Kee Armor Concept Art

In tandem with Oouna's concept for the Kee, SickJoe has been working on designing their armor.

The Kee have a long martial tradition that goes back thousands of years, and while Imperial technology has stagnated over the centuries, it remains no less effective today. Kee armor is made up of heavy plating that bears an outward resemblance to stone or concrete, but is actually formed from a lightweight carbcrete blend, reducing its mass while preserving much of its mechanical strength. Carbcrete is a material more commonly used in construction, where self-aligning carbon nanotubes help to reinforce a mineral and silicate aggregate. This material has minor self-healing properties and is exceptionally resistant to thermal damage of the kind caused by plasma weapons.

Despite this, Kee plating remains incredibly heavy, and its wearer is not aided by a powered exoskeleton. Weighing a ton or more in their own right, Kee-Faru (bulls) are trained to wear this cumbersome equipment, relying solely on their own physical strength and stamina to stay mobile. Coupled with weaponry and supplies, a Kee warrior may be expected to carry as much as 60-100% of their own body weight into battle. This makes them far from agile, but a Kee in full plate is an obstacle that is not easily moved.

Despite the armor's primitive outward appearance, it conceals a far more sophisticated undersuit. This suit is not dissimilar from those worn by UNN Marines or UNNI Agents, featuring advanced electronic monitoring systems, integrated temperature controls, and a pressurized seal that protects the wearer from chemical and radiological threats, allowing them to operate in a variety of hostile environments.

The helmet features an advanced heads-up display for targeting and sensory input, along with communications systems, and a prominent rebreather designed to filter air or supply oxygen when necessary. This helmet is not rated for vacuum, as it is designed to expose the wearer's keratinous horn, sealing around a gasket that is implanted in all serving Kee-Faru. The purpose of this is twofold, both cultural and military, displaying the warrior's rank and accolades.

The boots feature more technological components, integrating powerful electromagnets and clamp-like outriggers to help secure the wearer in microgravity or unfavorable terrain.

As a Kee warrior rises in rank and renown, he may adorn his armor with supplemental decorative elements. These can take the form of shoulder pads with symbolic scales, murals invoking the strength and power of their Dragon leaders, and talismans said to bestow good fortune or protection in battle.

One decorative element common to all classes of armor is the two stripes present on a Kee-Faru's neck. Associated with masculinity, these natural markings are always represented, despite how lavishly the collar may be decorated. The face plate of the helmet and the cuffs of the gauntlets are other areas where etchings and filigree are common. Pteruges, once worn for protection in antiquity, may be worn for ceremonial or purely decorative purposes.

The resemblance to gold and silver is only superficial. The silver elements are made from highly reflective rhodium plating, its high melting point making it much more suited to this application. As an added bonus, rhodium's high thermal reflectivity makes any Kee-Faru seen wearing it stand out to Dragon thermal vision. The gold elements are made from titanium nitride, a tough metal with a high melting point often used to coat industrial tool heads.

While Kee firearms vary, the traditional Kee war club is often carried into battle, proving devastating against their most common foe, Betelgeusian Drones.

Joe did tremendous work on this armor, the detail is crazy, make sure you zoom in and look at all the filigree and decoration.
You can find more of SickJoe's art over here: https://www.deviantart.com/sickjoe