Master Zaprobo (Defiant)
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| Master Zaprobo | |
| Player: @Master Zaprobo | |
| Server: Defiant | |
| Origin: | Technology |
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| Archetype: | Mastermind |
| Threat Level: | 50 (+1) |
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Arachnos Research and Development |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Professor Zaphod Robotnik |
| Known Aliases: | None |
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Human |
| Age: | 65 |
| Height: | 5'7" |
| Weight: | 115 lbs |
| Eye Color: | Grey |
| Hair Color: | Grey |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | British |
| Occupation: | Research Scientist |
| Place of Birth: | Nottingham, UK |
| Base of Operations: | Grandville, Etoile Isles |
| Marital Status: | Unknown |
| Known Relatives: | None |
| Known Powers | |
| Robotics/Forcefield/Mace Mastery | |
| Known Abilities | |
| Varied | |
| Equipment | |
| ZR Aegis Transponder, ZR Autonomous Combat System, Pulse Rifle, Bane Spider Mace | |
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Contents
Overview
Formerly Professor Zaphod Robotnik, a noted Research Scientist in Paragon City, and creator of the ZR Series Autonomous Combat System. After the closure of his robotics project, he was driven to exile and insanity by his own creations.
Freed by Arachnos and given full reign to develop his robotic creations he now lives only to perfect the destructive power of his inventions through aggressive field testing and hostile acquisitions - chief among them the ZR Aegis Transponder and ZR Series Autonomous Combat System.
He is now the Chief Scientist of Arachnos Research and Development (ARAD), reporting to Black Scorpion.
Equipment
ZR Aegis Transponder
A wrist mounted device that allows for both communication with his robotic creations (and their manufacturing facility) plus the projection of forcefield-based abilities. Upgrades over time have given the device various forcefield outputs as well as quantum temporal transponders (to enable navigation across multiple timestreams and dimensions). The device has recently been expanded with Incarnate Technology Shards, which allow MZ to emulate a higher Combat Level.
ZR Autonomous Combat System
The group term for the Drone ZR, Protector ZR and Assault ZR Units, these robotics systems comprise the main armaments used by Master Zaprobo. Equipped with a variety of weapons from lasers, missiles, and even flamethrowers the Protector ZR Units are also equipped with Aegis Technologies - enabling them to both place forcefields and deploying nanobot repairs to the other units. More recently, the Assault ZR has been equipped with the ability to store up energy to boost it's damage - the system is experimental and will only randomly fire.
Pulse Rifle
MZ carries a standard issue Pulse Rifle with him for personal defence. It has a low damage capability, and only a single fire mode. It was recently upgraded with the ability project a Tesla Cage. As with some of the other modifications made by MZ, this ability is experimental and will only randomly fire.
Bane Spider Mace
MZ carries a modified Bane Spider Mace. While he has no proficiency with the device as a melee weapon he has built and modified the functions of the Mace to project two types of web grenade - one which will immobilise (with experimental technology that can trigger an increase in gravity to hold a target) and one that will completely hold a target. It also emits a form of Energy Shielding and is able to act as a capacitor to boost the power of his other devices.
Further Reading
- Journal of a Mastermind - MZ's personal in-character blog, replete with his latest exploits and inventions - from his original break out from the Zig, right up to current day.
- MZ's CIT Profile - MZ's City Info Tracker page, showing badges and progress.
Origin Story
Holding up his wrist-mounted computer, Professor Zaphod Robotnik pressed the parts of the touchscreen to activate the neural interface with the last of his ZR Series Autonomous Assault Systems. As the final artificial intelligence upload was transmitted to the tall robot suspended in a harness in the far corner of the laboratory a blinking icon on his wrist panel alerted him to a new email.
Trotting over, he opened the email and saw what he had dreaded. Yet another rejection from DATA, refusing his requests for a sanctioned field test of his robotic constructs. Sighing as he scanned the wordy missive, phrases like "continued hero presence diminishes need for new military applications" and "dangerous instabilities in Friend or Foe (FoF) recognition software" leapt out at him. The last phrase cut him to his core however and it took several times reading it for the words to sink in. "Funding for the ZR Series Autonomous Robotics Project is cancelled".
