Crimson: Difference between revisions

Briefing

I'm glad to see you, Character. I think you're just the person to help handle this.
I don't know what you know about the current state of Rikti affairs, but the Rikti trapped on Earth seem to be factionalizing around different philosophies. I don't know the whole run-down of how and why it happened, but the two factions call themselves the Traditionalists and the Restructurists. The important this is that the Traditionalists are willing to talk cease-fire, and our government has been trying to work one out with that faction.
This is where our 'friends' come in. They're planning to sabotage the talks. They've kidnapped two of the negotiators, one human and one Rikti, and are going to pin their deaths on the other side. Understanding why is part of their weird psychology. As far as our 'friends' are concerned, they would rather have an enemy they can made people afraid of and rally against, than a possible friend. From their point of view, it's safer and more useful for their own agenda if they have hostile Rikti aliens as a threat they can pull out at any time to scare people. If we had a cease-fire, that might lead to peace, or worse.
I don't know how you feel about the Rikti, but I think you can agree that preventing our 'friends' from using them as a boogey man is a good thing. So, I'm going to give you the locations of where they're holding both negotiators. The first one is Dr. Helen Spendler. I'll show you where our 'friends' are keeping her.

Mission Objective(s)

The Malta Group has re-conditioned this abandoned Council base.

Defeat lead kidnapper & his men
- Rescue Dr. Spendler

You freed Dr. Spendler, and found some important orders on her defeated captors.

Enemies

Notable NPCs

Babel Red Beta (Malta Operatives Gunslinger)
Dr. Spendler (NPC Hostage)

Malta Soldiers dialogue

Bable Red Beta dialogue

Dr. Helen Spendler dialogue

New Orders

You found this print-out of an email to Babel Red Beta, the leader of the Malta Group Operations team who had kidnapped Earth's negotiator with the Traditionalist Rikti. The orders state that Babel Red Beta's counterpart, Babel Red Alpha, is to move up his schedule and kill the Rikti Traditionalist negotiator, a scientist called C'Kelkah, ahead of schedule at a specified location.

Note: The third mission's timer begins immediately upon exiting the second mission.

Rescue Rikti negotiator quickly

C'Kelkah

Mission Objective(s)

This blasted section of the city hasn't been renovated since the Rikti War. The Malta Group must think it's the perfect backdrop to execute a Rikti negotiator and hope of peace along with her.

Rescue Rikti negotiator quickly - 2:30:00
- Locate C'Kelkah
- Lead C'Kelkah out of area

Success: You saved the Traditionalist Rikti negotiator C'Kelkah from assassination by the Malta Group. The peace talks should be able to continue.
Failure: You were unable to save the negotiator C'Kelkah from assassination by the Malta Group. You are uncertain if the peace talks will continue.

Enemies

Template:Mission StoryArc Project: World Wide Red

Notable NPCs

Babel Red Alpha (Malta Operatives Gunslinger)
C'Kelkah (NPC Hostage)
Gunslinger (Malta Operatives Gunslinger) (Guarding C'Kelkah)

Ambush! Secure the prisoner!

After freeing C'Kelkah you will be ambushed by three squads of Malta soldiers

Malta Soldiers dialogue

Babel Red Alpha dialogue

C'Kelkah dialogue

Successful completion of this mission awards the Bodyguard Badge.

Bodyguard

You stopped the assassination of a Rikti peace negotiator.

Debriefing Mission Success

Now, I'm not telepathic, and I am certainly no alien telepath, but from people I know who are privy to such information, there are a lot of Rikti buzzing about the save you pulled off there. This C'Kelkah lady seems to be very influential among the Traditionalist Rikti. So, the talks will continue, and who knows? maybe something will come out of it. World could sure use a little more peace, at least in my opinion.

Debriefing Mission failure

Well, the good news is that the negotiations between the peoples of Earth and the Traditionalist Rikti are still going to continue. The loss of C'Kelkah was a major blow, but the Rikti seem to be taking it well. As I understand it, they don't seem to blame the death on humanity in general, but they are questioning how they can be promised any kind of safety when some of our mightiest heroes, and they meant you, weren't able to protect a single negotiator. Or at least, that's the line they're taking right now. The talks will go on, and that's a good thing.

Story Arc

Template:MeritAward

Project: World Wide Red (45-50)

Missions

Stop the Malta Group raid on the Crey science facility

Note: This is usually the first mission you will receive from Crimson.

Briefing

If you've worked with me before, Character, you know the ground rules, but I'm going to take a minute out and repeat them, just in case. You are not working for me, you are working with me. This is an important distinction, because it bases our working relationship on trust and mutual benefit. I will never send you to do anything distasteful or wrong, and in exchange I ask that you respect that the sources of my information are confidential. I will never steer you wrong, but I am under no obligation to tell you what's going on or how I know about it. That doesn't mean that I won't, but sometimes that's how this kind of work need to happen.

All of that said, I have just a situation right now that needs to be taken care of. Malta Group operatives are up to something nasty in a Crey science facility, and it wouldn't be a good idea to let them finish that raid.

Mission Acceptance

Crey and Malta may work together from time to time, but that does not make them friends. They just often have similar ends they wish to achieve, and see the other as a good means toward it. So this kind of thing isn't that uncommon. Your goal is to find out what Malta wanted and to defeat any and all opposition at that location. I trust that you can handle this. When you're done, meet with Indigo in person. She may have some information for you.

Unnecessary Solicitation

Mission Objective(s)

Though the high tech machines and computers of this lab all hum with power, the entire lab is deathly quiet.

