SMART ANIMALS
These partially uplifted animals can be found throughout the solar system.
SMART ANIMALS
The statistics given for smart animals in this book are for standard specimens. Many smart animals also come equipped with mesh inserts so they may be tracked, used as surveillance (viewing through their senses via the mesh link), or issued commands (usually issued in their owner’s or trainer’s voice in their heads). It is common to install a keeper AI (p. 155) in these implants as well, to provide extra oversight. A cybercortex (p. 148) is included by owners and trainers who want to squeeze more comprehension out of the animal’s mind, and scent affinity bioware (p. 148) helps to keep them loyal. Some owners also give their animals basic biomods, increasing their health and extending the animals life. In some habitats, this is a legal requirement in order to minimize disease outbreaks. Clean metabolism bioware is also a favorite and sometimes required, especially in confined habitats where animal orders and sanitation can be a problem. Finally, puppet socks are also common, so that the critter may be manipulated as a biodrone (see below).
On top of this, many smart animals are given other specific enhancements as befits their function. Animals used for guard purposes, for example, are commonly equipped with bioweave, hardened skeletons, and reflex boosters or neurachem. Animals deployed for clandestine purposes may be given chameleon skin, grip pads, sensory enhancements, and oracles for better perception.
Not all implants available to transhumans are usable in smart animals. Some simply do not work with smart animal physiology, where others have never been developed for use in animals. The gamemaster has final call on what implants are available.
SMART ANIMAL TRAINING
The rules for the Animal Handling skill provide some basic instructions for handling animal training (p. 177, EP). Smart animals can be taught to obey the usual range of simple commands: stop, sit, fetch, attack, intimidate, jump, hide, go home, etc. The timeframe ranges from 1 day to 1 week, depending on the animal in question. Smart dogs, cats, and monkeys take to commands quicker than other critters. More complex commands can also be taught: scout ahead, find specific object/smell/person, attack a specific target but not others, chase and corner but do not attack, go through the window, and so on. These take anywhere from 1 week to a month, depending on the complexity and the animal’s affinity for the activity. A trainer can teach each animal a number of distinct commands equal to their Animal Handling skill divided by 5 (round down). Trained commands must be practiced over time or the animal will eventually forget them.
GUARD DOG
These smart dogs are trained for security or policing purposes and upgraded with bioweave, enhanced vision, hardened skeleton, and reflex booster implants. [High]
Skills: Fray 40, Freerunning 30, Infiltration 30, Intimidation 40, Investigation 40, Perception 30, Scrounging 40, Unarmed Combat 50
Enhancements: Bioweave (Heavy), Cyberclaws, Cybercortex, Enhanced Hearing, Enhanced Smell, Enhanced Vision, Hardened Skeleton, Mesh Inserts, Puppet Sock, Reflex Boosters
Movement Rate: 4/20
Attack: Cyberclaws, 1d10 + 5 DV, AP -2
Armor: 3/4
SMART HAWK
Enhanced versions of peregrine falcons and other predatory birds are common in large, open habitats, and the hobby of falconry has made a comeback. Some smart falcons have been trained for surveillance or security purposes, tracking or finding subjects from overhead. [Moderate]
Skills: Flight 60, Fray 50, Infiltration 30, Perception 50, Scrounging 40, Unarmed Combat 40
Enhancements: Claws, Enhanced Hearing, Enhanced Vision
Movement Rate: 4/40
Attack: Beak/Claws, 1d10 + 2 DV, AP -1
SMART RACCOON
Raccoon helpers are employed as personal assistant and for many of the same tasks as smart monkeys. Some are even trained to get along in free fall, though they are mostly found in habitats with real or spin gravity. [Moderate]
Skills: Climbing 40, Fray 20, Freerunning 20, Infiltration 40, Perception 30, Scrounging 40, Swimming 30, Unarmed Combat 20
Enhancements: Enhanced Hearing, Enhanced Smell, Grip Pads
Movement Rate: 2/8
Attack: Bite, 1d10 – 4 DV
SMART CAT
Though smart cats deign to let humans pet and feed them, they are even more stubborn and independent than their baseline forebears. Nevertheless, some have been trained for surveillance and other purposes. [Moderate]
