| Text | - After you rescued him, Lt. Sefu Tendaji thanked you and offered a tip:
'My thanks to you, friend. I see you are a member of the Vanguard. Despite what some think, I do not see a reason for the rivalry between out groups, as we are all fighting to protect out world. In fact, there was some information we recently gained that could be of use to you, but our resources are too thin to handle it. We have word of a Rikti assault group that has managed to sneak past our defenses. I will give you their last known location.
Oh, and do not mention this to Captain Dietrich. She is an excellent and dedicated leader, but she does not see things between our agencies as I do.'
- This signed form will get you a piece of Vanguard gear when you present it to Serpent Drummer.
- After you helped him escape, B'Nadek told you some of his story:
'So Immersed: Rikti-Thought. Recognition Near-Failure: Own Brother. Human-Thought: Presently Difficult. Please: Patience.
My name is:was Ben Decker. I was: Soldier: Earth during the Rikti War. I was a prisoner, they took me and: Changed me. They thought Change: Improvement. They all undergo: Change during Gestation/Exo-womb. They think it's a way to lift a man: up, just like some aliens did to them thousands of years ago. And if I never saw: Arnold again, I would have continued: Harmonious Rikti-Thought.
The Rikti think what they do is raise people up to their level of evolution. To them Riktification: Gift. But really, what it does: cage a man.'
- Chief Soldier: Repulse: Attack!
Once free: It's always nice to have help! Let's go!
- B'Nadek: Yes. ThoughtMode: Human! I was: AM Human!
B'Nadek: Character! You came!
- At the mission exit: I can't believe I'll see Mom again. Thank: You.
- One of the civilians you rescued, a young man name Arnold Decker, had a strange story to tell:
'It was the weirdest thing. They were rounding us up, I think to keep us away from those things they brought. Never can tell what people can do in this town, you know? Anyway, one of them saw me, and just stopped in his tracks. He pulled me out of the crowd, just lifted me up, and he was looking at me real intense. I thought I was dead for sure, but he set me down again, took off his helmet, and kneeled down to look me in the eye. The, he said my name.
I could barely understand it, their voices are so weird, but he was trying to tell me something. He said, 'Arnold, take care of Mom.' Then he tried to help me run away, but one of the commanders froze him in his tracks with one of those mind-bolts.
I don't know what it all means. How could he have known about my Mom? She's been in a bad way ever since my older brother Ben was lost in the Rikti War.
- Rikti minion 2: Containment: Suggested.
Rikti minion 1: Interruption: Unwelcome.
- Come, let us find the others.
If refound: Your distraction was useful to my escape.
- Combat start: Intention: Assure Victory. Method: Personal!
- Character. I'm glad you've joined us.
I've studied the Rikti for longer than you know. To most people, they are still a mystery. Where are they from? Why did they attack us? The answers are all there, if you know where to look. I'd suggest you keep your eyes open. Many things are about to change. Be ready for it.
That's all I got to say for now. You best head over to Lady Grey. She's requested an audience with you. You can find her by the trainer.
- Arnold Decker: Character! I'm over here!
Once free: Let's go! I have so much to tell you!
- Character, right? Good to meet you. I heard you were going to join up. I'm Borea, and I help coordinate Vanguard activity in the Rikti War Zone. Any time you're looking for something to do, come talk to me and I'll see if there's a mission for you. Hey, you know what? I think I have an easy one for you right now. Defeat 10 Rikti anywhere in the zone, then come back to me. I'll even throw in a little something as a reward when you return.
- :Lt.Sefu Tendaji:
- When you defeated Arnold Decker's captor, the Arachnos leader fell to the floor with a clatter. Your foe wasn't a normal Arachnos soldier , but a cleverly constructed clockwork counterfeit: a Nemesis Impostor Automaton!
It must have falsified its orders and appropriated troops to capture Arnold Decker, and then pinned the blame on Arachnos. But why?
- These strange clear documents were in a sealed container carried by the leader of the Rikti assault group. They look important. Levantera will want to see them.
- Rikti Captor: Violence: Unnecessary. Your surrender: Preferable.
