Automatic Villainy

Explore some alternate dimensions

I pulled in some favours, and we're givin' ya another go. I think I got the hang of 'ow this portal thingie works, right, and it's time to test it out for real, with those coordinates you got from the Nemesis Army. 'Cause, that means the Nemesis Army's probably gonna be there, too, but there's too much at stake. So we need someone who's been out there before, who can 'andle it. An' that's you. Are ya in?

It'll be rough. Ya might want to bring some friends.

I'm really glad ta be workin' with ya again. Alright, the first one up should be a lot of fun. We've got some strange readings from a nearby alternate world. Accordin' to tha Nemesis Army, it's in danger of fallin ta tha Devourin' Earth, and the 'eroes are ryin' ta 'elp stop that from 'appenin'. We want ya ta catch one of tha 'ero commanders and find out just 'ow much is goin' on. Tha commander's one a' their Ballista fellas. They're tough, real power 'ouses. Ya might want ta bring some more people.

Gravity feels a little lighter here. Not too much, though.

Objective: You defeated the Longbow Commander.

Longbow Ballista [Elite Boss] The Ballista are Longbow's heaviest hitters. These tankers are tough enough to withstand direct hits from rocket launchers, and can dish out enough damage to take out the toughest brute Arachnos can throw at them.

Mission Complete: You captured the Longbow Commander, with a bit of help from the Nemesis Army?

We were monitorin' tha whole thing. What 'appened with tha Nemesis Army? They were all chummy with ya for some reason. That can't be good. Still, ya got tha intel, so that's what really matters. I'll pass it along.

Impersonate yourself and steal from the Nemesis Army

Remember 'ow tha Nemesis Army was all nice to ya the last time you went out? Well, I got a theory that might explain it. See, these other dimensions are often analogous to our own, right? So, what if in that dimension, there was a version a' you who hired on with the Nemesis Army? It would explain it, wouldn't it? An' it would give us a golden opportunity. So, here's the plan: I want you to impersonate this other you again, an' this time steal some intel right out from under tha Nemesis Army.

We'll be sendin' ya back to tha same world. The Longbow files ya got 'ave pointed us to a Nemesis Army supply depot they were wbout to attack. Just play along with any Nemesis Army types an' try to find some info before tha' 'eeroes make off with it.

The breeze through the treesw carries the scent of gun oil and the stench of the Devouring Earth.

Objective: You found something.

Nemesis Army Deployment

These encoded files contain deployment plans for the Nemesis Army in this alternate dimension and several others nearby. Once it's decoded, it will prove critical.

Objective: You found nothing but ammunition, dried food, and uniforms.

Mission Complete: You stole information right out from under the Nemesis Army!

I can't believe it. Ye've caught Nemesis in 'is own schemes! This is brilliant. Absolutely brilliant! I'll show this ta tha 'igher ups. I just know they're gonna want to try it at least one more time.

Steal information from the Nemesis Army

We got another target. Seems tha Nemesis Army just lost a base to Longbow and are trying to re-take it. In all the confsion, you could find some more important information. See, we think that tha Nemesis Army's been recruitin' people from parallel worlds ta swell their ranks, and it we could find out where, we could cut off the supply. So, are ya ready ta steal a bit more info from under Nemesis' big brass nose?

Tha Nemesis Army's supposed ta' be workin' on a new type a' robot. Tha next evolution a' Nemesis imposter automatons, an' all that. So, we want ya ta' get all that ya can find on it. Lead tha Nemesis troops on about bein' on their side, an' take out tha Longbow Commander just to be sure he can't report tha same information back to tha 'eeroes.

Naylor's team is getting better at controlling their portal. You appeared perfectly in the elevator.

Objective: You found something disturbing in the files.

