Designed out of collaboration of Solas Tempus and 0X-07, the integrated non-composite armor is built using a combination of nanomaterials and integrated nanites. Using the Spacial Variance Reactor coupled with the Encapsulated Computer Core the armor is controlled similarly to the Class 2M. The armor is not just a layer of nanomaterials controlled by a computer, instead the computer acts as a central node for a mesh network of nanites that are entirely integrated into the armor, embedded in the nanomaterials themselves.
Neural Interface
Like the Class 2M before it, the innermost layer of the armor formed an electrochemical bond to the wearer and then adapts itself to the wearer's needs based on biofeedback it receives through this interface. The armor is designed to be intuitive and the usage of the mesh network of nanites increases the processing power of the armor by an order of magnitude.
Sensor Array
Nanites within the armor act as sensor nodes within the structure, linking via the mesh network to provide 360 degree sensor information to the wearer and the central ECC spanning the EM, Subspace, and Temporal energy bands. Sensors of the armor can be both active and passive as needed.
Protection
The dynamic an intuitive nature of the armor makes it especially adaptable to a variety of situations. While the armor does not provide as much protection as the Class 2K armor, it can provide comparable protection for a limited time to the Class 1K. Unlike it's more robust counterparts, however, the armor does have its limits when stretched to the extremes. Being an adaptive armor the strength of this particular design is in providing a smaller subset of specific protections and doing that exceedingly well. In this the armor excels, however, the array of protections in something like the Class 1K, 2K, or 1Z armor are not possible to sustain over time.
Adaptability
The armor learns and adapts from both the neural interface as well as the sensor information it receives. When it is damaged it can provide options to the wearer or attempt to adapt automatically as needed, depending on the wearers preferences. This allows the armor to be able to handle a wider array of situations. The adaptive strength of the armor lies in its dynamic ability to change itself via the nanite mesh network. The armor could provide extreme depth protection under the ocean or protect a wearer from incoming phaser fire, intense heat, explosive decompression, or a number of other situations just not all at the same time.
Environmental
Using the nanite mesh network the armor is able to alter its physical composition on the fly. This means the armor can provide cooling one moment and then provide protection from cold the next given a short amount of time to adapt. This model armor has been tested at extreme temperature pressure variations and can easily withstand the intense cold and airless environment as the vacuum of space, all the way to the extremes of 272 MPa of pressure direct contact with heat at 2497° Celsius. The weakness of this armor is the transition time from extremes, keeping the body warm at near absolute zero requires the armor to store and circulate the bodies own heat while providing pressure. If the armor was required to transition from that to high pressure, high temperature there would be a period of the time where the wearer could be vulnerable and posed to the extremes if the transition happened faster than the armor could adapt.
Kinetic
Direct kinetic strikes to the armor have their force diverted along connected fibrous materials to distribute the force along a wide area. This buffers the wearer from external strikes, the armor may take slight damage during an initial impact but can quickly adapt to strengthen a region. The adaptive network can also use sensor and neural interface data to adapt a region that the wearer expects to be impacted from or where sensors detect an imminent impact. This is similar to the protection provided in low-pressure environments, the fibers which maintain a pressure on the body are adjusted and used to divert and distribute impact force.
Energy
If incoming energy impacts the armor or is detected by the armor it will adapt the armors exterior layers to absorb as much of the EM radiation as possible. This absorption stores the incoming energy if possible to fuel or recharge the armor. This is most effective in a pure energy source such as an intense laser beam. Even if some of the armor's exterior is damaged due to the heat created by the beam, the armor attempts to absorb the energy.
Shields
Since most energy weapons are energy-plasma combination (such as Phasers, Disruptors, Plasma Beams, etc.) the armor would have difficulty protecting from both the energy impact as well as the kinetic impact. As such the armor produces a shield, the skin can produce a closely focused skin-tight shielding of lower intensity or a high intensity deflector shield bubble. Both serve different purposes, the shield bubble can effectively protect the wearer from energy-plasma weapons so long as power holds out but limits movement, as the bubble can impact nearby objects and cannot adjust easily to interacting with the surrounding world. Alternatively the near-surface shield provides moderate protection against plasma-energy weapons and is more vulnerable to sustained attack while allowing one to easily interact with the surrounding world.
Both shields are emitted from the armor using formed shield-grid patterns dynamically constructed by the nanite network. It is also possible to project a deflector bubble in fragments, such as a forward-facing shield. This can intensify the protective effects. The near-surface shield is projected dynamically to allow maximum interaction with the surrounding environment. The armor is also able to calculate ways to adapt the shielding to become more effective against different energy types, though it can take multiple successive strikes to have a noticeable effect.
Helmet, HUD, and Sensors
A fully deployed armor set covers the entire body from head-to-toe. The full helmet feeds information to the wearer using a HUD display which routes sensor information to the wearer using a focused display which is designed to provide the most needed or useful information at any given time. The HUG preferences are adjustable by the wearer.
