Freelance: RUR in trouble again?

[Editor: IRRK]

RUR in trouble again?
March 08, 29481 - Noticiero Rivera [Atlantean]

IRRK Freelance - A year ago RUR (Rubi-Ka Universal Robots) settled out of court with a neutral suing them over a malfunctioning DLK-2000 Vacuum Cleaner Robot It took months for the company to recover from the 15% price drop of their shares; now a new problem arises.


The following is a leaked RUR internal memo, which has been publicly posted by an anonymous source:

**********
Please be on the lookout for a cloud of overly aggressive cleaning nano-bots, last seen headed north from RuR HQ in the Coast of Peace region.

While attempting to find a better formula to better clean my CDS armor, I accidentally compiled a batch of nano-bots who are missing the routine to stop once their task is done.

On the bright side, the lab has never been cleaner. However, please be sure to check the lubrication on any devices you may wish to put to use, as oils and other such compounds were on the nano-bots cleaning lists.

Fortunately, the nano-bot's safety routines are still in place, and all personnel should be safe. However, any regular bots should be kept away from these cleaning bots, or they will need to be taken back to the shop for a complete re-lube.

I have contacted Knightweaver, who will attempt to stop these nano-bots with an EMP burst once they are found.

Please report any sightings of an odd, orange cloud or unusually clean areas.

I think this formula, once re-compiled correctly, has some great applications. I will upload the corrected version to the RuR mainframe for the marketing department to evaluate.

Signed,
Deagnor
**********

Mr. Brian "Deagnor" Locknane and Miss Joann "Knightweaver" Fahrni are Executives in RUR, senior members of the company.

What has the public worried is that this is not the first time the company's technology has gone haywire. Last year it was the DLK-2000 Vacuum Cleaner Robot that malfunctioned and hurt it's innocent owner; the model was never recalled or replaced, it remains on the market.

This year it's a cloud of cleaning nano-bots that if it's not found and stopped in time, it could practically halt anything that requires lubrication. Just imagine that most things we use daily like yalmahas, kodaiks, notum towers, city controllers, weapons, armor, whom-pahs, city defence weaponry and more could just stop working without warning!

A disastrous situation for any faction, to have a regular city or even a guild city vulnerable to attack by aliens, opposite factions or even wildlife, which under normal circumstance would be considered harmless.

Will RUR take responsibility and swift action before disaster strikes? Or will innocents once again be the ones facing the consequences of their defective technology?

This is Reporter 'Noticiero' Rivera, and this has been 'A Rubi-Ka Exclusive'!

[Neista]

Should herd these bots into OA and have them clean up clammers, a cloud of nanobots is harder to dodge than soap...

[Berinda]

Should herd these bots into OA and have them clean up clammers, a cloud of nanobots is harder to dodge than soap...

If you've ever had the pleasure of visiting Old Athen, the main sections of town are extremely clean.

However, most of Rome looks like a sooty, charred wreck. Might want to scrub your own walls before spouting off.

[Xaun]

My Atrox sized jacuzi tub in my lux is in perfect working order thank you and sees regular usage for nice relaxing baths and I do so love the jet cycle

PS Soapy bubbles included...

[macduff]

Please be on the alert for things that are unusually lemon-scented. Like leets, for example.

[Nobody]

If you've ever had the pleasure of visiting Old Athen, the main sections of town are extremely clean.

However, most of Rome looks like a sooty, charred wreck. Might want to scrub your own walls before spouting off.

Been to OA several times, no thanks to your push-over Vanguards. It's cleaner I'll give you that, now it just smells like Pin-sol and cheap laundry detergent, oh and btw, you missed a spot trying to clean it, (wartorn valley).

Rome does'nt look charred or dirty in the least, (if you've ever been), it's very clean, neat/organized and symmetrical.

[Astera]

RUR in trouble?

Who would have thought...

[Towerblock]

Been to OA several times, no thanks to your push-over Vanguards. It's cleaner I'll give you that, now it just smells like Pin-sol and cheap laundry detergent, oh and btw, you missed a spot trying to clean it, (wartorn valley).

Rome does'nt look charred or dirty in the least, (if you've ever been), it's very clean, neat/organized and symmetrical.

I have been there, and as much you think its some sorta paradise.. its also extremely bland, everywhere looks the same with the exception of certain landmarks, and completely sugarcoated. Much like the people who live in it, in fact.

[jokzer]

RUR seems to be needing quite a lot of education on quality assurance as well as safety measures..
A cleaner bot going berserk, polluting our already strained environment ((The toxic spill in Wailing Waste )) and now this.. And their accidents tend to get riskier all the time..
I mean, am I the only one who read the part about these nanobots (potentially) disabling, among other things, the very weapons we need to stave off the invading aliens?
I'd say that this warrants a lot more attention than some mindless repeating of ommer propaganda.
Not least since those nanobots have to traverse quite a lot of ommer realestate before reaching enlightened areas..

[Vincentprice]

Just send the cloud towards my apartment! It will probably take a year or two even for those to clean up that pigsty, heh... The last time I visited, something green and mossy tried to attack me from a dark corner. Welded the door shut and slept on the hall couch in our Clon**** office building ever since...

[speardancer2]

Cleaning Nanobots recovered.

So, with the combined efforts of several members of RuR, the rouge cleaning nanobots have been recovered.

Deagnor lead the team, comprised of himself, Chel, Cluedozer and Knightweaver. Using the 'Fresh Lemony' scent left behind by the nanobots, Chel, in wolf form, was able to track their general location. (note : do not bring lemonade or anything with lemons near Chel for a few days )

We then set up our bait.... we gave Cluedozer several pies (I've only seen McDuff go thru Pies faster) and then let him play with several, dirty, greasy bot parts we had collected. Shortly after, the cloud of nanobots arrived.

Once they were concentrated on Cluedozer (note: save video of Cluedozer trying to swat nanobots for christmas party) Knightweaver performed a low-level EMP burst which neutralized the nanobots. We then used a modified RuR Vacuum-bot to collect the nanobots, to transport them back to the lab.

Final testing showed 100% of the cleaning nanobots recovered, allowing for the self-replenishing mechanisms included in the bots.

Fortunately, I am happy to report the cleaning nanobots did not come near any human habitations, although we did encounter some extremely clean-looking leets and roller-rats along the way.

[Noticiero]

Follow-up article here.

[Dabblez]

Dear Mr Noticiero,

How I hate the media sometimes. I mean, what is the world coming to? There was a time a scientist could pursue his or her own quest for knowledge without some nosey-parker getting in the way asking questions like "Are you taking all the right precautions Dabblez?" or "Isn't this unnecessarily cruel to animals Dabblez?" or even "Won't this melt the core of the planet and make the sun go supernova Dabblez?"

Do we tell you how to do your job? No! Then please allow us scientiests to do our jobs and stop meddling with things you do cannnot possibly understand.

In any event, as you have seen Deagnor has dealt with the crisis so you can all stop fretting and get back back to watching your zigball matches or whatever else you do.

Dabblez

[jokzer]

stop meddling with things you do cannnot possibly understand.

Yes, please do that, Ms. Dabblez..
Your company's reckless actions and lax safety- and security procedures has endangered Rubi-Ka and you'd be wise to take heed and start acting responsibly before you destroy the very line of resistance that keep those aliens from taking over Rubi-Ka.
This time, at least, the worst damage has been done in ommer territory so apart from the risk of the invaders gaining a foothold it's of little consequence to the clans how you mess up.
I do hope that someone in the omme board of dictators cathes on to this and brings you under control. Not that it seems likely unless someone reminds them that losing this place will lead to a significant reduction in OT revenue.