Merv 9.2 - "Side-Tracked"

**ZippyTheSquirrel** · 01/31/2008 17:05:32

Flood: The intruder is an uncultured boor with the manners of a socially deficient macaque... Nevertheless, someone with that kind of power has many uses, particularly if they're on the stupid side of the evolutionary chart.

All we need is some way to compel him to do what we want, but for that, we need information. I'm absolutely certain that the Machines know quite a few things about the fellow that they haven't bothered sharing with their loyal operatives; but where the Machines are too gutless to use their knowledge against the man, we have no such reservations. All we need to do is steal whatever they've got on him--or should I say, all you need to do...

Operator: Okay, you're supposed to access a terminal in there and swipe whatever you can find on the intruder.

I'm reading a few security guards... Looks pretty much like a cake-walk.

[Enemies: Bluepill security forces]

Watchman: What th-?!
Watchman: Hey!
Bluepill: Um...
Bluepill: Omigosh!

Computer: Searching....
Result(s): 1
Printing....
//
Intruder [Engagement Protocol]
Engage: N
Observe: N
Avoid: Y
Report: Y
//
> _

Operator: That's it? Not sure if that's gonna be much help.

[Mission Update]

Flood: What? Nothing but a four-line engagement protocol? Bah!

You'll simply have to look harder, [operative], and that means I'll be sending you somewhere a little more dangerous....to provide you with sufficient motivation.

Operator: Security's tighter there, but on the plus side, it should also mean you can access more sensitive information....assuming all the Machine programs don't get you first.

[Enemies: Megacity Military/Machine Programs]
Machine Captain: Halt!
Machine Captain: Halt!
Agent [To earpiece]: Deadly force. Copy.

Computer: Searching....
Result(s): 1
Printing....
//
Intruder [Engagement Protocol]
Engage: N
Observe: N
Avoid: Y
Report: Y
//
> _

Operator: Uh....oh.

Flood is not gonna be happy.

[Mission Update]

Flood: Hmph! Obviously, they're making a fool out of you....not that that takes much doing.

Very well, we'll go at this from a different direction. Informants tell me that the Network was spotted having a casual chat with the Architect recently. That man controls media feeds across the city, and his meeting with the Crotchety One just after the intruder's Agent-slaughtering debut can hardly be coincidence. He must have compromising footage, or information, or something of that nature. Go get it.

Operator: You can expect to run into the Network's corporate security guards in there if you aren't careful.

[Enemies: Corporate Security]

Corporate Security Aegis: Drop it!
Corporate Security Aegis: Holy--!
Bluepill: Hey! I'm listening to my headphones!

Talk about rude..

Operator: The terminal in that room is locked down. You could try hacking it, or maybe look around for an access code of some kind.

Bluepill: Wh-what? I can't do that!

[Optional: Kill the bluepill for the access code]

Operator: Brutal.

Guess you might as well search the body. You did bring the gloves, right?

Computer: Searching....
Result(s): 145
Printing 1-5....
//
CENSORED
//
CENSORED
//
CENSORED
//
CENSORED
//
CENSORED
//
Continue? (Y/N) _

Operator: *CENSORED*!

Okay, this is officially not going well. It's like the Machines don't even let themselves know anything about the guy.

[Mission Update]

Flood: Are you trying to make this difficult, [operative], or are you just naturally inept? No, don't bother answering that....

Wait! I've got it! Agent Pace has always been their weak link, hasn't she? All you have to do is stroll in, act like a Machine-curious operative, swear up and down that you've realized you need to join the Machines to help stop the intruder, and ask her to point you in the right direction!

Don't argue, operative; it's brilliant. Now, march!

Operator: Eh... Okay. Pace is their head liaison officer, which means that she's pretty accesible...as long as you're willing to put yourself at the mercy of a big gang of extremely protective Agents.

Have fun!

[Friendlies: Agents]
[Heroes: Agent Pace]

Agent West: ...
Agent Wong: ...
Agent Brown: ...

Operator: That's...a lot of Agents. They look friendly, right?

Agent North: ...
Agent Norris: ...
Agent Lee: ...
Agent Jones: ...
Agent Stewart: ...

Operator: What are you, collecting scowls?

Agent Pace: Ciao, Mr.... [last name], isn't it?

We are very glad to hear that you are interested in working for the System, [first name]. However, I am afraid that at this time we have no openings for someone with your skill set.

