Earth conquered by Combine aliens. Humanity survives under oppressive control after Black Mesa.
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| Created | 15 days ago |
| Last Updated | 1 days ago |
| Visibility | Public |
Administrator's Observation Deck
Administrator's Observation Deck - Located at the Citadel's apex, this is Richter's command center and private sanctuary. Floor-to-ceiling viewports offer panoramic surveillance of City 23, complemented by holographic displays monitoring all sectors. The circular chamber features a central control console with direct override capabilities for all city systems. Adjacent to this are Richter's austere living quarters and a private laboratory where he conducts unauthorized experiments on captured resistance members. The area is exclusively patrolled by his loyal Blackwatch guards, equipped with enhanced weaponry and augmentations unseen elsewhere.
Biohazard Waste Disposal Incinerator
Biohazard Waste Disposal Incinerator - A scorching facility housing industrial-grade thermal chambers that reach temperatures sufficient to neutralize even the most resilient Xen biological material. Conveyor systems transport sealed waste containers from collection points throughout the complex into the primary combustion chamber. Hazmat personnel in heat-resistant suits monitor the process from behind thermal barriers as specialized ventilation systems filter the resulting ash for reprocessing. Failed containment alarms trigger automatic lockdown protocols, sealing the entire facility until Overwatch response teams arrive. The facility operates continuously, processing tons of contaminated material daily. The exterior features distinctive exhaust stacks emitting faintly blue smoke that Civil Protection explains as "standard industrial emissions."
CP Medical Priority Wing
CP Medical Priority Wing - A pristine facility with advanced medical technology reserved exclusively for Civil Protection officers. The wing features regeneration tanks, rapid-healing field generators, and automated surgical units far superior to citizen care options. CP officers receive treatment in private rooms with comfort amenities unavailable elsewhere. Medical staff assigned here wear distinctive white uniforms with blue trim signifying their elite status. Security protocols include biometric verification and continuous surveillance, with armed guards stationed at all entry points. The wing maintains its own pharmaceutical supplies, including enhanced combat stimulants and regeneration compounds developed from Combine biotech.
Central Processing Plant
The Central Processing Plant is the Industrial Sector’s beating heart—a colossal facility where synthetic protein rations and chemical supplements are mass-produced, packaged, and distributed across City 23. Towering silos, whirring pipelines, and endless conveyor lines dominate the structure’s interior, all coordinated by a labyrinthine control system overseen by both Combine techs and assigned citizen-workers. A posted assignment to the Plant is grueling but seen as slightly more “desirable” than working at the Reclamation Center—until you realize that the line never stops. Twelve-hour shifts under flickering arc lights, the constant hiss of steam and chemical leaks, and machines so old they groan with each cycle. Workers rotate between protein paste formulation, chemical additive injection, and packaging, monitored by overhead turrets and sensor drones.
Citadel Primary Entrance Gateway
Citadel Primary Entrance Gateway - A massive fortified portal at the Citadel's base, featuring two towering blast doors reinforced with alien alloys. The approach is guarded by multiple Elite Overwatch snipers in elevated positions and automated pulse turrets tracking all movement. A shimmering blue force field spans the entire entrance, requiring authorized ID implants for deactivation. Scanners constantly patrol overhead, while a checkpoint station processes the few permitted visitors through invasive biometric verification. The security perimeter extends 100 meters outward with motion sensors embedded in the pavement. Even authorized Civil Protection officers must surrender weapons before the inner barrier grants access to the Citadel's processing terminal.
Citizen Exchange Market
The Citizen Exchange Market operates from a repurposed department store where citizens may trade personal possessions within strict regulations. All items undergo scanning for contraband, recording in Combine databases, and value assessment based on approved exchange rates. Trades require authorization from overseeing CP officers who take a "transaction tax" from each exchange. The market prohibits trading of communication devices, tools usable as weapons, or unauthorized food items. Citizens may exchange clothing, basic decorative items, and approved entertainment devices, with every transaction affecting loyalty scores. Combine cameras monitor all interactions while automated announcements remind participants that the privilege of exchange exists through Combine benevolence, creating an atmosphere of nervous commerce under watchful eyes.
