Sometimes the most important items in an adventurer’s toolkit are the ones that allow him to get into places where he shouldn’t, find out things that he isn’t supposed to, and get away undetected. At times like that, technology may be the only ally that he can trust! This section presents devices that are useful to commandos, spies, and thieves – anyone who has to tangle with a security system or elude detection.

These gadgets are useful for cracking security measures, or entering hard-to-reach places.

Items listed elsewhere that are helpful for burglars include explosives, laser torches, plasma torches, sonic probes, and tool kits.

Gadgets mentioned elsewhere that are especially useful for infiltration include diver propulsion, flight packs, and stealth drop capsules. Demolitions and gremlins are useful for sabotage operations.

Portable fabricators are extremely useful for any black ops team!

This sensor/decoder gives a +3 to Lockpicking and Electronics Operation (Security) skill on attempts to pick any electronic or combination lock. $1,500, 0.2 lbs., A/2 hr., LC2.

This sensor/decoder gives a +3 to Lockpicking and Electronics Operation (Security) skill on attempts to defeat any biometric scanner. $4,000, 10 lbs., A/2 hr., LC2.

An electronic thumb counters retina and fingerprint scanners. The pocket-sized gadget has the size and shape of an eyeball, and lights from within to display a retina pattern. The other end has the shape of a thumb and warms to body temperature. Its memory plastic pad can be reconfigured to match any thumbprint in the device’s memory. New thumb and retina prints can be downloaded into it by connecting it via cable to an appropriate database. Getting a thumb or retina print for the database may not be easy – high-quality photos of the target’s eye and an actual thumb impression are needed. $5,000, 0.25, A/100 hr. LC3.

This uses an electromagnetic coil gun to silently fire a grappling hook up to 30 yards. Make a Climbing or Guns (Grenade Launcher) roll to hit, at -2 if unfamiliar with this gadget. An electromagnetic winch on the gun lifts up to 800 pounds at up to five yards per second. The reel contains 30 yards of 1/8”-diameter rope. $500, 5 lbs., C/15 min. LC4.

These gloves and footwear let the user cling to walls and ceilings and move at half his Basic Move; no use of Climbing skill is necessary. Gecko gear designed for humanoids can support only 50 lbs. per limb in contact with the surface, including the user’s body weight. An adult human won’t be able to carry much gear with him. If the user’s weight requires three or four limbs in contact, he will be limited to crawling. Each pad is $500 and 0.1 lbs. weight. They can be built into armor or other suits. LC3.

These gloves and footwear let the user cling to walls and ceilings and move at half his Basic Move; no use of Climbing skill is necessary. They use a B cell in each shoe and glove in order to support 200 lbs. of weight per limb, including the user’s body weight. If the user’s weight requires three or four limbs in contact, he will be limited to crawling. Each glove or boot weighs 0.25 lbs and costs $1000, including the batteries. They are networked to an uplink to provide battery notification. Battery life is generally good for 2 weeks of frequent use, or an hour of constant triggering. Since electrical impulses are only used to switch on and off, and only when trying to climb, it's safe to assume they'll remain powered during most climbing operations. $4000 for a set of gloves and boots, can be incorporated into suits or other gear.

Worn strapped onto a belt, this forms a portable privacy field which moves with the wearer. The field is three yards in diameter. Sounds from outside the field cannot be perceived by someone inside the field (-10 to detection), and vice versa. The field also provides DR 10 against sonic attacks. Assassins and thieves use sonic screens to make the victims’ cries inaudible. $5,000, 2.5 lbs., C/1 hr. LC3.

A memory-metal lockpick with a small imaging radar, an ultrasound imager, and its own contact mike. It reconfigures its shape into one of several hundred alternative forms after performing a sensor analysis of the lock. It includes a fiber-optic scope. Gives +4 to Lockpicking skill to open mechanical locks. It fits in a wallet., $50, neg., A/12 hr. LC2.

Most ultra-tech forgery involves the gaining of passwords, personal information, or biometric data through computer hacking, the breaking of encryption, corruption, theft, coercion, or simple carelessness. However, some special tools are also available.

This is a dedicated terahertz scanner and specialized 3-D printer that is used to copy and manufacture the special dyes, fibers, films, foils, inks, papers, and plastics used in identity documents or currency. With a sample to analyze, they can forge documents.

Desktop Doc-Fab: Table-sized. Provides a +2 (quality) bonus for Forgery and Counterfeiting skills for modern documents, increasing to +5 for any less-than-cutting-edge documents. Most documents take an hour per attempt to scan plus a minute per copy to print. $20,000, 50 lbs., 4D/10 hr. LC2.

