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orokinarchives · 6 years ago

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The Business Dialogue

(Fortuna concept art – Yuriy Zadorozhny)

The Business can aid the Tenno in disassembling their caught servofish to extract the valuable components. He also offers a rotating stock of servofish components,and will gladly accept donations of whole servofish on behalf of the workers of Fortuna, in exchange for Standing with Solaris United. When the Tenno captures an animal out on the Orb Vallis, he rewards them with a tag, which can be redeemed at his shop for a floof depicting the animal in question. As one of the key members of Solaris United, he is heavily involved in their more subversive activities.

Idle quotes

These are un-subtitled lines that Biz says when he is not interacting with anyone.

"Intending to spend time out in the Vallis? Oh, it's a rare miracle, but death to the unwary. Tell me what you're fixing on, and I'll steer you true."

"Offworlder, I'm in the business of keeping you alive, your quarry too, tranq rifles and lures. Help me preserve the miracle of the Orb Vallis ecosystem."

"So, you want to help preserve this biosphere's unique fauna? Hmm, admirable. So, let's talk instrumentation."

"Looking to trap Stover? Well, they'll take a piece out of you, you come at them the wrong way. Vermink? Slippery little buggers, but we can fix that, don't you worry."

Greeting the Tenno

(if the Tenno has just completed the Vox Solaris quest) "Outworlder. You've altered the calculus in the Vallis to our favour. Thank you. A… pity… it took young Thursby's tragedy to… motivate… Eudico to take up the mantle of leadership once more… but she is the leader Solaris United needs… and tragedy is the unavoidable cost of progress. I'll make sure Thursby gets up on his new feet. I… owe it to him."

"Used to be, you had a problem, you came to me. Now… I just sell fishing gear. Little Duck told me I was going soft, but a quiet life isn't so bad. I recommend it."

"I've a soft spot for Fortuna. Good people dealt a bad hand. I try to help when I can."

"I wasn't always about the… preservation of life – more the… strategic deletion of it. Conservation… is my calling, now. The scales… need balancing."

"She looks peaceful out there. But she'll turn. Prepare for that inevitability."

(if the Tenno has just reached the rank Old Mate) "I think the time's come to dispense with formality, to meet eye-to-eye. This is who I am, friend. Pleased to meet you."

(if the Tenno is rank Old Mate) "Eudico lost a lot of friends that first time SU was crushed – blames herself. Zuud may be the one hearing voices, but Eudico… she's the one with ghosts. I'm glad you're here with us. We need you. She needs you."

(if the Tenno is rank Old Mate) "Legs makes me laugh. Anyone who can do that is twice as valuable as any soldier or saboteur. Look out for him. Kid deserves better than this."

(if the Tenno is rank Old Mate) "I was there when we lost Zuud's sisters. For a lifetime, they shared a sensorium, created as one. Losing them crushed Zuud, her universe narrowing to a single set of eyes, one pair of hands. The isolation broke her, remade her. A tragic figure, to be sure, and loved."

(if the Tenno is rank Old Mate) "I've trained many. None possessed Little Duck's aptitude for spycraft. But we differed in philosophy. That, ultimately, was our end. I don't regret much, but I regret that. I do regret that."

(if the Tenno is rank Old Mate) "Boon, Roky, and their assembled orphan tribe. Troublemakers, but they're just getting by. I don't begrudge anyone who has to live in the vents – though I do wish they had better taste in music. ‘Skeg' is it? Sounds like a bag of hammers being thrown down a flight of stairs."

(if the Tenno is rank Old Mate) "I prefer not to talk about myself. An old habit, from another time. You understand."

(if the Tenno is rank Old Mate) "Well, look who it is. Keeping warm, I trust? If you're heading out, we should have ourselves a talk."

(if the Tenno is rank Old Mate) "Well, hello. How have you been keeping?"

(if the Tenno is rank Old Mate) "Well, well. Good to see you. Let's talk, you and I."

Browsing conservation offerings

"When we woke the Orokin terraforming engines, we also revived species long since extinct. I need your help to save these beasts from the Corpus' Feed and Research Division… 'scientists'. Track-and-tranq. Now: let's get you sorted out with a tranq rifle and echo-lure."

"Track-and-tranq: the basis of our conservation efforts. Now, what are you short on?"

"Track the beast, lure it out, then subdue it with a well-placed tranquiliser."

"You get paid, and we save something rare from Corpus… 'scientists'. Stay downwind, and aim true."

Purchasing a servofish trophy blueprint

"She's a bit of a mess at the moment, granted, but with a little attention, she'll be fit for the wall of a lodge."

"Mounting board's ready. Let's begin."

"Very good. I'll begin."

"Just a moment."

"Finished. Opinion?"

"And done. Majestic."

"Beautiful. She's all yours."

Exiting store with purchase

"Stay sharp."

"Keep your face to the wind, friend."

"All right. Travel safe."

Exiting store without purchase

"All right, well, be careful out there."

"Maybe later, then."

"As you were."

Selecting fish

(Common servofishes include Brickies, Echowinders, Sapcaddies, Scrubbers, and Tinks.)

(basic common servofish) "Hm. Simple. Stripped-back design. A bit primitive, but handsomely made."

