Tools of The Trade

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The candidates for the DG-III program were not yet solidified, and as such, Book had time on his hands. Time that would be put to productive uses rather than getting drunk in some cantina on the seedier side of Anaxes.

He sat in the center of a massive hanger used to construct battleships. It had an entirely separate purpose today.

A type of wardroid had been proposed to the Republic leadership. This droid was then approved for creation, and Book had taken it upon himself to observe the work. He would be commanding these things into battle, it would be unwise to ignore the production.

He was clad in full armor for Stanley's sake. The AI was currently interfaced with the security system of this particular room. There he could oversee production with an active layout of the droid's blueprints on hand.

"It's big." Book mumbled under his breath. He gestured just beyond the glass over hang that housed the room's security console toward the mass of metal and circuitry being assembled by two dozen engineers and their droids companions.

"It has to be." Stanley's holographic figure appeared on the security console just in front of the Dreadguard. He chose the look of a short fellow with long red hair, and sharp brown eyes ; draped in the trappings of a smuggler from the age of the old Sith Empire.

Book could never figure out why he had chosen that avatar.

"Otherwise the Vong will throw exploding trees at it, or try to eat it."

"What's to say they still won't try?"

"Intimidation factor."

Book removed his helmet, and breathed a heavy sigh. He ran a hand through his short blond hair, and rolled his eyes at the AI.

"The chief should be here soon...her and the woman running this operation. Inform me when they're close, eh?"


[member="Geneviève Lasedri"] [member="Niamh Raste"]

 

[Kamon's OOC]

Niamh was not at all happy. Not only was she missing her tea glass, but someone had made off with her slippers too! When working on projects like this one she preferred to he comfortable. She was not at all comfortable without her tea glass and slippers. In fact, she was so annoyed she thought about going out naked! Ok, not really. She just forgot to get dressed while she was hunting for her glass and slippers.

Eventually she managed to get dressed in her typical attire. She never dressed like a normal Jedi did. When she wasn't on a mission she preferred to wear a simple, form fitting, blue jumpsuit that accentuated every curve of her body. Her lady friends had always liked it. She mostly wore it because it was flexible to her needs.

Out the door she went. Down the halls to the production room where Soldat One was under construction. She walked inside and over to the giant droid, examining the work closely. She didn't need a microscope to see imperfections. She could always find them.

"This wiring is too loose. Let's clean up the soldering here. I want some flexibility in the chest plate so it can take a beating and not go down. Let's add some cushioning."

She clapped her hands to hurry everyone up and then left. She was supposed to have a meeting with the new Republic Chief of the Senate and one of the Republic military ' s top line soldiers. She couldn't be late for that meeting so she headed up to the observation room.

[member="Book"]

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

Having presented her Policy of Victory to the Republic, it was only proper that the Chief of Senate be present for the first foray into this weaponizing push. The Republic needed results, not just her words. So she was here to verify that progress was indeed being made. It was about time.

Fortunately, she would be working with two people she was at least partly familiar with. The Dreadguard officer happened to be one of her main supporters, both ideologically and physically as a protector. The other party who would be showing up just so happened to be in charge of the company that had created the base model of her personal blockade runner. At least the plans for today only involved a short-distance journey and nothing galaxy-spanning. It was a lengthy promenade, followed with taking a restricted-access tube train and a bit of winding about in dark places in a dark speeder, but she had taken the proper precautions and arrived safely under the escort of a trio of gloomy Senatorial Service agents.

Geneviève strode into the rather spacious construction hangar in her dreary black trenchcoat, having tossed her all-white political garbs aside for this 'mission'. She was promptly directed into the turbolift nearby, two agents taking position at the doorway while the third kept watch of the speeder. A moment later, the Chief of Senate had been transported into the observation room.

"Are we due?" she asked the armored man.

[member="Book"], [member="Niamh Raste"]

 

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"Good afternoon to you too, Chief. One giant fighting super droid made to order. Afraid we haven't had the chance to wrap it yet." Stanly quipped from his place on the security terminal.

