INTELLECTUAL ARMOR EXPLAINED
(A four-page interlude between storylines...)
page 2

Mindmistress' greatest defense is her velocity-redirection-field, or VRF for short. Anything speeding at her faster than 100 mph finds itself veering. The kinetic energy suddenly shifts direction...arrows, bullets, missiles...none of them are a threat to her.If the mass is much greater than she is, it is she who swerves...something that comes in handy when falling from great heights. Like a stone skipping across a lake, she 'bounces', never quite touching the ground, until she slows down enough to survive the fall.

She's not totally safe in the VRF. Since she can see through it, light can reach her, including lasers. (Though her reflective armor gives her some protection, it would eventually burn through...nor would it protect her from a huge press of ceiling descending slow...or a cut from a knife, or just a hand-to-hand blow...The VRF really has two levels---the inner shell which deflects high-moving objects...and an outer shell, which extends for hundreds of yards. It takes one-hundredth of the velocity of objects---birds, balls, cars, people, even air molecules--and channels it into the armor. This kinetic energy powers the armor---so it needs no batteries or solar panels or other energy sources.

Continuing the schematics of MM's armor, now I talk about the VRF---the velocity-redirection-field---and in the process, reveal what powers the armor, as well as enumerate various ways she can still be harmed.

I've never mentioned this before, but the VRF was inspired by DUNE---where they fight with swords because their personal force shields do not allow high-moving objects, but will allow the slow cut. Total force shields are boring---and you have to keep inventing reasons why they fail, a la STAR TREK...but Herbert saw that if it only stops high-moving objects, suspense is restored---and is a good excuse for John Carter-like swordsmanship even in a high-technology environment. (I always saw DUNE as a cross between John Carter and Mohammed.)

It's of course, pure fantasy physics...but if you're dealing with a ultraintelligent mind, you have to expect such things occasionally. It would, in a sense, be unrealistic not to expect it.

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