GG)
Ibn-Khaldun (Ibn/IK)
Lewwyn (Lew)
BorgPicard (Borg/Picard/LA/Argon)
NANOOK (Nook)
Csargo (Csar)
Laurentus (Laur)
Vroendal (Vro)
pzelda (Zelda/Capage/Cap)
CutePanda (Panda/CP)

Dead Players (4)

Raskolnikov (D1)
c4e5g3d5 (N1)
Timsup2nothin (N1)
El-ahrairah (D2)

[BorgPicard]

????????¿?

[BorgPicard]

What the hell happened? Well I was planning on revealing my cop check on Nanook, but that was a bust. At least nobody got killed tonight.

[Montmorency]

Night Three

Eschadoctor Lewwyn was proud of his achievements in service of UMEN. The internal consensus placed him at the top of his field. He had even been nominated for a Secret Nobel Prize in [redacted] 3 years ago. It was understandable that he would be embedded in the UMENSES support element, to manage the technical parameters of the translocation equipment that enabled the whole operation.

It was less sensible to include such a valuable person with the incursion directly into the Bionic underground complex. But as one of the few survivors of his team, and the only person present who could manipulate the Iron Curtain device - from an even-more-experimental branch of the translocation tech - his sense of duty carried him down with the Marines.

Fear quickly led him to make very public demonstration of the Iron Curtain, once the chaos began in the icy slick hallways of the facility. As expected, the device only had capacity for a single use. Hopefully it had given UMENSES the cutting edge it needed to finish the job.

...

Lewwyn slept near the commander's unit, for maximum security. There would only be time for a single move before the camp was alerted.

His unarmored body lost the structural integrity to gasp as the Infiltrator's nanoblade bisected him.

Lieutenants CutePanda and NANOOK had not been getting much love from their brothers-in-arms lately. They seemed to flit on the outskirts of the task force, and the latter had in public view contributed to the death of a good and beloved Marine, Lieutenant Garden Gnome.

And so they were assigned guard posts with their squads at the entrances to the armory.

After long hours on the watch, their professionalism did not permit boredom or fatigue to deter their vigilance. Thus they first noticed the spreading exhalation of phosphorescent mist around them. At a signal all guns came at the ready behind the barricades.

