RATCHET & CLANK: Of MICE and MAYHEM

[Tangent]

Tales from Gadgetron Quality Control​

QA Supervisor: "Now remember, every MOU-513 must successfully complete its infiltration, observation, and office utility diagnostics before shipment."

"Any questions?"

A freshly assembled MOU-513 suddenly charges across the factory floor.

MOU-513: "LEEEEEEEEEEEEEROY SQUEEKINS!"

It dives headfirst into an active welding robot.

CRASH!

The QA supervisor sighs, picks up a comically oversized mallet...

WHONK!

QA Supervisor: "Failed aggression calibration."

Checks clipboard.

"Next unit."

---

Fresh MOU-513: "I AM SNEAKING BY YOU RIGHT NOW! PLEASE DO NOT NOTICE ME!"

QA Technician: "...Points for politeness."

Fresh MOU-513: "SO I PASSED?"

QA Technician: "No."

BONK.

---

Unit #127

"I HAVE SUCCESSFULLY BLENDED INTO MY SURROUNDINGS!"

(standing in the middle of an empty white floor)

BONK.

---

Unit #438

"I HAVE OBTAINED THE SECRET DOCUMENTS!"

"...Those are your assembly instructions."

BONK.

---

Unit #602

"NO ONE WILL EVER FIND ME."

"...You're sitting on my clipboard."

"...I HAVE BEEN FOUND."

BONK.

---

Unit #901

"I HAVE SUCCESSFULLY INFILTRATED THE ENEMY FACILITY."

"...This is still the factory."

"...MISSION ACCOMPLISHED?"

BONK.

---

QA Technician: "Okay, so this particular MOU-513 made it all the way through the testing chamber, extracted the target intelligence, and made it all the way back without being detected..."

QA Manager: "Excellent! So why is it in pieces?"

QA Technician: "It self-destructed rather than turn over the intelligence."

QA Manager: "...To whom?"

QA Technician: "...Us."

QA Manager: "We're the ones who built it."

QA Technician: "It couldn't verify that."

---

QA Technician: "We lost a MOU-513."

Manager: "That's horrible! How?"

QA Technician: "It was in deep cover as a computer mouse."

Manager: "…Okay?"

QA Technician: "Steve from Accounting grabbed it thinking it was a regular mouse."

Manager: "That's unfortunate, but—"

QA Technician: "Then Jerry, who likes to prank Steve, replaced it with a bagel and gave the mouse to someone else."

Manager: "…I'm sorry, a bagel?"

QA Technician: "Yes."

Manager: "And the espionage unit?"

QA Technician: "Still on the move, technically."

Manager: "Define 'on the move.'"

QA Technician: "We're not sure who has it anymore."

---

Fresh MOU-513: "Reminder: inhale. Reminder: exhale. Reminder: inhale…"

QA Technician: "FAIL."

Fresh MOU-513: "Aw… but why?"

QA Technician: "Organic customers find continuous physiological reminders 'deeply unsettling' and 'not conducive to brand trust.'"

Fresh MOU-513: "Noted. Adjusting tone."

Fresh MOU-513: "Reminder: you are doing fine. Reminder: please continue existing comfortably. Reminder: hydration is recommended."

QA Technician: "…Still fail, but for different reasons."

 

[Tangent]

Meet GR-513, the Galactic Ranger's field combat robot designated as the primary bearer of the upcoming Espionage/Reconnaissance arm module that Elaris is going to design and Ratchet is going to help her build:

​

Even without Mousie in the mini-cockpit, the Espionage/Reconnaissance arm module still allows any GR series warbot equipped with it to use its basic intelligence functions. Such as the built-in Trespasser...

Qwark is going to be the one to assign GR-513 to be Mousie's Battle Buddy, and Mousier herself is likely going to be the one to give GR-513 his new name as Mayhem.

Some functions of the Espionage/Reconnaissance arm module:

• Dedicated MOU docking compartment – the mini-cockpit for Mousie.
• Charging cradle – Recharges the MOU while docked.
• High-bandwidth communications link – Secure, low-latency data connection between the MOU and warbot.
• Passive sensor suite – Detects without emitting telltale signals.
• Thermal imager – Tracks heat signatures through smoke, darkness, and light cover.
• Wide-spectrum scanner – UV, IR, EM, chemical, and biological detection.
• Electronic surveillance gear – Records communications and emissions.
• Signal interception equipment – Captures and analyzes enemy transmissions.
• Integrated Trespasser – A compact version of Ratchet's 2002 Trespasser that Mayhem can use to bypass security locks, encrypted doors, terminals, and access panels normally far too small for a full-size warbot hand to manipulate. When Mousie is docked inside this arm, the two synergize their functions for superior Trespasser capability.
• Data storage for recovered intelligence – Hardened storage with automatic encryption and redundant backups.
• Compact manipulator tools – Precision probes, micro-cutters, cable taps, and interface adapters.

EDIT: The other left arm modules for the GR series field combat warbots:

From left to right:

• General Purpose arm - sometimes having two hands available is useful.
• Blaster Cannon arm - the standard issue GR series arm module.
• Grenade Launcher arm - grenade payload varies.
• Rotary Gun arm
• Flame Thrower arm
• Sniper arm

 

[Tangent]

I'm just going to say here that I'm going to use something similar to what I used in Widget & Clank: Robots sophisticated enough to actually be sapient typically serve temporary terms as "property" until they are deemed to have "matured" enough to direct their own lives. The lengths of these terms range anywhere from two to thirty years depending on the local laws of where they were manufactured, with the galactic average being between ten and fifteen years, and their "owners" basically being their guardians. Special circumstances can either cut the length of these terms short or extend them prohibitively.

Supposedly, this is to give the robots time to adapt to socialization and decide what they want to do once they no longer require a "guardian."

Clank, being a material witness and a whistleblower, is basically being fast-tracked into immediate citizenship by the Galactic Rangers.

Mousie, being made on Kaleebo III, probably would have had a ten-to-fifteen-year term had she "awoken" into sapience during her Quality Control testing. However, mousoids are below the size threshold where "awakenings" are considered to be common enough to worry about, and most MOU-53E's and MOU-513's are just considered to be really good expert idiot devices.

Warbots, being what they are, are handled differently. Warbots, being what they are, generally don't mind these differences for the most part. Basically, depending on their manufacturer and cost, Warbots are expected to serve a number of tours or terms as part of a military, mercenary, or security force before being given the option to either leave or continue service.

Clank is technically a Blargtech warbot manufactured on Quartu, but had been declared a "defect" before running off to become a whistleblower. His legal situation is... complicated.