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Technology from Schlock Mercenary
From Comixpedia
Like most science fiction stories, technology forms a large part of Schlock Mercenary's storytelling framework. Here is a description of technology features in the webcomic Schlock Mercenary
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[edit] Weaponry
[edit] Plasgun
The BH-209 Plasgun, commonly referred to as a plasma cannon, is Schlock's weapon of choice. It uses a variable mag-bottle apeture that allows a beam of fusing plasma to shoot with a varying diameter from 1cm to 6meters, with a range of 10meters. Because it fires fusing plasma it is banned in about 6 star systems. The BH-209 Plasgun is powered by a Striggs & Bratton 2-stroke microfusion plant allowing it to be used without ever needing to recharge. The microfusion plant is powered by gases from the atmosphere when turned on, causing it to emit a hum. There exist two varieties of the BH-209: the BH-209 M and BH-209 I. The M stands for Mormon and that model cannot tolerate contact with alcohol, while the I stands for Irishman which can.
The BH-250 Plasgun is an upgrade of the 209 models and can discharge a higher volume plasma stream.[1]
[edit] Difference-Tone Stunner
A Difference-Tone Stunner was first introduced into Schlock Mercenary after Kevyn was promoted to Munitions Commander. A Difference-Tone Stunner knocks people unconscious by emitting two VHF audio streams which are set at slightly different frequencies. When the beams hit a person, their nervous system is jammed, rendering the person unconscious.
[edit] Dorothy System
Dorothy Systems are located in footwear which extends a carbonan cable when the heels are clicked together. This cable is able to cut through nearly anything it passes through. The name for this item came from Wizard of Oz where the protagonist clicks her heels together in order for her wish to come true.[2]
[edit] Epaulet Grenades
Epaulet Grenades are epaulets that when charged can act as a grenade.[3]
[edit] Fatbarrel Immobilizer Riot Hose
A Fatbarrel Immobilizer Riot Hose is used for crowd control. It can fire a maximum of 300 rounds per minute, using ammunition types riot gum or goober rounds.[4]
[edit] Gauss/Gunfoam Hybrid Pistol
Gauss/Gunfoam Hybrid Pistol is a pistol that is able to fire both 10mm exploding rounds and iron-core fletchettes. When firing fletchettes in gauss pistol mode it is fairly silent, with the fletchettes propelled at variable speeds up to just below the speed of sound, using a mag-pulse. However, when firing 10mm exploding rounds the mag-pulse doesn't operate (in order to protect the detonation circuitry) and is quite a bit louder.[5]
[edit] Armor
The best passive armor in the 31st century is made out of fullerene tubules, which allows armor to have greater strength and flexibility than any alloyed metal. This type of armor however is susceptible to very fast projectiles or very hot energy weapons.[6]
[edit] Annihilator plants
Annihilator plants, often referred to as annie plants, are matter-to-energy reactors that are able to create a gravitic shield. The bigger they are the better, with starship-sized units able to create a shield that completely surrounds the ship. Smaller portable units used in defensive armor can only create a decent shield for a small area. However with enough sensors and an A.I. that is fast enough they can protect against weapons fire from any angle on the body. However A.I.s able to create such a set-up are rare.[7] An example of such a set-up was used by Doyt, with the A.I. Haban 3122 controlling the shield.
Tagon's Toughs wear armor that combines the first two technologies. An annie plant provides power to artificially strengthen the intermolecular bonds in the fullerene tubules, which provides significant impact and penetration resistance. The armor also has built-in gloves and helmet that automatically deploy on the wearer's command, and can even function as a pressure suit due to its skintight design.
[edit] Valkyrie 5500 Triple-D
The Valkyrie 5500 Triple-D is a model of body armor that not only protects its wearer from bullets but augments their natural strength. This armor is worn over the uniform, instead of as the uniform. Unfortunately, this model of armor provides no protection against leering, catcalls, or bad come-ons.
[edit] Travel
Travel between the stars is accomplished through the use of "wormgates", large wormhole generators controlled by the mysterious Gatekeepers (properly known as the F'sherl-Ganni). As the story progresses, use of wormgates is largely supplanted by the "teraport", a device that was invented by Kevyn Andreyasn. It allows for near-instant travel between any two points, however the cost is for some of the transported mass to be converted into energy to power the teraport.
The teraport was placed in the public domain and open-sourced after Tagon's Toughs learnt about a conspiracy created by the Gatekeepers to give them wealth and power over the known inhabitted systems in the Milky Way Galaxy.[8] After this happened, anti-teraport technology to stop illegal trespassing[9] or weaponry using terraports from being used. The U.N.S. was the first to develope a defence system for an entire planet, while Strohl Munitions were the first to develop a personal defence system.[10]
[edit] Medical Technology
Medical technology is generally based around nanotechnology or artifical replacements for damaged body parts. One important item that is featured in the comic is the "magic cryo-kit," a cryo-kit that has received illegal modifications. One modification was a medical hologram that contained the creator's entire memory as well as all of the data from his illegal experiments.[11] Another modification is one that allows the magic cryo-kit to rebuild an entire body from the head down. However in order to rebuild a body, it needs the appropriate amount of organic matter. Any organic matter can be supplied to the magic cryo-kit, with little side-effect to the patient.[12]
[edit] Computers
Computer hardware has progressed to the point where true artificial intelligence is possible, and several have been main characters in the story.
[edit] Uses for Gravity
Gravity has been tamed and is now controllable as a means for propulsion, a weapon, and shielding against other weapons. Other forms of weaponry have improved as well, and a mercenary's arsenal can include railguns, lasers, non-lethal nanomotive "goober" rounds, and plasma cannons. Old-fashioned bullet-firing firearms are still in use as they continue to be effective against unprotected targets and are less likely to rupture a hull than a plasma bolt.
[edit] Energy
Energy to power the various devices generally comes from miniaturized fusion reactors, or massive annihilator ("annie") plants. Annie plants unleash massive amounts of power by converting mass to energy.
