Main Characters:

1. 
Name: Matthew Ferrix Chilam (mathew ferix chilam))
Age: 29
Race: Derivian
Class: Player
Rank: Sergeant, Federation Marines 

Skills natural: 
Leadership (increase critical chance)
Tactics (imitate enemy attack)

Skills imbued:
Assault Rifle (Burst - one)
Underslung Launcher (Lob - all)
Powered Suit (Jump - increase def)
*Targeting Computer (Aim - increase atk)
*Comm Jammer (Orders - increase party atk)


Matthew is a squad leader in the 124th Drop Troops of the Federation 
Marines, assigned to the large transport carrier WILD CHILD; which in 
itself is also part of the 8th Hollmar battlegroup. His father was a
Federation engineer who died at his post, in the opening shocks of the 
invasion. Despite his mother's tears, he joined up and six months 
later, was heading off into the Rim. Although calm and approachable, 
sometimes he shows streaks of unfeelingness; even outright disregard 
for anyone else's feelings, if the task called for hard decisions. He 
lives by the moral principle that it is the duty of the young to shape 
the world they live in, while they still have the energy to do so. He 
takes his responsibilities seriously, since he has to live up to the 
ideal of his father; who chose duty above family... or even his own 
life. 

He believes this, otherwise it would seem like his entire life spent
without what other children considered normal, and his mother's pain, 
were simply pointless. Can't be. That would hurt too much. Better to 
just wall up and defend the heart with the armor of duty. He wants to
know Why. He is characterized by his need to understand.

He worries about everyone under him, though he doesn't show it. Those 
that now and then in the few moments he relaxes his guard, sees through 
his shell see the depth of how much he really cares. This is what ties
the loyalty of his team so tightly.

He is skilled in most weapons, and is proficient in piloting. His 
attacks are strong and relatively quick, his defense is good; he is the 
main character after all. He can use limited Skills to boost his 
attacks.

He stands of average height, with wispy purplish hair and piercing 
shale-gray eyes. The face set shows a bit of sadness even when he 
smiles. 

At the beginning, he is a hollow character, an archetype. But as the
game progresses and he has to make decisions in gray areas, he learns
finally to rely on others, show his caring, and learn that his father
could actually.. have been.. wrong? 


2. 
Name: Raven Hieb Seleste (reyven have selest)
Age: 27
Race: Derivian
Class: Fighter/Medic
Rank: Sergeant, Federation Marines 

Skills natural: 
Heal (heal some HP; all)
Scan (see enemy HP)

Skills imbued:
Personal Support Carbine (Burst - one)
Underslung Launcher (Lob - all)
Powered Suit (Jump - increase def)
*Targeting Computer (Aim - increase atk)
*Trauma Pack (Stat - heals more HP; all) 


Raven is a corporal leading another unit. In her own way, she is as
innately tragic as her erstwhile companion. She also hides behind a 
stern front, which though wasn't unusual (this IS the armed forces, 
after all) she has difficulty with social situations. She was adopted 
by a Federation officer, and only recently was she told that it was 
partly in guilty conscience... her adopted father had killed her real 
father. Unlike Matthew, she didn't even have a mother growing up. She 
was from stubborn Rim blood, and raised to be tough as nails. She is 
still a woman though, and wonders what it is she's missing.

In a way, Matthew and Raven are uncertain parents of a disfunctional
extended family. The people of their platoon was made of extremely 
talented but also in some way, abnormal individuals. That wasn't much 
of a problem though, as they were the ones who could truly accept each 
other.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

She performs her duties well, as that is what is expected of her. 
Perhaps she also overcompensates for her own pirate blood. Only with
Matthew does she really feel comfortable, for he would never judge her
for what she is but rather what she has done. Her greatest fear is
being a failure as both a soldier and as a woman; an amoral bitch 
willing to do anything to get the job done. She tends to fixate upon
the goals of a mission, and occasionally Matthew has to remind her that
the ends doesn't often justify the means. 

She is skilled in most weapons, though specializing in assault rifles
and pistols. She knows basic HEALing, but nothing really special. She 
can share most equipment with Matthew, though. Overall a decent 
fighter suitable for the front line.

She stands actually a little taller than Matthew, but they were both
the type not to be intimidated by any person's stance. Her night-black 
hair (obviously) is cropped short in a Rei Ayanami-like cut. Her 
portrait is that of someone trying to look stern and yet still managing
to look cute at the same time.


Raven is extraordinarily vulnerable to even the slightest flattery. I 
have in a mind a little love triangle (or at least a little flirting 
and driving to jealously) with Matthew and the smuggler(later). She is 
very insecure in her own womanhood, and when confronted with the 
Taenarian they rescued, despairs a little. She can see how instintive 
it is for Matthew to respond to feminine distress; and nothing's quite 
as achingly, fragile feminine as an unhappy Taenarian.

Of course, if the story get linear towards the end, I'll support her
getting her man. These two really deserve each other. Not all RPG 
romance needs that to be of a hero and a princess.


3. Khreg Hadh'rada (kreg had rada)
Age: 228
Race: Zallun
Class: Heavy Weapons
Rank: Sergeant, Federation Marines 

Skill naturals: 
Bash (%chance ignore armor)
Berserk (increase atk humongously)

Skill imbued:
Light Mortar (Mortar - all)
Rocket Launcher (Antitank - one)
*Power Fist (Maul - cause Stun)
*Particle Beam Cannon (Beam Shot - one)

Khreg; pronounce his name 'cream' and he'll turn you into paste. A 
traditional Zallun through and through (ie; dour and prone to propery 
destruction) he has cultivated an aura of grim ferocity that 
intimidates everyone he encounters. 

Despite this, he'd refused another promotion, this time he'd have 
jumped two ranks into full Captain. That would have meant being kept
away from real combat, real honor. He'd grown to like living among the 
smaller races, these creatures moving so fast with their fleeting 
lives. They were so.. varied! Some were honorless, some seemed to have
had the misfortune not to be born Zallun. The maximum lifespan of a 
Derivian was two hundred, but this even so with expensive medicine. The 
average was something near one hundred fourty. Zalluns often live to 
see four hundred. He wanted to be the witness to their lives, and the
one to remember and honor them once they were gone.

Matthew and Raven came to his quarters bearing the finest Zallun white 
wine. They were grinning, happy, for they too considered Khreg a 
friend, even in the short time they knew each other. He liked them 
since they had patience and professionalism, without the acquired 
arrogance that other officers inevitably developed. They celebrated, 
they drank, they sang, well into the night. It was that night that 
Matthew and Raven first let down their shields, and relaxed, and 
realized with each other they were actually having fun. And having fun, 
they laughed with Khreg at his barely-comprehensible jokes and original 
song creations. His masterpiece was "The Eight Behinds (of the 
Council)". Every member of the Security council was examined, their 
ancestry speculated about, their doings at night, and their running 
dogs. More frighteningly, the song turned to war, and the armed forces, 
and the many idiots in each layer of command. The song barely stopped 
short of calling the Federation itself as a collosal failure.

It was still funny as hell. 

The brass had a good opinion of him. This could get him court-
martialed. The outcome of such was predestined. Everyone on the major
JA seats was in it. Khreg had dirt on a LOT of people. He'd lived too
long and drank with too many people not to. He even devoted several
stanzas to their own 'beloved sergeant'. 

