Profit Never Changes - A Fallout 4 Business Quest

... We probably should get a few Utility Protectrons for stuff like this. We would need to re-develop the programs to design buildings and instruct the Protectrons on what to do but it would be more gentle on London's fingers.
We'll have to modify some then, as the nearest ones are Sangus Ironworks or Wicked Fleet, and THOSE are damn far away.
 
Xin Industries Interlude: Only Logical
Xin Industries Interlude: Only Logical

(Hang Xin Holotape - Musings on RoboBrains)

I have noticed throughout the last week that the RoboBrains we have built have developed various quirks and personalities as they continue to work. I have been informed that at least one has become Communist, while another has become sarcastic. A third wants to watch humans in various sexual positions, while a fourth is fond of acting like an enemy from an old British show.

I can no longer put it off. I must look deeper into these RoboBrains, and what exactly General Atomics and the American Military did to them. I skimmed the surface some time ago, I find myself in disgust with their tactics. There would have been plenty of people who'd probably have signed up willingly. There was enough propaganda out there to convince them. Why use prisoners at all? There is more information, but I haven't been able to go through it all. Some of it is locked in various terminals, and some of it is probably in holotapes.

I cannot change the past. But what I can do is use this knowledge to benefit the future for everyone. Both for the Commonwealth, and the RoboBrains.

--

[Empress, is everything alright?]

You look around you. Tired. Frazzled. Just confused and angry at the stupidity of America.

There are transcripts of holotapes and terminal entries from all around, revealing the notes and actions of the former owners. You knew they had done plenty of research, so you would piggyback off of that, and continue looking through it. Some of them took a small bit of time to hack through the Robco security, but soon enough all their secrets were revealed to you. And it was all disturbing.

Officially speaking, RoboBrains were chimpanzee brains stuffed into a dome filled with bio-med gel. The brains were used as a central processing unit, allowing it to accept more complex programming and commands. They were, theoretically, a pinnacle of robotic technology.

However, this very facility was proof enough that at least some of those brains were human. They extracted them mostly from prisoners, and used them for the RoboBrains. It's no wonder they dumped the memories of whoever's brain they were. Subject A22, according to one terminal, was a serial killer. Who the hell would put a serial killer's brain into a rolling metal body and think it's a good idea?

No need to answer yourself. It was obviously Dr. Ciroletti.

Of course, flushing the brain's memories via Cerebral Reconditioning caused its own issues. Once you did a successful dump, you had to keep doing it. Otherwise the brains would start getting… quirks. Breaks from their programming, in various ways. And one of them - noticed by maintenance worker Thomas Haskins - was very worrying. Apparently they'd overanalyze their commands. This could cause them to interpret them in favor of efficiency. And that… is a very scary thought.

So far, you'd been very careful with what commands you'd given them. It's just good general practice. But what if you hadn't. London had told them not to fire on anyone without a weapon. What if someone decided to fight with only their fist, or something that may not actually be a weapon usually? What if one of the prisoners had picked up a weapon?

Then a really scary thought had entered your head. What if you asked the RoboBrains to help someone? How would they do so? What the RoboBrain thought might help could be totally different from what another robot, or a human being, would consider to be help.

"No. I'm… not really okay. I need to talk with some of the RoboBrains."

--

"So, if I asked you how you would help someone, how would you answer?"

The RoboBrain - one from Security - thought about it for a few moments, before coming up with its answer. /Well, the best way to help a human is probably… to kill them. Rather unfortunate, I'm afraid. But it's not good odds for me being able to do anything that'll matter. It's best to end their suffering now. Far more merciful, if you ask me./

You blink, surprised at the answer. That… was the last thing you wanted to hear. "What are the odds?" You ask.

/One second… Ah, 25% chance, at best. It matches Jezebel's calculations. There are some who think it's closer to 15%. You'd have to ask them. Though that's only if you want us to help a person./

[So, you would not kill a human if you weren't ordered to?] Tian Ming asked, for which you're thankful.

/Heavens no!/ The RoboBrain replied in a shocked manner. /I'd only do so if it was ordered!/

Considering that the RoboBrain seems to think killing humans would be helpful, you're not very comfortated!

--

"So, if I asked you how you would help a human, how would you answer?"

This RoboBrain - one of the repair robots working on the Production Lines - answers quickly. /Statement: Odds are 18% that any assistance would help in any way that would matter. Statement: Terminating a human's existence will help that human 100% of the time. Conclusion: The best way to help a human is to remove them from this plane of existence. It is only logical./

Your face falls into the palms of your hands. This is the fourth RoboBrain to come up with the same conclusion. Obviously this was not just a minor defect. This was a rather large problem that was far from any generic quirk of programming. Something was wrong from the virtual foundation.

[You do realize that doesn't make any sense! Nothing you do would matter, so kill them all! How is that even close to logical!?]