(adorned common servofish) "Decent. Needs maintenance, but in good condition."

(magnificent common servofish) "Well, this specimen's quite complex. Heavily modified. Fascinating."

(Eye-Eye, Mirewinder, Kriller, Recaster) "I see this particular model quite a bit."

(Charamote, Tromyzon, Longwinder) "Hm. When did I last see one of these? The Orokin deployed automated cleaners, much as we do, their designs influencing the workings of much of our own. A rare catch indeed."

(Synathid) "Wait. Do you know what this is? An original Orokin custodial drone! Where in the world did you find this? Most people have only ever seen this fellow in pictures. Old pictures. He must have been down there for… centuries."

Dismantling servofish

"You don't seem to need help with that. Shout out when you're done."

"Good choice. I'll leave you to it."

"All right, have at it."

(afterwards) "I love what I do, but never quite get used to the smell. [sniff] Ugh, all those built-up toxins."

(afterwards) "Handily done, there. Nice outcome."

(afterwards) "A pleasure watching you work."

Providing servofish

"Making friends can be a simple thing: be kind. Fortuna's rig jockeys are in constant need of parts and repair, and many can't afford it. Share some of your catch. They'll remember."

"If you've a spare servofish or two, I can take the parts to those who need them. The Temple frowns on charity, so people are hurting."

"Part with some of your catch. We'll separate their components and distribute them to the needy. There's certainly enough of them."

(afterwards) "I'll find those who need the parts and have them seen to. It is a fine thing you do."

(afterwards) "Ah, wonderful. I know just who will benefit from this."

(afterwards) "Thank you."

Bidding farewell

"I'll be here, when next you return."

"Til next time."

"Eyes open, and face to the wind, friend."

Animal conservation on the Orb Vallis

Out on the Orb Vallis, animals such as Verminks, Kubrodons, and Sawgaws can be found, and captured with the right gear. Conservation requires a tranq rifle and an echo-lure (specific to the animal), both purchased from The Business. Pheromone synthesisers, specific to the animal, can also be purchased from The Business and are used to increase the chances of rare species appearing.

Once an animal trace is found, the tracks can be followed to an echo-lure point, where the Tenno can deploy an echo-lure to coax the animal out of hiding. Once it appears, the Tenno must hit the animal with a tranquiliser dart to subdue it, before calling for a drone to carry the animal away to safety.

Finding spoor

"Observe. Our quarry has marked their passing with more than… hm. Follow the tracks."

"They'll be nearby. Follow their trail carefully. We don't want to startle them."

"We're very close to them now. Follow that trail."

"They were here very recently, and departed in that direction. Follow."

"Good. Good good. We're very close. Pursue, but quietly."

"A tuft of fur. There will be creatures nearby."

"Our quarry was here very recently. As that trail of prints attests. Track them down."

"We've almost got you now, my little friend [chuckles]. They're very close by. Follow the trail."

"Fresh leavings, and… there. A trail. Follow."

"Scat! Mm, fresh, too. This is your chance to lure them in."

"Tracks. And fresh."

"Footsteps. A creature is near."

"Fresh tracks. Go."

Hearing a response to the echo-lure

(Pobber) "That is the call of a Pobber. Not the mightiest of beasts… but worthy of salvation nonetheless, despite the odour. Now, you must be stealthy: preyed upon by Sawgaws and Virmink, Pobbers will flee at the slightest hint of danger."

(Virmink) "The mating call of a Virmink. They're capable hunters of smaller prey, but will turn tail and run at first sight of something as formidable as yourself. You'll find Virmink loping across the plains or lying in wait amongst the giant fungi, stalking Pobbers. Now, where is it?"

(Sawgaw, variant) "That is the cry of a formidable raptor the Solaris call a Sawgaw. This crimson-faced bird of prey circles and stalks the cliffs and fungal forests of Venus, searching for rodent prey."

(Sawgaw, variant) "Being an avian, the Sawgaw prefers a high vantage point. Nothing higher than the oversized Vallis fungi."

(Sawgaw, variant) "Sawgaws and the giant Vallis fungi go hand-in-hand. Remember to look up. The little fellow could be eyeballing us right now."

(Sawgaw, variant) "The Gorgaricus fungi are preferred perches for Sawgaw. That's where we'll find them."

(Sawgaw, variant) "Sawgaw perch high up, the better to scan for prey undetected. Check the fungi."

(Borarola, variant) "Mountains, caves: these are things Bolarolas find… comforting. Craters, too, on occasion. Now, this species is all about defense. Their armoured plates protect their vulnerable undersides from predators, tucking and rolling to make good their escape. So, when it appears, while you can, target their belly and strike true."

(Borarola, variant) "Right. Nature's little tank, this one. Your only chance will be to target the soft underbelly."

(Borarola, variant) "A careless tranq shot will simply bounce off the Bolarola's carapace. It's the underbelly or nothing for this one."

(Borarola, variant) "Forget about targeting the Bolarola any-old-where. The underbelly is its only vulnerable spot."

(Borarola, variant) "Bolarola. Armoured. Except for the belly."

