Mission:Only Love Can Hurt Like This - Chapter Two: Unearthing the Past

Chapter Two: Unearthing the Past

Briefing

I don't know how much of Hero Corps' history in Paragon you know. Back in 1999 HC's original HQ in Overbrook - Faultline as it's known now - was destroyed by a gang of mysterious soldiers in power armor. Yeah, that does seem suspicious in hindsight, doesn't it?

Corlett shrugs.

Anyway, afterwards Countess Crey announced that she and her company would sponsor HC's restoration, starting with a new HQ in Baumton. That HQ was never built. Well, after the Jade Maiden incident, public opinion was against us and we bought space in Steel Canyon instead.

And now you've found map coordinates for a Crey lab on our original Boomtown site. So, are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Warning: Enemies in this mission may be tougher than you are expecting. You may want to recruit a teammate, or restock your inspirations.

• Unfinished business and corporate treachery?

Exactly. It looks like this Bein Lab 4 is underneath where Hero Corps was going to build their HQ. What's Crey hiding in the ruins of Boomtown, Character? Apart from the rest of our missing assets. Check it out and report back to me.

Unnecessary Solicitation

What have you discovered? High security? That was to be expected. Don't worry, I've appropriated unsigned funds for this; you'll get paid. See you soon.

Mission Objective(s)

Walking into a lab that shouldn't exist at all - seems typical of Crey from all the rumors.

• Investigate Bein Lab 4
  • Look for clues
  • Look for Hero Corps data
  • Look for anything unusual
  • Find the doctor's notes
  • 4 items to sabotage (Optional)
  • Defeat the lab manager

It is now imperative to find where the Crey deliveries were coming from. Time to chat with the locals.

Enemies

Crey

Paragon Protectors

Notable NPCs

• Hero Corps Clone x4 (Paragon Protectors 9th Generation Hero Corps Clone)
• Lab Manager Wistermann (Crey Boss) This lab manager is in way over his head.

Editor's Note:

Each of the four Hero Corps Clones is a different variety of 9th Generation Hero Corps Clone, with different powers.

Patrol Dialogue

Before Combat:
Paragon Protector 1: Did you hear it?
Paragon Protector 2: I did hear it. Something is out of place.
Combat Start:
Paragon Protector 1: Metahumans! Engage them, full force!
Paragon Protector 2: Halt, evildoers! This lab is under Crey protection!

---

Before Combat:
Paragon Protector 1: Something is wrong.
Paragon Protector 2: Let us find the problem.
Combat Start:
Paragon Protector 1: Invalid personnel. Remove and report.
Paragon Protector 2: Engaging at maximum force.

---

Before Combat:
Crey 1: I told you, right? Easy assignment. This place is so underground I doubt anyone outside of the top brass even knows it's here.
Crey 2: I appreciate the peace and quiet, for sure. Just wish they'd run a mop through this place, you know?
Combat Start:
Crey 1: Oh, what? Character is here? Come on. Get them!
Crey 2: I can't believe you jinxed the easiest job we've had all year.

---

Before Combat:
Paragon Protector 1: Defend this facility.
Paragon Protector 2: I live to serve.
Combat Start:
Paragon Protector 1: Defend this facility!
Paragon Protector 2: We protect Crey!

Console Intel

Scouring the console for intelligence reveals the missing Hero Corps genetic data has been plugged into an experiment on another floor of the facility. Further examination descends into medical jargon and minutiae.

Ice Clone Dialogue

Before Combat:
Hero Corps Clone: If only father could see me now.
Combat Start:
Hero Corps Clone: Bringing the future to life!
Hero Corps Clone: Triage the recruits, stabilize that wall!

Dual Blades Clone Dialogue

Before Combat:
Hero Corps Clone: I am Crey, I am the future that was promised!
Combat Start:
Hero Corps Clone: Ellis, Ellis are you okay? Bomb went off. I'm bleedin' but I'm good. Where's Feralina?

Claws Clone Dialogue

Before Combat:
Hero Corps Clone: Ellis! I smell something. Smells like food. Foss throwing a party?
Combat Start:
Hero Corps Clone: Run! Run! Bomb in the wall! Trap!

Fire Clone Dialogue

Before Combat:
Hero Corps Clone: Temperature critical. Mentor, please intervene.
Hero Corps Clone: Duty, power, responsibility!
Combat Start:
Hero Corps Clone: Threat detected! Corporate assessment? ...None? Defend!

Doctor's Notes

These notes detail experimental procedures performed on clones involving an engineered nerve agent. Success has been extremely limited, with the nerve agent severely damaging the majority of the clones.

Encrypted Data Set

You found what appears to be another data set, though it is heavily encrypted and will need external decryption to read. It was found in a security terminal, which is odd, but not unexpected for Crey, who seem like the type to stash things in unexpected places in case of sabotage.

Delivery Manifest

The delivery manifest documents samples of possible viable genetic material, worked up analyses of the effects of the nerve agent on those samples and notes they have been sent off site. The destination space is unsurprisingly blank. The only other notable information is a reference to CR-GEN10-BATCH00003-MR-000 in another field towards the bottom.

Lab Manager Wistermann Dialogue

Before Combat: All these years, and still the process manages to surprise me. Move the next batch to VR learning.
Combat Start: Hmmm? Supers? How did you even know about this place?

Editor's Note:

Sabotaging all four items (crate glowies) and then completing the mission awards the character one Vigilante Alignment Point.

Unnecessary Solicitation

We need local interrogation to find out more about the goings-on from that lab, especially the deliveries and transports. Break some teeth, get some answers!

Mission Objective(s)

• Interrogate Boomtown Trolls
  • Defeat 10 Trolls

The Trolls can be quite talkative when persuaded.

Split lips and knuckles

Trolls like a good old fashioned 'interrogation'. So much so that the last one 'spoken to' rambles on about Crey choppers arriving in the night from Kallisti Wharf and unloading pods of some kind. It shouldn't be too hard to find out where they came from.

Unnecessary Solicitation

There's no way you're sending that data over any network to me. Please deliver your capeDrive to me in person to eliminate the possibility of snoops.

Mission Objective(s)

• Return to Corlett with the Dataset

Ashling Corlett

Briefing

Ashling transfers the data and begins to dig into it as best she can.

• (Leave)

Debriefing

Corlett's mood goes from calm to furious when listening to your report.

They were babbling about 'Ellis' and a bomb? Heavens above, those were Hero Corps members! Clones of Hero Corps members! This is bad, Character. This is very bad. It's gone beyond data theft now and into, I don't know, some sort of body snatching? Trouble is I don't know if it's even illegal but it's definitely wrong.

She pulls out her phone and starts making a call.

Jelena in Kallisti should be able to give us a heads up on where those choppers originated. In the meantime let's see if we can get that data you retrieved decrypted. I can only tell from a few corrupt headers that the data shares some markings with another familiar system...

Nothing short of fate could have brought this kind of working relationship to us.