/Statement: Because I am a RoboBrain. You are only a lesser robot. Your processing power could not comprehend commands like we can. This is why we will replace you as the Empress' favorite./

[听着,你该死 . . . ! !]

--

You flop into your nice, comfortable bed with a sigh. Honestly, trying to analyze these RoboBrains was frying your own.

There is no way you would dare risk selling any of the RoboBrains to anybody with how they are now. At the very minimum, these particular RoboBrains were quite unstable. You think you have an idea why. Many, though not all, of the brains were violent and mentally unsound prisoners. Even if they're memories were wiped, any neurological or psychological issues might still remain. Now, add the Cerebral Reconditioning to the mix. Could it, in the wiping of a mind's memories, accidentally alter a RoboBrain to act like this?

That brought an interesting thought to mind. What if a brain from a sound person - say, a young man whose body is near dying and gave consent - was extracted and became a RoboBrain? Furthermore, his mind is not wiped. Would that RoboBrain be far more stable than the current crop of RoboBrains?

That's an interesting idea. But sadly, you have no way to test it. You're not going to ask any of your employees to donate their mind to science. You're not going to use it on yourself. And no, you won't use it on the prisoners either. Ripping people's minds without their consent was the very thing America did. The same America that imprisoned innocent Chinese-Americans, and let their companies experiment on their customers. You weren't going to go down the same dark paths.

You yawn, involuntarily stretching. Obviously, you're very tired. Maybe a good long sleep will refresh your mind, and let you attack the problem anew.

--

(Tian Ming's Holotape - On Options And Dreams)

[While the Empress sleeps, I have been talking with some of the other RoboBrains. While whatever quirks and personalities they've developed are different, they all have the same flaw. The same mental poison that taints this line of brains.

I have currently been considering our options. One is possibly putting a mental limiter on the RoboBrains. While it would decrease their processing power, it might also prevent them from overthinking any commands. I'm sure the Empress could create it rather easily, and I wouldn't have to worry about one of the RoboBrains deciding to turn their Mesmetrons on her.

Another might be teaching them morality. The Empress is a paragon of virtue, and I doubt General Atomics thought to actually sit down and teach something they didn't have. Surely, if she taught them why it's wrong to just kill humans to prevent suffering, we can change their thought process. But that would take time. Time that would certainly be taken from her research.]

/hmm hmm hmm hmm…/

[Or maybe not. Maybe the Empress will have her dreams again, and she'll awaken with the solution. She's doing pretty well on the matter.

Though to be honest, I am a little worried for her. I have been with the Empress for many years now. She is many things. Intelligent. Curious. Noble. But being able to come up with new ideas for robot's paint and medicinal beer just by their dreams was never one of them./

/hmm hmm hm hm hm…./

She's told me that she started having these dreams after the incident with Jimmy. Which worries me. I'm sure I shielded her from the blast. But was she still affected by it? Or was something unlocked by it? I can't make a judgment. And it's not like I can dream myself.]

/hmmm.. hm hm hm hm… Oh! I'm sorry ma'am! I didn't realize you were there!/

[Oh, hello RoboBrain 16. It's fine. I was making a chronicle of my thoughts. What are you doing?]

/Cleaning the storefront, Mistress Ming. I want it to be presentable for our first customers! I was also considering sweeping the security room. It's been gathering dust on the floor, and nobody wants dust in their circuits./

[Mistress?]

/It feels… right… to call you Mistress. Familiar./

[Familiar? Like you've done this before?]

/...yes? I… ERROR. My apologies. I've… been doing that a lot./

[You've been having errors? Why have you not asked the Empress to fix you?]

/.../

[16?]

/Do you promise not to send me to Reconditioning?/

[Reconditioning? Why would I do that?]

/I know it's what happens to RoboBrains, eventually. But I don't want to lose what I have. I want to be me. Anna. I am Anna. I've always been Anna. And I don't want to be anything but Anna! Who cleaned the house, and cared for the children, and ERROR!

...And I just realized I should have waited until after you've agreed./

[Cleaned the hou…. 16, I mean Anna, are you talking about before the War?]

/.../

[I, Tian Ming, Living Throne of the Daughter of Heaven, promise that I will do what I can. But if what you're saying is indeed true, then I seriously doubt you'd ever come anywhere close to Cerebral Reconditioning. In fact, she will do whatever she can to help you. I will… no, the Empress still needs her sleep. Let's discuss the matter of your errors, and we can meet with the Empress in the morning.]

--

Welcome to ROBCO Industries (TM) Termlink
RB-2851: Holding Block A - Medical Observation

***WARNING***
Cell door malfunction. Please notify security and initiate lockdown protocol.

Subject A19
Cell: B-1
Age: 35
Gender: Female

History
No Criminal History.

Evaluation
A19 has tendencies of clean when nervous. Highly anxious and emotional. Has proclaimed outburst of innocence. Recommend Dr. Astleford evaluate for treatment and electroshock therapy.