Raven, in the morning, destroyed the datastick; but not before 
listening and laughing to it one last time.

Even now, she can't help to to smile secretively whenever he steps
into a room. He can't help but to be nervous. They could ruin his
reputation as a fearsome, humorless bastard. 


In keeping with his ascetic Zallun warrior ethic, Khreg is almost
unstoppable in close combat. His great natural strength meant he didn't 
need powered armor; at most he wore a ceramic plate over his torso. He 
could weild heavy weapons easily; which include the entire gamut of 
mortars, launchers, portable particle beams and antitank armaments. 
There is no question how much damage these can do to a hapless 
infantryman.

He is a typical tanned Zallun, wearing warrior tattoos over the left 
half of his face. The portrait pack barely contains his six-horned 
head. 

In the game, he remains mostly static, but his own strength of
personality bouys others. He's already two hundred years old and
witness to countless battles. He's not going to change that easily. He
serves as the voice of experience, but now and then his advice is too
rash or driven by emotion. He isn't the leader since he's primarily a 
warrior, and defers to his equal in rank. 



4. 
Name: Stefan Jade Roak (stefan jeyd rook)
Age: 37
Race: Derivian
Class: Secondary Fighter/Smuggler
Rank: Captain, MV Freighter GHOST OWL

Skills natural: 
Steal (steal item from enemy)
Opportunism ()
Familiarity ()

Skills imbued:
Pistols (Dual Tap - one)
Grenade (Toss - all)
*Plasma Pistols (Dual Tap - one)
*Plasma Grenades (Throw - all)
 
Stefan is a Rimmie and damn proud of it. As a free exchange low
tariff import/export transporter, he answers to no one but himself.
Sure, he has to dodge both pirates and the law, but hey - that's part 
of the charm of the sea of stars. He plays the part of the freespacer
to the hilt; with contraband, women, wine and gambling. He seems 
selfish, but as he put it, it takes great determination to live a 
selfish life. Born on a mining colony nearby, his freighter is actually 
indispensable to many. Sure, it hauls illegal goods, but it also 
sometimes carried food and medicine; and if there was one thing he 
could boast about, that slaves would never be carried aboard his ship.

The GHOST OWL was stolen from him prior to the war, and his crew 
dispersed. Ironically, it was a jealous mistress of his that betrayed
him; he'd tried to get the 'a lover in every stop of the journey'. The
criminal organization interested in his ship (not Rim Pirates, but a 
local warband) mauled him severely and left him for dead. Said woman 
nursed him back to  health, and once he was well enough to walk- told 
him to get out of her sight and never return. He'd been trying to take 
back the GHOST OWL ever since. 

He exudes confidence and self-satisfaction, which just amazes those 
around him. It irritates them, he knows that they know, they know that
he knows that they know - and he does it anyways! Was he stupid or
suicidal, or both? Stefan doesn't regret. Anything. He thinks it a 
waste of the moments of his life; looking back. He tries to look always
to the future, in a somewhat fatalistic optimism. And yet, he is also 
in his own way a coward, never risking too much of himself in anything.
He wants his ship back because to him, it represented freedom. 

He has an innate dislike of symbols of established order, but somehow
the marines amuse him. Flirting with Raven gives out predictable 
response both from her and the lieutenant who pretended not to be 
interested. Strangely too, despite his constant innuendo he has no 
intention of taking her to bed (yet); he knows she'd break if he simply
played with her feelings and took her body (and two very angry marines
would tear him limb from limb). He does care, he's not a complete jerk.

Now, the Taenarian on the other hand, she could use some loving. She 
was more emotionally resilient, not to mention a serious 'feather in
his cap', if he actually succeeded in bedding her. Too bad she's immune 
to his charms. 

And Matthew would still break his arms.

I know, I know, it's a little too 'Pirates of the Carribbean: Curse of 
the Black Pearl' and all that, but you've got to take interesting 
archetypes wherever you can find 'em. 


Stefan isn't much of a shot, but he is an extremely fast draw. He 
should also have a wide range of skills. Maybe grenade-throwing now and
then. His main usefulness is in his familiarity with the locations, and
will provide much of the explanations and expositions of each area. 


He looks scruffy, with pointy unkempt hair, kinda like Spike Spiegel 
from Cowboy Bebop (or Ryoji Kaji from Evangelion). He wears a red 
leather jacket, and an evepresent rakish grin. 


The party shows up at a convenient time. The hangars were in disarray 
and the bastards who stole his ship were in a hurry piling whatever 
loot they had stored onplanet into the ship, so they could leave. A 
small but heavily-armed unit could take them all on. Afterwards, he 
helps out to fix up his ship, and ultimately because if he didn't, the
sea of stars would suffer. What's the point of being a free trader if
there's no friendly place to moor or lovely ladies to seduce?


Name: (unknown)
Age:  (unknown)
Race: Taenarian
Class: Psi defender
Rank: none

Skills natural: 
Caring (heal all some)
Benevolence (heal one lots)
Affection (remove ailments)
Love (revive)
Fly (increase def, spd)

Skills imbued:
Taenarian Staff (Devotion - increase party stats)
Taenarian Circlet (Purity - )
*Telurian Crystal Necklace (Prayer - heal all lots)
*Telurian Crystal Sash (Intervention - revive and heal all)



(I'll leave this for now)






6.
Name: Kyara Suu (yara so)
Age: 25
Race: Kitaran
Class: Meelee attacker
Rank: None

Skills natural: 
Disarm (lower enemy stats)
Leap Kick (disrupt enemy turn)
Instinct (increase agi humongously)

Skills imbued:
Kitaran longblade (Jump Slash - one)
Kitaran armguards (Anger - all)
*Filament Sword (Bisect - one)
*Kitaran Light Powered Suit (Fury - all)
*Kitaran Folding Gauss Rifle (Snipe - one) 


Kyara is a snob. This is apparent to anyone whose ever around her even
for five minutes. What is a wonder is how such a person could have, or 
would even have.... a reason to go this far out into the Rim. She 
doesn't say, but it has something to do with fleeing commitment. She 
ran to the furthest region of space where no one she knew would ever 
find her.

She looks down on most everyone else as barbarians, the Taenarians as
blindingly naive, and laughs at what the Zalluns consider a warrior 
tradition. To be fair, she does prove herself capable of matching up to 
most of her boasts, as her martial and sword expertise is second to 
none. Behind this though, she holds crippling self-doubt, and unlike 
the others' fears about not being good enough, her insecurity is that 
she's destined to be alone. Sha almost wishes to fail, to be defeated
so utterly that she shouldn't have to live up to the shining self-
image she'd built for herself. She made up her mind to be entirely 
self-sufficient and for someone so young (even Kitarans live up to 125, 
so someone less than thirty is barely considered adult; even if they  
were so physically).

*In a sidenote; at thirty-two, at the time of the war, B-sol was still
considered a young fluke of nature. The greatest resistance other clans
have against his call for bolstering Rim defenses (independently of the
Federation) was from that he was so... young. Was he sure he really 
knew the fullest consequences of what he was asking?

Only a clanned Kit'i can be that arrogant or obsessive; Rim Kit'i 
tend to be more well-adjusted. Though still prone to rash action. 

