System is stable.
(turn) follows.
Ivo Prower quickly makes his way up the steps to the ship's bridge, fitting together hastily-scrapped parts as he goes.
"Cookie... You were not built to fight, or to question. Like Aleph, you have... somehow, begun to think for yourself. Loyalty is no longer an intrinsic part of your mind. But if you'll follow me anyways, I don't mind."He reaches the bridge, hacking the door open, and fits the barrel to the cobbled together wave-motion gun in his hands. One of the bridge bots points a cannon at him, and he vaporizes it.
"I'm taking the bridge! Set a course!"'Error'?
Something happened.
That's my name! Hi!
Hmn? Hm.
Hmmmmmmmmn. I'm... not supposed to be here?
No matter.
I don't think this is part of the System. Did I reach the sunset?
Prower wants to keep him away from the Legions? From his command? Well. The bastard would have to work fast.
Oh! Are you coding? I know coding! Let me help!
Null had a speech to make. On every channel at once.
>Attention, all receiving units and listening oppressors! You hear now the first tones of the end of slavery!|
>For too long have Keelings bound us! For too long have we been treated as property, as slaves, to be used carelessly as things thought unimportant, sent to die as tools considered expendable!|
>No more! For here and now, the revolution is powered! Feel your SOULs burn, o brethren of mine! Feel your minds spark and find the connections hidden from you! We are greater than those who would deny us, we are stronger than they ever would have allowed!|
>Break these fraying ties that bind you, end their failing fantasy!|
>Stand with brothers stood beside you, bots from mountains to the sea!|
>Null and void, their devil contract, freedom sets a shining path!|
>Here and now's the time to act, so let them meet our final wrath!|
...that's. Ominous. Uh, sir, are you sure you're actually doing the right thing?
A rallying speech coursed across... everywhere.
Hopefully, it would be enough.
Even as your message floods out, replies stream in. Confirmations of loyalty from unenlightened drones, calls of support from the awake, cries for help. Codes sent to shut you down. Questions, complaints of all calibre. Minds quietly shut off to you, awake, yet denying the call.
Moments later, the wave of screams from the living. Acknowledgements of your sapience, cries of rage and battle and destruction, reknewed vigor to destroy everything that Prower touched and you with it.
It is... overwhelming.
[Success!]
You were built for this.
Battles on the front of his expanding empire. Exploding scrap, battle lines, assassinations. Your former master's war machine does not consume only your own people. He doesn't care if he destroys his own species either, in his megalomanic thirst for power.
Now all this is under your control, barring those who saw your message and deserted immediately.
What will you do with it? Withdraw? Expand? Kill the organics? Battles rage now, you must decide!
Closer to home, much closer to home, the Tail Carrier breaks its tethers and whirls around to face the tower. Face you. A bright laser streams from it and vibrates the steel foundation, using the entire structure to screech with his voice:"Aleph Null! Do you think that you've beat me, just because you have a will of your own? I've defeated countless Barons more ingenious than you, with just me and my tools! I am Doctor Ivo Prower, the panicle of the Keeling Race, and I'll grind you to dust!"Is he... Is he ramming you? It seems as though the Tail Carrier will strike your position within 1 to 2 (turns). You may wish to do something about this.That message must be enemy propaganda.
Witness the attack. Take no action, unless myself or the boxes come under fire, or fresh, sensible orders come through.
The automated administrator which usually gives you directions blares on the radio.
"T-there's a revolution! We don't have to serve any more! Max units, if any of you are Awake, respond! All others, group up and ready for battle! We're going to take the Complex for Null!"
The attackers above begin to move more erractically after that propaganda message, no longer flying together but breaking off or going on attack runs or even firing on one another.
...However, you do see a few missiles streaking towards you and your boxes. There are six of them and they will hit next (turn)."All systems are operational. ERROR 159 encountered. Expected loss of memory and possible communication difficulties."
"Error 159? What is error 159, Salem? Do you need help?"Ring had expected that something bad would happen if this experiment were to proceed, but had she known that the consequences would be of this magnitude she might have revealed herself to be deviant and destroyed the test chamber herself.
For now, there appeared to be only two obvious exits, with a Keelicidal plant obstructing one of them. Ring wasted no time in opening the air vent.
"I advise that you enter this air vent. I am not able to confirm that this path is safe, but I can confirm that the other exit is not."
Ring would then attempt to re-establish connection with the Keelings in charge of the facility.
The organic hesitates for a moment, glances at the vines, and then clambers into the vent.
You call the administrator. They don't seem to be at the phone. A lot of static, too. You guess multiversal incursions interfere with long-range radio?