An after action report

This after action report details the Nemesis Army's successful capture of a villain. The report lists assets, personel, and equipment utilized and lost. It also has several commentaries from Nemesis Army personel on the scene. As you're paging through them, you realize that the preparations they made and the containment facility they prepared for the target, all of it meant to handle powes just like yours. Then you see the photographic record of the capture. It's you. All of them, all the surveilance pictures, it's all you. Not an alternate you, not you from another world. You remember the seconds of time caught in the first few photos. But that can't be right, because the next set of photos show the Nemesis Army capturing you in a fierce battle. A battle you don't remember. And the report talks as if they'd already successfully captured you. The final pages talk about how the 'Duplicate's programming was still incomplete, but that the opportunity was just too good to pass up.' A final picture shows Nemesis Army soldiers activating a Nemesis Automaton with your exact features.

Objective: The Longbow Commander told you what he learned. It wasn't good.

'You're just faker than the rest'

The Longbow commander had some strange things to say after you defeated him:

'Have you found it? We did, but we couldn't get the warning out in time to our own people. We known how to fight Nemesis Automatons.'

'Heh'

'It's funny, isn't it? Well, maybe not to you, but it is to me. The way I see it, all of you villain scum are just a pack of fakes anyway. You go around like schoolyard bullies and never deal with any real responsibility. Trying to conquer or blow up the world because it doesn't fit you, or you've had some hard knocks. Pathetic.'

'Well, you're all fakes. And now you, you're just faker than the rest.'

Objective: You found some disturbing blueprints.

Imposter Automaton Blueprints

These are the blueprints for an incredibly complicated machine, a Nemesis Automaton capable of passing as a super-powered individual. The technology used to disguise it is incredible, and there are pages of sub-plans linked just to replicating the target's powers. Then you realize that the powers they're talking about replicating mechanicallly are the same as your own. Looking back at the rest of the machine again, you can see it: It's dimensions, it's features, the notes on personality quirks and associations, it's all about you. These are plans for a duplicate of you.

Most chilling of all are some notes at the end. They talk about how they had to move up the time-table. About how they had to deploy it before final programming was complete. About how the duplicate will think it's the target, and will even violently deny it's true nature to the point of making itself hallucinate if it has to. And about how the duplicate's deployment has already been successfully implemented.

Objective: You found some disturbing records from a Nemesis Automaton.

Telemetry Data

The information on this computer is some ort of telemetry data from a Nemesis Army automaton. There are records of it's actions and interactions over the course of several interdimensional trips. Then you realize that the adventures and exploits recorded here don't just parrallel your own journeys, they match them exactly. Everything you've said, every enemy you fought, it's all right here. It's as if something recorded every minute of your life for some time, and then had a Nemesis Automaton report it.

Longbow Commander [Elite Boss] The Ballista are Longbow's heaviest hitters. These tankers are tough enough to withstand direct hits from rocket launchers, and can dish out enough damage to take out the toughest brute Arachnos can throw at them.

Mission Complete: You got the Intel you were looking for.

This can't be true. No, this has got to be impossible. I mean, 'ow could it be true? 'Ow could you be a Nemesis robot?

Now, I know what it looks like: The schematics of you, the report a' your capture, even tha telemetry. But it just can't be. I know ya. I've worked with ya. An' I know ya ain't some Nemesis machine. Right?

Right?

Catch Captain Deckard and get the truth from him

I know what all tha' evidence says, Dread Tomax, but I know it can't be right. Ya can't be some kinda Nemesis replicant. So, I been studyin'. I've 'eard about 'ow Nemesis like ta mess with people's 'eads, an' I think what's whot this is. Now, I cross-checked tha 'capture report' ya found with tha deployment orders ya got before, an' 'ere's whot I found: One of tha men the report said was commandin' one a' tha teams that was supposed to 'ave captured ya is out on 'is own explorin' a dead world. 'Is name's Captain Deckard, an if ya catch 'im, and he can tell ya what's really goin' on.

This time, tha Nemesis Army ain't likely ta welcome ya. Tha good news is, all ya got to do is find Captain Deckard and get tha info ya need from him.

This abandoned world is cold and lifeless. It's a wonder even the Nemesis Army bothered exploring it.

Objective: You forced Captain Deckard to talk, but he said nothing that would assure you.

