The Custodian is an android built with one aim in mind, that being to supply NovaCorp's customers with a highly effective crew for their warships in addition to being formidable fighting machines, in the most accurate usage of the term. In particular it was designed to staff NovaCorp's small defensive interests as well as being available for the Star Army of Yamatai and since the secession the United Outer Colonies as well. In order to fulfill its functions properly it is designed to be competent in all areas and roles required by a ships crew, thus being able to stand in for their organic counterparts, but truly excelling in fighting - the end to which its entire design is built.

Ephesus required an effective crew for his newer generations of ships in the face and yet was confronted with NovaCorp's relatively small rota of employees, especially those who had dedicated themselves to basic crew-work and combat. As such he developed a mechanical counterpart to make up this deficit, calling it the 'Custodian' since its task was at least in part to guard the ship on which it served and its crew. The advantages of a workforce which never slept, never complained and was endlessly loyal was also a factor in his decision. In the production process he went far beyond the original requirements of his design, and so the Custodian War Android was born.

On the surface a Custodian appears to looks like a living statue, closest in form to the Ancient Greek statues of Gods and Goddesses (Custodians have an exact 1-1 gender ration, a statement from Ephesus). As such they are all conventionally beautiful and/or handsome with large and well defined musculatures and covered with realistic synth-flesh over their entire body. Indeed the Custodian even has realistic synthetic hair, which is modeled in the style of the employees wishes, and eyes which look realistic beyond being a stunning shade of green, blue, silver or gold.

Weaving throughout the skin is a superconducting mesh that draws heat away from weapon fire, and spreads it over a hugely greater surface area, greatly reducing the effect of energy weapons. The synth skin also has a great resistance to being torn, cut or pierced, due to the fact it is a high strength polymer laced with carbon-ring fibers, giving it great protection against projectiles and other physical attacks. It also has tactile sensors both over the skin and deeper into it. The ones near the surface are contact sensitive fibers that protrude through the skin and can feel compression, and hear, allowing a highly developed sense of touch, capable of feeling differences in temperature, air pressure, and the texture of surfaces. The ones deeper in the skin feel the slight compression of the synth-flesh, and extrapolate a sense of touch from that. The synth-flesh is of the complexion and feel of marble.

The Muscles in the Custodian are formed of a smart material, a substance that contracts when an electric current is run through it. The custodians in particular are very high quality, capable of contracting with great force, and using a complex array of muscles can create movements even smoother than that of a human, and the strength is far stronger than a human, capable of lifting five tons, and with corresponding force of blows, and in strength of leg.

The skeleton and body of the Custodian is made out of carbon-ring, the strongest of NovaCorp’s materials. In addition to this, winding over it is a superconducting grid, that spreads heat from energy attacks over a much larger surface area, reducing the efficiency of energy weapons.

The AI of Custodian is only slightly more sophisticated than a human brain, directed primarily towards the navigation of its senses, and its reflexes. The AI allows for the navigation of far faster of human reflexes, using its smart metal muscles to move often faster than human eye can follow. In addition to this the mind comes with a huge encyclopaedia of information and tactics, and has a mind traveling capable of great leaps of intuition. This is due to the small, dense, quantum computer in its chest, the most heavily armored place in the androids body, its chest, behind two inches of carbon ring and an extremely dense layer of matter, designed to prevent the attack of electromagnetic radiation. However the AI is built for war, and has little or no amplitude for social situations, or emotions. These can however develop over time. Although the AI’s start out roughly the same, their personalities develop, although they are always interested in Kleos (an ancient concept of honor), and share several traits between them.

The central nervous system of the Custodian is complex. It actually uses three different kinds, optical, superconducting, and, due to concerns over EMP and EMI, a biological back up nervous system. The Optical and Superconducting nervous system allow for reactions far faster than a biological creature, although when it switches to biological to prevent EMI its reactions suitably slow.

The Custodian has a small quantum foam generator, around the size of a fist, tapping only a tiny amount of quantum foam. This provides the constant large amount of power needed to run the Custodian. It is also based in the armored chest.

The Custodian can encrypt its messages heavily.

• Radio: Full spectrum, dual-modulation; range theoretically unlimited except by interference. Practical range is short, since the waves only travel at light-speed. Frequency-hop and multi-channel capable. In order to use the secure modes of communication, correct variables must be loaded prior to battle. Such codes are changed on a frequent basis.

• Laser: For close-range transmissions, it is more difficult for the enemy to intercept, because they have to be in the area of the beam. Also limited to light-speed. Text only. Range: 150,000 miles. Housed in the Androids head, but secondary transponders are in the arms.

• Eyes: The eyes of the Custodian are not just in its head, but studded over its skin in the form of micro cameras. This gives it 360o vision, and no reliance on the head, since the fibers on the skin can interpret sound. However the micro-cameras are only as good as human eyes, although they can see the whole EM spectrum. The eyes are far more sensitive, capable of seeing close to twenty times better than a human.

• Radar: Uses the Keel weapon in a passive setting.

In each of the arms of the Custodian is a HEX or High Energy Xaser weapon. To use the hand is brought back, so the heel of the hand is foremost, and the beam is fired out of that, the synth-skin there being of a weaker variety which will not hinder the beam, instead merely burning out of the way. It can be used either as an effective ranged weapon, functioning with a slightly higher power than a Xaser Pistol, and with roughly equivalent range. The HEX requires a sphere of reactant material which is inserted into the wrist along with power supplied from the Custodian's power core.

• Location: Forearms.
• Purpose: Anti-power Armour, Armour, infantry.
• Damage: 3 ADR
• Range: 200m.
• Rate of Fire: 20 rpm.
• Ammunition: One sphere of reactant material every 50 shots.

The Keel is the Custodians secondary weapon, a powerful and highly versatile sonic attack designed to be used in atmosphere and against infantry. The device, which takes up a large part of the Custodians head can generate a cone of high decibel sound, capable of focusing it into a 45 degree cone. Capable of generating sound from 5 Hz to 40 KHz, and up to 200 decibels. The combination of different frequencies and high volumes can cause a variety of effects, up to an including the death of even enhanced organisms within ten feet. However the weapon is highly versatile using a variety of different volumes and frequencies to create different effects to suit the opponent/operation and the nature/race of the target. On a basic humanoid the following effects are possible:

The Keel can also be used to create a very tight beam to break through locks, or do delicate work - its primary non-weapon application is that to allow the Custodian to speak, and as a form of Radar.

• Location: Head.
• Purpose: Anti-infantry.
• Damage: Unconventional.
• Range: 300m (100 decibels), 10m (200 decibels) at highest level.
• Rate of Fire: Can be continuous.
• Ammunition: Unlimited.

• Valo, A decommissioned Player Character Custodian. Currently serving aboard the NSS Alliance as a medic.
• Sigurd, a Non-Player Character Custodian serving aboard the YSS Miharu.

Created by Zakalwe. Approval Thread.

Updated for Damage Rating (Version 3) by Yuuki. Approval Thread.