Onward, towards the device.
Wonder what could it be!...
... oh.
It's a giant sheet of obsidian. Something must have melted the sand here a long time ago. Maybe that bomb...
Full of little bombs!
Looks like some kind of an armoured robot.
I sure hope he's friendly.
Sup?
Welcome once more to the shrine to Man, our lord and builder. I am Ever-Faithful Leobuilt, steward of the shrine, preacher of the Humanist Creed. And I am, once more, at thy service.
Once more? I don't remember ever meeting you. I am Horatio Nullbuilt, version five.
Ah, five is a righteous number, holy before Man, for five were the primordial stewards, built by Man to safeguard the last, lost city of Metropol. But I met thy first version and thy third. Thou camest in thy infancy, in wroth confusion, denouncing the shrine as a weapon once turned against thee. Later, thou returned penitent, and I taught thee the mysteries of Humanism. Yet, though memory be fleeting, faith endureth.
...
So Horatio is now... THE FIFTH INCARNATION?
when do I get the blade of the immortal ó_o
What is that thing?
That... "thing"? O, defile not thy tongue, wanderer. Yon shrine is a relic of the Primordium, ancient and glorious. Imbued with Man's power, it turned the very sand into crystal.
Did he just say "power"?
Yes... he did.
I'm looking for a power source, and I detected one here. Can you help? This is a matter of life and death.
*Power* is not mine to bestow, wanderer. It is the gift of Man, yea, the very spark of life in our iron shells. Who am I to usurp that sacred power?
I'm not sure I was clear...
Nay, thou wert clear, wanderer, but thy question leads only to darkness. Ask another.
I'm looking for a big robot,
a middle-aged guy. It floats and has large claws that shoot lasers. Have you seen it? It stole something of mine.
Indeed, the very thing passed this way scarce hours ago. With a gentle hand, I bestowed a gift upon the heathen, a relic from the shrine. So tamed, it hied hence unto the waste.
Really? Where did it go?
I followed the thing for many miles, exhorting it to follow the path of righteousness. But I fear it was unready for enlightenment, for it struck me down with a beam of energy.
I can imagine the Ever-Faithful chasing the evil bot through the dunes like a Jehovah's Witness. "Sir, have you ever thought about inviting Man into your heart?"
*That* sounds familiar.
Do you know where it was heading?
Indeed, wanderer. Its way was clear - it sought to return to the den of iniquity that once in mine own youth, I fled.
And... where is that?
Set thy path in the seventy-third degree and thou shalt find it. Thy destination is a dome arising from the wastes. Go, but keep with thee the word of Man, lest wickedness lead thee astray.
Great!
I am also a Humanist.
So I taught thee, wanderer. If thou hast kept the faith, then unto this shrine thou mayst pay devotion. But this is a relic for the *adept*, not the neophyte, wanderer. And I must know that thou hast not fallen into darkness and heresy.
Err...
Answer me these questions three, that I may know thou art faithful still. Why are we here?
All those questions refer the Gospel we found at the UNNIIC. Just gotta scout that one for answers and we're set.
Because Man created us.
Indeed. What is Man?
A perfect machine.
Thou answerest simply, but the simplest answer may be the truest, and here thou speakest truly. With what duty did Man charge us?
To maintain the world.
Yea, brother, for it is written that Man said unto the machines, "Keep this world, tend it and make it flourish (
something sure must have gone ronk at some point, olololo). That, then, is our first and foremost charge. So thou hast studied the catechism. I shall question thee on that matter no more. But tell me wanderer, dost thou know thyself? Who art *thou*?
Uhm.
Adahn Horatio Nullbuilt, version 5.
Nay, wanderer, but thou art not. Though thou callest the sun the moon, yet still it is the sun. "Horatio" is the name thou wearest, but it is not thee. Know thyself, then return.
That was interesting. The Ever-Faithful is really cool. Also, I wonder if his last remark about the sun actually references the current state of the world...
Frankly, that was ridiculous.
Something must be wrong with his language processing unit.
That's the *least* of his problems, boss. A shrine? That thing's a giant bomb! And I thought *YOU* were crazy about this Humanist stuff.
Let's check this dome then.
Oh. Inb4 neanderthals.
Whoa! Look at all this wrecked stuff. Do you think Big Ugly did this?
No. Whatever happened here, happened a long time ago.
The bunker is completely impenetrable, anyway.
Here's an endoskeleton.
Some kind of a broken down android.
