Mechanical Read Online Free PDF

Serpent's armor is a specially developed composite polymer designed to provide maximum protection to the Serpent and the pilot, while insulating the Serpent from every kind of energy leakage. It was designed to keep the Serpent's thermal and visual signatures as low as possible, creating, in effect, a stealth personal battle tank. Most importantly, it was discovered that the Serpent's armor can protect the pilot from the enemy's power that made attacking the captured cities impossible. We've tested it in the field, and the enemy's power did not affect it."
                They had finally stopped and reached a room that ominously resembled a surgical operating room. The soldiers escorting them stopped and took positions outside, while Lieutenant Riley, along with all the tech types, entered the room.
                The lead tech person put his tablet on a table and turned to the lieutenant.
                "Lieutenant, let me briefly explain how you are going to pilot the Serpent and what is going to happen here. The Serpent is equipped with specially developed anesthetizing and hibernation facilities. When put inside, the pilot's body is put into a deep sleep—in effect, low temperature hibernation. When in that state, the body's systems effectively stop, do not age and hardly consume any oxygen or nourishment. In that state, the pilot can be kept in suspended animation almost indefinitely. Of course, the pilot's pod is the most strongly armored section of the Serpent. Do you understand, Lieutenant?"
                "Yes, Sir."
                "Very well! In order to pilot the Serpent, the pilot is equipped with special electrodes that monitor the brain's electrical activity. By using these electrodes, the system senses what the pilot wishes the Serpent to do, and, in addition, the electrodes convey sensory input from the Serpent directly into the pilot's mind. In effect, the pilot will see whatever the Serpent sees and will feel whatever the Serpent feels. Do you follow me, Lieutenant?"
                "I – I think so, Sir."
                The man with the white lab coat regarded the lieutenant for a moment with a look Tom could not decipher. He passed one hand along his long oily ponytail.
                "Lieutenant, let me spell it out for you as clearly as possible. Once inside the Serpent, you will not feel your body anymore. You will not see with your eyes. You will not move your hands and feet. You'll see through the Serpent's sensors and targeting sights. You'll feel whatever the Serpent's sensors feel. You'll move the Serpent's limbs as if they were your own. In effect, you'll become the Serpent until your body will be removed from the pilot's pod and revived to normal. Do you understand?"
                Tom nodded.
                "Very well, Lieutenant. As you may well imagine, the Serpent's pilot integration technology made fielding the Serpent possible. Let me assure you, Lieutenant. During trials, the pilots reported feeling the Serpent's body as well as they could feel their own, and they moved it with the same ease they moved their own bodies. When extracted from the Serpent, they resumed control of their own bodies without any side effect. That's the nice thing about the technology; it doesn't require lengthy training periods. In other words, you won’t have to learn to walk again using the Serpent. Isn’t that nice?"
                Tom nodded. He thought his own face was probably looking pretty pale at this stage.
                "Very well, Lieutenant. This is the pilot's suit. It contains the various tubes and sensors that we use to refrigerate your body, provide the anesthetic gases and monitor your situation. Your brain will remain alert even though your body will be in a state of suspended animation. Do you understand?"
                Tom nodded.
                "Very well,