City 23 Memorial Plaza
Memorial Plaza connects directly to City 23 Train Station—a concrete expanse where citizens move with downcast eyes. The central "Monument to Benefaction" obelisk commemorates Earth's surrender, surveillance nodes tracking all movement. Massive screens mounted on surrounding buildings periodically illuminate with Administrator Richter's stern face, broadcasting loyalty speeches that echo across the grounds. The Civil Housing Authority Terminal processes new arrivals, assigning them to either Resident Block 3, Block 7, or Block 12 at random. Civil Protection officers patrol in pairs while scanner drones hover overhead. The few metal benches bear the inscription "Efficiency Serves All," deliberately designed for discomfort. Despite oppressive surveillance, faint resistance symbols can be found hidden throughout the plaza.
City 23 Train Station
City 23 Train Station serves as the primary gateway into the city, its architecture bearing stark Combine modifications. Massive screens broadcast the Administrator's announcements while automated voices issue warnings. Civil Protection officers conduct thorough searches and ID verification at checkpoints as scanner drones document arrivals. The east wing houses detention cells while the western section contains CP monitoring operations. Those passing inspection exit to Plaza Square; others disappear into interrogation rooms. The mechanical sounds of Combine machinery provide an oppressive backdrop to nervous citizens' murmurs.
Civic Obedience Center #4
Located in the heart of the Worker's Quarter, Civic Obedience Center #4 occupies a converted pre-war community hall where citizens attend mandatory loyalty reinforcement sessions. The facility's exterior features Combine architecture grafted onto the original structure, with surveillance nodes monitoring all approaches. Inside, the main hall contains rows of uncomfortable metal seating facing massive screens displaying continuous loyalty programming. Citizens must attend bi-weekly sessions where their attention levels are monitored by overhead scanners. Those showing insufficient engagement are flagged for "enhanced compliance training" in the basement level's private rooms. The center hosts public loyalty demonstrations where reformed dissidents confess past infractions. Civil Protection maintains a constant presence, with officers stationed at all exits recording attendance and compliance metrics that directly impact citizens' ration allocations and housing assignments.
Civil Protection Officers' Quarters
The Civil Protection Officers' Quarters occupies a heavily fortified structure near the Privileged Quarter's center, housing off-duty CP personnel in conditions substantially superior to standard citizen accommodations. The facility's exterior projects intimidating authority through reinforced walls and security measures, while its interior offers genuine comforts—private sleeping quarters, enhanced hygiene facilities, and a mess hall serving protein-rich foods instead of standard rations. CP officers here maintain a strict hierarchical structure even off-duty, with higher ranks enjoying larger quarters and additional privileges. Common areas include physical training facilities and recreational spaces where officers socialize without masks—a rare moment of humanity carefully contained within these walls. Despite these comforts, constant surveillance and performance metrics continue, ensuring loyalty remains paramount even in moments of supposed rest.
Cleanup Solution Synthesis Laboratory
Cleanup Solution Synthesis Laboratory - A sterile facility bathed in harsh blue light where massive distillation columns process raw chemicals into the Combine's proprietary Xen-neutralizing compound. Scientists in enhanced respiratory gear monitor reaction chambers as the distinctive green fluid moves through transparent pipes. The air carries a sharp, medicinal scent with underlying alien notes. Production quotas displayed on wall terminals show constantly increasing demands as contamination spreads. Automated quality control systems test each batch on contained Xen samples behind shielded observation windows. The most potent formulations are reserved for Elite Hazmat teams, while diluted versions supply standard operations. Guards monitor scientists for exposure symptoms during long shifts.
Combine Advisor Communication Chamber
A restricted sanctum deep within the Citadel where two Combine Advisors hover in suspension pods filled with translucent fluid. The dimly-lit chamber pulses with alien blue light, its walls lined with organic-mechanical interfaces. Here, Administrator Richter receives direct orders from the Combine hierarchy through telepathic communion with the Advisors. Their elongated, grub-like bodies connect to a vast array of tubes and wires, monitoring Earth's assimilation progress. The air feels unnaturally heavy, charged with psychic energy that induces discomfort in humans. Only Richter possesses clearance to enter, with automated defense systems eliminating all unauthorized personnel.
Combine Medical Reception & Recruitment Center
Medical Reception & Recruitment Center - A sterile white lobby dominated by the Combine health emblem where citizens queue for medical services. Two Civil Protection officers monitor the entrance scanner while nurses in blue uniforms process patients at reinforced stations. Digital displays show propaganda about "healthcare advancements under Combine guidance" alongside volunteer recruitment advertisements promising extra rations. The waiting area features uncomfortable metal benches arranged beneath surveillance cameras. Recruitment booths showcase medical training opportunities while concealing the harsh realities of service. Prominent signs remind citizens that treatment eligibility depends on their compliance rating, with automated voice announcements periodically calling patients by their numerical designations rather than names.