Snarling, he trashed the email and spun on the Assault ZR behind him. "Fifteen years I've laboured", he cried, "fifteen long years at the pinnacle of my scientific career to create you and your siblings!"
"For what? For the bureaucrats to shut me down?" The professor slumped into his chair as the last few bytes of data were shunted to the Assault ZR. He barely registered the malevolent red glow as it passed back and forth across the Assault ZR's Optical Visor.
[Assault ZR-6 Online, Awaiting Master Input]
Hearing the metallic grating voice, Zaphod looked up to see the Assault ZR Robot get to its feet. The missile launchers disengaged from it's back and locked into position on it's shoulders to a chorus of warning chimes from the central computer it was still interfaced with.
"I am your Master, ZR-6", the Professor sighed, "yet I have been defeated before I had really got going". [Visual Recognition Confirmed. User 'zaprobo' identified as Master. Awaiting Input Master Zaprobo] "If only I could test you and your brothers - get you out of the lab somehow and into a viable field test". [Input Confirmed. Activating Protector ZR and Drone ZR Units]
Professor Robotnik's eyes widened as he recoiled from the Assault ZR in horror - watching it detach itself from the central computer as the wall shook from laser blasts. As the partition crumbled under the attack, two shorter robots and three small units marched smartly through and arrayed themselves beside the tall Assault ZR.
[ZR Series Detachment Active], the six robots grated in unison.
The professor walked over to the group cautiously, yet his eyes gleamed wildly at the sight he had been working towards for years. My children, he thought, my beautiful deadly children.
"Stand down, ZR Series". [Transmitting tactical assessment to Master Zaprobo]
The professor's wrist computer chimed, and as the elderly scientist read it he began to smile. "It could work...", he mused.
"... it could work".
---
The alarms did not sound at the research facility - Seeker Drones deployed by the two Protector ZR's had fried their internal circuitry - so the first warning the security staff had was the gaping wound in the 10inch steel blast door.
Stepping through the breach, Zaphod Robotnik paid no attention to the heat. The Force Shield gleaming around him dealt with that little problem.
"Pr... Professor, what are you doing?", one of the guards stammered as he began to raise his rifle. "I'm heading out on a field test", the white haired scientist grinned. "Oh, and I wouldn't raise that rifle all the way into a firing position as my children may take offense to that..." [ Defensive Mode Active. Follow Master Zaprobo ]
Pointing to the external fence, a Drone ZR cut away the chainlinks with a short series of laser blasts.
"I'll be back this evening gentlemen - there is science afoot!"
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The residents of Talos Island were fleeing in terror - the explosions were bad enough, but the lasers and blinding lights had inspired in them a level of fear not really seen en masse since the Rikti War.
Fledgeling heroes flocking to the scene were met with a terrible sight. One large robot, armed with missile launchers and lasers was cutting a swathe though several of their heroic allies. Two other robots were laying down a healing blanket of nanites on their metallic cohorts, while a further three short robots were laying down a suppressive laser fire that held Paragon Finest at bay.
In the middle of it all though was the most chilling sight - a man in a lab coat laughing maniacally.
"It works! My lifes work, complete, a resounding success! And the idea of using heroes as test dummies... genius!"
As the Assault ZR dispatched another hero, who was forced to medi-teleport, the elderly scientist frowned a little. "Still", he thought to himself, "I am a little disturbed at all the dead and dying civilians".
Looking around at the carnage being wrought around him though, he smiled. "Can't make an omelette, without breaking a few eggs".
He was so caught in his reverie, that he did not notice the emergency signal on his wrist communicator for a few moments. Glancing at it, he stared slack-jawed as he then looked up. His creations had stopped firing - encased in tombs of rock, crushed by forces of gravity and circuitry blinded. Around him, Assault Rifle Blasters had levelled their weapons, and Tankers with heavy weapons hefted them near his face.
Stepping from out of the crowd, a tranditional spandex clad hero stepped out. "Professor Zaphod Robotnik, you are under arrest".
