Self Defense Research Laboratories (SDRL, 自防研究室, zi fang yan jiu shi) is a state-sponsored military research institute located in the Li Ming system, founded in 2254, a year after the HFR's founding, with facilities on Zhuque and one of its moons, Gui. Publicly, SDRL conducts testing for Li Ming's military branches by coordinating tests and training for assets of other corporations, which can range from personal firearms to capital cruisers. Therefore, SDRL has a variety of facilities, on land, sea, air, and in space. However, a significant portion of SDRL's budget disguised as equipment costs is dedicated towards the development and maintenance of false-Daqinren specimen known simply as "Training Units".
Training Units are essentially fleshy punching bags with only three month lifespans after a six month growth period inside artificial wombs. The initial batch lacked sapience and the neurological pathways to act out in self-defense, while maintaining flight-or-fight instincts that produce the necessary hormones and chemicals to survive in hostile environments and traumatic injuries. Later models were improved upon by studying captured second-class Daqinren, using their body models to create Training Units as close to Daqinren as possible, without giving them the neurology to fight back and communicate with one another. These Training Units are subject to a variety of hostile environments and weaponry, their bodily reactions studied to improve the lethality of military equipment against Daqin infantry.
Naturally, the artificial growth and inhumane treatment of disabled humanoids fly in the face of scientific ethics. To this day, members of the Li Ming parliament are made unaware of SDRL's application of Training Units. Any declassified documents portray Training Units in full body armor, and described as literal bags of artificially grown organs. Researchers on the project are chosen for their psychopathic personalities, lack of empathy, and non-existent social lives outside of work.
Training Units
Despite the trauma from the Zhongzhi event, overwhelming phobia towards artificially grown, sentient organisms across the HFR, leadership in the RSC, Shen Zhou, and Li Ming identified the continued application of Zhuli as test beds for equipment to counter Daqin infantry. Thus, behind closed doors and despite the URC's protests, the SDRL in Li Ming was founded and assigned with the task to neuter whatever was left of Zhuli designs to turn the final organic products harmless, but mimicking advanced biology nonetheless.Training Units are essentially fleshy punching bags with only three month lifespans after a six month growth period inside artificial wombs. The initial batch lacked sapience and the neurological pathways to act out in self-defense, while maintaining flight-or-fight instincts that produce the necessary hormones and chemicals to survive in hostile environments and traumatic injuries. Later models were improved upon by studying captured second-class Daqinren, using their body models to create Training Units as close to Daqinren as possible, without giving them the neurology to fight back and communicate with one another. These Training Units are subject to a variety of hostile environments and weaponry, their bodily reactions studied to improve the lethality of military equipment against Daqin infantry.
Naturally, the artificial growth and inhumane treatment of disabled humanoids fly in the face of scientific ethics. To this day, members of the Li Ming parliament are made unaware of SDRL's application of Training Units. Any declassified documents portray Training Units in full body armor, and described as literal bags of artificially grown organs. Researchers on the project are chosen for their psychopathic personalities, lack of empathy, and non-existent social lives outside of work.