Shop Talk

## Dialogue

*"Fancy meeting you here, Cross."*
*"How I wish we could have a pleasant conversation over a nice cup of tea for once."*
*"But unfortunately, I need to attend a new weapons test after this."*
*"It's not enough to simply check up on the Outfitters—I also need to keep up with our arms manufacturers."*
*"Speaking of which, what's your weapon of choice? Do you prefer to fight from afar with ranged weapons, or up close with melee weapons?"*
**Ranged Weapons:** "Say you prefer the enemy not see you coming."
*"Hmm. A contemporary choice."*
*"I imagine a preference for ranged combat would quickly become ingrained in anyone trying to survive on this planet."*
*"One would be nearly helpless against the flying indigens here without some sort of projectile weapon."*
*"Nor would it make much sense to face a flightless indigen head-on when there are safer options."*
*"Your choice is a prudent one."*
**Melee Weapons:** "Say you prefer getting up close and personal."
*"Is that right? I hadn't realized you were a (man/woman) of such rarefied tastes."*
*"In the right hands, a melee weapon can be more reliable than any firearm."*
*"And no weapon more so than the sword."*
*"I once knew a man whose sword techniques were beyond compare. I wish he was here so you could meet him."*
*"I'm sure his skill would make you even more enamored with the sword."*
*"\*ahem\* Well, that's enough shop talk for now. The test is about to begin."*
*"Since you've come this far, is there anything you'd like me to request from the AMs? Don't hold back."*
**More Variety:** "Explain that you'd like a wider range of weapons."
*"So you'd like to be able to choose from a wider array of weaponry, eh?"*
*"I'm sure you can imagine what a challenge it is to develop new armaments."*
*"I will convey your message, although I doubt they can accomplish that goal without the cooperation of BLADE operatives such as yourself."*
**Better Prices:** "Say that you'd like weapons to be more affordable."
*"There's no doubt that lowering prices would put higher quality gear into the hands of more BLADEs."*
*"I'll be sure to ask them to do what they can to make their wares more affordable."*
*"But keep in mind these are not mere merchants—they also need funds to R&D new equipment."*
*"Since future weapons-development costs are funded by the sales of current weapons, they may not be able to accommodate your request so easily."*
*"Still, I'll see what I can do. Just don't hold it against them if the prices fail to drop."*
**Custom Gear:** "Express your desire for custom equipment."
*"Well. It seems you've a real mind for weapons.I'm sure the technicians would be delighted to accommodate you, though I doubt the bean counters would be nearly so pleased."*
*"After all, they've been focusing their efforts on bringing high-quality weapons to as many BLADE operatives as possible."*
*"Custom equipment would be impossible to mass-produce, and could also be prohibitively expensive."*
*"But such a request might be more feasible once we've finished building New LA and have become more accustomed to life here on Mira."*
*"Regardless, I'll make the request. Feel free to start holding your breath in anticipation!"*