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So anyways, I was thinking it was about time I did a little more Boonequest. Sorry for the delays, as usual.

*

It's been a bit I admit, and there's a bit to take in at this point. There's a bit to take in also, so if you need a moment to look through the archives too, that's gravy pie.

There is also this cliff notes business here:
//mr-culexus.deviantart.com/gallery/?catpath=scraps#/d48tyy5

Also, for what it's worth: as the game is getting more exposition heavy and based more around talking with people (mostly team mates) I've tried to make the 'talking to someone' screens slightly more interesting or detailed, generally just for team members but hey. Putting that out there.

Best get started, we have a short cutscene first...

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[CUTSCENE]

The CHIRIUTUBE goes through its final cycle, making a bizzare noise like house keys down piano wire before a definate thud is heard and from the smoke emerges, at long last, Nel. Free from her affliction she has the look on her face of absolute relief and delight.

Tears well up in her eyes

*

She reaches out and pull you against her, not in a desperate attempt to cling to her humanity like last time, but with genuine warmth and grattitude.

"You have saved me, Alice Boone. Thank the Emperor for you. I will never forget this"

Behind you, a recessed holoprojecto flickers to life.

*

A hologram of GODEK, the now sainted (or whatever the techpriest equivilent is) head of this medical department.
A soft, commanding voice crackles from it.

"If you are seeing this, then you have managed to do what i could not, and save a life I was powerless to help. Please find contained within this receptical, the wordly possessions of Nel Torokvei, with one final gift of my own"

A floor tile slides open revealing a TECHNOMAT JUMPSUIT, a MULTITOOL and a CANONESS FRUIT PIE.

*

Nel takes this oppurtunity to change out of her PRISON CLOTHES (burning them for good measure) and puts on the TECHNOMAT JUMPSUIT.

She looks around a little before finally asking "What happened to Daneel?"

[CUTSCENE OVER]

*

he's uh... he's missing. and certainly not exploded. we should probably go fix up that teleport doodad and see if we can't get him back.

Nel is touched by your infectious optimism, but is pretty sure that sort of thing is beyond that humble transponder.

*

Head back up the higher level and reactivate the drilling machine?

GM:
Drilling machine is ruined, yo. You ripped apart for wires earlier. Also, you can only travel with 2 people at a time.

*

To elaborate
Character besides those in you team, will follow you a short distance and help you out, but their travel distance and abilities are limited.

*

I just read re-read Boone Quest 2 and this caught my eye
>Concerning Leokadia and tube treatment
>We'll slap her on the ass if Nel survives.

Well, seems like we'll have to do that now.

second.

third

The possibly apologize and say it was something we promised ourselves to do

You place a firm smack on Nels backside and she squeaks and jumps forward, flattered, but flustered.
You explain to her that that was something you and Daneel agreed had to happen but that he was not here to administrate.

"well...he owes me one then..." she mutters. But she understands.

well there's no harm in trying is there? plus maybe we can teleport someone/thing else up later. Broken machine spirits help nothing!

Depending on the button you press, the teleporter can bring in one of 5 new people

*

I want to see what our new party member can do, so leave Leo down here and take Nell back up with us to the mining level, and speak to kapunda. Maybe a friendly face will get him onside.

Also, show us Nell's stats/inventory.

Nels info, for the curious. She is a UTILITY character, as she has no PP and is non combatant, her skills can be used any time at no cost, but are situational, she's basically a way of helping you through tech related puzzles (in the same way C-16 helps you go through combat scenarios quicker)

With Nel, you need less parts to fix stuff also.

She will never fight, but can be relied upon to avoid danger.

She also has LOCAL knowledge and can answer more questions (though still not all) about the facility.

Take Nell up to the KORNHEISER and have her use her SPARE PART and REPAIR skill to reactivate it. Take Musou with us, for protection if Toors comes knocking, Leo can stay down here.

The Kornheiser is fixed, you just havent figured out the ignition code.

IMPORTANT: Flying the Kornheiser out of the shaft or beaming ina a new person will end this level. Just so you know.