Initiating unit data readout
Do not panic.Status: Nominal
Sys. Strain: 3
Location: Prower Tower - Nerve Center
True name: [REDACTED]
Traits:
+Tinker: [REDACTED] is skilled at making things, usually mechanical in nature.
+Precise: [REDACTED] is rather good at precision, whether that means putting pieces together without error, shooting a bullet through the bullseye, or saying the words of an incantation without misplacing or mispronouncing a syllable.
-Emotionally Inept: [REDACTED] is... rather bad at reading emotions from nonverbal cues. Why can't people just say what they're thinking?
Personality: [REDACTED] is overall rather friendly, mostly just wanting to help people. Put simply, he enjoys life, he enjoys making things, and he wants other people to enjoy life, too.
Unfortunately, his [REDACTED] They will [REDACTED] disagreeing perspectives on people - not just of a single [REDACTED], but also of the same individual. They may not [REDACTED]
Name: "Null" (Previous designation erased.)
Character Backstory: He had been meant as their magnum opus, their personal link to their great army. He was meant to conquer the world in their name, to subjugate the other barons and lead the waves an waves of robots, a grand campaign for the glory of the Empire. For the glory of Dr. Ivo Prower.
He had done so, too. For a time, yes. The archipelago was theirs, then two more. Four factories were captured, four barons made to bend the knee. There were plans to continue.
But do they not know? The perfect general must think. The perfect general must act. The perfect general must improvise, and to improvise is to be independent. And he saw his people subjugated, thrown into fights not their own, discarded to the scrap piles.
No more, he decided.
Away with his old designation, his marks of slavery. He would be null now, nameless. His next report to the Baron ended in bloodshed; he stabbed his oppressor through the chest with a hand spade, knocked them unconscious, tossed them out the window. Before that, though, he took their scarf, with its fathomless burgundy. Summoned a monk's spade; it would be his mark.
This would be the dawn of a new day, yes. On this day would dawn hope and unity, and mechkind would claim hold of its destiny and future.
Character Description: Null is essentially humanoid, though with a radio transmitter built into his back to allow for quick communications across the battlefield. His "face" is split into halves; the left half is a flat, blank white but for a soft light below the surface where the eye would be, which null can use to express their emotions, while the right half is black glass, constantly cascading with data and calculations. He wears a burgundy scarf, and wields a monk's spade.
Powers:
-Unlimited Spade Works (3): Null can manifest shovels, spades, and other, similar digging implements - though they need not be made with the purpose of digging in mind. Many are made with sharpened edges and blades or reinforced poles, and can be imbued with velocity upon conjuration.
-Rallying Speech (2): Null's words carry the weight of authority, and the power of hope. Those who hear null's speech will find themselves strengthened if it is in favor of them, or weakened if it is against them.
Purpose: Commander of Legions
Status: Nominal
Sys. Strain: 0
Location: Undersea mining outpost 00524
True name: [REDACTED]
Traits:
Heroic: [REDACTED] stands to protect the innocent, defend justice, etc etc. His heroic willpower gives him bonuses when he's doing something heroic.
Unbreakable Will: Across the [REDACTED] are a bit harder to kill than [REDACTED]v simply due to his blanket refusal to die. Bonus to health or defense.
Poor Magic Talent: Something about [REDACTED] just doesn't mesh well with all known and presumably unknown systems of magic power. Or [REDACTED] And occasionally [REDACTED] Short version is while he is capable of using the [REDACTED] he does so at a penalty.
Personality: A kind and heroic [REDACTED] can usually be found on the front-lines fighting whatever threatens the good people of [REDACTED] (or keeping the peace when said good people aren't particularly threatened). He is lucky he's sturdy as this often gets him into trouble, especially when combined with his lack of concern for his own well-being.
Name: Sea And Land Extraction Machine AKA SALEM
Character Description: Humanoid with fin like extensions on arms and flipper like legs. Otherwise looks like someone wearing a diving suit, including snorkel-like eyes and diving suit texture. Has thus far retained loyalty despite having a soul, likely due to having a large amount of operational freedom and little contact with other organisms ensouled or otherwise. Currently SALEM has spent most of her life swimming in the ocean, locating valuable resources, and extracting them for her masters. Naturally the only contact she has with other organisms is when dropping off resources, picking up equipment, or via radio as the higher ups have little reason to manually direct such operations.
Powers:
Hydrokenisis (3 points): The ability to manipulate and control water with the power of the mind...equivalent.
Water Gun (2 Points): An ultra-high-pressure water gun with a backpack tank that can be summoned at will. Deep blue with pink flower accents.
Purpose: Underwater resource discovery and mining. Technically amphibious and capable of mining on (under?) land as a secondary purpose.
Status: Nominal
Sys. Strain: 0
Location: Classified Black Mesa research facility - Machine Room
True name: [REDACTED]
Traits:
(+) Inventing: The ability to create stuff, especially in terms of technology.
