Mars Arms Depot
Purpose / Function
The Mars Arms Depot (shorthand: MARMS) is a weapons manufacturing, testing, and distribution facility located on the planet Mars. The MARMS Depot's reputation stems from both its unique ownership, the theocratic organization New Byzantium, and its impeccable quality for the creation of small arms compatible with spacefaring vessels and orbiting planetary structures. Arms manufactured from MARMS are typically designed to be used with hollow-point ammunition, surface-dispersing laser charges, and other non-penetrating munitions.
Notable "arms" created at MARMS include (but are not limited to):
- Reverence: A superweapon contracted by ███████ Industries. Used as means of "culling" rebellious indigenous populations on planet █████. Was used to procure necessary materials for the NEX WALKER project.
- The Desert Fathers: A stationary chamber contracted by ████████ ██ ████████. Chamber houses one sapient subject and creates an interactive readout of their brain. Asset is capable of extracting neural information. Responsible in helping produce ██% of the organization's humanities-related content.
- The Ten Plagues: A superorganism comprised of 10 unidentified highly-infectious diseases. Unidentified Contractor. Initially deployed at ███ ████, Neo York. Rapid infection directly resulted in 270,000 confirmed deaths. City was glassed in a final effort to contain the infection. Estimated total death toll of 3.5 million.
- The Whale: A large handheld laser cannon that can have its trajectory altered by unknown means. Firing sound is a chorus singing "JOOOOONNNAAAAAAAAHHHHH." Length of singing is increased or decrease in positive correlation with laser travel time. Contracted by ███-███ security under the "discretionary budget" of 2352. Commission cost was back charged after item was picked up. ███-███ possesses an outstanding fee of 741,258.30 Solar Units.
- Smiting Grace: A compound bow created for ███ █████████ for the purpose of assisting in the extermination of Caelus aberrations at Echidna's Womb. Bow manifests a layer of golden light around loaded projectiles that cause severe, lasting damage to Caelus abberations. The bow is thrice blessed by Patriarch Sorix. Loaned to the ██████ ████████████ ████ from 2349 - 2352.
- Longinus Prime: A spear believed to be created with a fragment of the original Spear of Longinus. Weapon is capable of collecting spatially available Caelus and summoning anywhere from █ to ███ standard Roman Maniples. Created for ███ █████████ for the purpose of assisting in the extermination of Caelus aberrations at Echidna's Womb.
- The Seventh Seal: A trumpet that should never be sounded, as it will bring about the end of days. Created under the orders of Patriarch Nafir. A session of the Ecumenical Congregation was called in which Patriarch Nafir announced his plans for the sounding of the horn. Patriarch Nafir was promptly shot and the trumpet was retrieved and locked away at Outpost ████, Antarctica. Outpost coordinates are split among scrambling devices between the remaining Patriarchs. The Seventh Seal cannot be accessed without unanimous agreement from the Ecumenical Congregation.
Architecture
The architecture of the MARMS depot is consistent with many other arms manufacturing centers across the system, but with notable peculiarities that are tied to its operation under New Byzantium. The depot is divided into three major buildings arranged in a triangle formation:
- "The Father," the first of the depot's non-manufacturing buildings. All processes related to internal administration and logistics are housed within The Father. Additionally, Divine Liturgy takes place within The Father inside the Saint Gabriel Possenti church. Divine Liturgy is mandatory for employees and held three times weekly: Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday.
- "The Son," the depot's manufacturing sector. Within The Son, all processes related to the physical creation of firearms and other munitions take place. Additionally, testing of prototype weapons occurs within The Son after "Holy Orders" (blueprints) are received from The Father.
- "The Spirit," the depot's external communications, marketing, site defense, and shipping sector. Weapons are typically handled via pick-up from delivery freighters. The Spirit is also responsible for dispersing evangelizing materials to inbound freighters and other marketing paraphernalia.
Defenses
The MARMS Depot possesses the following defenses:
- "Anathema," a particle shield that encompasses the greater area surrounding the MARMS depot.
- "Submission," a disruptor field that renders ship weapons systems useless as soon as they enter landing range.
- "Absolution," a neurotransmitter known for stimulating the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vMPFC), used in combination with indoctrination methods. Used as a way of instilling religious belief in high-threat apostates, secular entities, or enemies of New Byzantium.
- "Damnation," an EMP cannon that can be launched into the greater area of the MARMS Depot. Used to send invading craft hurtling towards the Mars surface. Extremely high fatality rate among affected targets.
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