Operative Vargas

Overview

Operative Vargas is a villain contact in the Port Recluse neighborhood of Sharkhead Isle Operative Vargas is a Science origin contact. His level range is 20-24.

Introductions

Contact Introduced By

• Lorenz Ansaldo

New Contact(s)

• Operative Kirkland

Operative Kirkland keeps tabs on the various factions on Sharkhead Isle, and looks for freelancers willing to do service for Arachnos. Arachnos keeps him supplied with plenty of Natural and Technology enhancements.

Information

Arachnos Operative

Operative Leonard Vargas is one of the brightest rising stars in Arachnos. He joined the organization after completing his Bachelor's degree in business at an Ivy League school, and has since begun a rapid rise through the ranks. While he's lacking in combat experience, his initiative, efficiency, and ability to get things done have attracted a lot of attention, particularly among the Arbiter Corps.

Initial Contact

It is so good to finally get this chance to get to know you. I'm Operative Vargas, but please, just call me Leo. I want to promote a mutual zone of facilitation between us, so we don't have to stand on titles. You're here because you want to improve your prospects and increase the potential for your continued advancement. And I am all about continued advancement. So let's get started, huh?

Store

Operative Vargas the following to villains:

• Inspirations
• All level 20 dual-origin mutation/science enhancements
• All level 25 dual-origin mutation/science enhancements
• All level 25 single-origin science enhancements

Operative Vargas does not buy enhancements or inspirations.

Story Arcs

A web of intrigue

Souvenir: A Longbow codebook

Though the codes in this book are now out of date, it serves as a reminder of the escapade where you captured it from a Longbow underwater base. An escapade you like to remember as:

A Web of Intrigue

When it all began, Vargas seemed upset that all he had to give you was a simple mission of revenge against the Council for an attack on Arachnos. The mission had been given to Vargas at the last minute, and he was fuming about it. The pay was good, but something seemed strange. Your suspictions were confirmed when one of the Council soldiers said that they had only attacked because a computer hacker from Arachnos had raided their systems.

Vargas checked into the Council's claims, but hadn't found any evidence of a scheduled computer strike against them. As you were talking, he received a call from Arbiter Leery with an urgent mission: A gang of Freakshow had over-run an Arachnos base, and Leery wanted them out. Vargas offered you the job, since it would take him too long to organize a strike force. You fought the Freaks, and found out that they had attacked because their computer system had been compromised by Arachnos, too.

It was time to stop being reactive. Vargas had heard through a friend of his in the Sky Raiders about a Longbow agent who sold information on the side, and was now offering some of the information that had been stolen from the Council and the Freakshow. If that information had gotten into the hands of a Longbow agent, then there could be some connection between Longbow and the attacks on Arachnos. The only way to find the renegade Longbow agent was to get the information from Vargas' old friend, Captain Braun. It wasn't pleasant, but you got the information.

You moved swiftly, and caught Glenn Sampson, the renegade Longbow agent. He was willing to talk to spare his life, and told where he had gotten the information he was currently selling. It seems that Longbow had an agent inside Arachnos to hack other groups and direct the blame on them. Sampson told you where the agent was dropping off the next batch of information. You captured the info, and with it were able to find the Agent's identity and where he was stationed.

Vargas went above Arbiter Leery and got a full sanction from Arbiter Daos, to capture the Longbow Spy by any means necessary. Since the infiltration couldn't be revealed, Vargas asked you to do it. You caught Longbow's spy, Agent Caspian, inside the Arachnos base where he had secured himself.

Caspian talked in interrogation, and revealed the location of a Longbow underwater base. Vargas decided to take the initiative, and hired you to take it out before someone else could steal his thunder. You entered the underwater base by mini-sub, using codes extracted from Caspian. You forced a captured technician to lower the base's computer security, defeated the security chief who was apparently Caspian's older brother, and captured the base commander. The base fell, and Longbow's spu operations were severely set back.

In the aftermath, Vargas is on the fast track to promotion, and promised to speak your praises far and wide. Somehow, you're not counting on that promise too much. But you were well paid, and Longbow took a big fall. Not bad for some dishonest work.

Missions

Take advantage of Vargas's opportunity

Briefing

Before we really get started, just let me say that I am really looking forward to working with you. You see, I am an individual interested in oportunity. In order to reach my carrer goals within Arachnos, I need to seek out and achieve successes beyond the limits of my basic responsabilities. To do this, I need to employ talented and self-motivated contractors such as yourself. And you know, I just happen to have learned about a situation that could be leveraged to our mutual benefit involving the Sky Raiders.