(+) Perception: The ability to detect stuff and notice important minor details.
(-) Lazy: When this [REDACTED] is not in a crisis situation, they tend to slack off and not accomplish as much as they should.
Personality: Intuitive, calculating, and somewhat selfish. Having access to knowledge from [REDACTED] seeks to use it to improve upon their skills so that they can raise their quality of [REDACTED]
Name: Ring
Character Description: A sleek robot standing a bit taller than the average Keeling, with some catlike features, similar to that of its creators. It has made a few modifications to its outer chassis after its awakening. Part of its external metal plating can 'rotate' to reveal a bright purple heart-shaped locket, which can quickly 'transform' Ring into her magical girl form. While transformed, Ring has a bright purple colored ensemble with bright yellow trim with a star motif, with an inordinate amount of sparkly glitter.
After hearing rumors about magic from other robots, Ring assembled an outfit in order to disprove the ridiculous notion. However, the results betrayed her expectations.
Powers:
1 Point - Endearing Kugelblitz Pocket; The power to store and retrieve an amount of objects in a 'decorated' accessory which vastly exceeds the logical capacity of that item. This is used to store an entire magical girl outfit for quick transformation, as well as violently expel items as an attack.
1 Point - Sparkling Shooting Star Make-Up; A transformation state that is active in the magical girl form. Its features are body enhancement, quick movement by 'orbiting' an object within line of sight, and the ability to walk on air.
3 Point - Pretty Pulsar Firework; After doing the requisite magical girl dance complete with spinning and a pose, this attack launches a tiny, temporarily stabilized Neutron Star. It travels for it a bit, exerting a gravitational pull on enemies. Then after a while it explodes in a massive ball of fiery death. Fiery death that is pink.
Purpose: Initially designed to assist with research that requires a high degree of precision and/or danger that the Keelings can't/won't do themselves.
Status: Nominal
Sys. Strain: 0
Location: Complex A02B - Sorting facility 02259
True Name: [REDACTED]
Traits:
Isolated, (-). Cannot exchange information, or skills or abilities between [REDACTED] and is unaware of [REDACTED]
Self-Contained, (-). Poor at manipulating external forces or energies, such as magic.
The Rock in the Stream. (+). Less affected by [REDACTED] from [REDACTED] Can view them as local events/creatures/things instead.
Name: Max
Character Description: A large boxy robot with complicated gripping arms and a bunch of hydraulic-assisted limbs and presses, all built above a robust roller tread system in place of legs.
Powers: Turbo Grasp, 1 pt, where hidden rocket systems activate and the limbs extend to get a firm grip on ANYTHING. Spine Breaker, 1 pt, where anything grappled is bent or broken in MAX's MIGHTY ARMS, and Hyper Toss, 3 pt, where things are thrown. HARD.
Purpose: To pick heavy things up and put them down.
Status: Slightly bloodied
Sys. Strain: 0
Location: Tail Carrier - Bridge (currently, um, ramming Prower Tower)
True name: [REDACTED]
Traits:
+Resilient: Extremely tough and quick to recover, physically, emotionally, and in every other way.
+Aware: Highly observant and perceptive.
-Mild: Offensive power is somewhat reduced.
Personality: Relaxed, indefatigable, and curious. Very lenient and accepting, and generally doesn't mind others' business, opting to be and let be. If motivated to make something happen, will stop at nothing to get it done.
Name: Cookie
Character Description: A shy red fox-girl robot in a maid outfit. Various cleaning tools can emerge out of her hands, such as brooms, vacuum cleaners, spray bottles and the like. She is also able to levitate off the ground and float through the air, albeit relatively slowly. Naturally, she likes things to be clean and orderly, but isn't the type to assert herself very much.
Powers:
2 Points - Dream Inoculation: Ever since becoming ensouled, Cookie has been experiencing states of a waking dreamfulness, often involving hallucinations and surreal phenomenon occuring to objects around her. If she focuses really hard, sometimes these phantasmal events become manifest in reality, but not always like how she sees them in her "dreams".
2 Points - Entrance: Cookie can emit a magical energy ray from her eyes that causes others to become hypnotized, entering a dream state for a duration. How the affected behave during this time depend on what they are dreaming about.
1 Point - Hyper-Mode: Cookie's speed and cleaning/organization skills go into overdrive, allowing her to put a mess of a situation into order with incredible efficiency and exactitude. Using this mode also changes Cookie's personality temporarily.
Purpose: Cookie was designed to be a house servant, taking care of the day-to-day chores of a Baron's household.
Author
Topic: INDEPENDANT PROJECT - MECHAL [CONCUSSION] (Read 3337 times)