Robo-Surveyor

From OPU Wiki

Properties

• Common Metals Cost: 300
• Rare Metals Cost: 0
• Build Time: Short
• Hit Points: Low
• Armor: None
• Track Type: Wheeled
• Speed: Medium

Commands (not always available): Move, Stop, Transfer, Self-Destruct.

Description

The Robo-Surveyor is a light autonomous scouting vehicle used primarily to evaluate potential mine sites for future development. Equipped with only an R-80 cool-fusion reactor and no drive power buffering, the Robo-Surveyor is built for dependability and simplicity, not speed. Once it reaches its objective, the Robo-Surveyor transforms into an automated geological laboratory, fully equipped for sample drilling, mineral analysis, neutrino imaging, and seismo-holography.

Operational Notes: Robo-Surveyors are used to survey mining beacons to determine the type and yield of ore at that location. Robo-Surveyors are made obsolete by the deployment of an EDWARD Satellite.

Tales from New Terra

Herman sat in the darkened and nearly empty Command Center, waiting out the last few minutes of his shift at survey duty. On his console, a panoramic map was scattered with small yellow icons. Each represented a Robo-Surveyor searching for Rare Ore, and all of them were coming up empty. The techs were begging for Rare Ores, and unless they could be found, the Spaceport program was going to grind to a halt. Behind him, Herman heard the door cycle. It had to be Hake Lakoff, his relief. "Howdy, Hake," he said without looking.

"Arr, me bucko, searchin' for buried treasure is what we be doing. Gold, nickel, uranium, doubloons!" Herman groaned. "Have you been watching movies again, Hake?" He knew the answer already. Much of the cultural database that had been brought from Earth was still a corrupted and unreadable mess, but Hake had recently discovered that the collection of 20th century pirate movies had somehow escaped the accident intact. Hake sat down at in the chair next to him and swiveled to look over the map. "Things don't look so good matey. Ol' Blackbeard hid his treasure well."

Herman slumped back in the chair. "We need a hit, and we need one fast." He indicated a cluster of markers in the northwest quadrant. "I'm hoping one of these is it, but I have only one Robo-Surveyor available. Which one will it be?" Hake studied the map intently, then pointed to a location where two surface faults crossed right by a marker. "To find a chest o' treasure, any pirate knows, 'X' marks the spot." Herman considered that for a moment. He didn't have any better ideas. Well, if you can't beat them, join them. He punched up a control pad and redirected the Robo-Surveyor. "Hoist the jib, bucko. We be setting sail."