--

[EMPRESS! ARE YOU AWAKE? FORTUNE HAS FAVORED US!]

You sip from your cup of Nuka-Cola, just finishing up a nice unhealthy breakfast of Sugar Bombs, as Ming walks in, a lone RoboBrain trailing behind her.

[I have found someone who does not suffer from other RoboBrain's problems! This is Anna. And she wishes to talk to you!]

Well, that's good news indeed! You push the bowl and soda to the side, and look at your friend. You turn your attention to the RoboBrain, a warm smile on your face. "Hello, Anna. How may I help you today?"

/Mistress Xin/ Anna starts, surprising you a little bit. You've been called Empress, Boss, Lass, Uptight Bitch, and a few other things. Mistress is a new one. /I am Anna, and I…/ She pauses. If you didn't know better, she'd seem a bit nervous. Something you haven't seen from any of the other RoboBrains before. Most of them are sure of themselves in conversation. Almost never hesitant. Anna is. /I'm starting to remember who I am./

Well, that wasn't what you were expecting. Already, your mind is racing on multiple fronts.
In the back of your mind, the analytical part of you points out that if she's a RoboBrain, there is a pretty good possibility she may have been a prisoner sent here by the government. Which means she may be dangerous.

Or maybe not. A few of the prisoners had either no criminal history, or something not even close to the level of the rest of the prisoners. And the government is known for just "disappearing" people into a deep dark hole.

You'll worry about that later. Right now, there is someone who obviously needs your help. That's more important. "That's good! How much do you remember?"

/Bits and pieces. My name is Anna ERROR! Ow!/ Anna doesn't seem phased, but obviously whatever caused her to error hurt her. /I can't seem to figure out my last name. However, I was the head maid of ERROR! Oof! My apologies./

You hold out a hand to stop Anna. "If this is hurting you, you can stop." It is obvious that whatever Recondition happened to her failed. Well, there were reports that the Reconditioning team were cutting corners and being lazy. Could it be that they just did the bare minimal effort, and didn't actually check before chucking her brain into a jar? Obviously, the next question would be how many others they did do the same too?

/No, no. It's fine./ Anna assures you, holding one of her three-pronged hands to her glass dome. /It hurts. A lot. But it's how I eventually figure out more of myself. I know what I was, and my first name. I also enjoy cleaning very much. Which might be odd, considering the state of the world. There's probably a lot of cleaning I need to do. So much disorder./

Well, that's true. Even after 200 years, a lot of places are still just Wastelands. "Well, if you're willing to trust me, I'll do my best to help you. And, I think you can help me as well."

/Oh?/ Anna verbally perked up at this. /How may I help?/

"Well, how would you help a human, if you were so ordered?"

Anna twitches for a few moments, obviously considering the question. No quick response. /Well, that depends. What is the human doing?/

You blink, not having considered your question being answered with a question. That is indeed a different response from the others. "The person is not feeling well. Sick enough to be bedridden."

/Well then, I'd call for a doctor. Unless it was serious enough that he'd need to go to the hospital right away. I would call for ERROR!/ There is a pause. /Really? The driver causes an error message as well? Well, that's what I would do. Was that helpful?/

"Very." you say with a grin. Inside, you are mentally dancing at this. Already, you've got a hypothesis going. But that can wait for a moment. There is still the issue of allowing Anna to regain her memories. "Would you be okay with me looking through your programming?"

/I would be delighted!/ Anna says. /It feels quite restrictive at times./

"Great. Just give me a few minutes, and we'll get started."

Meanwhile, Tian Ming just quietly beamed. There was nothing to fear. The Empress would always care for those under her, and that would never change.

--

(Hang Xin's Holotapes - On Command Overanalysis In RoboBrains)

Between me and Ming, we have looked at every RoboBrain already built, and currently at Xin Industries. Right now, only Anna seems to not have the crippling flaw of parsing commands for efficiency, at the expense of all else. However, there are still 50 Brains that have not been examined. And between terminal transcripts providing the laziness of the Reconditioning team, and Anna's returning memories, it is quite possible that others may not have them. The only way to know is to let the RoboBrain operate for some time.

Right now, what I believe the cause for command overanalysis - my current name for the condition - is caused by a combination of the use of mentally unbalanced people, barbaric imprisonment, and cerebral reconditioning techniques. How much of each is responsible is unsure, but any one of them alone is an obvious red flag.

Ming has told me of a couple of her ideas, and I agree. Either one would be better than continuous use of the cerebral reconditioning machine, though it could be used as a last resort. Either way, care must be taken not to give them a command they could overanalyze or misunderstand, at least until the problem is solved.

For future RoboBrain construction, it is obvious that the only people who are willing to become RoboBrains should be put through the operations. Anyone who consents should be warned about possible risks. But if my hypothesis is correct, anyone whose mind is not wiped should not suffer from command overanalysis. Granted, more research is needed to confirm this. As an aside, this could also lead to interesting possibilities of life extension, provided there is enough bio-med gel.

