# Looking for ideas for a particular 'thing' in my novel!



## hawky94 (Feb 7, 2013)

Hi all,

Am having trouble with a name for something in my novel.

First of all, it's a thriller. And it revolves around the theft of a top-secret British military project. The novel is set in present-day.

I'll give you the jist of what I have so far.

- Bottom-line: It doesn't exist. Not to the general public, anyway. It's either a weapon, or a piece of technology - preferably deadly, but if it's a piece of tech, then majorly disruptive to an enemy's military readiness.

- Silent, but effective - If this is to be a weapon, then it has to be silent, but deadly. Silent as in, if it's airborne then it's undetectable by enemy radar. If it's a piece of technology, then it's undetectable and will easily bypass any enemy security protocols on their computers/network/mainframe.

- "Cool.", but plausible in today's world - I was watching "The Hunt for Red October" last night, and it struck me, just how cool the piece of technology was. How plausible it sounded. Now I realise that most of that is down to Tom Clancy being a bloody good writer... I'd like this idea to be similar, cool, but entirely plausible.

- Portable. Not necessarily easily so, but still, portability is key - In the end, this weapon, or piece of technology, or whatever, gets pinched by an Iranian black ops unit. Whether it's carried by a single operative, or flown out by an Antonov An-225 transport aircraft. Either way, portability.

- Adhere to British codename protocols - I'd prefer it to adhere to British military codename protocols. The British Armed Forces operates on a one-word name basis. For example, Op Herrick (Afghanistan combat operations). Op Telic (Iraq combat operations). Op Flavius (Special Air Service operation in Gibraltar in 1988).

The thing, doesn't have to be "Operation ---------" etc, but I'd prefer if it were given a one-word codename.

Sorry if this isn't the place to put this - if so, Mods, feel free to move it. 

If you'd like more background information, do let me know and I'll provide you with as much as I can.

Cheers,

Hawky.


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## Lewdog (Feb 7, 2013)

Jokingly I would say "Silent but Deadly"

Seriously you could go with something like "*Beethoven" *​or "Tesla"


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## hawky94 (Feb 7, 2013)

Lewdog said:


> Jokingly I would say "Silent but Deadly"
> 
> Seriously you could go with something like "*Beethoven" *​or "Tesla"



Yes, the last Beethoven track I listened to was deadly, to my hearing! :glee:

Thank you though, I hope for more feedback from the community, but I'm making a list of all possible codenames and will add Beethoven and Tesla to that list. 

Thanks for the quick reply, too. 

Cheers,

Hawky.


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## Lewdog (Feb 7, 2013)

You could also go with "Marconi" instead of "Tesla."


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## dolphinlee (Feb 8, 2013)

When you have settled on the thing you might consider an acromym.

For example if you said that your thing was a Portable, Invasive device used to Attack and Disrupt enemy Communications. 

you would have P, I, A, D, and C.

You might rearrange these to form P.I.C.A.D.

So the device would be a Portable Invasive Communications Attack and Disrupter. 

Not the best example but it shows what can be done in two minutes.


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## Nickleby (Feb 10, 2013)

Are you asking for help with the nature of the technology itself, or just the codename? If you have the technology pinned down, and it's sufficiently advanced, then by Clarke's Third Law it will appear magical to the uninitiated. Magic can usually be traced back to mythology, specifically to some mythological figure, and there you will have your name. Yes, it's been done, because it works.

Another option is to find a dictionary website that gives you random words. Keep pushing the button until you get one you like. If it has to be a proper name, there's probably an app for that too.

Thinking outside the box, I suppose you could work backwards. Find something obscure and interesting about the historical/mythical figure. Use that for some inspiration for the technology. On the other hand, the whole point of _code_ is to obscure meaning. You could pick one name for the technology itself and another, unrelated name for the code.


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## Lewdog (Feb 10, 2013)

Nickleby said:


> Are you asking for help with the nature of the technology itself, or just the codename? If you have the technology pinned down, and it's sufficiently advanced, then by Clarke's Second Law it will appear magical to the uninitiated. Magic can usually be traced back to mythology, specifically to some mythological figure, and there you will have your name. Yes, it's been done, because it works.
> 
> Another option is to find a dictionary website that gives you random words. Keep pushing the button until you get one you like. If it has to be a proper name, there's probably an app for that too.
> 
> Thinking outside the box, I suppose you could work backwards. Find something obscure and interesting about the historical/mythical figure. Use that for some inspiration for the technology. On the other hand, the whole point of _code_ is to obscure meaning. You could pick one name for the technology itself and another, unrelated name for the code.



Operation Dick Clarke!  That's perfect!


