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TESSERA CB-5 'Viper Strike'

A compact repeating crossbow with an integrated chemical payload injection system. The CB-5 fires short bolts from a 12-bolt gravity-feed magazine, each bolt hollow and loaded with 0.5ml of operator-selected chemical agent that is injected into the wound channel upon impact through a pressure-activated plunger mechanism. The bolt itself causes minimal physical damage — a 4mm puncture wound that might go unnoticed in a chaotic environment. The chemical payload does the killing.

TESSERA supplies the CB-5 with a catalog of approved chemical loadouts: fast-acting paralytic agents for capture operations, delayed-onset neurotoxins for deniable assassination, and incapacitating sedatives for extraction. The weapon's true danger is its versatility — any liquid agent that fits in a 0.5ml reservoir can be loaded, and the underground market has developed payloads that TESSERA never intended: synthetic opioid overdose loads, corrosive agents, and tailored biotoxins designed for specific genetic profiles.

The CB-5 is nearly silent, fires rapidly, and delivers chemical payloads that can kill hours after exposure. It is the preferred weapon for operators who need their target to die somewhere else, at some other time, from what looks like something other than murder.

Asante Wellness Clinics → Tessera Corponation

name

TESSERA CB-5 'Viper Strike'

aliases

Viper Strike
Poison Bow
Chemical Bow

category

crossbow

manufacturer

Asante Wellness Clinics

tier availability

Tier 4+

legality

Prohibited — classified as chemical weapon delivery system

base technologies

Pressure-activated chemical injection
Gravity-feed repeating mechanism
Micro-reservoir bolt design

specifications

bolt velocity: 60 m/s
effective range: 25 meters
magazine: 12-bolt gravity feed
chemical payload: 0.5ml per bolt
bolt diameter: 4mm
weight: 2.0 kg
length: 380mm
acoustic signature: Below ambient noise floor

tactical use

Chemical payload delivery for assassination, capture, and covert operations. Operators select bolts loaded with appropriate agents for the mission objective. The weapon's low bolt velocity and small wound profile mean targets may not realize they've been hit until the chemical payload takes effect.

cultural context

The CB-5 is feared because it represents death by ambiguity. A target hit by a Viper Strike bolt might feel a brief sting and think nothing of it until the paralytic kicks in an hour later. In a city where people are constantly jostled, bumped, and crowded, a 4mm puncture wound is indistinguishable from everyday urban abrasion. The weapon exploits the anonymity of city life as a delivery mechanism.

known users

TESSERA covert operations division
Corporate espionage units
At least two known contract killers specializing in deniable operations

story hooks

A series of apparently unrelated deaths across GLMZ — heart failure, stroke, respiratory arrest — have one thing in common: each victim has a 4mm puncture wound that was missed during initial examination. Someone is conducting a systematic assassination campaign with a Viper Strike, and the targets don't know they're dying until it's too late.
A CB-5 bolt has been recovered loaded with an agent that doesn't appear in any chemical database. Analysis reveals it's a tailored biotoxin engineered to affect only individuals with a specific genetic marker found in approximately 2% of GLMZ's population. This is a weapon designed for ethnic targeting.

ammunition type

chemical_bolt

street price

Φ11,000 (chemical loadouts Φ200-2,000 per bolt)

related entities

Eshe Pena-Baah
GLMZ
SentryGuard PepperShot PS-1 'Sting'
TESSERA PG-2 'Signature'
Tessera Corponation
The Third Rail
Tympanic Membrane Galvanic Rupture Carbine

physical description

visual profile	A sleek, compact repeating crossbow with an almost medical aesthetic — more precision instrument than lethal weapon. The profile is angular and ergonomic, with a pronounced cheek rest and integrated sight rail. The overall impression is clinical efficiency wrapped in dark composite materials.
dimensions	Length: 380mm \| Width: 65mm at widest point (limb span) \| Height: 110mm including sight rail \| Bolt length: 95mm
weight description	Light and well-balanced — 2.0 kg feels negligible in hand, shifting weight toward the grip. No heaviness, no unwieldy recoil. Designed for sustained rapid fire without fatigue.
primary material	Carbon-composite frame with reinforced polymer limbs and aluminum pressure chambers for the chemical injection system
finish	Matte charcoal-black composite with brushed titanium accents around the pressure-activated bolt heads and sight rail. The finish shows deliberate non-reflectivity — tactical stealth, not showmanship.
color scheme	Charcoal black primary \| brushed titanium silver accents \| faint blue micro-LED indicators around the bolt magazine and pressure chamber
grip texture	Textured non-slip polymer with subtle grid pattern — medical-grade, antiseptic feel. Grip is thin and ergonomic, designed for extended hold without hand strain.
distinctive features	12-bolt gravity-feed magazine mounted horizontally along the top — transparent polymer allows visual inventory of loaded bolts Micro-reservoir chambers visible at the base of each bolt nock, faintly colored (red, clear, amber) indicating chemical payload type Pressure-activated plunger heads on each bolt tip — tiny silver cylinders that glint when light catches them Integrated sight rail with 3-dot tritium sight and low-profile red-dot mounting point Chemical payload indicator dial on the left side — rotates to show current load type and remaining payload volume Faint TESSERA logo (geometric trefoil) etched into the grip, barely visible Minimal spring-tension readout window on the limb assembly — shows charge status Air vents along the limb sides for pressure regulation — horizontal slits in the composite
manufacturer markings	TESSERA ASANTE etched in microscrpt below the sight rail. Serial number plate (brushed aluminum) mounted on the underside. Discreet green manufacturer's sticker on the magazine housing with lot number and approved payload designation codes.
condition typical	Field operators maintain these meticulously — chemical contamination risk demands cleanliness. Usually pristine or lightly worn, with minor scuffs on the composite from case transport. Bolt reservoirs may show residual staining from payload agents. Professional upkeep, no jury-rigging.

image prompt

Professional product photography: TESSERA CB-5 Viper Strike crossbow mounted horizontally on a dark gunmetal-gray surface, side-lit with dramatic edge lighting that highlights the carbon composite texture and titanium accents. The 12-bolt magazine is fully loaded, bolts visible through transparent housing with faintly colored micro-reservoirs. A black nitrile-gloved hand grips the weapon from the right, fingers positioned on the trigger mechanism. Close detail shot of the pressure-activated bolt heads showing silver plunger tips. Cool neo-noir studio lighting with blue-tinted LED indicators glowing softly. Shallow depth of field focuses on the bolt magazine and sight rail. Hyper-realistic materials with visible polymer texture, metallic sheen, and slight reflection on the dark background. Medical-clinical aesthetic. --ar 3:2 --v 6

visual prompt