Laura Lockhart

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Overview

Laura Lockhart
UNSF Deprogramming Specialist
Zone	Steel Canyon
Coordinates	(-3743.6, -84.0, -522.2)
Level Range	20-24
Introduced By	Walk up and Shake Hands
Introduces	None.
Enemy Groups	5th Column
Badges	Steel Savior War Hero

Laura Lockhart is a hero contact in the Blyde Square neighborhood of Steel Canyon at coordinates (-3743.6, -84.0, -522.2). Her level range is 20-24. She is standing about 200 yards east of the Blyde Square marker.

Introductions

Contact Introduced By

None, walk up and shake hands.

Contact Introduces

None

Information

UNSF Deprogramming Specialist

Petty Officer Laura Lockhart has gained a reputation for being the top anti-5th Column resource the U.N. has at its disposal. She has spent most of her time deployed in Paragon City, where the Column's influence is the greatest. Known as one of the few people that have managed to break former recruits of the Column's indoctrination process, Laura has pioneered new interrogation methods that are now used the world over.

Initial Contact

The young woman seems a bit startled at your approach, but composes herself in time to greet you.

Hi there! Thanks for responding so quickly. I keep forgetting how fast you Hero-types are. Petty Officer Laura Lockhart, UNSF Social Psychology Division. It's a pleasure to meet you, Character.

Laura extends a hand towards you.

• [Shake hands] Likewise. What's this all about?

5th Column activity in Paragon City has flared up lately, especially in this district. Something's got them riled up pretty bad, and they've been going to town on all of the local Council regiments. I'm here to try and find out what's causing the surge, and see if I can put a stop to it.

That's where you come in. I need someone out in the field that can handle themselves in enemy territory. Naturally, recruiting one of the local heroes seemed to be the best option.

Laura leans in towards you, grinning mischievously.

So, what do you think? You wanna sign up and take down some fascists?

• Absolutely.

Alright then!

Putting on a mock-serious face, Laura snaps to attention and salutes you.

Petty Officer Laura Lockhart, reporting for duty, sir!

• Sir? Excuse me?

Just showing my superior officer the proper respect!

I've got direct orders from Colonel Taggard. Any FBSA-licensed Hero that signs on is hereby assigned the temporary rank of Sergeant, for the duration of this mission. I'm here to advise and provide support, but your butt's the one in the fire, here. This is your operation.

Laura pauses for a moment, grinning.

...Sir.

• Right. Let's get to work then.

• Wait, what? Why should I care if the Council is getting attacked?

Laura frowns at you.

Look, even setting aside the fact that the 5th Column are a violently anti-government fringe organization with military firepower operating inside U.S. borders, the fact is that their surge against the Council is causing some serious collateral damage. You can't start a war in the middle of a business district and avoid civilian casualties - not that the Column is trying. As far as they're concerned, innocent bystanders are just bonus points.

Laura stares at you, hard.

If you want to let people like that run amok in your city, then I guess that's all we have to say to each other. I'm hoping that you care a little bit more than that.

• Point taken. Where do we start?

Well, we start by issuing you your temporary rank. Colonel Taggard has ordered that all FSBA-licensed heroes are assigned the temporary rank of Sergeant for as long as they're working with us. He doesn't want there to be any... jurisdictional conflicts between the UNSF and local forces. Now, I could start calling you Sergeant Character, but I think for both our sakes it would make more sense for me to keep things informal.

During this operation, I'll be here to direct and support your efforts against the 5th Column, but you'll be calling the final shots. You've been working in this city for longer than I have, so I'm sure you've got the chops for it.

Laura eyes you skeptically.

You ready to get started?

• Let's get to work.

• Hmph. So why, exactly, are U.N. troops stationed in Paragon?

Laura's smile falters for a moment, but she forces it back into place. She lets her hand drop to her side.

Don't know if you know this, pal, but the 5th Column is considered an international terrorist organization. Anywhere the Column rears its head, the U.N. is going to have an interest - and there's no place in the world that's got as much Column in it as Paragon City. I might add that both the PPD and the FBSA have been fairly appreciative of our support.

But I didn't call you here to talk international politics. I want to talk action. Fact is, the 5th Column in this district has been mobilizing, and they've been taking out Council bases left and right. Now I've been tasked with finding out the cause of this recent surge, and I intend to put a stop to it if I can. I'm going to need some help in that, and I thought you might be the right person for that job. Was I wrong?

• Wrong? No. If you're here to stop the Council, I'm in.

Alright then!

Putting on a mock-serious face, Laura snaps to attention and salutes you.

