Re: The Adbot's Revenge!
(Gah, computer got virused, took ages to fix. Anyway, back to the action. SiphonBurrito, feel free to change anything about how I do Aika.)
It is easy to notice that the room you are waiting before is not the usual place for meetings with Aika – most of Command, the usual haunt of the upper echelon, was a mess of scorched metal and still littered with the bodies of the fallen – as you would expect of a building that made itself blatantly look important. Taking that into consideration, this bunker was a more preferable meeting place. Little time passes before President Aika himself ushers you into the room. It is similar in design to the room in which you had all given your recounts but a few hours ago, except with enough chairs for everyone present. Aika has changed subtly since the last time you saw him. The damage to his forum has taken its toll, lining his features with sorrow.
“It’s good to see all of you well.” He says sincerely, managing a smile despite everything. You recall that you are supposed to bow before the President, but as you begin to do so, he cuts you off, his expression shifting into a slight scowl.
“Oh, stuff the formalities, they waste more time than they’re worth. Hell, if I hadn’t been on an unscheduled trip at the time, I be been peeled off the wall in Central right about now!” Aika is known forumwide for disregarding his safety and taking frequent trips to see the people of the forum, go shopping, or do other tasks that would normally be left up to his entourage. In his eyes, to be close to the people, he had to be close to the people (– in more ways than one, as these trips would, more often than not, contain a visit to the Hentai district, something he was not ashamed to admit. He felt it made him seem more human).
His face softens to a more neutral look, as he continues,
“Sorry... It’s just that these damn procedures have been slowing me down and tripping me up at every opportunity. I swear, we would have half the forum fixed by now if it wasn’t for…” he trails off, and shakes his head. “I don’t need to bother you with bureaucratic stuff. I’ll get straight to the point.” His features sharpen and his tone changes to that of a person used to commanding, as he seats himself in a chair nearby, clasping his hands together.
“Due to all the chaos caused by the attack, we’ve enforced regular check-ins for certain important personnel. Three hours ago, one of our commanders looking after the Forum Development section lost contact with a researcher living in her residence when she failed to check in. He sent an untrained squad to the house to see what had happened.” He voice turns somber.
“They have yet to report back.” He closes his eyes and pauses for a moment, then opens them and continues.
“The commander reported this back to me. At first glance, it would seem to be the work of some of the escaped prisoners or… looters.” His sadness visibly deepens. “That’s been happening.” That his citizens, people he’d thought he’d known, had resorted to thieving and pillaging from him and each other was clearly weighing heavily on him. He gives another pause to let that sink in.
“However, since the building is apparently being occupied instead of abandoned by the assailants, and that a small squad of armed soldiers was apparently… taken out, make this less likely. …There’s something else, too.” He pauses again.
“Whether the people that did this know it or not, that researcher was keeping a couple of blueprints and the prototype for a machine which, in the wrong hands, could prove dangerous. I would send Supreme Military Commander Nunu, but Nunu is conducting diplomatic relations with V-Bulletin to try and get some aid with the reconstruction. Every other reasonably skilled team is needed to guard the perimeter or keep the place ordered, and we’ve lost a rookie team on this already. As much as I hate to send out some soldiers that have only just got back… you’re the only people we have who can do this.”
(Assuming you accept, feel free to just fast-travel straight there, Aika has nothing more of importance to say… just don’t go all the way inside the building, go up to outside somewhere.
Building – two story house, strong metals and stone, very white and pristine, plants on a second story balcony, flat roof, not all that large, open area around it (i.e., little cover), all windows on the second story are closed and have blinds covering them, obvious entrances are the second story balcony and the front and back doors)