Suitcase Doc-Fab: Suitcase-sized. Provides a +1 (quality) bonus for Forgery and Counterfeiting skills for modern documents, increasing to +5 for any less-than-cutting-edge documents. Somewhat slower than the desktop version: most documents take about two hours per attempt to scan, plus five minutes per copy to print. $4,000, 10 lbs., 4C/10 hr. LC2.

This section covers innovations in personal concealment and the smuggling of people or items. Distortion chips are another useful technology.

An elaborate set of prosthetic devices, skin-tinting chemicals, and hormone sprays for disguising one person’s appearance. Many components incorporate microelectromechanical systems that can mimic muscle twitches, realistic limps, and other key characteristics.

Suitcase Disguise Kit: Provides a +1 (quality) bonus to Disguise skill. $100, 5 lbs. LC3.

Disguise Fabricator: Designed specifically for intelligence agents. Provides a +2 (quality) bonus for the Disguise skill. $400, 25 lbs. LC2.

Memory-plastic and memory-metal technology can disguise weapons and other suspicious items as innocuous devices of the same general shape and size. Another possibility is to break the contraband down into several parts, each of which appears to an unrelated piece of equipment.

Single-Function: While disguised, the gadget doesn’t function (except as much as its basic shape allows). It costs five times as much as a normal version of the original gadget.

Multi-Function: Both the disguise and the disguised gadget are fully functional. Cost is 20 times the sum of the cost of both the gadgets. Both gadgets must be of similar (+/-10%) weight. Shape-memory devices usually incorporate a power cell (an AA cell for devices up to 0.1 lb. weight, A cell for up to 1 lb., B cell for up to 10 lbs. etc.) to provide an electrical impulse that triggers the change. The cell powers 60 changes, and can be removed and inserted later if power cells would be suspicious. A simple gadget may also use a piezoelectric material that changes if shaken vigorously for 10 seconds. A gadget with a shape-memory disguise has half its normal LC (rounded up). An LC3 pistol would be LC2 as a shape-memory gadget, but an LC1 gadget is still LC1.

Perfect for the professional courier or smuggler, these items use the latest in electronic countermeasures and stealth materials to spoof scanners and sniffers. A hidden liner compartment provides safety for small packages, while a biometric lock provides security. The liner compartment holds one-tenth the luggage’s capacity and provides a +2 (quality) bonus to Smuggling skill. It is sealed to defeat chemical sniffers and dogs.

Attaché Case: Holds up to 20 lbs. (or two cubic feet). $400, 2 lbs. LC3.

Travel Bag: Holds 100 lbs. (or five cubic feet). $1,200, 10 lbs. LC3.

Trunk: Holds 400 lbs. $4,000, 40 lbs. LC3.

Shipping Container: Holds 10,000 lbs. Up to four people can hide in the liner compartment, but they’ll need breathing gear. $10,000, 1,000 lbs. LC3.

These items may have a programmable camouflage surface at an extra 50% to cost. Distortion chips or fields can also be added.

This wearable mike obscures the speaker’s voice. He can set it to sound human, but different than his normal voice, or to change his apparent age, race, or sex. It will also alter the speaker’s voiceprint. $200, 0.1 lb., B/20 hr. LC3.

A full-face mask of a specific person, complete with micromotors that move the face in realistic fashion. This is a custom design, and detailed measurements of both the user and the subject’s face (which can be taken by medical examination, or remotely by T-ray scanner or X-rays) are needed. It takes 10 seconds to put on, two seconds to remove. The mask adds +3 to Disguise skill, cumulative with quality modifiers. When impersonating somebody, the GM may treat this as a perfect disguise, but Acting skill will still be required to convince someone who knows the individual being mimicked. The mask’s legality class reflects legal uses in media productions and as a prosthetic for people with extensive facial injuries. It includes a voice mask. $10,000, 1 lb., B/24 hr. LC3.

This holographic projector casts a preset three-dimensional image. It will not fool sensors that do not use visible light, such as infrared or hyperspectral imaging. A disk inappropriate to a given planet is more likely to draw attention to the user than it is to conceal him. Because it projects light, it glows in the dark.

Holobelt: Casts an image around the wearer, roughly man-sized, for concealment. The image must be bigger than the person concealed! Standard hologram disks let the user choose between a native-looking rock, tree, mailbox, bush, animal, etc., or plug in a disk taken from a 3-D camera. All attacks on the user are at -1 to hit, and aimed shots to specific body areas are not possible unless the image closely resembles the user’s body. $2,000, 2.5 lb., C/10 hr. LC3. Prerecorded holodisks are usually about $50.

