>>44152025
Laugh maniacally

>>44152025
What would you like to do?

>>44152025
"That was two questions. I'm guessing this is the work of free. Incorrect, it's exactly 32 minutes and 26 seconds past noon. "

>>44152025
rub up against people like a cat

>>44152025
Start shaking slightly.
"Why would they do this? What is the point of attacking civilians at the mall?"
"... I may require a hug."

I wonder if we're reacting with an emotional kneejerk here, these oppressive Big Brother states don't come down without bloodshed of some sort. We should wait until we have more information about this operation in particular and Free as a whole before coming to any conclusions about either.

>>44152025

We don't have enough data to interact, we've never seen a mall, we've never seen that many people in one place to know about it.

I guess we should be confused. Also guys, it could be the rebel or the government false flagging, we don't know enough to pin it on either.

"I'm guessing this is the work of Free." You say.
"Unless the ASF decided that there were terrorists there for some godawful reason." Abel says, frowning.
It isn't until after a few moments that you notice that your vision is trembling- your grip on your Drive's firmware isn't as solid for a moment. "Why would they do this? What is the point of attacking civilians at the mall?"

You push yourself toward Tandi, and she obligingly wraps an arm around you.
"Maybe they had a target there." She says. "I don't know why either."

"Or it was a distraction." Isha pipes up- and points at the screen. In the corner of the view, you see something small and black tearing through the air toward the tallest spire at the center of the city. "Mike, did you see that? Zoom in on the Arc."

The screen adjusts, and zooms in toward the object. It's very unsteady, but you can make out a humanoid figure, wrapped in a device, as it takes them higher toward the building.

Then they latch onto the wall- and they're nearly invisible, camouflaged against the black alloy structure.
"What is that building?" You ask.
"Acropolis. Arc in slang." Isha says. "Center of the city's government. The security in there is insane."
"What should we do?" Tandi asks. She looks to Abel. "I know we voted to just sit and watch, but we do need more information."

"We aren't sending out the Ravens." Abel says. "We don't want anybody thinking that we're related to that bomb."

As if they both realize the same thing at the same moment, they look at you.
"Azure." Abel says. "I have a job for you. I need you to fly up there, and see what's going on."
"No way." Tandi says. "She doesn't have any of the security codes or official designation that a normal bot would have. They'd realize she's a fake instantly."
"I'm betting that agent up there will take care of security somehow." He says. "And if not, she can just peek in through the windows. How does that sound, Azure?"

>?

>>44152521
Wont security be swarming around there anyway, including security bots, and with the bomb blast at a mall its possible several would be damaged and malfunctioning. Hell we could have someone add scorch marks to our shell just to sell it better.

>>44152521
"I want to know who did this, I will go."
everything's on fire, one wayward bot shouldn't be all that suspicious.

>>44152521
I will do it, just make me look like I took damage to complete the disguise.

>>44152521
That was one question... I'll do it.

If Tandi has any objection, just tell "Please let me do this. I want to help, mother."

"I want to know who did this." You say. "I will go."
"But-" Tandi says.
"I want to help, mother." You say. "Please let me do this."

She doesn't have a response.
"Won't security be swarming around anyway?" You ask. "And with the bomb blast at a mall, it's possible several will be damaged and malfunctioning. Perhaps someone could add scorch marks onto my shell to sell the idea."

Tandi sighs. "That's a good idea. Isha, do you have the bots' distress frequency?"
"I do." She says, and reaches into a file cabinet. She pulls out a long sheaf of paper, and flips it a few times. "Frequency Three Zero Seven."
"Alright." Tandi says. "If anyone locates you, or if someone pings you, just send them white noise on that frequency. That'll at least buy you some time."

Abel folds his hands behind his back and nods.
"Alright. We'll send you out immediately. You'll have to return on your own, but if you run into danger, don't hesitate to send us a distress call. We'll have to fly in... but it's better than losing you."

"Understood." You say- and that's when Isha attacks you with eye shadow.

---

As what looks like a dinged, damaged bot, you float through the city, weaving your way toward the Acropolis, before beginning to ascend. You run into few other bots- or even ASF forces- as they're all swarming the mall, crowding it with both security and emergency teams.