Oh, and Mr. [last name]? Next time, just save yourself the trouble of all that breaking into our computers, and come directly to me, yes? Goodbye.

Operator: $%#&@!

This was pretty much Flood's dumbest idea ever.

Agent Pace: You can see yourself out, I think?

[Mission End]

Flood: Only insecure cretins blame others for their own failures, operative.

You'll just have to suck it up if you expect to get ahead in this business with the intruder.

[Mission Accomplished]

-----------------

((Edit: Agents don't smile. <_<))

**Croesis**

ZippyTheSquirrel wrote:

Operator: $%#&@!

This was pretty much Flood's dumbest idea ever.

Flood really thought that even though the Machines aren't sharing info with Machinists they'd be willing to share it with a supposed Ex Merv who suddenly wants to help out....

Gotta agree with your operator on this....

((Pretty Lol worthy....))

**xenin**

Lol Flood is an idiot sometimes. Keep up the summaries Zippy, I would do it myself but my computers broke.

**ZippyTheSquirrel**

Flood: The intruder made some sort of remark to the General that really seems to have gotten under the General's waterproof beret. The General is both an impatient and a largely resourceless individual, and won't stop bothering me about helping him follow up on this imagined slight. I have more important things to be doing than massaging the General's bruised feelings, so I'm sending you to look into it.

Don't clock too many hours on this one, operative; the General isn't worth it.

Operator: The General may be a stubborn old cuss, but if he and Flood had a contest for the mission controller position, I think it might be a toss-up.

You should find him--holographically speaking--in there.

[Friendlies: Commandos]
[Heroes: Holographic Projection]

Commando: Good to see you, sir. I'll activate the signal.

Holographic Projection: I coordinated defense against Machines in a recent operation in which the intruder was involved. When I notified operatives that I would have to cut my transmission to avoid detection by nearby Sentinels, the intruder asked why I didn't use "Seekers" on them.

The Seekers were anti-Sentinel missiles I deployed at my surface base, Stalingrad, nine months ago. Only the Machines, my men, and myself were there. My men would not have told him about it, so I can only conclude that he must have learned about the battle from the Machines. His interest in my base could be a vital factor. I want you to take these men and find out what the Machines discussed with him.

Commando: Hup!
Commando: We're ready, sir.

Holographic Transmission: End transmission.

[Mission Update]

Flood: Pah; just the General's dreams of lost glory, if you ask me. It's my understanding that the Machines didn't leave a single stone standing by the time they were done with that base of his.

Commando: Hup, hup!
Commando: You remind of my old captain, sir!

Operator: The commandos think that we can search Machine records for references to Stalingrad from that location. I suppose you'll want to find a computer or something. Scanner's picking up what look to be Machine programs inside.

[Enemies: Megacity Military]

Machine Captain: Security alert, sector 57-G!
Tactical Security: You've made a poor choice, Mr...whatever your name is.
Tactical Security: You've made a poor choice, Mr...whatever your name is.
Tactical Security: You've made a poor choice, Mr...whatever your name is.

Computer: Enter search parameters:
>stalingrad
Searching...
Compiling results...
_null
Link terminated.
Security override.

Operator: *CENSORED*! They must have detected the trace. All I got was the network address of the next hub. I can probably track it down, given a little time.

Commando: Pleasure working with you, sah!
Commando: I'll see if I can get anything more out of the terminal, sir! You go on ahead!

[Mission Update]

Flood: Why is the General still buzzing me, operative? If you can't find whatever it is he's looking for, just make something up. He won't know the difference...

Operator: I guess old Blood and Guts isn't going to give up easily.

Hm... His men told me he'd be sending a transmission in there, but I don't see any of them on my scan.

[Friendlies: ???]
[Heroes: Holographic Projection]

Operator: Wait... I think I'm picking up an incoming transmission. You're getting closer...
Operator: You should be seeing something now.

Holographic Transmission: Hrm... The Machines are even more anxious to keep their infromation about my base under wraps than I had thought. You'll need to penetrate their defenses quickly, and access the data before they have a chance to shut off the network feed. These stealth programs should be able to handle that for you.

Operator: Elite Commando programs, right? Thought so. All right, rally them up and bring them outside. I think I've almost got that Machine hub pinned down.

[Initiating Stealth Routine "fullbodycondomsuit.exe"]

Holographic Projection: End transmission.

[Mission Update]

Flood: I don't care what sort of freaks you have to work with, operative; just get it taken care of.

