Facility Termination System

The Facility Termination System (FTS) is a redundant "fail-deadly" self-destruct system built into all Gen 3 Bridge Laboratories intended to be a last resort against terrorist groups or dimensional incursion attempts. Components include the On-Site Warheads, the Dead Man’s System, and Closeout Communications System. The FTS is linked to the facility’s PALIS system, which allows it to trigger when any of the facility’s critical components are activated or tampered with without Raven authority, including the targeting system.

Despite its mandate under amendments to the Dimensional Security Accords, FTS technology remains controversial due to its risk of collateral damage in disaster situations, and as such action movements have successfully campaigned for the construction of modern bridge laboratories away from populated areas. As of the 23rd Century, only one FTS has ever been triggered. All FTS components are controlled and maintained by Raven, and hence FTS-relevant areas in facilities, such as the DMS vaults, CCS bunker, and protected interface to the targeting computer cryptosystem citadel, are prohibited from entry by anyone except Raven technicians.

On-Site Warheads

The on-site warheads (OSWs) are a set of annihilation explosives that are strategically positioned under the critical components of the laboratory, usually in the sub-basement levels. They are normally split into three groups that operate independently; Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. Each group has its own power supply and arming controller. Originally, nuclear warheads were used as part of the FTS, but these were phased out in the 2250s, when more effective annihilation warheads capable of completely destroying even anomalies became available.

The on-site warheads share the arming state with the state of the overall FTS, which is usually armed only during a bridge activation. The arming state of the warheads decides whether they will operate as fail-safe or fail-deadly; for example, drilling into a warhead in an attempt to sabotage it while the system is disarmed will fire explosives in such a way to destroy the warhead while preventing an antimatter detonation, while doing the same when the system is armed will trigger the antimatter detonation.

Only a select few parties possess the authority to manually arm the OSWs for detonation outside of a bridge activation: the facility administrator, the Chief Protective Security Officer (CPSO), the DMS officers, and Raven itself. Once started, the countdown sequence can still be aborted with codes provided by Raven until the warheads switch to internal timers, 30 seconds before detonation.

Dead Man’s System

The Dead Man’s System (DMS) is a component which is intended to ensure conscious oversight over the system and allow for activation of the FTS, even in disaster scenarios where all outside communications are cut off. It is designed in such a way that makes it effectively impossible for a non-anomalous outside aggressor to subvert the FTS countermeasures.

Two high-ranking security officers, known as DMS officers, are stationed in isolated, sealed vaults on opposite areas of the site. They are required to hold a spring-loaded switch, and additionally are bound to the DMS control panel by a wired wrist bracelet, which prevents them from being coerced into leaving their post before another officer relieves them.

Releasing the switch or disconnecting the bracelet while the system is armed initiates a 60-second countdown. During this time, an alarm sounds, and if it is not acknowledged, the on-site warheads begin their automatic countdown sequence. To prevent intentional sabotage of the system, Raven is notified via the CCS, and has the ability to abort the countdown.

Officers are required to undergo some of the highest levels of vetting given to Interdimensional Research Treaty Organisation (IRTO) personnel, including Gamma clearance, and are subjected to frequent mandatory psychological evaluations. They are sworn to protect the facility against attack, triggering the system even if it results in the loss of their own lives.

Closeout Communications System

The Closeout Communications System (CCS) is a secure communications system that operates independently from the facility’s main network and exists exclusively to establish communication with Raven. In disaster events, it allows Raven to establish whether the threat has been neutralised or whether the FTS has been compromised and the situation requires external intervention. It also allows Raven to remotely arm and disarm facility countermeasures, and communicate orders to high-ranking facility personnel.

The computer systems comprising the CCS are located in a bunker deep below the facility, and access points connected to it are located in fortified locations throughout the facility, in places such as the facility director’s office, the security offices, and the DMS vaults. The cabling between the CCS bunker and CCS access points is shielded, alarmed, and highly classified. If the Closeout Communication System ever loses its redundant connection to Raven, it immediately transitions the Weapon System Controllers inside the two DMS vaults to High Alert.

High Alert requires the DMS officers to perform a liveness test every five minutes, or the controllers will automatically start the countdown sequence. Simultaneously, officers are required to initiate a classified checklist that includes triggering of the warheads as a potential option should they fail to ascertain the safe state of the facility and its personnel. High Alert when initiated can only be cancelled by the on-site presence of Raven technicians performing a system reset.