Names, outcomes, and discoveries from later histories are concealed in spoiler-light mode.
Deflection lasers protect high-speed starships by detecting and vaporizing particles ahead of them. A collision with even a sand-sized object at the expedition's intended speeds could destroy a ship.
Also recorded as: Particle-defense lasers, Deflection laser, Deflection lasers, Deflector lasers
Control and limitations
Echo's forward lasers are operated by an extremely fast but nonsentient computer. Their capacity contributes to the restriction of predeparture tests to speeds below seventy percent of light within the solar system.[1][2]
Demonstration at Earth
Directed at a reflective survey probe, a laser is redirected toward precisely selected ornaments outside Cyrus Eppleston's office, showing extraordinary accuracy from beyond the Moon.[2]
Combat and upgrade
Lucinda used a scorpion's lasers against individual Flaxen soldiers after the African base strike. Echo could not effectively intervene during the bombing of York because of Earth's rotation and the difficulty of hitting moving aircraft from lunar distance. Cylli later increased Echo's laser energy by an order of magnitude and improved its ability to clear particles at higher speed.[3][4][5]
Combat applications
A hawk used its laser to vaporize a repair drone at Cylli's breach. Frey used the scorpion's laser to sever bomber wings after expending missiles. Silver later cut a precisely shaped passage through the polymer seal with the scorpion's lasers.[6][7][8][9]
Related records
Sources
Simon Evans, The Flaxen Tyranny, first edition (2023). Page numbers refer to the printed pagination of the source edition.
- Chapter 4 · pp. 26
- Chapter 9 · pp. 66–67
- Chapter 15 · pp. 111–112
- Chapter 16 · pp. 128
- Chapter 25 · pp. 209
- Chapter 29 · pp. 237
- Chapter 32 · pp. 259–260
- Chapter 33 · pp. 272–273
- Chapter 36 · pp. 295–296