Holofield: A larger model of the holobelt, used to disguise buildings, camps, and vehicles. The field will cover a radius of up to 10 yards. New images can be captured via a 3-D camera or synthesized with a computer. $50,000, 25 lbs., D/10 hr. LC3.

These electronic countermeasures are used to jam or deceive surveillance sensors.

A suit can be equipped with sensor-controlled active camouflage that changes color and pattern to match the local background environment, in both the visual and infrared spectra. This provides a bonus to the user’s Stealth skill when attempting to avoid visual and infrared detection.

The system can also be manually controlled, allowing the user to “paint” the surface with whatever color scheme or markings are desired (as Programmable Camouflage), or to give a mirrored skin equivalent to reflec armor.

Thermo-Optic Chameleon Surface: This may be added to an outfit covering the entire body, or to a vehicle surface. It gives +4 to Stealth skill against ordinary and infrared vision, +2 against hyperspectral or ultraviolet vision, and +1 against extended high- or low-band hyperspectral vision. This bonus is halved (round down) if moving. $4,000, 4 lbs. (adjust for SM). LC3.

Multispectral Chameleon Surface: This version gives +8 to Stealth skill against ordinary and infrared vision, +4 against hyperspectral or ultraviolet vision, and +2 against extended high- or low-band hyperspectral vision. This bonus is halved if moving. $6,000, 4 lbs. (adjust for SM). LC3.

A large cloak that can be wrapped around a person or object to conceal it. It works the same way as a chameleon surface, but the bonus is halved again, cumulative with other modifiers (round down!) when moving! It can also be used just like any other large cloak. It is half the cost and weight of an equivalent chameleon surface. LC3.

This camouflage net works much like a large chameleon cloak, and can hide vehicles, heavy equipment, or campsites. It covers 25 square yards, and is 10 times the cost and weight of an equivalent chameleon surface. LC3.

These devices detect and mimic incoming active sensor pulses to give a distorted or false reading of the user. Most models can jam radar and imaging radar or sonar. Enhanced versions use a “distortion field” that is effective against all active scans!

They can also be set to spoof rather than just jam. If so, there is no penalty to detection, but the sensor operator must succeed by an amount greater than half the detection penalty (e.g., 2 for deceptive radar), or he is fooled into detecting something else.

Deceptive Radar Jammer: This jams all types of radar signals: -6 to radar, -4 to imaging radar. Spoofing is only possible for non-imaging radar; successfully doing so can change the user’s apparent size and course by up to +/- 6 SM or 60°. $2,000, 2.5 lbs., C/10 hr. LC2.

Deceptive Sonar Jammer: This emits deceptive sonar signals: it gives a -6 to sonar detection. Successfully spoofing sonar can change the user’s apparent size and (if desired) course by up to +/-6 SM or 60°. $2,000, 2.5 lbs., C/10 hr. LC2.

Distortion Field Belt: -6 to all active sensors. Successful spoofing can provide a pre-set, seemingly accurate, but completely false image (within the limits of the spoofed sensor) and/or change the apparent size and course by up to +/-6 SM or 60°. $10,000, 2.5 lbs., C/10 hr. LC2.

Holo-Distort Belt: Combines a distortion field belt with a holobelt. $12,000, 3 lbs., 2C/10 hr. LC3.

Distortion Chip: A small distortion field that protects a one-foot radius around it. It is usually hidden in clothing or luggage, or attached to a weapon or other device to evade or spoof Search rolls that use active sensors. $500, 0.05 lbs., A/4 hr. LC2.

Except for the distortion chip, these jammers protect a roughly human-size area. Larger objects like vehicles need bigger jammers: multiply cost, weight, and number of C-cells by the square of the vehicle’s longest dimension in yards. (Substitute a D cell for 10 C cells, an E cell for 100 C cells, etc.)

This system reduces an object’s heat signature to defeat infrared and thermal imaging detection. It subtracts -6 from rolls to detect it via infrared vision or similar sensors. $1,500, 3 lbs. (adjust by SM). LC3.

