The Soft Weapon
Encyclopedia
"The Soft Weapon" is a science fiction short story written in 1967 by Larry Niven
, set in his Known Space
universe. It was the basis of the Star Trek: The Animated Series
episode, "The Slaver Weapon". The original idea for the episode later became Niven's novellette "The Borderland of Sol".
The story introduces the character of Nessus
, who later became one of the main characters of the novel Ringworld
. The story is retold, from the point of view of Nessus, in Juggler of Worlds
.
, having purchased what is apparently a Thrint
stasis box, on a passenger ship run by a human
couple, Jason and Anne Marie Papandreau.
They stop at Beta Lyrae
to sightsee where they unexpectedly discover, by deep radar, another stasis box. However, the box is a trap by Kzin
ti pirates. The rogue Kzinti are using a dummy stasis box to lure ships that they detect to be in possession of stasis boxes. The Kzin capture the crew and open the looted stasis box, which is revealed to be a Tnuctip
un stasis box, not Thrintun. Stasis boxes (which are rare) often contain advanced technological products of immense military value. The Kzinti hope to use the contents of the box to develop weapons technology that will allow them to wage wars of conquest.
The box contains a Tnuctipun weapon which is capable of morphing into several devices, none of which are deemed useful by the Kzinti as war weapons. However, one setting, an energy absorber, causes the Kzinti restraint field to fail, allowing Jason and Nessus to escape with the weapon. They are recaptured, but not before Jason manages to discover a hidden setting. This setting is a matter-to-energy conversion beam, which is far more powerful than anything possessed by either Human or Kzinti.
The Kzinti, desperate to know how to access the hidden setting, threaten Jason's wife in attempt to get him to divulge it, but he refuses. Her life is spared when the device, which is intelligent (and loyal to its long-extinct Tnuctipun masters), begins to speak. The Kzinti converse with the weapon, believing they are getting knowledge of how to access the setting. However, the weapon,
believing itself to have fallen into the possession of an enemy, tricks the Kzin into activating a self-destruct
mechanism. The Kzinti are killed, the humans and Puppeteer survive, in part thanks to the restraint technology used protecting them from the blast impact.
, however, this story has been retconned and set after the events of Flatlander.
Larry Niven
Laurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics...
, set in his Known Space
Known Space
Known Space is the fictional setting of some dozen science fiction novels and several collections of short stories written by author Larry Niven. It has also in part been used as a shared universe in the Man-Kzin Wars spin-off anthologies sub-series....
universe. It was the basis of the Star Trek: The Animated Series
Star Trek: The Animated Series
Star Trek: The Animated Series is an animated science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe following the events of Star Trek: The Original Series of the 1960s...
episode, "The Slaver Weapon". The original idea for the episode later became Niven's novellette "The Borderland of Sol".
The story introduces the character of Nessus
Nessus (Pierson's Puppeteer)
Nessus is a male character in Larry Niven's Known Space universe, of the species Pierson's Puppeteer, an herbivorous species noted for two heads whose mouths act as capable hands...
, who later became one of the main characters of the novel Ringworld
Ringworld
Ringworld is a Hugo, Nebula, and Locus award-winning 1970 science fiction novel by Larry Niven, set in his Known Space universe and considered a classic of science fiction literature. It is followed by three sequels, and preceded by four prequels, and ties into numerous other books set in Known Space...
. The story is retold, from the point of view of Nessus, in Juggler of Worlds
Juggler of Worlds
Juggler of Worlds is the sequel novel to Fleet of Worlds by Larry Niven and Edward M. Lerner.It is set in the Known Space universe. Most of the book revisits earlier stories...
.
Plot
Nessus is returning from a diplomatic mission to the OutsidersOutsider (Known Space)
The Outsiders are a fictional alien race in Larry Niven's Known Space series. They are many-limbed beings that are invariably described as a cat o'nine tails with a fattened handle...
, having purchased what is apparently a Thrint
Thrint
The Thrintun , in Larry Niven's fictional Known Space universe, were a long-extinct species which ruled the galaxy through telepathic mind control. Humans knew them as "Slavers", since "Thrint" is unpronouncable to the human larynx...
stasis box, on a passenger ship run by a human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
couple, Jason and Anne Marie Papandreau.
They stop at Beta Lyrae
Beta Lyrae
Beta Lyrae is a binary star system approximately 882 light-years away in the constellation Lyra. Beta Lyrae has the traditional name Sheliak , from الشلياق šiliyāq, the Arabic name of the constellation Lyra.Beta Lyrae is an eclipsing semi-detached binary system made up of a B7II primary star and...
to sightsee where they unexpectedly discover, by deep radar, another stasis box. However, the box is a trap by Kzin
Kzin
The Kzinti are a fictional, very warlike and bloodthirsty race of cat-like aliens in Larry Niven's Known Space series....
ti pirates. The rogue Kzinti are using a dummy stasis box to lure ships that they detect to be in possession of stasis boxes. The Kzin capture the crew and open the looted stasis box, which is revealed to be a Tnuctip
Tnuctip
The Tnuctipun are a fictional extinct alien species in Larry Niven's Known Space series.Tnuctipun were small, arboreal pack predators, averaging about 3–4 feet long. Their heads were long and lean, and their eyes opened laterally...
un stasis box, not Thrintun. Stasis boxes (which are rare) often contain advanced technological products of immense military value. The Kzinti hope to use the contents of the box to develop weapons technology that will allow them to wage wars of conquest.
The box contains a Tnuctipun weapon which is capable of morphing into several devices, none of which are deemed useful by the Kzinti as war weapons. However, one setting, an energy absorber, causes the Kzinti restraint field to fail, allowing Jason and Nessus to escape with the weapon. They are recaptured, but not before Jason manages to discover a hidden setting. This setting is a matter-to-energy conversion beam, which is far more powerful than anything possessed by either Human or Kzinti.
The Kzinti, desperate to know how to access the hidden setting, threaten Jason's wife in attempt to get him to divulge it, but he refuses. Her life is spared when the device, which is intelligent (and loyal to its long-extinct Tnuctipun masters), begins to speak. The Kzinti converse with the weapon, believing they are getting knowledge of how to access the setting. However, the weapon,
believing itself to have fallen into the possession of an enemy, tricks the Kzin into activating a self-destruct
Self-destruct
A self-destruct is a mechanism which causes a device to destroy itself under a predefined set of circumstances.Self-destruct mechanisms are also found on devices and systems where malfunction could endanger large numbers of people...
mechanism. The Kzinti are killed, the humans and Puppeteer survive, in part thanks to the restraint technology used protecting them from the blast impact.
Timeline note
This story itself contains clues which set it prior to the short story "Flatlander", specifically the apparent naming of the planet on which events take place as "Cue Ball" by Anne Marie ("I dub thee 'Cue Ball'") -- In Flatlander, Gregory "Elephant" Pelton attempts to name their newfound planet "Cue Ball", but Bey corrects him, indicating the name is already taken by a Beta Lyrae planet, a reference to Anne Marie's chosen name. In the official timeline, as well as Juggler of WorldsJuggler of Worlds
Juggler of Worlds is the sequel novel to Fleet of Worlds by Larry Niven and Edward M. Lerner.It is set in the Known Space universe. Most of the book revisits earlier stories...
, however, this story has been retconned and set after the events of Flatlander.