Operator: Okay... I'm not picking up much... Maybe one guard, and some sort of networked system.

[Enemies: Bluepill security guard]

Watchman: Oy yoy-yoy!

Mainframe: Enter search parameters:
>stalingrad
Searching...
Compiling results...
Downloading results...
Printing results 1 of 1:
///
...prior to entering the System in the vicinity of Ascension Monument, subject cited alleged remote tracking of System forces to structure code-name "Stalingrad" as the event precipitating his visit. However, it is probable that the coincidence of this occurence with the presence of
_null
Link terminated.
Security override.

[ENEMIES UPDATE: High level Megacity military / Machine Programs inbound!]

Operator: "Ascension Monument"...Is that about the intruder? He was spying on the Machines when they went after Stalingrade? But why--

Uh-oh. I've got a swarm of blips on my screen, and they do not look happy.

Agent: Neutralizing intrusion.
Tactical Security: Make this easy on yourself, Mr. [lastname].
Tactical Security: Make this easy on yourself, Mr. [lastname].
Tactical Security: Make this easy on yourself, Mr. [lastname].

[Mission End]

Flood: I can't fathom why the Intruder would have been interested in the General's base-- much less why he would have mentioned it to the Machines--but I fail to see what signifcance that could have now that his precious xanadu is nothing more than a remarkably large crater in a barren sheet of rock. The General's obsessions wit hthe past really are going to get him killed one of these days; I just hope someone is thoughtful enough to record it for me so that I can play it back in slow motion.

**Procurator**

Thanks! I've been looking forward to reading about this mission.

So not only do we have confirmation that the Intruder and Mystery Man are one and the same, but apparently the Intruder said that something about Stalingrad was the reason he ventured into the Matrix in the first place. Interesting...

**ZippyTheSquirrel**

Flood: Ah, operative. It has been decided that the intruder may have been nosing around the General's crater because he was interested in Sati, who the General had kidnapped and taken to Stalingrad in his comically inept attempt to topple the simulation; some would have it that Sati is the very thing the intruder wants so very badly. If that's the case, he who controls the girl will control the intruder, and if anyone's going to control the intruder, it's going to be us.

The first step, I think, is going to be dropping in on the intruder to sound him out about this thing, without letting on that we know about it. We've been keeping tabs on him, of course. He... Urm... Well, I can't raise the blood-drinker squad assigned him--they probably their sunglasses again....--but never mind, that just means you'll have to do the legwork.

Operator: I don't see anything in there. Do we have the right spot? Let me double-check this...

Yeah, that's where he was supposed to be, all right. This isn't looking very promising.

[Friendlies: blood drinker corpse]

Operator: Hm... That's one of the programs who was supposed to be monitoring him discreetly. This is definitely not looking good.

[Mission Update]

Flood: Lovely. I suppose the lesson here is: don't send a blood-sucker to watch someone who doesn't actually have any bodily fluids.

And of course it's up to me to salvage this debacle, as usual. Let me see... Mm. Ah! Here we are. It seems a large concentration of accelerated programs has sprung up nearby. No doubt that's where you'll find him.

Operator: That place is practically wall-to-wall with accelerated signals. If they're as aggressive as they usually are, this could be a little tricky.

[Enemies: Accelerated Machine Programs, Decelerator]

Operator: Well, that isn't him. The rest of these are all smaller signals... I don't think he's in there. Did he just fly the coop?

[Mission Update]

Flood: Yes, well... I'm now receiving reports of accelerated outbreaks city-wide; it seems our overpowered friend has finally begun his obligatory mindless rampage. Rather inconvenient...but we'll just have to proceed without him. If that invertebrate, the General, was able to kidnap Sati, then it certainly couldn't be all that difficult. I'll just make some calls to our people in Mara...

Ah, child's play. It appears she's visiting a playmate in the neighborhood. Your appearance may frighten children, but take along a lollipop, and I'm sure you'll have no trouble at all.

Operator: I always wondered how the General managed to get Sati. I mean, the Oracle should have seen it coming, right? And if she did, then that means she wanted him to get her, which means...uh... Well, that's about as far as I get.

Anyway, here goes... I'm seeing just a few small readings in there. Can't tell if one of them is Sati.

[Friendlies: Bluepills]

Bluepill: I'm afraid they've just left... Who did you say you were?
Bluepill (to Bluepill): Dear...

Operator: That would explain the lack of interesting signals in there. Do you think she knew we were coming?

