VX-2050 Cyborg Replacement Body:

"Hey! Not bad at all! But couldn't you have done something about the hair? I know it was grey, but I would`ve liked brown a lot more . . . And why in blazes did you have to preserve that scar from my appendicitis? No, no, It's alright, I understand. Yes, it is a work of art, you captured the look of my old body perfectly, that you did. Now, lets put this replacement through its paces. Further testing? Hell no, I know this nightclub where the music is great, and the guys are cute . . .

The VX-2050 body was initially designed for the pilots working on the top secret XM-3000 project. Since they were to be placed in a cyborg body which had no humanoid shape whatsoever, and because the project was so secret that no one was supposed to know that the pilots had even undergone a cyborg conversion, it was decided to build cyborg replacement bodies for the pilots, bodies that would look and feel exactly like the human bodies that they were giving up! This would enable them to convince everyone around them that there was nothing wrong and that they were still human! Furthermore, it would significantly reduce the stress that the cyborgs would normally feel of having an aircraft body without arms, legs, and other humanoid appendages.

The cyborg bodies that the engineers from Triax made were nothing short of miraculous. The basis for each cyborg is a skeletal cyborg body, with its size based on the size of the skeleton of the human that was to be turned into a cyborg. This "skeleton" looks a bit like the body of a coalition skelebot, except for its size. The skull of the borg is an exact replica in MDC materials of the original skull of the converted human. This entire body is made out of MDC strength ceramics and polymers. Even the inner servomechanisms are mainly made out of plastics and composites. All of this was done to make the body as lightweight as possible. Metals were only used when absolutely unavoidable. In the chest cavity of the skeletal main body is room for a standard cyborg brain casing, as used by most of the NGR Robot Soldiers.

Covering this body is a tough layer of polymers and myomers (artificial muscles) which emulates a real musculature. When the cyborg moves the artificial muscles move and behave like the real thing, but they are purely cosmetic! Covering this musculature is a weave of fibers designed to give SDC protection against lasers and ballistic weapons. The final covering is a artificial skin that looks and feels just like the real thing, and is heated, so that it even has the same temperature as real skin! This artificial skin is made to look exactly like the skin of the human who is to be transformed into a cyborg. Hairs and moles are all skillfully placed on the skin, although the hairs will NOT grow, they are simply polymer replacements. Running through the skin are veins filled with blood, so that small wounds actually bleed.

Thus, the appearance of the cyborg body is fully human. The muscles in the face allow for the full range of facial expressions, and it is even possible to eat and drink small amounts, but although the character has some sense of taste, this is the sense that is most affected by the conversion. All food will taste bland and mediocre. The other senses are much more acute, but even so they feel rather alien. Touch is especially affected by this, for while it is very sensitive in the fingertips, it is virtually nonexistent on the rest of the body. The Brain Casing can be placed and removed by means of a special opening in the artificial skin in the abdomen. Although it is normally closed, and cannot be located, a command from the cyborg will open it up, allowing for access to the brain casing. At first sight this appears to be a somewhat grisly process, because it looks as if the belly of a healthy human suddenly splits open! However, there are no blood or guts to be seen.

The Cyborg body listed here is the basic model that all cyborgs working on the XM-3000 project have received. The only differences will be in appearance. Although it is possible to add more systems to the cyborg, this is discouraged, as it would eventually lead to the destruction of the borg's human appearance. Besides that, the body isn't private property, it's owned by the NGR!

Although this cyborg replacement body, for it is just a body to wear for the cyborgs when they are not inside of their aircraft bodies, is customized for the XM-3000 pilots, there is talk of creating slightly more generic models, so that other cyborgs with non-humanoid bodies can also use them. (This applies ONLY to the Robot RCC cyborgs, not to the normal VX series of cyborgs!) Furthermore there is talk of using cyborgs equipped with such a body as spies, to be sent to the coalition. Such spies would have many more bionic features, and would be able to change their appearance, their voice, and even their length, to emulate other persons! For now this is all just talk, but it is a frightening vision of things to come . . .

Because of the nature of this cyborg, it cannot use any of the standard cyborg body armors. Instead, it is possible to use any human body armor, and even to wear standard power armors, without any modifications at all!

Gor to XM-3000 "Grey Death" Cyborg Stealth Fighter for more details on Cyborg fighter.

Model Type: VX-2050
Class: full conversion cyborg
Crew: One human volunteer

M.D.C. / S.D.C. by Location:

M.D.C.:

S.D.C.:

	[1] Hands (2):	10 each	7 each
	Arms (2):	30 each	21 each
	Vibro-blade :	5
	Feet (2):	15 each	11 each
	Legs (2):	60 each	42 each
	[2] Head:	50	35
	Cyborg Brain Casing:	10
	[3] Main Body:	130	91

Notes:
Any damage to the cyborg is first subtracted from its SDC. When all SDC is depleted from a hit location, the MDC skeleton underneath becomes visible. This is a horrifying sight, as it appears as if the character is continuing to move although his flesh has been stripped of his skeleton! This has a horror factor of 14.
[1] Hand and Feet are difficult targets. They require a called shot and are to hit and are -5 to strike
[2] Destroying the head of the cyborg will NOT kill the character! It will destroy all acoustic and optical sensors. The cyborg still has radar and tactile senses. Under these conditions the cyborg has no combat bonuses whatsoever. However, the head is a small and difficult target to hit. The attacker must make a called shot and even then is -3 to strike.
[3] Depleting the main body will effectively destroy the artificial body, but the brain casing is still intact, and will continue to provide life support for 72 hours. Recovery of the damaged body will allow doctors or engineers to place the casing into a new cyborg body. If the body takes over 70 M.D.C. below zero, the brain casing is exposed, and vulnerable to damage.

