Hood, Texas was a major military installation, the largest
domestic army base pre-Rifts in fact. In addition to active combat ready army personnel (an entire armored division), the base was home to a combat helicopter training brigade, a division of the Northern Eagle Military Alliance (NEMA) and an Air Force detachment (both combat jets and transports). The Advanced Soldier Development Services (ASDS) was also headquartered at Ft. Hood Texas. The ASDS was tasked to develop technologies that allowed development of enhanced soldiers. They did this using a variety of technologies, including the technologies behind Cyborgs, Juicers, and M.O.M augmentation; as well as, methods to enable non-enhanced soldiers to successfully compete with their augmented counterparts on the battlefield, including environmental armors, power armor, and advanced weapon systems. To this end in addition to the normal amenities of an army base several (relatively) small underground factories were located on post for the production of prototype equipment and materials. Coupled with an experimental force field dome powered by a new type of high efficiency fusion reactor that also served to provide electricity for the entire base, these assets made Ft. Hood perhaps the single greatest stronghold of the United States, even though the majority of the base was considered open. The force field was and is a marvel of advanced technology. With literally tens of thousands of M.D.C., (50,000 and recovering 10,000 per hour) this force field was capable of protecting the base from direct nuclear strike. Unbeknownst at the time of its creation the technology taps into dimensional energies to create this protective screen. The force field dome was in fact a sphere with the lower portion, which lies within the ground, shifted out of phase with the matter in existence in the area at the moment of its activation. During the Great Cataclysm, interactions with the erupting Ley Lines resulted in nearly all of Ft. Hood being transported through space and time to another dimension, leaving behind only an enormous crater, one that was mistaken by virtually everyone as the impact/explosion crater from multiple direct nuclear strikes. In reality the base was transported through space and time more than 100 years forward to the world inhabited by a strange race of beings known as the Naaga. While the Naaga were a peaceful race, they were not the sole occupants of this world. Several native species were violent predators; additionally a tribe of technologically equipped Brodkil also had a presence on the planet, which they used as a hunting/ training ground to toughen younger members. Arrival on this seemingly hostile world was initially an enormous shock but the military personnel quickly made the choice to adapt rather than give up. The bases resources were fully converted to survival. Some existing maintenance facilities were converted to additional factories to increase production of the equipment and weapons designed by ASDS. Nearly all of the soldiers underwent some version of augmentation/ enhancement. The members various branches of service recognized the need for a unified chain-of-command so rather than continuing as separate entities they were reorganized as an essentially cohesive force. Fearing they were stranded for all eternity and beset by alien aggressors it was decided to rename the base Fort Liberty in effort to boost morale and cohesiveness. The newly unified military force was then named the Fort Liberty Defense Force (FLDF). The researchers of ASDS, which was renamed the Advanced Sciences Development Service, focused on continuing their studies and improving the bases ability to survive. Existing equipment and weapons were improved, and new technologies were developed, some from following lines of research that were previously considered too radical to be realistic. As they battled with the Brodkil the humans captured many advanced technologies that were centuries in advance of their own. This Brodkil tribe was using a combination of purchased, captured, and stolen technologically advanced equipment, including vehicles and weapons from an enormous spacecraft that had crashed on the planet sometime in the past. The researchers disassembled, analyzed, and learned to duplicate much of this technology adapting it to their own uses. Eventually, Ft. Liberty succeeded in defeating the Brodkil dwelling upon the world. They even succeeded in capturing the spacecraft that was the source of much of the Brodkils advanced weaponry and equipment, though not before some of the Brodkil escaped utilizing functional spacecraft (non-FTL assault shuttles) contained within the wreckage. After taking over the spacecraft it was discovered that it was built by a human-like race, originating from a galaxy other than the Milky Way, a galaxy they were currently residing within! The Ft. Liberty forces were determined not to allow this opportunity to go to waste. Utilizing every resource at their disposal, both from their base and the newly conquered ship, they began the enormous undertaking of not only emptying but also dismantling the vessel and hauling its components back to the base. In addition to the weaponry and materials contained in the ship, they found that it contained full factory facilities for the manufacturing of vehicles, weapons, armor, and other equipment. Ft. Libertys scientists