Chapter 2.4
Quake II – Addendum
Research Data Collected During the Invasion of Stroggos
(selected reports and analysis papers)
Planetary Information: Stroggos is an Earth-sized planet (98.76% of Earth's diameter), with a gravity just slightly stronger than Earth's (the difference is not normally noticeable and can only be detected by high-accuracy instruments). Geologically, it is more active than Earth, with a higher frequency of seismic and volcanic activity throughout its entire surface. The planet's crust is rich in heavy metals, radioactive elements, and a variety of alien minerals. Stroggos is the second planet in its solar system (counting from the central star). The planet's primary star emits light at a longer wavelength than Earth's own sun, which gives it a distinct orange/reddish tint, especially to human eyes. Increased infrared emissions make the sun's light (and Stroggos' climate overall) slightly warmer than Earth's. The planet has several moons, the largest of which houses a major military base.
The planet has suffered from severe pollution due to large-scale industrialization – the air, the soil, and most bodies of water have been contaminated, resulting in widespread extinction of indigenous flora and fauna. Surviving organisms are heavily mutated, predatory and extremely hostile. Stroggos' terrain is dominated by rocky canyons, ash-covered plains, volcanic mountain ranges, and dusty badlands, though some pockets of swampland have survived in certain regions. Even if seas and oceans ever existed on the surface, they are long gone.
The sole civilization existing on Stroggos is the Strogg – a highly militaristic and technologically advanced race without clear origins or a specific root species, consisting of various creatures belonging to many different species, humans included, transformed ("stroggified") via extensive and radical use of cybernetic implants. Each Strogg is deprived of their free will, being fully subservient to a vast communications network known as the Nexus. Application of cybernetics varies among the different kinds of Strogg, with some retaining most of their original bodies, while others have been reduced to vestiges of their former selves, being closer to machines than living beings. Stroggification appears to be guided by the purpose a Strogg would serve after their induction into the collective, with military specimens being equipped with weapons, whereas worker and maintenance Strogg often carry other tools or implements.
Known Categories of Strogg Creatures
Processed humans: This type of Strogg was encountered in large numbers, probably due to being quick and cheap to create, which suggests some kind of high-efficiency automated process. These creatures usually exhibited minimal cybernetic augmentation – typically a helmet (not removable without invasive surgery) and a weapon replacing one hand, typically the right one. Processed human subtypes appeared to be assigned based on the qualities of the acquired body. Individuals of lower physical strength were normally given lighter armor, armed with blasters, and assigned to guard duty. Tougher specimens were outfitted with shotguns and served in either defensive or offensive roles. The toughest processed were equipped with machine guns and normally acted in an offensive capacity, though they can be relegated to guarding important areas. Note that since humans were a more recent Strogg acquisition, other (alien) species of humanoids could often be observed as processed troops. Their features and behavior were practically identical to those of processed humans, so they were viewed as being the same creature type, for the purposes of combat tactics. As the war progressed, the general appearance of processed humans started to change, possibly due to component upgrades, for the purpose of adapting to the evolving battlefield situation.
Humanoid cyborgs: Exhibiting greater extent of cybernetic modification, these Strogg are more specialized than processed humans and thus serve more clearly defined combat roles, both defensive and offensive. The majority of these beings were stroggified prior to the outbreak of the Earth-Stroggos war, and were therefore based on alien species, however there were some assimilated humans among them as well, with increasing prevalence as the war went on and fed the Strogg labs with more human "material." Among the most notable humanoid Strogg are the Berserker – lethal melee attackers that can also take on some maintenance roles when not engaged in combat. Gunners – elite enforcers combining heavy machine guns and grenade launchers with thick body armor and advanced tactical skills. Gladiators – heavy assault units armed with railguns and exceptional resilience. Tanks – so deprived of their former organic components that they are almost fully robotic, slow but powerful bruisers with several weapon systems and the kind of armor that can only be breached by the heaviest of weapons. Other specimens have been observed as well, though these were the most commonly encountered ones. They are particularly dangerous when working together, as their different weapons and tactics can complement each other.
Utility/maintenance units: These Strogg usually lack an organic appearance – their shape is fully a function of their purpose. Therefore, they often appear as pieces of machinery that move or fly on their own accord. The only humanoids among them are the Medic – a creature carrying a sophisticated nanobot-injector, which can bring deceased Strogg back to life, as well as the Brains - seemingly a slow and clumsy creature designed to interface with various computer stations, yet still possessing deadly weapons (concealed tentacles). Technicians resemble floating metal cylinders with a controlling brain within the central compartment. They normally perform repairs or manipulate machinery around the various Strogg facilities, but are able to attack intruders well, when required. Various forms of repair bots have been spotted – smaller flying units equipped with laser welders or grappling claws. Some sentries follow these minimalist design principles as well, for the sake of being smaller and fitting into places bigger Strogg cannot.