Ț̴̍h̴̯͐ḁ̸͠t̷͙̅ ̴̗͌h̷͔͘ů̵͉ṃ̶̿å̸̘n̴̡̎ ̸̺̇l̷̠̽i̸͔͑f̴̯̐ȇ̷͔ ̵̨̂m̷̳̈u̴̪͠s̵̼͘ţ̶̅ ̶̛̬b̴̾͜é̸͖ ̷̥̾s̶̬͌o̴̾͜m̵̙̌ė̸͍ ̶̣̕k̶̭͒i̴͓͠ǹ̸͈d̵͌͜ ̸̗̀o̸̮͠f̶͉͆ ̴͇͒m̸̘̽i̵̮̕s̸̝͐ț̸̋ȧ̶̠k̶̭̾ē̴͍ ̷̯̅i̴͈̐s̸͉̎ ̵̱̑ș̵͘ṷ̷̔f̷͔̀f̴͕̊i̷̬͑c̸̬̀i̸̩͋e̶̢̎n̸̗̍t̸͎͛l̸͙͐y̸̙͊ ̸̬̔p̶͚͆ŗ̴̚o̶͑͜v̴̢̋ė̷ͅd̵̮͑ ̷̫̒b̷̝́ÿ̵̭ ̴͙͝ṯ̸̈́h̴̻̆e̸̛̟ ̶̘̚s̷͂ͅĩ̸̤m̴̜͒ṕ̷̫ĺ̵̯ḛ̸̌ ̸̖̾ǒ̷̖b̶̡̓s̷̭͐e̷̥͛r̶̯͛v̴̱̐a̷̤̓t̸̻̔i̵̢̍ŏ̵̭n̵̹̓ ̷̧͆t̴̳̎h̵̖͊ȁ̸̬t̵̗͐ ̵͓̓m̷͙̆a̴̱͠n̸̲̄ ̷̗͒i̵̙̊ş̷͠ ̴̺͑ā̸̞ ̷̙̍c̵̭͋ò̸̳m̴͍͋p̷͔͝o̶̟͆ǘ̴̩n̴͋ͅd̵̢͠ ̴̰͆o̷̜͗f̵̠̀ ̷͙͠n̵̬͝e̵͙̾ê̶̟ḍ̸̾s̴̜̓ ̴͎͐ẁ̴̘h̷̡̓î̸̱c̷̘̅h̷̝̔ ̷͔͒a̶̮̓r̶̢̆ệ̴ ̴̹̈́h̴̩̓a̵͍̾r̵̲̽d̸̮̍ ̸̰̽t̵͉̽ȏ̶̬ ̶͓͆s̷̖̚a̷̯͆t̶̠͌i̷͜͝s̴̥̎f̸̛̘ẏ̶̮;̶̰̑ ̸͔̿t̷̞̀h̸̛̜a̴̪̓t̶̮̅ ̵͉͑t̴̛̼h̷̢̿e̶͍͗i̴̞͝r̸̜̔ ̸̼̋s̷̛͎a̷̧̽t̴̠̃i̵͕̐s̶̺̏f̸̗̔à̵̯ç̴͐t̸͊ͅi̶͂͜ỏ̴̥n̴̪͝ ̴͉̐a̸̬̒ć̸͎h̸̻̓i̴̋͜ȇ̷͙v̸̭͗e̶͈͐s̶̜̿ ̶̞͗n̵̗̉o̴̤̔t̷̘͆h̷͕̎ȋ̴͉n̶͈̈ǵ̸̺ ̵̻͋b̸̳́ů̷̟t̵̙̔ ̴̱͝ǎ̴͚ ̷̧̿p̴͕͠a̶̛͖ī̶̥n̵͇̓l̸͈͊ë̷͎s̴̝̈́s̸̲̈ ̵̣̇c̷̛͉o̷̜̕n̸͇͌ḓ̶͂i̷͎̕t̸͚̄i̸̖͋ȯ̴̢n̶̖͂ ̸̱͝ḯ̸͉n̶͓͂ ̷̠̑w̶̹͐h̸̞̆í̴̦c̵͎̕h̴͙̕ ̵̱̋h̸̪̃e̵͍͋ ̸͎̾i̴̪̓s̸͓͂ ̴̮͗o̸̤̽ṉ̸̅l̶̙̓y̴̽ͅ ̴̝̾g̷̩͋ī̴̩v̸̙͘ẹ̶̕n̵̼͌ ̵͕̕o̸̮͐v̷̤̅ẹ̸̏r̷̛͜ ̵͈͂t̶͖͐o̸͙̐ ̶̫̌b̸̨̂o̸̩̾ṙ̵̠e̸͇̎d̶̜̈́ő̵̻m̵̨͐;̶̺̉ ̸͈̚ḁ̶̋ṇ̴͊d̴͕͐ ̴̦̀ț̵͗h̵̘̃á̶͖t̴̖́ ̸̹̑b̴̯̆ö̵͓r̸̪̅e̶̢̚d̵͈͐o̶̹̕ḿ̵͔ ̵̧̋ï̶̝ṣ̴̑ ̸͖͝a̷̙̽ ̵̼͑d̶̜̋ḯ̴̥r̶̢̀ę̴̐c̴̝̄t̴͍̄ ̶̭͝p̷̪̽r̴̓ͅo̷̤͂o̴͇̎f̴̘̊ ̶̻̔ẗ̴̨́h̷͖͑a̵̫̓t̸̡̑ ̷̘̕ē̸͇x̶̪͊i̸̡̒s̴̏͜t̷̫͐e̷̪̍n̴͖̊c̴̥̈́ȩ̶̂ ̸̺́ì̶̘s̴̮͘ ̶̬̉ï̸͕ṅ̴̝ ̷͙̊ĩ̸͖t̴̢̐ș̸̈́ẹ̸͠l̶͇̍f̷͗ͅ ̸̹̆v̴̥͛a̵̗͋l̸̠̈ů̴͇ḙ̵̿l̸͉̆e̶̡̍š̸̝s̴̗̉,̴͈͂ ̶̰̄f̸̣̾o̷͇̓r̷͙̍ ̶̛͕b̴̦́ò̵̺r̴̠̔ȅ̷͙d̶͎͛o̶̙̕m̸̼̒ ̵̱̾i̵̩̍s̵̱͗ ̶̞͝n̴͚͊o̷̠̕t̴͉̓h̵̾͜ǐ̵̙n̵͕͌g̸͓͂ ̶̨͝ō̵̗ť̴̟h̴̘͗e̵͖̐r̸̞̆ ̸̘͝t̴̤͌h̶̞͝ȧ̶͙n̶͙̑ ̵͇̚t̷̰͗h̷̨̋e̵̕͜ ̶̬̍ș̵́e̴̞͗ň̶͕s̵̤͝a̷̻͘t̵̰̅i̴̼̋o̸͙͘n̴̈́ͅ ̶̤̕o̶͇͘f̸͖̔ ̶̹̈t̵͔̔h̴͇̚è̵̥ ̷̛̞e̷̝̚m̷̰̚p̴̯̂t̵͚̒í̴̪n̸̡̛ĕ̸̗s̵̹̅ṣ̷͌ ̶̺͒o̸̼̓f̷̀ͅ ̵̤̐e̷̙̾x̶͖̂i̷̅͜s̵̥̈́t̸̘̊ḙ̸̊n̵̞̾ć̵̠e̶͇̓.̶̕͜

