"Shere Khan" is a Generation 2 Hunter Bot based off of the original generation 1 designs by Hector Steel and augmented by Warren Ray with additional autonomous programming created by Colin Verse. This machine was built with the purpose to track and kill SLC-Expressive humans, rather than the track and capture protocols of the Gen 1 models. These machines also possessed a hidden secondary command structure discovered by Alia Chavez that subverts their hunt and kill protocol and turns them into a docile "track and observe" mode that has defensive subroutines to protect SLC-Expressive humans from harm. This secondary override mode appeared to require a verbal command word to activate, and it is possible such additional subroutines were included in other Hunter models, but was not discovered until after the war and the machines' destruction.
Shere Khan was named and painted with a now-faded tiger stripe pattern by Brian Winters in November of 2011, just prior to the start of the Civil War.
Significance
Shere Khan is the last surviving Generation 2 Hunter robot. The remainder were destroyed in the Commonwealth Arcology or during the Second American Civil War.
 |
|---|
Currently in the keeping of:
Raytech Industries
Powerhouse
Generation 2 Hunter robots are fueled by an internal electric battery that allows the Hunter to run in "cruising" mode for 8 hours before needing to be recharged. The Hunter's power cell can be charged by multiple means:
- Solar: The Generation 2 Hunter can deploy solar panels for energy collection, and this process takes 72 hours to recharge a full battery cycle and the Hunter must be in "standby" mode to recharge in this manner. The solar panels automatically deploy and the Hunter automatically drops into "standby" mode if battery life reaches 1% while in "cruising" mode.
- Biomass Conversion: The Generation 2 Hunter possesses smart recognition software that allows it to distinguish between vegetation and rock or metal. Vegetation can be harvested and shredded via the Hunter's mouth and fed into an external combustion engine called Cyclone. Fuel and air circulate rapidly in a combustion chamber, burning at temperatures of up to 1200 F. The heat is used to produce high-pressure steam to drive a piston. The energy can be used power other systems or recharge the Hunter's internal power cell. The Cyclone engine can also use other fuels such as gasoline, kerosene, and cooking oil. When using vegetation, the Hunter can operate for up to 8 hours on 150 pounds of biomass.
- Electric Recharge: The most standard means by which to recharge a Generation 2 Hunter is via an electrical induction port located on the upper back of the machine. This port was designed to work with then-contemporary electric car charging ports, allowing the Hunter to recharge at extant power stations. Following the Second American Civil War, many of these already rare stations were destroyed, rendering this recharge method less reliable outside of a designated repair station.
Armor
Generation 2 Hunters are outfitted with a high-density 1.25 inch thick titanium armor plating. The Hunter's armor is capable of stopping small arms fire dead without any damage up to .45 caliber handguns. Faster-traveling rounds from higher caliber weapons tend to do light damage and must be concentrated on weak points such as joints or sensors to adequately damage the machine. Even solid slugs from shotguns are reliably stopped by the Hunter's armor plating until they are used at close range. Armor-penetrating rounds from high-caliber weapons damage the Hunter normally.
Shere Khan has seen considerable damage during the Civil War and is missing some of its original armor plating, leaving it more vulnerable than its original design specificiations.
Damaged
Shere Khan has taken significant damage over the years. Much of the expensive components designed by the Institute were replaced with less expensive substitute hardware, limiting Shere's mobility and reducing its capability to shrug off damage easily. Shere is much like an old dog now, gray in the snout and slower than it was in its prime, but still dangerous when cornered. Without the resources of a massive industrial corporation Shere Khan cannot be brought back to 100% functioning capacity.
Cruising Mode
The Gen 2 Hunter's cruising mode allows it to maneuver through terrain and access limited AI data while keeping secondary systems offline and in standby. In Cruising Mode, a Gen 2 Hunter is capable of trotting at a speed of 25 mph and has access to its Compass system and navigation software, allowing it to follow verbal commands from approved users (for Shere Khan that is listed under "Approved Users" below). A Gen 2 Hunter can exit Cruising Mode when threatened.
Threat Mode
When a Gen 2 Hunter perceives a threat (observes a drawn weapon, takes a strong kinetic impact, or registers system damage) it enters Threat Mode. While in Threat Mode a Gen 2 Hunter activates all available systems and burns through its power core at a rate of 500%. In Threat Mode a Gen 2 Hunter is capable of running at a speed of 45 mph and can make horizontal leaps up to 20 feet with a maximum vertical leap of 5 feet. The Hunter is also capable of tracking and following multiple opponents using predictive modeling software to estimate tactical movement and attacker positioning. Shere Khan only possesses its hydraulic bite as an attack measure, which has a an 825 PSI rating. A Gen 2 Hunter is able to distinguish allies via facial recognition software and AI tracking and modeling, as well as verbal commands.
Artificial Intelligence
Generation 2 Hunters were programmed with an advanced artificial intelligence modeled after the ALIA program, an AI replication of the cognitive processes of then-captive technopath Alia Chavez. The original ALIA program was destroyed with the Commonwealth Institute and the only surviving remnant of her programming remains within the Gen 2 Hunter robots. This AI is capable of basic reasoning and animal intelligence and manages the software suite of threat recognition, target tracking, and facial recognition.
Compass System
A Gen 2 Hunter is outfitted with a Compass-system specialized magnetometer. This device is a sensor capable of tracking the unique electromagnetic field emitted by all SLC-Expressive humans. The Compass system built into a Gen 2 Hunter is capable of detecting a single SLC-Expressive human at a range of 5 meters. This range doubles when multiple SLC-Expressive individuals are grouped within close proximity, out to a maximum tracking range of 30 meters. Dense obstructions such as thick stone walls, lead, or electromagnetic interference can fool or disrupt this sensor.
Approved Users
The below are individuals Shere Khan is programmed to accept voice commands from:
 |