Siren Infiltrator Robot

Siren

Created by Slappy

N.E.X.U.S., in her insanity, has created millions of human-like androids to serve the needs of her fragmented mind. What that need is exactly is unclear, but her legions of Nex-Androids dutifully mimic all the mundane details of a lost human society within massive time capsules known as Ghost Towns. These simplistic drones were not designed for combat, but N.E.X.U.S. personalities like Kali, Ishtar, and Lilith have still been using Nex-Androids as infiltrators and assassins for years. Despite their efforts, they have only experienced limited success using these drones against the Resistance. Few Nex-Androids have ever made it more than a couple hundred feet into the underground havens before being discovered, and only the lowest level leaders were ever successfully brought down. The robots were always discovered long before they could get anywhere near a high-profile target. Their programming was just too basic to fool anyone for long. The Machine used her brilliance and ingenuity to get these simple drones into the humans strongholds, but once the drones went underground, N.E.X.U.S. could no longer control them and they were forced to rely on their limited artificial intelligences. Nex-Androids could not adapt to changing situations quickly enough and were eventually discovered by clever humans. Another serious weakness was that Nex-Androids were easily detected by the highly developed sense of smell many Bio-Tech creations possessed. Once their cover was blown, they tried their best to reach the target, but without any armaments or decent combat programming, they were quickly overwhelmed and destroyed. The Machine wanted a robot that was intelligent enough to penetrate deep into the underground havens, and had the firepower to do some real damage once it got there. The job fell to Hecate to design the ultimate infiltrator. She had to devise some brilliant innovations in nanotechnology and metallurgy to accomplish her vision, but eventually the Siren Infiltration Assault Robot was born.

The Siren was inspired by ancient tales of beautiful mythological creatures that would lure sailors to their doom with their enchanting songs. Much like the creatures of legend, they are always female and always exceptional beauties. History has shown N.E.X.U.S. that female infiltrators did far better than their male counterparts, plus the Machine views itself as female and really enjoys wandering the world within these covert robots.

This Siren does not release an enchanting melody, but it can unleash a devastating sonic blast. Hecate wanted a weapon that was easy to conceal, but also capable of liquefying multiple targets with one blast. She liked the sonic cannon because it worked perfectly with the Siren motif and it deafened anyone within a 40-foot radius (double in the close confines of underground passageways). The robot also has 12-inch long retractable vibro-claws that it uses when it wants to make a more covert kill. While the Siren is not as heavily armed as some other robot designs, it is far superior to Nex-Androids. The robot is even equipped with a force field that allows it to soak up a great deal of punishment before it finally goes down. Hecate’s creations are more than able to hold their own in battle, but the true genius of this design is not in their combat systems, but in their infiltration systems.

Much like Nex-Androids, Sirens have a powerful robotic endoskeleton surrounded by realistic synthetic flesh. It looks and feels like the real thing, and even bleeds and bruises when injured. Sirens actually use the exact same skin as Nex-Androids, but what makes their disguise so superior are the revolutionary nanobots that help complete the illusion. These tiny robots are used to counter-act all the humans’ usual methods of detection. They manufacture complex proteins and hormones that perfectly replicate the many scents of a human being, plus they create a unique DNA sequence for each Siren that allows them to pass genetic scans. In addition, Hecate came up with the brilliant idea of having these nanobots simulate the effects of the Nanobot Plague. If a Siren even accidentally comes into contact with metal, the on-board nanites immediately trigger a low-level Nanobot Plague effect. It never does more damage than minor cuts and burns, but it immediately diverts suspicion that the Siren may not be human. It is also a great way to gain some quick sympathy from Resistance members the Siren just met. There is no easier way to infiltrate the underground havens than by playing the damsel in distress. Of course, if the Siren wanted to pick up a laser rifle and blow away a few people, it can switch off this nanobot effect instantly.

Another element that quickly gave away Nex-Androids was their weight. Even androids modeled after women and children weighed hundreds of pounds. Sirens, however, are composed of a revolutionary alloy that is extremely durable yet light enough to keep their weight in line with that of a human. Of course, the ultimate way to detect a Nex-Android was to talk with it for a few minutes. They were designed to mimic very specific roles from human society, and once they were placed in situations outside of their area of expertise, they quickly became confused. Another aspect of their programming that gave them away was their limited grasp of human emotion. They could fake emotional responses, but they were never very good at expressing the right emotion at the right time. N.E.X.U.S. tried for years to alter their programming to make them better infiltrators, but Hecate finally realized it was easier to just start from scratch. She gave Sirens one of the most advanced artificial intelligences on the planet, second only to N.E.X.U.S. herself. In fact, their neural processors are simplified versions of those found in N.E.X.U.S. Sirens are clever, creative, and incredibly intelligent. They can learn from their environment and quickly adapt to any situation, and they can even experience human-like emotions. They are still not quite on par with real humans, but it is more than enough to get the job done.

