Technology (Telkevan Union)

Overview

In the early years of the union, the Telkevon relied heavily on superior technology in order to overcome their oftentimes numerically superior enemies. While the union has grown substantially since then, sophisticated technology is still viewed as a key asset in maintaining the nation's strength. The Telkevon will seldom hesitate to reverse-engineer alien technology and integrate it into their own if they find a use for it. With the induction of the client states, trade with their neighbors, and conflict with the Peacekeepers, the development of new technology has accelerated to unprecedented levels.

Subspace engines and jump drives are the primary forms of faster-than-light space travel, with each serving different roles. Jump drives are commonplace on civilian and commercial ships such as transports and freighters that have little need for maneuvering and which need to move from one location to the next, often using the downtime during loading and offloading to recharge their engines. Military ships use subspace drives which, while somewhat slower, recharge much faster, allowing them to make accurate, simultaneous jumps, giving them a great deal of mobility on the battlefield. Research into the Void has seen the recent development of the empire's first Void-capable drive, which was used for the first time during Operation Dawnhammer to navigate Void hyperlanes.

Millennia of subterranean living have seen the Telkevon become masters of underground construction. Facilities and settlements are often located beneath mountains, plateaus and other tall natural formations, though if none are available, they can be readily built elsewhere. Entrances come in the form of large lifts that can sometimes double as a space elevator. Cities are comprised of numerous interconnected domes or caverns that can be dozens of stories tall, allowing for the use of some aircraft, and stretch for hundreds or thousands of kilometers, allowing them to house millions of residents. The 'walls' of the city are extensively reinforced and shielded to prevent cave-ins while the roof provides an artificial day and night cycle. Roads are commonplace, but are chiefly used by the military and by commercial interest, with most civilians using the rails, bicycles, or simply walking. Alien tourists can have a difficult time navigating underground cities as they are designed with a deliberately confusing and maze-like layout designed to disorient potential invaders. Waste disposal, food production, generators, and other facilities are generally relegated to their own sectors away from the inhabited areas. Trash, waste, and other materials are cleansed and recycled before being put back into the system to be reused, leaving very little if any waste.

Likewise, the Telkevon are experts at subterranean warfare. Dedicated tunneling tanks can place explosives beneath enemy positions or bypass them entirely to deploy troops directly at a target.

The AFTU's arsenal contains both projectile and energy-based weapons alongside various specialized biochemical weapons. Melee weapons such as saw blades, hammers, and spears are also used, but are not standard-issue, instead being granted to particular units for use in specific circumstances such as boarding operations and urban combat. The Great War has also seen the introduction of Marganite-based weapons such as the RS-18, a superweapon designed to produce explosive crystal growth over a wide area. A number of ancient weapons, such as hard light firearms, have been salvaged, but remain poorly understood and can only be replicated in small numbers and at an incredibly high cost.

All infantry are equipped with one of many variations of XBA armor, an exoskeletal suit of powered armor that can be adapted for use in any environment. The suit protects the user with a shield and multiple layers of armor while also enhancing their strength and speed with artificial muscles and internal hydraulics. Because of this, military firearms are built with the suit in mind, allowing for weapons to be stronger without having to be concerned about weight or recoil.

Energy shields are standard-issue for all military and police forces and are used on infantry, vehicles, structures, and starships. Facilities and large urban settlements are also equipped with shields to defend against orbital and artillery bombardment. In 3396AF, they began developing a planetary shield capable of protecting an entire planet against an invading force. The first of these was completed at Alrukai in 3457AF; a smaller version of the shield was constructed upon Alrukai's moon and Valakar Station. Some of the equipment used to produce planetary shields would later be used to produce wireless shield boosters for starships. All shields are either of the standard or directional format, and several specialized types, such as kinetic and thermal shields, are used depending on the circumstance.

Modern medicine is capable of preventing and curing the vast majority of diseases and rebuilding bodies to the point that even those who have suffered grievous injuries in battle can return to normal, at least on a physical level. Machines injected into the bloodstream that are designed to eliminate harmful bacteria and viruses are legally required for all citizens alongside vaccines relevant to their system and locations they plan on visiting. Genetic engineering has effectively eliminated genetic conditions but are strictly regulated to prevent discrimination based on factors such as height or the color of one's scales. Body parts and organs are grown in sanitary labs and are frequently used to replace lost limbs and destroyed organs, though some prefer to use cybernetics because they are seen as a badge of honor and the fact that they are generally superior to their organic counterparts. Some are outright opposed to the use of lab-grown limbs, considering them to be unclean. Every body part with the exception of the brain has a fully mechanical counterpart and can receive upgrades to enhance or grant new abilities. The military has used both cybernetics and genetic engineering for combat, with the greatest example being the Selshazak supersoldier program.