Partial Deployment
It is possible for the armor to be only partially deployed from covering just the central core body all the way to its fully deployed armor state. Since some versions of the armor are used in conjunction with the Solas Tempus Communicator the armor would have to deploy along the surface from its storage device to the main body to maintain the connection to the ECC.
Flight Capabilities
Shields can be exchanged for anti-gravity flight capabilities. It is important to note that this will effectively remove the projected shield protection to sustain proper flight. In low-gravity environment (such as space or movement on a small-mass body such as a moon or asteroid) it is possible to balance these two aspects better, the system works up to approximately 4 G's ambient gravitational pull from a stellar body on its surface without the need for additional power.
Under a normal Class M planetary environment the armor can maintain an acceleration of about 92.7 km/h per second. The armor reaches top speed of Mach 2.1 in about 30 seconds. In a zero or near-zero gravity environment the armor can sustain its acceleration power so long as the armor maintains power for the anti-gravity field.
Sumergrged Propulsion
Using the same principles the armor can adjust the anti-gravitational envelope to produce a propulsive water flow around the armor. This allows an acceleration in a Class-M underwater environment of about 2 knots per second maxing out at approximately 47 knots after about 27 seconds.
Energy Projection
If the armor absorbs enough energy it can project that energy back out at close range or if direct to can form a kind of directed particle energy emitter similar to a phaser or disruptor which can discharge the excess energy held within the armor structure. This can be important as it is possible to overload the armor which could cause damage to the nanomaterials themselves if they take in too much energy without being able to release it. For the ease of the wearer, usually these emitters form in the hands or forearms, though this is not required.
Stealth
Due to the energy absorbing nature of the armor it is possible to configure the surface in such a way as to maximize the energy absorbency of the skin. This configuration allows the wearer to potentially increase their ability to hide or go unnoticed on sensors, especially when coupled with a scattering field or other tools.
Shapeshifting
Since the nanomaterials are dynamic in nature the armor is capable of shifting its shape, density, and structure according to the patterns indicated by the ECC. Thus, the ECC is programmed with a variety of armor configurations. Shapeshifting is an energy intensive process, and should be used with prudence. It can reform itself to compensate for current conditions and appearances of equal mass. This gives the armor the ability to have an innate chameleon ability, changing its color and texture to provide higher concealment or even mimic the look of other armor.
This also allows simple weapons and physical shields can be produced by the armor itself as a function of the nanomaterials. The armor has enough nanomaterials in a standard deployment for the full suit of armor and equivalent mass of up to 3 katana style swords. It need not produce these weapons, but it can. The same amount of material can be used to provide other shapes as well, such as a shield and a sword, a single large shield, or even smaller bladed / blunt force weapons.
Of course the shape, size, and particulars of a construct of the armor can vary, but the following are examples of shields and martial weapons which the armor is capable of creating.
Clothing & Tools
The armor is designed as a rapid deployment technology, this means it must deal with the inevitable fact that the wearer will ultimately be clothed when it deploys. The nanomaterials will absorb and reform the clothes of the wearer into the armor itself upon deployment and push the tools, weapons, and other gear from the body out to the surface of the armor, forming a utility belt and whatever other harnessing is needed for the gear to make it easily accessible. A wearer has the capability to customize this deployment in a way that works best for them. Jewelry items such as pendants, rings, and other often precious items are automatically left alone by the armor to avoid the potential destruction of items the wearer finds valuable. In addition the wearer can specify how to deal with certain articles of clothing during deployment.
Clothes and other items are returned to their original state when the armor is recovered.
Matter Absorption
This armor is capable of absorbing simple matter for the nanites to consume and convert into nanomaterials for self repair. The process is power-intensive and requires significant time. However, given enough raw material, time, and power the armor can repair itself indefinitely.
Interfacing with Artifacts
Due to the special nature of Unexplained Artifacts when the armor is deployed in direct contact with an artifact, that artifact has a fundamental effect on shaping the nature of the armors abilities. At times, it augments the abilities of the armor but at other times, the interaction can cause instability or adverse side effects.
| Artifact | Primary Effect | Secondary Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Solar Crystal | Energy Expulsion | Instability of the armor during prolonged expulsion. |
| Aurora Crystal | Intangibility & Invisibility | Difficulty returning to a normal state due to feelings of euphoria under prolonged usage. |
| Videns Autem Magia | Sensing of Magical or Psionic Energies | Reality can feel muted after prolonged usage. |
| Guardian Stone | Amplified Psionic Ability | Psionic abilities difficult to control when enhanced without training. |
| Shard of the Phoenix | Regeneration | Regeneration tends to be painful. |
| The Banshou | Life Steal | Fosters a lack of empathy for the pain of others that can last beyond usage of the armor or ability. |
| Aqua Opal Crystal | Resistance to Magic & Psionics | The inability to only filter negative psionic or magical effects. |