Several hours have gone since the R.O.V.E.R unit has been brought back home to Earth, after its encounter with the swarm of black insectoid-equines. Thankfully, the creatures haven’t done significant damage to it, or its operating systems so it should be ready to return to its duties. But since the engineers had the machine in their hands, they figured they’d might as well give the poor outdated robot an much needed upgrade, after all, this model of the robot is nearly seven years old. So the R.O.V.E.R was going under improvement before it was released back into World 4.
As the R.O.V.E.R unit was being worked on, the head research of the Gate Project, Augustine Brown, was currently in a meeting with the board of directors. Discussing the fate of one of the researchers at the Gate compound, and his work on illegal human experimentations in regards to genetic alterations. There was also the issue of Gabriel disregarding safety protocol in bring in a creature from one of the other three worlds, running tests on it while keeping it in one of the less secure places of the facility as a whole…and then killing the creature rather than return it to its home world un-harmed.
“So with all this evidence in hand, as well as the action the Geneva Convention will undoubtedly bring down on him, as well as you gentlemen. As you are Gabriel’s current employers, he could say that you ordered him to take on this research making all of you take the fall, and leaving him untouched.”
The three men that were sitting in chairs across from Augustine, each donning an expensive suit, and going over the information that Augustine has copied from Gabriel’s own computer. Which as normally is left fairly vulnerable for anyone to gain access to if they so choose. After a minute of going over the date, as well as evidence of Gabriel bringing an un-authorized creature to the Home Base, the three men gave each other concluded looks as they all came to a decision.
“In light of evidence you have before us Miss. Brown; we agree that Mr. Avenarius must be dealt with.” The center director says as he clasps his hands. “However, even with this proof of his disregard for illegal of genetic modification, and bringing a possibly dangerous creature to the facility, we will also need to know who these benefactors are.”
“Indeed.” The director on the right says as he continuous to sift through the date Augustine provided. “If Mr. Avenarius has people that he has confidence in for protection, even from us, we will need to know who they are. Only then will we be able to come up with a plan to bring them in.”
“Until then Miss. Brown, keep a watchful eye on Mr. Avenarius. We will handle the rest.” The third man said to the woman who nodded in response. “Now, other than Mr. Avenarius backroom dealings, what have you learned from World 4 thus far?”
“Well sir from my last report, this world seems to hold great interest. Most of which comes from the inhabitants.”
“Ah yes the, intelligent equines.” The right director said. “Have you been able to communicate with them yet?” the woman shook her head, brushing a few locks of her hair out of her face before speaking.
“Not yet sir, but Miss. Aynesworth has finished with a cipher that’s been working to decode the equines written language, however she’s told me yesterday that only 5% of the language as been decoded to words that we know.” the three men nodded in understanding to the progress the Gate researchers have made thus far.
The meeting continued on for a bit longer, mostly it was just Augustine giving more updates about World 4, and what the Gate personnel have somewhat learned of the ponies. As well as give the men an update on the R.O.V.E.R’s progress. Once the meeting was over with the directors left the conference room, while Augustine headed back to her own duties. But before she did she wanted to check up on R.O.V.E.R’s redesign, and see how the oldest robot of the Gate Project was faring.
“Miss. Augustine!” a deep voice called out to the woman, causing her to turn to face the owner, who was a tall man wearing heavy clothing.
“Hello Rodger, what’s going on?” the woman asked the man as he slowed down from his jab.
“We’ve just finished the new unit you requested.”
“Already?!” Augustine asked in utter shock. After all, the request for a new robot was only put it in, two days ago! Rodger gave a small chuckle as he catches his breath before talking.
“Well when you asked us to build you a new robot unit, we were already building a scouting robot for the military. But we decided to put that project on the backburner, and use what we’ve build so far to make the new unit you’ve requested.”
“Oh. Well then, let’s see what the new robot looks like.”
Rodger agreed and began to lead Augustine to the Gate Platform chamber, rather than the Workshop. The researcher did question why they weren’t going to the construction chamber, to which the crafter to inform the woman that once the robot was done with, they brought it to the Gate Chamber as they assumed that the researchers would want to send it to the new world. upon reaching where the Gate machine was Rodger gestured to the new robot, which was being checked over by a few engineers and a few members of the work shoppers, seemingly checking to see if the robot was operating probably.
Augustine made her way over to the robot, where its head stretched out from its body to meet the woman half way. The woman and the machine just stared at each other for a little bit, before the machine’s head was pulled back into its body by one of the engineers.
“Well. What do you think?” Rodger asked as he stood beside the woman, a small smirk on his face.
“Not bad, defiantly less intimidating…but…why is it, purple?” Augustine asked as she tilted her head slightly.