His avatar waved a gloved hand at the leader of the senate, and offered a ridiculous smile.

As he greeted Genevieve, his subroutines were delving into the droid's dumb AI core to make it a bit more amiable to the commands of the engineers. It needed to react at a moment's notice, and lag between commands could not be tolerated.

Book clapped his feet together and brought up his right hand in a salute. It was atypical for the military to salute politicians - save for the head of state.

"Ma'am." He tilted his head forward in a slight nod. "We're on task. The droid's intelligence core hasn't been entirely agreeable, but I don't think anyone would be too pleased with an AI digging around in their brain."

Stanley brought a holographic fist up to his lips, and coughed as obnoxiously as an intelligence program without a body could.

"Almost done Chief. Still waiting on the owner of this shindig. She's coming, I've seen her on the cameras." Stanley's avatar disappeared, and his voice came from an intercom nearby. "She looked quite ravishing in her underwear a few moments ago."

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"] [member="Niamh Raste"]

 

[Kamon's OOC]

If she knew the A I had been watching her she probably would give it a nasty little virus to play with. She didn't need a naked picture scandal on her hands!

But anyway, she walked into the overview room and looked first at Book because he was wearing a curiously interesting set of armor. Instead of speaking to anyone, she walked around the man, studying his gear with a look of apprehension and pure study. That was Niamh when she found something shiny and new. It was hard to get her attention focused on anything else.

"Most interesting armor. I bet it restricts some of your movement but your a soldier type. Hand to hand is not your first move. The armor protects you from range well I bet."

She nodded to herself and then looked between those present.

"I am Niamh Raste, CEO of Eshan Industrial Corporation. I trust you are both here because of Soldat One, yes?"

[member="Book"] [member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

Ah, so this was who she owed the Antilles-class to. It was good to have friends--however indirect--in the same room. It was also good to have the company of people who knew what they were doing when it came to technology development. Gen was good at envisioning new designs, but was far from certified in these mechanical and electronic arts. The presence of AI in the project would be a bit bothersome to her, but she could get over it for now. Thank goodness she had not been the one to be caught half-naked on the cams.

Privately amused by the echani woman prowling about the Dreadguard with almost comical curiosity, Chief Lasedri considered the trifecta of expertise: a fighter, a builder, and a government official. Was she here for 'Soldat One'? Absolutely. "I'm not here to be political, if that clears anything up." She was here to observe, approve, and pass on to the Republic's military leadership. If this weapon was worth its salt, she would sign whatever documents needed--or even keep it off the books, if it came to that.

"Whenever the AI is finished with whatever it's doing, you're free to proceed, as far as I'm concerned."

[member="Niamh Raste"], [member="Book"]

 

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Some Dreadguard were self-conscious about their condition. They kept the facts and truths about their armor and biological state to themselves, as if it were a curse rather than a boon. Commander Ontanas was not one of those Dreadguard.

"Our bodies are augmented to work with the armor. I might not be as flexible as you in that suit, but I can do my crunches just fine." Book fired back matter-of-factly. Stanley grumbled something himself, and the AI disappeared.

"Done." He informed through the intercom. "It should be a bit more amiable to your commands now. By a little a mean a lot. That intelligence core was a mess."

The Dreadguard offered an apologetic shrug, and strode forward toward the console. "I believe Miss Raste knows more about this project than I do, ma'am. Unless you want a crash course on how we can make it stomp on Sith houses, I won't be much help."

He was here to observe the armaments and provide security. Stanley was the one actually helping the situation.

"Yank me." The AI asked.

Without a word, Book pulled Stanley's data chip from the console, and inserted it into the back of his helmet.

"So cozy in here." Stanley remarked through the privacy of the helmet's internal speakers.

"I'm Commander Alexander Ontanas, Miss Raste. Head of the Dreadguard and advisor to our lovely Chief."

"Don't get flirty now. Your crotch plate might get jealous."

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"] [member="Niamh Raste"]

 

[Kamon's OOC]

"Hey you shut your mouth!" Niamh exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at the AI. "Don't make me scramble your programming!"

