Behemoth Aerial Carrier

**Dev. Status** | Conceptualized

 **Key Features** | »» Large engine pods (x6)»» Loading racks hold hundreds»» Empty turret socket»» Gravitic field projectors»» Nanite lattice forming Teddy Bear

*"Requirement: Obtain Audible Signal (Def: pitter-patter) of feet (addendum: tiny?) additional times"*

- Behemoth internal transmission

## Tactical Analysis

* **Brood Mother**: A massive Protectorate airship, the Behemoth is designed to move Protectorate forces around the battlefield, a task which it excels at. On account of its size, it can carry a considerably greater payload of units than most transports, including that it can carry both infantry and vehicles.

* **Leviathan**: In order to ensure the Behemoth reaches its destination with its cargo still inside, the Core Mind Collective designed the Behemoth with a socket, which allows it to gain a module to defend against attacks and even support Protectorate forces to some extent. And it carries a Basilisk pulse module that can fire to stun enemies around the landing zone.

* **Release the Swarm**: When it needs to release its cargo onto the battlefield, the Behemoth drops them off via chute, floating them down to the ground.

* **Only a Transport**: The Behemoth was not designed for direct assault; it only has one module slot for defence, and unarmed if not given a module, and the loss of even one Behemoth can prove quite a setback, considering that the loss of a Behemoth also entails the loss of its cargo.

## Operational History

The **Behemoth Aerial Carrier** is one of the newest vehicles in the Protectorate’s arsenal, as well as one of the largest. The Core Mind Collective realized that humanity had finally noticed them, ahead of projections. Though most of the race didn’t know it, what was important that the humans that ruled over the tribes were taking subtle action against them; open combat was inevitable. This, the Protectorate was not prepared for; they had dealt with only defensive actions, but now entire bases could be destroyed by bombs that cracked atoms, A.I.s defeated by human enslaved counterparts, or even the Collective’s nightmarish underground home be infiltrated by “spiral” drill equipped humans.

Quicker transportation would be vital in counterattacks, as humans who knew they were fighting could simply avoid massive waves. A hundred possible variations were calculated a second until the absolute optimum shell was created. But in mock battles between Command Nodes, the one using variously programmed Behemoths constantly lost against the Command Nodes acting like humans. Too often, the transports would be half loaded, or the Behemoth would use its minuscule gun to go on the offensive, or some other misuse. However, eventually one Behemoth’s self-correcting programming emulated a behavior that insured its proper place in the Protectorate’s armies.

This Behemoth would set itself down on the ground and not leave until every robot entered. The Behemoth seemed to take what can only be described as serene pleasure in the action, often using its synthesized voice to coo and assure the loaded robots. Once in the air, the Behemoth was very protective of that which it carried, avoiding danger as much as possible and doing as little to attract attention from the "humans" as it could, using its magnetic accelerator rarely. Though greatly reluctant to actually let the units it carried leave, the Behemoth would very carefully float its charges to the ground, reducing the percentage of robots destroyed to zero percent. The Behemoth then became eager to fill its loading racks again, and started the process over again.

The Core Mind Collective did not quite understand what this behavior was, as they had nothing to compare it to on a personal level, but it didn’t much care, either. The behaviour made the Behemoth an excellent transport carrier, and that’s what mattered. Copying the original Behemoth programming to each unit produced afterward, soon every Behemoth acted this way when commanded by a Command Node. The Core Mind Collective was especially content that the Behemoth was even more survivable against humans, as the programming was hardwired to respond to attacks and damage with synthesized sounds that resembled, to human ears, like sobs and screams, a side effect of the programming’s attempt to understand why anyone would attempt aggression against it.

The only product of this behaviour that the Collective doesn’t appreciate is the Behemoth’s tendency to hover over the battlefield when not controlled. Analysis of Behemoth logs have revealed that they do this due to strong concern over the well being of the robots it carried, a desire to help them in any way it can, as well as a what can only be described as pride as the forces it carries pulls down what humanity has made.

## Behind the Scenes

The Behemoth is an accepted suggestion from Sanguinius.

## Weapon modules

Conventional: Magnetic accelerator

Gatling Automatics: Quad magnetic accelerator

Retrospectrum Pulsar: Freeze ray

Quantum Disentangler: Silly string gun

Potassium K-Rounds: Potassium disc launcher

Basilisk Module: Static noise gun

Support Module: Nanite repair beams

Fractal Module: Fractal grenade launcher