Dust to Dust: Monster 18

Tin Man

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There would be no sticks and stones in the human-form construct. No, the new body would have to last him a long time without raising suspicions among those he was infiltrating.

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It was the perfect chance to try out all the new ideas ringing around in his head. While intrusive, the knowledge given by the Blue Box had given him some very interesting concepts to work with. Pistons, engines, electricity, physics...

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There was much planning to do; and for the first time, the golem took pleasure in his work. But for a project of this size and precision, a specialized construction method was required. Images appeared in Pile's head, pictures of smelting furnaces, casts, alloys, great steel clamps and beams of iron.

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Yes, before I need the body, I need a means to build it. I'll build a workshop that even the greatest blacksmith would envy. No, I will become the workshop. I can't leave until the body is done anyways. Why build tools to use, when I can become them? More precise tools will never have been made before.

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Thus flashes of fire and clangs of metal echoed through the sealed chamber, highlighting a slowly growing copper abomination. A slew of pipes took in air, pumping it into the air tanks. It was then sent out to power shoddily built pistons that leaked half of the air they used. Even though it was highly inefficient, it worked; and as long as the oil basin never ran dry, efficiency didn't matter. Aesthetics were also cast out with efficiency; the living contraption of copper and iron gleamed in the dim firelight, its machinations moving with strange geometries. Long alloy arms jointed with countless pistons grew out of the constructor's body at odd angles, each one with a specific use. Claws, saws, and welders sparked as they received power from the central engine at the bottom of the monstrous machine. Looking oddly reminiscent of its towering form of mud sticks and bone, the golem considered itself ready to begin construction on the human lookalike.

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Only the best metals were chosen for the skeleton. They were picked for strength and resistance to corrosion, there was no telling how much time would pass before Pile got the chance to replace them. Hardened steel was forged into suitable pieces, and the basic skeleton was assembled on an upright rack. Joints were made from polished steel hinges, oiled properly then sealed to preserve the lubrication. By applying a large amount of energy from his core, Pile was able to move the skeleton. It was only barely enough to move its own weight, but that could matter at some point in the future.

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If it comes to the point that I have to move like this, whatever brought me to that point could kill me anyways. Anything to help me sleep better, I guess.

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The crucial energy source, an engine that ran off unrefined oil, was stored in the lower abdomen. Far enough from the core to not cause catastrophic damage if it exploded, but close enough to not waste much power in the transmission. Fuel was stored in tanks in the legs for safety and balance purposes, and would be connected by plumbing at a later time. The engine ran perfectly, a single stroke simple machine being all that was needed to power the golem. As simple and weak as the engine may have seemed, it was more power than the golem could fathom, hundreds of times more potential energy than he used when he burned through his copper core while fighting the Alpha.

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Pistons were machined by drilling through forged steel and machining rods for each of the sleeves. Pneumatic valves were fashioned for them and properly drilled and welded on. Pile ran air through a copper pipe to test the first few pistons and was impressed that not a single air leak was detected, even at maximum pressure. Said pistons were summarily attached at every joint on the skeleton, sometimes multiple pistons to a joint for proper human flexibility.

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And in some joints, quite a bit more than human flexibility. Not like they'll have to know.

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The air supply was stored in tanks where the human stomach would be otherwise, but the pipes were a problem. They had to be flexible to move through joints, which wasn't possible with metal. Luckily, Pile had acquired knowledge of plastics from the infodump, and already had an available supply of oil. After weeks of trial and error, a proper plastic pipe was rolled. In a few weeks more, a pipe ready for high pressure air was tested and approved for installation. Just in case, a steel mesh was extruded over it, but it was simply a safety measure to reduce possible damage caused by weapon penetration. The hoses were installed, and the body could now move on air power alone.

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Then came the hardpoints. Proper fastening points that could supply power and electricity to whatever devices Pile came up with in the future. He had to build platforms that he could easily attach said devices to and power them with without rebuilding himself every time. Extra pneumatic hoses were pulled to certain points all over the body, and plastic coated silver wire was brought as well. The end result was a steel plate with bolts at each corner fastening it to the skeleton, and providing a base for something to mount onto. Three power outlets were located in the center of the plate; one for air, one for electricity, and one for oil. These hardpoints may not have much use now, but they would surely save time and effort when he needed to make future modifications.

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Satisfied with the base unit, all that was left was protective measures. Armor and stealth, stealth being far more important.

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But if my armor is cracked and the humans see inside me, my cover will be blown. Seems as though I can't skimp out on either.

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Hardened steel plates were fashioned to match the body structure of the few humans Pile had seen. Slightly bulging limbs and a powerfully built torso made for an imposing figure. The head was made with two steel pieces, copied straight from the BlueBox's information; a skull and a jawbone. Imitation eyes were fashioned out of glass and set in the sockets, their movement controlled by core energy alone.

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Sand was the final touch. Extremely finely ground and mixed with a small amount of oil, the mixture had the consistency of flesh and the dark beige color of tanned human skin. Pile controlled the sand with his core energy and used it to coat the steel construct with a humanlike facade. If he carefully adjusted his control, it was possible to mimic human facial expressions and muscles twitching. The sand might not pass an in-depth inspection, but if everything went to plan, it wouldn't come to that.

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The copper abomination of pipes and claws was forgotten as the golem's silver core was taken into the chest of the new body. The chest cavity closed behind Pile and the sand smoothed to cover it.

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With the activation of the humanoid golem, a new chapter in Pile's life was starting. He would roam with the monsters no more. It was now time to infiltrate the world of men.

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End of Dust to Dust: Monster

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Tomorrow: Misery Loves Company 3

Friday: Dust to Dust: Man 00

EDIT (8/17/2015): Minor retro. Changed 2 ports (air, elec) to 3 (air, elec, oil). Just realized that I mixed up some stuff on my diagram of Pile at this point.