Soooo! That Uhu crook's going to get what he had coming. I shake him up a bit, and he spits out the money, no problem!
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...2-28_zaton.jpg
Now, time to order something from Nimble. I feel like a new gun. Nimble says he can get one for just 20000 rubels. Deal!
Now, let's visit the Mercs and drop of our food, they must get anxious. Though I can't really say I'm feeling sorry for them.
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...0-10_zaton.jpg
But once I've handed over the food, they seem to be more or less ok. They tell me to look around, but warn me to leave my weapon holstered. That's fair, although I don't feel quite comfortable around them.
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...1-22_zaton.jpg
I grab the tools, and get out of here.
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...1-41_zaton.jpg
By the way, as you seldom get the chance to see one up close, here's their emblem.
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...-40_zato-1.jpg
A short stop at the Circle anomaly, just be careful you two!
Another nice touch. Stalkers actually visit anomalies, and don't just wander around aimlessly.
Back at the Skadowsk, my new weapon is waiting for me!
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...5-44_zaton.jpg
Oh, yes! Jackpot! This weapon is love. Although I first made sure Nimble didn't just whack an actor from Starship Troopers over the head and take his gun. This baby even has a mounted grenade launcher!
Now, what should I do with it?
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...9-16_zaton.jpg
After applying the basic upgrades, I have a few choices. I can either: Increase it's Reliability by 15%, or the Flatness of the shots by 20%. I can also either increase the flatness by 20%, or the Rate of Fire by 15%, and either increase the Reliability by 15% or the accuracy by 20%. Reliability means that the weapon will be more resistant to wear, while all other stas should speak for themselves.
With the new weapon safely locked away until I decide which upgrades to get, I return to Jupiter. After all, I have a mission to do...ooooh! Artifacts!
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...47_jupiter.jpg
With the new scanners in place, I can always see where artifacts lie to be discovered, and even what kind of artifacts!
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...03_jupiter.jpg
These should fetch a nice price from Beard.
(And, boy, they do! If you find an artifact that he is currently looking for, you can easily make between 15000 and 25000 rubels.)
When I investigate the Concrete anomaly, my head starts hurting. Never a good sign. Then comes the high-pitched noise in my ears. Damn! Psychic activity... ohhh...
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...34_jupiter.jpg
And here's the source. Bastard controller. I'll have to put an end to that, quickly! All that messing with myhead starts to drive me crazy....
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...48_jupiter.jpg
But luckily, I prove more resilient than he. I'll never get used to this psychic stuff, never. How can you FIGHT something you can't see? I mean, radiation, yes. I can just take pills to get that out of my system, but these mind attacks... I just don't LIKE them, ok?
Seriously, Controller attacks are a bitch. They are not that dangerous once you've acquired enough protection, but the way he attacks is both annoying and scary. First you zoom on him, and he does some kind of psychic blast accompanied by the short image of a skull and you're back in your body, but facing skywards and holstering your weapon. Now, this is scary for me, I imagine it must be living hell for Major Degtyarev. Sadly, it's hard to get a picture.
But let's continue with the mission, it should clear my head.
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...53_jupiter.jpg
Onwards to Jupiter. The way I know my Zone, it's probably just another region of Hell, but it's my duty. I've sworn an oath. Doesn't mean I have to like it, though.
Come on, Degtyarev. Don't get soft!
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...27_jupiter.jpg
I've marked my objectives, but getting there isn't as easy as it looks, I know this much from previous explorations.
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...30_jupiter.jpg
Somebody has taken great care to make sure that I don't get to the building housing the elevator easily.
That's your stereotypcial Waist High Fence, right there. Couldn't they at least have made it a form of wall? Like, ready-made tiles, or at least a higher fence?
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...04_jupiter.jpg
Somehow, this area is always populated by mutant dogs. But they have a hard time even scratching me.
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...36_jupiter.jpg
Looks like somebody tried to get OUT, and now there's no way I'm getting IN. Damn!
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...13_jupiter.jpg
Back in the hallway. I have already investigated this area once, but not fully. At least I found some documents that told me of the existence of this elevator. But they also told me that there are orders to have the subterran way to Pripjat flooded with gas. I hope they didn't have the time to do this, or else my job has just gotten a lot worse.
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...09_jupiter.jpg
And just to prove that even the Zone has a sense for the dramatical, an emission starts! At least I won't ahve to search for cover.
Welcome, by the way, to Hell's workshops:
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...24_jupiter.jpg
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...51_jupiter.jpg
As soon as the hall can be entered again, I investigate further. Two dogs try to stop me, but fail.
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...17_jupiter.jpg
A letter... let's see. Apparently, research object 62 is to be transported to Department 1 (this Department 1 came up in many letters and documents I've found so far, something's going on there, hard!), but it can only be transported via the tunnels. So this Department 1 will likely be found in Pripjat. Oh great. I bet it's another scientific hellhole.
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...44_jupiter.jpg
Finally, here's the last of the Stingrays. This one, too, has been blasted by an unknown force, but the anomaly warning system is still intact... strange. I'll have to investigate what has caused such damage to the two helicopters. And I bet I'll find the answer in Pripjat!
It's getting to dark, I'll switch to night vision.
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...13_jupiter.jpg
Another abandoned workshop.
And here's the elevator at last, somewhere around here.
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...46_jupiter.jpg
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...32_jupiter.jpg
I find a document detailing what exactly happened here:
They sealed the elevator doors, blocked the train gates, welded them shut, and, yes, sealed the whole tunnel air tight and filled it with poisonous gas! This is just GREAT! Now I'll have to find someone to get to work on the emergency generators to open the elevator doors that lead down to the tunnels. I'll best speak to a technician abpout this. Let's get out of here.
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...27_jupiter.jpg
Oh, and now I get it. I was searching for some kind of personal elevator, but THIS is the elevator. In hindsight, I should probably have expected this. I feel stupid. But I bet that's making matters even more complicated, after all, this gaint should be harder to repair than one of those cabin things, I guess?
Back outside in the rain again, only one thing remains, and that's getting the final info on the tunnels.
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...48_jupiter.jpg
Located in here. Now I have everything I need to talk to someone with more knowledge of technical things. But first, undead.
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...37_jupiter.jpg
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...57_jupiter.jpg
Herrmann doesn't really seem interested in this whole elevator thing, but I get to tell him about the strange anomaly back at the coolant plant. Though he says my recounting was "unscientific" (why doesn't HE go out next time, hm?) he names the anomaly "Space Bubble". So this is how it works.
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...45_jupiter.jpg
Nitro knows more, at last.
http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/y...22_jupiter.jpg
I have to assemble a team to get to Pripjat, because going alone would be suicide. He's right about that, I guess, though I prefer to work alone. I should talk to Zulu about that, Nitro says.
When I have gathered my team, I will have to equip them all with suits with closed-circuit breathing systems. Gas-filled tunnels and all that. So, we have a mission!