may be able to repel the attack and can 1 ) analyze any captives
or slain (again) attackers, or 2) follow any who flee to the UTI
complex and uncover
The Hidden Truth.
Sometimes the Dead Can Talk: Our heroes are either on a
scouting mission for the Juicer rebels, or are reconnoitering the
Newtown area for their own reasons. In any case, they run into a
Techno-Zombie
(see below), one of the corpses that abandoned
its grave! The Juicer has managed to partially overcome the
mind control of the Phoenix Chip, mostly due to the fact that a
laser shot damaged the chip, so the quickie conversion process is
far from successful (only 60% but slowly continuing to take over
the character at a rate of 2% per day). The Juicer offers to guide
the characters to the place he was ordered to go to. He is in a
desperate hurry; he can feel himself slipping away (long term
memory is already gone). If the player characters dally too long,
they will miss their opportunity .
• � # "'
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The Horrors of War
The terrible nano-devices can keep a Techno-Zombie, whose
body does not get badly damaged, alive, though mindless, for
decades ! It can even simulate the stimulation and reactions of
the Juicers by manipulating the brain and causing the release of
natural chemicals created by the human body. Artificial stimuli
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can also be continued through the bio-comp and Juicer augmen
tation already in place.
Even when the body is irreparably damaged and definitely
dead, the nano-machines and the Phoenix chip can make "ad
justments" to keep the body going as a rotting corpse ! The crea
ture that is left looks repulsive, but is still an ultra-fast and
ultra-strong warrior; its body is as hard and strong as M.D.C.
plate annor (a nano-transfonnation on a molecular level). In
short, a robot molded out of the flesh and bones of a once living
human being. The Techno-Zombies and the walking corpses
usually have a profound effect on the enemy, often causing psy
chological trauma, panic and confusion, which all works in the
aliens' favor.
The Vallax had planned to create an anny of 40,000+ zom
bie-like Juicers, equip it with highly advanced weapons, and use
it in a surprise attack against the Coalition (perhaps duping CS
enemies to join them in their attack against the Coalition). War
prisoners would be turned into Juicers and subjected to the
Prometheus Treatment to become Techno-Zombies and Phoenix
Juicers, increasing the numbers of the anny with every victory.
If it hadn't been for the Devon Incident, the alien creatures
would have been able to move a huge anny of Juicers right into
the heart of Coalition territory ! The uprising completely upset
the aliens' plans, but even now they are trying to make the best
out of their new situation.
Juicer Techno-Zombies
Most Techno-Zombies are human Juicers who have been
turned into mindless living robots who obey and defend the Val
lax. They are irrevocably alien monsters - the human behind
the face is completely destroyed. Not the tiniest fragment of the
person who once existed remains. Remember, only 28% of those
who undergo the Prometheus Treatment will retain their human
ity; that's only a few hundred total.
The Renegade Techno-Zombie as an Optional Player
Character:
A small percentage (28%) of the Techno-Zombies
somehow manage to overcome the Phoenix Chip ' s mind control
and actually retain some, but not all of their previous memories
and personality. These renegades are free to pursue their own
destiny. Keep in mind however, that the character' s mental fac
ulties are reduced and people who knew he had (seemingly)
died, may regard him as a monster. Likewise, people who know
the character has undergone even a partial alien transfonnation
may regard the character with fear and/or suspicion. Further
more, the Juicer may not trust himself, and may fear that he is
less than human or a walking time bomb.
Alignment:
Irrelevant; will follow its master's orders at any
cost.
Note:
Renegades who cling to their mind and personality
(failed "quickie" conversion) will have the alignment they had in
life.
M.D.C.:
As per body annor.
Attributes:
Physical attributes are unchanged, but all mental
ones are gone ! The artificial intelligence in control is equivalent
of an LQ. of 8, but the zombies do not really think for them
selves, they follow orders.
Note:
Those who resist the Techno
Zombie transfonnation will see all mental attributes reduced by
half!
Horror Factor:
1 1 (not applicable for those who are not
zombies).
P.P.E.:
None ! No longer true "living" beings, but bio-mechani
cal constructs.
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Average Life Span:
The Phoenix Chip can function uninter
rupted for 50 years and can keep a Techno-Zombie operating
for at least that long. Also see the Phoenix Juicer (animated
corpse).
Note:
Those who retain their humanity will live for
2D6 years longer than nonnal but will then bum-out and die.
Natural Abilities:
All Juicer physical abilities with the follow
ing modifications: Reduce attacks per melee round by one,
and all combat bonuses by two points. The Techno-Zombie
isn't quite as fast and alert as the genuine article, but close.
Note that the alien nano-bots inside the character' s body
will repair injury and physical damage faster then ever; at the
rate of 4D6 S .D.C. or hit points per minute (4 melee rounds) !
Note:
The increased healing applies to those who retain their
humanity too.
R.C.C. Skills:
Skills are frozen.
Note:
For characters who retain
their humanity, skills continue to improve with level ad
vancement, but they can never learn new skills and lose any
skill bonuses.
Experience Level:
Techno-Zombies are frozen at the level they
were (preserved by the nano-machines - remember, the
zombie is created to be a robot soldier so the limited skill
range of the Juicer, focusing on combat, are all that it needs).
Note:
The character who retains his humanity progresses as a
nonnal Juicer.
Combat:
Relatively unchanged. See attributes and natural abili
ties.
Damage:
Unchanged; same as the applicable Juicer O.C.c.
Bonuses:
Relatively unchanged. See attributes and natural abili
ties.
Magic Powers:
None.
Psionic Powers:
None ! Even if the character had psionic powers
before, they are lost forever.
Insanities:
Roll on the Random insanity table in the
Rifts®
RPG
and on the Juicer Psychosis Table elsewhere in this
book.
Alliances and Allies:
None other than their Vallax masters.
Note:
Those who keep their humanity are free men, but can
hear, though not understand, the Vallax ultrasonic transmis
sions and communications. Some fear the aliens will be able
to eventually seize complete control of them, which contrib
utes to their insanity.
Weapons:
Any Juicer Weapon, or may use modified versions of
the Vallax weapons and annor (the latter is not likely for
renegades).
Note:
There are approximately 400-500 Techno-Zombies
currently available to the Vallax. Roughly 1 30 additional Juicers
have kept their humanity and are not under the control of the
Vallax .
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