Fission

[Taeli Raaf]

Saleucami System
Western desert near Aurora Industries droid facility

The time had come to begin the testing of a brand new prototype for Aurora Industries's Droid Division. Utilizing four of the new Si-Cryo Droid Cells, the new behemoth of the droid had enough power to fuel the designers' wildest dreams. They had opted to develop something much different than anything else they had done before, something that could truly make sure of new technology.

A hulking quadrupedal droid, easily twice as tall as a standard human, was being deployed out of the facility into a testing zone that had been carefully constructed for the prototype. A designation hadn't been decided yet, although there was a facility pool on going on several names that might make the final cut.

Two large arms extended from the droid's body, most of those arms being taken up by cannons. A smaller laser cannon was under the body. The ground shook a bit as the droid walked to the starting point of the testing zone. For it to truly be a test however, everything would be live fire ... and the engineers just hoped they could get usable data if the droid was destroyed.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"Thank you for joining us for this demonstration, Miss Raaf," Chief Designer Tyur Kilgar, a Human of Corellian origins that had a cybernetic arm, said as Taeli's hologram flickered into life. She was monitoring the demonstration remotely from Erilnar, as she had other work to do. However, she had wanted to observe the first droid that would make use of Sianium as its power source.

"I look forward to what you have developed," she said. "Before we begin, explain to me how it is utilizing the power cores developed with Sianium."

"Of course, Miss Raaf," Kilgar said. "The droid utilizes four of the Si-Cryo Hybrid cores to power its systems, all working in tandem in a battery stored within the droid's main body. We heavily armored the entire body with turadium to make sure that the cores aren't in any danger of actually being damaged. With the power output, you can imagine that my designers and engineers went to town on the build."

"I had hoped as much," Taeli stated. "Shall we begin?"

"That we will."

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"As you can clearly see, the droid is specifically built for difficult terrain," Kilgar said. "The four legged design was chosen for this reason as it will allow the droid to traverse over any obstacle that might be in its way."

On cue, the droid came online and began to march forward. The scientists had placed various simulations of different terrains in its way, as Saleucami was not known for its vast difference in climate and geography. Taeli watched as the droid moved through snowy and icy areas, unstable and uneven rocky areas, and so on.

In a way, it reminded her of the AT-AT and other legged walkers in that regard as it made its way steadily to towards the next checkpoint, for lack of a better term.

"Extra servos were also added in so that the legs have plenty of strength to support the droid's body and systems, along with magnetic clamps so it can adhere to metal surfaces. There are also deployable anchors in the feet that can allow it to anchor to the ground if need be," Kilgar described, signaling the droid to demonstrate these features for Taeli.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Once the droid reached the next checkpoint in the established testing zone, Kilgar had his engineers move in various targets to different positions. Many of the targets were vehicles from captured enemy forces, commonly used pirate vehicles, and even some things donated to Aurora Industries to both test their capabilities and/or just blow them up.

"Generously provided, the targets the droid will be testing its weapon systems on are all of different makes, with different materials and such," Kilgar stated. "Now, observe the destructive firepower of the droid. Just a few volleys should be enough to reduce anything to nothing but a memory. We placed some extra weapons system in as well, observe Miss Raaf."

The droid engaged its primary weapon systems, the two heavy laser cannons that constituted its arms, and opened fire on the nearest target. Within two volleys, as advertised, the old starfighter was nothing but a pile of flaming debris. The droid continued along its way, its cannons blasting apart any target it encountered. As it neared a set position, it stopped firing the cannons and the launchers on its back opened. From within, two mortar shells slotted into place and were fired upon the next targets.

"The mortar launcher can be fitted out with various shells, besides the standard issue explosive ones," Kilgar explained. "Next, we will be testing the droid's anti-personnel weaponry. Proceed to next target area."

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"How does it see?" Taeli asked as the droid made its way to the next checkpoint. "I notice the droid does not have any sort of photoreceptors or anything visible that would allow for sight."

"We took a cue from the old droideka," Kilgar replied. "The droid uses a combination of composite radiation sensors and sonar to 'see' for lack of a better term its surroundings. The sonar allows it to know what the terrain is like while the radiation sensors act as more of the targeting system. It also does have an advanced targeting computer slaved to the droid brain."

