The Warubozu Usagi

Pronouns

She/Her/It

Nickname(s)

• Mei-chan
• Meri
• Good girl

History

Birthdate and location

Around November 2094, Chokat, Albarut, Fourth

Origins

Meri was a stray mixed breed puppy, about one year old, when she was picked up off the streets of Chokat. At the shelter, she had two strikes against her. First, she was born blind and deaf. Second, her congenital conditions led her to having two broken legs and as a result, she had an infection that her body could not seem to stop. On the night that Syvil and Shoko Matte visited the shelter, Meri had just reached her final strike — unwanted and overstayed her welcome at a shelter without a no-kill policy.

Syvil and Shoko agreed that, while they absolutely wanted to save Meri, her body was probably unsalvageable. On the spot, they decided they'd brainplant her into a new robotic dog shell.

After spending hours in the early hours of the morning at a salvage yard picking over scrap parts, they'd collected enough parts to assemble a new shell for Meri. Back on the Black Flea with Meri and their collection of spare parts, Shoko enlisted Red to help her cobble together a working shell for Meri. Along with Syvil, the trio built an exceptional robotic dog shell for Meri and succcessfully brainplanted her. Meri woke up disoriented — she'd never seen anything or heard anyone before — but she adjusted very quickly. It did not take long for her to get adjusted to her new life and abilities.

---

— The Warubozu Usagi

11:59pm

The Black Flea is heading to the edge of Praxia for “purposes of sightseeing”, with plans to deliver goods to Decca

S: Hey stinky furball, we've cleared customs. You still want to go to Decca?

WU: (sniffs fur, then sniffs Meri) Oh wow. Meri, you need a bath.

M: (flips around with eyes wide open) Wuuuuuuuf?!?

S: Yo, fuzzbutt, Decca?

WU: (raised eyebrow) We don't have a choice, Syvil. We all need the money after the blown drive repair.

RP: (over intercom) Uh...Cap?

WU: (presses button to open intercom) Yeah Red?

RP: I think Meri was in here.

WU: (looks at Meri with consternation) Meri, what did you do? Did you use the bathroom in the engine room again? Bad gi...

RP: No, no, Cap. She didn't make a mess. I, uh...can you go private?

WU: Red, just spit it out. Tear that bandage off, bro. Give it to me with a slap in the face. Stab me in the eye. Kick me...

RP: She got a hold of Syvil's teddy bear and tore him apart.

S: (punches her foot down on the ship's accelerator) Aaaaaaaaaah!

Meri is tossed to the rear of the command pod. She fires off jets from her paws and lands safely on the door and engages her magnetic feet.

M: (with pride) Wuf.

S: (flips the ship upside-down) Aaaaaaah!

M: (beaming with pride) Wuf.

WU: Syvil, please stop. I promise I'll get you a new one.

S: That's not the point! She went into my quarters and stole my teddy bear! She's trying to press my buttons!

WU: Don't be silly. Your buttons are subdermal and hidden. And anyway, she's showing signs of affection.

S: (steps on brake and stops ship) Wait, what?

WU: (crashing onto the floor from the ceiling) Ow! Yeah, don't you know? When she gets lonely, she surrounds herself with the scent of the person she misses — that's you.

S: So wait, she loves me?

WU: Yeah. And also, you're the stinky bear, here.

S: ...

WU: (sticking tongue out) Nya...Meri got stink from you!

---

— The Warubozu Usagi

Pronunciation

'dɛ-kah

Date of First Observation / Exploration

2057 / 2072

Location Data

• Galaxy
  • Milky Way
• Solar System
  • Praxia
• Position
  • 10
• Universal ID
  • M.Prax.10
• Universal Position
  • U, +251.0152/001.012, +36.5173/001.4120

Compositional Data

• Planet Classification
  • R.U.U
• Mass (% Earth)
  • 0.0074
• Diameter (% Earth)
  • 0.2003
• Gravity (m/s^2 | G)
  • 0.62 / 0.063
• Min/Max Average Temperature (Kº | C º)
  • 19.15 | -254 / 83.15 | -190
• Atmosphere Composition
  • Limited atmosphere: 67% Nitrogen, 25% Methane, 7% CO2, 1% Other
• Min/Max Average Atmospheric Pressure (mBar)
  • 0.0115 / .0361
• Earth-Hour Day
  • 125
• Earth-Day Year (Earth Year avg | Sol avg)
  • 121 | 15,125
• Land / Ocean Percentage
  • 100% / 0%