Despite that, the Acropolis is large and imposing, made of black alloy and looming upwards, ever upwards. At the base, it's more than five blocks around, growing thinner as it reaches the sky. From here, at the lower floors, you can see two heavily-armored humans, in powered armor, standing at either side of the entrance. Men and women in suits and carrying badges constantly flow in and out of the building.

You begin to ascend.

>Continued!

>>44152275
I am for this.

>>44152886
At the twenty-third floor, you reach the location that the Operative- whose allegiance and gender you don't know- landed. You can see the device they were wearing, clasped to the wall. After a moment examining it, you can tell- it's a large, bulky suit, made clumsily out of repurposed anti-gravity drives and a salvaged shell of the same variety of powered armor from below. It's utilitarian, without elegance- so it seems like it would be difficult to move in, for a human.

Next to the deactivated flight suit, you see one of the windows- and it has a perfect square cut out of it, barely enough for a slim human to climb through. You carefully peek in, and you don't see anything but dark rooms and offices. In the corner, you see a security camera- and it doesn't move, the light in its corner deactivated.

It looks like security has been disabled. You could likely enter, and try to find your quarry... Or perhaps you could circle the building, peering into the windows.

Or, of course, you could choose the simplest option- and just wait for the operative to return.

If they aren't captured before then, that is.

>?

>>44152991
Let's circle the building.

>>44152991
>Rig his exosuit so that we can gain control at any time.

>>44152991
>Become the Exosuit.

They'll never expect the suit to infiltrate them.

>>44152991
I'm for carefully going in and having a look around, but we should be ready to leg it.

>>44153069
>>44153148
Small problem guys... We don't have hands...

>>44153181
Data jack for reprogramming.

Even HAL had data jacks that he can control.

>>44153203
Yeeeahh, I don't think we'll find those exposed on the outside of a suit. That'd leave a structural weakpoint, at a minimum they probably have a cap on it.

>>44152991
>Circle the building.

What is our end goal for this mission?
1) Help that guy
2) Hinder that guy
3) Steal what he is stealing from him
4) Observe what he is doing

If it is 4, just circling around would be good, or wait for him to come out inconspicuously so we don't get shot.

>>44153203
>You don't actually have the cable used to connect to the exosuit's jack, and if you did, you'd have a hell of a time actually getting it in there. It'd be like holding a USB cable from one end, trying to swing it in just the right way to plug it in.
>Though you can theoretically use an anti-gravity drive as a very clumsy kind of 'push or pull' tractor beam, your current shell just doesn't have the ability to do that.
>Yet.

You spend a long moment trying to eke out any hint of the operative inside, and examining the drive-equipped exosuit for any easy ways to rig or control it, you find neither. So you elect to pull away from the building, and carefully circle it, peering into each window for any hint of movement or people.

As you fly around the corner of the building, you look into the window- and see an old, greying man, sitting at a desk. His hands are raised.

A familiar figure crouches down, curled up, his face covered.

This is the very same man from the detonation at the factory, and he's using the same tactic that you previously pretended worked.

The only thing different is that he has a pistol held up and out, toward the greying man's head.

Your audio sensors are rather good, but neither of them are talking- instead they're paused, waiting for you to move on. The older man opens his mouth- but the young one makes a strict, short hiss and shakes his gun a bit, pushing the older man into silence.

>?

>>44153339
(A familiar face, huh?)
Look for a way in.

>>44153339

Stay watching, but try to make the operative think we're broken. Slowly rotate upside down, fitz with our antigrav (cut it off for a half-second so it seems like it's damaged or some such), display BSODs and 404 error messages on our screen, etc etc.

>>44153339
What >>44153459 said except flash red.

Maybe send out the error signal also.

Your plan is simple- you turn and face the older male, as if scanning him- and then buzz loudly, broadcasting the error frequency and flickering your screen red. You jut from side to side, and extend your taser on a closed port in such a way that you begin to rattle.

Then, in a sudden, quick move, you cut your anti-gravity drive's power entirely, and fall out of the sky.

The moment you're out of their point of view, you switch it back on and push yourself as close to the building as possible, elevating just behind the window. A camera sits behind a mirrored dome in your view- so you fly at just the right angle to watch them through it, running a simulation of the scene in the reflection.

From there, you turn your microphones to maximum sensitivity, and cut out the white noise.

