Data File: Holoseum

Holoseums are virtual dueling arenas where robo battles take place. Connecting one's mind to a robo and deploying it in a holoseum is a process called "diving". Robos are stored as programs in a data cube that the commander will keep with themselves at all times, and when a person dives into their robo, they have complete control over their robo in the holoseum as if they themselves were the robo. Robos first appear in the holoseum as a cube while their commander dives in. Once the dive is complete, the robo takes full form in the holoseum. A robo in cube form is vulnerable to attacks, so a commander that can complete their connection faster will have an advantage at the start. Dive times usually vary randomly, but can be affected by mental capacity, varying concentration levels, and distractions. Everyone has good dives and bad ones, as they say.

Battles can take place on holoseum decks, which are electronic tables set up for viewing battles in progress, or in holoseums generated by one of the robo commanders participating in the battle. Not everyone can generate a personal holoseum. The ability or inability is not related to any particular attribute like skill, willpower, or intelligence. Some people can, some people can't, and that is just the way it is. This may indicate that the ability or lack thereof is genetic, but there have been no conclusive studies.

Each holoseum deck is unique, and only programming from the outside between battles can change a holoseum deck's generated arena. Self-generated holoseums change over time depending on the person of origin, and are formed based on memories, experiences, and personality. Change in a self-generated holoseum only takes place over a very long period of time.

Holoseums of any type can incorporate moving platforms or objects, walls either breakable or indestructible, and hazard traps. Moving parts and walls of all kinds are common in holoseums, while hazard traps are less common. The is almost no limit to what can be included in a holoseum or programmed into one.

Before virtual holoseums, robos and their arenas were physical rather than digital. The conversion from physical to digital improved safety for the robos and the minds of their commanders, as well as opened much greater potential for customization of the robos, weapons, and arenas. Virtual robos also do not risk running out of ammunition for any of their weapons.

Chapter 2: Illegal Beta Test

From the moment the cubes were activated in Strike's holoseum, the guards were baffled. The holoseum was larger than any they had seen before. It stretched as far as they could see, and even had a horizon. The terrain greatly resembled world outside the domes, appearing to be ruins of a city that was long since destroyed. In all directions though, they could not see Strike's Ultimatum robo anywhere. Without even speaking a word, they all moved quickly towards each other, ending up back-to back facing out in three directions.

The three guards had worked together for a long time and were accustomed to battling cooperatively with each other. One guard had a blue Strike Vanisher - Halberd, and rather than the customary bomb and gun setup used by most robos, he had a gun in each hand: a robo Shotgun and a Stun weapon. His robo's vanish dash allowed him to close small gaps quickly, use his weapons at very close range, and dash back out before the enemy could recover and retaliate. His weapons were designed to stun or knock down his targets while dealing heavy damage in quick bursts. The "Caboose" pod launcher allowed him to drop two explosive pods in the wake of his retreats to keep any opponents from retaliating in time.

*****Customization:

Shotgun (Gun): Fires three heavy bolts in a flat fan pattern that dissipate beyond short range. Designed for very close range attacks and has a slow refire rate, but deals heavy damage and has a high knockdown rating.

Stun (Gun): Releases a jolt of energy that is capable of disabling enemy robotics for a short time. Only usable with direct contact with an enemy robo, but has a very high refire rate and disabling power.

Caboose-C (Pod): Launches up to two pods opposite the direction of movement. Pods move slowly towards opponent and knock them slowly upward upon detonation. Best used when running away from a pursuing enemy.

The second guard was the tank of the group. He used a Metal Grappler - Metal Ape robo that was equipped with a Wall bomb and a heavy relatively new gun design dubbed the "Suppressor". His job was to keep the enemy under heavy fire. Between the Wall bomb to cut off ground movement and Float pods on his back to keep them from jumping, he could keep a single target from moving just about anywhere while he laid out continuous heavy fire to either deal direct damage or further discourage them from moving.

*****Customization:

Suppressor (Gun): Fires three independent streams of energy bolts at up to three targets. Streams will automatically direct at their targets, but individual bolts have no homing ability. Bolts that barely miss will slightly reduce the target's accuracy for a short time.