Mission acceptance

Great! I knew you were a real go-getter. A real achiever! So here's the situation: the Sky Raiders are working on a new missile launcher for their Sky Skiffs. Now, one of our people was supposed to sabotage that program, but he made a bad play and dropped the ball. This means we, you and I, have a chance to shine. Here's the plan: I want you to get into the Sky Raiders base where they are holding the prtotype launcher, steal it and the plans for it, and then, ah, "negate the future productivity" of the guy in charge of the project. Just bring the launcher and the plans to me afterwards. Great? Great!

Mission objective(s)

• Find the prototype
• Find the plans
• Defeat Captain Dawson

Clue: Prototype missile launcher

This new missile launcher is made to be attached to a Sky Raider Sky Skiff

Clue: Prototype plans

This disc filled with CAD files contains all the plans for the Sky Raiders ' new prototype missile launcher

Debriefing

Now that is how you attack an oportunity! Ferocious! With that kind of commitent to maximizing a potential oportunity, there is no way that we can fail as a team!

Solve the personnel problem

Briefing

Villain, we have a problem. No, not a problem: we have an situation, and it's a situation that requires a solution. The situation is that someone made a bad call, and put the wrong person in the wrong place at the wrong time. That's three wrongs, and that does not make a right. Now, this person, and he is one of our people, he's Arachnos, well, he's become a liability. And it pains me to say that he was trusted to investigate the Freakshow, and now he's started facilitating their operations. He's gone rogue. He's a loose cannon, and he´s become part of the problem. Now everyone is running around looking for a solution.

Mission acceptance

Look, I'm really looking to owe you for this one. Here's the situation: we had a guy, a respected guy, named Operative Bradley. He was sent in to sound out a possible Wyvern spy inside the Freakshow. Then, well, he stopped reporting in. And now the Freaks have been attacking some of our bases. That's information they only could have gotten from our guys. So, it looks like Bradley, well, he's not playing for our team anymore: he's become disloyal, and we have to sever ties with him. I'm going to give you the last place we knew he was. Clean the place out, and if he isn't there, find out where he is now. Then, ah, terminate his, ah, employment.

Mission objective(s)

• Defeat all Freaks in warehouse
• Find agent

Clue: Freakshow email

This laptop is barely working, but it doesen't take you long to find information in the email client. Understanding what they have written is almost impossible, but after a few moments you can piece together what you're looking for. The Freaks did capture Bradley, and were hiding him here. They just moved him out to the area called "The Pit". Probably to hide him from you.

Mission objective(s)

• Defeat Operative Bradley and crew

Scene:

Operative Bradley (Arachnos Wolf Spider Huntsman) fights against the group of the Freakshow Zappa-Tistah (Juicer Chief), saying the following:

Operative Bradley: You Freaks are maniacs!
Zappa-Tistah: You ain't got no hope left, little arachno-guy.
Operative Bradley: Maniacs!
Zappa-Tistah: No one's coming to help you.

Once they agro on you:

Zappa-Tistah: You're gonna be thunderstruck!
Operative Bradley: You're not here for a rescue, are you?
Operative Bradley: They did it! They hung me out to dry!
Operative Bradley: This was that worm Vargas' plan, wasn't it?
Operative Bradley: You're working for him, aren't you?
Operative Bradley: AREN'T YOU?

(Bradley attacks you)

Debriefing

So, here's the funny part: it turns out that not only wasn't there a Longbow spy in the Freakshow, but that Bradley? He really hadn't given up any information after all. It turns out that one of the technical Freaks just pulled all the data they'd been using off of an old hard drive they'd stolen. That's, what do you call it, irony? Yeah, irony. The important thing, though, is that you and I proved that we could make results happen. We saw a threat, and we took care of it. I think this was a win for us. No, this was a win for you. I just helped to facilitate, and really, that's enough for me.

Remove Council lab

Briefing

I like to think that everyone is born with potential ability. What sets people like you and me apart from everyone else, though, is that we are prepared to take that potential ability and actualize it. Some people, like the Council, have means of actualizing abilities through things like their super-soldier program. And that's where the trouble starts. Arachnos tries to maintain a stable space within the Council so we can choose when to stage conflicts. Right now, there's an instability forming because of the Council's growing ranks of enhaced "Cor Leonis" soldiers. The higher ups haven't said anything, but I know they would be relieved if that instability was removed. Along with a lab that produces chemicals for the Cor Leonis process.