Robots can be found throughout society performing countless tasks such as city maintenance, surgery, accounting, and production. In the military, they can act as mobile weapons platforms, bombs, spies, explosive ordinance disposal, and much more. Some military and civilian robots are remote-controlled, but the majority of modern machines are controlled by an artificial intelligence. A.Is are by and large created to perform specific duties and are not capable of either independent thought nor learning or adaptation; an accounting A.I will be incapable of learning how to maintain a city, for example. Sapient A.Is with built-in loyalty and religious beliefs do exist, but are few in number and are exclusive to the government and military.

Robots & Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence

Name	Intelligence Grade	Description
Silua-type Assistant	Basic	The Silua can be programmed to perform a wide variety of tasks. They are best known for being integrated into vehicles and armor suits, where they assist the user(s) by monitoring their equipment and vitals. They are highly specialized and are incapable of learning anything beyond what they are programmed to do.
Vyolgir-type Mainframe Core	Command	Vyolgir are used to oversee cities, installations, and starships. They perform this duty with the help of numerous Silua A.I that oversee specific functions and report to the Vyolgir. If the core detects that a Silua has been compromised, the lesser A.I is deactivated to prevent damage to the rest of the network as the Vyolgir works to resolve the issue.
Yolkavach-type Trooper	Basic	The Yolkavach is a modular Silua built exclusively for the battlefield. In its simplest format, the Yolkavach is capable of little more than walking in a straight line and firing a weapon, but with the right software upgrade, it can operate vehicles and perform complex battlefield tactics.
Selshezak-type Commander	Command	Selshezak monitor battlefield conditions and act as advisors to officers. Like Silua, multiple Selshezak can work in conjunction with the aid of a Vyolgir. Selshezak are under no circumstances capable nor permitted to issue direct orders to organic troops. However, with the growing use of combat robots, an increasing number of Selshezak have been modified to act as officers within the machine army's ranks; to perform this task, they are wirelessly connected to Yolkavach, forming a 'hive mind' that shares information and coordinates strategy.
Telkevon-type Iron Soul	Sapient	The Telkevon-type is the first and so far only artificial intelligence construct that is truly sapient, with each model possessing its own unique personality and capacity for learning limited only by its vast memory storage. A guarded secret, the few that exist work from the shadows as advisors to high ranking military political figures and increasingly as commanders in the empire's machine army. Telkevon are programmed with an unflinching devotion to the empire and to the gods, which has led some to ponder whether they can be considered truly sapient. Regardless, the machines are treated with the same respect that any organic Repzork of good standing would.

Weaponry

Projectile Weapons

See also: Ballistic Firearm, Needle Gun, Railgun

Name	Description
Armor-Piercing Round	Standard bullet for all ballistic firearms due to prevalence of powered armor. Most other rounds are derived from this design in some way or another.
Depleted-Uranium Round	Depleted uranium rounds offer greater armor penetration than standard AP rounds. They are standard in space as the radiation they give off poses no risk to the environment or its users.
Tracer Round	Despite advances in targeting software and the development of virtual heads-up-displays, tracers are still used as a final means of ensuring that a weapon is hitting its target.
Incendiary Round	Incendiary rounds are filled with compounds that ignite materials, damage electronics, and severely burn flesh.
Explosive Round	Rounds fitted with a small explosive device designed to help break through tough armor and shatter bones and organs.
Acidic Round	Specialized rounds loaded with corrosive acid that devours armor and flesh, causing debilitating pain that can render a soldier incapable of fighting.
Pathogen Round	Rounds loaded with various infections diseases. Common among snipers and marksmen during drawn-out campaigns such as sieges.
Electroshock Round	A somewhat less lethal alternative to other rounds, electroshock rounds are fitted with a small device that electrocutes the target and/or their armor with the intention of immobilizing them.
Crystal Round	The bullet is replaced by a Marganite substitute. Issued only to specially trained infantry due to their toxic properties and the possibility of unintended infestation.
Seeker Round	Used only in sniper rifles, seeker rounds lock unto targets and are capable of steering themselves to ensure an accurate hit, though the extent to which they can steer themselves is limited by their slow adjustment speed.
Micro-Missile	Micro-missiles function similarly to explosive rounds but are more powerful and are capable of locking unto targets. There are few firearms that use micro-missiles, with most users firing them from a weapon attachment.
Armor-Piercing Slug	Standard shotgun ammunition. Slugs also come in incendiary, explosive, acidic, pathogenic, electroshock, crystalline, and micro-missile varieties, with missiles operating similarly to a MIRV.
Marganite Flechette	Standard ammunition for modern needle guns due to their toxic properties and effectiveness against armor.
Armor-Piercing Kinetic Energy Projectile (APKEP)	Commonplace in vehicles and railguns, armor-piercing kinetic energy projectiles, or APKEP, use kinetic energy instead of explosive force to penetrate armor. The projectile tends to shatter upon piercing armor plating, producing shrapnel which can lacerate the crew.