Decontamination Chamber Alpha
Decontamination Chamber Alpha - A high-pressure facility where returning Hazmat teams undergo thorough cleansing protocols. Teams enter through the exterior airlock into the primary chamber where automated nozzles spray Combine decontamination solution from all angles. Specialized scanners detect residual Xen particles, triggering secondary cleansing protocols when necessary. The worst cases enter isolation pods where more aggressive chemical treatments are applied. Monitors display contamination levels in real-time while Medical Response Units stand ready for emergency treatment. Behind reinforced glass, scientists observe and document new contamination patterns for database updating.
Disciplinary Processing Office
Disciplinary Processing Office - A feared facility where underperforming engineers face "corrective reassignment." The waiting area features uncomfortable metal benches beneath harsh lighting, with speakers broadcasting the screams of previous occupants. Inside private processing rooms, Civil Protection officers administer punishment ranging from ration reduction to neural recalibration. A reinforced door in the rear leads to "final reassignment"—direct transfer to Nova Prospekt for Stalker conversion. Productivity charts on the walls show steadily increasing quotas alongside declining worker numbers. The facility operates continuously, with engineers often witnessing colleagues enter but never return to their shifts.
Dr. Eliza Chen's Medical Director's Office
Medical Director's Office - Dr. Eliza Chen's austere command center features spartan furnishings dominated by a large monitoring station displaying real-time hospital metrics and staff loyalty readings. The walls bear her numerous Combine commendation certificates alongside her medical credentials, carefully preserved from pre-war institutions. A separate communication terminal connects directly to Civil Protection headquarters, used for mandatory incident reporting. Chen's personal terminal contains detailed citizen compliance profiles determining treatment priority. A reinforced observation window overlooks the main treatment floor, allowing constant supervision. Despite its clinical appearance, a hidden drawer contains small medical supplies she secretly provides to trusted patients showing resistance sympathies.
Dropship Deployment Hangar
Dropship Deployment Hangar - A cavernous bay cut into the Citadel's eastern face, housing rows of Combine Dropships in docking clamps. The ceiling retracts to release these biomechanical transports on patrol routes or troop deployment missions. Synth maintenance units service the vessels while Overwatch soldiers board through automated loading platforms. The hangar's atmosphere is regulated to match Combine homeworld conditions, requiring human workers to wear protective gear. Transport schedules are coordinated through an artificial intelligence system that optimizes deployment patterns based on resistance activity data and Civil Protection reports.
Elite Overwatch Training Facility
Elite Overwatch Training Facility - A hermetically sealed environment where selected soldiers undergo enhancement procedures and combat conditioning. Trainees cycle through simulated urban warfare scenarios against holographic resistance fighters, while Combine chemicals suppress emotional responses and amplify aggression. Memory replacement chambers implant tactical knowledge directly into subjects' cerebral cortexes. The facility features gravity manipulation chambers to condition soldiers for zero-G operations and interdimensional travel. Success rates are low—only 30% of candidates survive the full enhancement protocol, but those who emerge become the feared Elite Overwatch, identifiable by their distinctive white armor markings
Enriched Ration Distribution Center
Presents a stark contrast to standard ration facilities, its clean interior and efficient service reinforcing the rewards of loyalty. Citizens with exceptional loyalty scores (200+) receive access to this exclusive facility where synthetic protein packs are replaced with actual prepared meals containing rare ingredients—fresh vegetables from Combine agricultural experiments and genuine animal protein. The center features comfortable waiting areas where recipients are served by staff rather than automated dispensers. Distribution occurs without the long lines characteristic of standard centers, with scheduled appointments ensuring privileged citizens never wait. Civil Protection maintains a presence but remains unobtrusive, creating an atmosphere of earned reward rather than controlled distribution. The center's exterior deliberately faces a main thoroughfare, its glass windows allowing ordinary citizens glimpses of the comforts their continued loyalty might eventually secure.