Mission acceptance

The entire lab has to be liquidated. You'll need to forcibly disrupt their computer network, liquidate their inventory and terminate the contracts of their personnel to the maximun degree. You're a pro, so I know that I can leave this whole thing to your discretion.

Mission objective(s)

• Defeat everyone in the lab
• Destroy 2 chemical labs
• Destroy 1 serum crate
• Destroy 2 chemicals

Debriefing

Honestly, I'm jealous of you. You're out there, cracking heads and getting into the action. Me, I mostly just push papers and write the reports. And this report, it's gonna be a good one. The Council has taken a serious hit to their bottom line, and their entire production schedule is going to be out of track for weeks. Now if you'll excuse me, I have the chance of a lifetime to capitalize on.

Wreck Tsoo smugling

Briefing

Now, you know how much I believe in personal initiative, right? I try to maximize every oportunity I can grab hold of. I take that bull by the horns, it's what I do. And I do appreciate when I'm working with someone like you who does the same thing. But what I cannot abide, is when people just decide to go off on their own like a cowboy and disrupt the system. That causes problems for everyone. As a loyal member of Arachnos, when someone is causing problems for my team, I like to solve them. It's what I do.

Which brings me to the current situation. There are some people within the Tsoo who haven't been acting like team players. They've been moving shipments through Sharkhead, shipments of products people want, but which more restrictive governments think are "dangerous" or "illegal". And they've been moving them through here without paying their tariffs. Tariffs and fees that are due to Arachnos. So we're going to take the initiative and show them that if they want to play, they've got to pay.

Mission acceptance

Great! I am so glad to have you on board for this one. Now, we can't have the Tsoo trace this back to Arachnos, or it will just make them angry, and then they won't want to pay up. So we're going to take a page from their playbook. We're going to associate this with their enemies, The Family. Then Arachnos will step in at the bargaining table, making peace and providing a security force between the two sides. But the first thing we need, is to "liberate" explosives from the Family and emplace misdirecting counter-factual details. When that's done, the next step is to relocate those explosives to the Tsoo warehouse. Make sure no one's left to make sure they saw you on that last part, okay?

Mission objective(s)

• Find the explosives

Clue: Explosives

Several charges of high explosives with time-delay fuses.

Mission objective(s)

• Plant 4 bombs
• Defeat all Tsoo in warehouse

Debriefing

That was just beautiful work, Villain.The Tsoo's unlicensed smuggling has been disincentivised, both sides are blaming each other, and I'm going to get everything I want at the bargaining table. My projections are rising, my capitol is up, and it's all thanks to you. I'm sure you noticed that I've wired the money to your account, and you have earned every bit. You're such a go-getter. I feel like I'm running just to keep up with you. And I mean that. Sincerely.

Defeat the Vigilantes

Briefing

You know me, Villain. I'm a reasonable guy. But one thing I cannot stand is people who make it their business to obstruct business. Government regulators, unions, enviromental agencies, and oh yes, unlicensed vigilantes. Vigilantes. You know, "Heroes". I so hate that term. Just because these people decide to enforce some outmoded paradigm of so-called "morality", they get to be the good guys. You know what? I say that's wrong. You and me, we are the good guys. We're the ones actualizing the outcomes we want to see instead of being mired in tired methodology. I want these vigilantes out of here. I want their allies to see them fail. And I want you to make that happen. This could be tough, but I know that you can and wil thrive on this challenge.

Mission acceptance

The two people you're looking for are a pair of vigilantes called Blue Phazer and Golden Sphinx. Sphinx is suppossed to be really tough, and Blue Phazer has some kind of energy powers. Take them both out. You can leave most of the others if you want. I wouldn't mind seeing their whole world-view get thrown out.

Vargas said that this was just a hideout. If this is a "hideout", you'd hate to see a full base!

Mission objective(s)

• Defeat Blue Phazer
• Defeat Golden Sphinx

Debriefing

You expedited the retirement of those vigilantes, right? That is such good news. Those two were eating into margings with their own actions, but they were getting to be a pernicious negative influence on the community. People were starting to try and stand up, and we really can't have that. People like that, like those vigilantes, they upset the natural order that people like you and me live in. Some people exist to be used by people like us. If we're the generals, they're the army. If we're the farmers, they're the crops. If we're the predators, they're the prey. Anything that upsets that, well that's just bad for business.