Defeat all Malta in lab
- Discover Malta goals
- Find the Key

Notable NPCs

Circuit Red Alpha (Gunslinger)

Crey

NPC Text

Before combat:

Random Malta Operative 1: "Are there any scientists left?"
Random Malta Operative 2: "One, I think. They'll finish him off soon enough."

Combat start:

Random Malta Operative 1: "This is door watch! We have an MHI! We are moving to intercept!"

Upon rescue of researcher:

Crey researcher: "I think I'm the last one left. I'll tell you what I know."

Before combat with Gunslinger:

Circuit Red Alpha: "So, you're our Meta-Human Intrusion, Character. I should have guessed."

Dead Crey researchers

You found the bodies of the Crey scientists who had been slain in an execution-like style by agents of the Malta Group. These men will never be able to tell anyone what the Malta Group wanted.

The last researcher

After you rescued him from an imminent execution at the hands of Malta Group agents, a Crey researcher told you:
'They came in here with fake paperwork, and we didn't know what to think. Fergusun thought they might be government types here to check our security. Then they rounded everyone up, and just shot anyone who didn't cooperate, and had deadly robots that killed the protectors we had as guards. I'm smart enough to know how to survive, I helped them with whatever they asked.
'They were after our Revenants. I guess it doesn't matter now, but this lab, it is, or it was, part of the Revenant Hero Project. We had dozens of blanks stored, hundreds of tissue samples, full templating apparatus and dozens of para-personalities ready for use. They took it all, then they started killing everyone, whether we'd helped or not. I think I'm the last one left.
'I don't care if you know all of that, Character. I'll go to jail willingly. I'm smart enough to know when not to be trouble.'

Ambush!

After you exit the mission, you will be ambushed by Malta Operatives.

Meet with Indigo

Mission Objective(s)

Meet with Indigo

Briefing

Good to see you, Character. Crimson alerted me to what's going on. Malta Group operatives shipped several shipments of equipment out of that lab before you arrived. I was able to pull some strings and had the police stop all the trucks leaving the city, so at the very least our 'friends' didn't get away with any blank Crey Revenants. However, there's a lot that's still missing, including genetic profiles on hundreds of heroes, stored para-personality templates, and all kinds of things. Fortunately, we got a lucky break. An informant from within Malta has contacted someone in my network, saying he knows where the rest of the stolen Revenant Hero technology is. Unfortunately, I think our informant is about to get taken out by the Knives of Artemis. I need you to find the Malta informant before the Knives can finish him off. You'll have to take the Light Rail to the meet.
The idea of our 'friends' being able to mass produce super humans scares me, Character. I'd hate to see what they could do with that kind of power.

Meet the Informant

Mission Objective(s)

The coastal wilderness near Paragon City seems like a strange place to meet a covert operative, but the apparent unlikeliness of the location may be the best reason for it.

Meet the Informant
- Find the informant

You got the information you needed from the Malta Group informant.

Enemies

Notable NPCs

Malta informant (Captive)

NPC Text

Upon rescue:

Malta Informant: "Thanks for the save, Character. Let me tell you what I know."

The informant's story

After you rescued him from the Knives of Artemis, the Malta Group informant told you:
'I'll give you the location of where Malta's setting up the Revenant Hero Project, as long as you can take it out. They had a lab all ready and waiting to go once the assault team had captured the equipment.
'The higher-ups like the idea of being able to use the Countess' technology to make an army of duplicate meta-humans. I won't give you some sob story about how I'm a good person in a bad situation, but I'm a least smart enough to realize that if the top brass could whip up a meta-human army from scratch, then they're not going to need us anymore. We'd all instantly go from assets to liabilities, and I think you can guess what would happen to us next. I'm not helping you. I'm trying to save myself.
'I'd try to tell you that it's not a trap, but you'd have no reason to believe me. So, take it or leave it.'

Defeat all Malta in lab

Mission Objective(s)

This hidden lab beneath the city streets is filled with stolen Crey equipment.

Defeat all Malta in lab
- 3 Revenant Project items to destroy

You raided the Malta lab and put a final end to the Revenant Hero Project.

Enemies

Notable NPCs

Circuit Red Omega (Gunslinger)
Crate of Revenant Hero parts x 3 (destructible object)

NPC Text

Starting Combat:

Malta Operative: "It's Character! I knew something like this would happen!"

Attacking Revenant Hero crates:

Random Malta Operative 1: "We get this equipment set up, then we go into production."
Random Malta Operative 2: "Stop Character! This project cannot fail!"

Combat Start:

Circuit Red Omega: "Get ready to add Character to our project database."
Circuit Red Omega: "This is going to be the end of you, Character!"

Debriefing

Closure is a difficult thing to find in any business, Character, so you should enjoy it when you can. That Crey scientist has plea bargained his testimony for a reduced sentence, but I'll have someone watching him, just in case.

Indigo is working on bringing the Malta informant out of the cold and onto our side. Don't know how that will go, but she likes to have faith in people. It's an endearing quality of her personality.

Most importantly, The Revenant Hero project is finally over. You just filled in the grave and put flowers on the tombstone. Like I said, closer can be hard to find. Take a minute out and enjoy it.

It's interesting to think about how ferociously all of those people fought for control of the Revenant program. Now, I can see the tactical appeal of having disposable superhumans to do all of your dirty work, but I believe that if you're not willing to risk you life or what you hold dear to accomplish your goal, then maybe you should re-think what you really want. Power, control, security, all of those are just fancy ways of saying that you're afraid, and you want to not be afraid anymore. People will do a lot to avoid fear, even become the monsters they're afraid of.

I suppose I also believe, as Abraham Lincoln said, that 'As I would not be a slave, so would I not be a master.'

Not bad, friend. These Enhancements should help you. I want you to call in your position frequently.

