/qu/ - Quests/Roll

>Codename: Bear

>Weapon of choice: Remington Model 31 Shotgun

>Field expertise: Combat

>Catchphrase: This one's just right.

Sorry for the delay, I work odd hours and may only be able to update once a day every so often

>>7086

>Codename: Bear

>Weapon of choice: Remington Model 31 Shotgun

>Field expertise: Combat

>Catchphrase: This one's just right.

The dress uniform you had on from the funeral never felt right to you, especially not with the bandages and arm sling. You always felt more at home in your combat armor. Heavy and cumbersome, but it suited you. It was like a second skin. Your grandfather's shotgun came with you on every mission, an extension of your body. The battlefield was your home, your ferocity and bravery earning you the codename Bear. Having to delve back into the civilian life, even for a moment, filled you with more stress than any mission. It was why you came to Tonrar Island in the first place. But Hyena was depending on you.

You can't help it, but you found yourself getting mad with Hyena. You were the pointman, you were supposed to be the one to protect everyone. Why couldn't it have been you instead? You push those thoughts back, you have to stay professional. Hyena wouldn't want you to blame yourself.

Victor comes into the room. He's an old man, weathered by constant fighting over the past decades. He stays stoic, but it's clear that he cares about every soldier in his command. "He was a good man, Hyena. A shame what happened. I trust you'll be the one to deliver his belongings? We've got a boat ready for you in the morning. Rest up, let your wounds heal. Leave any thoughts of revenge at the door, your comrades can carry the burden for just a while." Victor has always proven to be a perceptive man. He notices everything, from logistical matters such as your impeccable combat record to more human concepts like your friendship. It would be no exaggeration to say that nobody can keep a secret from him for very long. "Your comrades are waiting for you, at the usual place. It's up to you, to see them or not. I know your condition may make it difficult to relax."

You gave him a salute with your good arm before he leaves the room. His aging eyes betrayed his demeanor, expressing the pain and loss that only years as a soldier can provide. He handed you a manila packet containing a plane ticket and a dossier on Hyena's family, photographs and their current address. The boat leaves for Anchorage, Alaska at 0800 tomorrow morning. You have a good deal of time until then, to be spent at your leisure. Your medical leave absolves you of any duties or responsibilities until you returned to full health, but a sense of pride prohibits you from being able to enjoy doing nothing.

>Visit the medical center to get an update on your medical status

>See if the Intel team has any data on the men who ambushed you

>Meet with the rest of your squad at the bar

>Hit the firing range and blow off some steam

>Visit the graveyard and pay your respects

>>7103

Firing range. I want to imagine taking down all the bastards who killed Hyena, prepare myself mentally for it.

>>7104

Your finger itches, longing for the comfortable weight of a trigger behind it. You know there's no way you'll be able to clear your thoughts without pumping lead at something. The smell of gunpowder always did have a way of putting you at ease. You walk down the path towards the quartermaster's office. You pass a few other soldiers running along the way that are desperate to get out of the November cold. It's never warm here off the Alaskan coast, but this winter has been especially frigid. On the contrary, however, all you feel is the heat from the explosion against your wounds.

The quartermaster sits in his office, reading a newspaper. He looks up and notices you walking, grasping the situation immediately. He walks into the back and fetches your Model 31 and a box of buckshot. "The usual, Bear? You sure it'll be alright with your arm like that?" You remind him that you've trained extensively to be able to fire your weapon with either hand, one handed. "Well, awright, but you be careful in there. Who else is gonna light those bastards up? Can't have you takin' any more time in medical, can we?" He gave a solemn chuckle; he had taken a bullet in the leg a few years back that gave him a permanent limp, leaving him unfit for combat duty. It was obvious he missed being out in the field, but at least as quartermaster he could keep his comrades safe by making sure they never skipped practice and that combat teams were always well stocked.

You scoop up your shotgun and the ammunition and walk to the range. Hitting the button, a target pops up with a buzz. Holding it steady with just one hand was tricky, but not too difficult. You saw an unknown enemy approach over the hilltop, clutching some sort of rocket launcher. His uniform was all black, a gas mask of unknown design covering his face. His eye looked through the launcher's sights, centered on you. Your finger pulled back against the trigger, and a deafening crack accompanied a hard kick in your hand. His rocket fired uselessly into the air, exploding overhead. Your other arm holds Hyena back from behind you. He puts his hand on your shoulder and nods a 'thanks'. At least, this is what you see. The reality fades back in, and all you can see are a bunch of pellet holes in a paper silhouette. You repeat the scene over and over again, hoping that somehow it would set in and become the truth. Unfortunately, the truth refused to change.