(Horrasque, variant) "A Horrasque. This hideous creature is terrible to behold, but will not attack unless provoked, preferring to be left to wallow and hunt in peace. When riled, however, its roar will shake the bowels of even the most steadfast trapper."

(Horrasque, variant) "The Horrasque are tunnellers. This one will surface, tentatively, and if he sees you… vanish. Lay low. Let him emerge. Then fire your tranq."

(Horrasque, variant) "The Horrasque will leave its tunnel only if it feels safe. So be quiet and careful, give it a moment, and then tranq."

(Horrasque, variant) "Alright. The Horrasque will tunnel towards the call, then poke its head aboveground. If it feels safe, it will emerge and wander. Then, you fire the tranq."

(Horrasque, variant) "The Horrasque will surface nearby. Give it a moment, let it emerge, and the tranquilise it."

(Stover, variant) "The Stover: a kind of proto-Kubrow. When grouped in a pack they are relentless opponents. I once asked, 'Why Stover?' and was told it was because they're dumb as a stove, run hot… and having one on top of you ruins your day. Remember this: if you walk into a cave system that feels too warm, get out. Stover den."

(Stover, variant) "Good news: Stovers are nearly blind. Bad news: they hear well enough to make up for it, don't like intruders, and will take multiple shots to tranquilise. So… don't mess about."

(Stover, variant) "Stovers: cave dwellers. Bad eyesight, excellent hearing, highly territorial. Hardy, so you'll need more than one shot to put them down. And they're aggressive. (cheerfully) Good luck!"

(Stover, variant) "Check the caves. Stover are near-blind but hear fantastically well and don't take kindly to intruders. And they're beefy as hell, so you'll need to tranq them more than once. Hopefully before you get mauled."

(Stover, variant) "Check the caves, and remember: they investigate sound. Also: you'll need to tranq the animal a few times before they go down. They're… impressively proportioned. They're basically a bicep with a face, if I'm honest."

(Kubrodon) "Ah. Yes. Well. This is interesting. You've managed to attract a Kubrodon. The apex predator of the Venusian plains. These massively framed beasts often travel in groups, claiming the whole of the Vallis as their domain. Needless to say: be careful. Especially when it gets dark."

(if the Tenno uses the wrong lure) "A mating call excellently performed… but… that's the wrong lure."

(if the Tenno uses the wrong lure) "Wrong lure. You'll need to match their call, if you want to get their attention."

(if the Tenno uses the wrong lure) "You've chosen the incorrect lure, Outworlder. Common mistake."

Successful echo-lure call

"Perfect. Alright. Shoulder your tranq rifle, and make the shot count." "Final stage. When the animal appears, aim your tranq well, and our work is done."

"A melodic response. And now, something equally gentle from us. Prepare your tranq, and let's carry this animal to safety."

"Stay downwind and hidden, until you have a clear shot with your tranquiliser."

"Now, we wait for the animal to approach."

"Yes. Come on out, little friend. A quick and painless tranq shot and it's off to safety with you."

"Here they come. Ready your tranq rifle, and prepare."

"Remember: Identify. Inhale. Exhale. And tranq."

"Ready your tranq and wait."

"Now, ready your tranq."

"Ah, the moment of truth. Ready your tranq rifle."

"Well done. Now, prepare your tranq rifle."

"Tranq rifle at the ready…."

When an animal appears

(Sunny Pobber) "A Sunny Pobber. Slightly less common than your garden variety. Lovely colouration though."

(Delicate Pobber) "Ah. A Delicate Pobber. A descendant of an Orokin domesticated strain. Less odorous, with a sweeter temperament, but far less hardy. A rare find."

(Subterranean Pobber) "My word. This little fellow shouldn't be up here. Note the near-white coat, the vibrant pink eyes. He's adapted to survive belowground, away from the claws of Sawgaw and Vermink. We may have found the first uniquely Venusian mutation of the Pobber genus. [gasps] Astounding!"

(White-Breasted Vermink) "A White-Breasted Virmink. Fairly common. Let's get him to safety."

(Dusky-Headed Vermink) "A Dusky-Headed Virmink, favoured by the Corpus for their pelts. She's lucky we found her first. A rare find."

(Red-Crested Vermink) "Is that…? Outworlder. That's a Red-Crested Virmink, a subspecies extinct since the age of the Orokin. It must have lain preserved here, revived along with the Orb Vallis. Dare I hope there are others? We must preserve this specimen! We must!"

(Flossy Sawgaw) "A Flossy Sawgaw. Pretty little thing… as long as you're not a rodent."

(Alpine Monitor Sawgaw) "The Alpine Monitor Sawgaw. Quite the alpha. Hardier and more formidable than the Common and Flossy varieties. This one would have their own little coterie around here somewhere. Perhaps we can find them, too."

(Frogmouthed Sawgaw) "Is that…? I hadn't dared to hope. Outworlder, I have managed – at great risk – to secure an exceedingly rare Frogmouthed Sawgaw in the hope of someday locating a breeding partner for it. You have just found that mate. Please, very carefully, tranquilise our little friend and bring it in. The future demands this of us."

(Spotted Bolarola) "A Spotted Bolarola. Happy little thing. Let's bring it in; there's plenty of friends waiting for it."

