- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
Ok, I've got a couple I'll let you guys chew on.
1) The "Mindseeker"- an alternative weapon developed to target the brain. A sensor underneath the barrel of the gun detects brainwaves up to 35M away. This information is used to provide targeting information which is relayed remotely to the projectiles within the weapon. The projectiles are relatively small, self-propelled probes. Each one is round in shape with a small jet propulsion system towards its rear and a hooked tripod in the front as well as small fins along the sides for guidance. The probe is launched out of the barrel of the mindseeker by compressed air and its own propulsion. The targetting information is updated every hundreth of a second to a small receptor and nanoprocessor located in the projectile itself. Once the probe guides itself to targets skull, the tripod latched onto the surface of the helmet or skull and a needle is forced into the skull (and through most types of known armor) by highly compressed air. Upon entering the brain the needle sends a series of electrical pulses to interfere with neural activity. The results are similar to a particularly violent seisure and victims are usually dead within 30 seconds. Each Mindseeker carries a magazine with 5 probes and is battery powered.
2) The "Shrieker"- Another of ONI's S-III alternative weapons, the shrieker is designed to use sonics to disable or kill enemies. The shrieker is rifle shaped and uses the preciecely directed sound of a baby screeching played backwards up to 200 decibals which is effective up to 80M. The weapon has multiple settings to allow it to be very versatile in use. On the lowest setting, the sound can damage hearing and balance by extreme vibration of the cochlea. The victim may flee from the pain, be brought to his knees, rendered unconcious or, in rare cases, killed. Medium settings on the shrieker are more directed towards deafening and destroying equillibrium and balance. Targets may receive fairly serious trauma to organs and bones, but damage is typically restricted to the ears. The highest setting is almost always lethal. The force of the sound at this point is so great, any exposed part of the body is subject to severe trauma. Bones, tissues and organs may become torn and shattered under the stress of vibration within seconds. Sound directed towards the head results in severe brain damage and often death. The benefit of using lethal sonics is not only the inability to detect the weapon being fired (the shrieker is almost silent except for directly in front of the gun and has no other evidence of being fired), but also its ability to circumvent the protection of armor. The vibrations course through armor plating and render slightly reduced but effective damage to the target. The shrieker is even capable of disabling vehicles by damaging sensitive parts of the machine.
3) The EMP grenade- another alternative weapon designed primarily for disabling vehicles. The EMP grenade works just like any other grenade- the grenade is armed, thrown and goes off after a short fuse. What is different about the EMP is the nature of its explosion. A trace amount of the unstable element Ununquadium is kept in the center of the grenade surrounded by plastic explosive. The plastic explosive is detonated by a short electical pulse triggered by the fuse. The explosion then blasts open the lead casing of the grenade and triggers what can be simply explained as an extremely minor nuclear explosion. The ununquadium releases gamma rays which collide with other electrons, knocking them out of their orbit of the nucleus of their respective atoms. The Gamma photons are scattered by these collisions and travel slower than the electrons they have struck and create a strong electronic field. Also, lower energy electrons are attracted to the now positive atoms and create a conduction current. This effect, or electromagnetic pulse, disables any electronics within its range. This pulse is extremely useful for disabling vehicles without destroying them. A helmet with a HUD, motion tracking,the glass eyepiece marines wear and any capabilities not purely dependent upon the wearer of powered armor are disabled when exposed to the EMP field. These devices will autoreboot after a short time, but the effect makes it impossible for a soldier to receive tactical data.