New Technology:

The quantum flywheel (QF) is an energy storage device, based upon the same principles that transporter pattern buffers use to compactly store vast amounts of energy from dematerialized matter. The QF stores plasma energy in a rapidly rotating quantum field. Adding plasma to the field "speeds up" the rate of spin, and slowing the rate of spin causes the flywheel to give off plasma.

Uses: Quantum flywheels can be used to "smooth out" the energy stream of power generation systems prone to fluctuating outputs. A small Quantum flywheel can be used as a "battery" for short-duration vessels, such as probes. A series of Quantum flywheels can be used to store excess output from a power source, then augment the power source during higher-than-normal power consumption, as in combat.

[Special thanks to Paul Cargile for the use of the graphic at right.]

Holographic Hull Projectors (HHP) confer a chameleon-like ability to adjust hull reflectivity and emissivity. This gives a fair imitation of cloaking without massive power consumption. This makes a vessel extremely difficult to detect, and makes a positive weapons lock-on nearly impossible. It does not, however, confer true cloaking ability. May also be used to actively display desirable hull markings such as registry numbers, vessel name or distinctive insignia. HHPs wll not disguise the basic outline of the vessel.

Dragon with HHP offline.

Dragon with HHP online.

Multifunction Phased Arrays: Integrated networks of emitters and sensors imbedded directly within the hull matrix itself. Each array includes sensors, phaser emitters, navigational deflector emitters, deflector screen emitters, and tractor beam emitters. Each array can take a significant amount of damage before performance is noticeably diminished. (The Borg aren't the only ones who can assimilate new ideas!)

The photon cannon was inspired by the phaser cannon. Instead of using a gravity shell to contain a phaser blast, the photon cannon confines phaser energy within a subspace containment field. This concentrated "energy packet" is then fired at a target at subspace radio velocity (approximately 60 billion kilometers per second).

The photon cannon is a high-powered long-ranged weapon. The amount of energy confined within the subspace field diminishes by half every 5 seconds, so the effective range is limited by the "muzzle energy". At a designed maximum power of one terawatt, the energy decays to less than 5 megawatts in ninety seconds of travel, by which time the energy packet will have travelled nearly 208 light-days (about 5.4 trillion kilometers). A one-terawatt energy blast decreases to less than one watt within 200 seconds, and poses no hazard.

This projectile can’t change course or velocity, and is totally unaffected by energy fields. The containment field is destroyed upon contacting a solid object (such as a ship's hull) or when it finally transforms to ordinary electromagnetic energy, as all subspace energy does eventually. (The containment field would be devoid of significant energy by that time and would have very little effect, if any.) This releases the enclosed photon energy directly against the object.

Although it requires obscenely accurate fire control, the two main advantages of the photon cannon are:

1. Since the energy packet travels at the same velocity as subspace radio, the target vessel cannot prepare for any specific blast. By the time sensors could detect the incoming energy packet, it would be on top of the target.
2. The energy packet stays coherent over extremely long distances (over 300 light-days). This extends the range at which a target may be engaged by a capitol ship’s main weapon, but introduces the necessity of either extremely large target acquisition sensors (to achieve adequate accuracy at range) or remote target aquisition devices, such as the SARPEV.

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