• Significant Species

  • None

    Gravitational Bodies

• Moons

  • Tauron
  • Rhota

• Debris Ring

  • 5 KM deep by 100 KM high artificial debris and mine field

• Other

  • Hundreds of hidden self-contained habitable bodies posing as debris

    Additional Details

    Was a lifeless planet until a semi-sustainable colony was constructed underground to grow food and mitigate temperature and radiation. Its existing ring was turned into a protective shield, mined to maintain a constant supply of debris and to expand the debris field size when it shrinks below 100 KM high. Is well known as a zone that exists outside of UGL-covered territory. Only ships with permission are given navigation coordinates through the debris ring — the only navigable means to access Decca. AI-nav is pointless; the ring is filled with anti-ship drones that will automatically attach themselves to any ship that fails to travel a specific path, then blow them up.

---

— The Warubozu Usagi

Pronunciation

'forth

Date of First Observation / Exploration

2056 / 2068

Location Data

• Galaxy
  • Milky Way
• Solar System
  • Praxia
• Position
  • 4
• Universal ID
  • M.Prax.4
• Universal Position
  • U, +251.0148/001.011, +36.5168/001.4121

Compositional Data

• Planet Classification
  • R.S.L
• Mass (% Earth)
  • 90
• Diameter (% Earth)
  • 86
• Gravity (m/s^2 | G)
  • .91
• Min/Max Average Temperature (Kº | Cº)
  • 245.15 | -28 / 348.15 | 75
• Atmosphere Composition
  • 69% Nitrogen, 29% Oxygen, 1% CO2, 1% Other
• Min/Max Average Atmospheric Pressure (mBar)
  • 810 / 1096
• Earth-Hour Day
  • 35.5
• Earth-Day Year (Earth Year avg | Sol avg)
  • 628 | 425
• Land / Ocean Percentage
  • 19% / 81%
• Significant Species
  • Humiria – A species of mammalian-like ocean-dwelling animals, sentient, but limited in civilization building. Rarely seen as they do not have the means to breath air.

Gravitational Bodies

• Moons
  • Oteria
• Debris Ring
  • None
• Other
  • Security ring – customs border check-in required

Additional Details

The original (private) colony planet outside of the Origin Solar System (our Solar System was renamed in 2046 to avoid future confusion following humans attempting to expand beyond the Solar System). Fourth was chosen for its near-identical characteristics of Earth. Already populated with thousands of species of fauna and flora. A controversial corporate decision was made to wipe one continent clean of organisms to then serve as an isolated colony for humans. Over time, the planet was opened up and the corporation created for the establishment of humans on planet Fourth was dissolved, giving way to public governments.

---

— The Warubozu Usagi

11:21 pm

Nearing orbit of Decca, the 10th planet of Praxia

RP: C'mon Meri, you know you can't be in the engine room...or the garden room...or the storage room...or the weapons quarters...

M: (frustrated) wuuuuf.

RP: You'll just get into more trouble if you keep hanging out here with me. Do you want me to take you back to Cap's quarters?

M: (bored) wuuuuf.

RP: How 'bout Syvil's quarters?

M: (not amused) wuuuuf.

RP: Oh I know. Wanna go to the galley and grab something to eat?

M: (excited) U fed meh?

RP: (stunned)...

M: (head turned sideways) U not undastan?

RP: ...

M: U OK?

RP: What the hell, you can talk?!?

M: Yah. Sybo gabe me programmin do tok.

RP: ...

M: So...we get fud now?

RP: So, all this time when I talked to you 'bout Shoko, you understood?

M: Yah.

RP: Okay girl, rule number one is, you cannot tell her what I told you, okay?

M: OK.

RP: OK!

M: Wut I get for bein gud?

RP: You're bribing me?

M: Reward to reinfors.

