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.As far as they could tell, the more primitive a piece of technology was, the more likely it would work on Darius.Radios and chemical weapons were laughable compared to QCC links and antimatter cannons, but the latter would probably fail on the planet’s surface.He didn’t want to think about what would happen if some idiot took an antimatter pod down to the planet.The resulting explosion would probably render the planet uninhabitable.“We have tested radio transmissions and discovered that they seem to be reliable on the surface,” the XO said, “apart from certain places outside the cities.These.Dead Zones seemed to be more inclined to attack technology, as everything we have steered into them goes dead.As yet, we have no theory as to why that actually happens.”Dacron nodded.One theory had been a force field that displaced energy above a certain level into hyperspace, a trick the AIs and Peacekeeper planetoids used to defend themselves.It required a vast amount of power to work properly and, judging from some of the test results, should have literally pulled the electricity out of a human’s brain.If it could sap a relatively small charge from a drone, it could sap it from a biological brain.except orbital observation indicated that people could walk in and out of the Dead Zones without suffering at all.The best guess was that the field was somehow choosing its targets, which implied an intelligence.and that intelligence had not reacted to the ship’s presence.“The first object” – the XO held up a tiny bead – “will be implanted in your skulls before you go down to the planet.It is a tracker that remains dead most of the time, waiting for a signal from the ship.We should be able to locate you if something goes wrong.There are a handful of other implants for you, allowing some subvocal communications – although not with the same flexibility as a standard communications implant.If worst comes to worst, it may serve as a source for teleport coordinates, but we would hate to rely on it.”The humans seemed to hesitate at that comment.Dacron, who could still calculate the odds against a successful teleport, wasn’t too surprised.They’d grown up in perfect safety, even when they’d been moving among primitive societies.And besides, Confederation technology never failed, at least outside an Ancient world.Those had their own dangers, but they were largely passive ones.The explorers on Darius could easily die on the strange world.“There are three types of defensive weapon,” the XO continued.If she’d noticed the sudden attack of uncertainty, she said nothing.“This” – she held up a stick – “will give anyone you touch with the business end a nasty electric shock.A second jab will stun them.Try not to use it in public as it will probably attract attention.”“They’d be taken for magic,” Adam pointed out.“And magicians have obligations in their society,” Elyria said.“Ideally, we don’t want to be taken for anything other than harmless merchants.”The XO nodded.“The second weapon” – she held up a spray – “contains knock-out gas.As far as we can determine, Darius’s population has no engineered resistance to anything of the sort, so you should be able to use it freely.You’ll all be immune, of course.Again, try not to use it in public, but if you do have to use it.”“Use it carefully,” Captain Thor said.“Given their observed capabilities, they might be able to take the concept of poison gas and create something truly nasty.”“True,” Elyria warned.“Primitive does not mean stupid.”“The third set of weapons are chemically-propelled projectile guns,” the XO concluded.“Do not use them unless there is no other choice.If you hit someone, they will be injured, perhaps killed.We have no idea of their medical skills, but if they have the same capabilities as any other First Age society any wounds you inflict with these weapons will cripple them for life.Don’t think of them as idiots following the Ugly and Mutilated Craze.You will destroy their lives.”She leaned forward.“You know you wouldn’t normally be issued such weapons.Use them if there is no other choice, and be careful.If you manage to hit someone on your team, you can injure them too, despite their enhancements.”Dacron looked down at the weapon and nodded to himself.They’d all been put though the training that would allow them to use the weapons properly, but no amount of training could teach someone good judgement or restraint
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