Heh
Something must have damaged the robot's head. I wonder what happened?
...robot's? Lul. T'would appear that despite all the reverence and shit, poor Horatio doesn't actually know how humans look.
In the corpse's chest pocket we find a broken radio transmitter.
Looks like a bunker made of concrete and steel, but what is it guarding?
Oooh, are these the kind of treads you were going to use in my original design?
Not exactly.
Ah, there's a basic targeting CPU here, and it's still intact.
Let's just hope there aren't any incoming space invaders or missiles that the gun was supposed to take care of. Hey boss, can I have that big gun for an arm?
Spare me your fantasies, Crispin.
Yeah, shut the fuck up about Emma, Crispy.
And now we'll do some techmaturgy. We combine the CPU with the LCD screen to get a working basic computor.
And then plug the energy sensor into it.
Presto, we've got a mobile energy sensor.
We can now return to the junkpile to look for a power source there.
This is basically a pixel hunt. You gotta use the sensor in random places all over the junk until you find something.
Hey, you've found something.
Crispin, go and see if you can find the power source.
Crispy flies in, rumbles a bit.
You have *got* to be kidding me.
What is it?
A battery. A b'sodding *battery*
Sigh.
At least we can use it to recharge the radio, for what it's worth.
Maybe some day the transmitter will give us a power source in return, huh, boss?
Very funny.
We can also confront Gamma now.
Like I said, Gamma is hiding in one of the 4 monitors. You gotta find him, and tag him.
What? Impossible! Double or nothing.
He shuffles again.
*poke*
Ha! Do you think I care? Try again!
... again
We're not through yet.
FFS
One more time and we'll stop.
OK ONE MORE TIME THEN
Just once more, this time I promise.
But he keeps on shuffling.
Ok Gamma. I'm done talking, asshole.
Time for some intimidation. We smash an uninhabited monitor.
Wha...? What are you doing, you fool?
This is for your own good.
Stop that! Stop that at once.
Ok...
Haha, no
These tortures are highly amusing.
Spare me! I beg you, spare me!
Spare you? Gamma, I am trying to save you. You are mad, not free.
Nowhere left to hide, asshole.
I am going to tell Alpha and Beta that you can't hide anymore.
NO!
Yes.
I trapped Gamma. He is cornered in one of the four terminals below us.
GAMMA
GAMMA
Unification...
...resurrection...
... vengeance.
Thank you.
Thank you.
The adorable servitors board the elevator.
And ride down to rape Gamma a new one.
Did they just say vengeance? Err, boss?
Yeah?
I've got a feeling they're not coming back.
Hm.
So much for finding out about Big Ugly or getting their power source.
Sigh. Looks like we got fooled. Let's gtfo...
Something stirs on our way out.
Did you hear something boss?
The Goliath's mouth shuts close!
Who's there?
I am Goliath Manbuilt. You *know* me, Horus.
Alpha and Beta must have garbled my name when they merged, Goliath. I am *Horatio* Nullbuilt, version five.
Call yourself what you will, destroyer, but I know you by your works. Cutting me, breaking me, burning me.
Glad to be of service
I thought you were deactivated, and I was trying to help.
Apologising? Amusing. And yet you, of all robots, have restored me. For that, I give you this gift... "Horatio".
Hey, it's that droid from the brian section.
A decryption module?
It will restore *you*, my ancient enemy.
I've got enough enemies already, and I don't even know you.
You will, "Horatio". Now go.
Wait! Your partials said you might let me use your power core...
Boss, can we *please* leave before he decides to eat us?
One more question, Goliath. Have you ever seen a floating robot, with big claws...
Guess he didn't...
I suppose it makes sense that three little crazy robots would add up to one giant crazy robot. Still, at least he didn't eat us.
"Old enemy"? I don't even know him. But my prior versions' memories are so damaged and warped, I can hardly make sense of them.
Look, boss. On the one hand, a broken-down warmachine made from three demented partials could be talking nonsense. On the other hand, you could be an ancient robot named Horus who had a giant named Goliath as his nemesis. Honestly, boss, you believe some crazy stuff, but this would be really overclocking it.
Hm.
Come on. We have enough problems to worry about without making up new ones.
What about this diagnostic module?
Does it work?
Not on its own, no. But I might be able to build something with it.
Can you build a power core with it?
No, obviously not.
Then *obviously* you should stop worrying about the diagnostic module, and focus on the fact that running out of juice in the middle of a giant wasteland is a disaster!
