The Hedgehog Theory - Day 2, part 2

The problem with a missile that's fired in space is that its nothing like one fired on a planet with atmosphere. There are no shock-waves, so a near miss is the same as a wild miss; even a petatonne weapon detonating a few hundred feet away from the hull wont do any damage and any radiation will be easily soaked up by even the cheapest shielding. There’s also the added complication that any shrapnel will travel with no loss of speed until it hits something. Many a ship has been destroyed by the fallout from one of its own missiles.

Ki's idea had been to surround a nuclear warhead with smaller ones. On firing the initial explosion, unless it had struck something, would fire out the other charges; forming a large spread pattern. These could either float like mines until they impacted with a body, or they could in turn be surrounded by smaller charges which would be fired out by the detonation of their parent. At any stage an impact would detonate all the remaining charges. They were designed to convert the maximum amount of matter into destructive energy and so prevent the second problem.

Ki had developed a six stage missile. If they were fired from various sides of the ship it would be surrounded by an impenetrable shield that would spread out destroying everything in its path.

Ki displayed the bill for the 20 it had built before the money had run out; then waited for the screaming.

I glanced at it and said "Fine"
"What?"
"I said 'Fine'"
"Fine Fine Fine" it mimicked
"Are your vocals jammed?" I asked pleasantly.
"Look at the amount, it was all the cash you had!"
"Not any more Ki my old pal" I was enjoying this, Ki had deliberately spent all my money just to piss me off, but then I guess I had been gone for two years without telling it.
"Are you OK Jake?"
"Fine"
"Fine!" it whined in a high pitched voice.
"After my slight accident I got confused with someone else"
"So?" sneery
"Samuel Welks; heard of him?"
"The owner of Gratackan?"
"Yep that's me"
"What!? You must have, oh my Hent, Jake you must be a billionaire"
"More in the trillions I think"

There was silence, you could almost hear Ki thinking
"Ki?"
"Yes Jake?"
"No"
"Just five mill, I've seen this great ..."
"No, its all in accounts you'll never have access to"
"Jake"
"Don't worry, you'll get an allowance"
"Wow"
"OK you wont then"
"Jake"
I lay back and closed my eyes, the block slipping from my fingers.
"Ai two three nine bee why tee ar double seven five - the bank of Munty Cylo"
"What?"
"An account I set up for you - bit of spending money"
"Thanks Jake, you don't realise..."
"Shut up"
Silence.

Thank Hent.