»UPLINK: Elgin Primary Node

[Enkidu]

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___Battlegroup Internal Report___

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Subject: Technology Readiness Evaluation: Gluon gun development for Auxesian marine forces and personal security.
Division Source: Eidolon Research, Development and Combat Evaluation Division.
Sender ID: Nesrin Khan.
Priority: High.

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Attached is the promised update on the weaponisation of quark-gluon plasma projectors. Unfortunately I may not be available for the pre-planned meeting with the Keeper and Curator, so this should keep for the interim.

The development of the prototypes have been relatively painless considering the enormous number of engineering challenges compact singularity core production and exotic plasma fusion necessarily creates. Since the technology scales well, provided we can preserve the exceptional cross-unit build quality control requirements that multi-PeV microsupercolliders require, we should be able to produce a series of part-interchangeable modular infantry armament solutions from the stock hand-cannon model - everything from micro-explosives to anti material rifles with a horizon limited range. The basic physics are as follows:


A miniaturised version of our singularity reactors are inserted into stock of the cannon. Since the singularity itself is ostensibly tiny (black hole nuclei are not known for their size), and dynamo commutators are not exactly revolutionary, the core elements of the architecture are simple enough. The primary sticking issues are the minimal size of the exotic graviton generators required to keep the singularity stable, but again, antigravity has had a maximal technological readiness level for centuries. More difficult is the production of tiny supercolliders to produce ton to kiloton quantities of gluon plasma on demand and the projection of a magnetic delivery bottle of significant integrity to withstand beam jamming and compact shield meshes. The ultimate pain in the ass is good old thermodynamics - how to stop the weapon from suffering instantaneous overheat events every time you turn the dam thing on, mostly by ensuring most of the energy gets ducted into the plasma ball instead of into the hand of the user, but there’s a hard limit. Extremely hard firing of the weapon may result in a loss of field stability, especially in the presence of extremely powerful electromagnets or in the low orbit of suns. Like I said, not perfect yet, but good enough for field work.

I had Tacitus shoot a few sims. From the gathered ballistics data, I’ve been able to illustrate what happens to the gluon bloom when it impacts armour or shields. The results are devastating. If there was physical flesh behind that lattice, it’d instantaneously explode from the energy release. Just imagine what it’d do to infantry armour.

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I’ve monikered the system the Modular Assault System Solution, or MASS, to accompany our MWS units. Be advised if you’re not going to use it with the MWS armour, I’d advise a retinal implant upgrade if you have one if you want to be able to actually aim the gun. I’d prefer not putting iron sights on these if I really can avoid it, or just generally to give reasons not to stick the prototypes against your face. If the field fails, they’ll be hotter than the core of a supernova. Once the initial bugs are worked through, I hope to replace all of our current firearms with these homegrown replacements. Not only do we get a sorely needed measure of hardware independence, these infantry weapons should be decades ahead of anything the Order or Core have at their disposal, let alone the Houses. You can thank me by giving most of ordinance research a week's paid leave, preferably Curacao. They're at the wire right now and need the R'n'R.

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THE SYNDIC LEAGUES
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