Protect Robert Able from the Malta Group

Save the Able family

Briefing

A young fellow by the name of Robert Able has been targeted for capture by the Malta Group. I know that they've been watching this kid for about a decade, and if I'm right, then more than his life is in danger. I think it would be safer if Robert was out from under their watchful eye and under our protection.

Robert's out on a little camping trip right now along with his folks. You'll need to rescue the whole family, or else Malta will use them as leverage. Once you've handled that situation, you'll need to meet with Indigo. She'll have more information for you at that time.

Mission Objective(s)

Though this might be a pleasant place to experience the great outdoors, you know that agents of the Malta Group aren't out here to relax.

Save Able family
- 3 Ables to save

You rescued the Able Family from the Malta Group.

Enemies

Notable NPCs

Tom Able (Captive)
Robert Able (Captive)
Anita Able (Captive)

NPC Text

Upon rescue:

Anita Able: "Bless you, Character! Have you seen my husband or my son?"
Robert Able: "Character, who are these people?"
Tom Able: "I knew this was coming one day, Character."

Tom Able's odd words

After you rescued Tom Able from the Malta Group, he spoke to you with a broken expression and eyes filled with sorrow:
'They told me this would happen one day. They told us we couldn't run, and they proved it. They'd always come to check, every year. They would just tell us to accept it, or else they'd, they'd...
'I'm sorry, Character, but my wife and I, we're just normal people who've been powerless against these men for so many years. I can't tell you anything. I wish I could, but there's nothing I can do.'

Ambush

Upon exiting this mission, you will be ambushed by the Malta Group.

Meet with Indigo

Mission Objective(s)

Meet with Indigo

Briefing

The Able family's been under surveillance by our 'friends' for several years. They get visits from Malta operatives, usually twice a year, even though they've moved several times. Other than that, they're completely unremarkable. He's an mechanical engineer specializing in air conditioning systems, she's an administrative assistant with a degree in English, they vote conservatively, and have excellent savings. They've never had marital counseling and neither of them have any criminal record. Robert is a good student who used to have a weight problem until he hit a growth spurt two years ago. He'll probably be joining the army to get enough money for school, unless he gets some student aid. Nice enough people, but not the sort of folks Malta would be interested in.
Except that Robert was conceived en vitro at a clinic called Genrove Fertility. Shortly afterward, agents of our 'friends' started visiting the Able family. I have the feeling these two events are related. The Genrove clinic itself was destroyed in the war, but their records are being kept by the company that owned them. That company is Falcone Pharmaceuticals, a front for our 'friends' from Malta. I'll give you the location, you'll need to find the file on what makes the Ables special. After you get them, take them to Crimson. If we're right, then he should have the net step ready for you.

Find the Able's files

Mission Objective(s)

As you enter the offices of Falcone Pharmaceuticals, you notice a pronounced lack of office workers. Like Indigo said, this company appears to be a front for the Malta Group!

Find the Able's files
- Find the Able's files

You found records that explain the reason for the Malta Group's interest in the Able family.

Enemies

Notable NPCs

Helix Black 08-08 (Gunslinger)

NPC Text

Before combat:

Random Malta Operative 1: "Keep ready. Briefing said that Character captured Robert Able."
Random Malta Operative 2: "Do you think Character could come here after us?"

Combat start:

Random Malta Operative 1: "It's Character!"

Helix Black 08-08: "Character cannot be allowed to get any more information."
Helix Black 08-08: "Your investigation ends here!"

Robert Able's file

You found this file in the Falcone Pharmaceuticals, a front company for the Malta Group. The file is from the fertility clinic that Tom and Anita Able consulted, which helped produce their son, Robert. The file shows that the couple were unknowingly used in a biological experiment by a faction within the Malta Group.
According to the file, the Ables were chosen from among several couples for their close physical resemblance with a tissue donor the Malta Group wanted to make a genetic duplicate of. They produced a clone and implanted it into Anita Able instead of the child they'd hoped to conceive, all without the Ables' knowledge or consent. The man the Ables were used to clone was none other than Roger Vrabel, the original head of the Malta Group.

Deliver files to Crimson

Mission Objective(s)

Deliver files to Crimson

Briefing

This is some serious bad science you've uncovered here, and it gets worse. I've traced all of the orders concerning Robert, and they all come from the same organization within the Malta Group. These guys are a part of Malta, but they seem to have been operating semi-autonomously since the early 90's, and have been running some extra operations on the side. One of these side operations was the Able family and the production of Robert. They've also recently ramped up another project, and I want to make sure that this second project does not come to fruition. That's going to be your job.

You'll have to accomplish two objectives in order to do that. First, you'll need to take out the operative in charge of the place, a Malta agent called Helix Black 0-9-0. Secondly, I want you to find their mainframe. Destroyed or taken, they cannot be allowed to have it.

Defeat Helix Black 0-9-0

Mission Objective(s)

The mysterious nature of this Malta Group cell's operations are in the back of your mind. If there are any answers to be had, they'll be in this high tech base.

Defeat Helix Black 0-9-0
- Find Malta mainframe

You shut down the Malta lab. The words of Helix Black 0-9-0 spoke after his defeat still echo in your mind.

Enemies

Notable NPCs

Helix Black 0-9-0 (Gunslinger)

NPC Text

Helix Black 0-9-0: "It's now or never. We decide the future of the Malta Group here."
Helix Black 0-9-0: "You don't know what this is about. Robert Able is our only chance for the future!"'