and engineers were able to rebuild these facilities back at their base and adapt them to build their own designs. This dismantling, analysis, and adaptation took nearly 25 years. They then had the resources to nearly completely overhaul the base advancing their sciences by leaps and bounds. This was only made possible due to an accident involving perhaps their single greatest researcher Nathan Rothschild. This accident saw Nathans mind literally transferred to the computer. The end result was that Nathan became the computer core with full access to all of the ships undamaged files, including most of the builders scientific knowledge and the ability to interface and remotely control all the intact systems including fighter craft, shuttles, and the automated factories. Tapping into the computer systems Nathan discovered the craft had crashed nearly 65,000 years before their own arrival. The original crew was wiped out during some form of interstellar cataclysm that resulted in disabling nearly all of the ships active systems while it was in the midst of faster-than-light travel. Ft. Liberty spent another 5 years in rebuilding nearly every aspect of the base incorporating much of the alien technology, and researching new technologies. Which was fortunate for them, for the Brodkil that had fled were returning with reinforcements. However, unbeknownst to the Brodkil, their fleet was followed by another superior hostile force, the Mechanoids! Now the siege of Fort Liberty became even more intense. Luckily, the Mechanoid force was relatively small and with all the advances made at Fort Liberty the humans and their Naaga allies were able to successfully defend their holdings, and in the process new technologies were scavenged from the Mechanoid invaders. This situation of defending against attacks, while studying and adapting these alien technologies continued for nearly five years, and then the defenders detected the arrival of Mechanoid reinforcements in vast numbers. Fearing that they would finally be overrun if they didnt vastly improve their defensive systems, the researchers initiated the connection of the bases defensive force field to a field generator salvaged from the spaceship wreckage, unfortunately for them the records regarding this particular device were amongst those damage long ago.. Unknown to everyone it was the bases experimental defensive force field that was responsible for the dimensional anomaly that brought them to this world, and the new generator system was part of an experimental spacefold FTL drive. When the hybrid system was brought online this process again triggered a dimensional rift. Suddenly, the Mechanoid threat was gone as the base was transposed back to Earth! They have been back on (Rifts) Earth for about 20 years. During this time they have been covertly learning all they can about the world. This has involved undercover agents traveling throughout much of the world. They have sent agents to most major nations within North, Central, and South America; they have even managed to send agents to Africa, Australia, China, Europe, Japan, and Russia. Perhaps most importantly, they have begun tentative talks with the New Navy. Since both forces are descendent of the United States armed forces they have much in common and the hopes for an alliance on this front are promising. These agents have reported a world gone mad. News of the changes facing the returned Americans has led them to institute a policy of continued quiet covert exploration. Most troubling to the leaders of Fort Liberty is the reports they have received regarding the Coalition States. They can clearly see the extent to which the CS is based upon Nazi Germany of the early 20 th century. While they know they are not in a position to directly oppose the CS at this time, (they simply do not have the population) they are unwilling to submit to the idea of such a regime as the inheritors of the USA. Fort Libertys technologies are years in advance of those of the CS. Should they build a strong enough population base and secure alliances; they could theoretically stand independent even in the face of this seeming juggernaut, something the men and women of Fort Liberty are preparing for with unequaled determination. Luckily, the ASDS scientists have not been idle. They have finally begun to actually understand the true nature of their defensive force field and been able to adjust it in such a way as to provide an even greater defense. They have also learned how to adjust the fields shape such that it is no longer a full sphere, but rather a cylinder that extends upwards only 50 yards beyond the top of the tallest building. As one approaches the Fort Liberty force field from distances greater than 100 yards, the crater that had been there since the time of the cataclysm is observed. As the being approaches within 100 yards a very faint ghostly image of the base begins to take shape, seeming to gradually gain in solidity the closer one gets. Until at the very edge of the force field (within approximately 10 yards) where the image appears fully solid but somehow blurred, as if observed through a pane of glass smeared with a thin layer of petroleum jelly. Attempting to cross this barrier (the force field) has one suddenly teleported to the opposite side of the base. Additionally, the force field causes dosimeters to register increasing amounts of