*

Okay, we've got a lot of suggestions here, I need some straight up consensus in simple terms fo my primitive Anglo-Australian brain to calculate.

Choose your team. Choose your action. Bit by bit.

*

hee hee, +1 to you. Well done.


I am having some serious selective perspective problems today, no lie.


Port in NADA. Leave LEOKADIA. Take Party to KORNHEISER, and leave NEL in it as pilot. Take C-16 and NADA onward to ADVENTURE!


Edit: dammit, where's that image of C-16 attempting an Attillan salute?

Porting in NADA strikes you as unlikely, as she was not part of your shuttle (she was travelling with Quil, as usual), and the telporter seems callibrated to your shuttle only.

Okay...hoo..okay...From what I'm gathering here, we are at least temporaily making a team of C-16 and Nel, to go check out the KORNHEISER and are then going to take NEL to look at the MAP?

About right?

You and Leokadia make your fond fairwells, you remind her to watch out for TOORS DENOTE, and she gestures to the AUTOGUARD and smiles.

*

FUCK YES!
Ok, we should have Nel beam someone in with the Teleporter.
We have the spare part, and someone useful might come in. Or at least someone to watch Leo's back.
THEN we can use the Drill Tank to move foreword.

If you teleport someone in, the level ends. You may wanna do that last.

I should point out, before you get your hopes up that the KORNHEISER is basically a hovering minecart, its bade for conveyance, not rock breaking.

NEL smiles fondly at the KORNHEISER and runs her finger along its activation panels in an almost memorised fashion with a base thud and an electronic whine, the Kornheiser rumbles to activation.

(SORRY. This puzzle was another meme one. I lack the chops for being actually clever, I was just kind of expectiong someone to google "Kornheiser' in desperation. Bit lame of me.)

anyways, to the map.

Dont panic, no one's stealing this.

*

You walk up to the COGITATOR MAP, and ask about the ? location.
Nel stares closely and nods. The damage here is consistant witha downed shuttle. The impact was broad and well spread, so, though damage was done, there'd likely be survivors if the shuttle was any good.

You pause, musing. Man, Nel kinda knows her shit.

You then opt to go to the Cameras.

*

Camera two first, because you're like that.

Hmm. It seems to be live stream footage of the aftermath of a battle. You see two dead SAPP SOLDIERS strewn amongst a cracked concret and barrel barricade.

Hm.

*

SHIT!

The '?' section is not a shuttle crash!

I SAY AGAIN.

The '?' is not a shuttle crash!!

The CRAG is a shuttle crash. the '?' is just rubble.

*

Camera One seems to be monted on top of the comm tower, instead of being some sort of sky cam it...
huh...

This fundamentum looks familiar. You bite your lip without even realising it.

*

The owner of the derriere, apparently aware that they're being watched, crouches into view and stares directly into the camera. Nel gasps and staggers backward, making the cog sign.

CUDDLES stares into the camera for a few seconds, the appetures on her eyes zooming in and out. You can't shake the feeling that somehow she not only knows she's being watched, but that she knows she's being watched by you.

*

oh uh...seems she DOES know.

You close your eyes and concentrate but the distance and your own weakness make it difficult, you think you hear, soft as a falling leaf:

'C-c-cCAan't cant leave-eave-eave post but can-an h-h-ELP HELP help help. See-e-e-e-e you sOOn-oon'

*

You assure NEL that despite her appearence, CUDDLES is as on the level as anyone can get, and has acted as a bodyguard to Inquisitorial gents and indeed for Commissar.

NEL nods. Satisfied. She goes on to mention that, while she had assumed you were in someway affiliated with the guard or navy, she figures youre probably part of something bigger than you let on, but totally gets that youre not really much for talking about it.

So. What does atdineruniversalgreeting mean?

Posessing more MILITARY MIND than you gave yourself credit for, you crack this rather elaborate code. You're a little puzzled as to its greater purpose, but you imagine it'll come to you.

*

Is there a camera at the diner?

That's a negative.

Cool, beam this info up to Captain McCaptain, and let him know NOT to shoot the Comm Tower.

