exploding heigh liners of danger/death/doom

[lord vernius of ix]

-random scnenario popped into my head  >:( ;D >:(

what if the ixians never invented that machine that works like a guild navigator without spice?

say its 200 years after DUNE is annihilated, all the spice is gone and the former guild is clinging on to the power it once had, attempts to navigate a heighliner.

the heighliner exits foldspace with a las gun blast going directly at the holtzman generators field, it hits and the entire ship explodes, but then what hapens? ???

[Mihail]

A tremendous explosion, the fireball from which will immediately be put out(If there even is one) since there is no oxygen in space and any fire wouldn't be able to survive. That's it.

[lord vernius of ix]

who said it would happen in space? it could be on kaitan, or caladan, or salusa secondus, or geidi prime or any where in the known universe!

[Mihail]

'

the heighliner exits foldspace with a las gun blast going directly at the holtzman generators field, it hits and the entire ship explodes, but then what hapens?'

That implies that it happens in space.  :D

[Dante]

Does it matter?

I mean I'm all for scenarios involving needless loss of human life, but there's only so much interest one can derive from such an obvious answer.

[lord vernius of ix]

lol it wasnt ment to grow huge, i was just putting a scenario out there lol

[NHJ BV]

who said it would happen in space? it could be on kaitan, or caladan, or salusa secondus, or geidi prime or any where in the known universe!

Why would a heighliner not be in space? Except for construction on Ix.

[MrFlibble]

Who says Ix had the monopoly on heighliner construction? I know it's in the prequels, but I think there's no confirmation in the original books ???

[gunner154]

The original books never mentioned anything about who constructed the heighliners. I don't want to guess, but in any case it is The Guild that deals with heighliners...

[Dante]

I've seen some sources (probably not based on the original novels) that spread the construction around a bit. The heighliners themselves were made on Ix, but various pieces were made elsewhere, including Grumman.

[NHJ BV]

Who says Ix had the monopoly on heighliner construction? I know it's in the prequels, but I think there's no confirmation in the original books ???

Okay, but still, there's no reason why a heighliner would not be in space except for construction and maybe maintenance.

[MrFlibble]

True indeed 8)

[lord vernius of ix]

without the spice a to give a navigator prescience upon exiting fold space a heigh liner can be anywhere! absolutly anywher! how many times will i have to explain this?

[MrFlibble]

In that case, nobody will ever try to navigate heighliners without the spice. And by the way, isn't spice the substance that allows the navigators to fold space?

So I guess that without the spice and Ixian machinery, all space travel would be impossible.

And I honestly don't know if an object (a heighliner) can be trapped inside foldspace ???

[Dante]

The Holtzmann generators allow folding of space. The navigators, funnily enough, navigate. However, you were correct on one point. If there was no spice, there would be no navigators, and thus no attempt to travel. Unless someone was feeling particularly stupid that is.

[Andrew]

I thought the machines could navigate, but they banned it (since it was close to thinking machines). So they got guild to navigate.

[lord vernius of ix]

somebody would try it i can garantee you that just like if we had no computers we would still try to fly airplanes

[nemafakei]

Please don't tell me you've never seen a plane without an onboard computer?

[Andrew]

Arn't those small personal planes not have computers? Like ones that are 20 years old?

Unless you are thinking of commercial jet :P

[lord vernius of ix]

im talking about like jumbo jets and those massive russian uber jets i cant remeber the name of

[Dante]

Those aeroplanes wouldn't work without computers. No computer = no aeroplane = no attempt to fly it. Which isn't to say that smaller aircraft couldn't take to the skies. The Wright brothers would have been in a tight spot if they found that they couldn't take off without a decent version of Windows installed. Also, learn to capitalise.

I thought the machines could navigate, but they banned it (since it was close to thinking machines). So they got guild to navigate.

Correct, as far as I know. Though less 'got the guild' and more 'the guild squashed any and all attempts to challenge their monopoly.' It was only near the end, in Chapterhouse (and possibly Heretics) that machines were finally able to infringe upon the Guild's territory.

Essentially, in the scenario suggested there are no Ixian machines and there is no spice; therefore no navigators and no other means to navigate. Would people still attempt to travel on heighliners? If they were particularly stupid, then yes. A heighliner without means of navigation would still be capable of travel. It would be like driving a bus through a city while blindfolded, but still possible.

[lord vernius of ix]

Umm its just a forum, its not that i dont know how to capitalise, its just that im a bit lazy and i also am usualy multi tasking(pixel art).

[lord vernius of ix]

Hah but heres what your not taking into accord, dante, the human aspect and the measure of desperation. People could im sure, still to a certain extant fly a jumbo jet without computers, it would just take a lot more people doing a lot more things to guide the jet safly, and desperate people do stupid things, say like suicide, or flying a jet without computers

and a heighliner is no exception. people need to be able to trade, and if it calls for it, people will do absolutly intellegent forum membered things to maintain power.

[Dante]

Mmhm? So how would they start the engines of this aircraft, magic? How would cabin pressure be monitored and maintained, what would adjust the flaps on the wings? How would the undercarriage be moved? It isn't a case of putting more effort in, these large aeroplanes would simply not work without computers. No matter how desperate people are.

Heighliners are slightly different in that they would funcation without a navigator. There would just be no possible way of guiding it to the correct location. People would try it I'm sure, but the chances of ever hearing from any of them again would be slim.

[MrFlibble]

If we return to the original topic, wasn't the Guild elbowed by the newest Ixian machinery at the time jist prior to and after the destruction of Dune by Honored Matres? I don't believe anyone would attempt cutting any and all supply of spice if the Guild still had the monopoly. And without the new non-Guild ships, there would be no attack from the Scattering, right?