Black Box
The Black Box™ (a working name) is a high density nanotech omni-gadget currently being developed by Indbur Enterprises. With the right programming and control mechanisms it can be reconfigured into hundreds, if not thousands, of useful devices. It has all the functionality of a smartphone but can do so much more.
It’s very much in the design stage still – there’s only a handful of prototypes currently in existence. In its basic state it looks like a solid black cube, a bit larger than a Rubik’s Cube. With the press of a few recessed buttons followed by a combination of voice commands and button presses, the nano-machine cube can “melt” and reform into potentially thousands of various objects.
Objects it turns into are deceptively solid and sturdy. The nanotech forms amazingly strong constructs, and makes them as hollow as necessary in order to accommodate becoming larger sized objects. It’s generally limited to one-handed items. Regardless of what the item it turns into, it’s always composed of a collection of nanotech. The material doesn’t change, just the shape and form.
The Black Box™ is pretty tough – it has 50 S.D.C. but only takes physical damage when it’s off and specifically attacked. When it is powered on, every 1 point of S.D.C. damage it takes instead reduces the battery by 1%. If there’s anything within the box when it is made to transform again it will expel those objects. Taking any real physical damage will cause the device to begin to act… unpredictably.
It’s biggest drawback is its short battery life, as noted below:
• Idle, transformed or untransformed: 3% decrease per hour.
• Transformed into something that continually uses energy (phone, light, etc): 10% decrease per hour (1% per 6 minutes).
• Every transformation: 1% decrease.
• Used for energy blasts: 8% decrease per blast (does 10D6 damage, cannot be regulated)
• Used for enhanced power: 8% decrease per use
The device nominally takes 2 hours to charge from 0% to 100% (basically a half-hour per 25%), but that can be adjusted with the right electrical knowledge if necessary (but also with risk).
Another drawback is that the Black Box™ cannot be transformed into a useful shape or device and then turned off to conserve battery life. Whenever it is not powered (including when it runs out of power) it will automatically transform back into a solid cube, ready to be recharged.
Lastly, each transformation requires a Computer Operation roll. Strange or unusual items will have a -10% or -20% penalty to the roll. A failure means the items turns into something random (G.M.’s discretion). Each attempt to transform it takes an action.
Things the Black Box™ can turn into:
• Smart phone
• Mundane items
• Items from the back of the book
• Knife or other one-handed melee weapon
• Pistol (can fire energy or be loaded with bullets)
• Short rifle (can fire energy or be loaded with bullets)
• Handheld shield (shield damage is taken as battery % decrease)
• Arm Brace/Exoskeleton (Increase P.S. by +10 and becomes superhuman, each act of strength uses battery power)
Things it can’t turn into:
• Multiple items at once
• Explosives
• Items that split into multiple pieces (or if it does, the pieces can’t come apart).
• Edible food