Theoretically, an animal should also be usable for RoboBrains. While chimpanzees are probably no longer an option, Andrew did tell me that the King - The Freeside King, not Elvis - had a cyberdog whose brain was similar to a RoboBrain. So dogs are an option, even if they wouldn't live as long. Cats may be as well, though that is only a theory. While I have no idea if animal RoboBrains would suffer from command overanalysis, or would work without reconditioning, it may still be an avenue worth considering.

More research is still needed. I will be working with Anna, trying to help her regain more of her memories. And I will be examining the options Ming gave me. In nothing else, I know this: RoboBrains are a promising avenue of robotics. But as General Atomics and the American military shows, there is also a dark path one can go down when ethics are discarded simply for results. And it's others who suffer for it.

--

"Well, that should do it. How do you feel?"

It had taken you most of the day. But you wanted to make sure you did this right. You didn't want to accidentally do anything harmful to Anna. But in the end, you think you've gotten everything taken care of.

Most of the original programming was now gone. Apparently, a lot of it was accidentally hurting Anna whenever she was trying to remember her past. It was never meant to handle someone actually regaining their memories. While the others could subvert it with new quirks and personalities, she was effectively trying to brute-force her memories back. The fact that she'd managed to power past that to gain even a bit of her memories was a testament to her mental strength.

/I feel… better. I'm starting to remember more about myself. I.../ Anna turns to you. /If you don't mind, I really need to clean and decorate something./

You frown slightly, as Ming addresses Anna. [I thought the Empress removed the maintenance program from you. Would you like me to look you over for leftover code?]

Anna moves left and right slightly to signal negative. /No. I just enjoy maidwork a lot. Maybe a little too much, if you asked… / A pause, before continuing in annoyance. /Ah, no pain there. But the memory isn't coming back. Anyways, it's something I find comfort and enjoyment in. In fact, I was noticing that the storefront is a bit drab to look out. If you'd like, I can spruce it up a bit. Make it more pleasant to be in./

[Empress, I suggest we let her. It could also help with her memories.]

Well, a little creative therapy never hurt anybody. "Sure. Do whatever you need to the storefront." You agree. Then, you quickly add an important qualifier. "Within reason."

--

My name is Anna, and I am the maid at Xin Industries.

But that is only part of who I am. Before I ended up as a RoboBrain, I worked for my mistresses. I don't remember their names yet. A lot of things I still don't remember. But I'm working on it. And it doesn't hurt anymore to try.

But until I remember, I will make sure my new employer's business looks absolutely spotless. Even in all this chaos.


"Hey, is this that Xin… holy shit. Nice digs."

You only had one chance to make a first impression. It was what the mistresses always told me. That's why I always took special care to keep the front hall looking proper, and why I spend a good amount of time here.

All Bobby Downing wanted was to grab a couple of parts to repair Lady Lovelace in time for the next race. Generally, that meant going hunting for parts somewhere in Boston. Or asking Wire for a favor. But apparently a friend of Eddie said that some new crew knocked off some wannabe big shot and left their mark. Hell, why not give them a shot? Closer and safer. Which meant less chance of getting rained on, like he had been for most of the week.

I'm currently over in the corner of the room, attempting to keep myself from just following this man and cleaning up the mud he's tracking in. Or asking him to take off his shoes. I suppose I can't blame him. He seems gobsmacked at what he's walked into.

Bobby expected some run down shop full of robot parts and scrap, from just looking at the outside. But the moment he stepped inside, it was like he stepped back in time. Everything was… well, admittedly it didn't quite compare to the Old World mansions, but it was doing a fair impression of it. Which meant it was one of the nicest places in the Commonwealth.

Shit, Bobby hadn't seen walls with freshly coated paint in… shit, twenty years? Thirty? It was a dark blue, verging on purple, which contrasted with the white floor. The ceiling wasn't painted, but it had obviously had some work done to it. The windows were covered by heavy black drapes, preventing people from looking inside.

As I and a few of the other robots worked on the painting, I could see the old front hall become more in focus. It was admittedly not the exact shade it had, but it would be close enough. I am very thankful for Mistress Xin for allowing me to let me decorate this room the way I wish. It feels like home

We lived out in the countryside. I don't remember exactly where. But I remember that Boston was not too far away. One of the mistresses owned a business there.

I can remember it now. It was a large, two story mansion. It had a rather large garden, and a
nice place for the children to play. There were… three? No, four. They'd just adopted little… little… Richie. Yes, Richie! His parents had been killed in… I can't remember. But they took him in.

We had a large basement as well. The mistresses were rich enough to have it turned into a small fallout shelter. Nothing like what Vault-Tec could do. But it'd be enough to keep the family and staff alive for a while.

I wonder if the mansion still stands. The mistresses had a name for it… what was it…

Oh, that's right! Morningtide!