Speed:
Running: 50 mph (80 kph).
Leaping: Powerful bionic legs can leap 20 feet (6 m) up or across, with a running start add 30 ft (9 m)
Flying: Borg can use any flight pack available for human characters.

Statistical Data:
Height: 5 feet 3 inches (1.58 m) to 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m).
Weight: 208 (94 kg) to 312 lbs ( 141 kg)
Physical Attributes: P.S. 23, P.P. 20, and SPD 90.
P.B. is entirely dependant upon the characters previous appearance!
Power System: Nuclear Fusion, average life is 5 years
Cargo: None.
Black Market Cost: Not available on the black market! If such a body were to be made available in good condition, it could fetch up to 40 million credits!

Standard Bionic Features (Non-Weapon Types): All of these features are found in the bionic/cybernetic section of Rifts RPG

1. Bionic Lung with Gas filter and oxygen storage cell
2. Built in language translator
3. Sensor hand on each hand: Transmits to head jack, gives heat detection, motion detector, radiation detector, radar detector, gyrocompass, and clock calender
4. Molecular Analyzer
5. Head jack with amplified hearing, ultra ear, and sound filtration: Gives +1 to parry, +2 to dodge, and +6 to initiative
6. Multi optic eye
7. Optic nerve implant
8. Bio Comp self monitoring systems
9. Internal clock calender
10. Internal Comp-Calculator

Weapon Systems:

1. Laser Beam Eye: Works by looking at the target and a mental command causes the gun to shoot. The laser beam eye can shoot at any target that can be looked at. The laser beam eye is made by Triax, but unlike the standard version, this one looks completely normal.
   Range: 1,000 feet (305 m)
   Mega Damage: 2D6 for single eye blast.
   Rate of fire: Equal to combined hand to hand (usually 5 or 6)
   Payload: Effectively Unlimited.
   Bonuses: +3 to strike
2. Palm Ion Blaster: In the palm of one of the hands of the Cyborg is a small pulse Ion weapon. The system is basically a Triax TX-24 that has been removed from its casing and linked to the cyborg's power supply. The blaster is located in the palm/forearm opposite to that which holds the Vibro-Blade. The choice in which arm/hand to locate which is up to the cyborg. This weapon is only used as a last resort, because firing it will burn and scorch the "flesh" of the palm, clearly giving away that the character is at least a partial cyborg.
   Range: 500 feet (152 m)
   Mega Damage: 2D4 per single blast or 4D6 per multiple pulse burst
   Rate of fire: Equal to combined hand to hand (usually 5 or 6)
   Payload: Effectively Unlimited
3. Concealed Vibro-Blade : In one forearm is a vibro blade for melee combat. It is made out of a high density material and the energy field vibrates at high speed for mega damage. When activated the blade emerges from a opening between the knuckles of the middle and ring fingers. When retracted the artificial flesh closes over the opening as if it wasn't there, but the opening can be forced open by applying sufficient pressure.
   Range: Hand to Hand
   Mega Damage: 2D6.
   Number of Attacks: Equal to combined hand to hand (usually 5 or 6)
   Payload: Effectively Unlimited
4. Optional Hand Held Weapons: The Cyborg can use any human sized and slightly larger than human sized weapons. These can include rail guns, energy rifles, energy pistols, grenades, and other weapons.
5. Hand-to-Hand Combat: Rather than use a weapon, the cyborg can engage in mega-damage hand to hand combat. Most of the attacks are S.D.C. except special attacks.
   Special (MDC) attacks done with bare hands/feet strip the SDC covering off the appendage used, exposing the ceramic cyborg components beneath!
   Attacks per melee: Equal to player characters hand to hand attacks.
   Combat Bouses: +6 to initiative, +1 to Parry, +2 to dodge. P.P. 20 bonuses: +3 to strike, Parry, and Dodge.
   Total Bonuses, including Robot RCC Bonuses: +8 to initiative, +4 to Strike, +5 to Parry, +6 to Dodge. This does not include bonuses for skills and hand to hand.
   Damage:
   Restrained Punch: 1D6 + 8 S.D.C.
   Full Strength Punch: 4D6 + 8 S.D.C.
   Power Punch: 1D6 M.D.C. (Costs 2 melee attacks)
   Head Butt: 2D6 S.D.C.
   Kick: 4D6 + 8 S.D.C.
   Jump Kick/Leap Kick: 2D6 M.D.C. (Costs 2 melee attacks)
   Judo Style Flip/Throw: 3D6 S.D.C.
   Full Strength Ram/Body Block: 1D4 M.D.C. (Costs 2 melee attacks)
6. Cyborg Brain Casing: This is the casing which holds the human brain of the cyborg. It is lightly armored, but holds all the life support apparatus the brain needs for 72 hours. The casing can be removed by mechanics, to be placed in a replacement body, or in case of an emergency it can be ejected by a command of the cyborg itself. When this is done, the casing is ejected out of the body. The casing is about the shape and size of a rugby ball. It is made of the same RAM materials as the XM-3000 fighter, and has a few basic sensors build into it.
   Mega Damage Capacity: 10.
   Bionic Features: 1 Multi-optic eye, 1 built-in radio receiver/transmitter, emergency life support for 72 hours.
   Stealth Features: Same as the XM-3000
   Payload: One

[NGR, and Triax TM are trademarks owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc. ]
[ Rifts® is a registered trademark owned by Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books Inc.]

By Mischa (E-Mail Mischa ).
Copyright © 2000, Mischa. All rights reserved.