(Black-Banded Bolarola) "A Black-Banded Bolarola. Their appealingly laminated plates were sported for a time as part of Grineer formalwear. Which is why we don't often see them anymore. Well, if I have my way, that'll change. Let's bring it in."

(Thorny Bolarola) "That's an… unusual silhouette for a… oh my. Look at that. Iridescent laminate to its defensive bands… and what look like defensive barbs. Outworlder, this is a most unusual Bolarola! Bring it in, but carefully."

(Dappled Horrasque) "Oh, a Dappled Horrasque! What a handsome fellow he is. Let's bring him in."

(Swimmer Horrasque) "The Horrasque favour bodies of water, what with their mainly fish diet, but they're not especially good swimmers. This particular subspecies, however, is. A bit of a rarity. Let's keep him safe."

(Horrasque Stormer) "Would you look at that, Outworlder. A Horrasque Stormer. Hunted to near-extinction for the insulating properties of its fur. I never thought to see one again. We must bring this magnificent beast in safely."

(Sentinel Stover) "Sentinel Stover. Must be a den nearby. Bring it in. I'll send out a party, see if we can't find its packmates."

(Fuming Dax Stover) "A Fuming Dax Stover. Hardier and, frankly, crankier than your typical Sentinel Stover. They tend to boss the others around, ordering the den through brute force and intimidation."

(Fire-Veined Stover) "'Majestic' isn't a term I often reserve for something as dense and ungainly as Stovers, but for this magnificent creature I'll make an exception. I wonder why it's out here? Hm, let's not question this bizarre good fortune. Tranquilise it, and let's get it to safety."

(Brindle Kubrodon) "A Brindle Kubrodon, and quite a hardy specimen at that. Wonderful."

(Vallis Kubrodon) "Ah. This old fellow. I've encountered a few of these, but never outside the Vallis. As such, unimaginatively, I've named them the Vallis Kubrodon: our little planet's contribution to the genetic diversity of the Origin System."

(Kubrodon Incarnadine) "Now there's something to give the children nightmares. The legendary Kubrodon Incarnadine: the canine equivalent of the monster in your closet. Possessed of a particular malevolence, a dark intelligence, it kills not to survive, but for the raw pleasure of doing so. Nonetheless, I have tasked myself with preservation… so we will bring this devil in."

Call for recovery

"Hm. Quite young." / "Just a pup, this one." / "A juvenile." / "Fully developed." / "A fully-grown specimen." / "Mature."

"Male." / "Female."

(Sunny Pobber) "A Sunny Pobber. Slightly less common than your garden variety, but a happy little thing nonetheless."

(Sunny Pobber) "In no danger of extinction, this one, but a life is a life, is it not?"

(Sunny Pobber) "Fairly common, but lovely colouration."

(Delicate Pobber) "Ah. A Delicate Pobber. A descendant of an Orokin-domesticated strain. A rare find."

(Delicate Pobber) "An ancient Orokin legacy strain. Quite rare. I'll be sure to take extra-special care of our new friend. Yes I will, lovely."

(Delicate Pobber) "A Delicate Pobber! A rare breed! Just marvelous."

(Subterranean Pobber) "Mmm. Upon awakening the coolant towers, new life emerged. Genetic material, carried, I believe, in the coolant itself… interacting with some ancient, hidden component of the Orokin Vallis landscape. Life was seeded, quite literally, across its length and breadth. And here, now, we see the next stage of that emergence and evolution."

(Subterranean Pobber) "Note the adaptations for below-ground survival, away from the claws of Sawgaw and Virmink."

(Subterranean Pobber) Hello, my cute little friend, you're in good hands now."

(White-Breasted Vermink) "A White-Breasted Vermink. Fairly common. And lively!"

(White-Breasted Vermink) "A common variation. Such a noble bearing. Let's get them to safety."

(White-Breasted Vermink) "The White-Breasted is a popular pet, when they can be tamed. Not for this one, though."

(Dusky-Headed Vermink) "A Dusky-Headed Virmink, favoured by the Corpus for their pelts. Lucky we found them first. A rare find."

(Dusky-Headed Vermink) "A rare Dusky-Headed Virmink! Just look at the gloss on that coat! Gorgeous. Just gorgeous."

(Dusky-Headed Vermink) "Nef would have given quite a bit for your hide, my pretty little thing."

(Red-Crested Vermink) "The Vallis lifeforms emerged like memories, as Venus herself remembered who she was. This, here, is one of the most distant, most precious remembrances – an original Orokin strain, unseen for millennia. (angrily) And Nef would have it ground down to make nutrient paste. Another sacrifice to short-term thinking, to profit. To that, I say no. I say never!"

(Red-Crested Vermink) "I never thought, in all my wildest imaginings, I would behold a subspecies crafted in the gene forges of the Orokin themselves. But here it is. A Red-Crested Virmink. A miracle."

(Red-Crested Vermink) "A subspecies extinct since the age of the Orokin. Dare I hope there are others? This specimen will be tended with the greatest of care."

(Flossy Sawgaw) "The Flossy Sawgaw. Sometimes prized for its feathers. Safe now."