The unlanguage echoed soundlessly from a point nowhere. Nanook detonated the explosive traps ahead of the barricade, raising the whole contingent to alarum.

Y̶̊ͅe̷̦̿t̴̙͠ ̶̰̾w̴̝̾h̶̭͆a̵̱̔ṭ̴̈́ ̶̞̾â̴̝ ̷̠̎d̴͚͐i̵̩̽f̶͠ͅf̶͇̍é̶͈ř̶̬e̶͙͋n̶̨͠c̵̠͋e̷͇͗ ̷̙̏ṯ̴̂h̵̼̍e̷̢̋r̷̰̆e̷̪͒ ̶̟̃i̴͎̊s̸̍ͅ ̷̫̉b̵̆ͅe̸͚̎t̴̖̿w̸̤̐e̴̘̔e̷̬͐n̵̮̒ ̸̦̈o̴̼͠u̵͇̓r̶̢̍ ̸̠̔b̸͈͗e̵̥͂g̸̗̾i̴̲̾n̷̡̉ṉ̶̉i̵͔̎ṉ̷̀g̴̯͛ ̵͙̍a̸̜͐n̶̠̿d̸͆͜ ̷̧̇ọ̴̉ȕ̶͇r̵̗̕ ̸͚̀ë̸̝́n̶̩̈ḓ̷́.̸͒ͅ ̵̣͝W̵̛͚ë̵̮́ ̵̧̉b̵̗̃e̴͉̋g̴͍̔i̴͙̊n̵͉͌ ̷̺͘i̵̦̅n̴̤̈ ̶̲̍ṭ̷̆h̶̰͒ê̴̪ ̵̜̋m̷̤̈́ǎ̶͚d̸̲͂ṇ̴͊ȅ̷̠s̴̥̀s̶̰̏ ̵̮̌o̷̿͜ḟ̵͍ ̶̧͗c̴̛͉ą̸̃r̵͓͠n̴͈̂a̷̤͑l̸̼̕ ̷̯̉d̵̡͊e̵̘͂s̶͉͐i̵͚̅r̶͍̂e̴̱͊ ̵͖̈́a̶͉̍n̴̻͋ḏ̶͠ ̸̻̀t̴̥̀h̷̦̏e̷͈̾ ̷̮̍t̶̫̋r̷̜͒a̸͈̐ņ̷̀s̴̏͜p̶̺̐o̸͚̔r̴̦̒t̷̠̊ ̵̥̿ô̸̫f̶̬̓ ̵̱͊v̶̙̔o̷̞͋l̴̮͆u̴͓̿p̶̦̄t̴̞͠u̵͇̕o̵̞͠u̵̞̓s̵̡̈n̸̟̐e̵̬͒s̷̛̬s̷̳̊,̵̢͝ ̴̧̍w̴͠ͅë̶̤ ̴̹͆e̵͍̒n̴̬̍d̶̅͜ ̸̗̇i̶͇͊n̸̲̿ ̵͕̈́t̶̡̄h̷̥͂e̷̱̿ ̴̻̆d̴͔͌ì̷̝ś̷͇s̷͍̊ö̸͖́l̴̡̉ü̴̦t̵̜̆í̷͍ọ̶̑n̴̥͘ ̶̢͑o̴͈͗f̸͖͑ ̴͕͒a̸̙͝l̸̼͌l̷͕̈́ ̴̜̇o̴̦͝ů̷͚r̵̡̂ ̷̻̿p̴̪͒a̵̝̽r̵͍̂t̶̕͜s̴̮̓ ̶̘͠à̴̟n̸̳̽ḓ̸́ ̸̠̐t̵̞̔ḧ̵̘ë̸͓́ ̵̰͊m̶͍̒ủ̵̹s̴̙͆t̴͈̾y̴̗̚ ̷̼̚s̴̢̚t̴̘͒ê̶͔ṇ̵̒c̷̠̀h̸͕͋ ̷̖͌ŏ̸͙f̴̤͛ ̴̧͑c̸̤̿o̴̪͝ř̶͎p̶̳̚s̵̢̓e̵̩͐s̴̰͌.