You're unable to send this map to Toullemonde, sadly, as this COGITATOR doesnt have a SLATE PORT. Toullemonde is dependant on your instruction on this one. You think it best to call him anyway.

He starts of offended, but calms down quickly. You do that to people.

*

we should probably point out the gun batteries to him, give him some coordinates to bombard. he was complaining about them when we first talked to him.

You give TOULLEMONDE the coordinates of the surface GUN BATTERIES, after a few seconds and almighty rumble from above, like a peel of thunder if its one of those peels that girls do when they peel an apple all at once to throw it over their shoulder to see if it forms the first letter of the person they'll marry sized..um..dunno that one?

Anyway, big damn explosion. TOULLEMONDE is delighted to finally be useful.

*

What about A1? Too close to something important?

No, no that's toasted too. Just forgot. brain sneeze.

*

That was 7A. 1A is next to Camera Two and the Diner.
Speaking of which, let's check on Cuddles?

You check on CUDDLES again, she observes one of the nearby smouldering wrecks then turns to the camera, you can tell by the way her shoulders and chest are moving that she is laughing quite hard.

'ahee ahoo goO-ood-ood onnnne'

*

You wonder what to do next. Lot to think about.

Anywhere else we can blow up from here that would help? Or should we get a move on?

Not particularly no, it may come in handy once you know more.

One other things, since it's being discussed. There were, to my knowledge 2 Cuddles fics that had any level of distribution.

One was written by Elite Pirate, and it contained romance towards her but no fooling around (it was just hinted at that those involved would like to) the guy who fancied Cuddles in that story died.

Another person, wrote an actual fapfic (if anything involving my characters can be called that) that involved a guardsman walking in on her servicing herself , then there's mindreading and rough sex. Not the sort of story I would write, necessarily, but still actually okay written and pretty much in character. The guardsman in THAT story also dies.

One of the guardsman who is mentioned as being dead in that godawful story I wrote 'Boones first time' was also dating Cuddles at the time they died. So the theory of her being cursed does seem to be thing.

I'm rewriting 'Boones first time' to make it suck less, but those that died still died.
agh. Anyway, back to Boonequest.

*

You return to KAPUNDA to show off your brand new HEALTHY HAPPY NEL.

Someone seems to have already been here.

*

Lets check if how much he's been injured.

You crouch down to look at SUAM's injuries, he seems his ribcage has ben punctured then sort of...dug through his organs. it looks as though he's been fed on.

With 2 heals, you can get him stable, you're pretty sure. but he's in a bad way.

I'd say we have a consensus, yes?

*

As the last spark leaves your hands, you stammer to SUAM to hold on just a moment longer, you just need to eat something and then...

He doesn't respond.

You shake him. He's gone.

Nel tries to reassure you, but your eyes feel hot. You gave everything you could, and it wasn't enough. Not by half. You punch the ground bitterly.

*

You stagger to your feet and storm back out to the main mine.

C-16 has been pacing.

( I will say - sorry I rolled like such a bitch there. I roll because its the best way I can think of to keep the tests neat - it'd be that or you guys would have to assign someone (witha trip) to be the designated roller for the thread, who would have to stay in the thread, monitering it carefully-the WHOLE time. This is neater. Also, as it's digital dice, giving the job to someone else, wont really help. Again, though, that was some bad rolling. War is hell.)

*

Tell her what happened and ask if she's up for a little SMITING!

You talk passionatley to C-16 about vengence and finding the blaggard who took Suam Kapundas life. You talk of tracking, and comeuppance and justice and...

C-16 cuts you off. She ...seems(?) to get the gyst of it..

*

C-16 grabs your wrist, which startles you, she sniffs your gloved had for a few seconds and a smile comes across her face. She has been so very bored, lately.

*

What scares me the most is that she can't actually speak Gothic.
Her facial features are providing all this information to us.
Anyway, Lead the way C-16, you combat monster you.

You follow C16 back through the shafts of the mine and back to the security area...she eventually stops.

*

TOORS drops down from the ceiling, he seems to have undergone some sort of change due to his recent feeding. he begins spewing some sort of villainous hivemind diatribe BUT YOU ARE IN NO MOOD.