One of the Siren’s most amazing powers is its ability to operate Host Armor. Hecate equipped each robot with a revolutionary new synthetic nervous system that enables it to interface with Host Armor. This link is not as elegant as the interface between a human and a suit of Host Armor; it is more like a hack. The Siren releases electrical impulses that hijack the Host Armor’s nervous system to initiate movement or activate weapon systems. Unfortunately, the hack only works one way. The Siren can get the suit to move, but it cannot receive any signals back from the armor. This means it does not benefit from the superhuman senses or reflexes imparted by the armor. In fact, the Siren is unable to see or hear through the suit’s eyes and ears at all. The Siren gets around this shortcoming by extruding tiny fiber optic cameras and microphones through the skin of the armor. These devices are nearly imperceptible to the eye (even upon close inspection) to ensure that they do not blow the Siren’s cover. The power to high jack Host Armor is mainly used to gain access to the underground havens; it is not ideal for deep cover operations. The Siren’s inability to access simple systems like Bio-Comms quickly ruins the illusion, so most of these infiltration robots tend to rely on Living Armor when operating undercover. Hecate is trying to find a way to work around this shortcoming, but if she ever did figure out how to perfectly hack into Host Armor (and their internal Bio-Comms), she would change the entire face of the war anyway. The Sirens are incredibly clever and adaptive, so they have learned how to work around their limitations.

Each robot is incredibly expensive to produce, but they are already sowing seeds of paranoia and distrust within the Resistance, a fact the Machine (and especially personalities like Lilith) finds highly amusing. What many of the N.E.X.U.S. personalities did not find amusing, was what the Eve personality has done with hundreds (possibly thousands) of these prized creations. When the Sirens were first released into the world, Eve saw how dangerous they were and quickly acted to undermine her sisters’ plans. She seized control of an Industrial Center that was churning out Sirens and reprogrammed hundreds of these assassin robots. She disabled their communication systems so that they could not be tracked or possessed by other N.E.X.U.S personalities, and sent them out into the world to protect humans. She then deleted any records of what she had done, so that the other N.E.X.U.S. personalities would be unable to determine how many robots had gone rogue. Since that day, these pirated Sirens have worked tirelessly to protect the Resistance. They infiltrate and destroy tribes of dangerous Waste Crawlers and even attack their fellow robots. Many enjoy working with Technojackers because they do not need to hide who they are and are actually accepted as equals (they sometimes even form romantic relationships). Some rogue Sirens have even joined the Resistance disguised as humans. They use organic technology and even pilot Host Armor and War Mounts like a regular Splicer. They only turn to their on-board weapon systems and abilities as a last resort or when no other witnesses are around. The interference by Eve delayed the Siren program for years, but the other N.E.X.U.S. personalities are convinced they have properly shielded their factories from her and have recently begun flooding the world with assassin robots again.

Alignment: Sirens are so advanced they even develop unique personalities. Their programming drives them to kill (or to protect in the case of rogue units), but they can chose how they will accomplish their mission. Some Sirens are cold-blooded demons that love to torture and kill men, women, and children, while others hold to some twisted assassin’s code of ethics. These aberrant Sirens only kill high-profile targets, and actually keep the residual casualties to a minimum. All Sirens still under the control of N.E.X.U.S. have evil or selfish alignments, but rogue Sirens can have any type of alignment, although the majority are either good or selfish. Eve did her best to reprogram her force of Sirens, but it is sometimes difficult for them to overcome the basic drive to torture and kill. No matter their alignment, no Siren can be convinced to give up their ways. Their internal programming is too strong. Rogue Sirens will never serve the Machine, and N.E.X.U.S. controlled robots will never go rogue.

Class: Infiltration Assault Robot

M.D.C. by Location:

• Arms (2): 100 each
• Legs (2): 120 each
• Head: 100
• Synthetic Skin: 140 S.D.C.¹
• Main Body: 250²
• Force Field: 150

¹When the Synthetic Skin is reduced to 70 S.D.C. it is in tatters, which reveals the metallic endoskeleton beneath. The skin will regenerate and can be completely repaired in time, even if it was totally destroyed.

²Depleting the M.D.C. of the Main Body will completely destroy the robot.

Speed:

Running: Maximum speed is 150 mph.

Digging: 10 mph through dirt or sand, half that speed through clay, rock, or stone.

Leaping: 20 feet high or lengthwise, increase by 50% with a running start.

Swimming: 40 mph. Maximum depth is 2000 feet.

Flying: Not possible.

Statistical Data:

Height: 5.5 to 6 feet tall

Width: 2 feet

Length: About 8 to 10 inches

Weight: 100 to 150 lbs.

Attributes of Note: I.Q.: 20+1D6, M.E.: 12+1D4, M.A.: 20+1D6, Robotic P.S. of 35, P.P.: 16+1D4, P.E.: n/a, P.B.: 20+1D8, Spd.: 150 mph

Cargo: None

Power System: Standard.

Trade Value: None, except perhaps to a Technojacker.

Horror Factor: 10 once the deception is revealed.