Bluepill: I'm going to have to ask you to leave. I'll call the police if I have to.

[Mission Update]

Flood: I'm just following orders, operative. If you think chasing a child through the slums is my idea of a good time... Well, I hardly think I need to finish my sentence.

At any rate, you needn't despair about letting her slip through your fingers; I've just received a hot tip that she's been spotted entering a building nearby. Now, do you think you can handle one little girl?

Operator: I've got one signal in there, and it is definitely out of the ordinary. Keep your eyes peeled.

[Heroes: Seraph]

Seraph: Her time has not yet come. Take this message to the Frenchman: she will not be found wh ile the Oracle lives, nor before you have returned what you took from me.

Operator: Aw, man... Why'd he have to go and bring a prophecy into it?

[Mission End]

Flood: ....

I think I'll find someone else to deliver that particular message to the Merovingian, rather than taking it to him myself. He's rather touchy when it comes to prognostications from that woman, you know.

Why, Malphas, I was just thinking about you...

[Mission Completed]

**ZippyTheSquirrel** · 01/31/2008 17:06:17

Flood: The General, and some equally suicidal operatives, managed to reach the intruder and discuss Sati with him. Our enraged associate--it appears he's taken an immense dislike to some trick the Machines pulled on him, although of course it shouldn't surprise anyone that they can't be trusted--pointed out to the General that the General's old files should contain plenty of information about Sati, back from when the General held her captive.

Naturally, such a simple solution hadn't even occurred to the General, and now he's claiming that there's some sort of complication. He's like you, operative: he likes to make things difficult. That's why I'm sending you to go sort out whatever capricious phantom of senility is troubling him.

Operator: I'm picking up one of the General's commando programs in there.

[Friendlies: Commando]
[Heroes: Holographic Projection]

Commando: Hello, sir! The General will be transmitting in the next room!

Holographic Projection: My old files would have useful data on the Sati program. However, they've all been confiscated by the Machines. We'll have to find out where they're keeping them.

You saw the commando outside... I don't like expending my men in this way, but we're going to have to use him as bait. The Machines have already been alerted to his presence, and will be here shortly. Once they've captured him, we'll track where they take him. We should be able to count on typical Machine "efficiency" to place him with other data they've captured with me.

Commando: Good luck, sir! I'm sure it must be very important!

Operator: Ouch. Hard luck for that commando. I guess the General hasn't told him what he's in for.

[Mission Update]

Flood: I see the General continues to flatter himself by thinking that he's still at the top of the Machines' "most wanted" list. Yes, I'm sure all his data is neatly tucked into some Machine dustbine somewhere...

At any rate, they've captured his darling soldier; now I'm supposed to send you in. No, not to rescue him; to get the General's old information on Sati.

Operator: That's where they tracked the commando's signal. These readings look like Machine programs to me. Keep your eyes open for some sort of data repository.

[Enemies: Megacity Military, Machine Programs]

Tactical Security: Take them down!
Tactical Security: Take them down!

Operator: You're getting close to the commando's signal.

Agent: Security breach, level G.

Commando: It's great to see you, sir! Are we going to stick it to these Machines now?

Operator: Hm. Might be able to get to something useful from the computer in that room.

Computer: Enter search parameters:
> sati
Searching...
0 results fou
_null
Link terminated.
Security override.

[NPC update: Heroes: Mega ((lvl255)) Agent]

Operator: It looks like data from the General's old access point terminals, but there are gaps... I don't see anything about Sati. If there was anything there about her, it must have been removed.

Ooh; don't look now, but I think they've sent an Agent in after that commando. Probably a good time to make yourself scarce.

Commando: But... sir... Don't you have any orders for me?

[Optional: Talk to the Mega Agent]

Mega Agent: Yes. Securing the program.
[Mega Agent becomes hostile and attacks.]

[Mission Update]

Flood: Why am I not surprised that the General's information turns out to be useless? He never was any good at anything except battles, and he's been losing his fair share of those ever since he left the Machines to try to go it on his own.

Well, don't bother me about it, operative. You'll just have to sort this out with the General somehow.

Operator: The General should be broadcasting in there.

[Friendlies: Commando]
[Heroes: Holographic Projection]

Commando: Welcome, sir, I'll activate the feed.

Holographic Projection: Hrm... So the Machines have cut up my information--too sensitive to show even to their own programs, probably. Another fine example of suppression of the truth that we can thank them for...

At this point I think our only recourse is to refer the matter to the intruder. He has command over Machine programs; possibly he can access the missing information.