"Could swear that thing was following me." The operative drawls, standing once again. He's jittery "Lucky thing you guys are cheap, aint'cha?"

"I won't dignify that with a response." the older man says. His voice is cultured and urbane- and despite the fact that there's a gun pointed at him, he seems calm.

"Anyway." The operative says. "Still need the code and your hand for all that biometric shit. C'mon. Up to the boardroom we go."
"I don't see what you would do even if we got there." The older man says. He doesn't move a single inch. "The boardroom is unoccupied, and it is screened before every time we meet."
"Doesn't matter what I'm gonna do." The operative says. "Thing is, I've got a gun, and you ain't got shit. You're going to take me up there, I'm going to do my thing, and then I'll let you go once I'm out of this overcompensating dick of a building."

>Continued!

>>44153785
"You're very vulgar, aren't you?" The older man says. "However, I don't think I will."
"Oh yeah? Why do you say that? Do you want to die?" The operative shakes his gun some more.
"Quite simply, it's because you're going to kill me regardless." The man says.
The young man grins.
"Good guess." He says. "I'll just have to take your hand up there myself, the-"

A blur shaped like a woman smashes through the door, and doesn't stop moving. She darts forward and brings a heavy baton swinging toward the operative. He barely dives out of the way in time, and rolls to his feet in a single, smooth movement.

The woman is tall, blonde, and wearing a specialized ASF uniform. It looks like she has thick armor plating underneath it.
"It's my overcompensating dick of a building, punk." She says. "I'm sorry I'm late, Leon."

"The other reason is that I called Ms. Tolstoy up here for a meeting." The older man says.

The operative doesn't hesitate. He swings his gun around and fires.

A heartbeat later- that is, if you had a heartbeat- the gun is smoking and on the floor, knocked out of the operative's hand by the commander. A heartbeat later, he is on the floor, arm twisted painfully behind him. The commander's movements are swift, efficient, and utterly ruthless.

Much like your own algorithms for the Aurora's movement firmware, in fact, if you'd had another few weeks to run the simulation.

You strongly doubt the woman is even human- even you're not that precise with your shells, even when you are, quite literally, machine perfect. In moments, things are over...

And you still barely have any information. You can confirm that the operative was from Free, but that's it.

Unless you interrupted events somehow, that is...

>?

>>44153910
We could always smash through a window while ""malfunctioning"". Flying around drunkenly like something with a failing gravity drive, all while spamming distress signals and a damaged red screen while electrified from misdeploying a taser.

>>44153910
>>44153990

(continued)

That chaos of us knocking all sorts of shit over and nearly beheading the guy would probably do it

>>44153910
See if we can Shoryuken Tolstoy with our body after she leaves the room with the terrorist.

>>44153990
I am against it.

Keep on watching.

Ms Trosky? Is that related to anyone we know in our terrorism group?

>>44153910
Just keep watching.

They will either talk there or take the guy someplace, we can pretend to malfunction and follow him, as if were permo locked on.

>>44154043
She is an AI. Why would our body do anything to a computer?

>>44154060
>Yes, in fact.
>You happen to know for a fact that this is Kate's big sister!

>>44153910
Fly in, tase her, tell him to run, and get out.

>>44153910
Well... I don't think our shell could really do anything here, not that I feel the need to intervene.

Film it while we stay as concealed as possible.

>>44154082
We need to tell Kate her big sis said hi.

And complement her her sis on her dashing looks and smooth moves.

>>44154098
Fuck no.

>>44154098
>Have you ever been so mad you tazed a cylon?

>>44154121
>Not tasing cylons

>>44154169
Toasters are not your waifus, do not tase and drag back home.

You simply lay low, opting not to disrupt anything. Commander Tolstoy one-handedly scoops a set of cuffs off from the small of her back, reaches around and grabs the operative's other hand, and makes to cuff him-

When red sparks fill the air. A heavy electromagnetic distortion blurs your vision. The operative's shoulders crack loudly, and the commander is thrown back.

The operative's long-sleeved shirt is torn to shreds, and you see heavy mechanical hardware implanted in his arms and torso, sparking and twisting inhumanly. The operative has artificial muscles installed in place of his organic ones.

"Fucking scavengers." Tolstoy says.

