C-53

C-53
credit: Sam Booker
Name(s)	C-53, C, Robot Man, MC-53
Species	Droid
Gender	Droid
Age	unknown
Voiced By	Jeremy Bent

C-53 is a protocol and diplomatic relations droid assigned to the crew by the Federated Alliance. He serves as a data recorder, translator, and general know-it-all. C-53 has extensive knowledge of planetary customs, religions, rituals and governmental structures across the galaxy, which is invaluable to the crew when visiting previously un-encountered lifeforms. C-53 has held many jobs over the years, but the memories of his previous lives are mostly inaccessible to C-53 in season 1, as the Alliance has fitted him with a Restraining bolt. He was designed and built by the Ronka Cybernetic Corporation, originally as a C-Series sex bot . C-53 is not bound to his frame, nor does he have any particular loyalty to his frame. His consciousness is contained within a highly adaptable glowing cube, which can be transferred to other accommodating frames.

Season 1

• C-53 was previously an Armedian Naval unit and as a consequence loves to swim. (C-53's definition of swimming is limited to movement through water with appropriate hull design and propulsion unit. He finds the Tellurian method of flailing limbs as dangerous and inefficient.)
• He is able to lie even with a restraining bolt. For example he lies to Nermut about how he lost his hand. Pleck is not aware of this and believes he is unable to lie
• He is streaming everything that happens to the Federated Alliance at all times. However, the Councillors have a wax seal that stops droids from live-streaming, but instead make a false record of the activity stream for next 24 hours; the droid still records events, they just doesn’t automatically upload to the steam. This file can’t be destroyed without the seal, either.
• He can understand 'Horse-Speak'
• He has no loyalty to any particular frame
• He knows exactly how to kill every part of the K'hekk swarm
• Droids can do Dust due to a technical element of dust
• He has been programmed with various types of pick-up styles, particularly negging
• He has at least 4 slots on his torso, and at least 6 "operations", and at least one (tri-fold) adapter
• He can read and update personnel files
• He can recognise all sorts of insignia and mercenary consortiums
• He is not waterproof
• He has a charging closet
• Knows pi to 10,000 places

Season 2

• Has a mysterious relationship with the Sea Captain dating back decades.

Season 3

Season 3 begins with C-53 working as a ’Yumbassador’ for the On-N-Off Burger franchise in an On-N-Off burger frame, complete with restraining bolt. Pleck and AJ team up to remove the restraining bolt and return C-53 back to his former persona. When the crew visits the gift store run by Marf, they find the exceedingly rare and fabled Midnight Shadow frame. C-53‘s cube is transferred to the new frame and he discovers many new features and functions in that frame. Later, C-53 and the crew meet O4KTЯ33, a droid who has unlocked the ability to edit the root code of her own cube as well as that of other droids. Initially viewing this ability as dangerous, C-53 slowly accepts that this is a method to expand his own consciousness and abilities. After the crew recovers an encrypted message, C-53 begins editing his own source code in an attempt to break the encryption. Soon after, C-53 experiences a major malfunction and shuts down. Initially assumed to be the result of his risky self-editing, it is revealed that it was a result of contamination on the cube when C-53 swam in a pool containing large amounts of urine.

Frames and other receptacles

C-53's consciousness is contained within a cube which can be carried around in a carrying case when not inserted into a frame. This cube can be inserted into the cube slot or port of a droid frame, appliance, ship, or any other sentient or non-sentient receptacle which contains a cube slot. This has been done a number of times over the course of the series.

Federate Alliance frame (Episodes 100 - 114)

• Has a restraining bolt located at the bottom of the torso
• Has the ability to make a 'Zone of Silence'
• C-53's Federated Alliance-issued frame contained Thermal Sensors.
• The frame has perfectly rounded fingers, meaning he can not pick up marbles; he only has 2 digits
• Can dispatch a FA medical team to the The Bargarean Jade
• Can do sleight of hand tricks
• Equipped with a Quantoran Override which is triggered in the presence of members of the Rebellion. The override takes over the internal cube's control of the frame and ejects guns to vaporize nearby Rebels. This override results in gaps in the knowledge of the internal cube.
• Destroyed by Dar in Episode 114: There Are No Second Chances

George, Humidifier/dehumidifier (Episode 115)

• Is one of several sentient appliances on the Bargarean Jade
• Can measure the level of humidity/dampness in the air and adjust the level as needed
• Equipped with a display capable of vision
• Functions as a mobile unit by means of extendable treads
• Has an aromatherapy bay including scents such as carnax oil
• Can sing love songs, found on setting number 5
• Because of the cube's sensitivity to water, being in the humidifier makes C-53 wary
• The receptacle is taken by Old Derf as he disappears out of Bargie's air lock, but it is unclear if he took the cube with him.