Where she learned her fighting style is also unknown, but the memory 
saddens her. She'd left... something... or someone... behind when she 
left. Strangely, she respects Matthews fighting skills, even if she 
could spot several flaws in it (attributed, she says, to sparring with
clumsy Zalluns). She takes it upon herself to teach him something about
the Ha-raio, or the Active Life. Not quite precognition, but to some
extent a person can be made to live a second or so in the future, 
anticipating perfectly all attacks and all possible counters in a 
battle. To guess at an enemy's pattern of attack and have react even
before they finish thinking of it.

Sidenote: Of course, not everyone can accomplish this. Even she has 
brief glimpses of it. Brusolla can turn it on or off at will, which was 
why he was nigh undefeatable in close combat;  but then again he was 
already clinically insane, paying the price daily for such an ability. 


She has contempt for him, for simply being Derivian, but also some 
respect; for he IS Derivian and yet has the potential to achive this 
battle zen. The way is doubly hard, not being 'lucky enough' to be born 
Kitaran. 


Kyara is very highly skilled in the sword and martial arts. Even in an
era in which guns have great range and accuracy, close combat is still
a useful skill. Advanced polymer and cerafibre armor are effective 
against bullets and medium-power laser/plasma guns; but have little 
resistance to surpassingly-forged blades. A bullet might not hit a 
vital spot, but a sword through the eye or up the jugular is instantly
fatal. And so on. 

I'm still against an instakill skill, though. Perhaps reducing the 
enemy's stats per attack, or a speed break, or even ignore armor. The
sword in itself should do good damage, better than most guns. However,
unlike guns there aren't that many swords, so a few times in the story
the longblade is temporarily outclassed. 

But that doesn't mean she doesn't know how to use guns. The Kitaran 
Folding Gauss Rifle, near the endgame becomes the main weapon, as I 
don't see how any sword can get through an end boss armor. 


She has long blond hair, large feral orange eyes, and in the few 
moments she doesn't look so haughty is plenty cute; as Kitarans tend to 
be. 

You rescue her from a free-floating escape pod. Kyara hangs around the 
party as she has no money, and no one else wants to help her. Although 
she prides herself on being independent, no one else has a functioning 
ship and 'brave and skilled and Kitaran' she might be... the Scourge 
are coming and she doesn't want to die just yet. As the story 
progresses, she grows to care about the others and you see her more 
playful, kittenish side. 







7.
Name: Isske Halahalaa (yisk hala-hala)
Age: 65
Race: Sniv
Class: Engineer
Rank: none

Skills natural: 
Repair (heal self)
Deploy (increase def humongously)

Skills imbued:
Gatling Gun (Gatling - one)
Missile Pack (SRM - all)
Self-destruct (SDestrct - massive damage to all)
*Chainguns (Barrage - one)
*Drone Command Interface (AirSuprt - all)
*Jump Thruster (Jump - increase def, spd)


Hallahalaa (Isske is his family name; for understandable reasons 
everyone refers to him using it) could have been a very scary mad 
scientist type of person, if only he didn't speak in stilted 
Galstandard. He hasn't deemed it as important to learn it; so he just
changes words while keeping the Sniv arrangement; which doesn't make as 
much sense in other languanges.

So for instance; 'I'm going out for a cup of coffee' becomes 'Outside 
is the coffee of mine claim."

Just because sometimes he talks like Yoda, sometimes like a Jamaican, 
is no reason to think him stupid or uncultured. Most people do however,
and so he retreats into the darkness of his machine shop. 


He doesn't attack, but rather calls a scratchbuilt battlebot to fight
for him. The thing, being a machine, has great amounts of HP, def and
is immune to most Psi attacks (though it can still be dazed or stunned;
status affects can be linked to hydraulics, wiring, and such - also the 
main reason I'm using toxins, instead of poison). It's slow, but the 
Self-destruct can be plenty powerful. Perhaps we should have a certain 
amount of GC also deducted everytime it's used; cost for 'rebuilding'
the thing. 

What makes him really useful is that he can upgrade storebought weapons
into their 'ultimate' versions later on. Each is an involving 
sidequest, but well worth it. 


8.
Name: Xiar Liunnic (si-arr lu-nic)
Age: 128
Race: Wraith
Class: Psi attacker
Rank: SpecOps

Skills natural: 
PsiBolt (one)
PsiShock (all)

Skills imbued:
Psi Blade (PsiBlade - one)
Stealth suit (Sabotage - one)
*Psionic Barrier (PsiStorm - all)
*Cloak Field Emitter (Cloak - increase def, atk, heals self some)


Xiar didn't join the Federation Marines because he wanted to. He joined 
since the Nightranks wanted him to. And the authority of this supreme 
council was absolute; over every Wraith. They had foreseen that he 
would serve some vital function in, if he follows the path they have
laid out for him.

Wraith are a rather superstitious lot, and Xiar's been getting series 
of bad omens recently. 


9.
Name: Jan Dorona (jan doronona)
Age: 156
Race: Tamaran
Class: Modifier
Rank: none

Skills natural: 
Bribe (exit battle)
Taunt (focus an enemy's attention, ie no All attacks)

Skills imbued:
Pellet Rifle (Sedative - reduce enemy stats some)
Tamaran Biosensor (Safeguard - auto-revive self)
*Gel Launcher (Corrosive - reduce all enemy stats)
*Tamaran Bioharmonic (Preserve - autoheal per turn)




9.
Name: Sasshel Luqueia (sashell look keya)
Age: 82
Race: Quelaar
Class: 
Rank: none

Skills natural: 
Diplomacy (coerce an enemy)
Slap (random enemy stat goes down a bit)

Skills imbued:
Large Staff ()
Codex ()


Secondary



-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Prolouge:
Soldiers of the Federation

Lesser Klamath Cloud, Pleoria Nebula 
Heavy Transport Carrier FNCV HOPEBRINGER
unknown date

Items:
PwrdArm01, SAR01, PSC01, LMM01, StimPac, MedPaste, Grenades

Party:
Matthew, Raven, Khreg


You start off in a training room, with the three characters standing in 
front of the squad leader, Sgt. Appolyon. He praises each of your 
abilities, with appropriate counterpoints. He tells Matthew that he is 
gratified to see his growing skills and hunger for learning, but he 
needs to learn how to relax and go with the flow. Raven is the second 
best overall in his platoon, and while he appreciates her 
professionalism, she musn't shut out other people. Khreg, it is an 
honor to fight with someone so reliable, but he needs to stop 
frightening his own troops near out of their wits.

Then he explains that he called them to test their familiarity with the
new weapons. They would need to instruct others in their use. 

First off, the SAR-23-C, Standard Assault Rifle; appropriately enough. 
Unlike former assault rifles, they had abandoned the bullpup design and
made the frame more sturdy. It can accept many underslung accessories.

Then the PSC-55-A, Personal Support Carbine. Unlike most assault rifles
this weapon was primarily designed for close-in suppression; a high-
powered SMG. It was designed as an anti-Scouge weapon, since the aliens
move and close to claw range too fast for basic ranged training. As a 
result, while less accurate it has the potential for greater damage 
than even an SAR, if used properly. 

Finally, the LMM-04-X, Light Man Mortar. While most people would need 
to put it down, a Zallun could fire with it still on his shoulders. The
mortar shells are designed against the flimsier but more heat-resistant
Scourge Armor.


