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"We follow the scientists around and look over their shoulders. They're watching their feet: provable mistakes are bad for them. We're looking as far ahead as we can, and we don't get penalized for mistakes."
- Larry Niven
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| Punishment Sphere | ||
| Used to bring disruptive elements of society into line. |
The Sphere uses a technology called "Nerve Stapling", which is used to pacify rioters. No details are given, but to use this technology is considered an atrocity. The Sphere does this, but instead of applying every few hours, it does it every five minutes. In game, it reduces research, and subjugates not only the disruptive elements of society, but also the highly educated as well.
| "It is not uncommon to see patients undergo permanent psychological trauma in the presence of the Sphere, before the nerve stapler has even been strapped into position. Its effect on the general consciousness of the culture is profound: husbands have seen wives go inside, and mothers their children. Dr. Xynan left the surface of the sphere semitranslucent for a reason. You can hear them in there; you can see them. It is a thing of terrible beauty." Baron Klim, "The Music of the Spheres" |
| Technovelgy from Alpha Centauri,
by Sid Meier. Published by Fraxis Games in 1999 Additional resources -
|
Thanks to Gatomon41 for the reference.
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'The king, an old hand in the running of tyrannies, instantly grasped the directions...'
'...a hemispherical force field enclosing his head.'
'Then he became aware of a gentle pressure pushing him away from the ship.'
'And now they wre busily transforming all their companions, and so on, and so on...'
'Why, a clockwork dancer, or, better still, one that would go by electricity and never run down...'
'Maybe the individual intelligence of each Cubic pools into a group intelligence...'