Petty Officer Laura Lockhart, reporting for duty, sir!

• If they're after the Council, I say let them fight it out.

+++ Missing Information +++

Greetings

Ready for the next operation, Character?

No More Missions

WARNING! Spoiler alert! Do not open until Christmas (or at least until you've played the entire arc) !!!

You don't get a response when you signal Laura's frequency. It's unlikely that you ever will again.

Store

+++ Missing Information +++

Story Arc

Collateral Damage

Souvenir

+++ Missing Information +++

Part One: Net Victory

Briefing

Alright. The first thing we need to do is to try to get a bead on what, exactly, is causing the 5th Column to become so active in this region.

My intel team has been tracking their comm traffic, but it's encrypted. We can't figure out what they're saying, but we CAN figure out who's talking to whom - and we've located a hub of recent activity.

If we can get our hands on their encryption codes, we might be able to get the inside info we need.

I'm guessing that's where I come in.

Well, sort of. I've already made the recommendation to another local hero recruit, goes by the name Leon. He's got an infiltration mission underway.

I think he can handle himself in there, but that's only based off his record.

In the interest of being safe, and of coordinating your efforts, I thought you might want to provide some backup.

Unnecessary Solicitation

It looks like Leon is still in the field. He could probably use your assistance.

Mission Objective(s)

You encountered the bodies of 5th Column guards outside the entrance to the base. It appears Leon doesn't believe in taking prisoners.

• Infiltrate the 5th Column Base
  • Find Leon

• Escape the base with Leon.
  

You managed to exit the 5th Column base relatively unscathed.

Enemies

5th Column

Laura and Leon Dialogue

Upon Entry Laura Lockhart: Tiger 1, this is Zookeeper. Repeat, this is Zookeeper, come in Tiger 1.
Leon: Zookeeper, this is... ugh, I'm not playing this game anymore. What do you want, Lockhart?
Laura Lockhart: Aww, don't be like that. I'm just calling in to let you know I'm sending you some backup.
Leon: No need for backup. I've just about got this in hand...
Laura Lockhart: It's already been sent, compadre. I'm sure the two of you can mop things up nicely.

Further in

[Leon] That's a NEGATIVE, Lockhart. I've got this mission under control.
[Leon] Extra hands will only complicate things. I'll report in as soon as I'm finished here.
[Laura Lockhart] Glad to hear you're confident, Tiger 1, but Tiger 2 is already on the scene.
[Laura Lockhart] You two have the same goal, so try hard not to fight.

Further in

[Leon] Laura, I'm telling you, the LAST thing I need right now is some novice tagging alo-
[Leon] Hold on. I'm reading nearby activity...

Leon Dialogue

Oh, it's the 'backup'. Fantastic.

Leon glares at you irritably

As I'm sure you've overheard, I have this situation under control. I've taken out their commander, and most of the base's defenses. I doubt the remaining troops will put up much resistance.

Leon sighs.

But, I suppose having someone to watch my back isn't so bad. I'm Leon. What do I call you?

Character is fine.

Right. Well, Character, there's not much more for us here. The facility itself has been crippled, but they managed to completely wipe their database before I could stop them.

At this point, I don't think we're going to get any valuable info from this place. I recommend we with draw and search elsewhere.

We could bring their Commander in for interrogation...

He's not in any shape to be answering questions, Character, and neither are his troops. If you catch my meaning.

Leon's face goes hard, and he gestures to the motionless body of the nearby commander.

Yes, I see. That's... unfortunate.

you hear muffled shouting from the direction you came. It sounds like the column is getting reinforcements of their own.

I think it's time we let ourselves out.

or

Oh, don't worry about me. I'm just some lowly *novice*, hardly worth your attention.

Leon scowls at you.

No need to get your tights in a bind, pal. I told Lockhart that I have the situation under control, and I do. As you can plainly see.

Leon gestures to the motionless body of the nearby commander.

And I suppose you have the data we need as well?

That data was wiped long before I got here. I know what I'm doing, and I don't need you hounding my tail, trying to second-guess me.

Look, I can't stop you from tagging along on this counterintelligence goose chase but I sure don't have to put up with you interfering with my work.

No, it looks like you failed this mission just fine on your own.

Leon's eyes flare at your remark. He opens his mouth to say something, but thinks better of it.

You hear muffled shouting from the direction you came. It sounds like the Column is getting reinforcements of their own.

Time for us to leave. Try to keep up.

Ambush! 5th Column will attack while attempting to exit The intruders are still here! Find them! You have made a grave mistake, coming here!