(Flossy Sawgaw) "While their vision is remarkable, when it comes to mating, the Sawgaw appreciate the tactile more than the visual. Delightful plumage."

(Flossy Sawgaw) "A Flossy Sawgaw. Very pretty. A fine catch."

(Alpine Monitor Sawgaw) "What Corpus or noble wouldn't give a fortune to have this magnificent avian confined to a gilded enclosure in some distant villa. You've preserved a rare and magnificent thing this day."

(Alpine Monitor Sawgaw) "Hardy. Formidable. Gorgeous."

(Alpine Monitor Sawgaw) "Just look at it. Magisterial."

(Frogmouthed Sawgaw) "A Frogmouth Sawgaw. I wouldn't have thought it possible, Outworlder. This species hasn't existed since before my grandfather was a boy. And yet, here it is. Miraculous."

(Frogmouthed Sawgaw) "Extinct for generations. And yet here it is, now… and Nef's first instinct would be to display it stuffed in his boardroom. I will treat this one with the utmost care and find a mate…if a counterpart exists anywhere on this planet. The future demands nothing less of me."

(Frogmouthed Sawgaw) "The Corpus ravage their populations in the name of short-term profit, yet here the rarest, most exquisite of them survives… albeit barely. The Frogmouthed Sawgaw. A thing I'd only ever seen in books!"

(Spotted Bolarola) "Spotted. A somewhat common subspecies, this one. Such a sweet face, don't you think?"

(Spotted Bolarola) "Ah yes, the Spotted Bolarola. Let's bring it in."

(Spotted Bolarola) "A Spotted Bolarola. Happy little thing."

(Black-Banded Bolarola) "Upon awakening the coolant towers, and the great geophysical upheavals that followed, new life emerged. This Bolarola, for example – a rare Black-Banded variant seen almost nowhere else. Fascinating. What this place must have been, once upon a time."

(Black-Banded Bolarola) "Feisty. We're lucky to have found this one before some wandering Sawgaw, or worse, did. These rare breeds need protection more than most."

(Black-Banded Borarola) "You don't know how lucky you are, my rare little friend."

(Thorny Borarola) "Plates, barbs, and an iridescent sheen to enhance mate attraction. Outworlder, you've found an exceedingly rare specimen here! Oh, this is fascinating! Well done!"

(Thorny Borarola) "Incredible. Just look at the way its defensive plating has evolved to include an offensive component! Not many have ever seen a Thorny Bolarola. Well done, Outworlder! Well done!"

(Thorny Borarola) "A species I've only heard tell of in legend. What a prize! Ha ha!"

(Dappled Horrasque) "The common Dappled Horrasque. Lovely. Let's bring them in."

(Dappled Horrasque) "Common subspecies. And quite a pleasing mottling to this one, don't you think?"

(Dappled Horrasque) "A Dappled Horrasque! You're quite the handsome specimen, aren't you? Yes you are. Yes you are."

(Swimmer Horrasque) "A rare Swimmer Horrasque. Not conventionally pretty, I'll grant you, but remarkably graceful in its chosen environment. Exquisite."

(Swimmer Horrasque) "They say Swimmer Horrasques don't make mistakes. I've seen one explode from beneath the water to take down prey twice their size. Terrifying, and yet… awe-inspiring."

(Swimmer Horrasque) "This one's a bit of a rarity. Let's keep them safe."

(Horrasque Stormer) "Ohh, the rarest of the rare. A Horrasque Stormer. I admit, I never thought to see one again. And we brought it to safety. I must secure it a mate as quickly as possible."

(Horrasque Stormer) "Unbelievable. Exquisite. A Horrasque Stormer. Outworlder, I wouldn't have thought it possible. Dazzling. Wondrous."

(Horrasque Stormer) "Hunted to near-extinction, the rarest of all Horrasques, yet it perseveres. Singular."

(Sentinel Stover) "Sentinel Stover. It would have been keeping watch for its pack. Look at it: such a proud bearing."

(Sentinel Stover) "Sentinel Stover. Must be a den nearby."

(Sentinel Stover) "Sentinel Stover. I'll send out a party, see if we can find its packmates."

(Fuming Dax Stover) "A Fuming Dax Stover. Rare. And angry. Special care will be taken transporting this one."

(Fuming Dax Stover) "A rare Dax Stover of the Fuming variety. I may have to use a sedative, unfortunately."

(Fuming Dax Stover) "Tough and cranky. A very lucky find!"

(Fire-Veined Stover) "This specimen would have been central to the entire den. Right now, the pack will be choosing a new leader, butting and roaring for superiority. Might help us find them."

(Fire-Veined Stover) "With this specimen secured, I have all I need to begin a new breeding colony. Today, we have safeguarded the future."

(Fire-Veined Stover) "How can you not admire such noble bearing, even in one so brutish? Wondrous."

(Brindle Kubrodon) "A Brindle Kubrodon, and quite a hardy specimen at that. Wonderful."

(Brindle Kubrodon) "The Kubrodon is misunderstood. They're no more savage than anything else. When home is threatened, it possesses the means to defend. They don't even like how we taste."

(Brindle Kubrodon) "Such dignity. A reasonably common variant of the apex predator, distilled to its purest form."

