Zak's Lucky Towel

Part improvised weapon, part shield, part computer, part blanket, part actual towel; Zak Kaiyo's infamous "lucky towel" is quite possibly one of the most unusual and effective multi-tools in the galaxy. One would not ordinarily expect something as mundane as a towel to be able to be "souped-up," but sure enough, this kitschy piece of would-be junk is deceptively potent in its usefulness. It really is true: a good towel is just about the most massively useful thing any spacer can have!

Composition

This towel is the size and shape of a standardized bath towel: 0.75 by 1.5 meters, with a thickness of about half a centimeter. Its mass is about one kilogram when dry, though it can hold up to four kilos of polar solvent.
The textile itself is a multi-layered carbon nanotube weave with regularly spaced piles; fairly typical for a modern generic towel. It also has a built-in, distributed power supply: a flat, flexible, waterproof chemical battery that is recharged when the carbonan weave is exposed to ordinary water.
This power system not only enhances the structural integrity of the carbonan, it also allows for the creation of circuits: the towel has been "wired" to double as a relatively simple computer. This composition was devised by the manufacturers as a way to program new patterns into the fabric, but Arkto's tinkering has expanded its capacity greatly.

Functions

First and foremost, this towel functions as an actual towel: it absorbs water readily and can be wrung out or hung out to dry. It also makes for a very good blanket, pillow, simple robe, head covering, or bundle. However, due to carbonan's extreme conductivity, the piles double as heat radiators, and when soaked the towel itself functions effectively as a heat sink. This, combined with the inherent structural stability of carbonan, makes it incredibly useful as a shield against most handheld weapons and a limited range of small explosives. The built-in "smart pattern" computer system has been jailbroken to function as a full portable computing and net interface, which often comes in handy due to its banal appearance. The towel's processors have been upgraded as well, allowing more complex programs to run using the fabric itself as a "screen." In short: this towel can, in fact, run DOOM.
Thanks to extensive modification from Arkto, the threads of the fabric are partially motile and can be directed with the "smart pattern" interface. This modification allows for adjustments to the towel's structure and composition that enhance its utility beyond simple towelling. These include: a hydrophobic layer that can be brought to the surface on one side of the fabric, allowing for shelter from rain; edges that adjust their sharpness and rigidity; temporary bonding that improves the structure of a classic "towel whip"; and if all else fails, the towel can unravel itself for use as rope.
Needless to say, this towel is no longer under warranty.

Zak holding his legendary towel by Wildegeist

History

Zak claims to have originally purchased this towel at a convenience store aboard Sulmaro Transfer Station in the Teroteaumia system, shortly after his initial departure from his homeworld. According to him, his original bath towel (and its siblings) were being put to use as emergency filters in the life support system at the time, and he needed a new one in order to "not be sopping after [he] showered the gunk off." It quickly proved useful as more than just a towel when its carbonan structure took the brunt of a burst plasma conduit, and has since proved its worth against innumerable small arms and ordnance. In time, the towel has gained immense sentimental value on top of -and because of- its practical utility. Zak insists it is lucky, but its role in his continued survival has less to do with luck and more to do with its constant presence on his person and its incredible refusal to disintegrate.