Bay 12 Games Forum

Modern Warfare 2. Veteran mode is veteran. Never knew I could be headshot from the other side of a building.

This update and the next few are gonna be kind of short. We'll be having some choices to make, and they come one after another. Sorry about that.

The update kicked off nicely with an opportunity to upgrade the RUSALKA. It gets a +2 boost to mobility, making it a little less sluggish but no less brickish. Minas is already pulling his weight as Chief Scientist.

Anyway, there are a couple of mystery sectors near Volos, where we left off last time. Hoping for treasure or discoveries, the crew sets out.

*Sirens blare!*

: Is something wrong?

: It looks like the engine room's inflation output is falling.

: If we don't do something fast, we'll be at a complete standstill in another twenty minutes or so.

: Engine room, conduct emergency troubleshooting immediately. Report back as soon as you pinpoint the cause.

*fadeout*

: Okay. Continue with EVA.

: What'd they say?

: We've got an outbreak of silicon-based organisms sticking to the engine's exhaust port. It's almost completely stopped up.

: Ha ha! And that's causing the inflation inverter to overheat, right?

: Exactly. It looks like they'll be able to remove the creatures, but the damage to the engine itself is pretty bad. It'll probably take a specialist to rebuild the entire engine once it's cleaned out.

: We're sending out a distress signal intermittently.

: Unfortunately, we're right in the middle of a meteroid belt. It would be a miracle if anyone rescued us here.

Ask and ye shall receive, Ian.

*fadeout*

...

Woman's Voice: Do you read me?! Are your ship and crew all right? I repeat--

Man's Voice: Hey, Roubis! We're in a hurry! Let's just forget about that ship!

Woman's Voice: How can you even say that?! We can't just abandon a ship that's sending out a distress signal!

Man's Voice: Are you gonna defy my orders? I'm the captain, ya know!

Woman's Voice: Aw, put a cork in it, Chrome Dome!

*There's a sound like a fleshy thud from the speaker, at which point someone suddenly appears on the monitor. The person is of indeterminate gender and looks to be around twenty years old*

: Hey, is anyone there?! Do you read me?!

: Yes, yes! We read you loud and clear! We're experiencing some engine trouble right now and could sure use some help.

: Roger that. This is your lucky day. I mean, the chances of you meeting an amazing engine expert like me out here are slim to none! I'm Nerissa Roubis, but you can just call me Roubis. Go ahead and extend your gangway so I can come aboard.

*Later, in the engine room*

: Done! Your inflation output's looking good. I'll disengage the power-saving mode.

*Apparently finished with the inflation inverter repair, Roubis stands up, sweaty and proud. In the next moment, the familiar sound of the inverter powering up echoes through the engine room*

: That should do it.

: Wow, you're good! I mean, like really good!

: I have my moments. Back on my home planet, Thira, I was the best of the best. Now, I better get back to my ship. Don't forget to do another inspection for good measure when you get into port.

: We'll do that. Thanks a million, Roubis!

: No problem!

*She waves good bye and heads out the airlock*

Well, sadly the mystery sectors were a complete bust. At least our engines are working, so what's the next stop?



Ooh, that looks like a good place to visit. And Roubis said that she was from this world, so maybe we can meet her there. And I wonder what that last symbol means?





MUST GO NOW.

Employee: Welcome. Our company deals in fighter blueprints. But what's this? It looks like you don't have the ability to use fighters yet. I'm sorry, but I'm afraid we can't sell to you.

I-buh---wha? WHY?! Damn you!
Sorry folks, fighters will have to wait for another day. I know some of you were looking forward to them. Now let's go to the tavern and drink our problems away.

Turns out that we're not the only ones with problems. The bartender tells us that there's a void gate nearby that leads to Central Kalymnos, but no one's allowed to go through it at the moment due to "security reasons". Bah.

It turns out that Roubis is here as well! Let's thank her again for helping us out.

: Hm? Oh hey, it's you guys! How's that engine been treating you?

: It's been purrin' like a kitten! But what in Grus are ya doin' out here, anyway?

: Are you perhaps on shore leave, the same as us?

: Ha. I wish! Nah, I got myself fired. That time I helped you guys out, my boss was being a real jerk...So I slugged him one! I guess that wasn't such a good idea, looking back on it now. Ha ha ha ha!

: Sheesh! I'm glad you can laugh about it.

: You got fired because of us? I'm so sorry!

: Nah, it wasn't your fault--

*Roubis suddenly stops mid-sentence and looks at Yuri with a mischievous grin*

: Hey, ya know what? Maybe it was your fault after all! And maybe you ought to take a little responsibility for your actions!

: Huh? Well I'll do anything I can...

: Good. Hire me onto your ship, then. That way, we can call it even.

Nerissa Roubis joined your crew!

Shiny! We got ourselves a new version of Kaylee!

Hmm, looks like she has even skills in both Navigation and Maintenance, with decent ability in all other areas. Checking the HELP area, I can see that her special skill, Machine Geek, provides bonuses to Maintenance when assigned to one of the mechanic areas. Just as we leave HELP, however...

*EXPLOSION!*

: Wh-What's going on?!

: Why is there smoke coming from HELP's cabin?

