Ambulatory Class M.E.K.A
The invention of the Mechanical Elignign Kinetic Assistant quickly expanded the industry for the Eligni and their fellow Belt denizens. These tall, mechanised suits extend the reach, height and capability of their pilot, enhancing speed and strength or adding new tools to their arsenal. Quickly, these mechanical marvels were modified to help assist with all sorts of tasks, from construction and repair to mining and excavation. But soon, miners were running out of space. With the discovery of the bounties available from the Blinkers, more and more precious resources needed carrying back from expeditions, and there were few effective methods to help solve this problem. One idea was the MEKA PAK; a satchel that sat on the back of a MEKA in order to hold more cargo. This quickly failed, as it unbalanced the MEKA it was attached to and provided no storage protection for volatile minerals. This remained a problem, up until the Crawler was invented.
The Ambulatory Class M.E.K.A, or "Crawler" as it is lovingly called, is a specialised class of M.E.K.A, the large mechanical suits that the denizens of Layman's Belt rely on to power their heavy industry. The Crawler class is modified to carry goods over a significant distance, often across great stretches of open rock. Modelled after the humble arachnid, the Crawler trades most design aspects of the MEKA's bipedal form for a set of eight legs, and swaps the encompassing armour-like piloting system for a head-like carriage at the front, able to seat up to three passengers. Behind the "head" of the Crawler is the storage chamber, a long, rectangular carriage that forms the abdomen. This space can store tonnes of cargo, with most Crawlers mainly intended for hauling ores, spectrocryst and other mined resources, though some are modified to hold and secure MEKAs for distant mining.
Propulsion
The Crawler is designed after the principles of the arachnid, and so follows the eight-legged philosophy of the simple spider. This allows the Crawler an even distribution of weight, as well as the ability to handle uneven terrain that bipedal suits struggle with. Though they often lack the ability to climb sheer cliffs, Crawlers are able to handle steep inclines of hard rock or loose gravel.
Hangars & docked vessels
The majority of Crawlers are built to house up to three MEKA suits, either fitted into bolted-down foot slots or hung like coats on the ceiling. This allows for the suits to be safely stored whilst in transit and keeps them from being damaged by any loose cargo. Some Crawlers are known to have been modified into MEKA carriers, sometimes called "Brood Mothers", able to store up to sixteen MEKA suits at a time, with some Brood Mothers fitted with basic repair stations to keep the suits in top shape. These Crawlers are rarely used, only brought out after particularly heavy Blinker showers to get as many resources out as possible, and are always paired with a regular Crawler to maximise gathering and efficiency.
Nickname
Crawler
Complement / Crew
One pilot, two co-pilots
Cargo & Passenger Capacity
Space for 40 tonnes, or 30 tonnes and 3 MEKA suits