Another soldier is getting some target practice in, as well. His pistol technique is a little sloppy, unrefined. You look at his uniform and see that he hasn't earned a codename yet. He must be one of the new recruits. You step over to him. He has a brief panic and salutes. "H-hello, sir! I hope I wasn't being a bother, sir! My sidearm proficiency test is coming up, and I wanted to get some extra practice in, sir!" You tell him he can drop the 'sir' thing. You take the pistol from his hands and signal a target, emptying the magazine into it a half-second after it appears. "Wow…That's amazing, sir!-Oh! Sorry." You reload the pistol hand it back to him, correct his hand placement, and tell him to keep at it. "Thank you, sir! I won't disappoint!" He keeps shooting as you head out of the range.

The quartermaster takes back your shotgun. "She's a real beaut, that 31. I'd love to let you keep 'er, but you know the rule. Anything other than your sidearm is strictly no-go for off-duty personnel." You look down the road and see the bar. A few drunk soldiers stumble out, shouting and rambling about who knows what. They shuffle towards the barracks, losing their footing at every opportunity. Suddenly, the quartermaster slaps the table. "Ah, I almost forgot! I was supposed to give you something. Victor himself said you'd want it." He walks into the back and brings out a scorched and busted AK-74. You immediately recognized it as Hyena's; he always prefered the simple things in life, it's part of what let you guys get along so well. "It took a lot of damage in the explosion. The thing's not much more than a paperweight, as is. I might be able to fix it back into working condition, but Vic told me to leave the decision up to you. Thought you might wanna keep it as is, as a memento."

>Fix the rifle

>Keep the rifle

>>7106

Fix the rifle. I doubt Hyena would stand a broken weapon.

>>7107

You give him the go-ahead to fix it up. It isn't doing anyone any good as is, and besides, someday you wanted to use it to finish off the man who killed Hyena. Poetic justice, or something. The QM gives a smirk. "If I hear anything about it, I'll tell the boys to use the rubber bullets and bring 'em in alive, just for you." You give him a thanks and head off. Blocking your path is Leech, your squad's medic. She gives your broken arm a good flick, sending a nice jolt of pain through you. "If you're flinching like that then you're in no shape to be playing around at the range." She was a rather blunt woman, not particularly tactful in the way she spoke. She was assigned to Mirage Force about six months ago when your squad rescued her as a POW from an NSR prison camp. She specifically asked to be assigned as a medic to your squad so she could personally berate you for your lack of sense of self-preservation.

You brush her off and ask what the rest of the squad is up to. She sighs and gives your arm another flick for good measure. "Firefly and Shark are probably still at the bar attempting to induce mild cirrhosis. Coyote was with them for a little while, but I have no idea where he is now. Not that you should even be thinking about running around with them in the condition you're in. To be quite honest, I was opposed to you volunteering to deliver Hyena's belongings. You need to rest or your condition isn't going to get any better." You began to tune out from her speech. Like you would let something as small as a physical injury stop you from paying Hyena his due respects. "The least you could do is take your medication. I actually came by to deliver it to you, but you just had to make yourself hard to find." She hands you a pill bottle. You hated taking these things, they had a habit of making you fall asleep.

The courtyard of the base was mostly empty, save for a few new recruits practicing their CQC technique. The sky had become a deep purple, and most of the base's staff had fled indoors to avoid the cold. Leech had left you to your own devices after forcing you to promise that you'd actually take your pills this time. A handful of crows had nested on the roof of the barracks, and one of them picked around at the garbage can. The maintenance staff had tried to shoo them away earlier, but Raven -the soldier- had stopped them. Claimed he was doing a project for the Intel team on the reconaissance merits of trained crows, but the truth was probably just that he's a sucker for birds. The air was still and calm, almost oddly so. Usually by now there would be a current of wind through the base, but it was nearly silent.

>Give the recruits a CQC lesson

>Find a snack for the crows

>Reunite with Firefly and Shark

>Go looking for Coyote

>Take your medicine and head to bed

>>7108

Reunite with Firefly and Shark, a few drinks wouldn't go amiss.

