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Level 1
The Lone Commander: Wasn’t expecting a porter of all people to drop by. Most folks would have had buckley’s chance of making it out this far… Betting it was the Government that sent you my way – they’ve got an eye for talent. Can’t help but feel grateful when you get a delivery this well cared for. Where on earth did you find this? I was sure it was gone for good. Thanks, mate. I appreciate what you’ve done for me – really. But I’m afraid I can’t agree to becoming a part of this chiral network of yours. To be frank, I don’t trust you Drawbridge people yet. There’s also no end to the dangers in these parts… and if you haven’t got what it takes to face ‘em, you’ll die like all the rest. Complete my latest order, though, and I might be persuaded to reconsider. If it strikes you as an unreasonable request, you may as well go home now. There’s no shame in recognizing when you’re out of your depth. You gotta know what you can and can’t handle if you wanna survive out here. All of which is to say you shouldn’t go off half-cocked and throw your life away. We clear?
The Lone Commander: Have a go at that! You actually managed to bring it back, did you? I’m genuinely surprised. Let me get a closer look at it. Must’ve been some hard yakka, getting it here looking like this. You are no average porter, mate. That much is crystal clear. I suppose I ought to hold up my end of the bargain. Get out your Q-pid and finish the job.
The Lone Commander: So this is what it’s like being all hooked up and wired in. At any rate, looks like the schematics for my trusty shooter and darling little smoke grenades are in your hands now. The former’s a custom design of mine – uses tranquillizer darts. Makes a hell of a bang when fired, though, so keep that in mind. It’s just a shame our paths couldn’t have crossed sooner. Maybe this world of ours wouldn’t have been so divided – and maybe my mates wouldn’t have had to die.
Sam: Your trusty shooter?
The Lone Commander: My sniper rifle. It’s configured to fire tranquilizing rounds. An ideal choice for those who prefer to get the job done without undue bloodshed. Bit of advice though: make sure you engage your enemies at a healthy distance. It’s not a silenced weapon, so fire too close and they’ll be all over you before you have time to react. And don’t think about taking a shot until you’ve planned your next move. Any sniper worth their salt stays mobile, constantly securing new vantage points to evade detection. Oh, and always remember to account for bullet drop when shooting at extreme ranges. In a nutshell, you might need to aim at a point a notch or two above your target, depending on the distance. And finally, you want to hold your breath to steady your aim before gently pulling the trigger. Having left that life behind, I’ve no need for guns any longer – but that doesn’t mean they can’t be of use to you.
Sam: Smoke grenades, huh…
The Lone Commander: Hey now… Don’t knock ‘em till you’ve tried ‘em, alright? Granted, you can’t neutralize an enemy with one. But they are effective at blinding them and giving you cover – far more than you probably realize. And even if they do open fire, you’ll find that their chances of actually hitting you are slim to none… which means that even if you’ve alerted them with one of your own shots, you’ll have no trouble disengaging and repositioning. Properly utilized, they’re a great tool for disrupting enemy attacks and buying you room to regroup. Furthermore, if you happen to have a sensor or something similar on hand, you can use it to track enemies through the smoke… making things pretty one-sided – it’s like shooting fish in a barrel. Or, if you’re the kind of bloke who’d rather get up close and personal, you can chuck one at their feet – waltz right up to ‘em unseen. Turn a fire fight into a fist fight. I assure you, once you’ve learned how to use these little beauties to their full potential, you’ll have a heap of new tactics at your disposal. Experiment, see for yourself.
Sam: What happened to your mates?
The Lone Commander: It may sound like a bit of a yarn, but my friends and I supported the Government’s plans to rebuild Australia. To defend ourselves against those who had other ideas, we had no choice but to take up arms. It ended up costing most of us our lives. All because of me – “the commander.” You’ve seen what became of them. My mates are the watchers scattered all over this hill. Mixed in with all the enemies we slaughtered. And for what? Deep down we were all the same. Blokes who called this land our home. Was it worth all the struggle, all the bloodshed? For the world we shared to be reduced to this? So, I left the military behind. Decided I had to go it alone. I had to figure things out – were we all just doomed to die and become watchers? Was that the only way for us to come together? Fuck that – there was another way. Before it all went to hell, we should’ve tried to find common ground. And now, with your chiral network, that might finally be feasible… Working with the Government, too, maybe. For all that and more, I hope you don’t let me down.