Debriefing
They wiped the info? Damn! I was sure we'd get a lead on this one.

I don't why they would have wiped their logs, Character. That's not standard Column procedure. Either Leon took his sweet time reaching the main database, or something leaked.

Laura's face twists into a wry smile, and she cocks an eyebrow at you.

Its possible that my arrival in Paragon has drawn more attention than I expected.

Part Two: Wars of Old

Briefing
Alright, Character. I've put together a few possible avenues we can pursue in this investigation, and I wanted to get your-

Laura stops herself short, putting a hand to her ear. You can hear muffled chatter coming from her earpiece.

Missed that last message, Central, please repeat.

As the chatter continues, Laura's eyes grow wide. She looks up at you, her mouth slightly agape.
We're going to have to cut off the planning discussion for now, Character. I just got a report of a massive Column operation near Overlook, and sounds like Council forces are mobilizing to meet them.

This is big, Character. If we don't nip that fight in the bud, it could spill out into the rest of Steel Canyon.

How should we proceed?

We'll get you and Leon transport to the area. I know you could probably get there yourself, but we'll need to coordinate our efforts if we want to minimize damage.

Once you arrive at Royal Overlook, I can help direct the two of you. I'll be working with my team at Central, so we should be able to pin down the hotspots and point you to them.

Let me know as soon as you're ready, Character. We can't afford to waste any time.

Leave

Are you ready to head out, Character?

I'm ready, Laura. (Start Mission)

Mission Objective(s)

You hear the sounds of explosions and automatic weaponry in the distance. Time to move.

• Stop the Fighting in Steel Canyon
  • Rescue the workers at the Construction Site!
  • Stop the fighting downtown!
    Protect Dupont Tower! (Timed 3:00)

You've managed to stop the open war in Steel Canyon... for now.

Upon completing the timed objective: You prevented Dupont Tower from collapsing!

Steel Savior You have gone above and beyond the call of duty and prevented Steel Canyon from turning into a war zone.

Enemies

• 5th Column
  
• Council
  

Notable NPCs

• None.

Laura Dialogue

Upon Entry
Alright. Can the two of you read me?

Leon: We read you, Lockhart. Go ahead.

There's a construction zone a few hundred yards east of your position. I'm getting reports of a firefight in the vicinity.

Head there first. If that construction site is active, it's a sure bet there will be civilians in the area.

Arrival at the First Objective
I was afraid of this. Those construction workers won't be able to evacuate safely as long as there's fighting nearby. You're going to need to clear the area first.

First Objective Complete
Good work. Let's see... I'm picking up activity near the shops downtown.

Arrival at the Second Objective

The area's been evacuated already, but if the fighting isn't contained, it could spill out into the rest of Steel Canyon.

Second Objective Complete

You're going to need to move fast. I'm getting reports of a massive firefight near Dupont Tower.

Arrival at the Third Objective

That building is old - as in, constructed under pretty liberal fire safety codes. If the fighting keeps up, that whole tower could go up in smoke.

Third Objective Complete

Good work. It looks like both the 5th Column and the Council have ordered their forces to withdraw. At the very least, we've bought ourselves some time.

Debriefing
We're in the clear for now, Character. All emergency alerts in Steel Canyon have been cancelled, and my team hasn't seen any new ones crop up.

I get the feeling, though, that we don't have a lot of time to work with. What we need now is information, and I think I have an idea how to get it.

Part Three: On the Home Front

Briefing
We've tried Leon's approach, and frankly, I'm not all that impressed. he's a good fighter, but he doesn't really do 'subtle' and he tends not to leave much room for information gathering.

I'm hoping you'll have better luck. My team has managed to pattern most of the comm traffic between Column cells, and we think that they're receiving outside help. Every time the 5th Column attacks the council, the operation's done before the Council even know what hit them. They always seem to know what their opponent's defenses are, and how to bypass them. Heck, the fact that they even know the locations of some of these bases implies that they've gotten their hands on a solid source of info.

If that's the case, then we need to ferret out their source and shut it down before the fighting gets out of hand.

Do we have any leads?

Just one. E know that the Column have set up an outpost in an old warehouse in Steel, and we know that they haven't been moving supplies through it. It also doesn't have much strategic value, at least in their conflict with the council.

That leads me to believe that the outpost is being maintained as a rendezvous, outside of the warzone. if the Column have an outside informant, that would be the ideal place to set up a meeting. I'm willing to bet that the officer in charge over there has exactly what we need to put a stop to the surge.

Laura pauses for a moment, taking a deep, slow breath.