harmful radiation the closer one gets to the barrier, with lethal levels registering a full quarter of a mile away though in reality this is merely a deception, no actual harmful radiation is emitted. An interesting and useful side effect of the dimensional nature of the force field is that it prohibits teleportation, dimensional or otherwise, into Fort Liberty. All Fort Liberty forces are issued a special IFF system that permits passage through the force field. This operates by temporarily disengaging the teleport function in a localized area. The IFF is a trinary system with three components issued to each agent/citizen; all three must be present to disengage the teleport. To maintain the security of their defenses two components are RFID tags with no internal power supply and will only be able to operate when within 20 feet of specific reader stations located near the entrances to the walled base. The third (powered) component is either a cybernetic implant or a biometrically locked transponder requiring retinal scan, fingerprint id, and voice recognition in addition to entry of a personal access code (spoken for the voice recognition, even though the transponder may have a keypad to mislead unauthorized persons). Of course the base operations center can also temporarily disable the teleport function in any specific area remotely, if so desired. Pre-cataclysm genetic engineering augmentation therapies were commonly available, if not cheap; many people from even middle-class families had been the recipients of this technology. As much as 80% of all military recruits had benefited from this technology. ASDS was the true cutting edge of this technology at the time. With the dimensional teleportation of Ft. Hood, these technologies were not abandoned; rather they were pursued with even greater vigor and developed much further. These genetic augmentations were applied in vitro to the entire first generation of Ft. Liberty citizens born post-cataclysm, and hence are now part of their normal genetic code. As a result Ft. Liberty humans have the following common characteristics that set them apart from other Rifts Earth humans. Attributes: IQ: +2, ME: + 4, PS: +4, PP: +4, PE: 4, Spd: +6, MI: 2d6. Add +2d6+8 S.D.C. (10 to 20)
These augmentations are not entirely stable though, as a result the mutation rate is somewhat higher amongst Ft. Liberty humans than the normal population, though at the same time it is also less likely to be particularly noticeable.
Ft. Liberty Technology The addition of the scientific and technical knowledge of the alien races they have encountered has allowed Ft. Liberty to in many ways become one of the most advanced technology center on Rifts Earth. Only Atlantis and the Megaversal Legion in South America possess technology that is comparable. Artificial Intelligence: The influence of the alien technology acquired, especially through the ship discovered on the other world, has led to use of a large amount of artificial intelligence in their daily life and fully sentient computer systems in some military hardware. The main base itself incorporates a control computer of extreme advancement, being a combination of the alien ship's AI computer core with the ARCHIE PRIME system. Their smaller hardware is less advanced but still quite advanced. There exist the use of civilian artificial intelligence as well. Nathan, the master computer system, is in fact a combination of transferred intelligence with advanced AI systems. Nathan was an extremely gifted scientist and engineer (HU: Natural Genius) born with the mutation that made him a Psi-Tech in addition to his Natural Genius abilities. Psi-Techs are psychics with an innate understanding of technology and ability to operate, repair and build all kinds of machines, electronics and gadgets. They are essentially Operators with the added benefit of Master Psionic powers. However, unlike your prototypical electronics whiz-kid or computer geek, the Psi-Tech is able to mentally interface with machines and devices using his psionic powers. Nathan was working on the alien vessels computer core, which he had connected to the Fort's own master AI (A.R.C.H.I.E. Prime) attempting to access the files within it when his psychic abilities triggered a long dormant self repair sub-routine reactivating the AI. Unfortunately, the original AI program/personality had been wiped by the cataclysmic event that brought down the ship, the repair sub-routine somehow linked with Nathan and ARCHIE Prime to rebuild the AI using their interconnected minds as the template. Through the bond created by his psychic abilities Nathans mind was literally transferred to the computer systems merging with ARCHIE in the process rather than his personality being copied. The end result was that Nathan became the computer core with full access to all of the ships undamaged files, including most of the builders scientific knowledge and the ability to interface and remotely control all the intact lesser AI systems including fighter craft, shuttles, and the automated factories. Nathan's personality has supplanted that of both ARCHIE PRIME and the ship's AI, while somehow retaining their capabilities and records. In many ways Nathan has become Ft. Liberty as ARCHIE PRIME was fully integrated as the control system for the base. Satellite Communications & the ARCHIE systems: Almost immediately upon the return of the base