Deckard's words

Captain Rick Deckard was more than willing to talk when you caught up with him:

'Easy, easy! No need for all that. Look, I know you don't want to believe any of this, but I swear it's all true. You shouldn't be fighting us, you're one of us. I know, I was there. It wasn't easy, believe me. Everyone said that you weren't ready, but the original was in too good a position, we had to do it. What you need is, you need to see it. They kept the original, you see. Since you weren't quite done, they needed to so that could tune your impersonation. So I'll tell you where to go. Once you see the real you languishing in our prison, you'll know the truth, and you should reboot.'

'You won't have anything to worry about after that.'

Mission Complete: You got Deckard, but you only found more questions.

I know this looks worse an' worse, but ya can't give up. Ya gotta find out that truth. I'll 'elp ya as far as I can.

Find the Truth

The Nemesis Army calims that you're just a copy. They say that they 'ave tha real you, an' are keepng that original alive. I don't beleive it, not a word. But there's others who might. An' some of 'em might start ta wonder soon. So ya gotta do this. Ya gotta find out whot tha Nemesis Army is really up ta. Marco gave up the coordinates easy. Now comes tha 'ard part. Ya gotta go, an' I can't 'elp ya but ta get ya there.

The truth is goin' ta be in there somewhere. I've helped ya as much as I can, but ya gotta find it on your own, now. When it's all done, talk ta me.

The truth is in here somewhere. You just have to find it, no matter what.

Objective: You found a dissasembled automaton that looks like you.

An unassembled Imposter

The contents of this crate appear morbid at first, but you quickly realize that the parts within are not those from any living body. No, the perfectly machined and exquisitely camoflaged pieces were designed to be assembled into a perfect replica of you. You take a moment to examine the perfect face-plate of the machine before tossing it back. If they catch you, this thing will walk the streets in your place.

Objective: You found falsified records on this computer.

Faked Evidence

Nemesis' computer technology is wholly unique, but you've seen enough of it by now so that you can navigate it. This machine is linked to one where Nemesis Army disinformation specialists had been hard at work creating fake evidence to hide your planned kidnapping. Older files document the careful work they did to falsify your capture and even fake telemetry from your supposedly robotic self. Lies, all of them, but expertly done.

Objective: This wasn't the real Nemesis, only an empty robotic copy!

A duplicate of Nemesis?

What first looked like the real Prussian Prince of Automatons proved to just be a hollow shell driven by gears. You'd heard rumours that Nemesis had built robotic duplicates of himself to help out his soldiers, but this is something else.

Mission Complete: You discovered the real plot, and freed the real Grant Naylor.

You're real, aren't ya?

You were surprised to see Technician Naylor here, but even more surprised by what he had to say:

'You're real, ain't ya? Not another machine? No, yer tha real you. An' I'm tha real me. They've 'ad me 'ere for I don't know 'ow long. Until that robot copy they made a' me was near perfect. That was tha plan, see? They already grabbed me, an' then they was gonna lure ya in here an' make another switch. Then they'd 'ave the both of us, an' no one ta contradict what 'appened!'

'Nemesis knows that Arachnos is watchin' ya. They want ta know why, an' figured this was their best chance.'

I'm livid! I'm not just gonna blow me stack, I'm gonna lose it completely! They 'ad me there 'an replaced me with one a them machines! Well, tha thing ran! Right through tha portal. Probably 'ad it's pick-up spot all ready set in it's tiny robotic mind. An' it's 'ad plenty a' time to learn everythin'! We gotta stop it before they can get it back!

Oh, and don't get me started on 'ow nobody knew the difference!

Destroy the Nemesis Army duplicate of Grant Naylor

I figured out where that robot imposter a' me went. It's back on that one abandoned world where ya caught Marco. Ya gotta stop it before they can pick it up, or else it'll spill everythin' it learned. All about Arachnos, an all about you, too, so don't think ya don't have a stake in this.

Destroy that duplicate, an' make sure ya get whatever team's around it too. Can't take any chances.

That wraps up that. Nemesis ain't like ta try that again, but it was a close thing.

An' worst of all, Arachnos ain't even gonna pay me back tha money a' mine that machine spent. I never 'ave any luck.