The old guard

After his defeat, the Malta operative called Helix Black said the following to you:
'You're taking our future away from us. When the Cold War ended and the Berlin Wall fell, that's when it all went wrong. Younger agents asked what we were supposed to do now, and we didn't have an answer. So they made up a new one. There weren't any communists left to fight, so we'd help expand democracy and capitalism. Expand them by any means necessary. That was the new guard. That's when Malta started to change.
'Before, everything we did we did to protect the Western world. The new guard, they say they're doing that, but they also want wealth and power and even more control. If we could just have gotten Roger back. Re-made him in Robert. He'd run Malta for years. He'd get it on track. He would have changed everything! It all would have been right again!'

An old tape back-up

This large spool of magnetic tape weighs nearly 20 pounds. This kind of computer equipment hasn't been used in decades. It's labeled:
'Personality Recording
'Subject: Roger Vrabel
'Date: 1981'

Debriefing

You just averted a pretty tragic fate for Robert Able. That kid's going to have enough trouble dealing with the knowledge that he's not his parents' biological son, but at least he won't have to worry about getting his brain overwritten by a copy of a long-dead CIA spook and conspiracy founder.

I lived through the period when the change between the new and the old guard within Malta took place. Trust me on this, whatever Helix Black told you about the old Malta Group being all high-minded and great compared to the new one, they both looked like the same bunch of jerks from the outside.

This kind of mind-transfer stuff crops up ever few years when someone gives some mad genius too much discretionary research money. Getting an accurate copy of a personality or getting it copied over correctly is usually where these things fall down. These guys were probably pulling strings within Malta to get their hands on Crey's Revenant Hero equipment so they'd have a way to put that copy of Vrabel's personality into Robert's head.

The Return of Nemesis

Investigate what the Malta Group and the Nemesis Army are talking about

Briefing

All right, Character, I have an operation that I'm going to need your help with, but I have to warn you flat-out that this could be incredibly dangerous. Not that anything involving the Malta Group is ever safe and easy, but with the Nemesis Army involved, this could go above and beyond that. If you're up to it, I need your help to investigate what exactly the Malta Group and the Nemesis Army have to talk about.

I don't know if you're aware of the current state of the Nemesis Army, but they've taken a pretty bad blow. It looks like Nemesis is finally dead and gone, and most people expected them to just break up and go back to whatever life they led before. That hasn't been the case. They still perform operations and do missions and get orders, but no one really knows if those orders are coming from the Nemesis Army leadership and they've assumed command, or if they're coming from a usurper who's taken over as a new Nemesis, or from Nemesis himself.

Whatever the case is, despite those orders, some Nemesis Army troops are getting worried by these turns of events, and have been talking with representatives of, you guessed it, our friends in the Malta Group. So, what I want you to do is crash one of these little talks, defeat the negotiators, and try to find some clue over what all of this is about.

Unnecessary solicitation

Once you're at the target location, you'll have two things to do. First, I want you to find out what the Nemesis Army and the Malta Group are talking about. This is the Nemesis Army, so I'm sure they'll be some paperwork around. Second, I want you to help derail those talks. Take out all of the negotiators.

Mission Objective(s)

Both the Malta Group and the Nemesis army are incredibly dangerous by themselves. Any potential alliance between them must be stopped.

Defeat lead negotiators
- Find negotiation clues

You disrupted the negotiations between this group of Nemesis Army soldiers and members of the Malta Group. You also found that several of the Nemesis Army soldiers were wearing recording devices.

Enemies

Notable NPCs

Babel Green 2-4 (Gunslinger)
Negotiator Willcleff (Nemesis Officer)

NPC Text

Combat Start:

Babel Green 2-4: "It's clear that the Nemesis army is going nowhere. Join us."
Negotiator Willcleff: "We are espied upon!"

Malta Group contracts

These papers are contracts for employment within the Malta Group. The contract specifically states that the person signing it will leave the Nemesis Army and give over all Nemesis technology the possess, along with any Nemesis Army related information, and in exchange receive a very well paid contract to work for the Malta Group.

Surveillance devices

You found these surveillance devices on several of the Nemesis Army negotiators. These are clearly Nemesis technology, designed to record audio and video and send it back to another location. With a bit of work (and some quick calls to old contacts), you can trace the signal to its destination point.

Defeat monitoring station leader

Mission Objective(s)

The signals you traced have led you here. Hidden in the city sewers, a gleaming high tech lab sprawls before you. All imprinted with the indelible mark of the Nemesis Army.

Defeat monitoring station leader
- 4 recordings to find

You shut down this monitoring station and got copies of all their recordings. Indigo could probably help correlate them.

Surveillance records

You found dozens of different recordings made by Nemesis Army troops of their negotiations with Malta Group operatives. Each time, the Malta Group is trying to subvert the Nemesis troops into joining them. Each record is accompanied by a report by the Nemesis troops about how much the Malta Group negotiators believed them.

Ambush!

After exiting this mission, you will be ambushed by Malta Operatives.

Take recordings to Indigo

Mission Objective(s)

Take recordings to Indigo

Briefing

Wow, Character, this is some juicy stuff. Give me a moment to look through all of this.
Hmmm.
Interesting.
These are the weirdest time and date stamps.
Ah-ha! Okay! All of this data was being fed to a central point. My guess is that there are probably several monitoring stations like this one, all watching over Nemesis Army negotiation teams. I don't know if they're all talking to our 'friends', or if other groups are involved. A lot of villain organizations have been trying to move in on the Nemesis Army, now that it looks like Nemesis is gone. But seeing this effort on recording and analyzing, looking for other groups to show interest? This looks like part of a larger plan.
I'm like everyone else, Character. I really hope that Nemesis is gone forever. I know that we can't count on that. If this really is some elaborate plan to draw in and subvert other groups by tricking them into accepting Nemesis agents, then it can't be allowed to continue. I've been able to trace enough back that I should have the location of the central monitoring depository. I don't know what you'll find in there, but I'd recommend that you take friends along.