“We thought it made it cuter, after all, from what Charles has said about World 4 the inhabitants are basically walking plush toys. We thought we not only make it look more friendly, but also colored to be more inviting.”
“…that’s fair.” The woman replied. “Is it capable of being deployed now?” Augustine asked the crew that were messing with the robot.
“Just another minute to make sure its systems are running 100%, and it should be ready for deployment.” A shorter man holding a tablet said as he works on said system.
Another minute or two went by, and once the crew was done, the new robot was now fully operational and ready to venture beyond the portal. As the machine primed itself to open the portal, Augustine headed back up to the Observation room to see what will occur when it crossed the threshold. Entering the room Augustine sees Charles, Adam and Aynesworth, and the southern woman Jessy and the youngest member of the group Richard, a Caucasian man were looking down at the new robot as it stood before the portal that just opened up.
“You think it will be okay?” Aynesworth said as the robot walked through the portal.
“Only one way to find out.” Augustine said as she took a seat, and watched as the new robots camera turned on…and showed the familiar group of ponies from the first few days. “Well…this is going to be strange first meeting.”
~~Equestria~~
Ponyville was still in a very tense state after the small surprised changeling attack, and from the scare that the ponies got when a titanic blue skinned giant came stomping out of a large portal, in fact the giant was so heavy that it left deep engraved footprints in the road. After emerging from the portal, the giant went about in rescue its fallen friend from the changelings…while also killing around thirty of them with little to no effort whatsoever. Course when the princesses learned of this attack, via Spike sending a message from Twilight, they came down to investigate. Luckily, no structural damage—aside from twelve stalls and a few tents—and no pony was hurt to bad, a few scratches, minor bruises, but nothing to substantial.
“It is clear what this was sister, it was an attack meant for revenge from casting Chrysalis out of Canterlot during Cadences wedding.” Luna said to her sister as she, Celestia, and Twilight plus her friends make sure everypony was alright as they made their way to main square.
“I agree Luna, and if Chrysalis intends to make more attempts such as this, we’ll have to post guards at key points of the town.” Celestia said as the group made it to the town square, where she stopped and looked at the footprints pressed into the ground. “Twilight…exactly what did this new creature look like, your message didn’t give any details.”
“Well Princess it was huge! Far bigger than the other creature—”
“Which I decided to call, Gleam!” Pinkie butted in before being pulled back by Rarity, who began scolding her for interrupting Twilight.
“Yea, it was far bigger than Gleam was.” Twilight repeated as she thought back to the titans appearance. “It’s skin was just as shiny as Gleam’s, and looked to be made out of metal as well and, I’m not sure how it did it but. The new creature was somehow able to create a shockwave from its claw…”
“Which, killed, the thirty changelings the guards had to bury, yes?” Celestia said to which the unicorn, and her friends nodded.
The conversation between the mares was interrupted when a large rectangular portal opened, causing any of the nearby towns ponies to see it run away in screaming terror. As for the group of mares, the alicorns stood before the element bearers, who half cowered behind the two rulers and half prepared to deal with whatever would emerge from the portal! But as the ponies kept their eyesight high up, expecting a large foreboding creature to have emerged…what came out of the portal was however…not what they expected.
OOOHHH!!! THAT ROBOT LOOK COOL AS FUCK!
I was expecting a pony robot. So yeah expectations.
Ya know what? it kinda looks like an Elcor.
Personally I really don't like the new robot, even if it was mostly made for military why the hell does it look like that? Realistically its just much bigger target. While Im not telling you to change it or anything just that...no, just no.
10485647
Also when people are saying stuff like 100% or 50% don't use % use the actual word, but hey you do you..
10485630
That's very loud and, enthusiasti,. For a purple metal Apeish looking thing.
10485647
Why use tanks instead of light armored vehicles? Or better yet just use foot soldiers! Such a small target will never get hit ever and even if it did it would totally survive!
You sound like an idiot. Armor takes up space, realistically in a military situation you want as much armor as is possible to move. It's why foot soldiers wear so little armor, and why tanks are so large. Armor is weight, weight requires more energy to move, more energy means a larger power source, which in turns adds more weight and size.
Along side the size added by the armor, larger objects in general are harder to move, thus making the crippling force of most explosives short of mortars and RPGs(which are designed to take out tanks) pretty much useless. An explosive does two things, first it concusses, disrupts the internals of whatever is hit. Second it fires shrapnel everywhere, further disrupting externals or exposed internals. If an explosive can't get inside armor, the most it does is disorientates.
An RPG, is designed to puncture into a tank, and blow up the squishy humans inside. Now, the robot doesn't have a human inside. So being a larger target for an RPG doesn't really matter, and a mortar barrage would stop anything, big or small.
