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"There's a poetry in the materials we use to construct our world of artifacts; it speaks of our long history as a technological species."
- William Gibson
 |
| Para-Beam | ||
| A beam of energy that paralyzes the victim. |
In the controlled future of the novel, terrifying metamen using para-beams pursue enemies of the state.
| Curt skidded to a halt, staring wildly at the advancing figure of the metaman, and darted to one side.
Blue fire streamed through the air where he had stood a moment before. It swung, lifted and Curt felt his legs go numb and almost lifeless as the blue ray stabbed past him, missing him by a fraction. ...Again the blue ray sent coldness through him, slowing his reflexes and chilling his blood with the touch of paralysis and he sobbed with pain as he forced his sluggish muscles to carry his sagging weight... Then blue fire seared him with a freezing cold and he fell into a bottomless pit of overwhelming darkness. |
| Technovelgy from The Mechanical Monarch,
by E.C. Tubb. Published by Ace Books in 1958 Additional resources -
|
Para-beams had originally been designed as non-lethal weapons, but in time they had evolved into something else.
The para-beam can cripple a man, bring him down and render him helpless, but it's a dangerous thing to use...
Compare to the paralysis ray from Arthur Barnes' Satellite Five (1938).
"...we had to give you artificial respiration, massage the heart, keep your blood circulating and make sure your brain cells didn't deteriorate...
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Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from The Mechanical Monarch
More Ideas
and Technology by E.C. Tubb
Tech news articles related to The Mechanical Monarch
Tech news articles related to works by E.C. Tubb
Para-Beam-related
news articles:
- Paralysis Beam From Peak Beam Systems
| Wearable Energy Harvester |
| Video Manicuring ala Schismatrix |
| Tailsitter Drone Aircraft For SAR |
| Iron Beam Laser Under Development To Shoot Down Missiles With Lasers |
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'... he had tightened the chest to gain maximum pumping action from the motion of breathing.'
'...a prayer wheel swung into view and began spinning at a furious pace.'
'And are all the people willing to be governed by a machine?'
'It's an old model,' Rawlins said. 'I'm not sure what to do.'
'the robot-boss was busy at the lip of the new lode instructing and egging the men on to greater speed...'
'He rode the bike with an intense lack of physical grace...'