Enemy:
Lt. Robert S. Appolyon

Weapon:
AR Custom (NOT the ARC01 as seen later)

Skills:
Burst
Snipe
GrenadeL


Then, you enter combat. In the battle screen, Sgt. Appolyon notes that 
the pride of the Marines is of course, their powered armor, designed to
be strong enough to take the hit of what weapons their own marines 
might carry. You attack him; it doesn't quite matter if you use skills 
or not.

At his turn, he attacks using his own skill 'Expertise', which is an
all attack that shaves off a lot of your hp. If the game engine 
supports being taken out of battle without anyone winning, this is
enough. If a side must win, then he tells you to activate stimpacks
in your armor. It should clear up the wooziness. Stimpacks remove 
mental status ailments such as Stun, Slow, Sleep, and heals a little.

Keep attacking and Healing with Raven. He'll eventually use Burst,
Grenade, and Snipe. Fear the latter, it will often cause one character 
to die. Use MedPaste to revive, and keep attacking, he won't counter
any more. 

After that, he says 'Good, good.' and is much more confident with the
future of the Federation. He walks away, muttering about needing to
buff up his armor and hammer out the dents.


Raven (shyly) congratulates Matthew, and Khreg laughs. Too bad, he 
says. Now his nerves were awake. He challenges the two to continued
practice. Matthew declines, saying he needs to talk with the troops.
Raven asks him what he would say, as she feels her own troops don't
respect her. Khreg is about to say something, but she interrupts,
snidely telling him that she wants to lead them, not kill them.


Then the alarms sound, and all marines are ordered to report to the
briefing room. You get control of the party now. Check the chests for
more Stimpacks and Nanopaste.

Exit the room to the south and you'll be in a corridor. Proceeding left
gets you into the mess hall, where seated people will tell you snippets 
of how badly the war is going. You can buy Rations here, which heals a
little HP. 

Head right and you enter the hangar. Follow the catwalk down, then
left, and enter the briefing room. It's in the door under the large
and impressive machined weapon. In there, the partty separates, leaving
only you to talk to random soldiers. Sit (move over) the only empty 
chair and the Marines lieutenant will begin the briefing. 

Cutscene. 

Sleek white Federation ships are moving down the screen, retreating 
from bubbly red Scourge ships. The lieutenant says that once again the
Federation must make a tactical withdrawal. However, there is a special
mission for the ship and its soldiers. It will proceed to a nearby 
Andromedan Science Institute and supervise the evacuation. Someone 
shouts about not being a cargo ship, nor wanting to be one. Lt. 
Appolyon says wryly, even if it's a cargo of cutting edge and probably 
highly unsafe experimental weaponry? 

....

End cutscene.

Raven approaches Matthew and asks what he's thinking. He says it's a
good thing. We must never ask for conflict, but an end to conflict. 
That is a soldier's duty.

Fade to black.




-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter One:
Andromedan Evacuation 

Lesser Klamath Cloud, Pleoria Nebula 
Andromedan Science Institute Reseach Base SSE-23
unknown date

Items:
PwrdArm01, SAR01, PSC01, LMM01, StimPac, MedPaste, Grenades

Party:
Matthew, Raven, Khreg


You start out in the station's dock, where people loading oddly-shaped 
tarp-covered things are arguin over which is most important to load
first. Two ASI scientists eventually come to blows, and Matthew 
comments sheepishly about how he thought scientists were supposed to
be nonviolent. Raven approaches and salutes primly, Matthew sweatdrops 
some more and says she doesn't have to do that. 

She tells him that it's going to take a while and it might be a good
idea to explore the station in the meantime. When asked about her own
unit, she growls out 'screw 'em'. Matthew thinks that someone called 
her names again, and is now wearing a black eye. 

Explore the shops awhile, most of the items will be too expensive to
buy. In one, Raven will sigh at a PwrdArm03, and wishes she were like 
normal girls who would yearn that way for a dress. Matthew remarks 
that she must be who she is. She'll be even more miserable pretending.
She yells out, that she wants to pretend to be married to a rich man 
who will give her loads of money so she can finally buy quality 
military hardware. They both laugh. 

The screen flickers for a moment. 

Upon exiting; map change. Much of the station is in ruins. The two
shut their helmets, noting air decompression is happening. Take two
steps and get attacked by Scourge.

Enemy:
Scourge Scout

Weapon:
Claw
Basic damage 20-40

Skills:
Fly

The Scouts won't be too much trouble, lacking proper range attacks. Now 
and then they'll try to Fly, which increases spd and def, but since it
takes time to charge, most of the time they'll die before that happens.



Head right back into port and you'll be attacked by Scourge Infantry.

Enemy:
Scourge Infantry

Weapon:
PlasmaGun
Plasma damage 30-60

Skills:
none

These buggers are a little tougher. You may have to use up a few 
grenades, luckily some drop PlasmGren, which are simply better than 
what you're issued.


Eventually, you'll be surrounded, but they are suddenly blasted away. 
Khreg arrives and wonders how you managed to circle around so fast. 
The Scourge were jamming transmissions and the only way to stop that
is to take out the nearby breecher pod. Raven shouts out how the
Scourge could get through, weren't the battlegroup supposed to be
still engaging them? Obviously one managed to slip past, the Zallun 
retorts. Matthew thinks that everyone assumed he and Raven were still
with their units, inside the ship. He's a little disquieted, there were
no specific orders for the officers not to leave the ship.. but still.. 

It's on the oppposite end of the map. Raven wants to enter the weapons
shop and loot it, but Matthew remarks it would be quite obvious she'd
been stealing. She says she's just joking. 

The breecher pod has your first boss.

Enemy:
Scourge Commander

Weapon:
PlasmaRifle
Plasma damage 40-80

Skills:
Burst

His burst attack is better than yours, but a few Plasma Grenades ought 
to soften him up. If you don't want to waste these few powerful items,
then it'll take longer since the using Raven for FullAuto instead of 
Medic is chancy. Keeping her back simply for Medic would do, but it'll
take even more time.

Regardless, defeating it will give you four more Plasma Grenades, which
can be sold for a pretty penny later. Matthew will collapse, and Raven 
will (almost panicked) diagnose him with internal bleeding. The 
Taenarian will appear then and heal all of you to full. She introduces 
herself as Aria Suvranna and thanks you for saving her life. Scourge 
have the ability to home in on Taenarians. She also says that your 
actions have bought enough time for the scientists to load up what 
might hopefully end the war early. She smiles radiantly.

Khreg bows with a flourish, telling her that it was an honor to serve. 
Matthew doesn't quite know what to say, and Raven is trying to tell 
herself that she isn't jealous. 


Fade to black.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter Two:
Belly of the Beast 

Lesser Klamath Cloud, Pleoria Nebula 
Scourge -type ship
unknown date

Items:
PwrdArm01, StealthSuit, SAR01, FSC01, LMM01, PsiBlade, StimPac, 
MedPaste, Plasma Grenades, Antivenom, RegenPac.

Party:
Matthew, Raven, Khreg, Xiar

Cutscene.

The BLACK BEAR joins the 8th Hollmar battlegroup. 