This electronic-camouflage system allows the wearer to choose a color scheme from any of eight different patterns – desert, snow/arctic, jungle, forest, underwater, urban, black, or high-visibility orange, useful for rescue and underwater operations. The suit takes three seconds to reset. A suitable camouflage pattern gives a +2 to Camouflage rolls, but a -1 to Camouflage rolls in non-matching terrain, and a -2 in highly-contrasting terrain (i.e., wearing an arctic pattern in the jungle). Programmable camouflage systems are a significantly cheaper alternative to sensor-controlled systems, and are commonly used by civilian hunters, survey scouts or lightly-equipped military forces. This can be added to any outfit that covers most of the wearer: $1,000, 2 lbs. (adjust for SM). LC4.

Many suits of personal armor incorporate radar-absorbent material as part of their structure. This subtracts -6 from detection by radar, imaging radar, or terahertz (T-ray) radar. Integral radar stealth systems are incorporated with many armor suits. They may also be added to any sealed suit: $1,500, 3 lbs. (adjust for SM). LC3.

This works like a sealed chemical protection suit in reverse – instead of preventing chemicals from entering the clothing, it prevents chemicals from leaving. It provides +4 to Tracking when trying to cover your scent trail. Available for any sealed suit. $200, 1 lb. LC4.

This active optical camouflage system renders the user nearly invisible. Its fabric incorporates thousands of embedded nanocameras and projectors to create a seamless “projection stealth” system. Controlled by a fast dedicated computer, this captures images of the user’s surroundings, then displays photorealistic imagery that can fool observers from multiple angles and perspectives. The user is invisible. He gets +9 to Stealth rolls in most circumstances. The invisibility is effective against living things and machines, and will fool cameras. The user casts a visible shadow. He also appears as a shadow when silhouetted directly against the sun or any other extremely bright light source (such as a searchlight); reduce the Stealth bonus to +3 under these conditions. When he moves, there’s a faint shimmering that others can spot with a Vision-6 roll, and target in combat at -6 to hit. The suit can also function as a video display terminal. The user can “paint” the suit with any desired color or pattern; this reduces the power drain by a factor of 10. An invisibility surface is only effective against visual and infrared (or thermal) imaging.

Invisibility Surface: Any suit that covers most or all of the wearer may have an invisibility surface. The cost and weight includes coverage for gloves, boots, and a helmet or hooded mask. $20,000, 4 lbs., 2C/30 min. LC2.

Invisibility Cloak: This optical camouflage cloak can be wrapped around a person or object to conceal it. This works like an invisibility surface, but provides only a +3 bonus when moving. $10,000, 4 lbs., C/15 min. LC2.

Invisibility Net: This invisibility cloak is large enough to hide vehicles, heavy equipment, or a base camp. It covers 25 square yards. $200,000, 50 lbs., 2D/8 hr. LC2.

These hardware devices retrieve data from computers or their interfaces. For online intrusion, use software tools for Computer Hacking or Computer Programming. For hacking encryption, see Quantum Computers.

Computer equipment emits radio signals when in use. This gadget picks these up. It can detect whatever data is being typed or displayed on an interface screen at a distance, allowing someone to eavesdrop on computer activity. It cannot read what is stored inside the computer. It can scan through walls, provided they are not shielded. Using the device requires an Aim maneuver for the duration of the surveillance; roll against Electronics Operation (Surveillance) to get clear data. Interfaces may be designed to be shielded against these emissions (but most non-government systems are not).

Mini Scanner: 100-yard range; -1 to skill per 10 yards range. $500, 0.1 lb., A/10 hr. LC2.

Long-Range Scanner: 1,000-yard range; -1 to skill per 100 yards of range. $5,000, 5 lbs., C/10 hr. LC2.

This pinhead-sized adhesive bug can be stuck to the bottom of a terminal’s keyboard. It uses induction to read the keystrokes, recording everything that gets typed in its memory. It can record a gigabyte at TL9; multiply by 1,000 per TL afterward. The bug can be retrieved manually, or it can be programmed to send out the data as a coded burst transmission using its microcommunicator. It runs for a year. $200, weight is negligible. LC3.

A superconducting quantum interference device is used to interrogate a computer brain to retrieve data, even if that system is offline.

Contact SQUID: This SQUID must be physically attached to the target computer; it can then assist in reading the data stored within. $20,000, 5 lbs., 2C/10 hr. LC3.

Technology leads to new vices, such as pleasure robots, sensie addiction, or direct neural stimulation, any or all which may be legally regulated in certain countries. It can also lead to variations on existing crimes, such as hijacking robots, illegally copying a mind, or transforming a person into a cyborg against his will. Some societies have declared certain technologies criminally dangerous – for example, volitional AI, personally owned minifactories, or digital minds – and prosecute anyone who employs them.