̷̩̈́ ̸̰̍D̴̹́o̴͉͗e̷͓͛s̸͒͜ ̷̝̕ị̸͂ṭ̵̈́ ̴͇̏n̶͖̽ó̸̖t̷̹̚ ̴͙̎l̷̯̾o̶̫̔o̵͚͝k̶̘͑ ̷̢͑a̴̳̐s̵̓͜ ̵̙͑i̸̛̳f̸̠͐ ̷̺͂e̷̒͜x̷̞͊i̵̔͜s̶̺̄t̵̜͆ĕ̵̲n̵̖͠c̶̹͝e̵̖͘ ̶̳̊w̷̩̐e̶̡̅r̶̥̅e̸̱̎ ̸̭̽ȧ̴͚n̷̝̄ ̴̺͝e̴̙͠r̸̢̄r̸͕̾o̵̅ͅr̸̙̓ ̴̨͌t̵͔͝h̴̹͐e̶̝͛ ̶̼͗c̷̮͑o̵͔͋n̴͔͠s̴̠̏e̷̫̅q̴͉̋u̸̖͐é̵ͅn̸̝͝c̶͉͂e̵͍̿s̴͚̆ ̴̻̒ỏ̸͙f̶̰̊ ̵̹͝w̸͚͒h̴̻̓i̴̗̾c̵̳̓ḧ̸̡́ ̴͖̓ĝ̴̺r̷̩͑a̵̩̚d̷͖̆ṳ̸̌a̴͉̍l̴̯͝l̸̻̃ỹ̵͓ ̶̘̏g̸̣̋r̴̗͠ö̷͜w̶̰̅ ̸̺̓m̶͔̏o̸͓͋r̴̤̋ê̸̼ ̷̿ͅa̴̟͘n̶̳̈́d̸̰̅ ̵̟͘m̷̹̉o̵̫̚r̵̹̀e̸̢͝ ̸̙̓m̴͙͠a̷̩̽n̵̮̎i̸͖͆f̸͐͜ě̸̲ś̴̠t̵̪̓.̵̹̈́ ̴̰̒Ẉ̸̉e̴̛͕ ̴̝̈́s̷̹̀h̸̘̎a̷̺̕l̸̍ͅl̴̝̏ ̶̞̈́d̴̠̍ő̸̻ ̷̨̆b̵͓̏ȩ̸̍s̵̨̀t̷̫̕ ̷̪͑t̶̮̅o̵̘͑ ̶̿͜ť̵̥h̴͈̉ḭ̴͆n̸̠̔k̴͔̽ ̸͚̚o̷̓ͅf̵̡̒ ̶̬̆l̵̨͝i̸̪̅f̶͇͗e̴̻͒ ̵͖̐.̸̦͂.̴̲̿.̶̞̂å̸̠s̵͇̉ ̸̰͝a̴͖͠ ̸͚̚p̶̭̾r̷̜̆ǒ̶̭c̴͉͊e̴̪̓s̵̹̑s̴̰̀ ̸̫̈́o̸̙͗f̷̣̀ ̷͈̇d̷̰͗ȋ̸̱ś̸͓i̵̮̔l̸͔̾l̶̦̎u̶̗̓s̵̅͜i̶̞̊o̷̳̐n̸̹͘m̵̲̍é̸͎n̸̳̄t̷͕͝:̵̨̉ ̵̬̾ṣ̵̃i̴̇ͅn̴̮̉c̵̳̾ẽ̶̗ ̴͙̍ẗ̵̻́h̷̳͒ȉ̸̫s̷͖̕ ̷̙̈́ḭ̵̊s̵̬̈,̷͔͝ ̷͎̈́ć̶̖l̵̲̉ȩ̸͐a̴̠̅r̸̪̊l̷͓͘y̸̩̐ ̶͚̀è̷̟ṅ̵͜o̶̙̍u̵̳͐g̵̦̓h̴͙̕,̵̳̍ ̶̰̃w̸̢̔h̶̠̕ǎ̴̤t̴̛̖ ̵̼̋e̸͖͋v̸̳͐ḛ̵͊r̴͙̐ÿ̷̹́t̴͚͂h̷̙̽i̶̡̅n̸̛̗g̷̩̈́ ̶̈́ͅt̸̙̍ḧ̶̝́a̷̘̐t̷̝̿ ̴̮̌h̵̪͛à̶͙p̸͙͆p̶̙̆ḙ̶͠n̷̪̐s̷̻̏ ̸͚͋t̸͔͂o̶̦̎ ̴̤̈́ư̶̘s̶͙̀ ̵̲͝i̵̪̿s̸̺̿ ̶̼͒c̶͔̈́a̸̠͌l̸̤̊c̶̭̽ù̷ͅl̵̠͘a̸̘͝ṱ̵̋e̶̗̐d̸̾ͅ ̵͈̎t̵̖͐ỏ̶͜ ̵̻͗p̶̳̌r̶̫̔ó̶̟d̸͚͝u̵̬̐c̶̥̓e̵̫͆.̶̹̈



