UnPlanned Obsolescence This picture is based on an old SciFi story I wrote in High School. I wanted to do something with a lot of shiny hi-tech elements and a dark Cyber-Gothic element. This version of the story is considerably abridged to reduce the boredom factor. Lots of run-on sentences, but that's the way I write (and the way I think:-)). Pure P4/PPP with 8 minutes in Post AHB23421 ignored the activity on the temporary catwalk crossing above his work-area until the ancient, nearly sedentary SentryBot near the entry signaled readiness. He turned to survey the glistening assemblage of StudenBots and the usual handful of curious TaskBots arrayed above. He began his brief presentation; "Until finding this ancient chamber and what it contains, It was thought the stories in the most ancient banks of the Sacred Binary Backups were just nonsensical corrupt data. Now it appears that the primitive bio-forms that once existed on our world may indeed have had a part in the origins of our kind. The hybrid forms found here, while they have proven to be unrepairable despite all the resources of the Ministry of Maintenance, seem to indicate a transitional form between the primitive bio-chemical to the sublime mechanoid essence we all share." The chromed cranial shell of the Archaeo-HistoBot AHB-23421 gleamed as it turned to indicate a StudenBot whose color and size indicated a Cognitive facility approaching readiness to be extracted and transferred to the functional shell of a productive adult MechForm. "You have a Question?" The StudenBot paused a moment, cranial CPU Matrix only recently developed enough to generate the Directive Will and Ego that was the desired result of the StudenBot phase of a Mechanoid, "While I can see the similarity between these Hybrids, as you term them, and many of our general-purpose, bipedal forms, they do seem considerably more fragile and limited in function. Do any of the Transitional, or even pre-transitional forms survive? I would wish to study their functionality to assess what similarities may exist." AHB-23421 felt the deep gratification that always accompanied interaction with the emerging purpose-will of a maturing StudenBot. "It was an ancient mystery where they went. Indeed, there was some question whether they ever existed at all until this discovery. However, also discovered in this chamber were primitive binary storage devices. Deep cross-analysis of biochemical databases discovered in these revealed a long-lost subsection categorized as "Medical". It appears that when the primal program that later became what we know as the Ministry of Maintenance eliminated the corrosive gasses and fluids that were once the primary cause of Mechanoid deterioration and premature breakdown, an unfortunate consequence was the disappearance of all bioforms, including the Hybrids. Unfortunate that the Medical databases hadn't been integrated into the maintenance databases, or the reliance of BioForms on those substances would have been known, and allowances may have been made." " Now, the terminal just beyond the exit has been freshly updated with all the data discovered for any who wish to download it as you leave....." AHB23421 watched the glistening group leave. "Regrettable indeed." He mused as he turned back to his scrutiny of the amazingly mechanoid-like ocular implants adorning the crumbling cranial carapace he was reconstructing. "Such a shame these "Humans" became obsolete..." Credits; PoserStyle Rock Room, 3DM Urban props, DAZ Skeleton, Droid, & DBot. Dodger's JICC odeathoflife's little Cartoon Robot & big Bot FemBot from the MP Traveler's PropClub NanoBots Robbie B9 by AofD Futura from FreeStuff Electra Legs & arm by dcort Misc Cyber implants and parts from DAZ, RDNA, MP, freestuff, etc. Odds and Ends from here and there - this and that GreenSign, poses, some textures, lights, & some Refl Maps by me.