Vespinas

“UGHHH!!! MY cockpit! Full of(!!!)little b####es!!!(@@@)ALL OVER ME-!!!!(###)Bac-(%%%)How(###) got in, but-!(!!!!)Not fae-(!!!) AWAY! GET! AWAY! (####)IT! BURNS! IT !BURNS! Y’NGROTH SAV-”

----Cockpit transcript, Kitanni robofighter, after an encounter with Clan Vespa on Roal’s World (recorder recovered by CCW scouts from wreckage)

## Vespinas Shemarrian Faerie-Folk

aka ‘Cyberbelle’

‘Vespinas’ are a micro-robot recently introduced by Clan Vespa at the annual Meeting of the Tribes at the Hall of Light, apparently as part of Clan Vespa Queen-Matriarch Kusunoki Masako’s efforts to show off the technological expertise of her nascent tribe.

### Description

Vespinas resemble Barbie Doll-sized miniature Shemarrians or faerie folk; diminutive humanoids with head antennae and wasp wings. They are wonders of microrobotics, with fully articulated bodies and lifelike skinning, although their structure is composed of advanced buckyball composites, monomolecular fibers, myomer musculature, and integrated molecular circuitry. Some observers aware of the artificial nature of the Vespinas wonder if the more magically-inclined Wayfinders might not have shared the means to create Action Golems (see Rifter #21) with Clan Vespa, as the two types of ‘techno-familiars’ share much in common.

Vespinas are quite small and fragile (at least early models; later types are surprisingly tough for their size), but their speed and versatility promise to make them useful as assistants, scouts, and companion-bots. During the Conclave, Wayfinders experimenting with several examples given to them by Clan Vespa discovered the little ‘bots could be Awakened with an Ecotroz essence-fragment. Given their programmed intelligence, this potentially makes them the smallest fully-sentient EShemarrian caste-class.

Vespinas can be produced by an Assembly Forge programmed with the right templates, but Clan Vespa has also looked into, with the assistance of the Horrorwoods Tribe, designing Cybertrees to ‘grow’ additional Vespinas in fruit-like bodies or wasp-like hives attached to the branches. Queen-Matriarch Kusunoki Masako has also toyed with the idea of creating nanotech ‘seeds’ that would allow the Vespinas to plant ‘eggs’ in suitable environments rich with materials, that would then spontaneously generate new Vespinas.

Currently Clan Vespa deploys the largest number of Vespinas, but Queen-Matriarch Masako’s demonstration has been a success; both the Wayfinders (who are experimenting with magically-enhanced versions) and the Horrorwoods have acquired substantial numbers of the mini-fay-EShemar, and even the Hawkmoon and Silvrmoon Tribes have evinced interest in them.

## Abilities

### Powerplant

Nuclear microcell w/ 3 year energy life, though many supplement their core power by regularly sucking on electrical sockets or specially equipped perches.

### Systems of Note

* Multi-Optics
* Telescoping Zoom Lens (2 mile range)
* Thermo-Optics (1,000 ft range)
* Camera/Video Eye w/ live transmission
* Basic Audio
* Radio w/ scrambler capability. Range: 50 miles
* Laser Distancer (2,000 ft range)
* Molecular Analyzer Chip
* Motion Detector (100 ft range)
* Recording Chip---Stores up to 48 hours of recorded observations.

Additional/special sensors may be built in by the creating Spinsters or at the behest of individual riders/owners. The following are common add-ons:

* Modulating Voice Synthesizer Chip---Allows the Vespina to imitate a variety of natural sounds, such as animal calls.
* Sonar---Echo-location system with a 500 ft range; usually used to imitate bats and similar nocturnal animals.

### Options

#### Extendable Arm Stingers

The arms of the Vespina can be fitted to extend a needle-like blade of one of the following types:

##### Drug Needle and Injector

Stinger needle does 1 SDC damage, plus chemical effects. Can carry enough chemical for 3 doses.

##### Neural Stinger

Improved version of the Neural Stinger described in the Rifts Bionics Sourcebook (pg. 47). Targets are -8 to strike, parry, and dodge, plus reduce Speed and APMs by HALF. Four or more stings means that the victim must roll to save versus unconsciousness, a failed save meaning the victim is knocked out for 2d4 melees. The Vespina arm neural-stinger has enough power for 5 stings, then recharges at a rate of 5 stings per hour.