Fireplace (Episode 116)

• An electric fireplace located on the Bargarean Jade. Can be activated manually or via the internal cube

Urchin Frame (Episodes 116 and 118)

• Originally occupied by the cube Tiny^TM found on the planet Chimnacia, C-53's cube is inserted into the Urchin Frame after the crew pays ART_DODGA to remove Tiny^TM
• Its vocal modulator results in the voice of the frame speaking in a Chimnacian accent
• One of the legs of the Urchin Frame is shorter than the other due to a flaw in the mold requiring C-53 to use a crutch. C-53 eventually modifies the frame with a swivel caster with a stick reducing the limp to a hobble.
• When found, the sooty climate of Chimnacia has clogged the vacuum filter of the droid resulting in a cough for the frame occupant.
• Retains some residual encrypted Tiny^TM memories within the frame, including his last memory: "Space Fresh us, every one."
• The frame was apparently abandoned by C-53 on The Delegator when he moved his cube (via a solo "cube toss") into an enforcer droid frame and subsequently destroyed in the ship's explosion

The Bargarean Jade (Episode 118)

• When installed, able to access Bargie's memories and access her many sensors. Additionally the two can communicate without speaking, augmented by grunts

Enforcer Droid (Episode 118)

• Found by C-53 on the Federated Alliance ship The Delegator and hijacked by C-53 while he was in the TinyTM Urchin Frame
• Equipped with a pair of Gatling turbo lasers

Sex Bot Frame (Episodes 201 - 218, 220)

• Found and purchased by the crew at the shop Fondo Parquod's Used Droid Emporium. Fondo throws in three nipples as part of the sale, although the crew leaves without paying when C.L.I.N.T.s interrupt the transaction.
• An updated C-series frame, it has grey skin, can unhinge its jaw and its pelvis is automatic (with the off switch located on the back of the frame)
• This frame has very sticky fingers.
• This frame is able to do scans of Tellurian bodies.
• He has a auto-translator that was initially unable to translate Weird.

On and Off Burger Brand Frame (Episode 301 - 306)

• While on the run from The Emperor, he worked at the On-N-Off Burger restaurant as a Yumbassador. This necessitated a new frame, with a spatula instead of the helper arm and a restraining bolt.
• Ports are located in the butt area

Midnight Shadow Frame (Episode 306 - 318, 320)

• In The Fresh Connection, C-53's cube is placed into the Midnight Shadow, a rare and highly sought after frame found at a gift shop.
• The Midnight Shadow frame is equipped with first aid subroutines, however these do not include information on Dar's premature entry into the fifth octomester of their pregnancy.
• The Midnight Shadow has a compartment that contains PepiPens.
• The Midnight Shadow frame's eyes can glow, though this is somewhat distracting during conversations for those C-53 is talking to.
• The Midnight Shadow has an infrared mode.
• The Midnight Shadow is equipped with floaties.
• The Midnight Shadow is not completely waterproof and the cube can become contaminated
• C-53 voids the warranty of the Midnight Shadow frame by editing his own root code
• Ted Ronka reveals that the Midnight Shadow is a one-off frame that was auctioned off for charity.

Lifter Droid Frame (Episode 402- 420)

• He weighs 3,075 pounds in this frame!
• Disintegrated upon entering the Allwheat.

Horsehat (Episode 420)

• C-53 could communicate inside of Horsehat while in the Allwheat.

Toaster Frame (Episode 501-504)

• He can make toast and cannot move.

Hermannoid Frame (Episode 504-511)

• Was created by Dr. Traumaticore's Hermannoid, Dr. Traumaticore, and is his first successful Hermannoid frame.
• Has toaster slots in the butt as an homage to the toaster frame.
• Has to eat and sweats.
• Can't do math as easily.
• Looks like a Tellurian but with ridges on his forehead.
• Had a K'hekk egg implanted in the eye

K'hekk Frame (511-518)

• Resulted from the egg in the Hermannoid frame hatching
• Is able to communicate with the swarm and direct them to do tasks
• Is in the form of a weaver

S.E.A.-53 Ship/Frame (519) (flashback)

• The S.E.A. series, Strategic Environmental Automaton, is both a navigation assist and ship sentience
• Equipment includes shields, a cannon, torpedoes, plank, the zinger (a special cannonball), and a battle horn
• Able to travel on water as well as through space
• Under designation S.E.A.-53, was in service with the Armedian Navy (part of the Monarchy)
  • The Armedian Navy crew includes Captain Musslewaite, Bosun Wexley, Coxswain Smithers, and at least one rig hand and one swabbie
  • While under the Monarchy, fitted with a restraining bolt
• Spent several years as a Pirate Ship
  • Under (Sea) Captain Kirk Cameron, contains a crew of Red-Eyed Clort, Spleen, Natalie, and Pez, as well as prisoner Digby
  • Adventures as a pirate ship include seizing the Eye of Oflah from the ruins of Melgax V, stealing diamonds from the Varnakian family, and sinking the Miss Ladydo (apparently others have claimed responsibilities)
  • Had much of his hull replaced with wood
• Ultimate fate of the frame is unknown, last seen on the water planet Aquatis

The Country Gentleman (519-520)

• C-53 reboots in an unidentified frame, later revealed to be the Country Gentleman, after performing a hard reset and data restoration from storage on the Ronka-cloud backup
• The frame was initially found by the crew in Marf's shop, but was later found to be stored on the Bargarean Jade the entire time the crew was in the Themm galaxy, unknown to the rest of the crew

Quotes

"Ambassador Decksetter, I have an incoming transmission from Junior Missions Operations Manager Nermut Bundaloy"