Look, I know it's a lot of 'ifs', but it's the best lead we've got. I still feel like we can get a handle on this case, Character. We just need a bit of luck on our side.

Mission Objective(s)

You can see what Laura was talking about. The 5th Column have barely bothered to fortify this place. It's certainly not being used for any standard operations.

• Infiltrate the 5th Column Outpost
  • Defeat the outpost leader
  • Talk to the Officer
    Use the comm terminal

You've learned of an attack on the UNSF facility!

Outpost Leader Dialogue

Before Combat
5th Column Officer: This is outrageous. The Column should not sit and beg for these scraps! Our strength alone is enough to destroy the Council!

Begin Combat
5th Column Officer: Scrawl! I shall rid myself of this wretched assignment when I present you to my superiors!

Upon Defeat
5th Column Officer: Ugh... this truly is the worst day of my military career...

5th Column Officer Dialogue

You... you have likely ruined my standing in the eyes of my commanding officers, and you have humiliated me in front of my own soldiers.

So congratulations, 'hero', but I must ask: what more could you possibly want from me?

I'm here to learn about the Column's new informant. Start talking.

The officer chuckles at you.

Naive. I told you I had been shamed, Character, but you cannot expect that I will loosen my tongue, merely because of a little bruising. The 5th Column rewards traitors with death.

Besides, your efforts are fruitless. I do not know our benevolent sponsor's identity, and I suspect that even high command has been left in the dark.

Wait, your informant doesn't meet you here?

Ha! If he were so bold as to meet with us directly, we would have tortured all relevant information out of him long ago. No, he remains aloof, and we are left to scramble for the pieces he deigns to give us.

The officer's tone gains a hard edge as he continues.

Oh, we've made progress against the traitorous Council, certainly. But I am no fool. Our informant has only ever given us enough to maintain a stalemate. We have never learned enough to gain the upper hand.

I do not know what game our informant plays, but I do know this: his loyalty is not with the 5th Column. He toys with us and misdirects us. Were it not for my orders to remain here and receive his communications, I would track him down personally, and teach him that the 5th Column is not to be trifled with.

So you do communicate from here... interesting.

The officer hesitates, calming himself. When he speaks again, he does so cautiously.

I... have told you nothing of value, Character. We make no visual contact; our communications are audio-only. You'll have no luck identifying him from here...

The officer falls silent for a long moment, eyeing you warily.

Why... are you staring at me like that?

I was just thinking... Column soldiers all sound the same. It must be the filters on your masks.

The officer pauses in thought, then tenses up, pulling away from you.

You... you wouldn't DARE...

[Forcibly remove the soldier's mask filter]

The officer resists, and you're forced to knock him out, but you manage to remove the filter from the rest of his costume. With this, you should be able to make a fair impersonation of a 5th Column soldier, as long as no one's looking at you.

Leave

5th Column Officer: You... fiend...

Communication Terminal

As you approach the display, you can see that a communications line has already been established. A distorted voice can be heard on the other end of the line.

-ome IN, damn you! What's going on over there? Where is the commanding officer of this facility? I have vital information that must be forwarded to-

[Place Filter] Calm down, I'm here.

The informant goes silent for a moment. When he speaks, the urgency in his voice has been replaced with a wary, cautious tone.

You're not my usual contact. What's going on? Why have I not been informed of this change?

The previous commander did not see the value in your advice. He has been... removed.

I can't say that I'm surprised. He spent most of his time threatening me with 'the wrath of the 5th Column' instead of listening to what I have to offer.

The tension in the informant's voice fades. It appears you've convinced him of your authenticity.

Well, you should know that there's been a... problematic development. The U.N. has gotten involved. I was able to control their movements for a time, but that's become impossible now. If you want to continue making headway against the Council, you're going to need to take action.

I... see

I've already uploaded coordinates and schematics of the UNSF's base of operations in Paragon. You'll see that I've taken the liberty of forwarding this information directly to Field marshal Metzger. He has agreed that immediate action must be taken.

I must warn you, however. The UNSF does not have a powerful presence in this city, but they've hired on a local hero, Character. I've seen him / her fight personally, and I can't stress enough that he / she must be considered a threat. Make him / her your highest priority target.

It sounds like an attack on the UNSF base is imminent. Laura may be in danger!

... Understood.

Briefing
From what the 5th Column's informant told you, a large-scale assault on the UNSF base may already be underway. They're not equipped to repel an assault force. You'll need to get there quickly, if the local UNSF forces are to have any hope of survival.

Mission Objective(s)

The 5th Column have already begun their assault. You may have been too late to intercept them, but you may still be able to drive them out!