to Earth, Nathan reached out to the communication satellites he expected to be in orbit, being unaware at that time that they travelled through time as well as space in their journeys. Since ARCHIE PRIME, which was intended as master control system for all of the ARCHIE series Artificial Intelligences, was now an integral component of his systems the sole functional Cyberworks satellite was quickly contacted and communication established with the other remaining Cyberworks systems ARCHIE 3, in Maryland and ARCHIE 7 on the moon. Neither of these systems retains any record of communications due to the ARCHIE PRIME master control status. Nathan has copied all information records/memories (including scientific, technological, and geopolitical intelligence knowledge) from both of these AI's to his own far greater system. Unfortunately, Nathan's master control status was built as a covert control system permitting him to access the other ARCHIE units and their information, but not serve to directly supplant their programming. Nathan can spy upon them covertly and can even issue them orders which will be immediately carried out without them retaining any record of the event, (much like the override codes being utilized by the Republicans to access ARCHIE 3's manufacturing facilities), but he can not do so for more than a few hours at a time (8 hours every two days or so). Luckily for Ft. Liberty, ARCHIE 3 utilizes multiple independent lesser AI's to accomplish his wishes most of the time. Nathan has been able to transfer control of some of Archie 3's creation to himself and delete the record of their existence within Archie 3's systems. This has allowed Ft. Liberty to acquire substantial resources from Archie 3's various operations, including large quantities of raw materials for production of equipment and vehicles. Automation: The alien race that built the acquired ship went into automation to a much larger extent than most of the present civilizations of the Three Galaxies or Rifts Earth. Virtually their entire industry, most of which was orbital, was completely automated including ship building industries. They made heavy use of robotic aids, both large scale and small scale (in the form of nanites.) Heavy warships had their own self repair facilities and the largest of their warships, the Battle Sphere, could produce fighters and missiles from raw materials. Since the ASDS facilities were designed along similar lines, Ft. Liberty has integrated the recovered systems and expanded upon these facilities for their own use. At first this was done simply due to the limits upon their personnel as it allowed for operation with minimal investment of human life. Even after their return to Rifts Earth, they have continued this practice as it allows for a higher quality of life for those citizens not directly involved in the FLDF and greater resource utilization. Materials Science & Metallurgy: The alien craft was composed of a highly advanced golden alloy that is far superior to conventional Mega-Damage materials. While the raw materials to duplicate this alloy do not exist on Earth, the salvage operations were able to recover approximately 600 million tons of the alloy from the wreckage of the ship. Experimentation has allowed the creation of new alloys using the ASDS/NEMA advanced processes responsible for the "chromium" armor of the Glitterboy PA in conjunction with this metal. The end result being an alloy they have dubbed adamantite, while it is not quite as strong as the alien "golden alloy" it has properties that in some ways make it superior to either the alien alloy or "chromium". Adamantite alloy is slightly superior in strength to "chromium" and provides a general energy resistance, taking only 1/2 damage from most energy attacks (the exceptions are gravitonic weapons and phase beams). Surprisingly, while both the chromium and golden alloy are clearly metallic and highly reflective after minimal polishing, the adamantite alloy (which is a soft grey color in its "purest" form) tends to retain an almost matte finish. By using certain other additions to the process, they have also developed a variety of variant alloys that range in shade from a flat coal black grey to an almost white pale grey, as well as, various greens, brown, reds, blues, and yellows in light to medium shades; without compromising the materials properties. One of the most impressive properties of this metal is that it , much like Kisentite, can be used to create very high quality edged melee weapons capable of dealing KDC damage without magic. When used in this manner it is treated as a comparable kisentite weapon, but at substantially lower weight as the density of the alloy is only slightly greater than that of steel. Faster Than Light Propulsion: the alien's faster than light drives were similar to the Contra-Grav Propulsion used by many of the major civilizations presently in the Three Galaxies. Though their versions were further refined to increase speeds up to sixteen light years per hour. This drive system is commonly called a Gravitronic Slip Stream Drive. Communication speeds were about ten times faster than ship travel with transmissions travelling at 160 light years per hour. While Ft. Liberty has not built any dedicated spacecraft of their own (yet), they did manage to recover several intact ships from the wreckage of the large vessel. Currently they possess