Find info at monitoring base

Mission Objective(s)

Indigo's information was correct once more. Hidden behind a facade of normal office space, you've found another secret Nemesis hideout!

Find info at monitoring base
- Seek clues

A plan of attack

You found these meticulous battle plans in a Nemesis base. They note where a high-ranking Malta Group operative and cell leader will be going to conclude what he will believe to be a deal to annex a portion of the Nemesis Army. What he doesn't know is that he and his men will be the ones getting annexed by Nemesis!

Nemesis technology spare parts

The spare parts you found seem almost puzzling at first. Though they're clearly Nemesis technology, they clearly aren't for repairing an automaton. In fact, they seem like just what you'd need to repair a biological support system that was based on Nemesis technology. Indigo's words return to mind. If Nemesis were alive, this would be the kind of plan he'd do. And if Nemesis were alive, he'd need parts like these to maintain his armor.

Stop Nemesis!

Unnecessary Solicitation

Missing Info

Mission Objective(s)

It looks like the Malta Group operatives who'd come here expecting intense negotiations got an intense fire fight instead. They seem to be holding their own, but if Nemesis himself is truly here, it can't last.

Stop Nemesis!

You have stopped the Nemesis Army's plot to infiltrate the Malta Group and defeated Nemesis. Or have you?

Notable NPCs

Nemesis? (Archvillain)
Vital Gold 1-2-1 (Malta Operatives Gunslinger)

Enemies

Debriefing

I told you that one was gonna be tough, but it looks like you handled it as well as anyone could have expected. The Malta Group's plan to subvert parts of the Nemesis Army is done with, as is the Nemesis Army's plan to subvert parts of the Malta Group. Vital Gold 1-2-1 is in Custody, and that's a lot of damage to the Malta Cells in Paragon City. And then there's Nemesis.

Who or whatever was inside that Nemesis body was killed when you defeated it. Internal boilers went into the red, fried most everything. Indigo monitored the medical reports, and according to the doctors, while there was a brain in there, meaning that it could have been Nemesis himself, the brain was, well, artificial. Like one of the brains Crey was working on for the next step in the Revenant Hero Project. All of which makes me wonder if that might have been not the real Nemesis, but a real Nemesis?

Rescue Candice Boxer from the Malta Group

Rescue Mrs. Boxer

Briefing:

I got a perfect piece of heroing for you, Character. The Malta Group are about to get rid of a mother with a story to tell by the name of Candice Boxer. If you can save her life, you might want to listen to what she has to say. It seems that Mrs. Boxer got a little too close to something bad while she was looking for her son, Joe. Now that she's crossed the Malta Group, she's going to need a rescue just to stay alive, much less to find her boy. Let me give you a fair warning: This might not look like much, but this could get pretty tough before it's all done.

If you can save Mrs. Boxer and listen to what she has to say, this could lead to something big. I trust you'll be able to follow up.

Mission Objective(s)

Crimson's directions have led you to a series of caves near the surface. You've already spotted at least one Malta soldier walking patrol.

Rescue Mrs. Boxer
- Save Mrs. Boxer

You saved Mrs. Candice Boxer from the Malta Group, and listened to her story.

Enemies

Notable NPCs

Aegis Ocher Echo (Gunslinger)
Mrs. Boxer (Hostage)

NPC Text:

Combat start:

Random Malta Operative: "Talk about tough breaks! It's Character!"

Upon rescue:

Mrs. Boxer: "Thank you, Character. When I went looking for my son, I never thought I'd find so much trouble."

Mrs. Boxer's story

After you rescued her from agents of the Malta Group, Candice Boxer told you:
'I'm so glad you came and saved me, Character. All of this trouble started when I stopped hearing from my son, Joe. Joe was in prison, you see. Much as a mother hates to say it, my Joe wasn't always a good boy. Drugs, gangs, and worse. He broke my heart for many years. My only comfort was that he never got in with anything really horrid, like the Freakshow. This latest time, though, I think he was turning things around. He was trying to finish his high school degree in Zigursky, and he wanted to be part of his son's life. He wrote me every week, and my heart was full of hope for the first time in many years.'
'But then the letters stopped. I didn't think too much of it at first,but then I tried to visit him and no one in the Zigursky administration had heard of my son. He wasn't in any of the prison records, even! I started to snoop around a it, when a guard who'd always been nice told me that a new government contractor had taken over record keeping at Zigursky. I tried to get my son's records from them, but they said I'd need a court order. Well, I was going to do just that, but then these men came. They took me from my home, and I think they were going to kill me to keep me quiet!'
'Oh, Character, I know you must hear these stories every day. My boy Joe wasn't an angel, but I'm very worried about him. Perhaps you could check in with that contractor, Prison Control Handling, and see what's happened to my son?'

Ambush!

After exiting this mission, you will be ambushed by Malta Operatives.

Find Joe's Records

Mission Objective(s)

The moment you step into the Prison Control Handling Office, you can tell that something isn't right.

Find Joe's Records
- Find Joe's files

You found evidence of Joe's transfer to a secret Malta facility.

Enemies

Notable NPCs

Aegis Ocher Beta (Gunslinger)

NPC Text:

Before combat:

Random Malta Operative 1: "I heard Aegis Ocher Echo botched getting rid of that old lady."
Random Malta Operative 2: "You can't blame him. That was Character, not some bush-leaguer."

Zeus Class Titan: "Current area status is secure."

Combat start:

Random Malta Operative: "Character is here! Battle stations!"

