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"Building one space station for everyone was and is insane: we should have built a dozen."
- Larry Niven

Energy-Cannon  
  Device projects destructive power.  

All the gentlemen of Janeil were erudite in at least one realm of knowledge. Certain were mathematical theoreticians, others had made a profound study of the physical sciences.


(Energy-cannon from 'The Last Castle' by Jack Vance)

Some of these, with a detail of Peasants to perform the sheer physical exertion, attempted to restore the energy-cannon to functioning condition. Unluckily, the cannon had not been maintained in good order. Various components were obviously corroded or damaged. Conceivably these components might have been replaced from the Mek shops on the second sub-level, but none of the group had any knowledge of the Mek nomenclature or warehousing system. Warrick Madency Arban (which is to say, Arban of the Madency family on the Warrick clan) suggested that a work-force of Peasants search the warehouse. But in view of the limited mental capacity of the Peasants, nothing was done and the whole plan to restore the energy-cannon came to naught.

Technovelgy from The Last Castle, by Jack Vance.
Published by Del Rey in 1967
Additional resources -

This illustration of energy-cannon in use served as the cover for that issue.


(Energy-cannon from 'The Last Castle' by Jack Vance)

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Additional resources:
  More Ideas and Technology from The Last Castle
  More Ideas and Technology by Jack Vance
  Tech news articles related to The Last Castle
  Tech news articles related to works by Jack Vance

Energy-Cannon-related news articles:
  - Energy Cannon Now On Order

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