BattleTech (Video Game)/Raising the Dead

Raising the Dead

BRIEFING

Kamea Arano: Castle Nautilus is somewhere down there, on Artru, buried deep in the ice. Dr. Murad thinks that we'll find an entrance at the coordinates she's provided. We're going to drop, make our way to the entrance, and force our way inside... but we need to do it soon. I want to be finished before our uninvited guests arrive.

Darius Oliveira: Keep Lady Arano safe down there, {COMMANDER.FirstName}.

DURING MISSION

Sumire Meyer: Good luck down there, all. I'll be cruising in the upper atmosphere and monitoring your progress, just in case.

Kamea Arano: Roger that, Ms. Meyer. Dr. Murad, have you had any luck connecting with Castle Nautilus's computer?

Farah Murad: Already on top of it, Lady Arano. The handshake has been established and I have command–line access. Door control is being a little finicky, though.

Yang Virtanen: Work fast, Doc. Riding in this rumble seat is like sitting on a jackhammer. In a sauna. On the sun. And Lady Arano's piloting is... aggressive.

Farah Murad: Poor you. Not to worry, though–I think I've found a workaround for the problem. Get walking toward the main doors, and I'll have them open by the time you get there.

Kamea Arano: Understood, Doctor–do whatever you have to do. Lady Arano out.

[At the end of the first Round.]

Farah Murad: Okay. The standard approach isn't working–I'm inputting a valid ID, but for some reason the door won't budge. I think I've found a work–around, though. It'll just be another moment..."

[At the end of the second Round.]

Farah Murad: Aaand I've got it. Okay, hang on a second. I'm going to try something.

Darius Oliveira: Dr. Murad, what did you just do?! The lights are flickering, my screen is dead– [static]

Kamea Arano: Dr. Murad? Mr. Oliveira?!

'Sumire Meyer: The whole Argos gone dark! I'm not picking up a drive signature–whatever Farah just did, it must've knocked out her engines!

Yang Virtanen: Worry about it later! Look–those vents, in the rock! They're spitting out drones!

[At the beginning of the third Round, as the SLDF Drones spawn.]

Yang Virtanen: Be careful of those things–they're armed to the teeth and coming in fast. And there are probably more where they came from...

[Once the first six drones are destroyed and the commander's lance has not reached the Castle door.]

Yang Virtanen: We can't stay out here in the open! If we don't find harder cover, we're gonna get swamped. So what's the plan?!

Sumire Meyer: You fall back and find an extraction point! I'm getting you the hell out of there!

Kamea Arano: No! We have to push forward, to the doors–our only way out of this is through. Dr. Murad will fix this–BELIEVE it!

Sumire Meyer: Lady Arano–

Yang Virtanen: She's right, Sumire. An Outpost Castle like Nautilus could bring down a dozen Leopards–probably at the same time. If you try to extract us, it'll blow you out of the sky.

Sumire Meyer: ...Damn it. Okay–you're right. Stay alive down there! I'll keep trying to get Farah on the comms.

Yang Virtanen: Do that! For now, we've gotta get our heads back in the game–look, over there! The damned Castle is activating turrets!

[Once the first six drones are destroyed and the commander's lance has reached the Castle door.]

Yang Virtanen: We can't stay here! If we don't find harder cover, we're gonna get swamped. So what's the plan?!

Sumire Meyer: You fall back and find an extraction point! I'm getting you the hell out of there!

Kamea Arano: No! We have to hold this ground until those doors open–our only way out of this is through. Dr. Murad will fix this–BELIEVE it!

Sumire Meyer: Lady Arano–

Yang Virtanen: She's right, Sumire. An Outpost Castle like Nautilus could bring down a dozen Leopards–probably at the same time. If you try to extract us, it'll blow you out of the sky.

Sumire Meyer: ...Damn it. Okay–you're right. Stay alive down there! I'll keep trying to get Farah on the comms.

Yang Virtanen: Do that! For now, we've gotta get our heads back in the game–the damned Castle is activating turrets all around us!

[If the Commander's lance has not reached the Castle door and the third wave of drones has engaged in combat.]

Yang Virtanen: Commander, we really need to get to the entrance of the facility. Those drones aren't showing any signs of stopping, and they're going to cut us to pieces if we don't get into Nautilus.

[Once all four turrets outside of the Castle are destroyed and the Commander's Lance has reached the Castle door.]

Darius Oliveira: [static] –ady Arano? Lady Arano, do you read me?

Kamea Arano: Darius! Thank the gods! Tell me what's going on up there.

Darius Oliveira: [static] Doc Murad must've poked her nose into something she shouldn't have. Everything's going haywire up here–Doc's putting out fires as we speak. [static]

Yang Virtanen: XO, listen to me. You tell Doc Murad that if she doesn't get these doors open right now, Lady Arano is dead. We all are!

Farah Murad: [static] I'm well aware of that, Yang! Working on it now! [static] Just... hold out a little longer. I'm working on– [static]

Sumire Meyer: We've lost contact again. Keep yourselves alive–I'll call out new contacts as I see 'em!

[Once the first hold out Round is complete.]

Sumire Meyer: Heads up! You've got more of those little bastards coming in from the vents in the rock!

[Once the third hold out Round is complete.]

Farah Murad: [static] Got it! Sumire, broadcast this now! [static]

Sumire Meyer: On it!

[Once the fourth hold out Round is complete.]

SLDF Computer: IDENTIFIER CODE :: ACCEPTED. AUTOMATED DEFENSES DISENGAGED. WELCOME, ARGO.

Kamea Arano: Thank the gods for that. Dr. Murad, I need a status report–what the hell is going on up there?

Farah Murad: [static] I, ah... I used our codebreaker to access a sealed portion of the Nautilus Memory Core. When I got in, I grabbed up every encrypted file I could find, and I did get the door codes... but I also found something else. [static]

Kamea Arano: What did you let loose on my ship, Doctor?

Farah Murad: I... I don't know. Something they were researching there. It's malicious code of some kind–I think I inadvertently let it out of quarantine. [static]

Yang Virtanen: Yeah, and you tripped an alarm while you were at it.

Farah Murad: Look, the good news is that I've got it contained. Ninety percent certain. But it's caused a lot of damage up here. [static] Communications are patchy. Main drive system is off–line—we're floating dead in space. Lots of superficial damage, too. [static]

Farah Murad: Anyway–I'm working on it. But I could use more hands on deck. [static] Anyone who can follow basic instructions will do. The Argo is an enormous ship, and that code made an absolute mess of her.

Kamea Arano: Understood. Sumire, I need you to fetch our people–everyone but me and Yang. Get them back to the Argo and do whatever Dr. Murad tells you.

Sumire Meyer: Roger that, Lady Arano–I'll be there in a moment. Tell the lance to prepare for extraction.

Yang Virtanen: Uh, Lady Arano? What are we doing?

Kamea Arano: What we came here for–we're going inside. I didn't bring us all this way to leave empty–handed. Captain Grigas, are your ship and crew ready?

Captain Grigas: Aye, Lady Arano. The Delfinas is fully loaded and ready to drop.

Kamea Arano: Good. Meet us at the north entrance. And hurry–we don't have much time before our unwelcome guests arrive.

Captain Grigas: Affirmative, recovery team inbound. House Karosas is proud to serve the Restoration, my lady.

Kamea Arano: Thank you, Captain. Ready yourself, Yang–I'm taking us inside.