Aegis Ocher Beta: "We can still salvage this operation. Take out Character!"

Zeus Class Titan: Area is now unsecured. Entering combat mode."

Prisoner transfer records

You found these papers in the offices of Prison Control Handling, a government contractor who was helping to manage Zigursky prison. Contrary to PCH's claims, you did find a reference to Mrs. Boxer's son. It seems that he and several other prisoners were transferred to an unspecified medical facility for some kind of operation. The medical records show that the men were all sedated to prevent escape attempts, so it seems unlikely that this operation was voluntary.
While the address of the facility isn't mentioned, it seems that the driver must have gotten lost on the way. There's a small map to the facility drawn on a copy of the transfer receipt.

Ambush!

After exiting this mission, you will be ambushed by Malta Operatives.

Destroy Titan Center

Mission Objective(s)

You hear the clicks as Malta's security cameras begin snapping stills of your face.

Destroy Titan Center
- 2 pieces of info to find

You shut down the Titan center, and put an end to Joe's pain.

Enemies

Notable NPCs

A Titan called Joe (Zeus Class Titan)

NPC Text:

Combat Start:

Random Malta Operative 1: "The new Titans' conditioning isn't complete!"
Random Malta Operative 2: "I don't care if they have some of their old memories, we need those Titans now!"
Random Malta Operative 1: "It's too late! It's Character!"

Random Malta Operative 3: "The next set of Titans will be online soon."
Random Malta Operative 4: "Good. Getting new subjects is going to be harder now that Character is investigating."
Random Malta Operative 3: "It's Character! We need to get the new Titans online!"

Zeus Class Titan (x2): "I must fight. I must destroy Character!"

A Titan called Joe: "I can't stop it! The battle-computer, it's controlling me! You gotta stop me, Character! I'm begging you!"

Grim specimens

You found the gruesome sight inside this refrigerated container in a secret Malta Group lab that was producing Titan robots. Rack upon rack of disembodied human brains and nervous systems, each suspended in an individual container of sustaining bio-gel and labeled with a name and date of acquisition. The container marked 'Boxer, J.' is empty, as were several others.

Titan control schematics

You found these technical drawings on a computer in a Malta Group lab. They show how the Malta Group's Titan combat robots are controlled. The first and most disturbing thing you see is that the Titans aren't robots at all, but cyborgs that use a human brain to augment their battle computers. The computers, in turn, condition the brain to keep it in line.
Curiously, some of the notation in the margins of the scanned images are in Cyrillic.

Debriefing

You did good work today, Character. That wasn't easy, for a lot of reasons. It would have been nice if Joe could have been saved, but by the time I became aware of the situation, he was already on the operating table. At least he won't live out a life as part of a war machine.

Malta, they see the world in a binary fashion. Either you're with them or you are on their long list of enemies. As a hero, you've seen one side of that. I'm sure Joe may not have been a great guy, but he was still a person with hopes and dreams, and I sincerely doubt he deserved that fate. To Malta, he was just another piece of scum to do with as they needed so he could serve their cause.

I asked Indigo to look in on Mrs. Boxer. Make sure she's ok after the news about her son. She has a grandchild to help raise now, but not being a mother myself, I can't say if that's really any consolation to her. I can only believe that she can find an element of hope.

Stop Malta from shooting down the jet liner

Stop Malta anti-aircraft attack

Briefing

The Malta Group is preparing for an operation that seems like overkill, even to me. Seems that there's a passenger jet coming into town soon, and Malta wants to make sure it never lands. So they're going to station some of their Titans out on the coast, arm them with surface to air missiles, and shoot the jet liner down before it can reach the city. That's pretty extreme, even for them. Of course, I want you to stop Malta from shooting down that passenger jet, but I also want you to try and find out who or what could be on that plane that could make Malta take an action like this.

Now, that jet's going to be arriving on time, so you'll only have about 2 hours to finish this. I trust you can handle it.

Normally, Titans are armed for urban combat, so they wouldn't be able to shoot down a high flying jet. In order to do that, they're going to need to arm the Titans with surface to air missiles. This gives you two different ways of handling this situation. You can either search for and destroy all of the missiles, or you can defeat all the Malta operatives in the area and take out their Titans. Whatever you do, you're going to have to do it fast.

Mission Objective(s)

The sea breeze blows across your face, temporarily taking you away from the deadly business at hand.

Stop Malta anti-aircraft attack - 2:00:00
- 10 missiles to find

You stopped Malta in time and saved the passenger liner. You also found some orders with interesting implications.

Enemies

Secret Orders

You found these secret orders while trying to stop the Malta Group from shooting down a passenger jet. The orders aren't from the Malta Group, however, but are from another organization, called the Knights of Malta. They explain to the operative how he was to usurp control of a cell of Malta agents and conduct this attack without knowledge of his bosses within the Malta Group. It also lists when and where he was supposed to meet with his superior in the Knights of Malta after the mission.

Arrest airplane attack commander

Unnecessary solicitation:

Those orders seem to point you to the right place to go. Look for the person responsible for the attack on that jet there.

Mission Objective(s)

The creaking ceiling of this old warehouse indicates its state of disrepair.

Arrest airplane attack commander
- Find information

You defeated Knight Red 0-1 and found a laptop full of encrypted information.

Enemies

Notable NPCs

Knight Red 0-1 (Gunslinger)

NPC Text

Random Malta Operative: "It's Character! Inform Knight Red 0-1!"

Knight Red 0-1: "You'll get no answers from me, Character!"

Enigmatic encrypted files

The contents of this laptop have been well encrypted and protected.

