Approved Tech Nanoshredders

[Kal]

Spoiler: Type-D Nanoshredders in Action

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: Maintain plausible deniability through the expunction of exposed assets.
• Image Source: Disintegration by Yaroslav Primachenko | Avengers: Infinity War
• Canon Link: N/A
• Permissions: N/A
• Primary Source: Suicide Pill (Wookie) | Disruptors | Memory Wipe

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

• Manufacturer: Greystone Mercantile
• Affiliation: Greystone Mercantile
• Market Status: Closed-Market
  • Open-Market in small quantities.
• Model: Type-N/D/A Nanoshredders
• Modularity: Limited, see below.
• Production: Minor
• Material: Nanites

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Classification: Nanites
• Size: Average
• Weight: Average

SPECIAL FEATURES

• Nanoshredders come in two primary variants, Type-N for Neural and Type-D for Disruptive. Type-N Nanoshredders are designed to wipe the subject's mind either wholly or selectively (typically targeting confidential information); they are often considered a more humane alternative to Type-D Nanoshredders, which induce a cascading molecular disintegration effect on the subject, destroying them utterly in mere moments.
  • Type-D Nanoshredders can be calibrated to destroy only parts of a body, the entire body, or the body and worn equipment.
• The rarer Type-A (Annihilative) variant instead rapidly converts a body into volatile explosives, much like NM-K Reconstitutors.
• In stark contrast to more offensive variants suitable for assassinations and the like, Nanoshredders (regardless of Type), are neither quick nor subtle when it comes to insertion into a body. Standard procedure calls for one or more sizeable injections or even full-on surgery. While they can technically be implanted into the unknowing, doing so without abducting them first is virtually impossible - just slit their throat.

STRENGTHS

• Covert: Once activated, Nanoshredders terminate compromised assets (or their memories) with a high degree of certainty.
• Clandestine: Nanoshredders are too small to be detected by anything short of in-depth medical scans; they self-destruct after use.

WEAKNESSES

• Power Signature: The power signatures of Type-A Nanoshredders are strong enough to be detected by high-end weapon detectors.
• Anti-Technological: Nanoshredders can be disabled by ion weapons/strong EMPs, whether they fail safe or fail secure is a design choice.

DESCRIPTION
Discretion, the cornerstone of any effective information-gathering operation; even the most careful operatives can be captured, however, and even the most expertly planned operation is not impervious to unforeseen circumstances. A suicide pill might be sufficient for some, but more sensitive matters necessitate more sensitive tools. Sometimes a spy-turned-amnesiac is sufficient... and sometimes no trace should be left behind.

Greystone itself rarely bordering on never employ the lethal variant on its free-willed operatives; freelancers are unwilling to die for a payday but also largely ignorant of any real secrets, while their small collection of in-house agents are far too precious to be considered even vaguely expendable.

 

[Felix Aquila]

Hi Kal , im felix and i'll be reviewing this app!

 

[Felix Aquila]

I have to be honest with you, im unsure about this app, it simply being a pill that you're able to slip someone for instant and unstoppable assassination seems highly abusable to me. If this were an implant, or something surgically added rather than slipped into a drink, i'd feel a lot more comfortable.

• Size: Extremely Small
• Weight: Extremely Light

However, this item is extremely overpowered for a minor submission, these will need to be lowered.

 

[Kal]

Felix Aquila

Your concern is noted. In regards to the first point, that was never my intent, which is why I edited in the following (addendum 1) after it was brought to my attention a while after I posted the submission. I considered including a Weakness as well, but decided a suicide device not functioning as a tool of assassination was less design flaw, more intended design choice. If you disagree, what would you deem sufficient on this point?

In regards to the ratings, I don't quite understand what you mean. Unless I'm mistaken, weight and size are meant to balance Resistances, not to imply that smaller is stronger. I intentionally opted not to include the optional Resistances field, since these nanites do not function defensively. They are no more hardy than any small cell, really, and offer no protection whatsoever to whoever has them injected/implanted.​

They would, of course, be easily destroyed by really any kind of weapon if outside the protection offered by a body.

Addendum 1:

• In stark contrast to more offensive variants suitable for assassinations and the like, Nanoshredders (regardless of Type), are neither quick nor subtle when it comes to insertion into a body. Standard procedure calls for one or more sizeable injections or even full-on surgery.

 

[Felix Aquila]

Kal
And if this were Semi unique or unique I would be fine with that, but as it's open market in small quantities, and only minor I need to think about not how 'you' intend to use it, but how 'everyone' intends to use it. I think that addendum is a good idea, makes it good for evidence destruction, or agents in the field have it pre-inserted in case things go badly. But as it stands, its an undetectable instant death weapon, ESPECIALLY in its A configuration as a living bomb. Which, could be argued as a stealth tech. As its invisible to both sight and sensors.

Your concern is noted. In regards to the first point, that was never my intent, which is why I edited in the following (addendum 1) after it was brought to my attention a while after I posted the submission. I considered including a Weakness as well, but decided a suicide device not functioning as a tool of assassination was less design flaw, more intended design choice. If you disagree, what would you deem sufficient on this point?

While that's true, being extremely light and small have its advantages, you even use the extremely small to justify their inability to be picked up on scanners. As far as the site is concerned they are points that are rather out of balance. If it helps remember that these categories are always relative to the object, not to anything else. Saying that they are extremely light, means they are extremely light for a nano machine in comparison to other nano machines.

In regards to the ratings, I don't quite understand what you mean. Unless I'm mistaken, weight and size are meant to balance Resistances, not to imply that smaller is stronger. I intentionally opted not to include the optional Resistances field, since these nanites do not function defensively. They are no more hardy than any small cell, really, and offer no protection whatsoever to whoever has them injected/implanted.

 

[Kal]

While I do think the weight/size change is more likely to cause confusion than not, I have adjusted them accordingly. For the record, I am well aware that this technically means the submission's underbalanced by one, but that doesn't really affect it in any meaningful way. I am also aware that I could easily get the initial ratings by adding the Resistances field and setting Blasters/Kinetic/Lightsabers to "None".

Onwards to the remaining issues.

Firstly, I would counter that being difficult to detect is less a reflection of it being a stealth technology, more a natural result of its tiny size. Standard scanners cannot feasibly be expected to scan individual cells on the nanoscopic level except as part of, e.g., an in-depth medical evaluation. I added another Weakness to make the only variant that can really be used offensively - namely the Type-A - detectable to "high-end weapons scanners".

I'm not really sure how I can justify anything more than that, though I do imagine they'd make a lot of "noise" before activating. If that is not sufficient the Type-A can be removed in its entirety, though I will note that it has more exploitable weaknesses than its Canon counterpart.

Finally, I further expanded on the addendum under Special Features, making it abundantly clear that implanting it in the unknowing is, well, "virtually impossible". Since there are a gazillion ways of killing people in your custody, none of which bypass the "no calling hits" rule, I hope that's sufficient?​

 

[Felix Aquila]

Alright, I'm going to approve this,

However it is my personal view this app has the potential to be extremely abused. Some examples may include, legions of droids / clones with the A type built into them in invasions etc each with enough juice to blow up a hangar. Finding ways to circumvent forcing either the A or D types onto PCs etc. This is going to get pulled.

APPROVED