One of the men looked to CutePanda.

Sir, what the hell is going on? Orders?

But CutePanda had been quiet for a while now, gently vibrating all throughout his taut body. As the seconds passed, the mist seemed to inhere to him with greater prominence, or rather resonate in him. By the twinkles of the flames from the explosion, they could see a vibrant sort of delicious color dance beneath his skin.

T̵̯͝h̸̹̍a̸̞͛t̵̳̑ ̶̙̑ţ̵̕h̴͈͊ë̸͎́ ̷̦̈́m̸̑ͅo̵̞͛s̵͉̀t̸̪͝ ̴̯̽p̶̻͘e̷̬͘r̸̢͆f̵̡͋e̷̥͐c̵͍͠t̴̲̄ ̵̫̉m̴͇̀a̴̯͝n̴̡͛ȋ̶̭f̷͉͘ė̸̯s̷̬̿t̶̹̓a̶̘̅ṯ̴̎i̸̮͗ȍ̴̝n̶̗͐ ̷̮̐o̷̟͊f̴̙̿ ̵͈̍t̷̥͑h̶͈̿e̶͎̾ ̷̣͒ŵ̵̞i̶͈͊l̶͙̓l̷͙̊ ̴̳̑t̸̺̀o̶̹̿ ̶͉̓l̶̟͑ȋ̵̦v̸͔̚é̶̡ ̵̲̓r̷̈́ͅë̷̟́p̷̝̏r̴̦̽ę̷́s̶͖͠e̵͉͗ṅ̴̳t̶̪͗e̵̖̽d̷͔̽ ̶̘̉b̵̠̉y̴̳͒ ̸̺̂t̷͚̀h̸͒͜ḙ̷̂ ̵͍̕h̸̠͌u̴̙͝m̴͚̿a̵̡̎n̵̰͛ ̶̻͊o̸͚̅r̷̻̓g̸̰͛ä̴̧́n̷̮̅i̷̮̾s̷̹͛m̸̲͠,̸̠̃ ̷̙͝ẅ̶͍́ḯ̵͇t̸̺̀h̷̦̄ ̵͈̃i̷͖̇t̵̘͒š̵̹ ̷̰̃i̶̳̚ṇ̶̊c̸̰̕ō̶̢m̵̮͛p̸͕͗a̸̞̐ŕ̷̩a̶̦͛b̷̥͐l̷̨̒ŷ̵̱ ̵͍̃i̶͇̓n̵͍̈g̵̦͛e̴͍͝ṇ̷̀i̴͙̿ọ̵̈́ū̴͜ś̸͖ ̴̟͗á̶͖n̸͈͐ď̷̩ ̶̘̇ç̷̉o̸̗͝m̷̻͂p̷̣͝ļ̴͂i̵̝̓c̵̱̍á̶̗t̶̳͝e̶͙̅d̶̻̈ ̸̪͘m̵̗̆a̴̞̔c̶̢̏h̸̘̊i̴͇͝n̸͖̂e̷̪͌r̵͎͒ÿ̷̳́,̷͚́ ̸͙̒m̶͖͂ǘ̸̙ṣ̴͆ṫ̵͓ ̶͙͊c̶̲͒ṙ̶͖ủ̷͖m̴͘ͅb̸̞̈́l̶̳̓ẹ̶͠ ̴̧̋t̸͎̊o̸̳͊ ̸͓̚d̴̫́u̸͚͘s̴͓̓t̴̢̕ ̸̼̓a̵͚͝n̷͇͊d̸̘́ ̵͈̂ị̷͂t̷͈͐s̸̹̈́ ̴̺́w̶̳̅h̵͎͝õ̴̧l̵͍̀é̷̩ ̷̱͝ȅ̵͔s̴̨̽s̶͔͂e̴͌͜n̷͕̓c̷̡͒e̶̤͛ ̷̜̅ä̷̢n̷̪͆ď̴͈ ̵̘̉a̷̫͝l̵̦̊l̶̢̋ ̴̧̄í̸̘t̴̬͘s̶̱̓ ̵̝̎s̸̲̔t̸͖̾r̸̭̽ĩ̴̬v̵̰̌i̸͈͆n̸͈̔g̸͙͗ ̸̞̏b̵̥̎e̸̓͜ ̸̪̿p̴̖̆a̶̯̎l̷͖͂p̴̨͠a̸̙͌b̸̡͒l̶͓̏y̵̓ͅ ̸͈́g̷̭͛į̷͂v̷̟̾è̵̡ņ̸͗ ̶̤̉o̸͕̕v̷̙̊e̷͉͝r̵̬͆ ̷̫̀
a̵͉̓t̴̞͊ ̷̟̊l̸̙̏a̷͚̾s̸̝̚t̴͈͠ ̷̹̌
t̷o̶ ̴a̷n̴n̷i̷h̸i̵l̵a̶t̵i̵o̵n̶ ̴-̶ ̷
̴͙̐t̴̩̿h̶͕͋i̷̯͗ś̴̡ ̵̙̕i̸̟̋s̵͇͊ ̵̤͂n̷̡̂a̵͙̓t̷͖̓u̴̲̚r̵̦͂é̸͈'̷̥̉s̴̙̾ ̴̤̏ǘ̷̩n̴̚͜â̶̤m̶̨̋b̴̛̪ȉ̴̩g̶͇͆u̸͔̐ơ̸̜u̶̳͗s̵̙̔ ̶͎͌d̴̤̒ȅ̶̹c̶̖̈́l̴̈́͜ả̸͎r̷̡̊å̶̦t̶̟͋i̶͉͊ȏ̵̼n̶̩̏ ̵̺̀ẗ̵̺́h̵̰̓a̵͋ͅt̵̼̏ ̵͔̊a̸̝̋l̸̡̿l̸͎̇ ̵̞̐t̶̬̂ḧ̷͎ȇ̴͔ ̵̨̚s̴̼̔t̸̘̊r̴̦̔í̴̜v̸͙͛i̵͙͘n̸̞̏g̴͉̋ ̷̗̀ȏ̸̻f̵̰͝ ̸͖͛t̷͙͆h̷̭͘i̵̘̓s̵͙̈́ ̵̥͌w̵͙͑ȉ̸̳l̶̘͗l̷̬̉ ̴̯̐í̶̩s̵̖̅ ̴͎͊e̸̼͘ș̶̄s̸̛̖ė̵̲n̶͔̿t̵̪͋i̸̳̕á̵̱l̵͈̏l̵̨̃y̴̭̆ ̴͉̎v̸̟͑a̴̺̒i̶̧̐n̵͔̿.̷̗̒

Other Marines tottered with their gaze transfixed ahead. Those who still had some presence of mind started firing off into CutePanda's figure.

A few screaming indescribable moments later, nearly all the hundred surviving Marines had mobilized to the scene.

A few thought they noticed a strange mist, but at a second glance it was nothing but smoke from the fires. Only the hidden Bionics in the assembly quivered as a growl passed through the ranks.