Take laptop to Indigo

Mission Objective(s)

Take laptop to Indigo

Briefing

Crimson told me you were coming, Character. Let me take a look at that laptop.
Clever, but nothing I can't handle. Give me a second. Oh, while I'm working, Crimson asked me to research a group called the 'Knights of Malta.' Turns out that our Malta Group weren't the first ones to use the Island of Malta as a base. The Knights of Malta were supposedly a splinter group from the Knights Templar, which is another secret society. The Knights of Malta split off from the Templars over a question of what the group's purpose was. That was like in the 1600's. The Knights of Malta wanted to use their secret society to influence the rulers of Europe. Set themselves up as rulers from behind the scenes, that kind of thing. The Knights of Malta faded into history without having a big impact, and the Templars were declared heretics by the church and destroyed.
Got it!
Whoah! Crimson's gonna blow his top! This laptop has part of an organization chart and a mission timeline. These Knights of Malta guys have agents spread throughout Malta! It makes me so mad. Hmm, a lot of these guys are sleeper agents, long term covert infiltrators. They'd have to have been in place for decades. According to their timeline, they're planning on a big wake up, and soon. With their agents in place, they could take over the Malta Group and get their own private covert army! Unless we can stop them.
According to this, they're waiting for the go signal. Your presence at the airplane attack seems to have disrupted their time table, but as long as the signal isn't sent, their agents will wait for a while. I'm sending you to take down the operative in charge of sending the activate signal, code-named Knight Blue 1-0. Defeat him and his people, and maybe we can avert this for awhile.

Defeat Knight Blue 1-0

Mission Objective(s)

You push the implications of battling conspiracies within conspiracies to the back of your mind. Right now, you have a job to do.

Defeat Knight Blue 1-0

You defeated Knight Blue 1-0!

Enemies

Notable NPCs

Knight Blue 1-0 (Gunslinger)

NPC Text

Knight Blue 1-0: "Why must this city's heroes interfere in everything!"

Debriefing

First thing: Good work. Those sleeper agents won't make a move until they get their go signals. The last thing the world needs is for one group of secret society megalomaniacs to come under the sway of another. Indigo and I will keep an eye on the situation. The list of infiltrators you found on that laptop isn't complete, so this might come back to haunt us.

Which brings up a point of concern. Indigo has a theory that Neil Macintosh, the MI6 spook who put together the original meeting on the Island of Malta that would form the Malta Group, was actually a part of the Knights of Malta. The possibility that leads to is that there have always been an unseen hand behind the scenes, guiding the creation and policies of the Malta Group. That, or it was meant to work that way and got out of their hands. Hence the heavy-handed tactic that set all of this off.

Speaking of which, though I'm not under any obligation to tell you this, I figure you've earned it. I found out who the Knights of Malta were trying to kill by shooting down that plane. Turns out it was someone Indigo has been trying to prove is one of the leaders of the Malta Group's 'new guard.' I have no doubt that he was the target of the attack. The worst part is, that guy wasn't even on the plane. He canceled his flight at the last minute. I've told you before, these people are remorseless, Character. They were will to kill all of those innocents just for one man, and that was only part of their larger plan. Don't forget that those are the kind of people we are fighting.

Cause trouble for deserving villains

Defeat all Knives in caves

I have an operation for you that involves doing some very mean things to some very mean people. I won't be able to explain much of the reason why to you, but it is for a good reason. So, if you feel up to causing a lot of trouble for people who deserve it, let me know.

I knew you'd be interested. Okay, first off, you'll need these. They're masks, the kind that the Carnival of Shadows wears. These ones are broken, so they really aren't dangerous in themselves. Now that you have those, I am going to give you a location where the Knives of Artemis are getting together before an attack. I want you to defeat all of them there. Every last one. Then, leave a bunch of these masks around, and take several of those swords the Knives of Artemis use. After that, there's a second location where the Carnival of Shadows are scoping to set up some kind of event. Defeat all of them there and, you guessed it, leave some swords behind. Indigo should have the next part ready for you after that, so you'll need to meet with her.

Cracked masks

These white porcelain masks are the type normally worn by the members of the Carnival of Shadows. They've been cracked and broken in battle, and now possess none of their former powers.

Mission Objective(s)

The occasional sound of a weapon being cleaned or readied echoes through the caverns.

Defeat all Knives in caves

You defeated all of the Knives of Artemis in the caves, took several of their signature blades, and left the cracked masks behind.

Enemies

Artemis blades

These are the kind of blades normally used by the Knives of Artemis. You captured these blade in battle on Crimson's request.

Defeat all carnies in warehouse

Mission Objective(s)

This broken-down old warehouse seems like a strange place to hold any kind of function, but then, the Carnival of Shadows are strange people.

Defeat all carnies in warehouse

After defeating all members of the Carnival of Shadows on the scene, you left several Artemis blades around, as per Crimson's instructions.

Enemies

Carnival of Shadows

NPC Text:

Attendant: "Ah-hah-hah-ha!"
Mercenary: "Tell us why you attacked our sisters!"
Mercenary: "Stay out of this, Character!"

Meet with Indigo

Mission Objective(s)

Meet with Indigo

Briefing

The Knives of Artemis and the Carnival of Shadows have started fighting each other, thanks to your work. Those two groups don't have the friendliest relationship in the first place so it should take them a while to calm down and figure out that neither of them started this. That should give us enough time for you to accomplish the whole goal of this operation.
With the Knives distracted, this is the first, best, and probably only opportunity to get a dangerous little something out of their possession. It's a series of file, codes actually, long numerical codes. The Knives got hold of them while on an operation for Malta in the Balkans, and they got a bit lost in the shuffle. With things disorganized, they could be taken from the Knives' without them ever realizing what they really are. Of course, I can't tell you what they're codes for, or what they could be used to, but it's important that neither the Knives nor their employers in Malta realize that they ever even had them.
I know where the codes are kept. Get them, and you can ignore as much as you can of what's going on between the Carnival and the Knives.
Well, I suppose you could spend some time feeling very satisfied, but you should keep your mind on the goal.

