E.C.H.O. Visor

E.C.H.O. Visor The E.C.H.O. Visor (Electrosignetic Caphsronis Hectron Obenexer), was a high-tech signal visor created by a precise and complex three-fold combination of black market, stolen imperial and rebellion technology. It utilized the absolute peak of technology during its time, which also accounted for its rarity, complicated features, and especially its infamous expense. To ensure that it would never burn out or decrease in effectiveness, the E.C.H.O. visor was energized by two small Artusian crystals located near the visor's left and right temples.

Characteristics
Primarily created for the aid of sabotages, assassinations, or kidnappings, these were used by only the best of rebel marines, infiltrators, or qualified war heroes. The E.C.H.O. visor was a near perfect detection device, able to see through heat, sound, and visibility hamperers by tapping into and reading its electromagnetic signature&mdash;a feat once believed impossible. The E.C.H.O. visor was unreasonably expensive to produce, a large part of the reason for its rarity. The general cost for its three-fold binding technology estimated to a retrieving cost of around 650,000 credits per pair, although it has been known to escalate to a dangerously high 1,500,000. That being said, for five pairs of E.C.H.O. visors, a required fund of at least 3,500,000, and, worst case scenario, up to 7,500,000&mdash;nearly ten million credits for a mere five pairs&mdash;would be necessary. The E.C.H.O. visor had three channels or phases. However, these are not all active at the same time to avoid technical confusion and mishap.

The Three Channels

 * Phase I, the basic phase, known as the signature phase&mdash;sees through virtually any visual or signal repellent or hampering device. This channel can detect targets using any kind of modified stealth field generators, including heat and sound. The target appears through "sonic images" or "sonic detection", giving the exact location of the target. Because the target is revealed through sonic detection, the user literally sees the sound visually&mdash;creating an echo-like appearance. This echolocation feature is what gave the visor its name.


 * Phase II, the second phase, known as the x-ray phase&mdash;allows the user to phase through solid objects of a 300 meter radius, helpful for finding targets hiding in mattered objects, instead of cloaking devices. The user's surroundings while using the E.C.H.O. visor have a clear, glazed look about, for safety that the user doesn't collide into any obstacles while in this channel.


 * Phase III, the final phase, known as the identification (or ID) phase&mdash;can scan humanoids for identification, even if unregistered. This visor signals all data on the humanoid from over 20,000,000,000 galactic, private, military, and unofficial databanks until some of any sort of information on the humanoid is detected. Usually, this channel is used in kidnapping or other similar activities. This channel of the visor is constantly updated and, consequently, this is the most expensive and complicated addition to the E.C.H.O. visor.

Technology Theft
In 1 ABY, the Rebel Alliance Intelligence Agency had news of a nearly forgotten laboratory on Fondor that specialized in signal devices. A four man scientist team working for the Empire had completed a breakthrough formula for detecting signals and siphoning them with echolocation. The formula had taken 12 years to accomplish, but the Empire hadn't learned to adapt them for military use as of yet. During the night, Rebel Infiltrators had broken into the laboratories of the Empire, and stole the schematics for a new signal detection device, as well as the prototype device. To ensure no traces were left, they blew up the entire facility, along with the scientists.

Near the dawn of 2 ABY, the Zann Consortium's black market had an illegal item that hacks into all known databases: galactic, private, unofficial, and military. At the time Rebel representatives had arrived to haggle the technology, the "auction" was interrupted by Imperial Spies, as well as a bombardment. Desiring the technology, a Rebel guard was ordered to attempt to steal the unique scanner which was protected inside a durasteel container. By the time he had arrived at the stand, the visor was gone. Another buyer had stolen it and headed towards the starpads. By the time the buyer had reached his ship, it was bombed, and the explosion had launched him through a building. After a short search, the Rebels found the case, and retreated from the premises.

Birth of the Prototype
By the time Rebel scientist had perfected their x-ray phasing technology, the thoughts of combining all three technologies was exhausting. By late 2 ABY, the non-stop efforts by Rebel scientist and technicians had finally paid off. A reliable schematic has revealed itself, and the formula was on the mark. Construction had begun the next day. For 8 months, the technicians had worked hard with the scientist on the task at hand. Two months later, a celebration was held in a secret Rebel facility on Corellia. Strict work had paid off, and all tests had succeeded expectations. Due to the success, one other facility had been given a copy of the schematics to work on. It had been given a name due to its capabilities:


 * Electrosignetic


 * Caphsronis


 * Hectron


 * Obenexer

Because it was adapted into a visor, it was known Codename: E.C.H.O. Visor.

Rarity of Use
Though a remarkable device, the cost and time of constructing them was a considerable hinder to who received them. During the Battle of Shezyll, the E.C.H.O. visors were finally put into action, and well served their purposes. When ready, twenty were sent to Marshal Jaken Suons, then given to the newly formed Phantom Team. They were the only team in all of the Alliance to use them at all, and the visors themselves were stored until they were actually going to be put into use to avoid unnecessary damage. Only war hero Major Krad Erron was known to have been given one for personal use.

Growth and Declination of Production
Used only by the creators, the Rebellion Alliance, these eventually found their way to special units of the New Republic soldiers. Because they take roughly a year (approximately 10 months) of careful handmade concentration to correctly construct, they were, understandably, once in rare supply. As the New Republic grew, the amount of scientist they could fund to keep increased. The production numbers reached nearly 20,000, until the Yuuzhan Vong war came. The worlds with the scientific facilities funded for that production were dominated by the Yuuzhan Vong&mdash;worlds like Fondor, Dantooine, and Coruscant. With the primary factories&mdash;along with their schematics&mdash;decimated during the war, fewer than 500 visors existed at the war's end. Extremely rare after the war, few know who holds one of the remaining E.C.H.O. visors. By 1,100 ABY, they were believed to be extinct of use. Only two pairs were known to be existing at that time:


 * The first one, production code #17,187, was hidden deep in a secret Black Nova vault. The actual location of the vault is currently unknown.


 * The second, production code #13,976, was located in a Coruscant museum for rare and exotic weaponry.

Behind the scenes

 * The E.C.H.O. visor was heavily inspired (though not based) by the Echo visor, Dark visor, and Scan visor of the Metroid Prime video game franchise.


 * The E.C.H.O. visor was originally intended to have only on look-out, which is currently known as the first phase. The two additional phases were brought in some time later as additional channels. The x-ray channel was brought in because of the first picture fitting the description of an x-ray look, rather than a sound. The last phase was thought up about a month later. It nearly didn't make it to the article, because of unsatisfactory screen shots. It was added when a sufficient one was found.


 * The visual designs of the visor itself were influenced by the scanner present at the Black Market auction. Due to the "T" shape of the visor and the Zann Consortium's connection to Mandalore, the root of the E.C.H.O. visor's appearance was, undoubtedly, Mandalorian.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Blood of Mandalores: Genocide of War I


 * Star Wars: Blood of Mandalores: Genocide of War II