Methods of Investigation

Investigating the Gun Source

If the playing characters are able to disarm the robot, causing it to drop the gun, the player could run a trace on it. However, the source of the gun is a dead end. Most criminals steal guns out of cars, residentials, and other places prior to committing the crime. They may even purchase stolen firearms on the black market.

Investigating the Robot Source

If the players take down the MAS Servent Drone XPRT before it has a chance to run, they can bring the robot drone back to headquarter for forensic. Each MAS Servent Drone XPRT is tagged wth a serial number at various locations within the robot drone. Using the serial number, it is possible for MAS to provide ownership information. Looking at the MAS records will reveal that the MAS Servent Drone XPRT has the Remote Programming Module upgrade installed. Only 10% of the MAS Servent Drone XPRT on the street has this factory upgrade.

Meeting with the MAS Servent Drone XPRT owner will reveal that the MAS Servent Drone XPRT just disappeared in the middle of the night. The owner has filed a stolen property report at the local police precinct. A follow up check at the poice station will reveal that the owner has told the truth with regard to filing the police report.

Disassembly

At headquarters, the characters may attempt to disassemble the computer code in the robot's expert system. The character(s) must have the Computer Hacking skill or the Computer Programming skill to perform code disassembly. Do a skill check every hour to see if the characters were successful at performing computer code disassembly.

Without the skills, the characters can send the robot drone to the computer crime division for disassembly. It takes a day to get back results.

Forensics from the MAS Servent Drone XPRT revealed that its internal expert system rules has been replaced with a new set of rules. The new rules gave the robot drone combat abilities, robbery techniques, and evasive traits. The new rules were remotely programmed through the Remote Programming Module. The home position of the robot drone had been programmed to be in a deserted office building in downtown.

The hacker's alias is "BoTNet HaCKeR". The existing security algorithm has been replace with a new one and a new password key. The robot drone can't be reprogrammed without unlocking the new security algorithm. The unlocking password uses a very large encryption key. So far, this key hasn't been cracked or deciphered.

Tailing the Robot Drone

If the players decides not to take the MAS Servent Drone XPRT down right away, they may choose the follow the robot drone. Depending how tactiful they are, they may see the loot being dumped in the dumpster. And eventually, they will follow the robot drone to the deserted office building in downtown.

There will be one additional MAS Servent Drone XPRT in the middle of the office building, on second floor. Both of them will simply stand there, doing nothing. Again, if the playing characters confront the robot drones, they will attack. The second MAS Servent Drone XPRT also has a Howie G7 handgun. And it also has the Remote Programming Module upgrade.

Investigating the Office Building Owner

When talking with the office building owner, the owner will be really upset to learn that his building has been used as a criminal hideout. The office building is deserted because the economy hasn't been picking up lately. Tenants couldn't afford the rent.

If the playing characters left the robots in the building, the building owner will request the help of the playing characters to remove the robots.

Stake-Out

The characters may attempt to stake-out the dujmpster on Madison Street (the location where the loot is dropped). The dumpster is cleaned out by the garbage truck every morning at 7 AM. At 3 AM, before the garbage collection, another XPRT will show up, climb into the dumpster, and retrieve the loot. The characters can follow the robot drone to an apartment building on St. Thomas Street.

The apartment building is relatively clean and upscale. The occupants probably have good jobs and make good living. The building has three floors with six apartments on each floor.

The robot drone will take the loot up to the third floor. On third floor, at the end of the hallway is a window. The robot drone will take the loot to the end of the hallway and drop it by the window. Then it will turn around, head out of the apartment, and go back to the abandoned office building in downtown.

The loot will stay untouched for about half-an-hour. When the coast seems clear, the door to one of the apartments at the end of the hall will open. A relative young male will grab the loot and head back into the apartment.

If the perpetrator realizes that there are investigators in the apartment building, he will activate 1D6 robot drones from various apartments in the building to dispose of the investigators. All of these robots will have the Remote Programming Module upgrade.