Senses and Features: Standard, plus the following:

• Synthetic Skin: The Siren contains millions of nanobots that help simulate the illusion of real human flesh. They can generate a unique human scent that can fool even the most acute sense of smell 85% of the time, but the deception is only evident upon extremely close inspection. Even a character with Enhanced Senses would have to examine the Siren for a few minutes in order to determine if the scent is real or manufactured. The scent is unique to each Siren, and this feature cannot be used to copy the scent of another person. The Nanobots are able to create this scent by manufacturing real human proteins. This ingenious design is what allows Sirens to operate deep undercover. They are able to pass genetic scans and can even bond with a suit of Host Armor. The Nanobots can also simulate a Nanobot Plague response whenever the Siren comes into contact with metal. The damage is never more than minor cuts or burns (2D6 S.D.C. damage).
  
• Operate Host Armor: The synthetic genes manufactured by the Nanobots are really just meant to fool the Librarians and Engineers that create the Host Armor. They do not actually bond with the armor on a genetic level, they hijack it. Sirens are equipped with a special synthetic nervous system that allows them to interface with the Host Armor. This nervous system hacks into the Host Armor’s nervous system and allows the Siren to seize control. This means that Sirens can actually hijack another Splicer’s Host Armor. This interface is not as fluid as that between a human and Host Armor, so the Siren is not able to tap into the supernatural reflexes of the armor (no additional bonuses). However, the Siren can use the suit’s weapon systems and its own superhuman reflexes more than make up for any shortcomings. These proteins are unique to each Siren, and the Nanobots are not able to copy another person’s DNA.
  
• Regeneration: The nanites are programmed to repair damage to the skin at a normal human healing rate, but they can be commanded to rapidly repair damage whenever the Siren chooses. In this case, the synthetic skin is repaired at a rate of 3D6 S.D.C. per minute. The nanites are also programmed to repair damage to the endoskeleton. Damage is repaired at a rate of 1D6 M.D.C. per melee round, but the Siren must have access to 2 pounds of metal for every 5 points of M.D.C. healed. The metal needs to be physically pressed into the wound in order to activate the repair systems.
  

Number of Attacks per Melee: 7

Combat Bonuses: +5 on initiative, +6 to strike with ranged weapons, +7 to strike in hand to hand combat, +7 to parry, +7 to dodge, +2 to disarm, +4 to pull punch, and +5 to roll with punch.

Skills of Note: Standard, plus Demolitions 70%, Disguise 70%, Wardrobe and Grooming 85%, Intelligence 75%, Surveillance 75%, Seduction 85%, Vital Points, Pick Locks 80%, Pick Pockets 90%, Palming 70%, and Prowl 70%. This is the basic skills program, but when the Siren goes out into the world, it learns new skills from its environment in order to help it become a better infiltrator. All new skills receive a bonus of +20% due to the robot’s high I.Q., and unlike other robots, these skills do increase with experience. Combat programming, however, does not. Attacks per melee and other bonuses will never increase even if the Siren selects Physical Skills. GM’s can add any skills they see fit for NPC assassins, but optional player character, gain 4 new skills every level of experience. Use the Technojacker experience table.

Weapon Systems:

1. Sonic Blast: The mouth of the Siren can release a powerful sonic blast that radiates out from the mouth in a cone shape. This allows the Siren to strike multiple opponents simultaneously. In addition, this shrieking attack will deafen anyone within a 40-foot radius (80-foot radius within the tight, echoing confines of an underground passageway). Characters without any type of ear protection are deafened for 2D4 minutes and are -6 on initiative, and -3 to parry, dodge, and disarm. Characters in Host Armor or have some other type of protective wear will still find their ears ringing for 1D4 melees and are -4 on initiative and -2 to parry, dodge, and disarm.

Primary Purpose: Assault

Secondary Purpose: Defense

Mega-Damage: 7D8 with a 3-foot blast radius.

Rate of Fire: Equal to the number of attacks per melee.

Effective Range: 500 feet.

Bonus: +4 to strike, but this is the only bonus that applies.

Payload: Effectively unlimited.

2. Retractable Talons: The tip of each finger conceals a 12-inch long, retractable vibro-blade. The Siren uses an ingenious design in order to conceal these large blades. When retracted, the blade becomes flimsy and flexible like a wire, but when it extends, thousands of nanites reinforce each blade to make it rigid. This design was more cumbersome to install than standard vibro-blades, but Hecate chose it for the intimidation factor. It is quite a terrifying sight to see a beautiful, helpless young woman extend these wicked blades from her fingers and attack (Horror Factor 12).

Primary Purpose: Assault

Secondary Purpose: Defense

Mega-Damage: 1D6 per talon, 5D6 per five-finger strike, or 1D6x10 per two-handed strike.

Effective Range: 12 inches long.

3. Hand-to-Hand Combat: The Siren tends to focus on hand-to-hand combat, and has been programmed to excel in this endeavor.

Mega-Damage:

Restrained Punch: 2D4

Punch: 3D6

Power Punch: 6D6, but counts as two attacks

Kick: 4D8

Leap Kick: 6D8, but counts as two attacks

Body Block/Ram: 1D6, but counts as two attacks.