Flynn
looked over the ad, made to look like a government briefing on the latest piece
of hardware, mixed with just enough marketing snark to take the dryness out.
Titan Industries Pulsar
Cannon
Normally reserved as a ship-to-ship
weapon, pulsar cannons hold a spinning ball of ionized plasma in a magnetic
bottle, then hurl it towards an enemy. The ionized particles wreak havoc with
ship shields and armor. Miniaturization technology has finally enabled us to
create a personal version of this weapon. Just like against ships, the pulsar
cannon’s ionized plasma is ideal for use against armored targets, cracking and
disrupting powered armors with little effort.
Against personnel, the ionized
particles are generally less effective, but the plasma’s high temperature
(4,000K) will cause severe burns when it doesn’t outright kill an enemy.
WARNING: Do not use a pulsar cannon in close-quarters combat! The rupturing
pulsar will explode on contact and splash back on the weapon’s owner, erupting
much like a plasma grenade in the hand.
In order to maintain portability and
manage power concerns, pulsars are no bigger than a standard shot. Pulsar
cannons are power hungry, however, so the power packs can only supply a limited
number of shots. Pulsars must also ‘spin up’ and ionize their plasma, making
for a somewhat slow rate of fire. However, one shot can be held at the ready in
magnetic containment for instantaneous use with minimal power loss.
In outer space, the magnetic bottles
generally dissipate within a few meters of firing, and the spinning plasma
maintains coherence through the vacuum of space quite easily. However, in an
atmosphere, the pulsar will be susceptible to thermodynamics and ionization
transfer, meaning it will do less damage at greater ranges when in atmosphere,
so it is not ideal as a long-range weapon.
Final note: The ionized particles
will instantly destroy most electronics, so use caution around sensitive
equipment. Also, given the plasma’s high temperature, it’s not recommended to
fire pulsar cannons at anything combustible, unless an explosion is the desired
result.
Flynn
looked over the weapon one more time, then nodded his approval.
They forgot to mention it’s a decent weapon
to repel boarders. While the blast won’t do any favors to the inner hull, it
won’t rip through, causing a breach.
Flynn
handed over his credit chit to authorize the purchase.