Project Argus

Project Argus was a Cyber-Transcendant development project run by Praetoriani.

History
Following the successful attempt of medical staff to insert Cecil Harlow's digital consciousness into a cloned body using nanites, Praetoriani took interest in future applications of this technology. However, despite having full access to Harlow's medical data, they lacked any viable test data for their own analysis. In order to begin creating their own units using Cyber-Transcendant technology Praetoriani began a small scale medical program in order to create their own enhanced humans.

Project Argus was the first phase of a longer term program to better understand this technology, and resulted in the creation of Generation One Cyber-Transcendants (informally called Argus-types). Unlike later versions, these Transcendants were normal humans who received nanite doses to create the first generation (known as a Top-Down creation) and did not express any active Transcendant abilities prior to the procedure. This allowed them to keep their memories and personalities completely intact without any psychological damage, while giving them basic digital manipulation abilities. However, the simplified procedure of Project Argus meant that the Transcendants did lack more powerful interfacing abilities seen in Harlow and later versions. Another drawback of this procedure was due to its relatively uninvasive nature, which allowed the human body to reject the nanite therapy without much effort, drastically reducing the number of viable Cyber-Transcendants produced.

After its completion, Project Argus only managed to produce a handful of fully functional Generation One Cyber-Transcendants and was technically deemed as a "failed project", though they did manage to exhibit some of the most stable consciousness. Not all of these subjects became mobile suit pilots following Project Argus; Christine Abigail joined D7, while Henning Winchell was given command of a Peacekeeper spacecraft.

Aftermath
While Project Argus' initial goals were not fully met, the Cyber-Transcendants produced were able to pursue their own choices using their enhanced abilities. Test data was also used for the Praetoriani's next development program, Project Phrixus.