Plasma Sabers

As a rare and infamously aggressive style of melee weapon originating in the Kanad Collective, plasma sabers are among the most sought-after tools in the pirate and mercenary professions, especially among particularly ostentatious fighters. Unlike its name suggests, the plasma saber is actually a pseudo-blade with no solid component. It is actually a handheld particle emitter which creates a stream of plasma hot enough to cut through most substances, including the solid blades wielded by opponents.

## History

For centuries dating back to antiquity, military officers of kanadys were known to carry sabers which reflected their role and status within their clan. At a time when war parties settled differences via close-quarter combat, a well-decorated blade was seen as a lofty status symbol, as it meant the carrier was a successful warrior unafraid of losing their sword in battle. These blades were passed on from parent to child during succession, providing instant credibility to the latter's leadership. Old kanad folktales often mention the sabers as important plot devices. In one tale, a thief is caught after stealing and selling a valuable blade, and on the threat of death, is forced to recover the blade for his chief. After the thief miraculously kills a rival warlord and his bodyguards to recover the weapon, the chief grants the thief pardon and makes him a general, granting him a saber of his own and teaching him the value of honest work.

High-level officers of that era would often carry extremely ornate blades which were impractical and rarely employed in combat, whereas their underlings would carry a more practical weapon. This tradition continued on even into the gunpowder age, but changes in military doctrine began to erode their appeal. As industrial warfare took hold, utilitarianism became fashion, and high-level officers soon abandoned the tradition of carrying decorative swords in favor of highly-personalized sidearms. Without the mystique of the ancient tradition, sabers began to be regarded as relics of a bygone era, and many examples of the swords were relegated to museums. On the other hand, aristocrats who had little role in military leadership clung onto the weapons as proof of their noble ancestry. After the devastation of the 17th century Atomic War which resulted in the Collective's foundation as a global government, the swords once again entered vogue as symbols of civic leadership as opposed to military folly.

By the 21st century, ballistic weapons were largely superseded by plasma weaponry, which was found to be a far-safer (and eventually, cheaper) method of conducting war in space. Production overruns from the Kanad-Serek War of the 20th century left military engineers searching for alternative uses for the plasma ammunition, which had a limited shelf life at the time. The result was the invention of the plasma saber, which employed a modified version of the coil interchange found in plasma pistols to emit a steady stream of faintly-glowing particles, rather than a burst. The result was a largely ceremonial weapon which could be awarded to especially-decorated veterans. The state even attempted to harness the folklore surrounding the sabers of antiquity to enhance the status of the Black Fleet. Unfortunately, public opinion toward military adventure would once again turn negative after the destruction of Koda in 2025 and the disastrous Siege of Rigel which followed.

Saber carrying was once again an extinct notion until the First Kanad-Sanghvi War. The sanghvi, being a race of silicon-based lifeforms with strong, mineral exoskeletons, were highly resistant to the kanads' plasma weapons, prompting a new wave of weapons research during the early phases of the war. Along with the reappearance of ballistic weaponry in the form of the OBN armor-piercing rifle, leadership called for a close-range, power-assisted weapon which could pierce the enemy's bodies, resulting in dozens of prototype weapons of various design. Although no standardized design was ever adopted, many were tested in live combat, and none made a greater impression than the pseudo-bladed plasma saber, which could seemingly cut through anything, and which accepted standard OBV plasma ammunition.

After the war's conclusion, a fad among returning officers involved the purchasing of custom-built plasma sabers and the renaissance of sword martial arts in the Collective, a revival which continues to this day. However, a simultaneous return of ornate, traditional sabers has also occurred as an endeavor on the state's part, attempting to restore a classical component of kanad military culture lost since the Atomic War. Given the choice between a valuable heirloom which could be passed along without the expectation of mastery, and a highly-dangerous, flamboyant weapon favored by combat enthusiasts, most commanders chose the former, leading to the establishment of a new reputation for the weapons: those who carried the classical sabers were perceived as being accomplished leaders, while those who carried plasma sabers were regarded as aggressive, perhaps even savage, warriors.

## Design

The basic design of the plasma saber comes from kanad traditions in plasma rifle weaponry. A cartridge loaded with potent reactive chemical compounds is inserted into a primer which causes a surge of voltage within a specialized circuit. A plasma coil interchange with alternating current is used to discharge this energy directly into the air in pulses which are accelerated down the barrel, firing the ionized particles at the target. In the hilt of a plasma saber, the coils are built much closer together and cycle more slowly, causing the plasma to erupt out of the interchange in a steady stream which dissipates in the air a short distance from the source, usually a meter or less.

This design allows the device to be powered by widely-available plasma ammunition designed for rifles in the form of a cartridge which acts as the pommel, but special, purpose-built cartridges have also been seen which contain a greater supply of the reactive agents for a longer "burn," or a modified mixture to produce higher than standard voltages which produce a hotter and longer pseudo-blade. Unlike a plasma rifle, which uses a blowoff valve in the receiver to remove excess heat from the coil interchange, plasma sabers apply all available energy toward cutting power, which means the coils are especially susceptible to damage if not properly maintained. Special care must be taken to insulate the interchange to prevent the radiant heat from burning the wielder's hand, and a cup or basket-style guard is often included to prevent accidental burning from deflected plasma spray.

Although this configuration was invented within the Kanad Collective, it is increasingly common to find plasma sabers of foreign design and production in circulation, especially in the Renegade Quadrant, where such weapons are in high-demand.

## Notable Plasma Sabers

### Virin's Saber

Virin Rozel of the Terika-Belladonna Company obtained a plasma saber at market on Terra while preparing for the Battle of Zeruel. The device had previously been of the ceremonial type, but had been modified by an unknown owner to produce the more deadly effect of recent models. Virin would later use the sword to defend Yanim Terika from the forces of the Crimus in a last stand which ultimately resulted in his death. In honor of his bravery, the weapon became a symbolic reminder of the responsibility faced by Captains of the Muramasa to defend their comrades in arms to the death. The weapon was then briefly owned by Yuga Shuur before passing into the hands of Taylor Caine.

### Valkyrie's Saber (Kyrskada's Saber)

Sergeant Kyrskada Sidikan of the Black Fleet, despite not being an officer, became swept up in the revitalized sword martial art craze and became an expert duelist before his deployment into the Second Kanad-Sanghvi War. Kyrskada had his weapon custom-built for his own use, and was vainly reluctant to use firearms. After an intense series of engagements along the front, the frigate Viokhmar, on which Kyrskada served, was rotated into police action to provide a respite. This resulted in a run-in with the Muramasa Crew in which Kyrskada severely wounded several of the notorious outlaws before being killed by Valencia Blackwell. Ironically, it was his own weapon which took his life, and Blackwell became the permanent owner after the exchange. Most of the weapon's components have been modified or replaced, arguably resulting in a new weapon, and as such the association with Kyrskada was lost. The weapon serves as a continual reminder to always remain sharper than one's opponents.