Arkaitz Swarm Pistol

Weight
 5 lbs

The Arkaitz Swarm Pistol is one of the mainstays of the Collective's extensive arsenal. While, as a race, the insectoids tend towards the development and distribution of a number of firearms of various types they, like all arms dealers, local and galactic, keep their best toys for themselves. While some Arkaitz do make their way into the market these are almost exclusively those taken from the corpses of their original owners, or sold for a frankly ludicrous number of toasters.

The Arkaitz, like all weapons classified under the 'Swarm' designation, is a 'Smart Weapon'. While similar and sometimes identical technology exists in other alien nations the Collective's smart weaponry trends towards the most simple and yet devastating specialties. In this case, the Arkaitz trades sheer power per round for the ability to fire it's seeking swarm ammunition in short bursts that make it difficult to predict and otherwise avoid the munitions while they seek out their chosen quarry.

The order of operations for a smart weapon of this caliber is simple. The weapon, once drawn, can be swapped into it's active format utilizing a small red button positioned approximately where the thumb sits while it's held in the hand. Once active, it deploys fully into a larger frame, the barrel lengthening and the power cell beginning to charge. The power cell, in this case, provides energy to the Swarm munitions at the moment of being fired in order to jumpstart the microjets that function as it's method of redirecting projectiles in mid-air to seek their targets.

A switch positioned on the side of the weapon can be operated using the trigger finger, allowing the Arkaitz to swap between Master and Slave mode. In Master mode, the weapon's fire rate is reduced and it propels a single high-velocity beacon round called, by the Collective, a 'Screamer'. The Screamer, upon striking a target, deploys six small flanges of metal that dig into the flesh of the target and make removing the round more difficult and traumatic for it's new host. Once a hit is delivered, the operator uses the switch to change the weapon to Slave mode. While Slaved, the pistol's rate of fire increases and each pull of the trigger issues a burst of three Swarm rounds that will seek out the beacon ping generated by the last Screamer fired. If multiple Screamers are fired, only the last Screamer is considered to have an 'active' ping, preventing interference.

This function allows other Arkaitz to be swapped to Slave mode after a Screamer from another pistol is fired in order to lock on to the unique ping generated by that round, for even more firepower to be delivered to a single target. Alternatively, if one doesn't wish their rounds to track another allies beacon ping, they can use a dial beneath the trigger guard of the weapon to swap between approximately four dozen channels that allow the weapons to distinguish between specific pings.

## Notes

After a Screamer round is rolled for and hits the target, damage is calculated. As long as armor is penetrated, the round is considered 'set' and transmitting. On the next round, if the Arkaitz is fired in Slave mode, Swarm rounds will attack the target without having to roll. Instead, a target will be required to make a successful Reflex check to avoid the rounds. If a Screamer does not penetrate armor, it can still stick inside of it and require an action to remove using a knife or other sturdy tool.