In the hangar of the Sentinel-class Battleship FNBB STORM DRAGON is 
Admiral Alec Hollmar, Aria, Lt. Appolyon, and several ASI technicians. 
They are standing in front a strange machine. It is explained that the
device might be able to listen into Scourge communications. The aliens
communicate on an uppernet undetectable to all sensors. It's something
both technical and psionic. Aria agrees, it explains how the Scourge 
seem to be able to seek out Taenarians; their own psionic presence was
so strong that it naturally screws up nearby Scourge controls.

The admiral asks if the device can jam Scourge transmissions, to which
the ASI reply; no. Federation sensors and tactics are reliant on sensor
jamming, which both sides of any conflict use liberally. But the 
Scourge communications can't seem to be jammed, while theirs were still
vulnerable. Fortunately, Scourge targeting sensors can still be messed
with. 

Aria says something to the effect of the Scourge being prisoners in 
their own minds. Adml. Hollmar says that doesn't matter, as long as 
they're destroyed. He is then told that the device needs an initial
sampling of Scourge psionic signatures, which could only be taken from
a living Scourge ship. The admiral rages, how do they expect to bring
that monstrous machine in a Scourge ship? The ASI peevishly reply that
the main device is a transformer. The receiver can be in a separate 
package.

If it is necessary to board a Scourge ship, Aria suggests that they
use certain Marines from the HOPEBRINGER. She has a premonition they
would be very important in the near future. Hollmar scoffs at this, but
is willing to grant it. He tells Appolyon to prepare, the 
battlegroup will attack a scourge patrol group and isolate one ship. 
It was necessary that they move fast, and take the sampling while the
ships were still in full battle comms.

The Lieutenant says he has just the people in mind.

End cutscene.


You begin in a long corridor, full of twisting wires and shades of
maroon. The Scourge are cyborgs, after all. A breecher pod is to your
left, but it's just tile decorations, the door doesn't open. The
lieutenant explains he's going aft to cripple the engine. Your job is
to find the bridge. A SpecOps officer should be able to help you.

Matthew asks where and when. A Wraith fades into view. He's been on
an earlier breecher, the Scourge just thought it was empty. He's been
there all along, and will now guide you through the ship. He warns
that the group might have to break through.

That is so cool, Matthew says. Khreg just snarls, and everyone 
remembers that he's a very traditional Zallun - that also includes
an innate hostility to all Wraith. Xiar snorts, and remarks that
for his duty he will tolerate this. For the moment, anyway.

You get control of your party. Head north. It'll open out into a
cloning chamber, and Raven is horrified with the apparently painful 
implants being performed. Xiar asks why she should feel anything for 
Scourge. They are the enemy. Khreg puts in that honorable warriors
do not even maltreat an enemy, how much worse to do so to one's own?
Ah, chilvary- a well-defined system of stupidity; Xiar retorts. Matthew
tells them all to shut up. You are then attacked by a mix of Scourge
Infantry and Workers.

Enemy:
Scourge Worker

Weapon:
Claw
Basic damage 30-40

Skills:
Suicide

The workers aren't of much problem, except that they spray acid when
they die, poisoning your party. If you picked up a Chemicals Kit
in the ASI station last mission, Raven can now use Detoxify. If you
bought a -02 weapon or armor, then you'll just have to heal often or
use Antitoxin items. 

Keep heading north, slaying everything in your way. You can try running
from Workers, they don't give out that much XP anyway.

Soon you'll reach an elevator. Entering it, you'll be attacked by a 
mixed group of Worker, Infantry and Warriors.

Enemy:
Scourge Warrior

Weapon:
PlasmaGun
Plasma damage 30-60

Skills:
Lunge

The Warrior is distinguishable from the Infantry in that it's blue 
rather than green. Its Lunge attack can stun your people, so watch out.

You'll have to use StimPacs liberally in the second floor, until you
level out enough that the stun chance peters off. There is an energy
fountain after the next two screens up that heals your party 
completely. This is a good place to level up. 

Because past the door after that...

Is a roomful of Scourge Commanders. Fortunately, Psi attacks work
well against them. But you can't take more than a few steps before
another Commander random encounter.  

After slashing and burning through, in the next room you run smack
into...

Enemy:
Scourge Machined Beast

Weapon:
PlasmaThrower
Plasma damage 50-100
Dual Claw
Basic damage 40-80


Skills:
Stomp
Bite
Burning Roar

This monster's big, tough, and occupies half your screen. The Scourge
answer to bipedal machined weapons, treaded combat vehicles, low-flying 
aircraft and hardened bunkers, it's been wildly successful in tearing
down many civilizations. It's also resistant to psi. And with it are
three Scourge Commanders. Throw your Plasma Grenades at them until they 
die. That should take care of the Commanders in one turn, leaving you 
free to concentrate on the goliath.

One good thing, is that its only ALL attack takes time to charge. The
rest of its skills and attacks are nothing special, but don't let your
HP dip below 50%. Its Burning Roar is a superheated plasma-backed, 
room-filling scream. Your people will be screaming too, from the 
sensation of their searing flesh. Khreg actually comments on this, but
says it's not that much hotter than the red hotlands of Zallus.

Once it's dead, it'll drop a Plasma Thrower. Equip this as Khreg's
main weapon. You're not gonna need the All capability of the Mortar.

Now head back ALL THE WAY to the energy fountain and heal up. Run 
through the random Commanders, keeping your own damage at a minimum.
Make sure Xiar has learned PsiBlock. Go through the door the machined 
beast was guarding and take the elevator up to the bridge.

As you enter, you see a group of Workers exit left. The door they
went through won't open. Raven comments on how dark and creepy it is.
Xiar says there's no such thing. Darkness shouldn't frighten anyone.
That's why the night vision lens was invented.

Head south through the eerily empty corridor and you'll enter a 
room dominated by a gigantic brain. In front of it is a Scourge dressed
in a red toga. He tells you that you are all already dead. The Scourge
are not to be found in flesh and blood, but in thought. A single ship
was nothing to the greater swarm, a merest flicker of an afterthought.


Enemy:
Scourge Controller
Scourge Shipbrain

Weapon:
Psi Gem
AutoDefense Systems

Skills:
Psi Bolt
Psi Storm
Psi Block
Psi Doom
Psi Destroyer
Pop-up
All Alert
Stand Down

The Scourge controller serves as the living hub of a network of minds.
If you've saved a few Plasma Grenades, use them now. It's weak against
physical attacks. The Plasma Launcher Khreg has does only slightly more 
damage than what the Mortar would, but the Psi Blade does nothing at 
all. Xiar comments of the strength of its psi control. Make him cast 
Psi Block repeatedly. Psi Doom lowers all your stats, and tears apart a 
psi shield; however the damage it would normally do is leeched away. 
Forget using Raven's heal, have her Burst at it continously, and use 
Khreg for item healing. It shouldn't last long. It's important to take 
it down quickly, since its final attack will shave your HP AND cause 
Stun AND lower stats. Strangely, a Cloaked Xiar won't be affected by it.

Once it's dead, you can now focus on the Shipbrain, whose only real
strength is its irritatingly high HP. 



It will drop a Psi Barrier, which allows Xiar to cast the devasting
Psi Storm used on you all earlier. Matthew will report that the bridge
is clear, and that the Wraith was stabilizing the brain. Xiar places
the device on the transmitter and says it is detecting and resending
psi waves. 