The large war robot is the ideal thing for a military to have, because it is fully armored and can still move. Most likely a majority of the size is armor, motors and mechanics don't actually take up that much room compared to their load size. If you increase the weight capacity to a point where it can be that big, and still be able to have armor, with enough mobility to get around, it doesn't matter how large it is, if anything larger is better. Transport's a bitch, but if they have portals, even that's not a problem.
You're issues with the robot being 'big' are unfounded and ultimately lead to personal preference instead of actual tactical advantage or disadvantage. If you can fire a bigger bullet reliably without any real consequence, then you fire a bigger bullet. The same goes for armor.
10485648
A fair critique, unlike your pervious comment.
10485667
the only issue with the bigger bullet is when the weapon is so devestating that making a bigger bullet would be valueless
10485646
mmm, it looks more like one of these
cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rgTFa66bsUTX5eAK3xzM8n.jpg
10485672
Fair enough, though that didn't stop us from making bigger atom bombs, did it.
My point was usually a bigger/more powerful weapon that is reliable is something to strive for and use. if you're able to move a hulking giant, it's usually a boon rather than a hinderance. Bigger target is a boon in of itself if the bigger target can take the combined fire, it's why 'tanks' are effective in MMOs, if they were just a bigger target and didn't have the health to match then yeah, it's tactically unsound. Though generally, if you're making a giant robot, giant armor comes with the territory. Robots in general are hardier than humans in the first place... Well not current generation bipeds, but when it comes to drones, rovers, etc., they're generally built to survive a little more omph than a human.
But yes, if a more economical source of damage with the same tactical value is available, it is usually safer to go with it instead of a bigger bullet. Conservation of resources and all that.
I don't like the title maby progjat new world?
10485682
.....so, you agree not liking the new robot?
10485647
it was re-purposed from military work, for surveillance and personal interaction. and as to why it looks like the way it is, creative liberty. one persons peace-maker robot is different from another's. also, its not that big, compared to the other bots.
10485632
I was thinking of doing a robot pony, but.......how would you think if the ponies would feel in meeting a metal pony? especially after what just happened a couple of hours ago.
10485697
.....that's actually better than what i came up with. mind if i use it?
I do hope they gave this one a speaker, even if all it can do at first is echo what is said to it.
An attentive linguist at the other end, and they should figure out the sounds for Yes and No fairly quick.
10485753
well the researchers do have 5% of the pony language decoded, so there's that.
10485752
Go ahead but give me the credit for the name
10485736
Tis a robot, I just have a problem with people not thinking through their dumbassery before making a comment about not liking something under the pretense of "tactics" and half baked opinions about combat effectiveness.
When it comes to sci-fi, as long as it's plausible and is generally rooted in some sense of actual effectiveness, I don't lean one way or the other.
10485652
you don't have a be a dick about it
10485213
"I do wish to see actual difficulty in communication since we('re) different beings from different realities."
"CHANGELIGNS"
I might suggest slowing down as the mistakes are so numerous I thought English was a second language. Not to be rude.
10485751
You have a point, but the mobility of a bipedal robots is a lot worse then quad or six legged robots.
okay now I'm curious are you both the author and the illustrator for the story because those drawings of the robots are really good.
10486019
Not necessarily. Two leg may be less stable and slower than four legs, they have more maneuverability and are more efficient for long distances. Four legs are more stable and are faster, but use more energy and aren't as good for things like climbing and stuff. I'm not saying four legged animals can't climb, since they can. It's just easier with two legs and two arms. Now, for six legs. They are mostly found on bugs and stuff to provide better grip, otherwise they could be taken away by strong winds and slippery surfaces. They can power these legs since they are so small but it wouldn't be efficient for them if they were bigger.
I just started the chapter and I had a quick thought.
Why are they operating on Earth? Something like dimensional travel, portals, etc. you’d want to operate on a different planet or - even better - a space station. Reason being that by opening a portal on Earth, you’re opening a way for dangerous beings and/or invading forces to pour right on out into the seat of human power. Our home world. Doing it on another planet would be better, but doing it on a space station would be best. Most things can’t survive in space, let alone travel through it, so most creatures and invading forces would be trapped and can thus be contained and neutralised.
In real life, in our modern world, we do have experiments running in space on space stations, because it is literally the single safest place you can do experiments. If something goes wrong, it’s limited to the space station and can’t spread onto the planet unless it happens to be able to survive and travel through space.
Which is another thing, in this futuristic scenario the story is in, you’d have the space station orbiting an uninhabited/research/military world, or better yet orbiting the star itself, so if the thing happens to be capable of survival & travel through space, it won’t immediately wreak havoc on civilian populations.
10486169
shhhh, it's part of the plot, it'll be useful later
10486200
That doesn’t really excuse it.
