The Equalizer
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
| |
| "Let's even the playing field, shall we?" | |
| The | |
| Equalizer | |
| Threat Level 50 (Elec/Thermal Corruptor) | |
| Player: @Evan_Durant | |
| Activity Level: Moderate | |
| Real Name: | Confidential |
|---|---|
| a/k/a: | None |
| Biographical Data | |
| Birthdate: | July 4th |
| Birthplace: | Bristol, U.K. |
| Nationality: | British |
| Residence: | St. Martial, The Rogue Isles |
| Occupation: | Scientist, Weapons Developer CEO of Ambrose Arms, L.L.C. |
| Marital Status: | Never Married |
| Legal Status: | CEO of Ambrose Arms, L.L.C. |
| Relatives & Associates | |
| None (that can be traced) | |
| Physical Identifiers | |
| Species: | Human |
| Sub-Type: | Unknown |
| Gender: | Male |
| Apparent Age: | Early to mid 50's |
| Height: | 6' |
| Weight: | 185 lbs |
| Build: | Average |
| Complexion: | Caucasian, usually tan |
| Eye Color: | Grey |
| Hair Color: | Salt & Pepper |
| Distinguishing Features | |
| Missing right eye, almost always covered by a (seemingly) conventional eyepatch. | |
| Known Powers | |
| Without suit, [With suit on]. None, normal human being with a higher than average intellect and IQ. [Electrical manipulation and blasts. Plasma manipulation.] | |
| Skills & Abilities | |
| Innate knowledge of meta-human physiology and physics of their powers. [Strong plasmatic discharges, coupled with electrical induction, results in high energy, high heat output with the option of changing rate of inducement to gain the effect that is similar to a Malta Sapper attack. | |
| Equipment | |
| Whatever he has in his pockets, various lab equipment necessary to build various weapon systems and platforms; located at Ambrose Arms L.L.C. [Equalizer Mark I through IV battle suits, each with varying abilities. Currently uses the Mark III] | |
In a world that is quickly becoming dominated by meta-humans, there are still your every day Joes trying to ensure not only their race survives, but their race can be viewed as equals among meta-humans. Enter one Charles Victor Ambrose former Malta Operative, scientist, and CEO of a up and coming weapons developer: AmbroseArms, L.L.C.
Biography
Born in Bristol, UK in 1954, Charles knew little of the ongoing meta-human "condition" of the world. It would only be close to 40 years later during the Rikti invasion that really opened Charles' eyes to just how many meta-humans there were around the world...and what they were capable of. Graduating from MIT in 1978, Charles went on to experiment with various applications of robotics; how they could aide and advance humanity. His lust for knowledge soon found him studying other subjects as his research in robotics broadened; electricity, physics, quantum theory, and later- Meta-human physics.
The new close focus study at a government sponsored war college aimed to pick apart meta-human capabilities; how they worked exactly, and how one could replicate or stop them. Charles had been helping the U.S. government for a good period of time now, researching and developing robotics at first to help the military protect it's people and make their job's easier...later it would become tools of war. Charles was brought in with the hopes that armed with the knowledge of how "metas" worked, he would be able to create robots that could wield the same power. If that were impossible, the next best solution would be a weapon to destroy them. The group finished it's brainstorming and theorycrafting after eight years of painstaking research, clandestine operations involving kidnapping and autopsy of meta-humans, and "real time" experimentation to live experiments that, if discovered, would surely leave a stain on United State's fairly clean record for violating several human rights laws.
Of course, if it came to that, the study group would simply fall back on "Human rights don't apply to meta-humans, since they are not actually human."
After the group had completed it's study, many of the member's went their own way to share their new discoveries with various other government agencies, officials, and allied countries, as needed. A small number of participants, Charles included, were asked to come work for a newly created black ops agency tasked with the "control and deterrence of meta-human activity". The agency, and it's governing bodies, felt that leaving meta-humans in charge of taking care of meta-human threats just wasn't good enough; there had to be a check in place in case any groups like the Phalanx or Freedom Corps were undermined, infiltrated, or worse, went rogue. They needed minds like Charles' to equip and arm the agency to deal with these meta-human threats and "doomsday scenarios". Upon acceptance, Charles and the other men and women who decided to come along were taken away to Malta Island to begin their work.
The group was first tasked with creating a system of weapons to deal with meta-human threats. The focus group concurred that there were several ways of dealing and eliminating a meta-human, depending on that particular meta-human's powers and capabilities. As the study progressed, it was discovered that while there were many different kinds of powers and abilities meta-humans had at their disposal, these powers could be classified into one of several different root abilities. The meta-humans, too, depending on their abilities and level of compentancy with those abilities, could also be classified into different "archetypes". The main goal of Charles' group was to develop a weapon that would work against all archetypes and all powers; this would alleviate the need for a squad to carry a large and varied set of weapons and equipment in the field, not knowing what exactly they would need. The answer lied in just how meta-humans worked; where they drew their powers from. The group concluded that no matter where a meta-human claimed they got their powers from (magic, mutation, science, etc.), they all drew upon an inner "source" of power. All humans, it was discovered, had this inner power within them, just meta-humans had more of it and could focus it to achieve their ends. A device, then, would be created to "sap" this power from a meta-human; with no inner energy to power their powers, they would be nothing more than human.
And humans are very susceptible to bullets.