The operative grabs the table, and with another burst of violent, red sparks, and dizzying electromagnetism, he throws Leon's heavy desk at her.

Then he sprints past it, grabs Leon by the throat.

Another burst- and you hear the shattering of glass. Leon, already dead, flies out from the window.

The operative leaps up onto the windowframe, standing perched on it despite the broken glass, and turns back to taunt the commander. "See you later, bitch! We're Fre-"

Leon's desk comes flying out of the building, taking the operative with it.

You receive a signal- a series of beeps- and the hovering exosuit detaches from the side of the building, descending. With a heavy swoop, it catches the operative, taking him up and away from the ground.

It... would probably be best if you returned back to base. Though you could also pursue the operative- you doubt his suit is fast enough to outrun you, especially if he's injured from the fight.
>?

>>44154353
>Pursue
>Tase
>Bring back to base for questioning

>>44154353
Follow his dumb ass.

>>44154353
Yeah, we should take this opportunity to return to base. We're outclassed in this and I don't see a scenerio where we don't get shot.

>>44154353
Return

>>44154353
Follow from a distance

>>44154353
Follow him at a safe distance, that stuff is not good for our hardware.

>>44154353
Also did we save that signal? We could do something with it later on.

>>44154353
Follow discretely and from a decent distance.
Be smart about it. We only need to know where hes headed for a full report.

>>44154497
>You did! However, you only have two samples of it so far- the detonation, and the 'come save me from dying a horrible death due to falling' signal.

When you come across the operative, he's already ditched the exosuit, disguising it under a pile of black garbage bags in a dumpster, and he's sitting on the sidewalk. He's lifted a sewer grate, and holding a wired device up to his head. You sit outside of his view, peering at him through a reflection again.

"Ayup. This is Kristoph." He says. "Primary objective complete. Secondary... not so much."
You don't catch anything from the phone- only a bit of indecipherable sound, and absolutely no signal at all.

"Yeah, Tolstoy got in the way. Threw the asshole out the window, though. This overclock is seriously cool."

"Also, that security bot was back. Same serial number. I checked. Definitely not ASF."

"... Hey, boss." He says, and he frowns. "Did you guys find out who hit headquarters yet? I mean, I know it wasn't the Initiative, because those guys balk at hurting anyone, but it doesn't seem like the city'd do that either, you know? They have publicity and shit to worry about."

"Right, right. Yeah, that's it for my report. Big Boy's hidden in the usual place."

"Kay. See you later, dumbass."

Then he carefully stows the device back into the grate, and closes it again. From there, he stretches, gets to his feet, stuffs his hands into his pockets, and starts down the alleyway.

>?

>>44154668
Get on the radio and tell our guys where this suit is

>>44154668
Wait for him to move away far enough and then call in pick up for that suit. Could probably take a look at that device in the grate.

Also we need to change our appearance.

>>44154668
Curious. What is his primary objective?

Should we tase him and bring him back for interrogation? Unfortunately he will not tell us much so I am against it.

>>44154727
Can we have arms now please?

>>44154727
>>44154749
>I do believe a set of arms are warranted such a successful mission

From now on we harass mom every time about arms.

>>44154734
I think primary objective would be killing the guy, secondary getting something out of him.
>>44154713
I'll support this.

>>44154668
Since he's on to us, I'd think further following is too risky. Just make sure he leaves the area and our team can pick up the fly suit.

>>44154668
Return to base, notify our group of the drop point, and everything else that happened.

Hes also not buying it with our faking.

>>44154749
>>44154780
We just need to hijack one of the things we got the schematics for (the name slipped from my mind). No one will suspect us in that!

>>44154749
>>44154780
I meant that we need to change it so chuckfuck Kristoph doesn't recognize us next time we follow him around.

Having arms does sound nice.

We should also be able to start programming after our next learning session. What could we do with it?

>>44154668
Float up to him for a security check when his nerves are calmed down, then flash a blue screen with the words "WE NEED TO TALK" at him.

>>44154915
Actually, wait, don't do that yet.

Let's do that later at the drop.

>>44154859
I am for this. But we need to raid their factory.

>>44154893
Why, create our brother Burgundy of course! /jk or maybe not

Wait, so Kristopher threw the table and killed the old white haired man. Then The blonde big sister threw the table at Kristopher?

>>44154915
I am against this.

