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"It isn't a bad thing, Macy. My mind is full of light."

- Luke Keegan while under the influence of a modified psychic dampener.(src)

Neural inhibitors[1][2][3] (also known as neuro-adjusters[4] or psychic dampeners[5]) are cybernetic implants that were used by the Confederate Ghost Program (and later, the Dominion) to control their ghost agents through keeping their aggression levels and behavioral patterns in check.[6] These devices weaken their psionic powers,[5] and by extension, make it easier for ghosts to screen out the thoughts of other individuals.[7] Implanted in the brain, neural inhibitors can regulate brain and blood chemestry and reroute neural pathways in order to keep the ghost's emotional state in check.[8] The implants can be fatal[9] and their method of operation is very similar to neural resocialization,[4] but "much worse".[10]

The location of neural inhibitors can be tracked by some officers, both Confederate[10] and Dominion.[11] The implantation process leaves scarred tissue.[8]

The drawback to neural inhibitors is that they can be surgically removed,[4] or in rare cases, malfunction.[12] Upon the defection of Sarah Kerrigan, psychic dampeners were abandoned by the Confederacy in favor of the more effective memory wipe technique.[13] However, previously-implanted ghosts (such as Devon Starke) usually did not have their dampeners removed.[3] Ghosts who retained them that became spectres under Project Shadow Blade had their inhibitors removed in order to avoid detection.[11] Some ghosts have used their psionic powers to disable their inhibitors, though such a procedure comes at a great risk.[8]

The Dominion utilizes both the mind wipe technique and neural inhibitors.[7]

After the End War, the Terran Dominion developed a device that could partially undo the effects of memory alteration by delivering an electric pulse through a neural inhibitor.[14]

Variants[]

LukeKeegan SC-FL2 A Ghost Story Comic1

The Church's modified neural inhibitor

Some variants of neural inhibitors can suppress or reshape a disloyal ghost's memory and render them susceptible to orders.[4]

By 2503 the Terran Dominion had developed a specialized variant, the psi-inhibitor, to limit protoss psionic abilities.[15]

Modified neural inhibitor technology continues to be used by the Church of Besainted Pelagius to enforce obedience among its disciples, the technology taken from a ghost sent to terminate the movement.[16]

References[]

  1. Blizzard Entertainment. 2010-07-24. Cast of Characters: Kerrigan. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2010-07-24.
  2. Ghost. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2007-08-10.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Golden, Christie (November 27, 2007). StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga #2: Shadow Hunters. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 978-0-7434-7126-8.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Neilson, Micky (December 18, 2000). StarCraft: Uprising. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 978-0743-41898-0 (eBook).
  5. 5.0 5.1 Underwood, Peter, Bill Roper, Chris Metzen and Jeffrey Vaughn. StarCraft (Manual). Irvine, Calif.: Blizzard Entertainment, 1998.
  6. 2014-12-18, Ghost Science. Blizzard Entertainment, accessed on 2014-12-21
  7. 7.0 7.1 Kenyon, Nate. (September 27, 2011). StarCraft: Ghost: Spectres. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 978-1439-10938-0.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 Zahn, Timothy (November 8, 2016). StarCraft: Evolution. Del Rey Books. ISBN 0425284735.
  9. Neilson, Micky. "StarCraft: Hybrid." Amazing Stories 601 (Spring 2000): 70-75.
  10. 10.0 10.1 Grubb, Jeff (February 27, 2001). StarCraft: Liberty's Crusade. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 978-0671-04148-9.
  11. 11.0 11.1 2011-09-29, Blizzplanet Review: StarCraft: Ghost — Spectres. Blizzplanet, accessed on 2011-10-02
  12. Milner, Lesley (1998). Insurrection (manual). Aztech New Media.
  13. DeCandido, Keith R. A. (November 28, 2006). StarCraft: Ghost: Nova. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 978-0743-47134-3.
  14. Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Nova Covert Ops. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Cinematic: Lost Memories. (in English). 2016.
  15. Elder, Josh (w), Ramanda Kamarga (p), Angie Nathalia (i), Junadi (i). "Do No Harm." In StarCraft: Frontline: Volume 3 (paperback binding), pp. 48-89. Tokyopop, July 14, 2009. ISBN 978-1427-80832-5.
  16. Gillen, Kieron (w), Hector Sevilla (art). "A Ghost Story." In StarCraft: Frontline: Volume 2 (paperback binding), pp. 122-169. Tokyopop, January 1, 2009. ISBN 1427-80831-7.
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