Energy Weapons

See also: Energy Weapon

Name	Description
Plasma	Plasma weapons can come in bolt and beam variants and are utilized by infantry and vehicles generally for short to medium range combat, though specialized plasma warheads have been developed for long-range weapons. Plasma is renown for its extreme effectiveness against armor and the debilitating damage they cause against flesh, similarly to acid. Plasma bolts are colored red for identification.
Lasers	Laser weapons can come in bolt and beam variants and are frequently used by vehicles as point-defense weapons against strikecraft and projectiles. Anti-tank laser cannons are available to vehicles and infantry, but while effective against armor, their complete lack of kinetic force renders them ineffective against some forms of shielding. Lasers are also susceptible to thermal blooming in certain environments. These factors have led to most determining lasers unfit as standard infantry weapons. Lasers are colored red for identification.
Particles	Particle beam weapons are utilized by both infantry and vehicles for all combat ranges. Though they lack the sheer destructive power of plasma or the accuracy of lasers, they do not suffer from thermal bloom and have a longer range than most plasma weapons, making them a popular jack-of-all trades option. Particle weapons produce a violet-white projectile.
Electricity	Electricity weapons saw little use until designers began studying technology that had been left behind by the Margan Orion Dynasty. Since these studies began, a plethora of new electric weapons have been developed. While effective against armor and capable of striking multiple targets at once, electricity weapons are used primarily for their ability to swiftly overload shields.
Sonic	Sound weapons see very limited use in the military as crowd-control devices during occupations and as torture devices. Attempts to turn sonic devices into battlefield weapons have been met with mixed results at best due to the existence of audio dampers.
Hard Light	The Repzork have amassed a small but noteworthy arsenal of hard-light weapons from various relic sites over the millennia. Though engineers are capable of replicating a few of them, to do so is extremely expensive, and researchers remain uncertain on how the weapons function. Hard light weapons are issued exclusively to elite infantry. Existing models produce yellow, orange, or in one instance, violet projectiles.
Antimatter	Weaponized antimatter is used exclusively in explosives and is generally reserved for starships due to its intense volatility.

Explosives

Name	Description
Standard Explosives	Standard explosives are those that have been in use in some form or another for thousands of years. Standard explosives are used by infantry, vehicles, and starships.
Thermobaric Explosives	Thermobaric explosives use atmospheric oxygen to amplify their explosive power and temperature. Due to the need for oxygen, thermobaric explosives are somewhat limited in their usefulness compared to other warheads. They are used by infantry and vehicles.
Incendiary Explosives	Incendiary explosives release a napalm-like substance that burns targets upon contact. They are used by infantry and vehicles.
Plasma Explosives	Plasma explosives produce a burst of plasma upon detonation. They are used by infantry, vehicles, and naval vessels.
Acid Explosives	Acidic explosives release a torrent of acid upon detonation. They are most frequently used against infantry, Biomatter, and vehicles with exceptionally durable armoring. Acidic explosives are utilized by infantry and vehicles.
Bio/chemical Explosives	Bio/chemical explosives release biological and chemical agents into the air. They are deployed by infantry and vehicles during prolonged sieges.
Shock Explosives	Lightning explosives are potent electrical weapons that release bolts of electricity with the intent of eliminating infantry, light vehicles, and shielding. They are used by infantry, vehicles, and starships.
Electromagnetic Explosives	Electromagnetic explosives are designed to disrupt or outright disable equipment so that it can be captured for study or repurposing. Unlike shock explosives, they cannot kill infantry on their own.
Nuclear Explosives	Standard nuclear explosives range in payload from 1 to 500,000 megatons. They are used by vehicles and starships.
Marganite Explosives	Marganite explosives can be made to fit practically any role and as a result exist in numerous configurations. They are used by infantry, vehicles, and starships.