>>7110

Your feet take you in the familiar direction of the base's bar. The whole squad used to come down for drinks to celebrate successful missions, but you had a feeling there wasn't much celebrating going on. Mirage Force, although a bizarre paramilitary force operating on a secret base, runs on a sense of honor and camraderie. The most important things here are never to betray a fellow soldier and never to back out of a contract. These two tenets maintain your reputation as a valuable private military force, and also serves to keep morale steady. You open the door to the bar, a couple men having a heated and slurred argument about fried eggs in the corner. You catch the familiar sight of Firefly and Shark up at the bar, a medley of empty glasses around them. Shark is the first to notice you. "So, looks like you turned up! C'mon, have a drink!"

You pull up a chair and order a drink. The arguing men almost get in a fistfight over whether the yolk is better firm or soft. "Pfff, screw those guys, m'I right? We're here to relax, g'damnit." Firefly was busy drawing some sort of schematics on a napkin. You always thought the guy would be better off in R&D instead of slumming it with your lot, but he would always say he had too much fun in the field. That much was true, at least. He claimed to like to 'field test' his new gadgets, usually some sort of pyrotechnic device. What a nutcase. Then again, your squad wasn't where the normal, well-adjusted soldiers went. It was fair to say you all had a screw loose. Shark was an expert in hand-to-hand combat, preferring to be up close and personal. He could disarm an opponent and have them on the ground unconscious in three seconds flat. As good as he was at stealth infiltration, the moment he gets back on base he's the rowdiest of the bunch. Certainly able to hold his liquor in any case.

"You just missed Coyote, he took off about twenty minutes ago. You run into Leech? She was lookin' for you, seemed pretty pissed off, too. -Hey, drink up! Just noticed you've barely started! You better catch up to us, buddy!" Shark's big, toothy grin always had a habit of getting you to drink more than you planned. After a decent handful of drinks, your head calms down a bit. The egg-arguers eventually shuffled off, leaving the bar mostly empty. Firefly sets his pen down and takes another sip from his drink. "I ever tell you guys my little brother works for DARPA?" He had, many times, but you let him continue. The two of them had gone to MIT together, another reason you always gave Firefly a hard time, saying he had no business risking his big ol' brain on the battlefield. "Well, he told me that that senator, McMillen, has been visiting their workshop a lot lately. Some big secret project that nobody's supposed to know about." Shark blows the statement off. "Big whoop, those guys always have some kinda pet project brewin'." Firefly turns and looks serious. "No, this is different. They're pulling a lotta money, he really wants whatever it is done before the election. Who knows if they'll make it, but my brother says the whole vibe there is bad. Something's going on, I know it. It's super fishy." Shark looks a little put off by the conversation. "Hey, I know you and Hyena used to always talk about your little 'conspiracy theories', but I'm just not that kinda guy. My thoughts extend about as far as the battlefield, and that's it."

Firefly turns to you, looking in your eyes. "Bear, I know Shark's an idiot, but you've always had a good head on your shoulders." He pulls a computer hard drive out of his pocket. "Hyena and I…we were working on a little project. This drive has everything we've worked on until now. Please, take it." Shark looked rather pissed off at this revelation. "Hey! I don't know what you're doing, but I sure as hell don't like being left out of the loop! If you've got important information, you show it the the Intel team or Victor right away." Firefly shot back at him. "I can't! I can't. Not just because of Hyena…but because of something else. I think there might be a spy on the base." Shark's voice raised even louder. "Even more reason to tell them!" Firefly was quickly approacing Shark's aggression level. "What if one of them is the spy, idiot!? I gotta keep this safe. Bear, that's where you come in. Give this hard drive to Hyena's daughter. I don't know why, but that's what he told me to do if anything ever happened to him." Shark sighed heavily. "I really don't like this. I don't know what's going on, but damnit, I'm not gonna just sit back while any more of my friends go and get themselves killed for somethin' stupid. I won't tell anyone about this, but you guys better not bite off more than you can chew." With that, Shark left the bar.

>Take the hard drive and go to bed

>Ask Firefly some more questions about his 'conspiracy theory'

>Look at Firefly's tech design

>Take the hard drive and concerns of a spy to Victor

>>7122

Take the drive and go to bed. Discussing anything more would put whatever Hyena's work was in danger.

>>7123

You pick up the hard drive and put it in your pocket, telling him you'll make sure Hyena's daughter gets it and you'll hash out the details later. You give him a farewell greeting and head back to the barracks. It was about time you got some rest after all. A reasonably short walk took you to the foot of your bed, where you plopped down carefully to guard your arm. Even without the medication sleep came quickly, your body having exhausted its energy a long while ago. The night was filled with a bizarre dream where for some reason you were at a train station with Hyena, talking about the weather. He said something that stuck with you when you woke up: "If the air out there comes downwind, the only birds that'll fly around here are vultures." The scene had felt familiar, but not quite reality. Had it happened before, back in the past? Or was it a complete fabrication?