##### Stinger Blade

Extendable stilleto that does 1d4 SDC or 1 MD.

#### Second Set of Arms

A second set of arms can be added to the Vespina, increasing its resemblance to an insect. The extra arms add +1 extra attack.

#### Wasp Abdomen

Vespinas can be fitted with a trailing ‘wasp abdomen’ attached at the base of their spines. The mini-pod adds extra drag (reduce maximum speed to 26 MPH) but allows the microrobot to carry extra systems such as the following:

##### Drug Needle and Injector

Stinger needle does 1 SDC damage, plus chemical effects. Can carry enough chemical for 8 doses.

##### Acid Sprayer

Can spray an area (3 ft wide) with a corrosive that, depending on the specific agent involved, does 1d6 SDC for 1d4 melees, or 1 MD per melee for 1d4 melees. Has enough for 4 applications.

##### Tracer Chip Dispenser

The Vespina can attach (via adhesive or injection under the skin) a small micro-tracer to a target. The chip can act as a passive transponder or as an active ‘pinger’ (3,000 ft range, 48 hour battery life). Can carry up to 20 chips.

##### Micro-Explosive(s)

The Vespina can deposit a small explosive device, ranging from a detonator chip (does 1 SDC and useful for destroying circuitry or setting off larger explosives....up to 30 can be carried) to larger explosive devices. Also consult the following for other micro-explosives:

Weight:

* (.22) 1.9 grams
* (5.56mm/.22 ‘long’) 2.8 grams
* (7.62mm) 8 grams
* (9mm) 115 grams
* (15mm) 120 grams
* (20mm) 130 grams

Damage:

* (.22) 2d6 SDC to eight inch ft blast radius
* (5.56mm/.22 ‘long’) 6d6 SDC to 1 ft blast radius
* (7.62mm) 1d6x10 SDC to 1.5 ft blast radius
* (9mm) 9d6 SDC to a 2 ft blast radius
* (15mm) 2d4x10 SDC to a 2 ft blast radius
* (20mm) 4d6x10 SDC to a 3 ft blast radius

(MD)

* (.22) 1d4 MD to six inch ft blast radius
* (5.56mm/.22 ‘long’) 1d4 MD to 1 ft blast radius
* (7.62mm) 1d4 MD to 1.5 ft blast radius
* (9mm) 1d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius
* (15mm) 3d6 MD to 2 ft blast radius (\*uses more recent chemical technology)
* (20mm) 4d4 MD to 2 ft blast radius

Features:

Exploder Chip---A multi-mode detonator that be set for as little as a fifteen second count to as long as five minutes, or can be radio detonated.

Payload: The Vespina can carry up to 130 grams of micro-explosives

##### Mini-Laser

Possibly developed from acquired examples of the Japanese AT-6 Laser Pistol. Effective range of 300 ft, does 1d6 MD, and has enough battery power for 6 shots; recharges at 4 shots per hour.

##### Neural Stinger

Improved version of the Neural Stinger described in the Rifts Bionics Sourcebook (pg. 47). Targets are -8 to strike, parry, and dodge, plus reduce Speed and APMs by HALF. Four or more stings means that the victim must roll to save versus unconsciousness, a failed save meaning the victim is knocked out for 2d4 melees. The Vespina neural-stinger has enough power for 10 stings, then recharges at a rate of 6 stings per hour.

##### Mini-Gun

Fires a .22 round with a range of 300 ft and does, depending on the bullet type, 2d6 SDC, 6d6 SDC, or 1d4 MD. Carries 2 shots.

##### Stinger Blade

Extendable stilleto that does 1d6 SDC or 1 MD.

##### Flash-Blinder

The wasp abdomen is actually a high-powered illumination source that can light up a 30 ft area, but can also produce a strobing effect similar to a Blinding Flash spell 6 (has enough battery power for 12 such flashes, recharges at a rate of 12 flashes an hour).

##### Ignitor

A modified soldering iron, that can be used to inflict a severe burn (1d6 SDC) or set materials on fire.