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## moderan (Feb 10, 2013)

Nickleby said:


> Are you asking for help with the nature of the technology itself, or just the codename? If you have the technology pinned down, and it's sufficiently advanced, then by Clarke's Second Law it will appear magical to the uninitiated. Magic can usually be traced back to mythology, specifically to some mythological figure, and there you will have your name. Yes, it's been done, because it works.
> 
> Another option is to find a dictionary website that gives you random words. Keep pushing the button until you get one you like. If it has to be a proper name, there's probably an app for that too.
> 
> Thinking outside the box, I suppose you could work backwards. Find something obscure and interesting about the historical/mythical figure. Use that for some inspiration for the technology. On the other hand, the whole point of _code_ is to obscure meaning. You could pick one name for the technology itself and another, unrelated name for the code.





When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is  possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is  impossible, he is very probably wrong.
The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.


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## hawky94 (Feb 10, 2013)

The weapon/technology itself. Once I have that nailed down, I can come up with a codename or acronym for it.


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## Olly Buckle (Feb 10, 2013)

A system that combines geopositioning with microwave technology so it can deliver a blast of microwaves within a small area from a distance resulting in death and the explosion of munitions within that area.


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## Outiboros (Feb 20, 2013)

Perhaps... a suitcase neutron bomb? EMP is also possible, if not a bit overused and perhaps far less useful than it is made out to be. I'm no expert on all this technical stuff. 

Or perhaps a dirty nuke, a radiation bomb, though that's perhaps not as high-tech as you're looking for.

I'd say you should start by thinking of a direct effect. Destruction of a whole city, or only a munitions storage?
You could do something with drones. A high-tech drone with the latest stealth armour, invisible to thermals of radar? The piece of technology that the story is actually about could be the suitcase-sized control panel. You could slap any weapon you want on the drone - a nuke, an EMP - or perhaps something more subtle, like proof of a secret service of your choosing spying on another country of your choosing, or perhaps nothing but a high-elevation camera with such a zoom it could count the hairs on your head. If the Iranians had thát, it would put some pressure on the good guys, too, especially when they're standing outside.


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## Whisper (Feb 20, 2013)

I think this is one of those things where you have to decide

What it is
What it does
what the effects are

before you can properly name it.

I can give you all sorts of cool names based on Mythology and other such naming conventions but none will probably work if you don't even know the answers to any of the above quesiton

Until then, try using this:

Codename Generator

http://www.codenamegenerator.com/

http://code.name-generator.co/index.php


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## hawky94 (Feb 20, 2013)

Hi there everyone, thanks for the feedback and my apologies, I do realise now that I've asked a lot of you guys!

But I do like the idea of the Drone... However, it sometimes doesn't take long for a countermeasure to be developed. But since it's stealth, that mightn't be a problem. I was thinking about this some more - perhaps the weapon that I could use might be an Anti-Satellite-Weapon or an ASAT. The ASAT is developed by the Chinese. Who are using Iran as a kind of base of operations in the development of this new Anti-Satellite weapon.

The development of this new weapon is top-secret, perhaps not even approved by the Chinese government. Maybe it's a splinter cell of the Chinese Government and Military. It would allow the Chinese to render all British and American satellites useless and effectively allow China to waltz undetected into the Hudson Bay if they wanted to.

In order to distract the British and American governments from the construction of such a weapon taking place in Iran - the Chinese government (or this Splinter Cell) have set up a network of deniable operators and teams of operators wreaking havoc on British and American shores. Bombings, assassinations of high-ranking military personnel and politicians... just general chaos. 

However, the idea I had might have been done already (James Bond - Goldeneye) has a similar weapon. The Soviets have developed a "laser" (Sorry, that was an Austin Powers reference) and knock out an outpost in Northern Russia using an EMP. The effect would be similar for my Chinese ASAT, it's effectively a BFO electro-magnetic pulse which knocks out the satellite.

Any thoughts? And thank you for the ideas once again. 

Cheers,

Hawky.


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## Whisper (Feb 20, 2013)

What if it was a small booster device (like a jetpack) that attached itself to a small astroid then guided/moved the asteroid into a trajectory that would hit a major/minor military base/city etc. then detach itself and float in space awaiting orders to do it again. You could have the metor that just blew up in Russia the other day as a trial run. It was a test that failed. The command base would have to be on earth somewhere.


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## edinfresno (Feb 20, 2013)

I'm intrigued by your question. First, I'll leave the British code names to you but, just off the top of my head the first idea that comes to mind is something that would enhance the destructive capability of a nuclear weapon far beyond what is presently capable with standard (publicly known) technology. Some kind of fission enhancer, perhaps, that would increase a bomb's destructive power from, say 100 megatons to 10,000? Perhaps it could be something which grew out of (the still ongoing) search for nuclear fusion? It's just an idea.


