Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Latest By
Category:
Armor
Artificial
Intelligence
Biology
Clothing
Communication
Computers
Culture
Data Storage
Displays
Engineering
Entertainment
Food
Input Devices
Lifestyle
Living Space
Manufacturing
Material
Media
Medical
Miscellaneous
Robotics
Security
Space Tech
Spacecraft
Surveillance
Transportation
Travel
Vehicle
Virtual
Person
Warfare
Weapon
Work
"Science fiction has gotten more accurate as we've gotten closer to the present, because science fiction stories have not only attracted, but also generated current scientists."
- Larry Niven
 |
| Spetsdöd | ||
| A unique gun that is part of the shooter. |
The Spetsdöd is a very sophisticated weapon, consisting of a semi-adhesive block of plastic, a 6" barrel, and a reloading port for magazines of various sorts. The plastic adheres to the flesh of the wielder when a chemical is added to the mixture to make it pliant. The barrel is then braced in the material, behind the index finger on the hand, and a second chemical is added to the plastic, causing it to become firm and fixed in position - for the duration of its use, a part of the wielder.
It is this very facility with which this weapon can be used that makes it so dangerous. Should a person who is not fully proficient with the weapon attempt to wield it, he more often than not ends up shooting either himself of his comrades. The reason for this are simple; to fire the Spetsdöd, one merely points. A self-regenerating chemical compound exists at the very tip of the barrel which reacts to the fingernail of the wielder. This reaction causes the weapon to fire.
It is the very simplicity of this trigger which makes the weapon so deadly, either to the wielder or to his foes. Until one has truly become proficient in the use of the Spetsdöd (i.e., specialized) one stands a good chance of firing unintentionally.
| It was a difficult shot, but a man with a Spetsdöd could cut a dragonfly in half in mid-air - and hit both pieces as they fell. Point-shooting had been brought to a peak higher than craft, if not art, with the invention of the Spetsdöd: the word itself meant "point death." |
| Technovelgy from The Man Who Never Missed,
by Steve Perry. Published by Not Known in 1985 Additional resources -
|
Compare to the laser-induced plasma weapon from Daemon (2009) by Daniel Suarez.
Thanks to Trey Palmer for contributing this item.
Comment/Join this discussion ( 0 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |
Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from The Man Who Never Missed
More Ideas
and Technology by Steve Perry
Tech news articles related to The Man Who Never Missed
Tech news articles related to works by Steve Perry
| Can A Swarm Of Deadly Drones Take Out An Aircraft Carrier? |
| Has Turkey Been Stealing Rain From Iran? |
| We Need To Build Anti-Drone Systems For Civilian Spaces |
| Bullet Steers Itself! The Advanced Low-Cost Munitions Ordnance ALaMO |
Want to Contribute an
Item?
It's easy:
Get the name of the item, a
quote, the book's name and the author's name, and Add
it here.
| <Previous | Next> |
|
|
|
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Science Fiction Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
|
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
'...it was all composed of tiny, identical cubes, carefully laid to form a tilelike surface.'
'He carried on his person a triggering mechanism sensitive to his heartbeat.'
'...Anything was possible in my imaginary environment.'
'Somewhere in space, a chrome and blue automobile raced the green light of Earth.'
'That explains how it was so easy for me to remain motionless in midair...'
'We had discovered that metal was relatively impervious to the telepathic effect.'
'Detailed plans for the construction of the Gundstetter-Halone warp drive were flowing.'