I̶n̴ ̷s̷u̶c̴h̴ ̷a̵ ̸w̸o̶r̷l̷d̶,̷ ̸w̷h̵e̷r̶e̴ ̶n̴o̶ ̸s̶t̵a̴b̷i̶l̶i̸t̵y̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̸a̶n̵y̴ ̶k̷i̷n̶d̴,̷ ̶n̷o̸ ̶e̸n̷d̵u̸r̷i̵n̴g̷ ̸s̷t̸a̴t̷e̷ ̵i̷s̵ ̶p̸o̷s̷s̸i̷b̶l̵e̶,̴ ̷w̸h̶e̶r̶e̷ ̷e̸v̶e̴r̵y̴t̷h̴i̶n̷g̶ ̶i̶s̵ ̴i̶n̴v̷o̵l̶v̷e̴d̴ ̵i̶n̵ ̸r̴e̴s̶t̸l̶e̷s̸s̶ ̶c̷h̶a̷n̷g̴e̵ ̴a̴n̸d̴ ̴c̴o̸n̸f̶u̸s̷i̵o̷n̶ ̶a̸n̸d̸ ̶k̶e̷e̵p̷s̷ ̸i̷t̶s̷e̶l̶f̷ ̴o̶n̴ ̴i̷t̵s̸ ̵t̷i̶g̸h̸t̴r̵o̴p̵e̷ ̴o̸n̸l̸y̴ ̷b̵y̶ ̸c̴o̵n̷t̸i̵n̸u̶a̷l̴l̵y̴ ̵s̷t̷r̷i̴d̷i̷n̵g̶ ̴f̶o̵r̵w̵a̷r̸d̵ ̴-̶ ̷i̶n̷ ̴s̸u̵c̸h̴ ̶a̴ ̷w̵o̷r̴l̶d̵,̴ ̷h̶a̸p̷p̸i̷n̸e̷s̸s̶ ̷i̴s̶ ̶n̴o̵t̴ ̷s̷o̶ ̸m̶u̸c̷h̶ ̸a̶s̸ ̸t̵o̴ ̴b̷e̷ ̴t̷h̶o̵u̴g̶h̷t̸ ̸o̴f̷.̷ ̴I̸t̵ ̷c̷a̶n̵n̸o̸t̸ ̸d̴w̴e̵l̶l̴ ̷w̵h̴e̴r̷e̶ ̴n̸o̴t̸h̷i̸n̷g̷ ̴o̸c̸c̸u̴r̵s̸ ̵b̴u̷t̵ ̴P̵l̸a̷t̷o̸'̵s̵ ̵'̸c̷o̶n̴t̴i̴n̴u̵a̵l̴ ̷b̶e̷c̷o̵m̸i̶n̷g̷ ̴a̸n̵d̶ ̷n̵e̷v̵e̸r̷ ̷b̸e̷i̸n̵g̴.̶

Of the men at the guard post only something like ashy topsoil remained, like that from a particularly-rancid Superfund site.

No one was looking at that yet, as they first accounted for what remained of Lieutenant Nanook.

He alone, it seemed, had at some point taken to fleeing towards the main body.

Major Montmorency knelt down to his form sprawled out on the ground fewer than 10 meters from the scene. Nanook feebly scratched at the floor as the Major watched.

He could not touch it, but looked horrifiedly into the distorted parody that had been a face.

What was it, Lieutenant—what was it? he whispered, and the cleft, bulging lips were just able to crackle out a final answer.

Nothin’ . . . nothin’ . . . the color . . . it burns . . . cold an’ wet . . . but it burns . . . it lived in the wall . . . I seen it . . . a kind o’ smoke . . . jest like the flowers in the spring . . . the wall shone at night . . . Rocky an’ Romeo an’ Jeromy. . . everything alive . . . suckin’ the life out of everything . . . in that wall. . . it must a’ come in that wall. . . poizened the whole place . . . dun’t know what it wants . . . that round thing them Bionics dug outta th'sky . . . they smashed it . . . it was that same color . . . jest the same, like the . . . must a’ ben more of ’em . . . seeds . . . seeds . . . they growed . . . I seen it the fust time days ago . . . must a’ got strong on that Bonic. . . it beats down your mind an’ then gits ye . . . burns ye up . . . in the wall . . . you was right that is huntin'. . . evil wall . . . Panda never come back from the wall . . . can’t git away . . . draws ye . . . ye know summ’at’s comin’, but ’tain’t no use . . . sence Panda was took . . . whar’s Gnome, Majuh? . . . my head’s no good . . . dun’t know how long senct I slept . . . it’ll git us ef we ain’t keerful . . . jest a color . . . the wall is gettin’ to hev that color sometimes towards night . . . an’ it burns an’ sucks . . . it come from some place whar things ain’t as they is here . . . look out, Major, it’ll do suthin’ more . . . sucks the life out. . . .”