Skills: Climbing 30, Fray 30, Freerunning 30, Infiltration 40, Perception 30, Scrounging 30, Unarmed Combat 30
Enhancements: Claws, Enhanced Hearing, Enhanced Smell, Enhanced Vision
Movement Rate: 4/20
Attack: Claws, 1d10 + 2 DV, AP -1
SWARM CAT
Swarm cats (p. 116) are the creation of scum genehackers. No two swarm cats tend to be alike—many of them are more like hyenas or mongooses—and each is likely to have a unique assortment of enhancements. The statistics given below should be used as a rough guidelines for other cats. [High]
Skills: Fray 50, Free Fall 20, Freerunning 40, Infiltration 40, Intimidation 20, Perception 30, Scrounging 30, Unarmed Combat 50
Enhancements: Adrenal Boost, Basic Biomods, Claws, Cybercortex, Bioweave (Light), Eelware, Enhanced Hearing, Enhanced Smell, Enhanced Vision, Mesh Inserts, Neurachem (Level 1), Prehensile Tail
Movement Rate: 4/20
Attack: Claws, 1d10 + 2 DV, AP -1
Armor: 2/3
POLICE BABOON
Police baboons are transgenic Cape baboons modified for obedience, heightened intelligence, and longer attention spans. Still of only (enhanced) animal intelligence, they are typically fielded in groups of two to seven with police handlers. Working as a police baboon handler is an extremely dangerous job, as the baboons have been known to turn as a pack upon their handler in mentally stressful situations, such as when attacked with sensory or nerve agents, or more rarely when subjected to psi or encounters with exsurgents. Nonetheless, baboon units remain popular with police commanders for tracking, crowd control, and guarding prisoners. Baboons are frighteningly strong, and a pack of them can easily immobilize most prisoners— or tear them apart, if commanded. They are sometimes equipped with body armor and clubs. They are adapted to breathe Martian atmosphere. [High]
Implants: Enhanced Respiration, Enhanced Vision, Light Bioweave Armor (AV 2/3), Neurachem (Level 1), Temperature Tolerance
Attacks: Bite (DV 1d10 + 2), Club (DV 1d10 + 3),
Unarmed (DV 1d10 + 1)
RUST HOUND
Rust hounds are large, transgenic dogs. In addition to being able to breathe the Martian atmosphere, they’re able to smell it and are sometimes used as trackers. [High]
Implants: Enhanced Hearing, Enhanced Smell, Light Bioweave Armor (AV 2/3), Neurachem (Level 1), Temperature Tolerance, Toxin Filters
Attacks: Bite (DV 1d10 + 2)
SMART WOLF
Smart wolves are sometimes favored over smart dogs as guardian animals and companions, partly because they tend to be more vicious and are superior trackers. [Moderate]
Skills: Fray 40, Freerunning 30, Infiltration 30, Intimidation 40, Investigation 60, Perception 50, Scrounging 40, Unarmed Combat 50
Enhancements: Bioweave (Heavy), Cyberclaws, Cybercortex, Enhanced Hearing, Enhanced Smell, Enhanced Vision, Hardened Skeleton, Mesh Inserts, Puppet Sock, Reflex Boosters
Movement Rate: 4/20
Attack: Bite, 1d10 + 5 DV, AP -2
Armor: 3/4
Space Roach
Grown to the size of a small dog, these insects are often biosculpted for bright colors and patterns. They are useful for minor janitorial duties. [Low]
Skills: Fray 30, Free Fall 30, Infiltration 50, Perception 20,Scrounging 50
Movement Rate: 4/20
Attack: Mandibles, 1d10 DV, AP -2
Armor: 3/4
BIODRONES
Smart animals with a puppet sock implant (p. 307, EP) can be teleoperated just like a robotic shell (p. 196, EP). These are a common tool for surveillance and reconnaissance purposes, especially on Mars or other habitats with free-range wildlife, using the inconspicuous morphs of local animals (native or pets) as a stealth advantage. Since direct communication links are too easily be tracked if not stealthed, biodrones are often ghostridden by an animal keeper AI or other infomorph who may also jam the pod. Being puppeteered is a confusing and scary affair for many animals, especially if the animal was placed in danger or a violent situation. This may cause the animal stress and may cause it to act confused, scared, hostile, or erratic afterwards. Many handlers implant drug glands with sedatives into smart animals that are regularly puppeteered to counteract this.
SUBVERTING BIODRONES
Like the cyberbrains of robotic shells, the puppet socks can be subverted by a skilled hacker (see Cyberbrain Hacking and Puppeteering, p. 261, EP). Since smart animals brains are biological, they are not vulnerable to entrapment, memory hacking, or scorching as cyberbrains are.