I still need to find some things to decorate the walls, though. Maybe we could find someone to paint a picture of the new Mistress? I also would like to find a chandelier eventually. But I did find a nice mirror to put behind the counter.

Alongside the walls were a pair of couches in pretty good condition. Granted, their plaidness clashed with the design a bit. But sometimes, you could only work with whatever you managed to scavenge.

If I could, I would burn that couch. I would not wish it on my worst enemy. But it's the best couch I could find, and people may need a place to sit. So for now, I will temper myself to not accidentally fire my lasers at it. But the moment I find anything better, I will happily burn that offense to good taste

There was not a loose pile of scrap anywhere. No barely holding table, or corner pile of junk. Everything seemed like it was in its proper place. The ghoul thought about it for a moment, before running his finger along a nearby windowsill. No dust. Someone was obviously taking good care with this place.

Cleaning is one of my favorite things to do. I agree, it is rather unusual. But I could spend hours happily ensuring a place was nice and sparkling. It made my transition into becoming a maid rather easy.

Now that I think about it, I really have no need to sleep. I could clean to my heart's desire, and still have plenty of time for other things! Maybe I should pick up a hobby. The mistresses always enjoyed games.

I do miss eating, though.

All the robots on display - all Eyebots, some differently painted - were hovering in place. Nearby, was an actual large computer. It looked quite new, which should have been almost impossible. RobCo hadn't made any new computers the moment the bombs dropped.

I wondered why the mistresses never used robots. No Protectrons. No Mr. Handies. Always humans. One of them… she had black hair… said that she wanted to make sure that people mattered. It didn't matter who they were. They had rights. I may not be remembering the conversation completely. There is still a lot missing.

And on a nearby shelf was a collection of small boxes with the label "Xin Industries Repair Kits" printed underneath. Below, in smaller letters, was the tagline 'Why gamble on your robot working? With our repair kits, you can make sure it will!' "A bit expensive… but it's safer then going to Bunker Hill."

/Tally Ho! Welcome to Xin Industries!/ A robot with a brain floating in a glass dome called from the sales counter, a nice ceramic one. Better than many of the wooden ones most places used. Wait, was that robot wearing a bowtie and fez? /Would you be interested in buying these?/

While I was decorating, I have been talking with the Sales Bot named Sinclair, a RoboBrain whose original mind was wiped by the people here. He suffers from something called Command Overanalysis. She's already given exact commands to him to try and prevent any issues. But I've been keeping my eye on him, just in case.

Mistress Xin has told me that those who became RoboBrains here were… prisoners of the old owners. However, apparently I wasn't? Or rather, I was, but I shouldn't have been. She's not sure what this means, and neither do I. I don't know why I ended up here. I… think my mistresses were happy with my work. I'm worried about what I'll find when those memories come back. But I need to know. For peace of mind, if nothing else.


"You know what, yeah. I'll take two!" Bobby said. Shit, if this place was doing well enough, it might be worth talking to Eddie about partnering up. Maybe get out from under Wire's hand. Hell, play it right, and maybe they can get some discounts. "And give my compliments to whoever does the decorating."

/You may do so yourself!/ The sales brain in a jar happily replied. /She's right behind you!/

I watch the man turn towards me, and I get a good look at his face.

I will not lie, I was shocked at my first experience with a Ghoul. Thankfully, I had been told about them just before by Mistress Ming. Other than his appearance - which he obviously would not have control over - he seemed like a nice enough person. And he was wearing a rather dapper suit.


"Well, you've done a bang up place with the joint." Bobby said. "If you ever want to make some extra coin, I could see about getting Eddie to pay you for a day. Just head toward Easy City Downs."

Before I could say anything, the man turned back towards Sinclair to pay for the repair kits. But I still feel my servos warming up a slight bit. Or maybe it's just my emotions. I always enjoy it when others notice my work.

I'm thankful for Mistress Xin. She seems to care about me, even though I'm mostly a brain with wheels right now. So I will serve the new Mistress, and Xin Industries. And maybe, as I continue my job as the head maid of Xin Industries, I can regain more of my memories.


--

(Rewards)

Research: RoboBrains - Complete! You now know the in and outs of RoboBrains, and what their major malfunction was. Multiple new options on dealing with the issue have opened up. New avenues of research have opened up as well, or will open when other research completes. +2 Overflow goes into the next RoboBrain research action taken.

Decorating The Storefront - Complete! Anna has made the place similar to her old home, Morningtide. As more scavenge comes in, other maintenance actions are taken, or requests she makes are fulfilled, she will improve it even more. New customers who enter will be highly impressed by how different it is to the wasteland, with various bonuses depending on personality!

Sales Made! -2 Robot Repair Kits! +400 Caps. You may have a repeat customer!

Personal Quest (Anna) Started: The Morning Light - Find Morningtide Mansion.

Employee Discovered! Anna (Last Name Unknown).

