Just finished book 11.
I don't know what Ryk's got planned for future scenarios but at this point things look bleak for earth with the Jung empire about to be alerted.
The Aurora needs a new weapon to face up to the Jung - how about Corinairian scientists find ing plans in the data ark for a molecular disruptor a beam device that disrupts the bonds between molecules. Any object struck by the beam simply falls apart.
Earths pre plague scientists never built the device because of the immense power required to power it.
The Corinarian scientists come up with the idea of using ZPE's configured to use a "star/ delta" sequence to successfully power the disruptor.
(Present technology uses Star/Delta sequences to power large electrical motors on ships and in industry)
I like disrupter technology too. One question I have to ask is, would the disrupter be a beam / pulse / wave? Then you have to ask yourself, would shields protect against it or not? Would it be adsorbed by shields (ie taken as a boost of power)? Would they be defeated by shields (ie shields nullify the effect)? Would they hit shields and deplete shield strength? Would they pass through shields unaffected?
I personally like the idea of a Energy Laser powered by ZPEM. Overcharges shields, then super heats hulls, melts through / or just makes life real difficult for the occupants. Its hard to fire back when your ship is shutting down due to overloaded / overheated systems / difficult work environments
Hell! We have microwave tech! no need for nukes when you can use a neutron cannon and cleanse the hull of any ship of any live.
The little doctor from Ender's Game!
If a Falcon could fly between the gaps of the Jung shields then i don't see why any kind of energy weapon fired at the right angle couldn't get through (even if only partially) and disrupt/overload the shield emitters.
Here's another idea.. When we first met the ZPED in battle it was like the Aurora was caught in a tractor beam from it's gravity well affect and couldn't jump or barely accelerate. It reminded me of the Interdictors in the Star Wars universe, which trap ships by stopping them going into hyperspace. I don't remember an explanation of how they've overcome that problem, but perhaps they could explore that side of the device further as a counter to the jump drives (or ships in FTL or space warp) . Could be useful in the Pentaurus Cluster if things turn ugly during the civil war with both sides having jump drives. Also like in the Aurora's arrival in the PC and the black hole we know that these special gravity wells can yank a ship out of a mid-jump.
Multi layered shields as they have been described in the text are lined up to not allow a straight path to the hull of the ship, that is why the falcons changed direction when they passed through the first shield layer/jumped through the gap. see example below
:___________(Gap)___________
:(Gap)_________________(Gap) Shields
:
:###########ship############
Trust me it looked better as I drew it...
