Ch 6
‘System show quests’
Quests(2)
First million
Objectives - Obtain one million USD or equivalent currency in sales of products.
Time Limit - N/A
Reward - 1 firearm blueprint raffle, 5k points
Penalty - None
This is my private domicile
Objectives - Obtain the title to the land you currently Inhabit
Time Limit - N/A years
Reward - 2 skill raffles, 1 random blueprint raffle, 2.5k points
Ok, most of those aren’t too hard and I planned on doing anyway. The penalty’s are kind of off putting but the time limits are fair. ‘System show shop’
Shop
Current rotation
5x random blueprint raffle - 5k points per one
2x bulk material raffle - 5k points per one
5x random skill raffles - 10k points per one
5x targeted blueprint raffle - 10k per one
2x rare skill raffle - 20k points per one
Rotation refreshed in 359 days. Upgrade system
for more categories
Interesting, but currently out of reach. Those rare skill raffles are the most appealing. I haven’t had a targeted raffle before but I assume I can at least choose a broad category of what I get. The fact that I can upgrade the system is nice to have confirmed. I should be able to finish the first quest rather quickly, so long as I manage to successfully solicit the help of Mr. Cobblepot. Now that I have finished the design of both the hardware and software of the Locust I need to start fabricating them. As I make my way into the engineering bay I spot Bear beside the Outlaw diligently disassembling the engine bay. Beside him was a basic table covered in numerous devices removed from the Outlaw. “What is the progress on the analysis Bear?”
“I estimate roughly 1% of the vehicle have been scanned well enough to allow for recreation. Much of the difficulty in the disassembly stems from the degree the vehicle has been compartmentalized and reinforced.” “Well once I get a few Locust assembled I will send some your way to help.” “ I estimate that with six Locust we will be able to get the vehicle disassembled and processed within two to three months.”
I did some math. With our current production capabilities it shouldn’t take more than two, maybe three weeks to get the initial ten Locust built. Once that’s done I can let six help Bear and have the rest work on making 20 M6Ds and their ammunition. I can then coordinate with Crow and Kumo to see what the landscape, both economic and political, looks like.
“Welp, let’s get to work”
Two and a half months later Jan 28 2023
-Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot POV-
Sitting in my office at the Iceberg Lounge I was trading correspondence via my personal computer. Trading various legal and less than legal proposals with business associates, politicians and the like, reports from my own businesses, and orders to my lieutenants and managers.
Looking through the messages I spotted something coming from one of my newer associates. An individual who calls themselves ‘The Tinkerer’. They claim to be able to provide firearms, ammunition and other “products and services that are best seen for oneself”. After some back and forth we agreed to meet. This message was just a confirmation that we would be meeting in about a week on the fifth of the next month along with what her escort will look like, what they would be bringing, ETC, along with a few questions. After confirming the questions we set the time.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
Going through other messages and finishing, I press the buzzer then wait. Soon one of my men entered. “What do you need sir?””
“ I want you to be on the lookout for some men dressed like this and lead them to me when they come on the fifth” I handed him the image that the Tinkerer sent me. “Remember to put on your best behavior, they might be selling me some interesting wares. You’re dismissed.” As he leaves and I look back to my computer I can’t help but feel a little anticipation, which is strange. But I always trust my gut, it’s what got me this far. “Looks like this is going to be an Interesting meeting.”
About a week and a half later/ February 5, 2023
-MC POV-
Currently Me, Crow and Bear are on the way through Gotham to meet with Mr.Cobblepot at The Iceberg Lounge in a now reassembled Outlaw. Both Bear and Crow are dressed in their XOF uniforms, much to Crows displeasure. I was wearing a plain suit with a mask I made. The mask was slightly skull like with a lense on the right eye that could go from 1x zoom to 20x. The left had the lenses, each 1x to 5x zoom. One had thermal, one had Infrared and the last was plain. The mask also had a voice modulator and a HUD. In the trunk we have a large suitcase containing a compressed Locust and two M6Ds along with some of the standard ammunition and three more that I came up with; A solid slug type for extra penetration, a practice round that is substantially cheaper in comparison, and a non lethal electric stun round.
The rest of my time was making a commercial version of the Locust without the hidden gun and dagger and taking a look at the Scout robot. The Scouts design is fairly straightforward, but its programming leaves much to be desired. It doesn’t contain much autonomy and has a relatively poor learning ability. It doesn’t even contain a rudimentary AI. These are some of the things I plan on redesigning once I start to work on it.
As we pull up to the entrance I tell the two with me “Alright boys you both remember the plan. Just let me do the talking. No hostilities unless provoked. understand?” “Acknowledged” “Understood”. As we park Bear and Crow get out of the driver and passengers sides and close the door. Bear opens my door and I step out. As I gaze at The Iceberg Lounge I can say it looks quite impressive. As Crow takes out the suitcase a valet approaches. “No need” I tell him, my voice slightly distorted. As Crow closes the Rear the Outlaw drives off. The valet backs off, surprise visible on his face. As we approach the door a man steps toward us and says “Mr. Cobblepot has been expecting you, please follow me.”