the following FTL spacecraft: Fighter Compliment: 583 Fighters 125 Heavy Bombers Force Field Technology: The alien's force field technology was slightly more advanced than the force field technology of the major powers within the Three Galaxies. They did have personal force field technology which the generators were slightly lighter than Naruni force field generators. Gravitonic Weapons: The aliens were also masters of gravity based weapons which work by alternating gravity fields which rip apart the target by switching gravity fields extremely rapidly. They also had gravity wave generators which could actually be used to pull a ship out of faster than light travel, while one of these systems was partially recovered from the vessel, Ft. Liberty has no need for it at this time and has dismantled the device to utilize its components for other purposes. Finally, the aliens had heavy gravitonic missile warheads similar to the "Singularity Missiles" that the Trans-Galactic Empire uses (Inflicts 1D6x1000 MDC). Several of these missiles were recovered and are being kept for defensive purposes should the need ever arise. Sixteen(16) Gravity Slicer Beam Cannons: 8 cm (3.14 inch) mounts which have a nearly 180 degree lateral arc of fire and the ability to be angled up to 75 degrees up or 30 degrees down. Four are mounted on each side (N, E, S, and W) of the base's perimeter wall. The weapon uses controlled opposing gravimetric waves to create an energy beam weapon that shreds the target. Due to the deep penetration of the weapon, it has a much better chance to do critical damage to the target. These are designed to be useful against fighters, missiles, and other small targets. Each Gravity Slicer Beam Cannon fires individually and has a 175-degree arc of fire. Since gravity propagates itself at faster than light speeds, this weapon can actually be used against vehicles that are traveling at faster than the speed of light. The weapons do full damage to targets in magic rich universes with the spell impervious to energy, like Rifts Earth. Maximum Effective Range: 6 miles in atmosphere. Mega Damage: 3D6x10 MDC per Slicer beam strike. Critical on a 19 or 20. Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of the gunner (usually 5 or 6) Payload: Effectively Unlimited. Grazer Technology: Instead of lasers, the aliens used grazer technology for their main beam weapons. Instead of light, grazers use tightly focused gamma radiation. Smaller weapons tended to be gravity, tachyon, and fusion weaponry. While Ft. Liberty has acquired this technology only half of the secondary batteries of the ship were salvaged and installed on base as powerful defensive cannon: Grazer Batteries (4): Two 100 cm (39.4 inch) grazer cannon mounted on a massive turret system (360 degree rotation) with the ability to be angled up to 75 degrees up or 30 degrees down. Weapon has standard penalties to hit fighters and small targets for a large gun. Cannot be used for indirect fire. The four turrets are mounted atop 300 foot tall wall towers at the NE, SE, SW, and NW of the base. Maximum Effective Range: 150 miles in an atmosphere. Mega-Damage: 3D6x1,000 MDC for a single blast, or 6D6x1,000 for a double blast (both guns in the battery engaging the same target). Rate of Fire: each cannon can be fired twice per melee round, typically alternating between the individual cannon in a turret. Payload: Effectively unlimited, tied directly to a dedicated High Density Fusion generator. High Density Fusion Power: While the alien civilization had mastered anti-matter, high density fusion reactors were the preferred power systems. They used gravity forces close to that of a black hole to create a fusion reaction which could produce power almost as efficiently as anti-matter systems. Of course the high density fusion plants are far safer than anti-matter plants. Power Crystal Technology: Adapted from the Mechanoid's systems captured while on the alien world, these are in fact crystalline capacitors or batteries of phenomenal capacity. While they do not generate power directly they can store enormous amounts of energy replacing nuclear power plants in vehicles with a crystal the size of a softball providing the power needs equivalent to a robot nuclear system with a life of 15 years constant use, nearly double that if only drawn upon intermittently or at less than full output level. Medical Technology: Medical Technology was not influenced by the alien technology acquisition to as great an extent as many other areas. Ft. Liberty was already on the cutting edge of medical technology pre-cataclysm, which placed them beyond the level of Triax or the CS even today. Still, the aliens did use advanced nanites quite a bit which has aided in further advancement in many medical fields. Cloning technology, genetic manipulation/engineering, bionics, and cybernetics on par with the civilizations of the Three Galaxies are all available.
Salvaged Alien Armor, Weapons & Vehicles Ft. Liberty was able to salvage a number of power armor suits, and vehicles, these are reserved for defense purposes only at this time so as not to tip their hand to outsiders. Power Armor: 7698 Ground Power Armors 4587 Flying Power Armors (CG flight pack) Fighter Compliment: 533 Fighters 125 Heavy Bombers Transports: 11 Assault Shuttles Tanks & Other Vehicles: 37 Hover Tanks
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