Rikti minion: Attack: Vanguard!
- Ambush: Captive: Escaping!
:Captain Dietrich:
- Ambush: Captive: Escaping!
:Longbow P.O.W.:
- Arachnos soldier 2: Uh, Commander?
- Arachnos soldier 2: Yeah. What he said!
- Arnold Decker: Nemesis Army? What?
- Before combat: Situation Handling: Personally
- Captain Dietrich: Alien scum.
- Captain Dietrich: Great. Vanguard.
- Chief Soldier: Resolve Situation: Later.
- Combat start: Expression: Exasperation!
- Combat start: Fray: Enter!
- Character. About the B'Nadek situation. You've stumbled onto something interesting, but not unexpected. We're bound to see more incidents like this, and I don't like my people to be blind. Take this file. Read it if you want, then give it to Levantera when this thing is wrapped up. Normally, this kind of information is restricted by the FBSA 'Omega Clearance'. Heh.
If you learn it from another source, pretend you never knew it before. Not that it matters to me.
- Arachnos solsier 1: Never mind that! To the attack. men!
- If lost: Aw, man! This is it, man!
- If lost: Character? Did I lose you?
- If recaptured: No! Expression: Frustration!
- If refound: I am glad to see you again.
- If refound: I thought I was: goner.
- If refound: Let's go get'em!
- If refound: Thanks a lot, Characrter.
- If refound: Thanks. I really feel like a dope.
- Leah Washingtom: At least it wasn't the Vahzilok!
- Location: Breached! Contact: Security Chief!
- Once free: Okay, man, let's do this!
- Once free: Thanks again, Character.
- Patrol Loss: Investigating.
- Rikti Minion: Expression: Dismay!
- Rikti minion 1: Press: Attack!
- Rikti minion 2: Strike: Fast!
- Rikti minion: Resolve Situation: Later.
- Ronald King: I thought we were going to die!
- Security Chief Report: Handle Personally!
- Vanguard soldier: Hold the line!
- You're good for that, at least.
- It is our distinct pleasure to welcome you into the Vanguard, Character. We have studied your prior adventures, and know that you shall prove yourself admirably against the Invader's forces. When you are ready, We may have a great undertaking for you, but put it out of mind for the moment. Instead, We suggest you now return to Miss Levantera, so that she can provide you with your first real task against our foe.
- Chief Soldier: ThoughtMode: Errant. ThoughtMode: Human.
- Once free: We have to stop meeting like this, people will talk.
- Aren't you talented. That was an easy one, but a good start. Take this requisition form, show it to the Serpent Drummer. He's over by the Armory. He'll get you some Vanguard gear. Remember you can always come back to me if you ever need something to do.
- Once free: I thank you. Now, let us rescue the rest of my squad.
- Rikti minion: Situation: Surrounded! Weapons: Disarm!
- After being rescued:
Arnold Decker: You aren't going to believe this, but the most amazing thing just happened!
- Chief soldier: Enjoin: Battle!
Once free: Thanks for the help. Have you seen Fusionette?
- This container is full of organic residue and numerous apparently surgical implements. It's too big to move quietly so you document it and move on.
- Before combat: Leader Status: Entering Battlefield.
- Drummer sent you to talk to me? He's a funny guy. Keeps trying to prove... Well, that's not important. If you want to know how the Vanguard works, let me lay it out for you:
The Vanguard is split into 4 main divisions: The Helm, The Gauntlet, The Shield, and The Herald.
The Herald is our public relations division, run by a heroine named Incandescent. She's not normally on-site, usually too busy working with the UN.
The Shield is our security division. Levantera and Borea share joint leadership of it. They handle security and most defensive roles.
The Gauntlet division under Serpent Drummer is our main offensive branch. Most troops you see taking action against the Rikti are Gauntlet troops.
The Helm is our intelligence division, run by the Dark Watcher. They gather the information we need to keep the Rikti contained.
The Lady Grey is the overall commander of Vanguard. She's powerful, well connected, and has been around at least as long as Statesman and Recluse. She sets our overall strategy, with the Dark Watcher as her second in command.
