Druhalith (The Season of Resilience)

Day 272

35 days since my arrival.

A new day a new set of problems I turned the notification off returning my focus to the heavies design.

The heavy was to be my blunt instrument, a walking fortress designed to break whatever defences the others couldn’t.

Its design would prioritize durability and raw power over speed or finesse, embodying the unstoppable force needed to breach any fortification in its path.

I started scratching the variant's design onto a tablet the variant would be a heavily reinforced bipedal frame to bear the weight of its armour and weaponry. Its core would house the densest composite musculature, surrounded by a fortified exoskeleton.

Its legs would be broad and sturdy, thick as pillars, reinforced by dense biofilters capable of withstanding explosive impacts.

I wrote down the specifications, outlining the armour’s composition. Unlike the sleek, adaptive camouflage of the sniper or the lightweight agility of the scout, this one needed armour that was practically impervious to standard small-arms fire.

Plates of hardened chitin would line the torso and legs, backed by layers of interwoven muscle fibres. I added an ablative outer layer that could absorb heat and kinetic impact, perfect for deflecting explosives and minimizing armour penetration.

With the core structure set, I turned my attention to its weaponry. For the primary armament, I embedded an arm-mounted bio-cannon on the top arms, capable of launching volatile projectiles that would pack a punch through most armour.

I examined my design with a critical eye, refining the specifications for precision. The bio-cannon would launch ultra-dense projectiles. Each projectile was designed with enough force to punch through reinforced armour.

The gel reserve for this cannon would be, housed within an internal organ that would create more gel faster and replenish as needed. The process allowed the drone to maintain a steady offensive, firing off rounds at intervals that enabled rapid regeneration without exhausting its resources. Satisfied with the results, I moved to the drone’s secondary weapon systems.

For close-quarter defence, I implemented retractable appendages featuring massive, chitinous claws on both auxiliary arms, barbed and strengthened to cleave through anything unfortunate enough to get close. These claws could lock into a shield-like structure, further enhancing the Heavy Drone's defensive capabilities.

Finally, I shifted my focus to the drone’s sensory suite. Unlike the other drones, the Heavy would not rely on finesse or precision. Its eyes would be simpler, with a focus on thermal and motion detection.

A system of reinforced bio-sensors embedded across its body would enable it to track movement, ensuring it wouldn’t lose sight of targets in chaotic battle conditions. I added a layer of audio dampeners to protect it from its noise, a necessity for a behemoth of this scale.

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I reviewed the finalized design. I fed the specifications into the bio-fabricator, watching as the organic matter swirled within the tank, taking shape.

The process took longer than with the scout or sniper. As the form solidified within its cocoon, I noted the sheer size of it. Finally, the cocoon membrane split open with a wet, tearing sound, and the Heavy Drone emerged, towering and monstrous. It stood nearly twice the height of the others, its armour gleaming under the dim lighting, casting an imposing shadow across the workshop.

I approached it, inspecting the layered plates of armour, the powerful limbs, and the brutal weaponry. With a thought, I ordered it to move its muscle, its musculature flexed, and it looked ready.

Satisfied, I decided it was time for testing. I gave the heavy drone a command, ordering it to raise its upper arms and target the reinforced slab of ore stone and resin at the back of the workshop.

With a fluid motion, it raised its arm and aimed at the slab, the recoil absorbed by its sturdy frame. The shard collided with the slab. The dense shard struck the slab with a deafening impact leaving a gaping hole.

I walked to the slab inspecting the damage finding the projectile had fractured and was scattered inside the slab before breaking through an unexpected result, but I was satisfied with the result.

I ordered the heavy to test its claws in close-range scenarios on the damaged slab. The drone’s auxiliary arms unfurled, and with one powerful swipe, its claws tore through part of the slab ripping it into fragments.

I gave the order to test its movement. I expected it to be slow, and cumbersome, but it moved with surprising grace for its size. Though not as agile as the scout or sniper, it was faster than I had anticipated, moving with the same relentless momentum I had hoped for.

The final test was sensory I experienced the raw sensory data—a flood of thermal signatures and subtle vibrations. Every heat source and every shift of air currents was perceptible, giving it an awareness that would allow it to detect ambushes or hidden foes.

I disconnected, allowing the Heavy to settle into standby mode. I took one last look at the heavy, feeling a sense of pride in the beast of war I had created.

With a thought, I gave the heavy a simple command to stand next to the sniper with a thought I ordered production of all warrior variants and gave the burrowers a new order to triple fungus farm production. I walked back to my crowded slab inspecting the next set of issues.

I turned my thoughts to an essential logistical challenge feeding the warrior drones. Their metabolism was a double-edged sword. It granted them strength and speed, but they consumed energy at an astonishing rate.

Standard nutrient sources wouldn’t be enough I needed a concentrated, easily distributed solution to keep them battle-ready without exhausting resources.

I began formulating a nutrient paste—an organic compound rich in proteins, amino acids, and energy-sustaining carbohydrates.

Its texture would be thick, almost gel-like, allowing it to be stored in compact packs and easily absorbed by the drones.

The paste would also contain bio-catalysts to accelerate energy absorption, ensuring that each feeding provided maximum efficiency with minimal waste.

To streamline distribution, I designed a system of bio-pods small, disposable sacs filled with nutrient paste that the drones could ingest directly.

These pods could be delivered through supply drones or by embedding them in strategic locations within the hive’s environment, allowing warriors to recharge mid-battle without retreating.

The paste itself would be engineered to release energy gradually, sustaining the drone over an extended period and reducing the frequency of resupply

My thoughts were overwhelmed as my mind focused on a new threat that was just discovered southwest of Sanctuary about 15 km a group of scouts were observing one of the enemy's ships landing on the surface.

Within minutes they had started dislodging what looked like large containers on the surface five of their armoured vehicles rolled off the ship each moving in a different direction.

I sighed my timetable to prepare got shorter I refocused my thoughts on my body and pulled up a tablet I had written on with a few of my thoughts about suicide medical and logistical drones and larger burrowers.