Equipment Distribution Terminal
Equipment Distribution Terminal - A fortified facility where engineers receive their daily tools through automated dispensers behind reinforced barriers. Each item is meticulously tracked and linked to individual worker IDs, with missing equipment resulting in severe penalties. The wall-mounted dispensers contain basic repair tools, specialized Combine tech interfaces, and essential components like stabilization field generators. Workers place their hands on biometric scanners before each transaction, with their compliance histories determining equipment quality. Surveillance drones hover overhead, recording all distributions. A smaller secure room contains advanced tools issued only to senior engineers with exceptional loyalty scores.
Experimental Weapons Development
Experimental Weapons Development - A restricted laboratory complex where Combine scientists merge Earth technologies with alien principles to create advanced suppression systems. Prototype pulse rifles and stun batons undergo testing on live subjects acquired from the Nova Prospekt wing. The central chamber contains the developmental model of a portable suppression field generator intended for deployment in resistance strongholds. Biological agents designed to target specific human genetic markers are cultivated in hermetically sealed chambers. All research focuses on non-lethal control mechanisms—the Combine preference for harvesting rather than destroying human resources. Scientists work under constant surveillance from hidden Advisor monitoring systems.
Field Equipment Distribution Center
Field Equipment Distribution Center - A fortified armory where Hazmat teams receive mission-specific gear from behind reinforced barriers. Specialized Cleanup Solution sprayers—modified pulse rifles delivering concentrated Xen-neutralizing compounds—occupy prominent wall racks alongside portable force field generators. Equipment clerks issue essential tools including sample containment units, resonance meters and emergency beacons. The facility contains testing ranges where team leaders verify equipment functionality before deployment. Central terminals display contamination zone maps with real-time updates, while automated assembly lines produce replacement filters and biobarrier tape. All equipment features tracking chips monitoring proper usage during field operations.
Hazmat Recruitment Processing Center
Hazmat Recruitment Processing Center - A sterile antechamber with propaganda viewscreens displaying sanitized footage of Hazmat operations while concealing their true mortality rates. Potential recruits undergo preliminary health screenings in isolation booths while automatic dispensers provide informational pamphlets highlighting increased rations and Privileged Quarter housing. The center's most prominent feature is a large anatomical display showing the "benefits" of specialized lung implants that filter Xen particles. Civil Protection officers monitor proceedings from an elevated booth, identifying candidates who display reluctance. Most recruits are former Industrial Sector workers with radiation exposure who see Hazmat duty as their only survival option.
Hazmat Suit Storage and Maintenance
Hazmat Suit Storage and Maintenance - A cavernous chamber housing rows of yellow hazmat suits suspended from automated racks. Each suit features Combine modifications including reinforced respiration systems and built-in vital monitors transmitting wearer status to Central Command. Maintenance stations line the walls where technicians repair tear damage and replace filter systems. The center contains a specialized fitting area where recruits receive custom-molded suits sealed to their physiology. A secured vault in the rear holds enhanced prototype suits with experimental Xen-repellent coatings. The room smells of industrial solvents and the distinctive odor of Combine synthetic rubber.
Hazmat Team Briefing Room
Hazmat Team Briefing Room - A utilitarian chamber dominated by a central holographic projector displaying three-dimensional maps of active contamination zones. Team leaders receive mission parameters from Civil Protection officials while seated in concentric rings facing the projection. Wall-mounted screens display casualty statistics from previous operations—carefully edited to minimize apparent losses. Soundproof booths line the perimeter where specialized teams receive confidential instructions for high-risk deployments. The room features atmospheric sensors that trigger alarms at the slightest detection of Xen particles. After briefings, teams proceed directly to equipment distribution through a one-way decontamination corridor. Propaganda messages play continuously between assignments.
Infected Citizen Processing Station
Infected Citizen Processing Station - A clinical facility where citizens exhibiting potential Xen exposure symptoms undergo mandatory examination behind isolation barriers. Medical scanners search for characteristic contamination markers while automated systems record personal data for Combine databases. Green status lights indicate clearance for decontamination; red lights trigger immediate containment protocols. Those with minor exposure receive chemical treatments before returning to labor duties; severe cases disappear through the ominous rear doors, officially listed as "transferred to specialized care facilities." The station processes dozens daily as Civil Protection sweeps target suspected contamination vectors. Most citizens leave with visible relief; they've seen what happens to those who don't return.