Lt. Appolyon will then also say over radio that he had full control
of the ship's engines. They will now steer the ship with another 
device. He then tells all, a job well done. It was high time they
actually started winning. 



Xiar complains of a headache, and mentions that life is the ability
to handle unexpected things. Nonliving things, like rock, remain always
the same, but life must always try to absorb those around it. Khreg
asks him if he'd gone temporarily insane. "Mayb- shut up" the agent 
answers hesitantly. He says it was good working with you, but there is 
something else he has to do. He vanishes. 

Raven mutters, what a strange creature. 

Matthew pokes the dead body of the Scourge Controller; this was way
weirder, he says.

Fade to black.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter Three:
Death From On High 

Planet Melfuele, Lesser Klamath Cloud
Capital city, Minth
unknown date

Items:
PwrdArm02, BattleSuit, SAR02, FSR02, LMM02, StimPac, MedPaste, Plasma 
Gren, Antivenom, RegenPac. 

Party:
Matthew, Raven, Khreg, Xiar

Cutscene.

The admiral enters the bridge, and walks over to the shipbrain. It's a 
wonder the... thing.. hasn't tried to kill itself yet. That was the 
problem with Scourge ships, it was thought impossible to capture one
intact. With some disquiet, Ilianna notes that what she feels radiating
from the shipbrains wasn't the induced rage present in all Scourge
warriors but rather... an amused curiousity.

A lot of machinery has been attatched to it. The ASI engineers explain 
that it could now be possible to 'eavesdrop' on Scourge communications. 
Galvo asks why the Taenarian wasn't hooked up to it yet. Hackles rise 
at his disprespect, but patiently the ASI explain that for this 
instance, having high psi ability wasn't desirable. It was more useful
to hook up someone with low psi index; although the return signal was
faint, it could still be possible for the device to become two-way. 
Better to have someone all but invisible to the greater Hivemind; or 
the Scourge would be able to find the fleet as easily as they 
themselves could sense where the aliens were. With the numerical 
superiority of the enemy, that would be a bad thing.

The admiral, surprisingly, volunteers to be the first to test it. 
Though he does ask how much risk there was. Perfectly safe, they assure
him; the telepathic link was entirely passive. He could even serve as 
the hub of a local telepath network, if they installed similar devices
in other ships. The captured shipbrain would serve as the primary
telepathic translator/carrier.

Ilianna warns that she has a bad feeling about it. Perhaps he should 
let someone else have the dubious honor of being the first. Hollmar was
doing it to get into the history books, if this device could really end
the war, then he wanted his name to be linked with it forever.

The Admiral puts it on. The screen violently starts blinking red. 
He is pulled away from the machine, and Illianna moves to try and heal
him. He slaps her hand away. He says he doesn't need it, and everyone
thinks he's just trying to be brave. The scourge... are vast and 
limitless, he mutters. Compared to them, the trillions of the 
Federation were nothing to be proud of.  

He brightens up, saying it was something of a success. He could feel
them, he knew where they were, and what they were going to do. He 
orders secondary devices be given to the wing group commanders, and 
the have the major command eschelon called up to his flagship for a
major demonstration; then planning. Now, he knew what it would take 
to beat those aliens...

He leaves.

Ilianna looks worried.

End cutscene.


Ahh, your first real town. Everybody's in a hurry though. Search the
orbital elevator area screen for chests (there are two behind the shadow). 

























Itemset:


Stimpack
Chemical courage. Inject to heal 50HP & deconfuse.

Nanopaste
Cell builders. Inject to recover from near-death.

Antitoxins
Blood purification. Inject to detoxify.

Nanomeds
Molecular repairbots. Inject to be healed 200HP.

Bio Harmonizer
Induced relaxation. Complete healing on worldmap.

Cell Reconstruction
Permanently increase HP by 20

IRIS system
Permanently increase ATK by 10

Ceramic plating
Permanently increase DEF by 10

Neural Feedback
Permanently increase AGI by 10




SAR01 Standard Assault Rifle
A powerful, accurate weapon with customizability.
Abandoning the bullpup design, this rifle can accept a variety of
accessories.
Basic 20-50 

SAR02 Standard Assault Rifle (ASI)
This rifle uses a larger caliber but is lighter.
A variant of the bullpup SAR01 previously used as Federation standard 
arms, this rifle is lighter and can hold more ammo.
Basic 30-70

SAR03 Standard Assault Rifle (SAIRAAD)
Extremely reliable, with great stopping power.
This is the perfect balance between cost, perf ormance, and reliability.
It's a bit heavier, so you can whack someone on the head with it.
Basic 70-120

AAR02 Advanced Assault Rifle (ASI)
Range, accuracy, ammo clip; just freaking lovely.
With a built-in gunsight, you can now fire around corners or in pitch
black. It has also lessened recoil and eliminated muzzle climb in full 
auto. Its range and stopping power is the best that money can buy.
Basic 100-150

ARC01 Assault Rifle Custom (Appolyon)
Just holding this makes you want to kill something.
Lieutenant Appolyon's own rifle, given to him as a gift. You don't
know where he got it, only that it's called the Black Death. 
Basic 250-300, critical bonus 20%

ARC02 Assault Rifle Custom (Isske Upgrade)
It's as if they die before you pull the trigger.
Isske's mad ministrations has made what was already a very powerful
rifle into the pinnacle of conventional arms. 
Basic 250-450, critical bonus 20%


PSC01 Personal Support Carbine
An expanded SMG with a folding stock.
Developed from an assault rifle frame, this is meant to be an anti-
Scourge weapon; as the aliens tend to close in too fast for customary
ranged training. 
Basic 40-50

SMG01 Sub Machine Gun
Your basic SMG, just point and shoot.
While there are many types of SMG, they all share the same 
characteristics. This one however, was made for concealability in
mind, so the damage is less than what you're used to.
Basic 30-40

SMG02 Sub Machine Gun
The mercenary's best friend
Based upon the classic Arete SMG, this weapon packs both close-in punch
and respectable accuracy on semiautomatic. In addition, it can accept 
most rifle accessories.
Basic 70-90

PSC02 Personal Support Carbine (ASI)
High-powered light carbine
Made for those who live near the Scourge invasion path, this is a 
weapon designed for cramped city or corridor fighting.
Basic 120-140

IAG01 Integrated Arm Gun 
A gun that you wear, rather than weild
An experimental design, which is worn on the forearm. The outside looks
like balooning bracers, and the intention was to make burst fire as 
easy and instinctive as possible. You can also punch someone's head in.
Basic 160-180, +5 DEF, Doubletap

IAG02 Integrated Arm Gun (Isske Upgrade)
Arms of armament, you are death's instrument
The deranged Sniv expanded the ammunition belts, for though guns can
run out of ammo they do fire faster and longer than energy weapons. He 
however used special miniature HEAP rounds. 
Basic 200-220, +5 DEF, Doubletap, Ignore Armor


FSR01 Folding Sniper Rifle
Poke large holes into things, every time
This rifle folds, so it can be used like an ordinary assault rifle,
though without burst capability. Only the rear folds in, so the 
bullet's power remains as staggering.
Basic 150-180, 

FSR02 Folding Sniper Rifle (ASI)
Magnificent accuracy and anti-armor capability.
Automatic sniper rifles tend to be less reliable than simple bolt-
action ones, but the Andromedans feel that have solved the problem.