*

C-16 does land the strike she has in mind, but its for the sake of dodging TOORS claw attack and mearly getting her head slightly chewed. TOORS Gags as decades old dandruff clouds into his mouth.

C-16 does land the strike she has in mind, but its for the sake of dodging TOORS claw attack and mearly getting her head slightly chewed. TOORS Gags as decades old dandruff clouds into his mouth.

doesn't*

*

You worry as C-16 slides to the ground, allowing TOORS to strike her, she rises into a foward somersault crying out something you dont understand, but you imagine, if translated would probably stagger a Sororita.

For the second time in this little adventure, TOORS has taken it upon himself to make like a banana and be cut in fucking half.

*

Yessss. Hug C16. Then hyperventilate because we just hugged C16. Then do as the good book says: burn the xeno with purging fire.

We should probably BURN him this time.

Your heart full of justice as even pacifist Nel cheers, you reach out to hug C-16 who, still seems to not recognise the gesture at all, and is, if anything, threatened by it. Her nose twitches, and it occurs to you that, in all likelihood, she finds YOUR smell offensive.

You instead offer to her a good natured thumbs up, which she recipricates, he hand stopping less than 1cm from your nose.

She then drags the bodies off to the incinerator, as has become oddly routine for her, She's a pretty good whistler.

Wait a minute, this is the same chucklefuck from the beginning of the game? The one who took 1000 damage the last time?

That was SEB, C-16 turned him into meat confetti. This is TOORS.

Both are proper dead. Scouts honor.

*

Next time we see her we should compliment her ability to CUT THINGS IN HALF!
well since we're back here anyway, we should fire up the teleporter. Not much else to do but end the chapter (And I'd rather bring in someone new then just drive off)

Yeah, read the bulletin. Downtime tonight, probably a good idea to get to a stopping point.

Next time we see her we should compliment her ability to CUT THINGS IN HALF!
well since we're back here anyway, we should fire up the teleporter. Not much else to do but end the chapter (And I'd rather bring in someone new then just drive off)

Next time we see her we should compliment her ability to CUT THINGS IN HALF!
well since we're back here anyway, we should fire up the teleporter. Not much else to do but end the chapter (And I'd rather bring in someone new then just drive off)

It's ACTION TIME.

Nel uses the THENEZZ AUGER SPARE PART and once more the TRANSPONDER hums to life.

PUSH A BUTTON.


Heh, looks like its the Collector making the choice. Neat. I like his style.

*

BLUE IT IS!


A DEAFENING HUM FILLS THE AIR

*

As the smoke clears the smell of freshy iron linen fills the air as a short, steady figures steps through the smoke, preceeded by jangling kicker boots.

*

NEW TEAM MEMBER:

Lara Minhelm.

(oh god. any other button push would have brought a dude. You guys are just determined to amass an army of horrifying women.)

(also drew this at the start of the quest. sucks so so bad now.)

*

Man oh man.

You guys did great today. Just great.
Except for Suam.

Still, the last thing he heard was Nel's voice.
He would have liked that.

*

No character sheet yet, but I'm happy to answer any queries.

*

Oh. Its autosaging. Never mind.

*

What does she specialise in? Other than being intimidating?

She is a good all-rounder but her main skill comes from her passive skill MILLITARY MIND. It's basically a tactical analysis of what needs doing and the options you have, as well as having the knowledge of WAR and its practices/codes/drills.

For example if an anon had not cracked the morse code puzzle, Minhelm could have. As opposed to Nel who can help you through tech puzzles, or C-16 who makes combat easier, Lara is the first of your allies who will offer all round advice like " Didn't the captain say he could drop a vehicle for us?" or "Perhaps we should call the man on the vox again"

This is basically a representation of her direct, mission-minded approach to things.

She will also have a selection of combat and non-combat PP skills, and likely be carrying a modest handful of useful gear.

*

And lastly, here is a set of sketches showing the miners without their masks. Someone seemed to care about that. It's just me trying to draw celebrities, but that works.