10486203
I'm making a joke, but seriously, there's probably a reason nobody had the foresight to build it somewhere secure
10485681
That from one of the newer Halos? I stopped playing at 4 i think, which ever introduced that machine race for you to fight.
10485917
no problem. when i get a grove going, i tend to just write to get the ideas out fast before they fade, or i get distracted.
10486019
true. i might still make a pony robot, but we'll just have to see.
10486029
yes. i write the stories, and any pictures that look hand drawn for the covers and inserted into the pics, are mine.
10486169
remember the Gate Machine took enough $$ that would support a small continent, like Australia, then there's the ENORMOUS amount of energy to even power the damn thing also cost a whole lot of $$. Of course the 3, well now four robots, also cost arms and legs to build, maintain, repair and maintenance, and since the ROVER was re-built twice, and even the LARC was re-built, all of which takes enormous amounts of $$.
So. building an orbital platform, large enough to be the size of a typical science compound, with multiple facilities that require X-amounts of additional power, and make sure that the whole damn thing operates, not to mention the larger amount of personnel to work on this orbital platform......no matter which time period you pick of our History, i doubt man kind can afford to even do 1/6th of what goes on in this fic.
But, then again, its my story so i say they do this on Earth. also if your worried about a dangerous thing coming to earth. that's why there are armored forces on the premises, as well as having the APE stationed by the Gate platform.
i for one think the new robo looks cute
The new bot reminds me of soft robotics for some reason, must be the smooth "squishy" look it has.
that little drone in the pic is it part of him? also can this one translate and talk?
10486231
They are called Prometheans, made by the Forerunners as Soldiers and Warrior Units.
10486246
Damn! The Author is right with the Money and Resources to build all of that Advanced Tech. stuff.
But, now we have 4 Robots now. With the fourth being a Purple Robot that is "Cute". Just so the Ponies will STOP Panicking. 😆
That's an, interesting design.
I was betting on it looking equine like for some reason. Xp
10485751
Well you dont have to make it a pony in my opinion, but perhaps a few equine characteristics?
10486168
Seemed to work in the Avatar movie. Xp
10485736
[Continuation]
Heck, what about a cross between a pony and a canine? I cant say exactly what something like that would look like but perhaps something like this?
https://www.deviantart.com/manuztur/art/Concept-Dynomutt-9-853241027 but add some like equine bits to it? It would still look friendly since it looks like a dog which ponies are familiar with, it walks on 4 legs which ponies are familiar with. Perhaps they would be a little concern on how equine it looks but this could be made intentional by the scientists to show the ponies they are trying to get on thier level to communicate with them. Best of all it can still stretch out its neck, which I think is a good idea. Xd
10485736
[Continuation 2]
Actually, a griffin would be a good example of what the fusion could look like.
It has to look friendly, but be able to defend itself, and do its job. dont forget it needs to be able to grab and hold things too. Xp
10485747
Alrighty, also sorry for my comment. But honestly it doesn't look that bad I just don't like how it...looks? I don't know what exactly but something just feels off about it personally. Anyways keep up great work dude
10485780
I agree and sorry for my comment, wasn't really running on much sleep for past three ish days and I actually got good bit last night. So besides my problem with how it looks I do like it.
10485876
Sorry about that
1.
Wait I just thought of something,what if they are part of SCP Foundation?
They specialize in interdimensional things,like the with the IKEA scp
2.
The design is interesting ........
But I think that if this robot was meant to look more inviting to ponies they would have created a quadruped one ,that looks more like a pony ,or something familiar to them .
Like these ones
derpicdn.net/img/view/2020/10/13/2465682.png
derpicdn.net/img/view/2019/1/28/1946626.jpeg
derpicdn.net/img/view/2019/2/13/1961060.png
The image size is too big, so here have the link
derpicdn.net/img/view/2019/6/11/2063120.png
This one doesn't look as dangerous as the rest of them but they should know that ponies would be scared even of this one
10486371
yes the little drone is apart of it. and yes, this one is equipped with a speaker, but the researchers only have 5% of the total data ROVER got decoded to where they understand.
10433651
Actually... This group is all aboit AI's Droids/Robots, Cyborgs, and even transformers.
10486246
Well then you do it on a different planet. The thing is, we're humans but we're not that stupid. We go for risk/reward, and if it's opening portals on our planet there's more risk than reward.
I'm not trying to dispute or argue with you, you do you, but I'm just pointing out that in this scenario, you'd do it on a different planet or a space station, or not at all.
Also, even with armed forces, the risk with this kind of thing - given it's specifically a portal crossing dimensions - is that anything could be on the other side. What say the thing on the other side is an Eldritch Abomination immunse to arms fire and conventional weapons? Then you've just released said Abomination on our homeworld, the seat of human power, with no way to contain it. That's the problem.
Again, I'm not arguing, you do you with the story, just pointing it out.