The breakthrough was achieved with the help of a meta-human with the ability to control and manipulate his own inner energy. Through various experiments with the captured subject, the group took note that when the subject extruded his own bio energy into his hands, his body seemed to "feed" it. It was like opening a gate; he allowed his inner stores to leak onto his hands, and until that gate was closed, it continued to flow thus. Like pressure, this energy seemed to seek a "low" point: the atmosphere. Further studies showed that when the subject forcefully attacked a normal human, this energy he manipulated, would violently enter the receiving subject's body; wracking him with pain and destroying tissue. Against other meta-humans, the effect was lessened; most subjects would receive symptoms of blunt force trauma at the point of impact. Though his energy laden strikes hit with far more force than an ordinary punch, the overall effect was lessened against meta-humans. Charles and the group were contempt enough to decide that bio energy, like pressure, likes to flow from a high source to a low source. The building blocks were there, but more testing had to be done before the Operatives would have their weapon.
The group had a basic idea of how their new weapon would work, but they needed bio energy to make it work. Along with that; they needed to devise a way to "sap" a meta-human to "sap" a meta-human. Turning back to their previous energy manipulating subject, the group decided to utilize a still budding scientific advance: nanomachines. The group figured that if they applied the right kind of stimuli to the subject, then the subject should "open his gates"; unwillingly utilize his powers. Nanomachines were inserted into the subject's body, and after days of laboring and trying different areas of his body with varying amounts of "stimuli", the group was finally able to get the subject to manifest his powers while comatose. This would grant them the necessary bio energy they needed to test their weapon for now, but it would be many more months, and unwilling test subjects, later until they would perfect their bio energy leeching method. The group would have to find another test subject to try their experiment again, however, as they discovered that leeching too much energy out of an subject kills them. Their device ready, their ammo stocked, it was time to test their new weapon.
Excerpt from recording found from an abandoned Malta Operative lab, circa 1990
"...is it on? Good. Right, this is Doctor Charles- oh sorry. This is Savior Smoke 6-1-6 speaking. The date is February 6th, 1989. The purpose of this experiment is to test the effectiveness of Experimental Weapon code 157 beta zulu five, or the Bio-Energy Feedback Inducer...nicknamed the "sapper" by some of our more jolly bunch here."
*sounds of laughter in the background*
"Right, subject is contained in containment cell Charlie two. Name is Roger Brandt, goes by the name "Brick" in the cape and tights circle"
*sounds of laughter in the background, followed by a heavyset voice*
"Hey, screw you "chummer, come in 'ere and say dat."'
"Lovely. Okay, Officer nine if you would kindly open the three gun ports right there...yes that's right. Good, excellent."
"Aw 'ere we go with this crap again, you boys must really get yer kicks off seein' me do this every damn day, ya know?
"Indeed, Mr. Brick. Right, gentlemen, please insert your weapons into the port. These are, uh, M-16's chambered for the 5.56 milimeter round. There will three weapons used in today's experiment, each holds 30 rounds."
I got somethin' ya can insert....right 'ere!
- sounds of disgust in the background*
"Lovely, Mr. Brick, your antics never cease to amuse me. Right, gentlemen, lock and load, if you will"
- sounds of magazines being inserted, receivers being cocked*
"Mr. Brick, if you will...unless you'd like the unfortunate to happen that is."
"Yeaaa yeaaa, ya know one of these days I just might NOT do it and let ya punks grease me, what would ya guys do then, huh?
"I'm sure we'd think of something Mr. Brick, now please...."
"Jesus, okay okay."
- sounds of rocks grating together*
"Excellent, the subject has covered his body in what appears to be....granite, yes. We're not sure how thick it is, but preliminary tests have shown that weapons of this caliber fail to penetrate his "skin"...as it were. Gentlemen, on my mark....3..2....1....fire!"
- sounds of automatic gunfire.....silence*
"Yep, that tickled...always does, we done?
"Not quite yet, Mr. Brick...just stay as you are for a few more moments. Now, Officer Five...if you would please open the fourth gun port and insert the Feedback Inducer...yes that's it."
"What the hell is THAT?
"Ah, a new "toy", Mr. Brick. No need to be alarmed, I'm sure it will "tickle" just like the all the other guns did, yes?"
"Heh, yea...probably....looks kinda weird though. Whats that blue shit?
- chuckle*
"Oh, just some thematics. Now, Officer Five...on my mark...3...2...1...fire!"
- a crackle, sounds similar to a laser being fired*
"Right and lets...ah! Excellent! The subject no longer is extruding rocky bits from his body...Mr. Brick? Mr. Brick, can you hear me?"
"Y-yea....the hell just hit me? Holy hell....I can't see straight...
"Yes, yes, Mr. Brick, if you would please put your rocky armor back on?"
"I uh....I can't....shit...I can't do it...what'd you do to me!
- sounds of something pounding on thick plastic*
"Lovely, officers, if you would please reload your weapons..."
- pounding continues, sounds of weapons being loaded*
"What did you DO to me?! WHAT.....DID...YOU.....DO...
"Loaded? Excellent, on my mark...3...2...1..."
- pounding continues*
"Nah Doc! Wait...wait!! Gimme more time I can put the rocks back! Come on, please! Gimme more time!
"Goodbye, Mr. Brick...fire!"
"NOOO-
- sounds of gunfire...a large body slumping to the ground...silence*
"Mark the time...1405 hours, subject has been terminated, this concludes today's test. Testing will continue tomorrow as soon as we find a suitable subject."
- tape ends*
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(Attributes are while wearing the Equalizer Mk. III battle suit.)
