2016: Recall Repression / Hypnosis / Suggestion Device (Neurological Interference), Pages 112-125 (Excerpt; Lichter's Design Notebook) (Translated from German)
To a secret keeper, the memory of others is the greatest threat. Several times, the integrity of my operations has been threatened by outside interference. Furthermore, there have been several instances in which the public have almost been made aware of devastating truths regarding the presence of extranormal affairs in their daily lives. Whistleblowers and doxxers are a great threat as well, using their knowledge to attempt to hurt innocents. It matters not what someone knows, however, if what they know is forgotten.
Enter the Recall Repression Device, a tool I've constructed to aid in maintaining secrets both personal and institutional. This small gadget can fit in the palm of my hand, emerging only when it is necessary to wipe away either short-term or long-term memory of anything I choose from a target's mind. An intrusive device, yes, but a necessary one. The emergence of the "secret identity" in the superhero world has also made the construction of such a weapon a necessity. If I am to manage the affairs of costumed vigilantes, it means keeping their loved ones safe. If someone should discover who they are, it will be my duty to pay them a visit and wipe away whatever they might know of my charge's double life.
The device itself operates on several principles of advanced hypnosis and neurological suggestion, making an exposed target highly susceptible to orders and false information. A light emitter on the tip generates a luminous flash, which can be set off in both a large area or targeted directly at a recipient's iris. For large-scale mindwipes, I'll need to wear my protective goggles, of course. This flash is the primary element of the hypnotic shock, rendering the unconscious mind vulnerable to external manipulation for a short time. At this point, either through pre-stated or post-stated voice commands, I can sculpt someone's conscious memory cluster like a statue.
It's as simple as saying "forget my face," and flashing the RRD in their eyes. At this point, my target's own mind works against them, filling in whatever blanks my weapon has left behind and rationalizing their memory loss. The "missing time" element is problematic; people will know that a certain amount of time has passed in which they cannot remember what they've been doing, but this is not totally abnormal. The average person won't put too much thought into it anyhow. It can be likened to walking through a doorway and forgetting what you've come into the room to do, except that the doorway is about a mile long and you've spent a good bit of time walking.
That being said, it's notable that in its current state the RRD simply represses memory. The information is not totally lost, and it could conceivably be recovered by means of telepathic intrusion or deep-state hypnosis. Some strong-willed targets might even experience flashes of the experiences I've commanded them to forget. Now, if I wanted to utterly delete memory, that would take prolonged exposure. Perhaps a minute or so would do the trick, but I don't know what other potential side effects could arise.
As for the suggestion, that too is useful. I could theoretically wrest one's will away from one's self, giving an order and receiving servitude for a short time. A dangerous weapon indeed, and not one I hope to use anytime soon. Very immoral to tear someone's will away from them; "mind control" technology developed by the government was once the stuff of conspiracy theories. Now it's real.
This, like my other special tech, will not be general issue. Only I can be trusted with this device. That being said, it will no doubt be eminently useful.
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