You crawl out of bed and get dressed in your civilian clothes. It'd been a long time since the last time you wore them; you almost forgot you even had them. Very plain, inconspicuous attire. You scooped up Hyena's materials and the hard drive and walked out towards the docks. A few soldiers stood at the shore, saluting you. Carefully, you stepped into the boat. Onboard was a man you recognized, dressed in a striking Hawaiian shirt and sunglasses despite the freezing temperatures. You never learned his real name, but he always went simply by Sam. He kept his identity and occupation very closely guarded. You remembered that he would occasionally sell information to the Intel team, and he had thus far never provided them with anything that proved to be untrue. "It's been a while. Your boss called in a favor; I'll be escorting you the whole way to your friend's place."

Not that you didn't appreciate Victor's thoughtfulness in providing an escort, you were a little perplexed at his decision to use an outsider rather than a Mirage Force member. Did he know about the spy already? You inquire as to why he was chosen. "Didn't ask. Knowing too much is dangerous these days." The boat heads off for Anchorage, whereupon the two of you board a flight to Seattle. Just a few miles east in a small suburb of there is Hyena's family. The trip is mostly uneventful, Sam keeping his eyes out for anything out of place. The car pulls up to the doorstop on the address. Package in hand, you walk up to the door and ring the bell. After a few moments the woman from Hyena's photograph answers, albeit rather tired and stressed looking.

>What do you tell/ask her?

>>7128

Mrs. Hyena (use her actual name), I'm a friend of your husband. I have something important to speak to you about, may I come in for a moment?

>>7129

In the politest manner you can muster, you begin to speak with her. You try to very gently break the news to her, but she cuts you off. "Don't. If one of you guys is here, then it's true. He's gone, right?" You stutter a moment, and she swallows quickly to regain her composure. "I guess we have a lot to talk about. Please, come in." You look over at Sam, who waves you off. Stepping inside, you notice the house is fairly empty, as though it wasn't really lived in. She offers you a seat and pours you a cup of coffee. "Let me start from the beginning, even though you probably already know all of this already. My name is Miranda, I'm Henry's - was Henry's wife. Though you probably knew him by a different name? Well, anyways, our daughter Hope has always been rather…gifted. She never got on with other kids her age, so she shut herself up in her room and hardly ever leaves. All she does is go on her computer doing God knows what and listening to these weird radio signals. About a week ago she comes out of her room and walks right up to me, saying 'the radio told me that daddy died.' I was so confused, and I've been holed up here trying to sort it all out. Now that one of you is here, I guess it's true."

You hand her the packet containing his service medals and various other belongings, and then mention that he had left a birthday present for Hope and asked if you could give it to her. "Huh? Oh, I suppose. I don't know how she'll react to it, but you're welcome to try." Of course, he did really have a gift for her, but you were also burning with questions about the hard drive you brought along as well. And what was this about a radio signal? You aren't leaving here without at least an idea of what's going on. Miranda knocks on the wall. "Hope, sweetie, the nice man here has a present for you." Her bedroom door upstairs cracks open slightly, although you can't see what's inside. Miranda sighs and gives you the okay to enter.

A young girl sits in the corner of a dark room, the only light coming from a computer monitor. Cables are strewn about everywhere, and all kinds of electronic equipment is haphazardly stacked around. You take note of a military grade radio transceiver propping up a Sega Dreamcast. The girl is unusually short for her age, hardly breaching 4 feet tall. Long black hair masks most of her form and oversized glasses cover most of her face, making her eyes seem absurdly large. Industrial over-ear headphones sit on her head, the wire leading to the radio. "Present?" You kneel next to her and hand her the small gift-wrapped box as well as the hard drive. Her hand pounces on the hard drive and draws it close to her chest, like she were protecting it from you. The gift was nearly completely ignored. "Important." You began to wonder what Hyena and Firefly could have possibly been involved in that would involve his very own daughter gaining access to classified information. Did this girl have some sort of profound ability? Was Hyena really cold enough to put his family in danger like this? The entire situation was perplexing to you. Things were much simpler when you could just point and shoot at your problems.

>Talk to Hope more

>Talk to Miranda more

>Leave the house, rejoin Sam in the car

>(Custom/Other)

>>7162

Let's talk to Hope more, let her know that we were really close to her daddy, and that if she could tell us anything important, it would be really helpful.