• Defend the UNSF Base
  • Find Laura
  • Use the nearby terminal
    Break the 5th Column siege!

enemies 5th Column

notable NPC Laura Lockhart (Ally, non-combat) Field Marshal Metzger (Boss)

Radio chatter

Upon Entry

• tschhhhh* -nyone can hear me, this is Petty Officer Laura Lockhart of the United Nations Special Forces. We are under attack by a superior force and request immediate assistance. All avail- *tschhhhh*

Further In

• tschhhhh* -maybe half of our forces. I repeat: we've taken very heavy losses, we've... ROBERTSON! GET DOWN! GE- *tschhhhh*

urther In

• tschhhhh* -know how many are left. They've got me pinned in a corner. Robertson's gone, Maybeck doesn't have long... if anyone can hear this, ANYONE, please send h- *tschhhhh*

Guards Dialogue

Before Combat
This is tiresome. Execute her and finish sweeping the area.

Begin Combat
There's Character! Fire at will! With pleasure...

Laura Dialogue

Laura remains prone on the floor, breathing hard. You can see red stains slowly spreading across the front of her shirt. It takes a moment for Laura to take notice of your presence, but when she does, she cranes her neck to face you and smiles weakly.

Hey, it's Character... glad... you could make it, buddy...

Laura attempts to right herself, wincing in pain. After a moment, she gives up, and lies back down slowly with a pained sigh.

I don't... think I'll be much help... at this point...

Hush. We need to get you medical attention.

+++ Missing Information +++

or

I don't have time for this. The Column are still swarming all over this place.

Laura's face becomes grim, but she nods at you.

That's the spirit... go get 'em... sir.

Laura smiles to herself, amused at her use of your honorary title.

It was... an honor...

Laura lifts her free hand to give an attempt at a salute, grinning despite her condition. Her hand then falls limp, and she lets out a shallow breath of air.

Rest well, Lockhart

As you prepare to move onwards, you notice the nearby terminal is blinking with an alert. It appears that someone is trying to get a signal through.

Investigate the terminal

{{NPC Text|title=Comm Terminal|text= You approach the terminal and open the communications line. Immediately, Leon's face appears on the screen

Character. I was hoping to speak with Lockhart. Where is she?

Laura's dead. The 5th Column are storming the base... where are you?

Leon frowns, ignoring your question.

That's a shame. About Lockhart, I mean. Really, I don't think she was ever cut out for this kind of thing. Too good-natured for war.

Leon's expression darkens, and his voice gains a grim quality.

You, on the other hand, were capable enough to cause problems. Really, none of this would have been necessary if you had left me alone to my work.

And what work is that, exactly?

The Council and the 5th Column are woven from the same cloth, Scrawl. Both organizations, if left to their own devices, would be capable of atrocities you could hardly imagine.

There is only one way to deal with the two of them, and that is to turn them against one another. At their current pace, both sides are suffering tremendous losses. Given enough time, they will become weak enough for the heroes of Paragon to eliminate them entirely... but only if the war is allowed to continue.

And the innocent bystanders of this 'war'? Are they expendable?

Frankly, yes. If by doing this I can prevent either side from becoming a threat - a true global power - then the costs of this war are a necessity.

I don't enjoy this, Character, but I will do what needs to be done. I can understand your position. I know you want to do the right thing. You were just...

Leon pauses, as if trying to find the correct phrase.

You... were in the way. You're collateral damage, in this war. I'm sorry it had to be this way.

It doesn't, Leon. You can stop this war, and end the suffering.

Your words fall on deaf ears. As you are speaking, Leon cuts the signal, and the terminal goes blank.

Though the signal is lost, the terminal still displays tracking info for its origin. You make a point of recording the coordinates before leaving.

Leave

or

Not as sorry as you're going to be, Leon. I'll find you, sooner or later.

+++ Missing Information +++

or

You cowardly piece of trash! I'll make you PAY!

+++ Missing Information +++

Field Marshal Metzger Dialogue

Before Assault
Ah. Character. Our informant was correct in his assessment of your abilities. I was beginning to grow... disappointed in the lackluster defenses in this facility. You, however, should prove to be a... valuable exercise. Most valuable, indeed.

Begin Assault
First company, forward!

During Assault
Second company, forward! Third company! Tch... Fourth company, NOW! Imbeciles! Fifth company, attack! This is a disgrace! Do NOT disappoint me!

Begin Combat
Hmph! It appears this exercise has culled more from the herd than I had anticipated. No matter. I will handle you myself.