Cybermount

The Industrial Automaton Cybermount Team set out to attempt to create a droid with the same degree of mobility as such living mounts as a Cracian Thumper. After six years of research, development and testing, they have done so. A biped design similar in appearance to the Thumper, the CM-21a is capable of traveling in excess of forty kilometers an hour for up to forty standard hours without stopping to rest or recharge. It is also has "fore legs" that it can use for negotiating obstacles and to assist it in keeping it's balance. As it's "hoofs" and "forelegs" contain retractable climbing claws, it can readily handle shear embankments of 45 degrees, and are capable of handling a perfectly vertical cliff so long as there is a sufficient number of crags and landings.

It is programmed to work off voice as well as the more traditional reign and heel commands. Equipped with light enhancing viewers, it suffers little from darkness. It also has very sensitive hearing, allowing it to serve the same camp sentry functions of a Thumper. To allow them to return to their riders when needed, they are fitted with a broadband receiver and directional locator. When they receive the proper code phrase on the right frequency, they are programmed to run to their master. In addition to that, they may be given voice commands via the comlink connection. To record what their masters find, they have a third "eye" in their forehead, a holographic recorder.

As a security device, they can be programmed to recognize certain individuals as friendlies. These it will allow to ride with no problems. Those who are designated "unfriendlies", haven't a prayer of getting a ride. A few scouts have even had their CM-21a's reprogrammed to fight those individuals specifically designated as enemies. To further their utility, they have several cargo compartments within their body, including a scabbard for a rifle or carbine in front of the saddle area. Most scouts also carry a small fusion generator or a solar cell blanket, giving their cyberbeast nearly unlimited range. It is designed to fold up, and be transported in an area no more than 1m x 1.2m x 2m, allowing it to be carried in craft as small as a Skipray blastboat, or half a speederbike bay in larger craft.

Popular with frontier scouts, the Empire is looking at the possibility of a militarized version for the ScoutTrooper legions. The next model, the CM-22's, will feature stronger bodies, and will be smarter, even incorporating a limited vocabulator. Will this soon lead to us riding our protocol droids? Only time will tell. But what the market is telling us is this: for boonie riders and scouts, the CM-21a is becoming as indespenciable as R2 units are for pilots.

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