Hm. Explaining the Menagerie's backing is...
Okay, lemme get into how I look at the Sabers' purpose. They are not intended as a tool of violent retribution, nor really as a curb on Genom's worst excesses.
What they are meant to be, to look like in the public eye, is symbols. Folk heroes. They're meant to seem the plucky robin hoods, fighting the good fight against the faceless corporate evil of Genom.
In short, they're a propoganda tool, and no less effective at that for having to work through word of mouth.
The mercenary jobs are merely intended to provide working capital - no more, no less. I think it's quite likely that the combat arm of the Sabers operation actually earns a moderate but noteworthy profit.
The research and production operation that supports them, however, is somewhat less successful. It's simply too expensive to be covered out of the merc contracts - which is where Sylia and, now, the Chang Group come in. The expanded number of teams - the Menagerie is far from the only new group - are intended to increase revenue by increasing volume and allow more agressive research for smaller out-of-pocket costs.
Yes, this is, indeed, my attempt at a somewhat more plausible version of the RPG's 'Bubblegum Crossfire' conceit.
As for why Sylia trusts Owl... well, I imagine that most of the hardsuits' parts are actually off-the-shelf, while the rest of them are 'handmade' by Sylia in her basement. Owl's firm supplies certain of the more exotic sorts of 'off the shelf' bits for the entire Saber organisation... including their railgun components. ^_^
So, yeah, I'm afraid you're going to have to live with the new type. ^_^
Ja, -n
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"Puripuri puripuri... Bang!"
Okay, lemme get into how I look at the Sabers' purpose. They are not intended as a tool of violent retribution, nor really as a curb on Genom's worst excesses.
What they are meant to be, to look like in the public eye, is symbols. Folk heroes. They're meant to seem the plucky robin hoods, fighting the good fight against the faceless corporate evil of Genom.
In short, they're a propoganda tool, and no less effective at that for having to work through word of mouth.
The mercenary jobs are merely intended to provide working capital - no more, no less. I think it's quite likely that the combat arm of the Sabers operation actually earns a moderate but noteworthy profit.
The research and production operation that supports them, however, is somewhat less successful. It's simply too expensive to be covered out of the merc contracts - which is where Sylia and, now, the Chang Group come in. The expanded number of teams - the Menagerie is far from the only new group - are intended to increase revenue by increasing volume and allow more agressive research for smaller out-of-pocket costs.
Yes, this is, indeed, my attempt at a somewhat more plausible version of the RPG's 'Bubblegum Crossfire' conceit.
As for why Sylia trusts Owl... well, I imagine that most of the hardsuits' parts are actually off-the-shelf, while the rest of them are 'handmade' by Sylia in her basement. Owl's firm supplies certain of the more exotic sorts of 'off the shelf' bits for the entire Saber organisation... including their railgun components. ^_^
Quote:My evaluation is that the Chang Conglomerate is an entirely legitimate transnational megacorporation, as close to a rival as the Genom titan really has... it just, happens to be controlled by a Triad, is all. I figure the centers of their power - their 'company towns', their Megatokyos - as being either Hong Kong, Taiwan, or California. Ironically, the nature of its hidden owners tends to make it more moral and trustworthy, rather than less.
Nope, the Chang Clan has a sponsored team up North, most of them with military background, and with names taken from the Chinese Zodiac.
Quote:My memory of her Ep8 suit puts the beam guns not so much on her palms as the heel of the hands - just below the axis of the forearm, which would be a position that'd still work for the railguns... And, as for the blades, while I won't argue your asthetics, there are practical advantages to the slide-out model - most notably that it takes much less space - and the mechanical strength is only marginally different.
Subbing in railguns for the lasers would mean getting rid of the 'palmcannon' setup, right?
So, yeah, I'm afraid you're going to have to live with the new type. ^_^
Quote:A converted news'chopper'. Unarmed, but utterly unremarkable in the skies above a 2035 city.
What do they have for tranportation, anyway?
Ja, -n
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"Puripuri puripuri... Bang!"