>>7162

Let's talk to Hope more, let her know that we were really close to her daddy, and that if she could tell us anything important, it would be really helpful.

>>7177

>>7178

You tell Hope that you and her dad were really good friends, and anything she knew could help you find the bad guys that hurt him. She thinks hard for a second, and then scrambles to her computer. Her hands tear open the case and plug the hard drive into the machine. Some typing and clicking brings up a photograph on the screen. Hyena is there, presumably holding Hope as a baby. Firefly and his brother are there, as well. Behind them is some sort of machine, it's hard to make out the details however. If Hope was just a baby, then this picture was over a decade old. Had they been planning something this far in advance?

She stares at you until you finish looking at the picture. After you look back she immediately goes back to searching through files. Blueprints for all manners of devices flash across the screen, until eventually it lands on a diagram of a strange machine affixed to a human brain. She moves her hair and shows a scar on her scalp about where the diagram represents. "I was sick. It made me better." Miranda was hovering in the doorway, looking uncomfortable. "Hope was born with a rare brain disorder. The doctors said…said that she wouldn't live to her fifth birthday. Henry took her to see some scientist friends of his, and they put some kind of implant in her. I don't know how it works, but as you can see she's in perfect health now."

Hope points to the screen, another picture having appeared. In this one, another figure is present, a mostly bald man with large glasses. You don't recognize him, but he has a visible DARPA nametag much like Firefly's brother. The name says "Dr. Johannsenn". He is shaking Hyena's hand, pointing to the baby Hope with a visible smile. Hope tries to open another file, but an error dialog pops up. "Encrypted. Can't open." She looks disappointed at this, flopping out of her chair and onto the floor. Her hand slaps the Dreamcast, turning it on. "All I know. Call later." Miranda politely pulls you out of Hope's room. "Well, I hope you got what you needed. If you find anything out, please let me know. We'll invite you to the funeral." You say your goodbyes and head back into the car with Sam. Before you speak, he puts his finger on his lips in a shushing gesture. He then mouths the words 'we're being followed'.

>Tell him to act like the two of you didn't notice the pursuers

>Tell him to set up a trap for the pursuers

>Tell him to try to lose them

>Make a big scene, confront the pursuers

>(Other/Custom)

>>7207

Try to lose them. We probably don't have enough firepower, backup or intelligence to trap or confront them.

>>7213

>Sorry about the one update a day thing, my schedule remains hectic

You signal for Sam to lose them, and he nods in agreement. He makes a few loops around the neighborhood, turning randomly around corners to throw the tail car off. They stay on track, but Sam slides through into a busy parking lot for a nearby shopping mall. The masses of cars make it difficult for the tail to keep up, and eventually they are left behind in a traffic jam. Sam parks, and ushers you out of the car. He sets a small device inside of the car, and the two of you go into the mall.

The two of you grab some coffee inside, and he holds what looks like a cell phone to his ear. After listening carefully, he says "They found the car. Hang on." He listens for a little while longer, sipping his coffee carefully. After a few more minutes, he sets the phone down. "Alright, got a little intel. Can't use that car anymore by the way, they trapped it. They're Russian, most likely local mafia working for NSR through a cutout. Sounded like they were supposed to waste the two of us, steal the kid, and clean up any witnesses. Don't worry, their hands are tied, after that little slipup we gave them they'll be too scared to try anything." You ponder this for a moment. The Soviets wanted Hope? It probably had to do with that brain implant. You figure maybe they wanted the tech to try to get a leg up on the West. In any case, Hope and Miranda are in danger at their house. "Don't jump the gun trying to save them, bud. They're definitely being watched; we try anything and they go into action. Might have to pull a few favors to settle this."

You finish your coffee and throw it in the garbage. For a simple escort job, Sam's certainly getting involved. He hasn't betrayed Mirage in the past, but he does work freelance. You can't overlook the possibility that he's got something larger in the works than being your chauffeur. Unfortunately, he's the only contact you know in the area. The only other sources you have are your friends back on Tonrar Island. Looks like you'll just have to make do with what you can get and sort the situation out yourself.

>Ask Sam about Dr. Johannsenn

>Ask Sam about the Russians

>Ask Sam about Hope's implant

>Ask Sam about his current contract

>Devise a plan to save Hyena's family

>Devise a plan to get out of the mall without the Russians finding you

>(Other/Custom)

>>7228

Devise a plan to save Hyena's family, and then one to get out of the mall.