(Vallis Kubrodon) "Once an Orokin playground, perhaps, the Vallis is a discarded crown overgrown with fungus and flora, now home to little fellas such as this. The Vallis Kubrodon. Glorious."

(Vallis Kubrodon) "Spectacular. And with enough mandibular strength to snap your femur clean in half, had it a mind to."

(Vallis Kubrodon) "This one's a rare thing these days, and never outside the Vallis."

(Kubrodon Incarnadine) "The implacable hatred one species bears towards the other who usurped it positively radiates from this one. I shall be handling this particular specimen… carefully."

(Kubrodon Incarnadine) "We have captured a devil, Outworlder. Future generations may question our wisdom, but I have taken an oath."

(Kubrodon Incarnadine) "Monstrous, but worthy of life nonetheless. Thank your lucky stars it was we who found you."

Aftermath

"And, oh, I see now this one needs medical attention, and soon. You got to them just in time. I will see to this immediately."

"Easy now. Parasites, cracked footpads… nothing some attention and a good meal won't fix. Well done, Outworlder."

"Mmm. Clear-eyed and in good health. Excellent."

"Just a little worse for wear, but we can see to that. Nicely done."

"Now then. Vitals are solid. I'll take it from here."

"Easy now, sweet thing. We're going to take good care of you."

"Oh… they are beautiful."

"Settle down, little friend, settle down. We're almost done."

"You've caught us a wild one, friend. Quite a handful."

"You've done a noble thing here, friend. This one might be a little cranky, but they owe you their life."

If the animal escapes

"You've lost it!"

"Sorry, Outworlder, you've scared it off."

"You'll need to practice the Echo-Lure more."

"And there they go. Next time."

"Easy come, easy go. Still: we persist. They'll not evade us for long."

"We've lost them, Outworlder. Let's regroup… and try again."

"Curses. I can almost hear that little bugger laughing. Oh well. Next time."

"Vanished. You have to admire their resilience. Ah well. We'll be back."

"Failure. [sighs] Happens to the best of us. We'll have other chances."

"Ah, well. If the little fella wants to remain here that badly, we can't hold it against them."

"Outsmarted. Damn it all! Wily little thing."

"Not today, Outworlder. The field is theirs. Let's withdraw."

If the animal dies

"Enough! The intention is to aid these poor animals, not kill them!"

"Track-and-tranq! TRANQ! Do you understand?!"

"Do you perhaps think yourself on safari? We are here to capture and preserve. Outworlder! Holster your weapons."

The Business' story is told in the memory fragments scattered around the Orb Vallis. He ran the Fortuna ARG and was responsible for dispensing the intelligence uncovered during that event. He has additional dialogue in the Vox Solaris quest and the Profit-Taker heist bounties. He is mentioned in the dialogue of Eudico, Rude Zuud, Legs, Ticker, Roky, Little Duck, and Master Teasonai, and in the lore fragments of Eudico, Rude Zuud, Legs, and Little Duck.

[Navigation: Hub → Dialogue → The Business]

#warframe #dialogue #lore #the business #fortuna #orb vallis #solaris united #orokin archives

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glitchinthesystemspiderbyte · 7 years ago

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[43] Glitch in the System - Heroes Never Die

I hope you’re happy.

By E.

Goodbye happens.

The interception had gone rather well, all things considered. It was a small sting, barely even a mission, really - just sweeping away some small arms dealers that had gotten under Akande’s skin lately. Sombra hadn’t bothered asking why. Akande wasn’t known for his candid nature regarding his motives. Besides which - she didn’t really care. She was just glad to be out of the house.

“Target locked,” Widow said from her perch on the roof of one of the many outbuildings lining the lumber yard. It was expansive and open, but more cluttered than a teenager’s bedroom. Stacks of cut wood and metal scrap littered the ground, providing ample cover and an easy route through the yard. Sombra was on the ground, scanning for tech she might use to their advantage. It was slim pickings - they only truly mechanical thing around were some idling trucks and hoverdrones mindlessly carting boxes around.

Their targets were gathered around the flatbed of one of these trucks, slowly removing crate after crate of what Sombra knew were high-tech weaponry meant for some unknown competitor. Their goal was to secure these weapons, and, if that proved to be impossible - destroy them. Sombra figured they had a better chance of the former if she could find a way to separate the crew from their goods.

She slipped towards one of the drones, grabbing it from behind. It made a shrill, metallic sound of protest, and before it could initiate any defense protocols, she’d neutralized its neurotechnical network and began the process of reprogramming. Unlike an omnic, with complex internal processes and autonomy, the worker drones were straight machine, made for one job and with zero cognitive function. It was like hacking a lawnmower.

“Get ready for some chaos,” Sombra announced over her comms, finishing up with the robot and patting it on its chassis. “Get on out there, champ,” she said. The drone trilled again and sped away from Sombra into the center of the room, following its new protocol.

It hit the first smuggler with a wet crack of metal on flesh, slamming into it with the force of a thing created for brutality, not tactics. There was no finesse, but that didn’t matter to the bones it shattered on impact. Its target, a grizzled man holding a pulse rifle, fell to the ground with a pained shout.

