Captain Vulcan
Super Strength
Behold, the hero of the future: Captain Vulcan! ...at least that's what Crey Industries thought in 1983. Even back then, the Countess was hell bent on replicating superpowered individuals.
Enter Project Vulcan, a secret project by Crey to investigate the limits of cybernetic enhancement and turn them to the company's advantage. Many "volunteers" to this program did not survive its experimental and brutal processes. Vulcan produced only one viable prototype who would be completely loyal to Countess Crey - or so she thought.
Captain Vulcan disappeared shortly after activation, and Project Vulcan was mothballed before it began in 1987. Whether the hero left by choice or was stolen is not known - not even to Countess Crey. But now the Cyber Centurion has resurfaced. He's said nothing of his past or connection to Crey, and only seems interested in doing what he was made to do: safeguarding the innocent and upholding the law with honesty and integrity.
Super Strength
Captain Vulcan's cybernetic enhancements imbue him with Herculean strength. The hero can manage upwards of forty tons when lifting from the ground, and about a third of that when in flight.
Enhanced Durability
Captain Vulcan's metallic skeleton, cybernetic components and his subdermal armor make him immune to small arms fire, and resistant to explosives and energy weapons.
Suppression Field
Captain Vulcan is able to generate and discharge a massive amount of electricity in his local vicinity, making him a (half) human tesla coil. Cap can alter the voltage and range of this field to a couple meters or mere inches from his physical form, allowing him to shock and debilitate enemies who get too close. It also acts as an added defense against energy attacks, particularly electricity.
Laser Vision
Captain Vulcan's helmet can project a high-powered laser from its visor that can cut steel or burn opponents.
Self-Repair
Microbots in Captain Vulcan's body allow for a limited degree of self-repair and a sort of "robotic first aid" on-site. Otherwise, he can return to "the Shop" to receive major repairs to his systems, sometimes simply swapping out old, damaged components for new ones.
Cybernetic Implants
Many of Captain Vulcan's organs have been augmented or entirely replaced by cybernetic components, including nearly half of his brain. He also has a few cybernetic "organs" that humans do not. This enables a whole range of abilties:
- Computer and virtual interface
- Recording, storing and sharing of sensory input
- Enhanced sight and hearing beyond human norms
- Ability to "see" in radio, sonar or infrared
- Hypersonic flight by way of gravitic oscillator
- Enhanced speed on foot
Machine Weaknesses
As he is part machine, Captain Vulcan is susceptible to the weaknesses of electronics and robotics, namely electromagnetism and intense radioactivity. Though his systems are hardened to a degree, no electronic system is completely immune and a sufficient level of ionizing radiation, magnetism or electricity can be a severe detriment. While Cap's Suppression Field is active, he is protected even further, but there are still levels he cannot resist. While his living cells may regenerate, his machine components do not and must be repaired like any other construct to remain functioning.
Signal Interference
Being open to other sensory inputs can at times be as much a curse as it is a blessing. Sufficiently powerful or distorted signals can overwhelm Captain Vulcan's awareness, causing distress and even pain, much as a loud sound or bright light can debilitate a normal human.
Computer Brain
Nearly half of Captain Vulcan's brain is machine, and this lays him open to certain drawbacks that full-on humans do not have. If one obtains access to Cap's CPU, they could conceivably alter his base programming, which could change his behavior or disregulate his other abilities. He can also be overwhelmed by data, and will sometimes pause all other actions in order to process the load. His systems are built so that his organic brain can override these things, but it is incredibly difficult and Cap doesn't have much practice taking voluntary control of his systems.
Outdated Technology
Though incredibly advanced for his time, much of Captain Vulcan's tech is difficult, perhaps impossible to upgrade with modern components. He and his proprietary Crey components are so integrated that to remove or swap certain pieces could permanently damage or even kill the Captain. Sufficient upgrades pose a danger to Cap's structural and systemic integrity, and would require an incredible grasp of cybernetics, robotics and computer science to perform properly. This means that for the foreseeable future, Captain Vulcan's abilities remain impressive, but fixed at their current levels, with little room to improve.
Only (Half) Human
The parts of Captain Vulcan that are still organic, while better protected, are no more or less resilient than an average humans. To a lesser degree, Cap can still get infections and come down with any number of human illnesses, and of course can sustain critical damage if these organic parts of him are targeted.
Programming Conflicts
Captain Vulcan's operation system has a few prime directives that govern or restrain his actions in lieu of his organic brain:
- Serve the public trust
- Protect the innocent
- Uphold the law
These are organized in order to prioritize certain actions above others and minimize conflicts. Still, conflicts in which Captain Vulcan cannot default to his prime directives can give him pause - literally. A conflict between his directives or inability to classify a situation can lead to inaction while he processes the information, leading to a lull that could be exploited or lead to further danger for him or others. These are rare, but perilous if happened upon or exploited by others.
Given that half his brain is machine, it should come as no surprise that Cap's behavior is incredibly well-organized, to the point of being machine-like. He also tends not to deviate from his routines unless danger or necessity dictates it. So, when first meeting Captain Vulcan, many may find him robotic in demeanor. However, this is only half of the picture, and Captain Vulcan actually has a simple charm and warmth about his personality that overlays his somewhat robotic behavior. He is surprisingly good-natured and despite all outward appearances, he does possess a sense of humor, though some would consider it to be corny. He seems particularly fond of puns.
Whether it is part of his nature as a human or part of his programming, Captain Vulcan's main consideration is honesty and the protection of innocent people, followed by the upholding of the law. Almost all of his behavior serves these functions. As such he is not so accustomed or able in social situations, such as a party. However, he does seem to excel at interacting with the public while on patrol, and is particularly given to interacting with children. He seems to enjoy hero work, to the point it seems to be the only thing he enjoys.
Besides his prime directives, his behavior is minimally idiosyncratic. He has few likes or dislikes, biases or personal opinions regarding political or social issues. Occasionally he does show curiosity towards certain works of art, particularly music, but for the most part prefers his routines. Whether he is capable of romantic or sexual feelings is not known, and so far he has few relationships with anyone beyond the professional.