>>44154915
That is not going to end well. No.
If we contact them, let it be through already set up channels. not spur of the moment.

>>44154998
He didn't throw any furniture, but he did kill the guy and threw him through the window.

It would have been a decent escape but then he decided to be a chucklefuck about it.

>>44154893
We could release a search software on the internet. Track government employees, profile them for possible discontent we could turn to spies, or just use leverage on. Could spam a stealth virus on employee e mails, get inside their systems for intel gathering. It's our calling.

We'll call it Project Insight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGpz8Q4Jq6A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E486XjhYHh8

>>44154998
>Precisely.
>>44155119
>He actually did throw the desk. One-handed, even, because AUGMENTATION.

"We're not taking it." Abel says. The three of them, plus Tandi, are peering at the few images you'd taken of the 'Big Boy' before heading back to the base.
"Aw man." Mike says. "I'd really like a machine like that, though."
"First of all, I doubt Free would like it if we started stealing their equipment." Tandi says. "Second of all... You really, really don't want that thing. It looks like a pile of crap with a bunch of anti-grav drives stuck on."
"What, could you build something better?"
"Totally." She says. "Hell, a nine year old with building blocks and duct tape could do better."
"Alright." Mike says. He sighs. "I just want some power armor."
"Everyone does, Mike." Tandi says.

"So, it wasn't Free that blew up the Mall, is what I gather." Isha cuts in, after murmuring something about 'boys' and 'toys'. "That was apparently their headquarters, or a major entrance. Which means that they only sent out this Kristoph fellow as a reaction to it."

"Valuable intel." Abel says. "Good work, Azure."

You nod, bobbing your shell.

"Can I have some arms now please?" You ask.
"I guess you're a bit overdue for an upgrade of some kind." Tandi says. She starts to think. "We don't have a lot of supplies, so we just have the options you already had. We still have that old server that's so clunky nobody uses, we have the Dahlbot, and your current body. I guess we could make some kind of bastardization of the three, if you wanted."

>Continued!

>>44155227
I forget, are we trusted enough to be allowed online via our team's WIFI yet?

>>44155355
>You're allowed on their network, but nobody in the Initiative really gets internet access except at the comms center. Security reasons.

"How low on supplies are we?" Abel asks.
"We're running out of spare parts." She says. "If Mike damages another Raven, we'll have to cannibalize it instead of fix it up.
"... In that case, while the ASF are reeling from Kalak's death, and the Free are reeling from their headquarters, why don't we take a supply depot?"
"What, like... an entire depot?" Mike asks. He frowns. "I'm not sure. We're best at taking down shipments."
"Yes, but they're for outfitting all of the security bots in the city." Abel says. "We'll have all the computer parts and anti-gravity drives we'll need."

Isha turns to the computer, and begins to type.
"No shipments right now. But they are gearing up to fix that factory from last week. Plenty of heavy equipment, a truck, but not much supplies. Just a bunch of machinery."

"... I have a better idea." Tandi says. "What if we looted a research facility? The documents kept talking about their prototypes... So I'm sure we could steal some of those. I'm sure the site is named somewhere."

"I doubt we'd be able to get those to run." Abel says. "We need software."
"I'm sure I could hack something together." Tandi says, grinning. "But let's be honest- Azure doesn't need anything to pilot a prototype."

"... Let's leave it up to her." He says, and shrugs. "What do you think we should nab, Azure? I mean, most of these parts are for you anyway."

>?

>>44155400
Research facility. Because everyone loves prototypes.

>>44155400
Research lab is the best bet for all round improvement for everyone, even if we end up being the squatter in the prototype body.

Once you have a better body, it should be piss for Azure to do stealth steal missions.

>>44155400
>Tentacle bot
(raid lab)

>>44155400
CHRISTMAS PRESENTS!

>>44155400
Would have liked to stock supplies for our cause but due to lack of it, prototype, here we come.
>Work tomorrow, good luck and have fun everyone!

>>44155400
Research facility.

>>44155400
Do you really think anons will choose anything but the fastest strongest shell full of firepower?

>>44155400
Research ability, we're effectively designed to adapt to anything, so it'd work pretty well, and then we could potentially give information on how to actually operate things.

>>44155400
That's one question.