Sam: See you.
The Lone Commander: Righto, Sam. I know you’ve got places to be, but an order just came in that caught my eye. Seems our friends over at the Government’s shelter might be in a bit of strife. If you’re willing to look into it, you can review the details by checking the sub orders on the delivery terminal here. Might be a good occasion to fabricate a sniper rifle with the data I just shared, if you take my meaning. Anyway, think it over, would ya?
Level 2
The Lone Commander: Thanks for coming all this way. Sit tight while I check the orders… Would you look at all this! Thank you so much. Where on earth did you find this? I was sure it was gone for good. Thanks, mate. It’s only right I reward the hard yakka you’ve put in. Take this data with my compliments. I’m going to increase your material allocation, just so you know. Take whatever you need, mate. I’ve succeeded in refining the design of my old sniper rifle. Made it lighter. Packs more easily when carried as cargo, too, which ought to make it more viable as a piece of kit. It’s still as loud as ever, though – would’ve had to reduce its effective range otherwise, and we can’t have that. So don’t go thinking folks won’t notice the racket. Then again, seeing as you’ve come this far, I expect you’re a skilled enough shooter that it won’t pose a problem. So use it to your heart’s content. And come back again soon.
Level 3
The Lone Commander: Out burning the midnight oil, are you? That’s some work ethic. Let me just review the orders… Of all the things I never expected to receive! You bloody ripper! Bloke like you should be able to make good use of this data. Take a look. How are you doing for materials? ‘Cause I’m upping the amount you can use for fabrication. My way of saying thanks. I’ve shared a schematic for a new weapon with you – a silenced handgun. It’s chambered for tranquilizer rounds. Pop someone in the noggin and they’ll drop like a rock. Effect’s the same if you hit them anywhere else, actually. Just takes longer to kick in. This little fella can be very useful for when you want to remain unnoticed while sneaking through enemy territory. Matter of fact, I once secured an entire enemy outpost with one of these. So bear in mind it’s got that kind of potential. Hope it serves you well in the field.
Level 4
The Lone Commander: Thanks for coming all this way. Sit tight while I check the order. Where on earth did you find this? I was sure it was gone for good. Thanks, mate. It’s only right I reward the hard yakka you’ve put in. Take this data with my compliments. I’m going to increase your material allocation, just so you know. Take whatever you need, mate. I’ve succeeded in refining the design of my old sniper rifle. Made it lighter. Packs more easily when carried as cargo, too, which ought to make it more viable as a piece of kit. It’s still as loud as ever, though—would’ve had to reduce its effective range otherwise, and we can’t have that. So don’t go thinking folks won’t notice the racket. Then again, seeing as you’ve come this far, I expect you’re a skilled enough shooter that it won’t pose a problem. So use it to your heart’s content. And come back again soon.
Level 5
The Lone Commander: It’s good to see you, Sam. Give me a moment to review the orders in the system. Would you look at all this! Thank you so much. Where on earth did you find this? I was sure it was gone for good. Thanks, mate. You’ve gone out of your way for us time and again… Consider this an expression of my gratitude. Take it. I’m going to increase your material allocation, just so you know. Take whatever you need, mate. Can’t tell you how grateful I am for your visits. Coming out time and again just for me. I thought I’d grown accustomed to living on my own—and all of a sudden I’ve found myself looking forward to your next delivery. You’re a man of many talents, and I daresay you’ve already achieved more than I ever did. I look forward to seeing what great things you’ll accomplish in the future. And if you ever happen to be passing through, feel free to stop here and rest your weary bones for a spell. You’ll always be welcome, Sam. I mean it.