##### Sensor Pod

Additional micro-sensors can be carried in the abdomen pod.

### Programming

* Detect Ambush 60%
* Detect Concealment 60%
* Intelligence 80%
* Lore: Demons and Monsters 65%
* Basic Math 98%
* Radio: Basic 98%
* Prowl 85%
* Tracking 90%
* Navigation 86%
* Wilderness Survival 80%
* Computer Operation 80%
* Language: Can understand 22 different languages 80%
* Sing (imitating songbirds and other animals) 80%
* W.P. Knife

(Optional) Ecotroz Aawakening

The AI matrix can be infected with a low-level Ecotroz sentience.

The aforementioned skills thereafter get a +5% per level of experience for the Ecotroz entity.

The Ecotroz entity can also pick up one Secondary skill at levels 2, 6, and 12 of experience, though the nature of the Vespina intelligence and design is such that it is limited to skill selections from Domestic (Cooking, Dancing, Sewing, Basic Maintenance), Physical: (Acrobatics, Climbing, Swimming), Technical: Language (understanding) and Lore, Espionage (Detect Ambush, Detect Concealment), Wilderness (Track Humanoids, Track Animals, Hunting, Identify Plants and Fruits)

### Combat

 Dodge
 Parry
 Auto Dodge
 Strike
 Roll
 Pull Punch

Vespinas are not designed for combat, but can be used to aid in spotting roles, luring into ambushes and spying.

## Ecotroz Fragment

Not all Vespinas are Awakened, especially among Clan Vespa in the early development. The Ecotroz intelligence fragment inhabiting the ‘bot gives the Vespina an aura and behavior more befitting a sentient being than a robot. Most Vespinas exhibit flighty, inquisitive, hyper-active personalities that remind many of small birds in attitude and disposition. They tend to attach themselves as ‘familiars’ to a larger host-person.

The Ecotroz fragment does occasionally need sleep/rest...though they only need 2 hours of rest/meditation per 24 hours...they can push this, going without for as many days as they have I.Q. points (most Warmounts, unless otherwise noted, have an effective IQ rating of 8), but will have to go dormant for 4d6 hours after such exertion.

Susceptible to Exorcism and Banish spells, but are +6 to save against such spells, +1 at levels 4, 8, and 12 of experience, and becoming IMMUNE at level 14 and up. Such Banishment causes the ‘bot to revert to its default robot programming. (OPTION: Ecotroz may become IMMUNE to Exorcism and Banishment with experience, and NEW BUILT EShemar constructs are immune to this)

Note also that the Ecotroz-possessed ‘bot can infect other bots with the Ecotroz viral-entity, by bite or sustained touch (takes 3 attacks).

## Options

### Body Armor

Vespinas normally go about unclothed or wearing very little (such as a few pieces of strategically-placed foliage, but when necessary they can be dressed in (very) light armor for additional protection. Clan Vespa obtained several designs from the Wayfinders, who copied them from several styles used by their own faerie and ‘smallkin’ allies.

#### LMcUC-1A

A miniaturized version of the Altaran Skinsuit, a light padded body suit of megadamage plastic fibers (4-6 MDC), with soft ‘tanker’s cap’, plastic gloves, and boots.

#### LMcUC-1E

Miniature skinsuit with ‘ninja-style’ Blurr Mesh incorporated into it. Bonuses: The faster the wearer moves, the greater the distortion; at speeds of 3 or less, no bonus, 4-10; -1 to strike the wearer, 10-16; -2 to strike, 16-22; -3 to strike, 23 or greater, -4 to strike.

#### Mc01

This is a padded megadamage mesh body glove with armored plates mounted all over it, and a back-and-breast rigid body shell to make an armored ‘hardsuit’. The large helmet is mounted directly on the shoulders and cannot turn with head movements (instead it has a full-wrap-around visor). Has 15 MDC.

#### Mc02

A heavier and more rigid version of the Mc01, with 25 MDC, but reduce speed and hand to hand bonuses by 25%.

#### Leather/Leaf Body Armor

These are handmade padded suits of treated monster leather and.or exotic plant fibers . These body suits can fit Size Levels 1-2, and each have about 8 MDC .