AHG01 Assault Handgun

LSR01 Large Shot Revolver 



PLR01 Pulse Laser Rifle 
Kinda addictive, so watch out for overheating. 
Firing coherent high-energy light pulses, the laser rifle has perfect
accuracy, though it might not pierce advanced armor all that well.
Laser 50-150

PLR02 Pulse Laser Rifle (ASI)
More pull charges, more power! More expensive.
Improvements in heat and power handling mean better overall output. It 
can punch through ceramic armor now. Watch out for the rapid drain of 
pull charges, though.
Laser 150-250

PLR03 Pulse Laser Rifle (Isske Upgrade)
You're walking AA defense, you know that?
Your friend, the mad scientist, has turned what was once a lovely rifle
into a mess of wires and scorched metal. You fear it might explode at 
any moment, but can't deny it cooks your enemies alive.
Laser 300-500


SLR01 Sniping Laser Rifle
Give someone a very warm greeting from 6km away.
The sniping laser is the lavish assassin's tool. Incredibly accurate,
it also boils the brain so fast that death is painless.
Laser 100-200

SLR01 Sniping Laser Rifle (SAIRAAD)
Take them out even behind armored glass.
The capability to hold and sweep an area makes this also an excellent
crowd control weapon. The power output is variable, and the pulse is 
shorter but no less damaging; meaning better cover for the shooter.
Laser 200-400, cause stun

SL03 Sniping Laser Rifle (Isske Upgrade)
Hey, you can try always try mining with it.
Isske, being bored, decided to turn the rifle into something less 
subtle. You now have a compact version of a battletank's secondary 
laser cannon.
Laser 200-500, cause stun

GLG01 Gatling Laser Guns

MLP01 Minute Laser Pistol


PCR01 Plasma Cone Rifle
Plasma is generated, compressed, spun and then accellerated out to 
cause great damage. Surprisingly, the Scourge are weak against their
own preferred weapon type.

PCR02 Plasma Cone Rifle (ASI)
.
The plasma cone can now be packed tighter and shot out faster. The 
rifle is heavier as a result, but the energy drain remains the same. 

PCR03 Plasma Assault Rifle (Scourge)
Retroengineered from Scourge guns

GPG Gatling Plasma Guns

PBP01 Plasma Ball Pistol


SPBRX Small Particle Beam Rifle Experimental


PPBCX Portable Particle Beam Cannon Experimental
Go head to head with things that weigh 80 tons.
This infantry-carried tank cannon is so damn powerful, even Isske
didn't want to mess with it.


FGR01 Folding Gauss Rifle

SGG01 Short Gauss Gun

GPX01 Gauss Pistol Experimental


LMM01 Light Man Mortar

HMM01 Heavy Man Mortar

SML01 Shoulder Missile Launcher

HMG01 Heavy Machine Gun





 



Weapon damages & resistances

Basic - most rifles and swords, claws, and whatnot. Damage is mostly
of ballistic, though some explosives are also classed here. Considered 
as 'conventional' arms, their primary utility is in excellent 
reliability, light weight, and abundant ammunition. All armor is 
generally good against them, but fibre works better against bullets.
Most advanced light armor are composite-fibre.

Laser - advanced rifles and chainguns. Firing either in short pulses or
timed high-energy beams. The damage is primarily thermal, though 
there's also a slight 'kick' from the energetic photons. Better against 
fibre armor but far less so against insulating ceramic.  

Plasma - plasma guns and grenades. Higher energy properties means
they do more damage. Plasma deals corrosive damage, what it doesn't 
punch through, it tries to melt. It's an exceedingly painful way to
die. However, your initial Powered Armor is composite, which kept you 
from being easily slaughtered by Scourge. You'll have the same problem 
fighting Federation soldiers later.

Beam - experimental beam rifle, portable beam cannon, beam dagger. 
Packing both thermal and kinetic power, it goes through even advanced
Federation composite like it wasn't there. Charged ion particles are
sent out at just under the speed of light; dealing tremendous damage
but requires insane amounts of power to fire, and generates extreme
heat. Fortunately, these are rare quest items, and few are the enemies 
that can use this against you. It's better to redirect particle beams 
rather than resist them, so laminar armor works to some effect. These 
too are quest items. 

Gauss - gauss rifle, gauss minigun. Small penetrator slugs at 
hypervelocities; accurate, fast-firing, and though it requires both
ammunition and pull charge; ammo is small and plentiful while the 
drain is minimal. Gauss techonology almost makes armor obsolete. 
Shields tend to vastly reduce small-radius kinetic damage though.  

Fusion - fusion ball launcher. The equivalent of a suitcase nuke going 
off nearby? No amount of shields and armor can protect you. Only the
end boss uses this. 



Armor

DEF represents Armor Class, the tendency of enemy fire not to hit (by
the armor being light enough to allow fast duck and cover), bounce 
off (if the armor is thick enough), or both (in the more advanced
armor types which booost strength and agility). Additional HP 
represents Damage Resistance; how much damage is bled off the hit in 
trying to go through all that armor. 

In the game, there are additional two types of Armor; Shield and
Helmet. However, as armor items can also give various stat bonuses,
the common locations have been renamed Backpack and Headset, 
respectively. Though Helmet in itself still sounds appropriate.

FPA01 Federation Powered Armor
DF +40, HP +100, AGI +10 
You start with this. The Marines PA version are made of lighter 
materials and have a snap-on back jump booster. Completey enviro-
sealed, once the helmet clicks shut, it can even function as a 
limited astrosuit. 

Normal Clothing
DF +0, HP +0
Not only do they provide no protection whatsoever, they're also 
unstylish. Good if you wish to look unobtrusive, though.

Military Uniform
DF +0, HP +0
Good for impressing commoners, talking to the brass, but though 
made of slightly better materials are just as useless as normal
clothing in battle. At the very least, it makes the enemy pick you
out from among civilians.

Kevlar Vest
DF +5
Once your armor stops working due to an EMP burst, this is the best
you have. Normally worn by police, it's good againt small handguns 
and knives, but not much else.

Cera-fibre Mesh Jacket
DF +10
Threaded ceramic is better than polymer in every way. Only slightly
heavier, it's much stronger and heat-resistant. Unfortunately also
that much more expensive.

Full-body Mesh Suit
DF+15 
Providing full-body protection, this is the first choice of all 
commando teams everywhere.

Ceramic Battlesuit
DF +35, HP +80, AGI -20
Plates of ceramic are woven into a mesh suit. It provides protection
similar to that of powered armor, but minus the AMC assistance. As
such, only the strongest or most skilled can fight effectively when 
clad in it.

Composite Battlesuit
DF +35, HP +80, AGI -10
AMC bundles are used on the upper torso, giving some of the strength
boost in normal powered armor. While it's actually heavier, it feels 
less so. 

Light Powered Armor
DF +30, HP +60, AGI +15
The chosen armor of scout and ranger forces; it's light, stealthy,
and packs lots of jump juice. It provides powered assist, but has
somewhat thinner armor layers. Small matter, given the mission 
profiles.

Heavy Powered Armor
DF +40, HP +120, ATK +10
Similar to the Federation PA, but without the back boosters. This is a suit made for grunt combat.