Wall (Bomb): Fires a single bomb in a straight line that detonates on the ground. Creates a lingering pillar of energy that will damage and knock back any robo that runs into it. Fire in front of opponents to stop their movement.

Floating (Pod): Deploys up to two pods that move at moderate speed and hover directly above the enemy. Pods will only detonate if the enemy jumps into them. Use to keep a jumping enemy grounded.

The third guard rounded off the team with long range and multiple target weapons. He used a Lightning Sky - Defender robo, which allowed him to make long, speedy bursts away from a charging enemy and maintain distance from any danger. He was equipped with a Sniper gun in one hand and a Delta bomb in the other. He kept a Seeker pod on his back to send pods after multiple opponents or all at one target.

*****Customization:

Sniper (Gun): Fires a single, fast shot at a target. The shot follows a straight path and does not home, but moves fast, deals high damage, and has moderate knockdown power. Best used against opponents that like to keep far away. Damage is proportional to distance.

Delta (Bomb): Launches three bombs that spread out around the target. Explosions are medium size and deploy quickly. Best used against multiple opponents or a single target that moves around a lot.

Seeker-G (Pod): Deploys up to three floating pods that move towards the nearest enemy. Pods move faster as they gets closer to their target. Knocks opponents directly upward. Spread around the holoseum to box opponents in.

All three remained with their backs to each other, watching in all directions with their weapons pointed outwards. After a few moments of wary silence, the Metal Ape whispered to the others, "Nothing my way. Anyone see him?"

The Halberd continued scanning his area, also unable to see anything, "Negative, nothing. This place is so huge, he could have deployed a mile away."

The three of them were on what looked like it had once been a long city street with old, broken buildings on either side. Rather than a black expanse usually seen above the holoseum, there were dark brown clouds filling the sky. The ground was a similar brown color, as were the buildings, some of which were only framework skeletons while others were somewhat intact but looked as though they could collapse any moment.

The Defender deployed a single Seeker pod above them, but it just hovered, searching for a target without finding one. "He must be out of range. My pod isn't picking up anything. I'll get to higher ground and see if I can spot any sign of him." He hopped up in the air and used his robo's prolonged air dash to gain even more height, managing to reach the fourth floor of a building that was roughly intact, sans one wall on the street side.

The Metal Ape and Halberd remained at street level keeping their eyes in either direction, but there was no movement save for some brown debris floating on a faint wind. The Halberd said in a hushed tone over his shoulder, "This is freaking me out, man. Where is he?"

The Metal Ape glanced up at the Defender, who also could not see anything, and said back in an equally quiet voice, "Stay focused. He's out there." There was a lingering eerie silence that none of them was accustomed to in a robo battle.

After a while of scanning, the Defender said loud enough to be heard below, "Still not seeing anything." None of them noticed when the seeker pod that was still hovering about ten feet off the ground turned. It slowly drifted to the side of the street and stopped when its nose tapped against a solid wall of a building. So empty was the silence that the tiny clinking sound got their attention. The Defender pointed his weapons, though he still could not see over the wall even from his elevated position. The Halberd and Metal Ape also had their weapons pointed, ready to fire should anything come through the wall.

There was a sudden loud thud and the wall shook. The Metal Ape and Halberd flinched with a sudden adrenaline rush. The Defender pointed his weapon as well, and after only a short pause said quietly down towards the street, "Get back..." There was another moment of silence, and he repeated louder, "Get back!" just as the wall fell forcibly into the street amidst a sudden cloud of dust.

The Halberd was fast enough to vanish dash away from the falling wall before it could cause him any harm. The Metal Ape, however, knew he was too slow and could only put his hands up to stop the fall, his guns automatically retracting back onto his arms. The robo's strength was a highly redeeming factor to its speed, and though it caused him some strain, he was able to stop the wall from crushing him. The wall broke on either side around him, and he tossed the remaining slab in his hands to the side.

