Fuxi: Short-range transponder and charger successfully installed. Updating map with transponder location.
“Activate the Ashray infiltrators. Eidolon, take control of the Ashrays. Post them in areas where they can gather information.”
Eidolon: Understood. Activating Ashray infiltrators. Uploading Pithan language…upload successful. Uploading espionage protocol…upload successful.
With that taken care of, I moved on to the next job, the placement of the bioreactors. Using some of the space that had been carved out underground, I had some assembly robots install them. I made sure to add a few vents to allow the gaseous waste products to escape. Even though it would not harm me, I didn’t want Mors or Aurea to inhale the potentially toxic gasses. GARs were assigned to feeding plant matter into the bioreactors, but I would need to fabricate robots specifically for that task if I wanted more efficiency.
“Is there anything else I need to fabricate?”
I had Fuxi scan through the data banks and draw up a list of the most beneficial machines and robots I could create at the moment.
Fuxi: Understood. Creating a list…
Combat units:
Predator model law enforcement robots: Designed for the pursuit and capture of armed and dangerous fugitives. Heavier armor allows them to withstand large arms fire and blunt force trauma. Equipped with a non-lethal ranged electroshock gun that administers up to 60,000 volts. Also includes slots for tear gas canisters as a secondary non-lethal option. Lethal options include retractable knives, replacement of tear gas canisters with chlorine gas, and built in firearms capable of firing 5.56x45mm cartridges. 2 meters in height, 1 meter wide.
R.O.A.R. (Ranged Ordinance and Artillery Robots) model artillery: Mobile artillery robots that fire 90mm explosive shells. Maximum speed is 16 km/h. 4 meters tall, 2 meters wide.
Lyco model arachnid robots: Humanoid shaped robot with 4 semi-liquid limbs attached to each side of the spine. Extra limbs allow for increased vertical mobility in urban or forested environments. Semi-liquid limbs are the primary weapon, able to harden into a piercing point for penetration through armor. Small tubes inside the appendages allow the Lycos to inject either corrosive, toxic, or otherwise harmful substances into the target. 1.5 meters tall, 0.5 meters wide.
Utility robots:
Replete mobile charging stations: Robot installed with a large battery and up to 100 cables. Able to travel long distances with combat units and charge them on the move. Due to the size of the battery, armor is relatively light. This unit lacks any offensive capabilities.
Custodial robots: Humanoid robot with every tool needed to ensure the cleanliness of its designated cleaning area. Can work completely autonomously. This unit lacks any offensive capabilities.
Mag-Trac mining robots: Humanoid robot that uses large electromagnets to assist in extraction of metals. Uses drills to extract larger metal deposits from the surrounding earth. This unit lacks any offensive capabilities.
Medical Assistance Droid ( M.A.D.): Humanoid robot designed to administer medical aid to injured or diseased humans. M.A.D.s come with several medical tools that can be replaced and switched, including but not limited to scalpels, scissors, blood analyzer, microbiological incubator, chemical and thermal sterilizers, and defibrillators. Unlike most other robots, each M.A.D. is given a name in order to help foster a better relationship between it and its patient. M.A.D.s are also programmed to express more emotion for this purpose. This unit lacks any offensive capabilities.
Human support systems:
Identification Lens: Glasses used to identify allied, hostile, or unknown individuals. Uses facial recognition and facial expression technology to create a threat level assessment. Allied individuals will be highlighted in blue, hostile individuals in red, and unknown individuals in gray. One full charge will last up to one month before needing a recharge.
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Scale-Tech gloves: Utilizes technology based on the way lizards climb walls to allow the wearer to hang off of and scale vertical surfaces. One glove can support up to 70 kilograms of weight. If the surface of the glove is damaged in any way, however, the weight it can support is drastically reduced.
Thermoblade: A knife made with conductive metals that heats up to 200 degrees celsius. The blade is approximately 90 centimeters in length, while the handle is 50 centimeters in length. The handle is made with heat and electricity resistant materials. Owner must handle it with EXTREME caution.
“Hmm. Interesting choices.”
“[Other units and items were deemed too expensive or difficult to fabricate at this time.]”
“Alright then, begin fabrication of:
3 Medical Assistance Droids
100 Predator Law Enforcement units, with tear gas and chlorine gas canister ammunition
20 R.O.A.R. model artillery units, with 90mm explosive shells
200 Lyco model arachnid robots, with alkaloid-based toxic injection fluid
200 Replete mobile charging stations
40 Custodial robots
300 Mag-Trac mining robots
4 pairs of Identification lens glasses
2 pairs of Scale-Tech gloves
7 thermoblade knives”
Fuxi: Understood. Estimated completion time: 20 days, 14 hours, 3 minutes.
I pondered on how I could decrease the fabrication time of the robots and machines I was making. Like I had experienced before, the main problem was the lack of advanced materials.
“Fuxi, fabricating the Chinook robots is the lowest priority. I want the new ones made ASAP. Aside from that…”
“[WARNING. 50 humans approaching, approximately 34 kilometers to the south-east.]”
I dropped my thoughts in a beat, focusing on the report sent back by my drones.
“[50 heavily armed and armored humans on horseback. Most are armed with heavy halberds, but a few have bows. They aren’t coming directly towards you, but caution is still advised,]” Eve said after analyzing the report.
“Thanks for the info Eve. Continue your surveillance please.”
“[Understood.]”
The nearest available drones were currently watching the fireblood wolf, so I had a few split off while the rest kept an eye on the monster. In the meantime, I dispatched a new squad of drones to assist. Through the eye of one of the drones already observing the soldiers, I saw one of them hop off their horse to take a look at a patch of burnt ground left by the fireblood wolf, from one of its hunts several days ago. Their faces were covered by bulky helmets, but I saw the leading soldier nod at the trackers' words. With a quick movement, the tracker remounted his horse and the group were back on their way.
I came to the conclusion that they must be tracking the monster. They did not stray from the burnt path, and if they continued, they would eventually stumble into the monster’s den.
“I can’t let them kill that monster. It is too valuable of a test subject. But if I play my cards right, this could end up being quite profitable.”
I ordered hundreds of my soldiers to make their way towards the monster den. I made sure to instruct them to keep a wide berth around it, as the wolf was still resting inside. I did not want to needlessly aggravate it. In the meantime, I tried to gather as much information as possible about the humans. The results were disappointing, as the heavy plate armor made it difficult to identify any notable features. But their armaments and steeds did manage to give me a few clues as to their identity.
“They are obviously well equipped. Their armor is first-rate, as well as their weapons. The horses are high quality too, well trained and respond quickly to their riders. It isn't cheap raising and training those kinds of horses.”
“[Based on the map you acquired, Ocaephis is the only place in this area that could support these soldiers, unless they are some sort of traveling mercenary group.]”
I was hoping that once the Ashray Infiltrators made their way into the city, they’d be able to gather some information about these soldiers. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be for a while. Not only did they have to actually make it to the city, but it would also take them some time to get situated. After all, a flood of newcomers with all asking about the same thing could arouse some suspicion.
The soldiers traveled for a while longer, but stopped to set up camp when 2 hours of daylight remained. They worked like a well-oiled machine, setting up tents, firepits, and an area for their horses inside a small clearing. The tents seemed to be made of a canvas, although I could not identify which kind without further testing. The tent at the center was the largest, flying a blue flag emblazoned with an arrow and sword, along with a snake behind them.