Speaking of which, I've been told that the Dark Watcher wants to talk to you.
- Fusionette: Jimmy's never gonna let me live this down.
- Despite all that's happened to him, Arnold Decker was so excited with his news that he could barely keep from talking once he saw you again:
'He's alive! Ben's alive! He snuck away from their base and visited me! He looks different, okay, but it's my brother Ben! I know it! He said that he was captured by the Rikti during the war and that they did something to him, but he snapped out of the brainwashing when he saw me. I know it's him, and he's back to himself now. But the rest of the Rikti know and he's got to get out. He wants to come home. You'll help him, right? Vanguard will help him, won't they?'
- Rikti Captor: Attack: Repulse!
Once free: I did not need your assistance.
- Faultline: Character! They weren't kidding about re-enforcements!
- Before combat: Surprise Conclusion: Urgent. Vanguard Activity: Likely.
- Each bomb will have some Rikti near handling it:
Rikti minion 1: Query: Bomb Status?
- Before combat: Exasperated Declaration: Warrior-Lineage Workmanship!
- If left behind: Don't leave me now! I'm almost home!
- Rikti Minion: Enemy escape: Impossible.
Fusionette: Sweet! Back-up!
- Conclusion: Even With: Advanced Intelligence: No Plan Survives Contact!
- At the mission exit: I know it's Ben. You believe me, don't you?
Ambush: For Lord... Recluse!
- Though this file is in a plain manila envelope, its contents are shocking to any who don't already possess Omega Clearance. Here, it lays out the truth about the Rikti, namely that while obviously morphologically different, they are biologically heavily-altered human beings. The alterations are clearly artificial, and appear to be the result of biomorphic processes that are most likely initiated during gestation, and continued throughout the Rikti's childhood and adolescence. Later documents abound with conjecture about how this could have come to pass on the Rikti homeworld, ranging from an advanced civilization's defense against massive pollution to contact with a much more advanced alien race. Whatever the reason, one thing is certain: the Rikti homeworld isn't an alien planet, but an alternate Earth!
- All of the equipment here is brand new. Not scavenged or repaired, but recently manufactured and unused. Either the Rikti on Earth have found a new supply cache of unused equipment, or something strange is going on. You take a sample or two that won't be missed, and move on.
- Combat start: Angered Repudiation: Schedule Disruption!
- The parts here are scrounged from every source of technology in the city. Crey circuit boards, Arachnos robotics, Council energy collectors and more, all heavily modified with the Rikti's advanced alien technology. Whatever they're working on, they are trying desperately to get it operational.
- These documents were on the Raid Leader. The language is indecipherable, but it seems to be about a specific Rikti soldier.
- Arachnos minion 1: Does something about this seem wrong to you?
- Once free: I'm status: Unarmed. Please, let's get: outta here.
- Hello, Character. I am the Serpent Drummer. I lead the Gauntlet, the branch of Vanguard charged with carrying battle to the Rikti. Borea said I am to give you access to your first piece of Vanguard gear, and so I will. Here are a pair of Vanguard Gloves. You can equip them at any tailor. Wear them with pride.
We may work together later, but for now, it might be good for you to understand how the divisions within the Vanguard are set up. Talk to Gaussian. He should be able to provide a measure of enlightenment.
- After you rescued her, Captain Wilhelmina Dietrich was quite willing to share her opinion of the Vanguard:
'I suppose I should thank you for not bungling this attempted rescue too badly. Other than barging in like a horde of vandals and alerting all Rikti to our investigation, I am certain that you meant well. No more could be expected from undisciplined amateurs. Now, let us see what we can recover from this mess.'
- Arachnos minion 2: The orders come from above us. Are you going to question them?
- Arachnos minion 1: Guess it doesn't matter if we still get to hurt people!
- Combat start: The operation is discovered! Quickly, men!
- The strange chemicals in these containers seem to defy the laws of physics. Liquids that flow up, impact-resistant gasses, monopolar liquid magnets, and other strange things abound. You play with them for a few moments, take some samples, and move on.
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