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## Outiboros (Feb 20, 2013)

Whisper said:


> What if it was a small booster device (like a jetpack) that attached itself to a small astroid then guided/moved the asteroid into a trajectory that would hit a major/minor military base/city etc. then detach itself and float in space awaiting orders to do it again. You could have the metor that just blew up in Russia the other day as a trial run. It was a test that failed. The command base would have to be on earth somewhere.


I really wouldn't use this is a serious thriller. The idea of strategic meteoroid bombardment is cool, but gigantically impractical. The tie-in with the whole incident in Russia is interesting, though.


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## hawky94 (Feb 20, 2013)

edinfresno said:


> I'm intrigued by your question. First, I'll leave the British code names to you but, just off the top of my head the first idea that comes to mind is something that would enhance the destructive capability of a nuclear weapon far beyond what is presently capable with standard (publicly known) technology. Some kind of fission enhancer, perhaps, that would increase a bomb's destructive power from, say 100 megatons to 10,000? Perhaps it could be something which grew out of (the still ongoing) search for nuclear fusion? It's just an idea.



I had thought about doing the whole "Super-nuke" thing, and I like the idea of upgrading the potential mega-tonnage of a nuclear weapon. Maybe that's something I can somehow incorporate into the novel. But I think I'll stick with my idea for the ASAT, what do you all think of that idea? Do you foresee any problems?

I'm still building a backstory at the moment for the ASAT - characters involved, their backgrounds, effects of the weapon, potential flaws in the plan, likelihood of success, etc.

Thoughts are welcome, 

Cheers,

Hawky.


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## Abdul-fattah (Feb 25, 2013)

How about self-replicating nano-machines designed to destroy any organic matter in their vicinity when triggered by a certain frequency of radiowaves?
It's the ultimate weapon, slip it in somebody's drink, activate it when circumstances are most preferable, no autopsy will find a clear cause of death. Perhaps the nanobots can even be programmed to only affect a certin race/genetic marker, and be inroduced into the general population?


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## genevieve (Feb 25, 2013)

Abdul-fattah said:


> How about self-replicating nano-machines designed to destroy any organic matter in their vicinity when triggered by a certain frequency of radiowaves?
> It's the ultimate weapon, slip it in somebody's drink, activate it when circumstances are most preferable, no autopsy will find a clear cause of death. Perhaps the nanobots can even be programmed to only affect a certin race/genetic marker, and be inroduced into the general population?




:cookie:


no 

... how about male-pattern baldness as a thing _to research?  _certainly an idea, anyway?


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## Abdul-fattah (Feb 25, 2013)

Euhm, ok whatever girl


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## Nickleby (Feb 26, 2013)

Nuclear weapons, from an engineering standpoint, are terribly inefficient. You get a lot of leftover pieces (usually known as fallout). A much more efficient explosive is antimatter. No waste at all, 100% matter to energy. The only details you have to worry about are how to make it and how to store it.

Suitable mythological analogs are left as an exercise for the reader.


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## Angelwing (Feb 27, 2013)

I also recently watched The Hunt for Red October (again), and it is indeed a great movie, and book. Great author IMO. 

Relating your question to Clancy, if you haven't read any of his other books, you might want to check out the codenames in them. For example, "The Cardinal of the Kremlin" has a lot to do with laser defense installation projects: 

American laser project = TEA CLIPPER 
Soviet laser project = BRIGHTSTAR

For something British, how about: 

TRISKEL or TRISKELION (The triskelion is a 3 part symbol-could denote that the "thing" can do 3 different things)
DRAGOON 
TRAFALGAR (If it's naval) 
PLANTAGENET (in honor of finding Richard III's remains recently ) 
BRITANNIA (may be kinda plain) 
PICT (one of many ancient tribes around the Roman times, and the Romans themselves when they got into Britain) 
BOUDICA (the warrior queen, leader of the Picts I believe) 
CELT (The Celts were all over-name could work if the "thing" is particularly brutal) 


I'd dig into some British history, if I were you. Not sure if you're including Scotland and Wales, or just England. Sorry I can't help at the moment with coming up with your "thing." I tried to do this for my story, but found that all the WMDs done been thought up! So I thought outside the box-herbicide could essentially be a WMD to crops of your enemy. This works for MY story-not sure how effective it'd be in reality. 

Just know that nukes are pretty cliche. Bio/chemical weapons might work, if you want to add more suspense and mystery to the cause of a plague or something. Kind of like the movie "Sahara." Stuff like nukes are great for shocking the reader (or viewer for movies) instantly. This would be like in "The Sum of All Fears."


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## AtlanshiaSpirit (Jun 10, 2013)

Was there one specific inventor for the device. The surname of him perhaps.


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