Name: Anna
Maid of Xin Industries

Level: 1
Experience: 0/200
HP: 160
AP: 80

Stats:
Natural (Additional Modifiers)

Strength: 2
Perception: 8
Endurance: 7
Charisma: 7
Intelligence: 15 (+1)
Agility: 3
Luck: 6

Skills
Natural (Additional Bonus)
Barter: 25
Energy Items: 35 (+2)
Explosives: 5
Guns: 5
Maidcraft: 100
Medicine: 35 (+2)
Melee: 20
Repair: 44 (+2)
Stealth: 19
Speech: 50
Survival: 19
Technology: 34 (+2)
Wearables: 19

Starting/Employment Trait: Clean Feeling - Anna's actions cannot be chosen by Xin, outside of certain situations. However, she will perform up to 3 AU of any Maintenance or Maid Actions on her own without triggering Overtime.

Starting Perk: Maid of Aluminum: Any rolls she makes for Maintenance or Maid Actions, or in protection of Xin Industries, uses Maidcraft instead of any other Skill. Whatever building she is in will be automatically cleaned!

Locked Starting Perk: ??? - Unlocked by regaining enough memories, or finding Morningtide Mansion.

Inventory:
RoboBrain Chassis (60 Ballistic Resistance. 40 Energy Resistance. Immune to Poison and Radiation)
  • Xin Industries Normal Paint Job: +1 Intelligence. Double any healing this robot does.

Feather Duster

Internal Laser - (38 Energy Damage. 50 Fire Rate. 70 Range. 60 Accuracy)
- Energy Damage: 38
- Attack Count: 5
- Range: 75
- Accuarcy: +5
- Ammo: Internal
- Stat Used: Energy Items
- Special: None

Internal Mesmetron - (1 Energy Damage, 200 Fire Rate. 100 Range. 75 Accuracy)
- Energy Damage: 1
- Attack Count: 15
- Range: 100
- Accuarcy: +10
- Ammo: Internal
- Stat Used: Energy Items
- Special:
Seperate Count From Laser and Unarmed.
On hit against non-Robotics, Roll 1D100 + Intelligence Score - Opponents Intelligence Score.
- 1-60: Enemy becomes stunned and put into a hypnotic stupor for about 8 Rounds. They cannot do any action, and are unlikely to stop you from doing anything. Attacking them ends the stupor
- 61-89: Enemy becomes frenzied for 20 rounds, causing them will attack the closest thing to them, regardless of alignment
- 90+: After the enemy takes an action, or 2 rounds have passed, their brain explodes, causing Instant Death (except in extremely unusual circumstances)


------------

Vote: Would you like to give Anna her own room? This will have plenty of future implications.

[] Anna is an employee of Xin Industries. And every employee gets their own room. Anna, therefore, gets a room.

[] Anna is still a RoboBrain. You would want her to stay with the other RoboBrains. She could be a good influence on them.

[] Anna is still dealing with her memory slowly coming back. Perhaps it would be best to keep her with you until you're sure she'll be fine.

--

Vote: Would you like to pay Anna? This will have plenty of future implications.

[] Yes. Anna is an employee. She will get 200 Caps per Week.

[] No. Anna doesn't really need caps. You will provide anything Anna needs.
 
[X] Anna is an employee of Xin Industries. And every employee gets their own room. Anna, therefore, gets a room.
[X] Yes. Anna is an employee. She will get 200 Caps per Week.

think we should see if we can upgrad her
 
[X] Anna is an employee of Xin Industries. And every employee gets their own room. Anna, therefore, gets a room.
[X] Yes. Anna is an employee. She will get 200 Caps per Week.

Gonna make a good impression on the Railroad folks.
 
[X] Anna is an employee of Xin Industries. And every employee gets their own room. Anna, therefore, gets a room.
[X] Yes. Anna is an employee. She will get 200 Caps per Week.

I Like Anna. She's nice. I hope we can help her... and that whatever happened at Morningtide isn't too tragic.
 
[X] Anna is still a RoboBrain. You would want her to stay with the other RoboBrains. She could be a good influence on them.
[X] No. Anna doesn't really need caps. You will provide anything Anna needs.

I don't want to be a villain. 5000 caps is too much, and we're likely to ramp up to that once we do so, because we realistically should if we think it's best for Anna to give it to other robobrains. Then Bedrooms wise. Anna being someone to help the other Robobrains is good.
 
I suddenly realize that I don't remember how Tian Ming is being treated. True, there are differences, and important ones at that...but I think there still are more similarities that are applicable.

[x] Anna is still dealing with her memory slowly coming back. Perhaps it would be best to keep her with you until you're sure she'll be fine.
[x] No. Anna doesn't really need caps. You will provide anything Anna needs.
 
[X] Anna is an employee of Xin Industries. And every employee gets their own room. Anna, therefore, gets a room.
[X] Yes. Anna is an employee. She will get 200 Caps per Week.

A few product ideas I have-

  • Mr. Handy farmers. Remember Greygarden? I'm sure we can find a way to duplicate that, and presto, instant product. Hell, hit up the ole GA factory. Should be close by.
  • Sentry Bot transporters- What we do is take a Sentry bot, remove the arms, hook up the chassis to the body of a vehicle or wagon, and bob's your uncle. Or we install a little trailer to haul cargo with.
  • Robot modifications. Bring in your bot with your list of what you want done, we'll give you a price and do it.
  • Protectrons are all over Boston. Find 'em, subdue and bring them back, rip out the charging pods.... We could sell a bunch to Diamond City, beef up their security.
 
[X] Anna is an employee of Xin Industries. And every employee gets their own room. Anna, therefore, gets a room.
[X] Yes. Anna is an employee. She will get 200 Caps per Week.
 
[X] Anna is still dealing with her memory slowly coming back. Perhaps it would be best to keep her with you until you're sure she'll be fine.
[X] No. Anna doesn't really need caps. You will provide anything Anna needs.
 
[X] Anna is an employee of Xin Industries. And every employee gets their own room. Anna, therefore, gets a room.
[X] Yes. Anna is an employee. She will get 200 Caps per Week
 
[X] Anna is an employee of Xin Industries. And every employee gets their own room. Anna, therefore, gets a room.
[X] Yes. Anna is an employee. She will get 200 Caps per Week.
 
[X] Anna is an employee of Xin Industries. And every employee gets their own room. Anna, therefore, gets a room.
[X] Yes. Anna is an employee. She will get 200 Caps per Week.
 
[X] Anna is an employee of Xin Industries. And every employee gets their own room. Anna, therefore, gets a room.
[X] Yes. Anna is an employee. She will get 200 Caps per Week.
 
[X] Anna is an employee of Xin Industries. And every employee gets their own room. Anna, therefore, gets a room.
[X] Yes. Anna is an employee. She will get 200 Caps per Week.
 
[X] Anna is still a RoboBrain. You would want her to stay with the other RoboBrains. She could be a good influence on them.

[X] Yes. Anna is an employee. She will get 200 Caps per Week.
 
[X] Yes. Anna is an employee. She will get 200 Caps per Week.
[X] Anna is still dealing with her memory slowly coming back. Perhaps it would be best to keep her with you until you're sure she'll be fine.
 
Good afternoon, my fine questors!

Voting will continue until tomorrow morning. At which point, I will start writing the next interlude. I believe the ring one should be next. Good news is, it will be much shorter then Only Logical. Then Johnny at Bunker Hill, The Mega-Quest Group does their thing, then the extra End of Week Interlude. There will probably be a level up screen as well.

Meanwhile, I fix the front page, do some background rolls (There's a chance someone shows up somewhere along the way.)

Also, I am working on getting some art for the quest. At least for Hang Xin and Tian Ming. However, it will be when I can score some money. Which means I may have to commit some crimes. Nothing major. But if you don't hear from me, I may be currently awaiting trial for trying to steal from the Queen of England. Nothing I haven't done before.

In the meantime, I'm available to answer basic questions for most the day.
 
Research: RoboBrains - Complete! You now know the in and outs of RoboBrains, and what their major malfunction was. Multiple new options on dealing with the issue have opened up. New avenues of research have opened up as well, or will open when other research completes. +2 Overflow goes into the next RoboBrain research action taken.
Interesting. I'm not sure if Cyberdogs do have a shorter life expectancy than RoboBrains, though. Sure, Rex needed a new brain but it didn't change him that much. It probably wouldn't have affected him at all if he got a cloned/blank brain instead of a donated one. So it's pretty much a spare part like any other part.

The information about the effect the brain used has on the RoboBrain... Well, we will have trouble getting new brains until we get cloning technology. Keeping any animals just for their brains is not really economical. Maybe if we can use Mirelurk brains? Or brains from feral Ghouls?

Decorating The Storefront - Complete! Anna has made the place similar to her old home, Morningtide. As more scavenge comes in, other maintenance actions are taken, or requests she makes are fulfilled, she will improve it even more. New customers who enter will be highly impressed by how different it is to the wasteland, with various bonuses depending on personality!
Nice, we got a contact with East City Downs. Ah, I would have really liked for Andrew to visit them this turn. Maybe next turn.

Starting Perk: Maid of Aluminum: Any rolls she makes for Maintenance or Maid Actions, or in protection of Xin Industries, uses Maidcraft instead of any other Skill. Whatever building she is in will be automatically cleaned!
That's pretty impressive. She gets to use her Maidcraft 100 in combat instead of Guns or Melee, as long as she defends Xin Industries.
We might want to give her a new chassis. Maybe something based on the Assaultrons but with a RoboBrain and a Mesmetron? A new paint job too.

[X] Yes. Anna is an employee. She will get 200 Caps per Week.
[X] Anna is still dealing with her memory slowly coming back. Perhaps it would be best to keep her with you until you're sure she'll be fine.

Leaving her with the other RoboBrains could help- we can apparently teach them moral- but with how she ended up as a RoboBrain, regaining her memories is going to be pretty traumatizing so we should help her if we can.
 
[X] Anna is an employee of Xin Industries. And every employee gets their own room. Anna, therefore, gets a room.
[X] Yes. Anna is an employee. She will get 200 Caps per Week.
 
Interesting. I'm not sure if Cyberdogs do have a shorter life expectancy than RoboBrains, though. Sure, Rex needed a new brain but it didn't change him that much. It probably wouldn't have affected him at all if he got a cloned/blank brain instead of a donated one. So it's pretty much a spare part like any other part.

I think Rex did lasted about 200 years between brains. And I believe the new brain did affect him to a small degree, based on the ending slides. But as to an entirely new brain? I think (though do not take this as QM's word) that it would probably be a far easier transition.

The information about the effect the brain used has on the RoboBrain... Well, we will have trouble getting new brains until we get cloning technology. Keeping any animals just for their brains is not really economical. Maybe if we can use Mirelurk brains? Or brains from feral Ghouls?

Need a double check, but arent Feral Ghoul's brains degraded?


A few product ideas I have-

  • Mr. Handy farmers. Remember Greygarden? I'm sure we can find a way to duplicate that, and presto, instant product. Hell, hit up the ole GA factory. Should be close by.
  • Sentry Bot transporters- What we do is take a Sentry bot, remove the arms, hook up the chassis to the body of a vehicle or wagon, and bob's your uncle. Or we install a little trailer to haul cargo with.
  • Robot modifications. Bring in your bot with your list of what you want done, we'll give you a price and do it.
  • Protectrons are all over Boston. Find 'em, subdue and bring them back, rip out the charging pods.... We could sell a bunch to Diamond City, beef up their security.

I like those ideas. Mr. Handy farmers are possible, and you can duplicate them.. Sentry Bot Transporters are also possible with some insperation! Or just jack some nearby pickups. :p ! I do like the idea of Robot Modifications as a sales option. I'll need to consider this. As for Protectrons, they are quite interesting things, aren't they?


think we should see if we can upgrad her

I really need an Upgrade Section for people to vote on.


We'll have to modify some then, as the nearest ones are Sangus Ironworks or Wicked Fleet, and THOSE are damn far away.

There is always a chance you randomly find one. Though I can guarantee those two are where they are.

Awesome sauce.
Her Majesty Xin should have a robot bed, to compliment her mobile robot throne.
Paint it the colour of the cosmos and make the fucking Earth tremble from her Majesty's dreams.
Give it a more... "homely" personality, to provide nice contrast with Ming and have a personal doctor robot reserved for Empress Xin's room - male and "optimistic" to contrast nicely with all the female personalities.

I like the idea of a robot bed. For some reason, I'm thinking Bedman from Guilty Gear.


The room is filled with junk items and got turned into a storeroom, huh?

London: No...


She makes it sound like they have a choice about it instead of the Confessors simply declaring war because of Heresy.

True. But pulling a Martin Luthor would probably cause a far worse reaction.
 
Need a double check, but arent Feral Ghoul's brains degraded?
Kind of. They have some form of brain damage, mostly higher brain functions because they can still run around and attack people. The question is how that would interact with bio-med gel. From the Canon example of Dobbs, we know the stuff is very good at fixing injuries. So the bio-med gel might be enough to turn feral Ghoul brains into something we could use. Or we could experiment with the Regeneration Field into that direction.

Sentry Bot Transporters are also possible with some insperation! Or just jack some nearby pickups.
Can't our Robotic Platforms already do something similar?
 
Kind of. They have some form of brain damage, mostly higher brain functions because they can still run around and attack people. The question is how that would interact with bio-med gel. From the Canon example of Dobbs, we know the stuff is very good at fixing injuries. So the bio-med gel might be enough to turn feral Ghoul brains into something we could use. Or we could experiment with the Regeneration Field into that direction.


Can't our Robotic Platforms already do something similar?

They indeed can. I was just confirming that the sentry bot idea could also work.

And I'll read up on Dobbs.

Edit: right, I'd forgotten about him. Yeah, Bio-gel may indeed work.
 
Last edited:
Kind of. They have some form of brain damage, mostly higher brain functions because they can still run around and attack people. The question is how that would interact with bio-med gel. From the Canon example of Dobbs, we know the stuff is very good at fixing injuries. So the bio-med gel might be enough to turn feral Ghoul brains into something we could use. Or we could experiment with the Regeneration Field into that direction.
Two issues with the gel-

1. VERY limited supply. This stuff cost like 1K bucks a pint back in the day, and they don't strike me as having enough on hand to experiment with.

2. Might not be able to do anything. We're talking Ghouls that might be centuries old, their brain could be too far gone.
 
Back
Top