RP: I'll let you secretly hang out with me and hide you to keep you out of trouble. Deal?

M: Deal. Now gimme hi fibe.

(Red and Meri high five each other)

RP: Wait, did you just give me a command?

M: Wof wuf?

---

— The Warubozu Usagi

11:47 pm

At the security gate of Decca, the 10th planet of Praxia

Decca Automated System: (in a pleasant voice) Unidentified starship 3W-M045, this is a secure planet. Please identify yourself and enter your passcode. Thank you!

WU: Hi, hello. Uh, this is the Black Flea. We're just dropping some stuff off for a friend. He said...

Decca Automated System: (in a very pleasant voice) Please identify yourself and enter your passcode. Thank you.

WU: I was getting to that. He told us the passcode is 7734-40.

Decca Automated System: (still in a pleasant voice) Please enter your ship's ID and your passcode on our mobile check-in site.

WU: (pulls out tablet) Oh. Sorry. First time.

WU: (enters code) And there we...

Decca Secure Check-In Site: (red error message flashing) So sorry, that's not the right code. Please try again. Thank you!

WU: Wait what? Okay, okay, let me see. There's a backup code in case that one didn't work.

WU: (enters backup code) That should do...

Decca Secure Check-In Site: (red error message flashing) So sorry, that's not the right code. This is your last chance before you're vaporised. Thank you!

Six security bots appear with rail-guns pointed at the Black Flea.

RP: (eyes glazed over seeing his life flash before his eyes) Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit...

SM: (panic faced) What the...?!? Cap, are we going to die?

S: (stern faced) Warui!!! Did you enter the codes wrong? I'm not going to die because you entered the codes wrong by accident.

WU: (calm faced) Chill everyone. I'll just back the ship out and...

Decca Automated System: (in pleasant voice) Starship, you are not authorized to move. If you move, you will be shot. Please enter the passcode. Thank you!

WU: (eyes glazed over) We're fucked.

RP: Oh god, oh god, oh god, what are we going to do? I'm too young to die!

SM: Shit, shit, shit, shit...

Syvil: (raging with death stare at Wu-chan) Temae!!!

Meri: (listening and watching the crew, walks over to Wu-chan) Wuuf?

WU: Yes Meri, we're all going to die! I'm so sorry girl.

Meri: (looks at tablet for a moment then stares into space) Wuf, wuf, wuf.

Decca Automated System: (in a very pleasant and calming voice) Starship, you have a minute to enter your passcode. Thank you!

RP: (covering his eyes) I can't look. Someone tell me when it's over.

SM: (goes over to RP and gives him a big hug) I got you covered, Red.

Syvil: (glaring at Wu-chan) Temae!!!

Meri: (calmly looks up at Syvil, then Wu-chan) Wuf.

Decca Secure Check-In Site: (with a pleasant voice) Congratulations! You have entered the correct passcode. You should be receiving auto-Map guidance now. Thank you and have a pleasant stay here on Decca! Goodbye.

WU: Did she...?

RP: I think she did???

SM: (lookin at Syvil)...

S: Don't look at me, I didn't program that into her.

Meri: Wuf!

WU: (rubs Meri on her head) Who's the good girl? You're the good girl!

---

— The Warubozu Usagi

Pronunciation

'ha – foo

Etymology

Adopted Japanese romaji slang for “half”, originally used to describe biracial people.

Definition

Hybrid beings with a human brain implanted into a robotic shell through Brainplanting.

Hafu can either be off the shelf shells, customized standard, or fully bespoke shells. The most preferred options are customized standard shells.

The shell is biomechanical. It blends organic and mechanical biomimicry parts.

There are practical reasons to switch to Hafu, including a general invulnerability to natural pathogens, avoidance of most diseases, the ability to endure harsher environments, vastly higher strength, and the ability to live a lot longer, restricting the shortening of telomeres and the elimination of inflammation/cytokine response in the brain. It is suggested that a Hafu may live as long as 160 years, though the technology is too young to determine the actual lifespan of a Hafu.