"I see, so light effects such as flashbangs and so on won't effect the droid as much," Taeli concluded. "I see a problem if the droid gets hit with an EMP or other such weapon though."

"As with any droid, Miss Raaf."

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Taeli noted that the droid, while quite powerful from what she had already seen, was quite slow. To be expected, given the nature of its weaponry and body, the droid would be quite heavy. Thin surfaces such as ice might also be a problem with the weight of the droid. Note for that, have customers avoid deploying droids on ice covered lakes and such.

Finally, it reached the next checkpoint and she noted that several cells had been built.

"What are those?" she asked.

"They are courteous of the Saleucami underworld and justice system," Kilgar answered. "We needed test subjects for the droid's anti-personnel weaponry and the Saleucami government was happy to oblige in giving us death row inmates and other undesirables for the testing. We armed them with blasters and other weaponry, so they do have a fighting chance, Miss Raaf."

Taeli kept her silence as she watched the doors to the cells open up and the prisoners were unleashed. The droid, detecting the movement and heat signatures of the new targets, whirred into action. Its main cannons opened fire, and from underneath the belly of the droid, another weapon slotted into place.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

The twin anti-personnel laser cannons glowed for a moment as they warmed up ... and then they unleashed a green hailstorm of laser fire at the prisoners. To their credit, they tried to fight back, but it was to little avail. The blaster pistols and rifles they had been given were not going to do much against the droid's turadium plating and the maelstrom of energy the droid was unleashing.

Within moments, a whole companies worth of prisoners were dead and the droid started on its way to the next designated checkpoint. Now though, things had been increased in difficulty as the droid was having to face droid targets that were firing at it from cover positions. Volleys of laser fire, both from the main cannons and the anti-personnel cannons, would reduce these obstacle to slag.

"Impressive machine you've developed so far," Taeli said, quite pleased by what she had seen thus far.

"A few more things to test still, Miss Raaf," Kilgar replied with a grin. "The sensors were not the only thing we took from the old droideka design."

 

[Taeli Raaf]

As it reached a certain, most likely pre-programmed, spot in the demonstration field, the droid stopped in place while more armed targets popped up. Around the droid, a blue deflector shield burst into life around it, surprising Taeli. Apparently her engineers had used those designs she recovered on Mustafar to some degree.

"With the extra power afford by the Sianium, it became clear that we could include the same sort of deflector shield as the droidekas, just up-scaled for the droid's size," Kilgar explained as blaster bolts pinged off the shield. "It does have the same drawbacks however, slow moving objects can pass through it and a weak point exists at the top that can be pierced."

"Can it fire through it?" she asked.

"No, but that isn't a problem," Kilgar said as the droid moved the tips of its guns outside the shield's radius and opened fire on the targets.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

The droid make quick work of the enemy as they couldn't get past the shield, and once the last target was destroyed, the droid deactivated the shield on cue from Kilgar and began its lumbering walk to its final checkpoint. Taeli was quite pleased with the performance, and the droid hadn't been damaged by the tests so that was a good development. She was curious what Kilgar's final test would be though.

"As you have witnessed, the droid is quite a formidable force on the battlefield," Kilgar said grandly. "I felt that the final test should show just how formidable it could be ... so to that end, we appropriated something special for the final evaluation."

The droid stopped at the last checkpoint, a large holding cell looming in front of it. Taeli's eyes widened as the cell door lowered and a rancor stumbled out and gave a mighty roar at the droid. Okay then, Kilgar hadn't been kidding when he said he was going for a tough final evaluation. A rancor was challenge for a great many things.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

The rancor charged at the droid, lopping on all fours to give it speed most didn't associate with the lumbering monster. The droid analyzed the beast's approach, locating weakpoints to target. Taeli watched with bated breath as the droid opened fire at the monster bearing down at it with its cannons.

The droid had targeted the knees of the rancor, and the beast gave a roar of agony as one bolt blew outs its right knee and the other searing through just below the left. Normally resistant to blaster fire, the thick hide wasn't designed to face heavy cannon fire. The rancor wasn't done though as it kept coming, pushing through the pain in a primal rage.

A huge claw came up and slammed into the droid's side, a metallic thud echoing in the area from the force. The droid had a small dent in the side, but it merely brought its cannon into position and unleashed a barrage of fire directly at the rancor's head. The bolts were strong enough to send the beast skidding away, smoke rising from the holes burned into the beast. To finish it off, if it wasn't dead yet, another mortar was slotted into place and launched at the body.