Vehicular Strogg: Some Strogg are more accurately classified as vehicles, rather than creatures. Some of them are pretty small – like the Fliers, which are basically just a controlling head with wings and blasters. Some are quite huge, like the dreaded Harvesters, spider-like machines whose organic components are fully encased by their armored outer hulls. Troops have even reported Strogg that take the forms of turrets, both mobile or fixed to walls or ceilings. The Icarus and Daedalus (an upgraded prototype fielded by the Black Widow's forces) are among the more common aerial Strogg, while the Hornet is a rarer, but considerably heavier and deadlier variant, which is supposed to be able to operate in the vacuum of space as well. While non-combat variants of these Stroggs were rarely observed by TCM forces, there are scattered reports of larger fliers, cargo loaders, mining crawlers, and other vehicles that were likely controlled by a cybernetic brain.
Experimental prototypes: These include unique experimental organisms built by specific Strogg groups (e.g. the Beta variants), or prototypes developed during the Earth-Stroggos war, such as the so-called Tactical Transfers – stroggified elite human marines that underwent a modified assimilation procedure, which preserves their military knowledge and skills. Due to their design and advanced capabilities, tactical transfers were able to utilize practically any weapon from both the human and Strogg arsenal, which made them particularly dangerous.
Strogg Warlords: The elusive "ruling class" of the Strogg civilization, and also the most powerful, destructive and cunning cyborgs, these beings ruled over specific regions of the planet and often developed unique modifications and upgrades for the Strogg organisms under their command. When the Strogg are not actively engaged in a war against another planet, the Warlords are said to fight one another, vying for more territory and power, but also refining their military skills and field-testing their latest weapons and cybernetic components, thus making the Strogg race stronger as a whole. Only three such Warlords have been confirmed to exist – the original Makron that ruled during the initial Strogg invasion of Earth and the ensuing Operation "Alien Overlord," the Black Widow that guarded and controlled the Gravity Well device, and the new Makron that reigned during the second invasion of Stroggos. If other such beings exist, their fate and whereabouts remain unknown at present.
Non-Strogg Organisms
While most indigenous creatures on Stroggos have gone extinct a long time ago due to the planet's massive pollution, some specimens have adapted and survived, becoming vicious and deadly mutants. The generic term "Mutant" is applied to the predatory beasts encountered by TCM forces during the initial invasion of Stroggos - described as brown-colored quadrupeds with glowing yellow eyes, sharp claws, and muscular limbs that allow them to move and jump swiftly. These specimens were encountered in several Strogg facilities, though it is unknown whether they infiltrated them from outside, or were deliberately kept there as guard animals.
Barracuda Sharks appear to be the last surviving aquatic organism on Stroggos. They are known to infest both natural and artificial water reservoirs, and a possibility exists that they are purposefully introduced into some facilities' water tanks as a security feature.
Gekk are a rare species that occupies several specific swampland regions. They are probably the closest examples of the original fauna of Stroggos, prior to the large-scale industrialization. Still, their biology has probably endured some alterations over the centuries.
Strogg Equipment & Technology
First Aid & Medkits: The Stroggs' organic body components are prone to injury like any other living being. Medical products can be found throughout Strogg facilities, though they are usually oriented towards a short-term patch-up of the damage, rather than a proper healing process. First Aid packs feature two syringes with a complex chemical solution, which numbs pain and restores circulation in injured tissues, to ensure a soldier can remain functional, at least for a while. The larger Medkit contains a nanobot injector that can repair more serious wounds and even mend minor fractures. Both of these medical devices are usable on humans and no major side effects have been observed so far.
Stimpacks: The embodiment of the Stroggs' reliance on quick short-term healing, stimpacks are single-dosage boosters that repair minor damage to flesh and provide a short-term energy boost to the user, for the sake of continuing to fight. They are small and thus easy to transport and store throughout various facilities. They are safe for use on humans, although the benefit is quite small.
Megahealth: These rare devices appear to be the opposite of the predominant Strogg medical implements, providing complete healing and body boosting, above and beyond its normal condition. First, the device runs a quick analysis of the user's condition, then administers the appropriate medications and/or nanobots, resulting in a tremendous health overhaul. The effect on humans is quite invigorating, though short-lasting due to the human body's biochemical limitations.
Adrenaline: This injector device is more of an emergency booster than a healing unit, delivering a massive dose of synthetic adrenaline and steroid-like substances, intended to prolong a Strogg's endurance under heavy conditions. Applied to humans, the adrenaline has a healing, as well as fortifying effect, which can be cumulative as more injectors are found and administered. The effect should last for at least a few days, depending on the user's specific physiology.
Quad Damage: This device has a peculiar shape and is made of an unknown alloy. When activated, it generates a quantum field that concentrates around any weapon systems the user may be carrying (it is suspected an AI is used to distinguish between weapons and other devices), drastically increasing their firepower and destructive potential for a while. Of all recovered Strogg devices, the Quad Damage is the one Earth scientists are most eager to reverse-engineer and test.
Invulnerability: This rare device seems to be a highly prized item, as it is shaped as a Strogg insignia. Its fancy appearance conceals a very sophisticated piece of technology, which can create a force field that fits tightly around the user's body, negating nearly every possible form of damage – kinetic, heat and explosive. In effect, the device makes the user invulnerable for a set period of time. The exact limitations of this protection have not been fully measured yet, mostly due to lack of volunteers.
And in case you're wondering - yes, I'm already working on the Quake 3 chapter and there's some good progress. It's hard to say exactly when it would be ready, but hopefully not long from now...