Take out Council base in retaliation

Briefing

Okay, I have something for you, but, well, it's not up to someone of your caliber. It's grunt work, and they gave it to me because someone, and I'm not entirely sure who, is trying to sandbag me. Weigh me down with menial tasks. Can you believe it? Someone like me, someone destined for greatness, for the highest ranks. Well, it's a good thing I have resources. I have allies. Allies like you. So, here's the deal. The Council raided one of our bases, and now I have to organize a strike on the base they came from. Getting together forces and authorizing expenditures will take me half a week, and I don't have time for that. Or, I can ask you to handle this for me. Not as a favor. You're a professional, I wouldn't do that to you. It'll be full pay for you and any one you choose. Full pay for all of you. I just need this situation dealt with.

Mission acceptance

Take out the base. Take out everyone in the base. These Council guys, I swear, what is it with them? I don't know why Lord Recluse doesen't just crush them. Maybe it's because he used to work with them way back in the thirties. And I'm not critizicing Lord Recluse, let me make that clear, but if that's his reason, I think he should reconsider it. Sentiment, as a concept, is outmoded. Just like loyalty or morality, it only holds you back.

Mission objective(s)

• Defeat all Council in base
• Objective 2

Clue: It was retaliation!

After the battle in the Council base, the base's defeated leader spot out the following under interrogation:

"We did what we had to do to even the battle. Our counter-attack was provoked by the outrages of Arachnos! It was retaliation, pure and simple! We will not allow Arachnos to steal from our computer network without consequence!
For Arakhn!
For Requiem!
And all for the Center!"

Debriefing

That thing is taken care of, right? In the base? Good. I really don't have time for this. Why did Arbiter Leery have to dump this on me? Is he trying to hold me back? I just do not understand.

Don't worry about what that guy said. Of course they're going to claim it was about revenge or something. You know, since you've been such a help to me, I'll see what they stole. If it's worth anything and it's not vital that it's kept quiet, I'll give you a copy. That'll be good closure. Sell it, burn it, whatever, do what you want. I really don't care. I'll pull some strings.

Stop Freakshow attack

Briefing

Hey, Villain? Do you remember what that Galaxy Archon said, about a computer attack? Well, I've been doing some checking, and here's the funny thing, nothing like that's happened recently. And I mean, nothing. Believe me, I know people who know people. I am the one people want to know who want to know people, and I cannot find anything on this. Something weird is going...
Hold on. That's my communicator. Let me get this.
Vargas speaking
Uh-huh
The Freakshow?
But, sir, I'll need time to get troops and...
Yeah, Villain's right here
All right. And thank you, sir.

You're not going to believe this, but that was Arbiter Leery. Arbiter Leery! And he wants me to take care of something. The Freakshow are attacking one of our bases, I've been assigned to handle it. Are you willing to handle another job? But, ah, watch out on this one. Apparently the Freaks have brought bombs with them. You'll need to handle this within 90 minutes or they might go off.

Mission acceptance

Okay, the Freaks in there all need to be dealt with, but this time you have to worry about the base, too. They've brought bombs, and are going to wire the place to blow. Like I said, you'll have maybe 90 minutes on this one. This is really an opportunity for you to shine, and I am glad you have the vision to grab it. I just wish Leery didn't keep dumping this on me. What is going on? It's like he's trying to wreck my career. That's it! He knows I'm going to make Arbiter. He thinks I'm gunning for his job. Well, I'll show him. Isn't that right, Villain?

Mission objective(s)

• Defeat all Freakshow in base (90 minutes to do it)
• X bombs to disarm

Clue: You guys started it!

After you defeated the Freaks' leader, it didn't take much to make him talk:

"This wouldn't have had to happen if your fascist Arachnos employers hadn't sent guys against us. You crashed our power grid! You hacked our meat doctors' medical computer! You cut our pirate cable TV! And you stole the formula for our drug, Excelsior! Oh, this ain't over! Just wait until Dreck hears about this! We'll roll over those Arachnos jerks like a wave of steel! And anyone who stands with them, including you!"

Debriefing

He said what? That they were retaliating against us? There wasn't any plans against the Freakshow. Nothing had been allocated, nothing had been authorized. It wasn't on any org charts of flowcharts or the meetings of any minutes. It's all coming out of nowhere. Or is it? I got a sneaking suspiction that this is connected to that Council attack.

Those Freakshow, I just don't get those guys. Singing and dancing while setting bombs? Aren't they taking this seriously? Who did this guy think he was, the music man? I swear, anything goes with those guys.

Mission name

Briefing

Mission acceptance

Mission objective(s)

Clue:

Debriefing

External Links

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