"As you can see, even the mighty rancor is no match for our latest droid," Kilgar stated proudly. "Turadium armor plating, very tough to get through. We layered it on the main body chassis to protect the machinery and power core inside."

"Excellent," Taeli said, engineers finishing up running their tests. "A name will be needed and..."

She stopped talking as the Force flared from the west, something was coming ... several somethings actually.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"What's this?" Kilgar exclaimed, rushing over to the sensor readout. Several speeders were closing in on the testing area, life signs pulsing from the approaching vehicles. "It would seem we have some uninvited guests."

"Were the criminals given any chance to contact anyone?" Taeli asked, her eyebrow quirking up.

"In the transfer, one of them must have called some friends to mount a rescue," Kilgar mumbled. "Not to worry though, Miss Raaf, nothing can face our prototype and the fools have no idea what is waiting for them. Unlock the droid from our computers, lets see how it fares against this unexpected experience."

With a whir, the droid was untethered from the Aurora testing computers and began to target in the enemy fast approaching. Engaging its shield, it began to march towards the quickly approaching speeders.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"Come on, you slackers," the criminal underboss yelled as the speeders raced to the spot they had picked up. One of their bosses had been taken in the round by those scientists and they were trying to rescue him from whatever those Aurora engineers were doing. The fact the signal they were picking up was outside was odd though. They had been expecting the emergency beacon to be transmitting from the Aurora Industries facility itself, not its testing grounds.

"Sir... I see something!" one man yelled from the other speeder, lowering his macrobinoculars. "Some big droid, never seen anything like it!"

Even as he spoke, blaster cannon fire started flying towards the speeders in a volley. It was unexpected and the other speeder exploded as it took a direct hit, flinging bodies and injured men every which way. The underboss swore and brought his speeder to a halt, getting his men out as the shielded droid advanced on them.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"Destroy it," the underboss yelled as the shield came down for a moment. He thought the weapons they had were the cause of it ... but it was only so the droid could engage its anti-personnel blasters. Blaster bolts pinged and singed the droid's armor, but it didn't pay attention to that as it opened fire on the criminals.

Rapid fire bolts burned through many of the underboss's men, forcing the remaining to take cover behind the flaming wreckage that remained of the speeders. Bolts pinged and whizzed overhead and the underboss had to wonder if any part of their group was going to get out of this alive. The droid was moving, the ground rumbling as it did, and he could hear more of his men screaming as it mowed them down with lethal efficiency.

Peeking out from his hiding place, he noticed the armoring didn't cover everything. The knee joints were slightly exposed from the side. If they could damage those!

"Fire at the legs, you karking idiots!" he yelled, firing off a burst from his repeating rifle.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Sparks flew from the leg joint as the underboss's blaster did the trick ... but even with a damaged leg, the droid turned its attention to his position. He opened his mouth to yell and order when the droid's arm cannon opened fire. The underboss disappeared in a cloud of dirt and debris from the laser impact.

The droid crashed to the ground as another of its legs were damaged by the remaining criminals. Cautiously, the men started to come out of cover and approach the droid that had killed so many of their fellows.

"Is it down?" someone asked. "Did we kill it?"

With a whir, the droid slotted in two mortar shells and launched them at the approaching criminals while its arm cannons opened up again. The droid had played dead so they would come out of cover, and in flurry of bolts and explosions, the criminals were wiped out. The droid couldn't move on its own now though, so Aurora engineers and security started to head to the site to recover the droid.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"Well, unexpected, but more testing in a combat situation is always nice," Taeli said as the crews began moving the droid back towards the facility. "Kilgar, I think we can dub this the Behemoth Tank Droid, the first one of our droids to use Sianium. Oh it just makes me giddy to think Project Galvani has progressed this far."

"Thank you, Miss Raaf," Kilgar said, bowing slightly. "As you can see, the Droid Division aims to please. The Behemoth Tank Droid, as you have named it, can handle even the most volatile and unpredictable situations. We will continue running tests on the systems, and shore up the problem area as best we can. The knee joints will be reinforced, I promise you that."

"Very well, I look for to putting these into production," Taeli said, her hologram winking out. Kilgar let out a breath and went down to the engineering bay to personally oversee the post-test data collection.