Hafu conversion is not cheap. For the average LoCo Worker, it's roughly equal to 20 years' wages. For the average MoCo Worker, it's equal to 10 years' wages. For Els, it's just 3 years' wages. The total cost is divided equally in half, of which one half is for Brainplanting and the other half for the manufactured shell.

Types of Hafu

• Replica – Copies of a human form, sometimes with embellishments of certain physical features.
• Kawaii – Nominally chibi character height, between 2 and 4 feet tall, with most common size at 4 feet.
• Custom – Fully customized shells, often takes a full year to construct.
• Mecha – 8 foot tall forms, designed primarily for combat and security, restricted access to official governments, although obtainable on the black market.

All of the crew of the Black Flea are Kawaii-Hafu.

---

— The Warubozu Usagi

23.36

On Decca in the Praxia system, docked at Spaceport 13F

The crew makes its way to the address of their “friend”, notably without their cargo.

S: You know this is a trap, Cap? Ooh, I like that — Cap trap. Warui, this is a Cap trap!

RP: Ha ha! Cap trap!

WU: Maybe. But we'll never know until we see for ourselves, right? And just in case, that's why we didn't bring the cargo with us — you know, as a bargaining chip. So, here's the plan. When we get there I want Red to...

SM: We're here.

(Expressionless, the crew gazes at an empty, barely standing warehouse.)

S: (turns to Wu-Chan with angry eyes) There's nothing here.

WU: I can see that.

S: No, you don't get it. There's nothing here. We procured the cargo and risked our lives to deliver the goods but there's nothing here. It was all fake. You fell for a fake. We wasted our time and money on a fake.

WU: (deflated, takes a big sigh and looks down at the ground) Shit.

(suddenly, and from no discernible source, a voice is speaking)

Unknown: Oh hey, you made it! Ha ha, I knew you were the ones who'd make it. Wow, hey kids, congratulations! You're the first to make it to this address!

WU: (excited that the warehouse isn't empty after all) Who are you?

S: Nevermind that. Where's our money?

Unknown: Right here, kids. Oh wait, I mean, not right where you kids are, but right here where I am at. I got your money, but I don't see the goods. Did you not procure them like I asked?

WU: (overly eager Yeah, we got it! I mean, ahem, yes, we have it, but we left it on the ship because we didn't know what the deal was after you gave us two bad passcodes. So, we left it behind on the ship. You kill us and you'll never get your cargo, mister.

Unknown: (laughing out loud) Ah ha ha ha! I'm so sorry about that. It was never about the cargo, but yes, I have your money.

WU: What do you mean it's not about the cargo?

Unknown: Yeah... this was a test. You're the first ones to pass!

SM: You mean, we're the first ones to survive?

Unknown: Well okay then Debbie Downer. Sure, if you want to put it like that...

RP: Oh man, that's horrible? Why would you do such a bad thing?

S: What the hell!?

Unknown: (dismissively) Ehhhhh. Nevermind that. I just doubled your payment. Better?

RP: Not really.

Unknown: So look, I have a waaaay bigger deal for you. This one is worth ten times more!

WU: Is this ten times the amount you initially owed us, or ten times the amount after you doubled our compensation?

S: Wu. Seriously?

WU: What, it can't hurt to ask.

Unknown: Ten times the amount after I doubled your payment. Check your account. I already deposited the payment without receiving the cargo. Happy?

SM: (pulls out tablet) Confirmed, Cap.

WU: Alrighty then! So, where do you want the cargo delivered?

Unknown: I sent you a new address. So, can I count you in?

RP: Nope.

SM: Nuh uh.

S: Definitely not.

WU: Yep.

Unknown: Great! Come by anytime tomorrow!

S: Wait, what? What the hell Warui?

WU: What? With the money, we can stop taking these types of contracts and just have some fun for once. And also, the Black Flea could really use some upgrades. Don't you want that soaking tub, Syvil?

S: Hello?!?! If the money's that good, the risk is that bad. I don't want to die.

RP: Yep, definitely want to live.

SM: Uh huh.

WU: Agreed, I don't want to die either. And we won't. We'll take precautions and make plans and all. Will it get hairy? Sure. Will we have close calls? You betcha. But, we're an awesome team!