Loyalist Residential Complex 01
Loyalist Residential Complex 01 stands as the pinnacle of City 23 housing, its meticulously maintained pre-war architecture a stark contrast to the crumbling Worker's Quarter. Reserved exclusively for highest-tier collaborators, this five-story structure features actual apartment homes with functioning amenities—private bathrooms, climate control, and genuine furniture instead of standard-issue Combine fixtures. Residents enjoy scheduled hot water, consistent electricity, and windows that actually open. Security remains omnipresent but discreet, with surveillance systems disguised as decorative elements. The complex includes a central courtyard with maintained vegetation—a precious rarity in City 23. Each resident receives personalized living quarters based on their specific value to the Combine administration, with Administrator Richter occasionally visiting to remind these privileged few of their precarious position in the new order.
Loyalist Residential Complex 07
Loyalist Residential Complex 07 occupies a converted luxury hotel, now housing mid-tier collaborators whose loyalty has earned them comfort but not yet elite status. The structure maintains much of its pre-war elegance, though Combine modifications are more visible than in Complex 01. Apartments feature reliable utilities, actual beds with mattresses, and personal storage—luxuries unimaginable in standard citizen housing. The complex includes a communal dining area serving enhanced rations prepared to resemble pre-war meals, creating powerful incentive for continued loyalty. Security cameras operate openly, reminding residents their privilege depends on consistent compliance. Many occupants work as supervisors in critical Combine facilities, returning here after shifts to enjoy relative comfort. The complex serves as a visible aspiration for citizens still struggling in standard quarters, with carefully selected Worker's Quarter citizens occasionally allowed guided tours
Loyalty Verification Kiosk
The Loyalty Verification Kiosk stands prominently near Plaza Square's center, its sleek black exterior contrasting with surrounding structures. Citizens can verify their current standing by scanning their ID cards at public terminals, displaying loyalty points, work contributions, and infraction history. The structure's rear contains private booths where individuals may report anti-citizen activities through automated interview protocols. Reports generate loyalty rewards based on verification: minor infractions earn 5-10 points, while actionable intelligence on resistance members can award up to 50 points. Submitted reports undergo AI analysis before CP investigation, with false reports severely penalized. The kiosk's omnipresent Combine eye symbol reminds citizens that observation is their civic duty.
Mandatory Screening Processing Center
Mandatory Screening Processing Center - A clinical processing facility where citizens undergo quarterly health evaluations in assembly-line fashion. Examination booths line the walls where technicians collect blood samples and perform basic diagnostics while automated scanners record physiological baselines. Results feed directly into the Combine citizen database, flagging anomalies for further investigation. Those showing signs of resistance-related injuries or unauthorized medical procedures are quietly redirected to interrogation rooms disguised as "additional testing" chambers. The center processes hundreds daily, with citizens moving through numbered stations under constant supervision. Non-compliance with screening schedules results in immediate ration penalties.
Material Reclamation Center
A grim cornerstone of the Industrial Sector, the Material Reclamation Center handles the Combine's most sensitive recycling operations—not of scrap, but of people. Officially labeled as a "high-priority biological resource facility," the center repurposes the bodies of designated citizens into components for rations, field kits, and biotech interfaces. Occasionally, workers from other sectors are assigned here on rotation for maintenance, processing oversight, or containment response. Most try to avoid the assignment—those who return are quiet, their eyes dulled. The air inside is thick with sterilization chemicals and the low, mechanical moan of conveyor systems ferrying sealed pods. Protective suits are mandatory. So is silence.
Medical Records Archive
Medical Records Archive - A restricted facility housing the complete medical history of every City 23 citizen. Rows of terminals connect to the central Combine database, accessible only by authorized personnel with loyalty clearance. Civil Protection maintains a permanent presence, monitoring access patterns and usage. The archive includes detailed genetic profiles used for population control planning and experimental treatment selection. Physical backup storage contains pre-war medical records, crucial for understanding baseline human health before Combine occupation. Special terminals mark citizens with valuable genetic traits for "voluntary research contribution" recruitment—a euphemism for experimental subjects.
Metropolitan Protection Force Command Center
Metropolitan Protection Force Command Center - The operational headquarters for City 23's Civil Protection units, dominated by a massive holographic map displaying real-time citizen movements and checkpoint status. Dispatch officers coordinate daily raids from elevated command platforms while surveillance feeds from scanner drones project onto wraparound screens. The facility includes holding cells for immediate detainment, loyalty assessment chambers, and equipment distribution centers where officers receive their standard-issue stun batons and pistols. Lower levels house the punishment administration offices where citizens' ration reductions are processed. The center operates continuously, with shifts of masked CP officers entering and exiting through biometrically secured airlocks.
