ArcNebula Codex : Bot Bomb

Bot Bomb

The organic shell of the Bot Bomb is made by Star Molluscs (which are sourced as juveniles from Gas Giants). Star Mollusc shell is almost weightless, incredibly thin, and has a strength that far exceeds that of any carbon based material.

The manufacture process for Bot Bomb shells starts with a Star Mollusc larvae being fixed inside a Bot Bomb factory mould. Excretions that the larvae makes fill the volume of the container with a spongey material. Once the mould is full and a certain internal pressure is reached an organic chemical reaction in the organism is triggered which hardens the outer layer of the spongey material to form the Star Mollusc's outer shell. This "shell" is the natural outer body form of the creature (albeit reshaped to fit the factory mould). Star Molluscs live naturally in highly acidic, extremely hot environments, and consequently have evolved to grow and repair a hardened heat resistant exo-skeleton from the larval stage.

The insulating nature, great structural strength, and low weight of Star Mollusc shells makes them perfect for containing highly volatile explosives and equipment. Filaments in the spongy filling can be used to route sensors to the shell surface, and items inside the shell can be maintained at an ambient temperature insulated from the harsh extremes of space. The spongy material making up the pulp in the shell can be cut and shaped to perfectly house any shape of payload.

Bot Bombs have been used for planet seeding, when they carry biological payloads, as well as for carrying weaponised payloads, and more recently Nano organism payloads. Extremely virulent Nano organisms designed to attack the hulls of ships can be contained in Bot Bomb shells for much longer than they can in other industrial missile or bomb casings.

The typical Bot Bomb configuration is a slow moving guided missile. Consequently they are easy to target and destroy. The problem when that happens is that the payload is released. Often in combat situations this is either Nano organisms which will swarm the closest target, or seeking missiles which will target both the original destination of the Bot Bomb and the attacker.