Recover the codes

Mission Objective(s)

The women's screams you hear are not of terror, but of fury.

Recover the codes
- Find the codes

Enemies

Carnival of Shadows

Notable NPCs

Sister Asheena (Hand of Artemis)

NPC Text:

Mercenary: "We'll cut you freaks up!"
Iron Strongman: "Just 'cause I'm pretty doesn't mean I'm not dangerous!"
Mercenary: "So, Character, do you want some too?"

Harlequin Fencer: "This ends now."
Blade of Artemis: "We'll show you stuck-up pretentious harlots the meaning of pain!"
Illusionist: "Oooh, tempting."

Attendant: "You do not stand a chance"
Mercenary: "Maybe not, if you knew how to fight!"
Attendant: "This ends now."

Sister Asheena: "You can't be working for the carnies, Character. What are you here for? Tell me!"

Enigmatic Codes

These codes consist of pages upon pages of long numbers, printed by an old dot-matrix printer on paper bearing what looks like a watermark and letterhead in Russian. The seal on the letterhead is that of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Debriefing

I'll take those codes from you, Character. Thank you. Congratulations. You've just averted the biggest nuclear terrorist threat the world has ever seen. Those codes? Russian launch codes. Neither the Knives, nor Malta, nor even the Russians knew this copy survived, hidden in a vault for all of these years. Most of the Russian nukes have been decommissioned, now, but if these had worked on one in ten, well, let's just say that there would have been a lot more people applying at GIFT, or what was left of it. With the Knives and the Carnival fighting, it's unlikely that they'll miss one box of random numbers, meaning I can get it to the right people safely. So you see, it all went according to plan.

Extract the Circle of Thorns informant

Briefing

One of our informants needs help, Character. He's been discovered, and stands a good chance of being captured and killed by Malta Group agents. Normally you'd expect me to mention some crazy complication at this point, and you are correct in this assumption. You see, this particular informant is a member of the Circle of Thorns. Even so, he still needs protection from the Malta Group. Can I count on you to extract him?

The informant's name is Dyaomesk, and he's been very helpful in keeping tabs on certain Malta Group operation. The back story on this one gets a little strange. Indigo will give you some of it, she's the one who located and recruited him in the first place. Your first step will be to meet with her in person so she can brief you properly.

Meet with Indigo

Mission Objective(s)

Meet with Indigo

Briefing

I'm sure Crimson told you the bare basics and nothing more, Character, so I'll give you a bit more background. The informant is a member of the Circle of Thorns called Dyaomesk. He claims to be some kind of ancient sorcerer-ghost, but a lot of people claim to be a lot of things, and I've only ever seen him walking around in a body. Ghost or not, the danger he's in is real. After I discovered him, Dyaomesk and I worked out a little arrangement where he provides information to me, and in exchange I make sure our mutual 'friends' never find him. Unfortunately, it looks like they were able to locate him despite my efforts. Operatives have infiltrated Oranbega, the Circle's underground city, and are trying to catch Dyaomesk. I need you to get him out of harm's way.

Protect Dyaomesk

Mission Objective(s)

The oppressive weight of the ancient ruins of Oranbega is somehow thrown off-balance by the harsh smell of cordite and C4.

Protect Dyaomesk
- Find Dyaomesk

You arrived in Oranbega only to find that Dyaomesk had already escaped the Malta Group's agents.

Enemies

Notable NPCs

Heretic Green Epsilon (Malta Gunslinger)
Circle Mystic (Captive)

NPC Text

Before combat:

Random Malta Operative 1: "You know, I feel like I'm being watched down here."
Random Malta Operative 2: "This place is creepy enough without you saying that all the time."

Heretic Green Epsilon: "What do you mean we can't find him? Peel off the robes till we know we got him!"

Combat start:

Random Malta Operative 1: "Great. I prefer a stand-up fight!"

Heretic Green Epsilon: "So, Character, are you ready to die?"

Upon rescue:

Circle mystic: "I am not the one you seek, but I will tell you of him."

Dyaomesk has fled

The surviving Circle sorcerer you saved from the Malta Group attack in Oranbega told you:
'I am not the one called Dyaomesk, for he has fled this place in his foolish panic. He sought protection from these outsiders with other outsiders. This lack of faith in the power of the Circle betrays a traitorous cowardice, and in one we once trusted to work our will in the world above. He is shunned by us, and forbidden this place until the world of mankind has perished. He has chosen his protectors, and shall profit or perish by that choice.'
'You may go safely from our halls. I can see that you work with those Dyaomesk made his deals with, and we shall honor them.'

Ambush!

After exiting this mission, you be ambushed by Malta Operatives.

Meet with Indigo

Briefing

It looks like Dyaomesk saw the attack coming and had already escaped before you even got there. Dyaomesk has always been kind of skittish, I suspect that he didn't quite trust you. Now, he has no choice. It seems that the Knives of Artemis were doing the clean-up work for our 'friends', and they've got him cornered in an old section of a graveyard. This could the be last chance to get him out of danger. You've got to get him before the Knives of Artemis can.

Save Dyaomesk

Mission Objective(s)

Somehow, you're not surprised to find out a fleeing Circle Sorcerer would seek safety in a graveyard.

Save Dyaomesk
- Find Dyaomesk

You rescued Dyaomesk from the Knives of Artemis and the Malta Group.

Enemies