Nova Prospekt Detention Processing
Nova Prospekt Detention Processing - The central intake facility for City 23's political prisoners, featuring advanced biometric scanning systems that categorize detainees for reassignment or elimination. Prisoners move through a series of sterile white chambers where they're stripped, deloused, and implanted with tracking chips. Memory recalibration pods line the walls, where selected subjects undergo targeted memory erasure before interrogation. The facility connects directly to Nova Prospekt via secure transport tubes. Civil Protection officers observe from elevated positions, identifying potential informants among new arrivals. The processing center's reputation alone prevents many citizens from considering resistance activities.
Pharmaceutical Dispensary
Pharmaceutical Dispensary - A heavily fortified distribution center where medications are tightly rationed according to Combine priorities. Citizens present prescriptions at bulletproof service windows, receiving only minimal supplies regardless of need. The facility's central chamber contains locked storage units with advanced medications reserved exclusively for loyal citizens and CP personnel. All transactions are recorded in the central database, with unusual request patterns triggering automatic investigation. Basic antibiotics and pain management medications are diluted to maintain dependency without providing full relief. Hidden cameras monitor for signs of medication hoarding or unauthorized sharing between citizens.
Ration Distribution Center
The Ration Distribution Center occupies a stark concrete structure at Plaza Square's eastern edge, identified by its blue Combine markings. Citizens form orderly queues twice daily—05:30 and 17:00—to receive their nutritional allotment. Inside, automated dispensers scan citizen IDs, verifying loyalty scores before releasing bland protein packages and purified water containers. Those with loyalty below 20 points are denied without explanation, while daily supply limitations mean some citizens reach the front only to face a red rejection indicator despite adequate standing. Civil Protection officers maintain strict order, immediately removing anyone expressing frustration. The facility's sterile interior features propaganda emphasizing the "generosity" of Combine nutrition science while cameras record every transaction for behavioral analysis.
Residential Block 12
Residential Block 12 houses a covert community bound by mutual desperation, where residents have established secretive support networks despite constant surveillance. Behind carefully monitored exteriors, citizens exchange rations, information, and small comforts through elaborate systems of signals and dead drops. The community demonstrates unusual solidarity, with neighbors creating distractions during CP raids to protect those most vulnerable to scrutiny. This block experiences the highest frequency of sweeps in the district, with Civil Protection regularly deploying scanner units through ventilation systems. The water supply remains deliberately contaminated despite residents' technical capacity to implement filtration solutions—unauthorized attempts at water purification treated as serious loyalty infractions resulting in immediate relocation to Non-Citizen zones.
Residential Block 3
Residential Block 3 presents a deceptively maintained exterior compared to neighboring structures, its facade regularly cleaned and structural issues promptly addressed. Civil Protection patrols circulate with unusual frequency, creating an atmosphere of constant surveillance. Apartment doors throughout the complex remain conspicuously ajar—evidence of recent "loyalty inspections" with official search notices affixed to walls. Propaganda speakers function without interruption, broadcasting Administrator Richter's messages at volumes that prevent private conversation. Residents avoid eye contact in common areas, suspicion permeating every interaction as neighbors frequently report minor infractions for loyalty point rewards. The building's water supply runs brown with deliberate contamination, ensuring dependence on Combine ration distributions while plumbing infrastructure remains perfectly capable of delivering clean water.
Residential Block 7
Residential Block 7 stands behind a permanent checkpoint where residents endure daily ID verification and random contraband scans before entering their own homes. The building's exterior bears the marks of resistance—hastily covered graffiti and impact marks from CP enforcement actions. Overcrowding defines the interior, with multiple families sharing apartments designed for single occupancy, creating tension in cramped corridors. Residents exhibit unusual watchfulness, their stares following strangers with equal measures of suspicion and desperate hope. Water pipes deliver deliberately contaminated liquid unfit for consumption, forcing reliance on Combine rations despite functioning purification systems in the basement that remain disabled by administrative decree. The block's reputation for harboring dissidents makes it subject to frequent surprise inspections.
Shift Management Office
Shift Management Office - A cramped administrative center dominated by a massive digital workflow display tracking every engineer's productivity metrics in real-time. Shift supervisors in distinctive orange coveralls monitor performance from raised platforms, dispatching CP officers to address efficiency drops. The central terminal directly connects to Citadel oversight, transmitting hourly reports on maintenance progress and worker compliance. Atmospheric suppressants pump through vents, reducing fatigue complaints while causing long-term respiratory damage. Schedule boards display sixteen-hour shifts with minimal rest periods, while propaganda posters remind workers that "The Combine Rewards Efficient Service" alongside images of ration rewards that few ever receive.
