Ray-Shark

**Dev. Status** | Conceptual

 **Key Features** | »» Radio *"Mutual understanding"* helm»» Waterproof raygun w/ harness»» Augmented teeth (Extremely sharp)»» Robust physiology resists tumors»» Insatiable appetite

*"Rrrrrrrrrrrrrruhh" (Lit. "Feeeeeed")*

- Ray-Shark motto
## Tactical Analysis

* **Just when you thought it was safe to swim**: Acting as Kingdom aquatic scouts, since Tigers are unwilling to enter the water, Ray Sharks use their keen senses to scout ahead and find hidden enemies. While their mutated hide, and planar shield harness, makes them surprisingly resistant to most weapons.

* **Gonna need a bigger boat**: Thanks to their enhanced teeth, Ray Sharks are capable of chomping on just about anything from flesh and bone to wood and steel. Engineers are a particularly favored delicacy to these oceanic predators.

* **Sharks with freakin ray guns!**: If their prey proves too quick or dangerous to approach, Ray Sharks can leap out of the water to fire the head-mounted death ray, the result usually reducing the target into a crispy fried snack.

* **Gotta taxidermist back home**: While deadly, Ray Sharks are still just oversized fish to most navy’s warships. They also don’t have any real way to deal with planes. And despite their new teeths, they are actually rather bad at biting through most ships and particularly armoured infantry.

## Background

With the atomic exchange on the Chinese mainland, fallout spread by the winds across a larger area. Most of it fell on areas that were already barren wastelands, but much of it also fell into the ocean. Throughout the South China Sea, most fish died off in gigantic quantities, reducing parts of the sea to a lifeless abyss, not unlike what the land had become. But one animal above all can resist the cancer that comes with fallout. The sharks of the South China Sea flourished in this time, as their competitors were dying, allowing them to feast on the dwindling bounty surrounding them.

Still, the sharks were subtly changed by the radiation, but bizarrely, benefited from it. These new sharks were faster and smarter than the average shark, prompting a new classification. Dolphins are quick to point out they're not sapient like they are, and terrible conversationalists in any case.

Coincidentally, the Atomic Kingdom was in need of a naval scout. Their navy was mighty and could smash anything the NRA and PLA had, but the sea was a big place, and ships could get through. In fact, an Allied research ship steamed into Chinese waters to study the fallout's effect on the ecosystem. The Kingdom watched, fascinated, for as soon as the researchers dropped one pail of chum into the water, a swarm of sharks leaped out of the water to pluck each bucket of shark feed off the deck, knocking the chum into the water to feed their pack.

Later, Atomic Kingdom envoys tried to communicate with the sharks using advanced radio acoustics, but other than a vague gratitude for them killing their hated enemy, the river dolphin, all the sharks cared about was being fed. After slipping on a specially programmed helm to better communicate (a task that led to several clones being eaten), the sharks changed their mind and swore allegiance to the Viceroy. Other nations have wondered if these helms are really just communications devices, a question the Kingdom would not answer.

The Kingdom wasn't content with just their loyalty, however. To truly make them servants, they needed to be adept at fighting in a modern war. First, each shark that wanted it could get an injection that made their teeth and skin as hard as tungsten. Though slightly uncomfortable when they shed, the sharks were enthusiastic; suddenly, shipments of bleeding livestock no longer drove them mad, since they could literally chew open hulls of ships.

For worse foes, they were also given (waterproofed) ray guns and planar shield generators mounted on harnesses. Though incapable of working underwater, the sharks were adept at leaping out of the water; the targeting device did the rest. As for their role, as scouts, they are without equal in the Kingdom navy, but they've branched off into other roles.

Unlike other sharks, Ray-Sharks have a concept of walls, so they are often used as guards in underground bases, assuming there are ample canals for them to move through, and trap doors dropping into them for intruders. They excel in this role, not only because they are intimidating for intruders, but because they never rest, eat quickly, and never reminisce about the time a Courtesan winked at them, making them think, *"She really likes me?!"*.

These are rare, however, as sharks are predators of the oceans, and are at their best when there. While once the South China Sea was dead due to fallout, now the South China Sea is dead from those who fear to go there.

## Behind the Scenes

The Ray-Shark is clearly based on the *"freaking"* sharks with *"freaking"* laser beams on their *"freaking"* heads from Austin Powers.