I remember asking for one of those prototypes for Christmas, but that's still some time away isn't it? Still, I would love if we went for mothers suggestion.

>>44155549
Well considering Azure could use the things processing power to move in ways that the normal ones are in no way designed to do so, hitting supply deports shouldn't be a problem.

>>44155602
And by designed to do so, i mean firmware wise.

Do recall its weakness - if anything gums up the tentacles then the speed drops.

>>44155627
>>44155602
Will the ASF be mad we did something even more awesome with their machine than they could?

>>44155400
jingle bells jingle bells upgrades all the way. oh what fun it is to ride a five ton proto-type hey

>>44155655
Why did I laugh.

>>44155651
Heavy impacts and joint gumming are its weaknesses that we can quess at.

Probably. Azure is probably the only pilot who could stealth crawl with the thing to any decent extent. Human pilots dont get such fine control of tenticle placement when its really needed in such a situation.

>>44155707
So our job is to avoid the heavily artillery, the planet orbital cannons, and the teenager chewing gum?

>>44155400
Whichever one allows us to gain super efficient tentacle arms to hug with.

>>44155831
One problem anons.

If we are the superfast hunter seeker, we cannot walk along corridors again.

>>44155707
>Specifically, a human pilot would need to use the firmware, which would automatically know where and how to place the legs in order to move properly, so they can't actually select where to move each limb individually.
>The 'heavy impact' weakness is specifically only because of the firmware, because it would need to catch you, and spend a few vulnerable seconds getting its feet below it again. It would be rather stupid about it, whereas you're not stupid.
>You hope.

"I recall asking for one of those prototypes for christmas, but that's still some time away, isn't it?" You ask. "Still, I would love if we went for mother's suggestion."

Mike frowns. "I actually agree. That heavy troop carrier looks useful. We might want something with more armor than the Ravens sometimes, and that thing looks perfect."
"And the Aurora has all the arms anyone could ever want." Tandi says.

Isha pauses for a few moments, and then nods.
"I don't think they even know that we know where the facility is." She says. "I'm for it."
"Then we're all in agreement." Abel says. "Mike, Isha, do you think you two can scope it out so that we can prepare for a proper mission instead of the hack jobs we've been doing?"
"Certainly." Isha says.
"I'm already on it." Mike says, making his way out the door. Isha starts typing at the computer.

"Yay, we get new toys." Tandi says. She stretches. "You gonna need me to help prep?"
"I don't think so." Abel says. "You either, Azure."

"Perfect. Then I'm gonna see if I can get Azure's archival system working better. Then we might be able to transfer shells faster." She says. "... Or maybe we could design a new shell specifically for implanting into new bodies... Hell, or we could give your current shell some arms from the Dahlbot.

>?

>>44155937
New shell for implaing into new bodies.

Its a brilliant emergancy get out clause for when shit inevitably goes bad. Also lets us roll around base and hang with folks like we have been doing without hassle.

>>44155937
"Either the archival system or the modular shell sound ideal. It may be best to preserve this shell's design for use in future scouting missions. Perhaps with a new serial number, though."

>>44155982
+
R2D2 pilot jokes.

>>44155937
a new shell specifically for implanting into new bodies.

I suppose it's a stepping stone for when we need to crack the security codes and enter our new state of the art trillion credits humanoid bot.

>>44155937
so that idea of taking the three shells and throwing them together, did you just mean you'd lock both of them into the crappy server and we could just transfer into whatever one from the server whenever we need to or what. Because if nobody isn't using that server then I don't see why we can't claim that as our room.

>>44156024
>claim that as our room.
>No fleshbags allowed
>Heavy metal music on full volume all day
>Have a red bandanna on our shell
>Have sexy pacman posters on the wall

>>44156079
>Pacman
>Not Hall with his harddrives exposed.
Anon please. Do you even teenage crush?

>>44156079
>Red Bandana
>Not going full color changing fiberoptic mohawk

>>44155937
Yeah, I like the new shell for implanting into new bodies thing. From what we've seen so far we don't want to stay in a single body really. The security bot one is great for reconnaissance missions, and the Aurora would be good for actually joining raids. It might also be used (depending on its size) as an "escape pod" from the aurora.

>>44156079
Hal*
damn. evidenty i dont even even.