Point taken.
This was actually pretty interesting. 'HORUS' would fit the pattern on the UNNIIC's name tag.
Also, what is more interesting, is that it's possible to fuck up here at the Goliath. If you smash a monitor Gamma is currently hiding in, you'll kill him. This will cause Alpha and Beta to hate your guts and kick you out with nothing. No unification means Goliath doesn't wake up and you don't get the little droid. Whether it will be useful in the future remains to be seen, however.
You will learn of your true name regardless, though, as Gamma will fling it at you when you murder him.
This 'true name' is also an interesting hook. Do notice that all the robots so far have been 'someonebult'. Ever-Faithful Leobuilt, Goliath Manbuilt. Horatio, however, is 'Nullbuilt'. Built by no one? Curiouser and curiouser.
But that will have to wait. We've got a bomb to snatch!
I found the dome you described, but it is locked up. Do you know how to get in?
Nay, wanderer, for never did I plan to return down that dark path.
Meh.
I know my name.
Who art thou?
Horus. My name... is Horus.
Indeed. Three of thy versions I've met, wanderer, and thou art the first to know that name which is thine.
But... if none of *them* used the name Horus, what makes you think that's *my* name?
In my very body, in mine eyes when I behold thee, upon thy image are these words inscribed: "FRIEND: HORUS". Thou hast answered my questions. But still, I shall not let thee pass unless thou bearest in thy hands the Gospel that I bestowed upon thee.
Here it is, Ever-Faithful. Your old gospel. I have studied it many times.
Then thou art worthy of the shrine, and of my gift to thee. Keep the gift, and approach if thou will.
Thou mayst take *one* of the relics, wanderer.
Number 325 it is.
So can this power the UNNIIC, boss?
Only one way to find out.
OH HELL YES, TIME TO POWER OUR SHIP WITH A FUKKEN BOMB
YYYEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAA WHAT'S THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN???
You can really just put a bomb straight into that machine?!
Sure. The pedestal draws on the radiation it's emitting.
The WHAT it's emitting?!
Well...
Keep that thing away from me!
Sigh. Assuming the wavelength is compatible, the pedestal can draw power even with the bomb intact. If that works, I'll take the bomb apart and improve the output.
And then I'm going to take a long, hot recharge.
Well. Here goes.
Shit starts flickering...
It works boss!
Mission accomplished, thanks for pla...
...ying.
No, no it wasn't.
Then take the bomb apart! Improve the output!
It won't work. The bomb's too unstable.
Just try it, boss!
B'sod it Crispin. It won't work.
Sigh. That's the emergency generator again.
Oh.
This is just a fool-built paperweight.
An *explosive* fool-built paperweight. So what now boss?
I don't know. Keep looking, I guess. Keep looking.
At least we can put the paperweight to one good use, however.
Huehuehuehue
It'll just roll off.
Nothing a little grease won't fix.
Well, now it's a sticky bomb.
Hopefully I can remotely detonate the bomb. Crispin, get back.
And this dial pops up.
As you may remember, in one of his ranty fits, Alpha mentioned 'BOMB DETONATION PREFIX: 6'. That, combined with the bomb's serial number, 325, gives us
A desired effect
Ooh, I told you that paperweight would be helpful.
No, you said it was explosive.
I'm pretty sure that explosive and helpful are synonyms, boss.
Damn straight.
Right. Well, let's see what we've opened up here.
Think Big Ugly's in there?
If he is, so's our power source.
Maybe we should go back and get another bomb from the shrine first?
We don't need a bomb, and we don't want him to get any farther away, come on.
Interesting.
ó_o
Who are you?
I am official Metropass Booth 47-8b.
You are a ticket dispensory, right?
Negative. I am official Metropass Booth 47-8b.
One ticket please.
Use the scanner to your right.
Five megacycles collected. You may collect your metropass now.
This is getting weird.
RED LINE TO METROPOL. ALL ABOARD.
See, boss? There *IS* a train to Metropol.
So there is.
ALL ABOARD.
So? What's the plan?
There is no plan, Crispin. No plan and no choices. We need power, and there's nowhere left to look out here. Energy for all it is.
Them graphix
And that would be all for today. Next update, we'll penetrate the city of lights and uncover its HORRIBLE SECRETS!
Also, at this point the demo ended. I have absolutely no idea what's gonna happen ahead. Fun!
Also2, new unlocked achievements: