Professor Vesca
Good News Everyone!
Yes? HK-47 isnt a synth designation, this was the synth equivalent.
Mankind Redefined (Fallout 4 AU)
- Thread starter Cataphract
- Start date
Professor Vesca
Good News Everyone!
Last edited:
Prologue: Character Generation 2
Cataphract
Denizen of Qliphoth
- Location
- UTC +8:00
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Yes. He needed to ensure that the AI was functioning.
[X] A signal encrypter that prevents outsiders from analyzing the unit's command signals.
[X] A compatibility patch to the CM that allows it to interface with Protectrons, civilian Eyebots and civilian model Mister Handies, as long as the unit has a direct line to the robot.
——
He watched as the synth sat up like a sleeper waking from a nightmare. As it slid from the workbench in a single motion—knocking a variety of blueprints, handtools and spare parts to the ground in a muffled clatter in the process—it took several steps forward and began a routine that, if viewed by anyone unfamiliar with the design and production of the Institute's synths, was eerily familiar to the Pre-War martial art of tai chi.
Such a routine was an abridged version of the mobility tests used to check for any mechanical flaws in a new synth. It was, from a mechanical point of view, not strictly necessary; the unit had already gone through the meticulous inspections of the Robotics Department before being requisitioned for his uses. Neither did it have any real bearing on the machine's intelligence. If one was to compare the unit's current state to the physiological processes of a human being, it would be in the process of waking up.
Or being born, if the man wanted to be sentimental about it. The metaphor fell flat when he realized that no human infant could go from squalling in a crib to engaging in pitched combat in hours. Unless, of course, things had gone very wrong since the last manned excursion to the surface.
If he'd been asked to explain himself, the man would have stated that it was bad luck to skip the initial boot-up process. When the synth was finished with the routine, the twin yellow lights behind its eyes flickered to life.
A chill ran down his spine as its gaze locked onto his. He only hesitated for a few seconds before speaking.
"State your designation, unit."
"I am unit H8-77." The voice wasn't anything special—just the standard synthesizer used by all Gen 1 and 2s—but the response was enough to make him want to jump for joy. "All systems are functioning at full capacity."
"Who am I?"
"Doctor Leonard Harway, member of the Robotics Department, ID number…" The unit continued to list off the unclassified portions of his personnel file.
At the very least, H8 was able to access the Institute's databanks.
Doctor Harway sighed with irritation. It would have been nice, he thought, if Robotics had accepted his request for a couple of Gen 1s so he could test the command module right then and there. But then again, what point was it if the synth couldn't even work properly?
He brushed aside his annoyance. The proper tests could come later.
Grabbing the first thing that he saw—a broken applicator—Doctor Harway tossed it at the synth's face. H8's hand shot up in a blur, catching the tool mere centimeters away from its face and instantly throwing it back at him.
Unfortunately for Harway, his reflexes were not fast enough to intercept it. The applicator nailed him right between the eyes.
"Ow." Harway rubbed his face with one hand.
"My apologies, sir. Are you hurt?" The Gen 2s didn't have much in the range of facial expressions but Harway could almost see a look of concern on H8-77's face. That realization made the pain worth it.
"No, I'm fine. I was just… testing you."
"Why are you testing me?"
"I need to make sure you're working properly."
Silence ensued, with man and synth studying each other intently—though Harway's attention was torn between H8 and the quickly rising lump on his forehead. If he was a lesser man he would have found his first interaction with what would hopefully be the first, truly sapient Institute synth to be rather underwhelming, but he was just glad it didn't try and strangle him or proclaim itself as the new overlord of robot-kind, or whatever crazy robots did in those dinky Pre-War comics.
That H8 was working at all was a blessing in and of itself.
"Well, I suppose we can't stand here all day. Come with me."
——
You are synth unit H8-77, and it has two days since you were first activated. Most of that time has been spent in Dr. Harway's living quarters, a space not much larger than a storage closet. When you made a quick comparison with the blueprints available to you through the wireless network and realize that it is in fact a storage closet. What little space there is has been taken up by discarded whiskey bottles, printouts and several terminals, only two of which are currently working. The rest are either broken or have been dismantled for spare parts.
While inspecting Institue's health and safety regulations you find that Dr. Harway is in violation of no less than a dozen of these rules, though to be fair to him most of them are minor. You decide then that it is a good thing that you are not human; you surely would have suffered adverse effects from the fumes.
The man responsible for this mess isn't around very much; mostly he comes in to choke down a handful of Mentats and wash it down with whiskey or else to rummage through the mess for a holotape or some other presumably important documents. Once, he slept for an hour or two—practically throwing himself onto the sleeping bag he had in place of an actual bed—but was gone as soon as he woke up.
It doesn't take long for you to realize that he's terribly busy. With what… he doesn't tell you. You are informed—by the databanks inside your metal cranium—that the feeling you have when confronted by this lack of new information is called frustration. It isn't pleasant, to say the least. You can only study the doctor's possessions so many times, and with his strict orders to not touch them, you quickly run out of things to do. That particular emotion is called boredom, you learn, and when proves to be doubly as troublesome when combined with your pre-existing feelings of frustration.
Fortunately the good doctor saw fit to make sure you didn't break down from sheer boredom. He's given you something with which to amuse yourself, but you're not entirely sure what to do with the things he's given you.
As always, the door beckons you, but you are uncertain that leaving the room would be the best. For the doctor, for yourself or for the both of you is something you're not sure about.
You then choose to…
[ ] Obey the Doctor and make use of what he's given to you. He's left several items below.
[ ] Disregard the Doctor's instructions and…
[ ] Disregard and leave the Doctor's quarters and go…
[X] A signal encrypter that prevents outsiders from analyzing the unit's command signals.
[X] A compatibility patch to the CM that allows it to interface with Protectrons, civilian Eyebots and civilian model Mister Handies, as long as the unit has a direct line to the robot.
——
He watched as the synth sat up like a sleeper waking from a nightmare. As it slid from the workbench in a single motion—knocking a variety of blueprints, handtools and spare parts to the ground in a muffled clatter in the process—it took several steps forward and began a routine that, if viewed by anyone unfamiliar with the design and production of the Institute's synths, was eerily familiar to the Pre-War martial art of tai chi.
Such a routine was an abridged version of the mobility tests used to check for any mechanical flaws in a new synth. It was, from a mechanical point of view, not strictly necessary; the unit had already gone through the meticulous inspections of the Robotics Department before being requisitioned for his uses. Neither did it have any real bearing on the machine's intelligence. If one was to compare the unit's current state to the physiological processes of a human being, it would be in the process of waking up.
Or being born, if the man wanted to be sentimental about it. The metaphor fell flat when he realized that no human infant could go from squalling in a crib to engaging in pitched combat in hours. Unless, of course, things had gone very wrong since the last manned excursion to the surface.
If he'd been asked to explain himself, the man would have stated that it was bad luck to skip the initial boot-up process. When the synth was finished with the routine, the twin yellow lights behind its eyes flickered to life.
A chill ran down his spine as its gaze locked onto his. He only hesitated for a few seconds before speaking.
"State your designation, unit."
"I am unit H8-77." The voice wasn't anything special—just the standard synthesizer used by all Gen 1 and 2s—but the response was enough to make him want to jump for joy. "All systems are functioning at full capacity."
"Who am I?"
"Doctor Leonard Harway, member of the Robotics Department, ID number…" The unit continued to list off the unclassified portions of his personnel file.
At the very least, H8 was able to access the Institute's databanks.
Doctor Harway sighed with irritation. It would have been nice, he thought, if Robotics had accepted his request for a couple of Gen 1s so he could test the command module right then and there. But then again, what point was it if the synth couldn't even work properly?
He brushed aside his annoyance. The proper tests could come later.
Grabbing the first thing that he saw—a broken applicator—Doctor Harway tossed it at the synth's face. H8's hand shot up in a blur, catching the tool mere centimeters away from its face and instantly throwing it back at him.
Unfortunately for Harway, his reflexes were not fast enough to intercept it. The applicator nailed him right between the eyes.
"Ow." Harway rubbed his face with one hand.
"My apologies, sir. Are you hurt?" The Gen 2s didn't have much in the range of facial expressions but Harway could almost see a look of concern on H8-77's face. That realization made the pain worth it.
"No, I'm fine. I was just… testing you."
"Why are you testing me?"
"I need to make sure you're working properly."
Silence ensued, with man and synth studying each other intently—though Harway's attention was torn between H8 and the quickly rising lump on his forehead. If he was a lesser man he would have found his first interaction with what would hopefully be the first, truly sapient Institute synth to be rather underwhelming, but he was just glad it didn't try and strangle him or proclaim itself as the new overlord of robot-kind, or whatever crazy robots did in those dinky Pre-War comics.
That H8 was working at all was a blessing in and of itself.
"Well, I suppose we can't stand here all day. Come with me."
——
You are synth unit H8-77, and it has two days since you were first activated. Most of that time has been spent in Dr. Harway's living quarters, a space not much larger than a storage closet. When you made a quick comparison with the blueprints available to you through the wireless network and realize that it is in fact a storage closet. What little space there is has been taken up by discarded whiskey bottles, printouts and several terminals, only two of which are currently working. The rest are either broken or have been dismantled for spare parts.
While inspecting Institue's health and safety regulations you find that Dr. Harway is in violation of no less than a dozen of these rules, though to be fair to him most of them are minor. You decide then that it is a good thing that you are not human; you surely would have suffered adverse effects from the fumes.
The man responsible for this mess isn't around very much; mostly he comes in to choke down a handful of Mentats and wash it down with whiskey or else to rummage through the mess for a holotape or some other presumably important documents. Once, he slept for an hour or two—practically throwing himself onto the sleeping bag he had in place of an actual bed—but was gone as soon as he woke up.
It doesn't take long for you to realize that he's terribly busy. With what… he doesn't tell you. You are informed—by the databanks inside your metal cranium—that the feeling you have when confronted by this lack of new information is called frustration. It isn't pleasant, to say the least. You can only study the doctor's possessions so many times, and with his strict orders to not touch them, you quickly run out of things to do. That particular emotion is called boredom, you learn, and when proves to be doubly as troublesome when combined with your pre-existing feelings of frustration.
Fortunately the good doctor saw fit to make sure you didn't break down from sheer boredom. He's given you something with which to amuse yourself, but you're not entirely sure what to do with the things he's given you.
As always, the door beckons you, but you are uncertain that leaving the room would be the best. For the doctor, for yourself or for the both of you is something you're not sure about.
You then choose to…
[ ] Obey the Doctor and make use of what he's given to you. He's left several items below.
[ ] a holotape labeled The Adventures of Captain Cosmos and access to a terminal
[ ] a RobCo catalog printed in 2077 for the holiday season
[ ] a set of children's toys
[ ] a RobCo catalog printed in 2077 for the holiday season
[ ] a set of children's toys
[ ] Disregard the Doctor's instructions and…
[ ] access his terminal
[ ] go through his closet
[ ] investigate the technical documents
[ ] go through his closet
[ ] investigate the technical documents
[ ] Disregard and leave the Doctor's quarters and go…
[ ] look for some other synths
[ ] look for the Doctor
[ ] explore with no real goal in mind
[ ] look for the Doctor
[ ] explore with no real goal in mind
This came later than I wanted because I wasn't satisfied with my initial ideas for their first conversation. And if anyone recognizes the name... I pulled it out of a hat, I swear.
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[X] Obey the Doctor and make use of what he's given to you. He's left several items below.
-[X] a holotape labeled The Adventures of Captain Cosmos and access to a terminal
-[X] a holotape labeled The Adventures of Captain Cosmos and access to a terminal
- Location
- Florida
[X] Obey the Doctor and make use of what he's given to you. He's left several items below.
-[X] a RobCo catalog printed in 2077 for the holiday season
Robot Army
-[X] a RobCo catalog printed in 2077 for the holiday season
Robot Army
- Location
- va
[X] Disregard the Doctor's instructions and…
[X] investigate the technical documents
[X] investigate the technical documents
- Location
- Florida
Nobody else wants head start on the robot army?
[X] Obey the Doctor and make use of what he's given to you. He's left several items below.
-[X] a holotape labeled The Adventures of Captain Cosmos and access to a terminal
Going through his stuff is tempting, but I don't want him to be suspicious of us.
-[X] a holotape labeled The Adventures of Captain Cosmos and access to a terminal
Going through his stuff is tempting, but I don't want him to be suspicious of us.
Last edited:
Professor Vesca
Good News Everyone!
[X] Obey the Doctor and make use of what he's given to you. He's left several items below.
-[X] a RobCo catalog printed in 2077 for the holiday season
-[X] a RobCo catalog printed in 2077 for the holiday season
Night_stalker
Slava Ukraini!
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Obey the Doctor and make use of what he's given to you. He's left several items below.
-[X] a RobCo catalog printed in 2077 for the holiday season
-[X] a RobCo catalog printed in 2077 for the holiday season
Prologue: First Encounter
Cataphract
Denizen of Qliphoth
- Location
- UTC +8:00
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Obey the Doctor and make use of what he's given to you. He's left several items below.
-[X] a RobCo catalog printed in 2077 for the holiday season
The idea of trying to leave the room crosses your mind for a moment, but you deem that the risks outweigh any potential rewards. So, after spending a long time deliberating on which curio to busy yourself with, you finally choose the it's the magazine. RobCo made robots, after all—it was in the name—and learning more about them can only benefit you.
According to the records that you can access, the Great War occurred before this catalog was able to be published. It's unfortunate—it will increase the likelihood that any information you gather will be even more inaccurate. But you are unexpectedly excited to learn whatever you can from this ancient relic.
The image on the cover is a Protectron with a… rather unique paintjob. Was it some form of urban camouflage? If it was, then why was it highlighted with white? The fact that the humans surrounding the robot were smiling created another hypothesis: maybe the paint provided some form of psychological relief to humans, albeit those who had grown up with the cultural mores of Pre-War America.
Pushing that thought aside, you begin to read the magazine. Many pages are unreadable due to age, but you see some very interesting tidbits here and there.
First of all is an article detailing the specifications of a civilian-model Protectron charging platform. Compared to the cumbersome military and commercial models, the civilian charging platform is designed to easily fit within the user's home. While it is not as power-efficient as the larger models, a civilian charging platform is cost-friendly and considerably easier to install. They also retain the compatibility with most commercial models of personal terminal available on the market.
There is even mention of a mobile version, designed for taking the family Protectron while on vacation. As interesting as the prospect is, no further mention of it can be found in the magazine. The endnote states that more information for the mobile charging pad would be available in a more comprehensive catalog, available in the first quarter of 2078.
After that article is more information on accessories and programming modules available to Protectron owners. This section of the magazine is by far the longest; you spend a long time poring over a large variety of parts and protocol packets designed by both RobCo and licensed third parties. There is scant technical information available in this section, but it is easy to see that while the Protectron was not as immediately versatile as the General Atomics Mister Handy, it was far easier to customize it to suit its user's needs.
The last legible article you find describes a 'My First Roboticist Kit'. According to the product blurb, it's a simple yet robust toolkit designed for anyone from any walk of life to begin their forays into the exciting world of robotics. The starter kit includes enough materials to build a variety of small novelty robots, including a miniature eyebot. However, it states that one requires access to a terminal to make full use of the kit's basic programming tools. While it is a far cry from the fabrication plants here in the Institute, it is quite fascinating.
The magazine lists several stores and outlets where one could procure most, if not all of these products, but only one seems to be located in the Commonwealth. Hester's Consumer Robotics, located in the Theater District. When you try to access the appropriate records to ascertain its exact location, you are denied access by the Institute's cybersecurity protocols. You attempt to access it several times in quick succession, and each time you are denied.
However, it seems that the encryption is minimal. You feel that you have a decent chance of breaking through in order to get what you want.
The question is, would it be worth it?
Do you attempt to bypass security in order to gain the store's exact location on the surface?
[ ] Yes.
[ ] No.
——
Doctor Harway returns a few minutes later, as haggard as you've ever seen him. For a moment he just stares at you. There's a strange expression on his face, one that you cannot identify. The moment passes and his expression returns to his vacant stare.
"Come with me, H8."
The two of you exit Harway's hideaway and reenter the winding hallways of the Institute. Your route he takes is awfully roundabout; you pass through dusty storage rooms and even a couple of utility passages that are normally only frequented by synths on maintenance duty.
Whether by accident or design, you fail to meet a single being—synth or human—as you travel deeper and deeper beneath the earth's surface. The only entity you cross paths with is a maintenance Protectron replacing a lengthy coil of wiring. The robot is so engrossed in its tasks that it doesn't spare you a greeting.
Eventually, the silence is too much for you to bear. As you pass through yet another sealed door—that Harway unlocks with a bright red keycard—you speak.
"Doctor Harway?"
"Yes, H8?" The reply comes a little later than you expect.
"Where are we going?"
"We're going to be doing the first battery of tests…" He sighs, running a hand through his greasy blonde hair. "I'm sorry to thrust this onto you so soon, but it's the only way to prove that you're the real thing."
"The real thing?"
He doesn't answer. The lack of a response makes you uneasy, so you join him in his silence for the duration of your journey.
——
After nearly a half hour of walking, you finally reach your destination. Your link to the Institute's databanks tells you that you're right outside one of the testing areas reserved by Advanced Systems.
"Well, here we are." Harway looks like he's about to collapse from sheer exhaustion.
When you tell him as much, he chuckles.
"I appreciate the sentiment, H8, but don't worry about me. Just… ready yourself."
With that, he opens the door, and ushers you inside a room that isn't much bigger than the closet that Harway lives in.
Half a dozen men and women are sitting down, all facing the wall to your left, which appears to be a window of some sort. You would have taken a longer look at whatever's on the other side, but you only have eyes for the people. It's the first time you've ever seen a human being aside from your creator.
One of them, a portly woman, stands up and approaches the doctor.
"There you are, Harway! We've been waiting for nearly an hour. Are you going to show us this wonder-synth of yours or what?"
Like Doctor Harway, the woman is wearing a labcoat with orange highlights, identifying her as a member of the Robotics division.
It is then you notice the man standing at the back of the room. He looks to be in his mid-forties, and is the only one not clad in the standard-issue Institute labcoat. It takes you several moments of parsing the databanks available to you to identify his uniform. He's a member of the Pathfinders. Going by the patch on his shoulder, he's a Captain. Unlike the others, who seem visibly interested in either you or the doctor, he's staring at the window at the other end of the room with an expression that you'd call boredom.
"Is this some kind of joke? All the promises you've made me and the rest of my department, the resources that you've taken away from our projects… and all you have to show for it is a single unit?!" An old man, practically shaking with apoplectic rage, jabbed a wrinkled finger into Doctor Harway's chest. "We're at war here, and we've no time to indulge your vanity projects!"
At that moment everyone in the room decides to start talking.
Only the Pathfinder captain remains silent. He glares at you sullenly, and for a moment you consider asking him if you've done anything wrong, but instead you're overwhelmed by the storm of human beings shouting at Harway and at you and at each other.
It takes a few minutes, a woman—her uniform denoting her as the deparment head of Advanced Systems—somehow manages to get everyone to shut up for a moment. She achieves this by shouting the loudest.
"I know tensions are high, but please," she glances around, glaring at the other men and women in the room. "show some decorum. The Directorate has been keeping tabs on Doctor Harway since he's begun his work here… and he's has followed protocol up to this point, as much as you'd like to dispute that. Let his synth prove itself. If he fails, well, then you're free to shout at him all you want. But before that, give him the benefit of the doubt."
The silence that follows is deafening. Harway takes the opportunity to address you.
"S-step into the elevator, H8. You'll receive further instructions once you've arrived." He indicates another set of doors on the other side of the room.
Without further ado, you enter the elevator. As the doors shut before you, you can't help but feel a sense of growing dread.
When the doors open, you're faced by four inert synths facing a large automatic door. It only takes a glance for you to realize that they're all trooper models. That realization does nothing to make you feel better.
"Unit, arm yourself and prepare for contact." A clearly synthesized voice booms from overhead. With that, you turn to the weapon racks on either side of the room...
Weapons available (pick one from each category):
——
-[X] a RobCo catalog printed in 2077 for the holiday season
The idea of trying to leave the room crosses your mind for a moment, but you deem that the risks outweigh any potential rewards. So, after spending a long time deliberating on which curio to busy yourself with, you finally choose the it's the magazine. RobCo made robots, after all—it was in the name—and learning more about them can only benefit you.
According to the records that you can access, the Great War occurred before this catalog was able to be published. It's unfortunate—it will increase the likelihood that any information you gather will be even more inaccurate. But you are unexpectedly excited to learn whatever you can from this ancient relic.
The image on the cover is a Protectron with a… rather unique paintjob. Was it some form of urban camouflage? If it was, then why was it highlighted with white? The fact that the humans surrounding the robot were smiling created another hypothesis: maybe the paint provided some form of psychological relief to humans, albeit those who had grown up with the cultural mores of Pre-War America.
Pushing that thought aside, you begin to read the magazine. Many pages are unreadable due to age, but you see some very interesting tidbits here and there.
First of all is an article detailing the specifications of a civilian-model Protectron charging platform. Compared to the cumbersome military and commercial models, the civilian charging platform is designed to easily fit within the user's home. While it is not as power-efficient as the larger models, a civilian charging platform is cost-friendly and considerably easier to install. They also retain the compatibility with most commercial models of personal terminal available on the market.
There is even mention of a mobile version, designed for taking the family Protectron while on vacation. As interesting as the prospect is, no further mention of it can be found in the magazine. The endnote states that more information for the mobile charging pad would be available in a more comprehensive catalog, available in the first quarter of 2078.
After that article is more information on accessories and programming modules available to Protectron owners. This section of the magazine is by far the longest; you spend a long time poring over a large variety of parts and protocol packets designed by both RobCo and licensed third parties. There is scant technical information available in this section, but it is easy to see that while the Protectron was not as immediately versatile as the General Atomics Mister Handy, it was far easier to customize it to suit its user's needs.
The last legible article you find describes a 'My First Roboticist Kit'. According to the product blurb, it's a simple yet robust toolkit designed for anyone from any walk of life to begin their forays into the exciting world of robotics. The starter kit includes enough materials to build a variety of small novelty robots, including a miniature eyebot. However, it states that one requires access to a terminal to make full use of the kit's basic programming tools. While it is a far cry from the fabrication plants here in the Institute, it is quite fascinating.
The magazine lists several stores and outlets where one could procure most, if not all of these products, but only one seems to be located in the Commonwealth. Hester's Consumer Robotics, located in the Theater District. When you try to access the appropriate records to ascertain its exact location, you are denied access by the Institute's cybersecurity protocols. You attempt to access it several times in quick succession, and each time you are denied.
However, it seems that the encryption is minimal. You feel that you have a decent chance of breaking through in order to get what you want.
The question is, would it be worth it?
Do you attempt to bypass security in order to gain the store's exact location on the surface?
[ ] Yes.
[ ] No.
——
Doctor Harway returns a few minutes later, as haggard as you've ever seen him. For a moment he just stares at you. There's a strange expression on his face, one that you cannot identify. The moment passes and his expression returns to his vacant stare.
"Come with me, H8."
The two of you exit Harway's hideaway and reenter the winding hallways of the Institute. Your route he takes is awfully roundabout; you pass through dusty storage rooms and even a couple of utility passages that are normally only frequented by synths on maintenance duty.
Whether by accident or design, you fail to meet a single being—synth or human—as you travel deeper and deeper beneath the earth's surface. The only entity you cross paths with is a maintenance Protectron replacing a lengthy coil of wiring. The robot is so engrossed in its tasks that it doesn't spare you a greeting.
Eventually, the silence is too much for you to bear. As you pass through yet another sealed door—that Harway unlocks with a bright red keycard—you speak.
"Doctor Harway?"
"Yes, H8?" The reply comes a little later than you expect.
"Where are we going?"
"We're going to be doing the first battery of tests…" He sighs, running a hand through his greasy blonde hair. "I'm sorry to thrust this onto you so soon, but it's the only way to prove that you're the real thing."
"The real thing?"
He doesn't answer. The lack of a response makes you uneasy, so you join him in his silence for the duration of your journey.
——
After nearly a half hour of walking, you finally reach your destination. Your link to the Institute's databanks tells you that you're right outside one of the testing areas reserved by Advanced Systems.
"Well, here we are." Harway looks like he's about to collapse from sheer exhaustion.
When you tell him as much, he chuckles.
"I appreciate the sentiment, H8, but don't worry about me. Just… ready yourself."
With that, he opens the door, and ushers you inside a room that isn't much bigger than the closet that Harway lives in.
Half a dozen men and women are sitting down, all facing the wall to your left, which appears to be a window of some sort. You would have taken a longer look at whatever's on the other side, but you only have eyes for the people. It's the first time you've ever seen a human being aside from your creator.
One of them, a portly woman, stands up and approaches the doctor.
"There you are, Harway! We've been waiting for nearly an hour. Are you going to show us this wonder-synth of yours or what?"
Like Doctor Harway, the woman is wearing a labcoat with orange highlights, identifying her as a member of the Robotics division.
It is then you notice the man standing at the back of the room. He looks to be in his mid-forties, and is the only one not clad in the standard-issue Institute labcoat. It takes you several moments of parsing the databanks available to you to identify his uniform. He's a member of the Pathfinders. Going by the patch on his shoulder, he's a Captain. Unlike the others, who seem visibly interested in either you or the doctor, he's staring at the window at the other end of the room with an expression that you'd call boredom.
"Is this some kind of joke? All the promises you've made me and the rest of my department, the resources that you've taken away from our projects… and all you have to show for it is a single unit?!" An old man, practically shaking with apoplectic rage, jabbed a wrinkled finger into Doctor Harway's chest. "We're at war here, and we've no time to indulge your vanity projects!"
At that moment everyone in the room decides to start talking.
Only the Pathfinder captain remains silent. He glares at you sullenly, and for a moment you consider asking him if you've done anything wrong, but instead you're overwhelmed by the storm of human beings shouting at Harway and at you and at each other.
It takes a few minutes, a woman—her uniform denoting her as the deparment head of Advanced Systems—somehow manages to get everyone to shut up for a moment. She achieves this by shouting the loudest.
"I know tensions are high, but please," she glances around, glaring at the other men and women in the room. "show some decorum. The Directorate has been keeping tabs on Doctor Harway since he's begun his work here… and he's has followed protocol up to this point, as much as you'd like to dispute that. Let his synth prove itself. If he fails, well, then you're free to shout at him all you want. But before that, give him the benefit of the doubt."
The silence that follows is deafening. Harway takes the opportunity to address you.
"S-step into the elevator, H8. You'll receive further instructions once you've arrived." He indicates another set of doors on the other side of the room.
Without further ado, you enter the elevator. As the doors shut before you, you can't help but feel a sense of growing dread.
When the doors open, you're faced by four inert synths facing a large automatic door. It only takes a glance for you to realize that they're all trooper models. That realization does nothing to make you feel better.
"Unit, arm yourself and prepare for contact." A clearly synthesized voice booms from overhead. With that, you turn to the weapon racks on either side of the room...
Weapons available (pick one from each category):
[ ] Institute DER-5a: This laser rifle, first designed and manufactured by the progenitors of the modern Advanced Systems department, was the mainstay of the Institute's arsenal until the internal reforms of the 2230s. While the design has largely remained unchanged, it now serves a more specialized role in the armaments of both synth patrols and Pathfinder squads.
This particular model is designed for engaging priority targets at range. Its longer barrel and retooled capacitor trade greater stopping power and better beam cohesion at range for increased power draw and increased heft.
[ ] Institute BAR-5: This weapon, heavily based upon the Pre-War R91 assault rifle, now serves as the primary armament of all Institute surface operatives. It is highly customizable, allowing it to fulfill any tactical role needed by its users, and the 5.56 round it uses is cheap to manufacture and easily found in the Commonwealth.
The rifle before you contains no modifications aside from a reflex sight, though it is already capable of selective fire.
[ ] Winchester P94: The P94 is a bulky, industrial-grade energy caster powered by plasma cartridges. Its design was already outdated by the time of the Great War due to the weapon's large size and small ammo capacity, but even then its sheer stopping power is something to be reckoned with. The P94 is used by certain members of the Pathfinders in high-risk operations.
This P94 has been extensively modified by its owner. The most obvious of these is the installation of a traditional rifle-type stock and grip, a shorter barrel and the inclusion of advanced polymers to reduce the weapon's weight. However, the plasma caster is still exceedingly heavy and has a shorter range than standard models.
This particular model is designed for engaging priority targets at range. Its longer barrel and retooled capacitor trade greater stopping power and better beam cohesion at range for increased power draw and increased heft.
[ ] Institute BAR-5: This weapon, heavily based upon the Pre-War R91 assault rifle, now serves as the primary armament of all Institute surface operatives. It is highly customizable, allowing it to fulfill any tactical role needed by its users, and the 5.56 round it uses is cheap to manufacture and easily found in the Commonwealth.
The rifle before you contains no modifications aside from a reflex sight, though it is already capable of selective fire.
[ ] Winchester P94: The P94 is a bulky, industrial-grade energy caster powered by plasma cartridges. Its design was already outdated by the time of the Great War due to the weapon's large size and small ammo capacity, but even then its sheer stopping power is something to be reckoned with. The P94 is used by certain members of the Pathfinders in high-risk operations.
This P94 has been extensively modified by its owner. The most obvious of these is the installation of a traditional rifle-type stock and grip, a shorter barrel and the inclusion of advanced polymers to reduce the weapon's weight. However, the plasma caster is still exceedingly heavy and has a shorter range than standard models.
[ ] Shock baton: This collapsible baton is equipped with a small microfusion battery that gives the weapon the ability to incapacitate organic targets. The weapon's output is modular, enabling it to overload the systems of robotic enemies.
[ ] 10mm PDW: Based on the Pre-War H&K MP9 and the various pistols chambered in 10mm, this weapon is a compact automatic sidearm made for personal defense. It has poor accuracy at range, but its design is highly modular and it is chambered in one of the most common rounds found anywhere in the Wasteland.
[ ] 25mm APW: The designs for this Pre-War grenade launcher were secured by the progenitors of the Pathfinders during the 2230s and has subsequently been integrated into their arsenal. A dedicated group of researchers in Advanced Systems have developed a wide variety of grenades to use with this weapon, including pulse, incendiary and ECM fog rounds. For this exercise, high explosive and XM fog rounds have been provided.
[ ] 10mm PDW: Based on the Pre-War H&K MP9 and the various pistols chambered in 10mm, this weapon is a compact automatic sidearm made for personal defense. It has poor accuracy at range, but its design is highly modular and it is chambered in one of the most common rounds found anywhere in the Wasteland.
[ ] 25mm APW: The designs for this Pre-War grenade launcher were secured by the progenitors of the Pathfinders during the 2230s and has subsequently been integrated into their arsenal. A dedicated group of researchers in Advanced Systems have developed a wide variety of grenades to use with this weapon, including pulse, incendiary and ECM fog rounds. For this exercise, high explosive and XM fog rounds have been provided.
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Sorry about the delay! A mixture of RL, f/go and Stardew Valley have caused a delay... also the fact that it took me a while to be satisfied with this update.
I'm pretty glad that Automatron comes out soon, because I will be damned if I won't be including elements from that DLC in this quest.
I'm pretty glad that Automatron comes out soon, because I will be damned if I won't be including elements from that DLC in this quest.
Derek58
Rocket Punch is Best Punch
- Location
- Getter Valhalla
[X] Yes.
Knowing where to find those pre-war robots will be very useful in the future.
[X] Institute DER-5a
Being able to fire from further away while our commanded synths stay ahead of us sounds wise.
[X] 25mm APW
Explosives for groups of enemies.
Knowing where to find those pre-war robots will be very useful in the future.
[X] Institute DER-5a
Being able to fire from further away while our commanded synths stay ahead of us sounds wise.
[X] 25mm APW
Explosives for groups of enemies.
Night_stalker
Slava Ukraini!
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Yes
[X] Institute DER-5a
[X] 25mm APW
[X] Institute DER-5a
[X] 25mm APW
Professor Vesca
Good News Everyone!
[X] Yes
[X] Institute DER-5a
[X] 25mm APW
[X] Institute DER-5a
[X] 25mm APW
- Location
- The Geth Collective
[X] Yes
[X] Institute DER-5a
[X] 25mm APW
[X] Institute DER-5a
[X] 25mm APW
- Location
- va
[X] Yes
[X] Institute DER-5a
[X] 25mm APW
[X] Institute DER-5a
[X] 25mm APW
[X] Yes
[X] Institute DER-5a
[X] 25mm APW
I'd be tempted to pick the Winchester, since it served me well in Fallout 1 and 2, but it's large size could make it too cumbersome to use. We might not have enough room to bring the weapon to bear, especially if other synths try to close the distances between us and attack us with melee weapons. The grenade launcher should give us some fire power and a laser rifle is a fairly reliable weapon.
[X] Institute DER-5a
[X] 25mm APW
I'd be tempted to pick the Winchester, since it served me well in Fallout 1 and 2, but it's large size could make it too cumbersome to use. We might not have enough room to bring the weapon to bear, especially if other synths try to close the distances between us and attack us with melee weapons. The grenade launcher should give us some fire power and a laser rifle is a fairly reliable weapon.
