defy the tyrannous stars
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To submit a fun spycraft gadget based on a popular trope to provide an alternative to the usual holographic shenanigans.
- Image Source: Mission Impossible
- Canon Link: /
- Primary Source: /
- Manufacturer: Strategic Solutions
- Affiliation: New Republic, Closed-Market
- Model: Masque Facemold Gel
- Modularity: Yes; fully re-processable synthetic tissue can be reused for several dozen different impersonations before the core compounds begin to deteriorate.
Production: Limited
- Material: 3D Printed Synthetic Tissue Compound
- Mold Printer: Roughly suitcase sized, the gel is useless without an accompanying three dimensional printer capable of interpreting sensor readings obtained of whatever target a Masque is supposed to duplicate the appearance of. This process is not instant, taking several minutes to fully render a mold into the gel at a sufficiently detailed quality.
- Electronic Vocoder: If audio data on a target's voice patterns is uploaded to the mold printer along with their physical details, the Masque kit is capable of simulating this tonal modulation in an agent via a discrete flesh-toned electronic vocoder which adheres to the impersonator's throat.
- Sensor Spoofing Formula: Masque gel registers on sensors as organic tissue, tailor fit to the DNA profile of whatever species it is programmed to replicate. As far as electronic surveillance is concerned it is simply an extra layer of skin virtually indistinguishable from the real thing, only a close physical examination reveals the subtle flaws in replication.
- Enhanced Cover: A Masque equipped agent is capable of impersonating a wide range of potential subjects, even across different species so long as they maintain the same basic physiological build. A vastly less expensive and short term alternative to surgical sculpting, the Masque project is perfect for quickly earning trust or evacuating agents with blown covers.
- Low Tech: Brilliant in its simplicity, while the rest of the market is flooded with extraordinarily advanced holographic suites or light manipulation technology, the components which make up a Masque kit are mundane in comparison. The key ingredient is its synthetic tissue gel mold which registers as the real thing on everything but the most sophisticated and direct sensor sweeps.
- Target Acquisition: In order to realistically replicate another living being, it is necessary to somehow obtain high resolution full spectrum imaging of their physical appearance from every angle. It would not be possible to replicate the appearance of someone like Kaine Zambrano from basic holoreel footage for example. This is difficult to manage without alerting a subject, it is often standard practice to abduct and detain targets before impersonation.
- Physically Malleable: Masque gel would not stand up to the strain of something like getting punched in the face or crashing into something. Physical confrontation is liable to compromise an agent's cover in a high profile way, it is strongly recommended agents avoid revealing the existence of the project in this manner.
- Inclement Conditions: Likewise hazardous weather conditions or other environmental factors such as intense heat, extreme cold, or strong winds risks compromising the integrity of the gel disguise. Facemolds are ideally worn in as controlled an environment as possible, they aren't meant for prolonged use in unpredictable surroundings.
One of the first research and development projects completed for Strategic Solution's new partners in the New Republic, Project MASQUE was born out of a need to start managing the company's resources now that they were no longer beholden to an interstellar superpower like the Galactic Alliance. Deceptively simplistic, this proprietary facemold gel technology is a low tech alternative to expensive personal holographic disguise suites.
Although not as finely detailed as some of the higher end holographic options on the market, Masque gel benefits from its negligible surveillance imprint and can even withstand the scrutiny of light physical contact. A fully equipped kit allows agents to maintain a wide variety of covers, and manipulate their appearance in order to evade discovery or gain trust.