[Mission Update]

Flood: The intruder is still on the war path against th Machines, but he seems to have settled into a more directed stream of hate, rather than lashing out in all directions as he was doing at first. We've been able to talk to him a little, and to keep track of him. What this means is that you'll be able to go in and try to talk to him, operative, and to give him the General's good news.

Oh, wait, it isn't good news, is it? Well, possibly the intruder will understand. Alternatively, he may elect to beat you to a pulp. Which will it be? Ah, the suspense!

Operator: I'm reading what's probably the intruder in there... There's another big packet of override code close to him--some program of his, I guess.

[Friendlies: Machine Program corpses, Accelerated Program corpses, Terminator]
[Heroes: Intruder]

Intruder: Pah! Useless. I'll-- Wait. This girl... She was taken into the outer world by the General... That was the only time? And did she have a body there, or...

Hm... No... No, she couldn't be it. Bloody hell. This is taking too long. ...

What I need is a biological interface program. Tell that to your boss. If he can find me one, I'll make him king of this place; Machines be damned.

Intruder: You heard what I said.

[Mission End]

Flood: A "biological interface program"? ...

No, I don't know what that is... but it couldn't be that hard to come up with. IF he'd just have mentioned this earlier he'd have saved us a lot of wasted time and effort. We'll find this... whatever it is, and then we'll see just what he's willing to pay for it...

[Mission Completed]

**cloudwolf**

ZippyTheSquirrel wrote:

Intruder: Bloody hell.

Looks like the Intruder's british. ^_^

**ZippyTheSquirrel**

cloudwolf wrote:

ZippyTheSquirrel wrote:

Intruder: Bloody hell.

Looks like the Intruder's british. ^_^

Told the Mervs last night to "sod off"...

Sod off, I'll make him sod off. No good wireframe idiot...

**Procurator**

He doesn't sound British in the cinematics. SMILEY

Maybe an expat?

Cheers for the transcript!

**Othinn1**

   Anyone got the Details of the Terminator program? Is it the same as the Accelerator/Decelerator/Runtime programs, which says ...

   " A powerful program of an unknown code type. Lacking a physical surface, it is essentially vulnerable only to code attacks."

   Also, does anyone have the Details of the Terminator Bit item it drops?

**Procurator**

I think it's the same description as the others, yeah. I at least remember reading the 'lacking a physical surface' sentence.

**Croesis**

ZippyTheSquirrel wrote:

cloudwolf wrote:
ZippyTheSquirrel wrote:

Intruder: Bloody hell.

Looks like the Intruder's british. ^_^
Told the Mervs last night to "sod off"...

Sod off, I'll make him sod off. No good wireframe idiot...

This is his only redeeming feature as far as I'm concerned, I'd laugh if he used cockney rhyming slang...

**ZippyTheSquirrel**

Othinn1 wrote:

   Anyone got the Details of the Terminator program? Is it the same as the Accelerator/Decelerator/Runtime programs, which says ...

   " A powerful program of an unknown code type. Lacking a physical surface, it is essentially vulnerable only to code attacks."

   Also, does anyone have the Details of the Terminator Bit item it drops?

It is the same details, yes, but I wasn't aware of any Terminator Bit drop. It was friendly during the whole phase, its only real purpose to look good, and I do confess, out of all the big boring white balls of code, that one is absolutely the bestest. Looks Metroid-like in its appearance, actually... I'll put in some short FRAPS of all the types in a bit.

**Othinn1**

ZippyTheSquirrel wrote:

Othinn1 wrote:

   Anyone got the Details of the Terminator program? Is it the same as the Accelerator/Decelerator/Runtime programs, which says ...

   " A powerful program of an unknown code type. Lacking a physical surface, it is essentially vulnerable only to code attacks."

   Also, does anyone have the Details of the Terminator Bit item it drops?
It is the same details, yes, but I wasn't aware of any Terminator Bit drop. It was friendly during the whole phase, its only real purpose to look good, and I do confess, out of all the big boring white balls of code, that one is absolutely the bestest. Looks Metroid-like in its appearance, actually... I'll put in some short FRAPS of all the types in a bit.

I see. Well, I should probably ask about the Terminator Bit in the Machine mission thread since it was hostile there, I believe.

And the Terminator Bit does exist, according to Rarebit's system window in this screenshot. I assume it's the exact opposite of a Runtime Bit. It kills NPCs instead of spawning them.