WU: (looking back up in the air trying to locate the source of the disembodied voice) By the way, what was in the cargo that was so special?

Unknown: What? Oh. Coffee beans.

---

— The Warubozu Usagi

11:48 pm

On Decca in the Praxia system, still docked at Spaceport 13F

Having returned to the Black Flea, Wu-chan gets the cargo — of coffee beans — prepared for transport.

S: Hey uh, Shoko, I need your help on this project. Meri, want to join us?

Meri: Wuf!

WU: Hey Syvil, we could use the help loading the cargo up.

SM: I think you two boys are strong enough to handle coffee beans, don't you?

RP: Hai!

WU: (glaring at Red) ...

S: K. Ping us when you're done! Jaa ne!

WU: (still glaring at Red)...

RP: Is something wrong?

Wu-chan sighs and goes back to loading up coffee beans onto the tranport carrier.

RP: Cap, I still think we should just drop the beans off and leave. This just feels like we're getting in over our heads.

WU: Aww come on Red. We've come this far and it won't hurt to just listen to the proposal.

RP: But Cap, the more the money, the harder the job. I like being alive.

WU: I like living...rich one day, you know?

(walking backwards, Wu-chan steps into fresh poop)

WU: What the...? Ah hell no.

(Wu-chan hits the intercom)

WU: Meri! BAD GIRL! I just stepped in you poop! BAD GIRL!

(Syvil and Shoko can be heard laughing on the intercom)

Meri: (with sad voice) Wuf? Wuf wuf.

RP: (also laughing) Cap, look on the bright side, our luck has probably changed!

(15 minutes later, Wu-chan is done and hits the interom)

WU: K y'all, we all done loading the carrier. You two coming now?

S: (immediately pops up around the corner) Oh yeah. We were done 5 minutes ago and just thought we'd relax and watch you work, right Meri?

Meri: Wuf!

WU: (deflated) Really? Fine, whatever. Let's get this show on the road, people!

S: Oh, I'm bringing Meri with us so that he won't leave any presents for you.

WU: Hai.

(following the map to the address, they're a block away from their destination)

RP: You know Cap, maybe we should have brought weapons just in case?

WU: Nah. We're on our way to a business deal, not a shoot out. We don't want to scare them away or anything. We already got paid. What's the worst that could happen, they steal their beans?

SM: Or kill us and steal our credits from the bank.

S: You never learn, Warui.

WU: Come on. That'll never happen.

(reaching their destination, it's another empty warehouse)

WU: (dejected) Come on! Not again!?!

S: (with raised eyebrow at Wu-chan) Told you so.

---

— The Warubozu Usagi

First letter = primary type surface

• R = Rock
• M = Metallic
• L = Liquid
• G = Gas
• P = Plasma
• Z = Artificial

Second letter = subtypical class based on mass

• T = Tiny, below 0.35 ratio to Earth
• U = Below 0.85 ratio to Earth mass
• S = Standard equivalent, between 0.85 to 1.15, ratio to Earth mass
• L = Above 1.15 ratio to Earth mass
• X = Extra large, above 3.0 ratio to Earth mass

Third letter = designation of use

• R = Restricted, special permission required by government
• P = Private planet. Landing not allowed except in emergencies
• X = Classified, 1000 KM virtual border no trespassing
• M = Mining primary use
• L = Living, habitable, unrestricted access
• SC = Special commercial use other than mining (typically leisure / pleasure planets)
• Z = Zombie planet, contaminated by the un-dead or uncontrollable, deadly virus(es)
• U = Generally inhospitable and uninhabitable, but open

Example: R.S.L = Rock, Standard mass equivalent to Earth, Living planet

Notes:

• As new planet types are discovered, this classification system shall be expand as needed.
• At a minimum, a “planet” is any celestial body that rotates a star, has its own gravity field, and rotates on its own axis.
• Planets that have been observed but have not been fully quantified are classified as “unknown”
• Following the China Protocol, all new planets (and other celestial bodies) may be named by the discoverer but shall not be named after a person.
• Binary planets are not classified as such. Instead, individual planets are referenced to the other, as gravitational bodies (of influence) for each planet.

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— The Warubozu Usagi