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A group of patients, which occupied Floor 1056 of a Mondasian colony ship, were partially-converted Cybermen awaiting full conversion.
Physical Attributes
The patients, otherwise known as the "Special Patients" or sometimes more colloquially as "Knotheads" [source needed] were the result of a large scale surgical experiment to cybernetically augment Humans of Mondasian origin. The goal of the program was to allow the residents of Floor 1056 to "Survive in a world not made for flesh"; the increasingly hostile industrial landscape caused by thousands of years of human occupation. They were made in the conversion theatre of the hospital by the surgeon.
Though no direct observation has been made on the very initial stages, it can be assumed the program began with replacing or supplementing existing human functions; such as the replacement of cardiac and respiratory organs performed on Bill Potts.
For the most part, the Patients were catatonic. When not undertaking surgical alterations they were relegated to wheelchairs in the out-patients ward, or even sometimes left to rest in the conversion theater itself. The patients generally wore an off-blue surgical robe that fastened on the patient's right hand side, under which could be discerned the outline of a mechanical respirator.
The Patient's heads were entirely covered in a canvas like white surgical material, knotted at the top. The face was otherwise featureless save for a nasal canulla administering purified oxygen. The bag also rendered the patients blind, as it covered the eyes with no initial provision for sight holes. This did not however make them unable to guide themselves, as several were seen able to move purposefully.
The extremities, or at the very least what was exposed from the surgical gowns, were encased in a somewhat loose fitting surgical rubber, designed to aesthetically resemble Caucasian skin tone.
Each patient was equipped with an electronic voice synthesizer. Initially this was connected to the patients catheter cannisters, though in the years that followed this was eventually integrated into the patients bodies. The need for them was simple; through the course of the operations to convert them, the patients vocal cords were either severely damaged or removed entirely, rendering them mute. Through use of the synthesizers, the patients could communicate crude commands, or often communicate their own physical discomfort. One Patient initially discovered by Bill had been attempting to solicit aid from the Hospital through repeatedly communicating one word; "pain". Another patient, instead pleading with the hospital to euthanize them. The nurse habitually muted the patients synthesizers so they could more readily ignore their condition.
They appeared to share a consciousness, as a group moved in unison when they sensed Bill try to leave the hospital. (TV: World Enough and Time). The group that were sent to Floor 0507 were revealed to have been somewhat repelled by the residents there, being shot by night then strung up on wooden crosses when disabled during the day. (TV: The Doctor Falls)
While the extent of their physical capabilities wasn't explored in detail, they could typically only move at a slow walk but were strong enough to restrain people should the need arise. Jorj also stated they were too strong for him to fight off and that they could snap people in half. However, Razor was able to knock one out with a blow to the back of the head. (TV: World Enough and Time) Unlike subsequent Cyberman models, they could be killed or at least incapacitated by bullets. (TV: The Doctor Falls)