I nod and we then enter, Bear and Crow a half step behind me. The man guides us past the door and through a common room that contains a dance floor, bar and pool areas, through another door and up some stairs, then through a vip area and a hallway then we enter an office. The office is tastefully decorated, with some classical paintings and some shelves containing books and trinkets. Seated behind a fine Mahogany desk on a leather chair sat a finely dressed gentleman with a monocle resting on his hooked nose.
“Mr. Cobblepot I assume?” I ask, my voice no longer modulated. “Yes, that's indeed who I am. And you are The Tinkerer, although I suppose you have a real name too, don’t you?” I take off my mask and smile “You are correct sir. I am Jane Baas, pleasure to meet you.” As I reach out my hand to shake his hand. As he shakes my hand he smiles “Well pleasure to make your acquaintance Ms.Baas. Now let’s see these goods you’re offering.”
I gesture to Crow to put the suitcase to the floor and I go and open it. Taking out a M6D and some of the ammunition I bring it to Mr. Cobblepot to examine and hand it to him. “This is the M6D Pistol. It fires a custom and substantially large 12.5x40 cartridge that we currently have 3 variants of plus a practice type. For the first type we have a standard type round that is nickel plated with a high explosive charge. It can penetrate all market available body armor and take a chunk out of what is on the other side. For the second we have a tungsten core slug round that can penetrate lightly armored military vehicles or about 4 inches of concrete. For the third we have a non lethal electric shock round that can quickly put someone on their ass. We also have a practice round that is substantially cheaper than the other three. I plan on making a few more variations of both the ammunition and the gun. We have some ammunition here for your men to test if you would like as we discuss our second product”
As I speak Cobblepot examines the weapon. He stands up and goes into a shooter's stance. He cycles the weapon a few times, pulls out the magazine and pushes it back in. “What is the reliability of firearm?” “So long as it's properly maintained there is a close to zero chance of the gun jamming, misfiring or misfeeding. Even if you don’t maintain it it should still work exceptionally well. It would take an extreme amount of abuse for this gun to do anything it’s not supposed to.” “Impressive”
Cobblepot hands the weapon off to his employee with orders to go test it and Crow hands him the ammunition. “Now what was this other product you wanted to show me? I’ve been dying of anticipation.”
I go and enter a password on the suitcase and a steel box on the inside slides open. “01 come out” and out of the box comes Locust 01. “This, Mr. Cobblepot, is the Locust 01M, an armed version of the O1C, which is a fully autonomous work and maintenance droid, or robot if you will. The 01C can do any tasks ranging from assembly and manufacturing of complex machinery, repair and use of industrial equipment, and anything in between. The 01M comes with a hidden 12.5x40 caliber pistol in its right arm with a small magazine of three plus one in the chamber, a hidden Vibroblade, which is another one of our products. It has a more hardened body over the 01C, capable of resisting anything .50cal and under. Both the 01C and 01M are hardened against moderate EMP attacks, although the 01M is better in this regard. “
“Both the 01C and 01M can remain Idle for 6 months before needing a recharge. At normal levels that you would see during work, you can get between two and three weeks before needing one. At normal electrical grid levels, it takes about 6 hours to get a full charge. It’s recommended they undergo maintenance every year, but so long as you have two of them they can perform maintenance on each other.” “Can they make more of themselves?” “Under normal circumstances, no.” “But?” I smirk at Mr. Cobblepot “If they are given a special access code that changes daily, and they are connected and monitored by the main server.”
Mr. Cobblepot nodded. “How well do they fare in combat?” “Close quarters they could probably handle special forces, but they probably wouldn’t fare well in any open landscape. But in a place like Gothem? I think they would face no problem.” “How much are they priced individually?” “The 01M goes for 8 thousand USD, and the 01C goes for 6 thousand. There may be some room to negotiate on bulk orders.” “Hmm, come sit and let's discuss your proposal.” I nod
As we sit Mr. Cobblepot starts. “Well I think there’s some room for negotiation on your Initial proposal, which was 10 million for a 5% stake in your startup. I was Initially skeptical but I see now that you were not wrong. However if I’m going to invest I would like a higher stake in the company. If you say 5% right now is 10 million then I would like 20% for 40 million. What do you think?” “Hmm. How about this, 35 million for 20% and help with a few issues I have.” “And what might those issues be?” “Three issues mainly. Firstly I need legal papers. Then need to be ironclad with no evidence otherwise. Secondly I need to acquire some land at a location I set up on. Thirdly, I need some networking help. Mainly materials providers and shipping, any kind of discount I can get from buying in bulk is more money for other projects.”
“I can help with the identification, although it might take a few weeks, and I can introduce you to some fellow businessmen and women who can give you a deal on bulk materials. Where is this land that you want?” I bring out a tablet I had in my suit and use it to bring up a satellite view of the area my base was in. “We need at least these two acres, but would like to acquire the surrounding 20 or so acres to build on. I plan on making a large factory complex on the top. We can always go down in case we need more room.” Mr. Cobblepot takes a look. “Hmm. It might take a bit, but I can have it done shortly after we get your identification. Is that agreeable?” I stick my hand out for a handshake “To a future cooperation” Mr. Cobblepot smiles “And to new friends”