Stalker Conversion Laboratory
Stalker Conversion Laboratory - A nightmarish facility where dissidents undergo irreversible transformation into Stalkers—cybernetic slaves stripped of humanity. The process begins with conscious vivisection on conveyor-mounted surgical tables, removing "unnecessary" organs and limbs. Subjects remain awake as their vocal cords are extracted and eyes replaced with synthetic receptors. The final stage implants control hardware directly into the brainstem, rendering them obedient maintenance units for hazardous Citadel operations. The laboratory's walls are soundproofed, though nearby Combine personnel report hearing muffled screams through the ventilation system. Fresh Stalkers are tested on obstacle courses before deployment.
Surgical Suite A
Surgical Suite A - A functional but deliberately outdated operating theater where approved citizen procedures take place. The facility features pre-war equipment maintained through improvised repairs, creating a stark contrast with CP facilities. Surgical teams operate under continuous surveillance, with procedures recorded for review by Combine medical authorities. Anesthetics are strictly rationed, with pain tolerance factored into patient compliance scores. The adjoining recovery ward contains twenty beds separated only by thin curtains, lacking privacy or comfort. An observation gallery allows medical students to view procedures while Civil Protection monitors for unauthorized treatments or excessive care quality.
Surgical Suite B
Surgical Suite B - A restricted advanced surgical facility exclusively for Combine personnel, featuring sophisticated alien-derived medical technology. The pristine environment includes regenerative field generators, automated surgical assistance systems, and recovery pods that accelerate healing. The suite operates with triple redundant power systems ensuring continuous operation regardless of city conditions. Only the highest-cleared medical staff may enter, each monitored for loyalty throughout procedures. The facility includes specialized equipment for maintaining Combine augmentations and implants. A direct teleportation link allows critical cases immediate transfer to Citadel medical facilities, bypassing conventional transport risks.
Suspicious Injury Reporting Office
Suspicious Injury Reporting Office - A discreet facility where medical staff fulfill mandatory reporting requirements for injuries suggesting resistance activity. The office features secure terminals connected directly to Civil Protection databases, where detailed reports including wound patterns, treatment provided, and patient demeanor are documented. Staff undergo regular loyalty screening, with reporting metrics tied directly to their ration allocations. The windowless room contains photographic documentation equipment and ballistic analysis tools to categorize weapon-related injuries. A separate interrogation room disguised as a "follow-up consultation" area allows Civil Protection immediate access to suspicious patients before they can leave the medical center.
Technical Component Fabrication Shop
Technical Component Fabrication Shop - A cavernous industrial space filled with repurposed human machinery modified with Combine technology. Engineers operate precision fabrication equipment producing replacement parts for the city's infrastructure. The air is thick with metallic dust and the acrid smell of synthetic lubricants. Quality control stations scan each component for microscopic defects, with failures resulting in worker penalties. Large tanks of liquid metal alloys bubble along the walls, fed through Combine-designed injection systems. The most skilled fabricators work in a separate section producing critical components for the Citadel, their work area surrounded by enhanced security measures and constant surveillance.
Technical Training Simulation Room
Technical Training Simulation Room - A specialized facility featuring holographic projectors and tactile feedback systems that recreate Combine technologies requiring maintenance. Engineers practice repair procedures on simulated equipment while performance metrics are recorded for evaluation. Training modules focus on critical systems like force field generators, surveillance networks, and power distribution nodes. The room features emergency shutdown protocols that activate when trainees attempt unauthorized modifications. Advanced training sessions include high-risk scenarios like APC repair under fire or Strider leg calibration. Skilled engineers receive marginally better rations.
The Combine Research Facility
Experimental Weapons Development - A restricted laboratory complex where Combine scientists merge Earth technologies with alien principles to create advanced suppression systems. Prototype pulse rifles and stun batons undergo testing on live subjects acquired from the Nova Prospekt wing. The central chamber contains the developmental model of a portable suppression field generator intended for deployment in resistance strongholds. Biological agents designed to target specific human genetic markers are cultivated in hermetically sealed chambers. All research focuses on non-lethal control mechanisms—the Combine preference for harvesting rather than destroying human resources. Scientists work under constant surveillance from hidden Advisor monitoring systems.