But that was all. That which spoke could speak no more because it had completely caved in.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

There was indeed a terrible monster on the loose. Surveying the carnage before them, the Marines felt for the first time chilled to the core. Could even the very best of UMEN - lose here?

Maybe clues could be found in the Bionic labs and research section..



Lewwyn has died! He was a

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Technician

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Technician

You are one of those mad scientist freaks whom the Unified Marines quietly employ in their most covert research facilities.
Trained in the field of advancing UMEN's technological primacy as a fighting force, your mastery of cutting-edge superweapons led to your deployment with the strike force.
It is rumored that the Iron Curtain device you supervise was in part reliant on alien technology in its development.
Use your skills as part of the UMENSES signals/intel detachment - or what's left of it - to support the strike element in eradicating the Bionics.

You are a unique variant of roleblocker (Town). You win when all threats to your mission are eliminated. Vote in the thread every day to liquidate potential threats.

Iron Curtain: Once in the game, submit orders to stop and fast-forward a whole Night phase; all other actions, including kills, are nullified. Cannot be used N1. The Iron Curtain cannot be stopped, so choose your timing carefully for decisive effect.

[REDACTED]

CutePanda has died! He was a

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

UMENSES Operator

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

UMENSES Operator

You are a Marine, or maybe a whole fireteam of Marines, with at least 5 years of exemplary combat service.
Every one of you steely-eyed veterans has been blooded against the Bionics before.
The present battle engaged and after days of hard fighting both sides have nearly been wiped out.
Now, with the remnants of the Bionic command group cornered, you have your chance to fulfill your mission and return a hero.

You are Vanilla Town. You win when all threats to your mission are eliminated. Vote in the thread every day to liquidate potential threats.

There is a hard 125-post cap Days 1-3. Vote-only posts do not count toward the cap during EOD only. Twilight is always uncapped.

NANOOK has died! He was a

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

UMENSES Operator

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

UMENSES Operator

You are a Marine, or maybe a whole fireteam of Marines, with at least 5 years of exemplary combat service.
Every one of you steely-eyed veterans has been blooded against the Bionics before.
The present battle engaged and after days of hard fighting both sides have nearly been wiped out.
Now, with the remnants of the Bionic command group cornered, you have your chance to fulfill your mission and return a hero.

You are Vanilla Town. You win when all threats to your mission are eliminated. Vote in the thread every day to liquidate potential threats.

There is a hard 125-post cap Days 1-3. Vote-only posts do not count toward the cap during EOD only. Twilight is always uncapped.

DAY FOUR BEGINS



There is no more postcap!

Phase ends

Living Players (9)

hollowkatt (hollow/HK)
Dolby (Dolbster/Dolb)
Winston Hughes (Winston/WH/McGinty)
Ibn-Khaldun (Ibn/IK)
BorgPicard (Borg/Picard/LA/Argon)
Csargo (Csar)
Laurentus (Laur)
Vroendal (Vro)
pzelda (Zelda/Capage/Cap)

Dead Players (8)

Raskolnikov (D1)
c4e5g3d5 (N1)
Timsup2nothin (N1)
El-ahrairah (D2)
Garden Gnome (D3)
Lewwyn (N3)
CutePanda (N3)
NANOOK (N3)

[Dolby]

I'm lost

[Dolby]

zelda, does your ability account for the 3p to your knowledge?

trust winston regardless

[pzelda]

Before I start solving, I should clarify that I misunderstood one detail of my role previously on. Basically, I need my neighbor to send in the same scan order in order to get 100% true result. And I can get a new neighbor if the old one dies. I should get in touch with one of you later. I'm not sure if sharing this is a good idea, but I think that in our current situation and with my role outed, transparency is important.

So, let's take a look at where I was at yesterday:

town: Winston, HK, Borg, Laurentus, Ibn
poe: Csargo, Vroe, Dolby

From my town, I especially need to take a better look at Borg, make a proper read on Ibn and actually check in detail HK's activity. Laurentus and Winston are the only two firm core members.
Csargo's Nanook vote looks way worse after both wagons flipped town. I don't see many reasons for Csargo to be town. Also, there was almost no pressure on him - and mafia is usually trying to miselim him.
Vroe is up and down for me.He made some good comments and some terrible comments and his presence feels off. Like he's not been actively trying to solve the game with his comments, just showcasing solving.
Dolby's not town here.

Vote: Csargo