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
"I received a nice letter the other day from the Dalai Lama. He had read 'The Nine Billion Names of God'. It is about a computer at a Tibetan monastery."
- Arthur C. Clarke
 |
| Kzinti Lesson - Propulsion As Weapon | ||
| The power of a craft's means of propulsion repurposed as an offensive weapon. |
This is also known as the Kzinti Lesson, as described by Larry Niven:
This is often used as a canonical example because the human beings were trained to be nonviolent; they were incapable of using weapons to harm others. Except for one crew member...
"A reaction drive's efficiency as a weapon is in direct proportion to its efficiency as a drive."
| The Captain hurried, knowing that the Telepath couldn't stand this for long. “How do they power their ship?”
“It's a light-pressure drive powered by incomplete hydrogen fusion. They use an electromagnetic ramscoop to get their own hydrogen from space.” “Clever… Can they get away from us?” “No. Their drive is on idle, ready to go, but it won't help them. It's pitifully weak.” “What kind of weapons do they have?” The Telepath remained silent for a long time... “None at all, sir.” The Kzin's voice became clearer; his hypnotic relaxation was broken by muscle twitches. He twisted as if in a nightmare. “Nothing aboard ship, not even a knife or a club. Wait, they've got cooking knives. But that's all they use them for. They don't fight.” ...
A twist of a large white knob turned the drive on full, and he slipped into the pilot seat before the gentle light pressure could build up.
...
The other ship began to turn away from its tormentor. Its drive end glowed red.
... Someone had steered the ships much closer together. The Kzinti ship was a huge red sphere with ugly projections scattered at seeming random over the hull. The beam had sliced it into two unequal halves, sliced it like an ax through an egg. Steve watched, unable to turn aside, as the big half rotated to show its honeycombed interior. |
| Technovelgy from The Warriors,
by Larry Niven. Published by Worlds of If in 1966 Additional resources -
|
The Warriors was published in 1966, so there are surely earlier examples in science fiction. For example, the Sardaukar used the attitudinal jets on a troop carrier as flame-throwers in Frank Herbert's Dune, published in 1964.
In The Dragon Masters, Jack Vance describes an advanced propulsion system built in secret by the sacerdotes; the protagonist forces them to use it as a weapon to defend themeseves.
The repellor rays from Armageddon 2419 AD by Philip Frances Nowlan are sometimes cited, but the story distinguishes disintegration rays.
Comment/Join this discussion ( 0 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This |
Additional
resources:
More Ideas
and Technology from The Warriors
More Ideas
and Technology by Larry Niven
Tech news articles related to The Warriors
Tech news articles related to works by Larry Niven
| Man Builds 200 Foot Basement Firing Range |
| Russians Create Robot Tank Platoons |
| Unmanned Boats Attack At Sea |
| Iron Drone Raider Counter-UAV Operations |
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
'This was their world, their planet — this swift-traveling, yet seemingly moveless vessel.'
'Gaines and Harvey mounted tumblebugs, and kept abreast of the Cadet Captain...'
Accompanied by a small selection of similar ideas from science fiction.
'...war-balloons, or, as it would be more correct to call them, navigable aerostats.'