*Yuri and company go racing back to determine where the smoke is coming from. Inside, they find HELP fallen flat on the floor. A crackling sound and the scent of an electrical short fill the air*

: Hang in there, HELP! Can you tell us what happened?!

: (groans): W-Well, it would appear that I have reached the end of my life expectancy.

Well, this is embarrassing...This bizarre contraption is HELP, the robot that can be found on pretty much every space station in the game. He'll tell you all you need to know about what each stat and special ability do, and generally serves as an in-game readme file. I haven't mentioned him before because he's not really a "character" outside this one scene, and because I had forgotten this whole scene until Jarod Cain reminded me. In my previous run, I hadn't encountered this scene until much, much later. Enough rambling, back to the dying android.

: Yeah, but you're basically a machine! Can't you just be fixed or somethin'?

: Self-repair functionality degraded to seventeen percent. Regeneration disabled...Please request a replacement unit at once.

*HELP lets out a loud, exhaust-like sound, and then goes completely still*

: He appears to have stopped functioning.

: ...

Amusingly (your mileage may vary), you can go straight back in and his replacement is already hard at work. Now, before we leave port, Minas pulls Yuri aside.

: Oh, Captain, could I please have a word with you?

: What can I do for you, Professor?

: Please, step over here.

: ...

*The professor is motioning from the door of one of the ship's cabins. Following his cue, Yuri steps inside and is very surprised by what he sees*

: ...

: Whoa!

*Staring straight at Yuri is a brand-new female android*

: Hello there. I am the new HELP. How do you like the new feminine touch, so to speak?

: HELP is a girl now?

: That's right. I completely revamped the old HELP's body after he broke down.

: I kind of liked him better the way he was before.

: Oh, I think you will like the new me even better. My hands are 7,000-degree thermal cutters and I can shoot laser beams from my eyes.

100% honest, that is exactly what was said in game. Laser beam eyes.

: I am a full-blown combat droid now.

: ...

: Well, what do you think? Personally, I believe she'll make a fine new crew member, especially during close-quarters combat!

: Now wait just a second here...I'm not sure that adding an android to the crew is such a good idea.

: Do not worry. If I should expire, it will be easy enough to replace me.

: ...You know, Professor, this new HELP sounds an awful lot like the old HELP.

: Of course she does. She may be just an android, but I don't believe in altering personality modules without good reason.

: ...

HELP joined your crew!



Huh. Well, that was a thing. As you might have guessed, HELP doesn't join your crew until the old one "dies", and that only happens after Minas has joined your crew. If you rarely visit HELP, you might not even know those scenes exist. I, however, have been visiting somewhat frequently for this LP, so I can explain the game mechanics as best I can.

Anyway, HELP has some very good skills in some areas, downright terrible skills in others. Combat might be a good choice, as Yuri is currently the only one fighting in Melee. The Space Warrior skill also improves Melee. She also has medical skills, but Sick Bay is all staffed up. Cool & Calm increases the speed of the Command Gauge when assigned to an Operator post (Control skill), which we have one remaining. She can help Radimir in Engineering, or Karlo in Maintenance. Or we can shove her in the storage bay and forget she exists. Whatever.

Oh yeah, and don't forget to assign Roubis a slot as well.

So, if you remember from last time, we got a job to do some mining on the planet Zante. We can get there through Dodecanese, so onward!

Zante is pretty rural, as far as KalymnosInfinite Space planets go. The tavern is deserted and lifeless, and the only thing of note is the Jezelmite mine. At the mine, we see a familiar face.

: Ah, it's you guys again! Good to see you.

: You work here too, Loukas?

: That's right. i gotta do all the work I can while there's work to be had! All right, you three, let's get started.

: You got it!

: I'm getting roped into this again?

*fadeout*

: Whew! We're done.

: (groans) My back is killing me again...

: Good work, boys! Well, that takes care of everything we've got at this mine for now. I put a little extra something in your pay checks this time. Here you go.

: Wait, are you sure?

: Go on, take it! Take it! I used to be a spacefarer once too, ya know. I know how it is. It's nice to be able to do a little something for boys like you.

: We really appreciate it, Loukas.

A job well done! You got 600G!

Since the tavern on Zante is closed, the crew heads to Dodecanese to unwind. Little did they know that they would not get to rest this day!

*Shattering glass and crashing noises*

: Yikes!

: What's goin' on?

Bar Patron 1: Who the Grus do ya think you are?! Scrawny little Nova Nacian wimp! Did ya really think you could sell your dirty Nova Nacian garbage here?!

Trader: I-I only wanted you to take a look at my wares...

*PUNCH!*

Bar Patron 2: Shut the Grus up! Who the Grus wants your crappy little shampoos and conditioners?! Go back to your own country!

*PUNCH!*

Trader: Agh!

: Ouch. He's getting his butt kicked! My guess is he could use a little help.

: You shouldn't get involved, Yuri. Kalymnians are a rough people. You see this sort of thing all the time. Besides, it looks like it's a Nova they're beating up. If you help him, there's going to be trouble for us, I promise you.

: ...

Well ladies and germs, what do we do? Help, or stay out? Your call!