“Next!” Sombra announced, hacking a second drone and sending it to join its companion. At the appearance of a second hostile omnic, the smugglers stopped their stunned stares and sought cover.

“There you go,” Sombra said.

“Par excellence, as per usual,” came Widow’s response, echoed by the first ringing shot of the night. “I do prefer a moving target.”

“Not sure whether you’re sassing me, but good luck,” Sombra replied, laughing as she vanished from sight. Leaping over a bench, she intercepted one of the fleeing dealers, clotheslining her with her gun and filling her chest with bullets as she fell.

Two more shots pinged into the room, both finding a mark.

“How’s it looking?” Sombra asked, scanning the area herself.

“Two left. One behind a pile of lumber to the left of the truck, one behind the crates on the right.”

Sombra tossed her translocator behind the stack of wooden boxes in the corner, appearing behind Widow’s unsuspecting target with an electric crack.

“Out,” she said, pushing him into the open. The man had enough time to stumble and look back at her in confusion before Widow sent him to the ground in a spray of brain and blood. “Lumber?”

“Oui,” Widow replied. Sombra heard her gun reloading. “Unarmed.”

“Perfect,” she laughed. With unabashed confidence, Sombra stepped out from the cargo and started for the table. “Come on out, amigo,” she said, crooking her finger. “Talon needs us back before dark.”

There was the sound of shuffling, and Sombra saw a face peer out from behind the table cautiously: a pair of frightened blue eyes framed with scraggly dark hair.

“Olivia?” the man said, keeping his head low as he hid behind the lumber. Weapons were splayed across the floor and she stepped over them gingerly on her way to the cowering operative.

At the sound of her name, she stopped dead in her tracks. “Excuse me?” she said, voice deadly quiet.

“I can take the shot,” Widow said.

“Wait,” she said, holding up her hand.

There was a pause. “Ok,” the sniper said, and Sombra could hear the reluctance in her voice. There was nothing Widowmaker hated more than waiting on a kill.

Sombra vanished, slipping behind the man and reappearing with an arm around his neck and a gun pressed to his temple. “Hable,” she threatened, “o yo te voy a matar.”

“Soy yo!” the man yelped, not expecting her to vanish, let alone appear behind him with a choke hold and a death threat. “Miguel.” Sombra could feel him swallow nervously. “De Dorado?”

Sombra felt a jolt of adrenaline shoot through her like ice in her veins. She dropped her arm and her gun, grabbing the man by the shoulder and turning him to face her. “En serio?” she asked incredulously, eyes scanning the lines of his face. He was older, to be sure, and had a scar she didn’t recognize, but there was no doubt it was him. “What are you doing here?”

“Working,” he replied, still nervous. “Or I guess I was working until you murdered my coworkers.”

Sombra laughed, uncertain if it was the best response, but the situation had rapidly descended into something she’d not prepared herself for. “Consider it a promotion,” she replied, smiling. Then, before Miguel could respond, she pulled him in for a hug.

“Sombra?” Widow said from her perch through their comms. “Are you hugging the target?”

“It’s ok, Widow, I -” she paused, stepping back from him, and finding her words startlingly difficult to come by, “I know him.”

“Oh?”

“Just...hold position. I’ll be up soon.”

“Oui, cherie,” she replied easily, and Sombra saw her leap across the space between buildings and take up position above them, keeping an eye on the location.

Miguel stared at her for a long time, taking his time choosing what to say. “So, Talon?” he said finally. “From one group of bullies to another.” There was no malice in his voice, but Sombra winced regardless.

“You know I only work for myself,” she replied. “Organized crime is just a means to an end.”

Miguel laughed, offering her a smile that reached his eyes. “Yeah, you always were great at playing the players. I knew you’d be destined for great things if you ever escaped Los Muertos.” He looked at her closely for a moment, eyes roving over her face, clearly trying to find the words to speak. “You know, I’d always wondered,” he said finally.

“Wondered what?”

“If it was you,” he said.

Sombra stiffened. “If what was me?” she asked carefully. Her identity had been cracked once, and only once before, and that leak was safely plugged behind a wad of nationalist guilt and existential crisis named Alexandra Zaryanova. Any more cracks and she might start having a hard time keeping the flood at bay.

“The mysterious hacker plaguing the world. The one who could vanish from sight; the shadow that saved Mexico from the thumb of LumériCo. ‘Talon’s new pain in the ass,’ the boss would say every time he heard some new intel on la sombra. We made jokes back home, you know?” He laughed, shaking his head. “That you’d somehow escaped Los Muertos and gone undercover. Sombra’s a fuckin’ hero back home, and, I dunno,” he shrugged. “I guess it felt nice to maybe know a hero.”

Sombra felt her throat close up, dry as a bone, leaving her speechless and with a growing knot of fear forming in her chest. This was not a link she’d wanted anyone to make. In fact, it was a link she had gone out of her way to eradicate, and here was Miguel - the blustery kid always getting himself into fights - making the connection because of a chance run in on a throwaway mission.

“I wouldn’t exactly call me a hero,” she replied finally, unwilling to admit what he said was true, but knowing it was useless to waste breath denying it. “Maybe a dead legend.”

