R-infinity accelerator


 * An r-infinity accelerator is a type of weapon in the IDW portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.

An r-infinity accelerator is a powerful, portable weapon which draws energy from the degenerate core of a dead star. It is seemingly one of a class of "critical mass weaponry", of which it is the only revealed type. Swindle was selling critical mass weaponry, presumably including r-infinity accelerators, to the inhabitants of various planets when Ultra Magnus tracked him down. In a confrontation on Zull, Swindle fired an accelerator at Magnus, but missed. He was soon captured.

It is unknown whether the weapon acquires its energy through an intradimensional link like Megatron's fusion canon, or if the weapon is literally powered by a small stellar core fragment housed inside the device. It is also unknown whether the collapsed star in question is a white dwarf or a neutron star. Since both types of degenerate matter are extremely dense and hot, it may be that the r-infinity accelerator can be powered by either.

The accelerator's barrel has a central, conical device surrounded by six smaller cones. When powering up, plasma trails from the outer cones in a display similar to that produced by Tesla coils. The weapon discharges several intertwined blue-white beams. When the beams strike a stone or concrete floor, they sound like "ba-da-doooom!"

For a being of median Cybertronian size, the weapon is best fired from a shoulder-mounted posture. Smaller models may exist for use by smaller species, but if so, it seems odd that Swindle would rely on one that is larger than necessary.