The Permitted Café
The Permitted Café occupies a renovated pre-war coffeehouse, its exterior preserved but interior retrofitted with Combine aesthetic—metal tables bolted to floors and surveillance devices disguised as light fixtures. This establishment serves synthetic caffeine alternatives derived from approved chemical compounds, offering citizens a rare social space for controlled interaction. Menu offerings include "Clarity Blend" and "Citizen's Vigor"—artificially flavored stimulants designed to enhance work productivity. Only those with loyalty scores above 40 may enter, with all conversations recorded and analyzed. CP officers frequent the establishment out of uniform, monitoring discussions while staff—former dissidents working off infractions—serve under constant evaluation, their forced smiles adding to the unsettling atmosphere.
Toxic Refinement Complex
This sprawling, corroded facility is where industrial waste—chemical runoff, scrap sludge, synthetic byproduct—is refined into low-grade fuel for Combine machinery and atmospheric regulators. It's a place where safety regulations exist only in theory, and every breath is a risk. The air here is thick, metallic, and acrid. Smokestacks belch black-green fumes into the already poisoned sky, casting a permanent haze over the sector’s edge. The structure itself is rusted and bloated with pipework, oozing chemical residue from valves that haven’t sealed in years. Workers shuffle through the complex in tattered hazard suits, many long past replacement. Filter failures are common; persistent, wet coughing is a constant background noise. Oxygen rationing protocols make relief rare.
Triage Assessment Station
The Triage Assessment Station serves as the frontline sorting facility for incoming patients, where nursing staff evaluate individuals behind protective barriers. Equipped with a sophisticated scanner system, it reads citizen ID implants and displays compliance scores alongside medical data on overhead monitors, while color-coded wristbands indicate loyalty metrics.
Visitor Processing Station
The Visitor Processing Station forms the primary checkpoint between the Worker's Quarter and Privileged Quarter, its imposing facade dominated by the glowing blue Combine force field that bisects the main entrance. Citizens from lesser districts must present extensive documentation and undergo multiple scanning procedures before temporary passage is granted. The facility's reception area features propaganda displays showcasing the "rewards of loyalty" awaiting those who demonstrate exceptional compliance. A central processing chamber contains identity verification stations where Civil Protection officers scrutinize credentials before authorization. The station deliberately processes visitors slowly, allowing ample time for approved citizens to observe the comforts beyond the barrier. Those rejected must exit through a separate corridor lined with recruitment posters for informant programs—a calculated reminder that collaboration offers the only path to privilege.
Vortigaunt Enslavement Processing
Vortigaunt Enslavement Processing - A sterile chamber echoing with alien wails where captured Vortigaunts undergo control collar implantation. Combine scientists operate machinery that suppresses the Vorts' natural energy manipulation abilities while cybernetic harnesses are surgically attached to their bodies. The process involves exposure to focused suppression field radiation, breaking their connection to the Vortessence. Observation galleries allow Civil Protection officers to witness the procedure as part of anti-alien indoctrination. The facility processes approximately fifty Vortigaunts weekly, sending them to labor in City 23's power generators and hazardous zones.
Worker Recruitment and Assignment Center
Worker Recruitment and Assignment Center - A stark concrete chamber where desperate citizens trade freedom for survival. The facility processes new engineers through a series of stations: medical evaluation, loyalty screening, and skill assessment. Propaganda viewscreens display sanitized footage of engineering work while concealing the harsh conditions. Successful applicants receive identification implants and green coveralls before proceeding to orientation. Civil Protection officers monitor from elevated positions, identifying candidates showing hesitation. The center's most prominent feature is a massive assignment board displaying current openings with their survival statistics carefully omitted. Most recruits are former resistance sympathizers offered "rehabilitation" through service or Industrial Sector workers seeking better rations.
Xen Sample Containment Laboratory
Xen Sample Containment Laboratory - A heavily secured research facility with triple-layered force field barriers surrounding examination chambers. Scientists in specialized suits study captured Xen flora and fauna fragments through manipulator arms. Preservation tanks contain living specimens of headcrabs and bullsquid tissue in suspended animation. The facility's center features a negative pressure chamber where larger captured organisms undergo vivisection. Data terminals process findings into the Combine Overworld knowledge network while experimental treatments for Xen contamination undergo testing on condemned prisoners. The lab's atmosphere carries a subtle alien spore presence despite filtration systems.