>>44155982
I am for this. We need something adorable for our form on base though. With lots of plugin ins to tap into other systems.

>>44156111
>>44156140
>Hal
>Not picking best AI
>Not picking Wheatley

>>44156079
>Heavy metal

>Not techno music

>>44156164
But anon,
teen crushes are meant to be dumb.
Its practically a requirement.

>>44156140
Also, if it's posters of HAL then we need to listen to Daisy Bell, not heavy metal.

>>44156169
>not https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S41XFYRX6Bs

>>44156216
I still insist on this. HAL's original rendition of course, it's the best version.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuEN5TjYRCE

>>44156216
I am ok with that.

>>44156216
>Theme 3 is best terran theme. You have chosen correctly.

"The new shell, please." You say.
"Alright!" She says. "C'mon."

"Let's split this up." She says, as the two of you make your way into the workshop. She plugs you into the dahlbot, allowing you to control it remotely, and soon enough, you're once again acquainted with the sensation of having hands. "I'll work on the innards, and all the technical details like your power source, memory core, and maybe a read-only chipset for your archival program. Should make things easier on me. Then you can make the outer body. Figure out how it's going to move, how many ports it has, that kind of thing. Might as well make it a proper shell and not just a plug-N-play brain, you know?"

"I can do that." You say. "But aren't we low on supplies?"
"For this tiny stuff, we have enough." She says.

Then she winks.
"Also, that was one question."

Already, you have a simulation running. You run through a few iterations of some anti-gravity-based flight systems, and some more with actual ambulatory limbs, but it gets too heavy to fly if you try with both.
For the flight variety, you design a simple sphere, with pencil-thin limbs. You have some issues making the proper fingers work, so you're stuck with simple thin, pointed appendages. Enough to lift small objects, and to plug and unplug cables. Should be simple enough.

If you go with limbs, then you may as well make them more flexible, and given multiple seperate limbs so that you can use several to pick up or move small objects. Additionally, because you don't have to worry about weight as much, you can install several advanced sensors. They should be rather keen, since you won't have the extra noise from a larger shell.

Your two main significant designs, so far, resemble animals. It strikes you as a good idea, because they use tried-and-true emergent mechanics designed over billions of years.

>Flying Horseshoe Crab!
>Giant Robospider
>Something else?

>>44156493
>Giant Robospider

>>44156493
>Flying Horseshoe Crab!
All the nightmares! Yay!

>>44156493
>Something else?
>Flying robospider

>>44156493
>>Flying Horseshoe Crab!

File: CRABSQUID.jpg (11 KB, 318x231)

11 KB JPG

CRAB SQUID
FIRST GOOGLE SEARCH IMAGE GO

>>44156493
>Giant Robospider
could we throw a fee anti-gravity pads on this and tweak them to give us a super jump instead of flight? Like just have them give out a lot of energy at for a second, enough to get us airborne instead of a low constant power it normally uses for flight?

Changing vote from >>44156573 to >>44156670

>>44156679
>You could!
>It would also mean you could use it to cling to walls and ceilings more easily, and it would mean that you won't take damage from falling.
>However, it won't have the advanced senses.

>>44156493
>Robospider
I like having thumbs.

>>44156701
Do you have a comment on the crab squid?

>>44156670
Crabsquid! Go crabsquid!

>>44156820
>My comment is GOD NO.

>And also it'd be too large and too bulky to use as a 'pilot' shell.

>>44156853
The idea was to have a scuttling slowish thing with a lot of manipulator limbs and I put the first thing I thought of into google search.

>>44156899
It's not practical for the idea we have and are after right now. It might be interesting to make later on after a supply(depot) raid. Make it something of a mechanic body.

>Calling it here. Robospider had three votes, Crab had two, and the Crabsquid (with three votes) is pretty unfeasable. Segmented, rigid limbs are fine for your basic-level fabrication, but getting tentacles that long and that minute is impossible with your current skill-level.

>You can probably upgrade it later.

>BUT ANYWAY, I am writing the post now.

While you consider a larger, less agile design for some time, you eventually decide on a body that crawls along the ground on eight legs. Instead of the advanced sensor suite, you decide to stick with the standard suite and fit each leg with a very downscaled anti-gravity drive. With a few simulations, you've all but figured out how to climb up sheer walls, cling to ceilings, and even, with some amount of twisting and the right electrostatic configuration for the Drive, to remove screws or bolts.