Ceramic Powered Armor
DF +50, HP +120, -25% to Plasma, +30% to Beam
Unless used in composite with other materials, protoceramic tends to 
flake off as it takes damage. Normally this would be good, as natural 
ablation removes most of the force and heat. Against that which lasts 
for more than 10th of a second.. like say, a particle beam... it's 
considerably less effective. But then who has a man-portable beam 
cannon, anyway?

Andromedan Laminar Powered Armor
DF +80, HP +160, -25% to Beam damage
Having already built a prototype man-portable beam cannon, and two 
test beam rifles, the ASI then went on to attempt making armor resist 
this. As a side-effect, this is almost impenetrable to other damage.

Isske Matrix Powered Armor
DF+100, HP +200, AGI +20, INT +20, immune to Confuse
While his technolgical wizardry could no longer improve upon the
advanced materials, with Taenarian help he was able to infuse the
layers with Telurian crystal matrix.

Personal Shield System
DF+100, -50% to Gauss damage

Squee Distortion Armor
DF+200, AGI +50 

Jerle Devastator Armor
DF+200, ATK +50

Aelanna Distinction Armor
DF+200, INT +50


Headsets:
Helmets represent software, sensors and comms, in addition to 
providing protection. The squad maintains a closed local net.


STORM.1 Comm Jammer
+25 DEF

BLUE.1 Comm Burner
+25 AGI

LINKZ.1 Situation Processor
+25 ATK

DARK.1 Multiband Sensors 
+25 INT


11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

title music - sendmeanangel.mid
battlemusic - floorsh.mid
bossmusic - ampheta.mid
generic town music - good.mid
giving.mid - spacemap music
ASI music - firstand.mid
shipmusic (carrier) - pinned.mid
shipmusic (freighter) - abracadabra.mid
Federation theme - pinned.mid              

Scourge theme - blckcele.mid
Matthew theme - humanbehaviour.mod
Raven theme - strangeattraction.mid
Khreg theme - chutesandladders.mid
Stefan theme - lovesong.mid
Kyara theme - catpeople.mid
Xiar theme - theemptyworld.mid
Isske theme - upstairs.mid
Dan theme - thedrowningman.mid




11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111









Subquests
Carrier
Chapter One

1. As you pass the marine quarters, one of Matthew's troopers approach 
you.

Pvt. Chandler> Sir, apologies, sir! But I need your help, and now. That
is, if you're not too busy.
Choice: 

a. Sure, what's your pain?
b. I'm busy, private.

a. 
He moves back and stands next to a female marine. 
Pvt. Chandler> Sir, I must insist you make this woman give me back my
balls.
Matthew> Excuse me? Your what?
Pvt. Chandler> My balls, sir. She took the only two I have, and won't
give them back.
Raven> Oh, I have GOT to see what this is all about.

Talking to the woman will give:
Pvt. Rose> His balls? Yeah, I have them. Bastard put up a good fight
for them too. But I got them.
Matthew> Uh... how that's even possible aside, why would you do that? I 
think you should give it back.
Pvt. Rose> No way! Sir. They were mine to begin with!
Matthew> ... 
Raven> Wasn't he, well.. *snicker* attached to them?
Pvt. Rose> So what if they have sentimental value? He stole them from
me, and I'm taking it back.
Matthew> ... 
Raven> I think I'm starting to understand what this is all about.
Matthew> You are? (This is starting to scare me)
Raven> Hey, you two, last I saw you were being lovey-dovey. What 
happened?
Pvt. Chandler> Well, we first met in a Pocketball tournament... and..  
Matthew> Aaah. Isn't that where you fight virtual monsters? So the
balls are..
Pvt. Rose> His two strongest monsters, yes. Which used to be MINE,
until someone stole them. He tells me he bought my balls off the Net,
but I don't care. What did you think - oh my God! That's sick! Sir, how
could even consider...!
Matthew> ...
Raven> *laughs* 
Matthew> ... you're not helping.
Raven> Look, aren't you both a little old for this sort of thing?
Pvt. Chandler> You don't understand, ma'am. These balls represent the 
best days of our young lives. We were champions. The games teach
dedication and friendship... we wouldn't have met without it. 
Pvt. Rose> Yeah, and you can get really attatched to these virtuals. 
They've got AI, you know. And so when this BASTARD won't let me have MY 
old friends back, he's betraying all the ideals of a Monster Ball 
Master!
Pvt. Chandler> I had to trade ALL my other balls for these! If you take
them away, you take away half my life!
Pvt. Rose> That's your fault! A good Ballmaster never gives up on his 
virtuals!
Pvt. Chandler> Are we having this conversation again? They're just 
lines of code and holograms! Yes, they can interact. Yes, they can 
learn. Yes, they have personalities. But the object of tournament is to
win, to do that you have to acquire the strongest virtuals you can 
find. Someone ELSE spent a lot of time training up your virtuals. They
don't really qualify as yours anymore. 
Matthew> ... (This already scares me)
Raven> All right, all right. We can't have this bickering. Hey, Chilam, 
may I?

a. No, these people are my responsibility.
b. Eh. Why not? Go ahead.

a.
Matthew> Why don't you just share them?
Pvt. Chandler> We can't. It's the principle of the thing.
Matthew> You share your bodies but not your minds? Don't be stupid. 
People who really care about you are more important than virtuals who
are programmed to care for you. 
Pvt. Rose> I... I guess I was being a little overdramatic there. We're
marines now. We have more important things to worry about.
Pvt. Chandler> Jacqueline, it doesn't matter. I'm sorry. I guess you 
really do think of these things like they're your children. What's 
the point of winning if it'll make you unhappy? I just thought you 
wanted me to keep being the best.
Pvt. Rose> Well, you ARE the best. And.. one day, I won't be needing 
to care for this. I'll have other, real things to fuss about.
*Pvt. Chandler gulps nervously, but with a smile.
Matthew> There, that's done. Don't bother me with this silliness again.

+500 XP!, Fed Rep +2


b. 
*Raven knees him in the groin.
Raven> Give him his balls back. He needs them.
Pvt. Rose> Uh... okay.
Raven> Good. Now don't bother us with this crap again, or I'll do 
something... worse.
Pvt. Rose> Daniel... baby... you all right? I'm sorry, I didn't mean 
for this to happen.
Pvt. Chandler> ... (whimper)
Raven> Ahh, young love. It conquers all, right, Chilam?
Matthew> ... 

+800 XP!, Fed Rep -2






Map locations

Carrier
1. Marines
a. Corridor bigmap
b. Quarters A
b. Quarters B
c. Sickbay
d. Office
e. Armory
f. Simroom
2. Main Hold
a. Catwalks
b. Conference room 
3. Bridge
a. Main bridge
b. Battle bridge

Station
1. Shipdock
a. Main Hold
b. Port
2. Inside - prior
a. Marketplace
b. Medical center
c. Library
d. Armaments Dealer
e. Dwelling A
f. Dwelling B
g. Dwelling C
3. Inside - attack
a. Armaments Dealer

Scourge Ship
1. Lower Deck
a. Corridor A
b. Cloning Chamber
c. Corridor B
2. Upper Deck
a. Corridor C
b. Sensors Chamber
c. To Bridge
d. Bridge