Immediately following, the Metal Ape was knocked directly back across the street and through a crumbly wall on the opposite side by something still obscured by the cloud of dust. As the cloud cleared, however, the Ultimatum robo came clearly into view. It was taller than a normal robo, roughly human-shaped like most Shining Fighter models, and sported shiny robotic armor of red, blue, green, and white. The upper armor was mostly focused into the chestpiece, which thickened at the sternum and flared out above the shoulders. It had evenly thick modular armor on its arms and legs, and heavy linked silvery armor plating around its midsection and all of its joints. The headpiece fashioned acute angles in multiple places, while the plating itself contoured a slightly sunken faceplate that housed the robo's ocular receptors, which look like eyes on most robos. To put it in a single sentence, it had a Shining Fighter appearance, but was easily taller and more heavily armored. It had no weapons in its hands, but overall looked very tough and elegantly designed.

Fortunately, the Metal Ape had heavy armor too, as was typical for Metal Grapplers. He sustained the knockback well, though was surprised at the force that had been enough to knock him off his feet. As he recovered, the Defender opened fire from his advantageous height with his Sniper gun and Delta bombs. He also deployed several Seeker pods that began a gradual descent to the ground, gaining speed as they neared their target and detonating on contact in various places. After the first wave of explosives, the Defender held off its bomb and pod attacks. He knew what happened next.

The Halberd appeared suddenly behind the Ultimatum and unleashed its own wave of attack, hitting it in the lower back at close range with his Shotgun, quickly followed by a jolt of his Stun weapon. The Ultimatum twitched as it was hit by the different weapons all in rapid succession, but it remained on its feet. The Halberd hopped to the side as the Ultimatum swept behind him with a fist, then vanished away at it swung again, trying to hit it. The Ultimatum only got two more explosions in the face from Caboose pods that the Halberd had left behind.

The Metal Ape was slow to regain his footing being a larger, heavier robo, but once he was upright again he moved up to the opening in the broken wall and followed the Halberd's attack and escape with a flurry of Suppressor bolts. Since there was only one target, all three bolt streams flew in parallel as one. With his other hand, the Metal Ape deployed two wall bombs on the left and right, creating energy pillars to keep the Ultimatum from moving to the side and several Float pods to keep him on the ground. The Defender also resumed his bombardment with all of his weapons.

The Ultimatum was enveloped in gunfire and explosions and put its arms up to protect its head. After several moments of sustained fire, all three robos gradually slowed their attacks and stopped, thinking it had to be at least close to defeat. As the smoke cleared, the Ultimatum could be seen still standing, its arms crossed in front and its head tucked. Its armor was not only intact, but still shining with hardly a scratch or scuff. As the three police robos gazed in disbelief, the Ultimatum raised its head again, "My turn."

With that, he dashed straight forward at the Metal Ape, who tried to back up into the building he was under. The Ultimatum grabbed him and pulled him back out into the open. With one hand, the Metal Ape tried to break the grip with his excessive arm strength, but the Ultimatum's own strength was astonishing. With his other hand, he fired his Suppressor at point blank range into the Ultimatum's abdomen, compounded with the Defender's downward fire with his Sniper, but the larger robo was unfazed.

The Halberd leapt in again and fired his weapons at the joints on the Ultimatum's gripping arm, but the grip held with barely a flinch. With his other hand, the Ultimatum swiped for the Halberd, who jumped up to dodge, then vanished away as another swing came his way. The Metal Ape gave up on his gun and retracted it onto this arm, opting to use his fists, but still the Ultimatum would not let go.

In return, the Ultimatum stopped swinging for the Halberd and used his free hand to inflict several return punches to the Metal Ape, soon putting several deep dents in the side of his chestplate and knocking several chips of armor off of the headpiece. The Halberd moved in to attack again, but when he appeared close, the Ultimatum was ready. He had already started a gut punch in the Halberd's direction, which hit the weaker robo hard and caused him to double over, stunned. The Ultimatum followed with a downward slam to knock him to the ground, then crushed what was left with a foot. The Halberd twitched as its robotics fizzled and shut off, defeated.

The Ultimatum turned its attention back to the Metal Ape and raised a hand in front of him. The Metal Ape had taken to trying to pry the grip loose with both hands, still to no avail. The Defender above kept firing, still unable to find a weak spot or deal any apparent damage, and was starting to feel helpless. As both of them watched, a yellow glow formed in the Ultimatum's free hand. It steadily grew bigger and took shape, then the glow faded to clearly become a robo Shotgun in its hand. And the Metal Ape was looking directly down the barrel.