She glared at it. Her work was most certainly not a mess. No, it was good work, which was why her EMBU droids were still popular several years after their release date, and probably would continue to be popular for years to come. Especially when she got around to making the Mark II version of them. Anyway, she turned her attention back to the other two in the room and crossed her arms over her stomach, just beneath her chest as she regarded them, one foot tapping the floor lightly.

A politician and a soldier. Technically speaking, she was a soldier as well as a tech. Either way, this was shaping up to be a somewhat interesting meeting. Of course she wished they'd come when the Soldat One was already done, rather than when the finishing touches were being put on it. It was always much snazzier when the product was ready to be shown off.

"Yay for politicians. Always loved those."

Yep, sarcasm.

"But I suppose you're at least being proactive, which is a nice change of pace and earns you bonus points."

She shrugged and walked over to the viewing pain, waving the others over so they could get a look at the fifteen meter beast of a droid that was being built down below them.

"The Soldat One is not a mere droid. It takes the best part of the programming of our EMBU's and incorporates it into a newer chassis. On top of that, we've added further programming to recognize Vong wearing some of the new masquers that have been acquired in combat situations. Highly disgusting and technical nonsense. I avoided that part of the work and left it to my xenobiologists. Anyway, this is not a simple combat droid. This droid is built to take on the monstrosities that the One Sith tend to employ in battle. It's nimble, agile, and powerful. The built in blades and rockets make it extremely deadly even when facing enemy armor. The tips of the blades are diamond encrusted for sharpness. It can cut through most metal as if it weren't there at all. So long as the AI over there didn't fudge up its brain."

[member="Book"] [member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

Mhmm. 'Lovely' was not exactly a word most used to describe Geneviève Lasedri, but, then again, she had taken on a much more pleasant persona since the time of her nomination for office. She was already feeling a bit political. Hopefully she did not stray too far into some power complex. The echani's implied sentiments were well-noted. "Yes, I'd like to think my proactive behavior warrants a little more respect." It was humorous to think that she had been personally involved in non-sanctioned militant operations only a couple months ago.

"Anything that slaughters those sick things is worth a look," Gen commented after Raste had given the more-or-less detailed explanation of this robotic warrior. There were, however, some minor concerns she had about this sort of technology. Technology was a double-edged sword, and the current Chief of Senate had not been one to quickly accept new digital products if there was a chance of being compromised.

"The Sith have been using some... talented slicers recently, according to what I've been told." She paused, contemplating the blue face she had had the privilege of seeing. It was a very famous blue face, and not one to rule out as the mastermind to the hacking attacks on the battlefield. "How can you guarantee they won't be able to take over a cyber soldier like this?"

[member="Niamh Raste"], [member="Book"]

 

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"A dumb AI might do the job. Certainly not as complex as say...me, but perfectly capable of keeping the droids in line with us." Stanley quipped.

It was in no way a perfect plan. Artificial intelligence was expensive no matter how it was made. Even then, the slicers might be able to gain control of those systems as well. Then again, a little extra protection could prove to be the difference between life and death down range. The Republic had the credits. There was little reason to leave the droids undefended.

"You could pair them with technical teams that would help keep the droids in line." Book added. "So long as those teams are well defended, the droids should be fine."




[member="Geneviève Lasedri"] [member="Niamh Raste"]

 

[Kamon's OOC]

Niamh shook her head at what the soldier said. While theoretically plausible, it was an entirely impractical approach to solving the dilemma that the Senate chief had brought up.

"Possible but not logical, soldier boy. Once that team is killed the Droid would become entirely worthless."

She didn't want one of her Soldat's ending up in the hands of the enemy. Additionally, having them tied to any sort of communications line was just going to make them easy to slice into and be taken control of by the enemy. She couldn't have that happening in her watch. That would make both Niamh and EIC look absolutely terrible. She did have an idea though.

"No we do what we always do with droids, though usually not with war droids. We make them autonomous. They don't need commands in order to function. Then we provide them with the same communications technology seen within our M.I.T.E.s. No clicker will be able to take them over without direct physical interaction."

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"] [member="Book"]