Name	Description
General-Purpose Warhead (GPW)	As their name implies, general-purpose warheads are designed to be used against infantry, vehicles, and buildings, but are not as effective as specialty weapons. General-purpose warheads are used by infantry, vehicles, and naval vessels.
High Explosive Anti-Personnel Warhead (HEAP)	High Explosive Anti-Personnel warheads produce a powerful explosion that propels projectiles in all directions. They can be primed to detonate upon contact or mid-air to affect a greater area. HEAP warheads are utilized by infantry and vehicles.
High Explosive Anti-Tank Warhead (HEAT)	High Explosive Anti-Tank warheads used a shaped projectile to pierce plating and deliver a molten payload into vehicles, severely wounding or outright killing the crew. They are used by infantry, terrestrial vehicles, and naval vessels.
Thermobaric Warhead	Used only in oxygen-rich environments.
Incendiary Warhead	Incendiary warheads are most often used as an anti-infantry weapon and for deforesting.
Plasma Warhead	Many plasma warheads behave similarly to standard HEAT rounds, though conventional explosive shells are also commonplace.
Acidic Warhead	Primarily used either as a terror weapon or for when plasma munitions are unavailable.
Bio/Chemical Warhead	Bio/chem warheads embed themselves into the ground and release pathogens and poisonous gasses into the air.
Shock Warhead	Shock warheads embed themselves into the ground and release electrical bursts towards any nearby targets.
Electromagnetic Warhead	Whereas smaller electromagnetic weapons are designed for disabling vehicles and infantry, electromagnetic warheads detonate deep in hostile air space to disrupt wireless communication and sensors.
Nuclear Warhead	Low-grade tactical warheads are more commonplace in terrestrial operations while more powerful missiles are used in space.
Radiation Warhead	Known informally as rad-bombs, radiation warheads are non-nuclear devices which produce a fatal amount of radiation over a large area. They are most often used to exterminate organic matter while causing as little damage to structures as possible.
Antimatter Warhead	Antimatter warheads can be magnitudes more destructive than standard nuclear warheads, sometimes leaving nothing behind of the target. Recent developments in antimatter technology has seen the development of kinetic energy projectiles with an antimatter core that detonates shortly after penetration. Such weapons are used in high-powered railcannons.

Defensive Technology

Infantry Armor

Armors can be broadly divided into three categories: protection, mobility, and utility. Designers will try to either balance between two or three of the categories or will focus primarily on one.

• Armors which focus on protection emphasize armor and shielding in exchange for reduced mobility. These suits generally cover more of the body and feature stronger but heavier plates. These armors may also augment the user's strength. Protective armors may also feature less ports for auxiliary components, as the ports themselves are less durable than the armor surrounding it. Protection armor is most commonly used by a nation's front line fighting forces.

• Mobility armors are the opposite of protection armors, eschewing protection for the sake of speed, flexibility, and sometimes, stealth. Mobility-focused armors boast a great deal of variety; some armors still over most of the body, albeit in lighter and smaller plates, while more extreme cases cover only the vital areas or are stripped down to their absolute bare essentials, going as far as to lack certain components that may be common in other armors as well as any auxiliary ports.

• The rarest of the three, utility armors are designed for specialized roles and/or providing support to their allies. Such armors are either purpose-built for their role or feature many auxiliary ports for mission-by-mission customization. Utility armors can perform small-scale construction, produce mobile bubble shields, possess remote-controlled drones, and much more. But while utility armors can be very useful, they can carry the downsides of both protection and mobility armors, as the ports and components reduce the armor's durability and can sometimes weigh the user down. They are also a prime target for enemy forces, often necessitating that they be protected by their allies.