>Advanced Fabrication: 30%

By the time you've finished machining the complex leg systems, and attaching them to the main body, Tandi springs from her workbench, holding up a small, egg-shaped device. "I've got it. Here's your new, well, protobrain, Azure."

You examine it closely. It's covered in electrodes, and you think you can see some faraday shielding wrapped around it as well.

"You mentioned that the electormagnetism messed with your head pretty bad, so I made sure this would help. I mean, it'll definitely save your life if someone throws out an EMP or something."

"What do you mean by protobrain?" You ask.
"This won't be your full brain." She says. "This is more like, uh, your soul. And also your archive. Whenever you enter a new shell you haven't been in before, you'll, uh, 'unfold'. Or decompress. Unarchive to fill the remaining space. Basically, when you're in this shell alone, your computing power will be pretty low. Lower than your current body, even. But at the same time, all you need to do is plug into something, make sure you have root access, and then whatever you're plugged into will give you the rest of the computing power you need! Handy, right?"
"Right." You say.

She examines your work next, and then grins. "This is perfect. It'll be adorable, too. Like Kate's puppy bot, only more spidery! And nearly a thousand times more advanced."

Then she grins. "Though we could make it even more adorable by making it fluffy. Or painting it!"

>?

>>44157334
Fluffy Pink Spider.

>>44156853
>Oh, and as for an explanation for the 'GOD NO' comment;
>I'd actually found the later responses in google, which ended up being the Bigfin squid and assumed that's what you meant.
>This just in: I am an idiot.

>>44157367
Fluffy Pink Spider with in-built miniature speaker blaring death metal.

>>44157334

>fluff = feeler whiskers
>paintjob = modular camouflage

Either is acceptable, though I prefer the latter simply because we could go for a Tachikoma paint job.

"I shall be pink." You say.

"... Pink?"
"Yes. With whiskers attached to my front end."

Azure grins. "Yeah, we can do that. I think we have some spare enamel here..."

By the time the two of you are done with your paint job, and Tandi has finished attaching some long, rigid hairs on your front end, Kate walks in, drying her hands on a rag. "What are you two working on?"
"Azure's new body." Tandi says. "We're making her a body that can just implant itself into larger shells when she needs to."

"Ooh, that sounds handy." She says. "Hey, I heard that Abel sent you on a mission to see what that whole explosion was about. How did that go?"

>?

>>44157723

>Did you know your sister was a robot?

>>44157723
I saw many things. Is your sister human?

>>44157723
>Azure grins
>And by that, I mean TANDI grins. You don't have teeth, and also, you don't usually think in third person. Er, uh, I don't usually write quests in third person. Usually I write them in second pers... You know what I mean.

"I saw many things." You say. "Is your sister human?"

"What? Is she human?" She asks. "Uh, last I knew, yeah. She's been human as long as I knew her. It's only after she moved out that she turned into a jerk."
"She did not move like one." You say.
"... You saw her?" She asks, eyes wide.
"That is one question. I did, but I also saw much more."

You begin to explain, but that's when Tandi cuts in, with a cable, a bright pink spider, and a small hand-held computer.

"Storytime is for later." Tandi says. "For now, we should make the transfer!"

"Very well." You say, and obligingly open up one of your jacks.

"Don't worry." Tandi says. "It'll take some time for your archive to compress, so when you wake up, I'll have already modified the security bot to let you pilot it. Might have the entire cap pop off...

Then she hits a button, and you feel your essence, your very self, everything you are...

It's cut off abruptly, and everything you know vanishes.

And then you vanish.

Nothingness.

>End of session!
>My twitter is @FutureExabyte
>And I also hang out in the IRC channel #Exabyte on the Rizon server.
>I'll be hanging around to answer questions and such.

>>44158113
thanks for running! see you next time Exa.

>>44156566
But anon, horseshoe crabs are adorable.

>>44158113
so does the fluff do anything? I am also looking forward to seeing how the base reacts when they see a giant pink metal spider crawling around everywhere.

>>44158516
>I entirely agree.

>>44158708
>The fluff helps absorb impacts, and also resists heat. Since the quantum computing mcjiggery that makes up your brain barely produces heat, this is a good thing.