“I don’t know that I ever really believed it until now. We all thought you’d died,” Miguel said, looking at her as though she were a ghost. She supposed, in a sense, she was, to him.

Sombra laughed. “Good. That was sort of the point.”

“We held a funeral,” he said, no trace of mirth in his voice. Sombra sobered quickly; she’d never considered the effect of her disappearance on her friends. Everything had been so fast, so dire for her then. Friends had been an obstacle in the way of success, and cutting those ties seemed like a more than reasonable sacrifice for the power she craved. She maintained business ties with Los Muertos and kept in touch with enough of them to keep them in her back pocket, but the orphans who saw her through the death of her parents and the fall of her city?

No, they were a bridge better left burned. At this point, it was for their own safety.

“It wasn’t really a choice,” she countered lamely, unwilling to divulge any details about herself. She was uncomfortable enough as it was facing down her past like this; talking to it, catching up on old times. There was nothing about Olivia she wished to reclaim. Like Amelie, there was nothing about her that was Olivia anymore, and it was a reality she was content with.

“You always have a choice,” he replied, sad smile creeping across his face.

Sombra looked up, frowning. “How can you say that?” she asked, feeling a spark ignite inside her. “We never had options. We just had to make the least shitty decision.”

“And yours?” he asked, eyebrow raised. “Did you make the least shitty decision when you disappeared?”

Sombra bristled, the desire to run creeping up inside her like nausea. She couldn’t begin to explain the myriad reasons behind her choices: why she left, why she changed, why she killed Olivia and buried her too far for anyone to find.

Until now, at least. Every corpse is dug up eventually, she supposed.

“If you knew the alternatives, we might not be having this argument,” she replied finally, voice low.

Miguel opened his mouth to respond, then closed it and shook his head. “Listen, I’m sorry, I just...I’ve missed you, Olivia,” he said, reaching for her hand. “Forget the hell of the past. Maybe we’ve found each other by fate?”

Miguel’s smile was genuine, and a little bit sad. He’d held his torch for so long, from the day they’d met until this very moment. She’d always known; even in the darkest days on the streets of Dorado, it had burned beneath the shadow of the omnic plague and through all the terrible decisions they’d had to make. He had been one of her very best friends, and she would have done almost anything for him when they were kids, but she’d never carried the same flame.

Sombra let him hold her hand for a moment longer than she otherwise may have, in tribute to nostalgia and the shared pain of their past.

That was all they shared, though.

“Cruel fate, in that case,” she replied ruefully. She glanced up at the rooftop where Widow waited, staring absently at her nails, rifle leaning against the wall behind her. “I am unavailable in so many senses of the word.” She squeezed his hand and let it go, knowing it would be the last time they met.

Miguel raised an eyebrow, following her look. “Work or girlfriend?”

“It’s complicated.”

Miguel laughed. It wasn’t a bitter, or even remorseful laugh so much as a rueful acceptance of the inevitable. “Por supuesto, Olivia. With you, everything is.”

Sombra looked at the ground, resisting the juvenile urge to kick at the dirt. She’d looked up to Miguel, once. He’d been stronger than her when they were younger; stood up to bullies, pulled her out of more than a few scrapes. She preferred that version of him to whatever bottom-feeder scraping by he was doing now. She didn’t want to know; she’d rather remember what he’d meant to her before.

“I should go before she kills you,” she said, smiling and jabbing a thumb up at Widow. The sniper’s gaze flicked down at her as though summoned, and she offered her a raised eyebrow and a small, thin smile.

Miguel chuckled, hands stuffed into his pockets, almost managing to hide the disappointment in his voice when he spoke. “She the jealous type?” he asked.

“No, more like the career assassin type.”

“Huh,” he replied, nodding in a mixture of approval and concern. “You do know how to pick ‘em.”

Sombra stepped back, smiling. “I’ve always had good taste.” Wrapping her hand around one of her translocators, she spun it absentmindedly around in her palm. “I gotta go. A lifetime of intrigue awaits. Take care, Miguel.”

“You too, Olivia.”

She turned to step past the flatbed to meet with Widow when she paused and looked back.

“Hey, Miguel?”

“Si?”

“If anyone asks, don’t tell them you saw me?” She looked down at the device in her hand, flickering with purple lights under the shiny stolen tech. “I think I’m better off dead.”

Miguel laughed. “You’ve always been dramatic. Sure,” he agreed. “Never saw you.”

He offered her a final, rueful smile, and turned away to walk across the yard. Sombra watched him leaving, waiting until he got out of earshot. He’d been her friend; he’d stood with her for so long when everything had gone dark. And now he knew who she was.

Perhaps it was best he left still thinking of her as a hero.

“Hey, Widow?” she said quietly through her comms.

“Yes?” she replied.

“Take the shot.”

*Read from the beginning or check out our intro post! All stories tagged under #glitchfic. Table of contents located here.

#spiderbyte #sombramaker #widowsombra #sombra #widowmaker #sombra x widowmaker #widowmaker x sombra #olivia colomar #amélie lacroix #amelie lacroix #talon #team talon #overwatch #overwatch fanfic #overwatch fandom #overwatch fic #glitch in the system #glitchfic

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