Thalaron

From FEInfobase

Thalaron radiation is a type of electromagnetic radiation classified by Starfleet as a biogenic weapon and once once considered only theoretical by Federation scientists. Its danger is such that a microsopic amount could kill everyone on board a starship whilst larger amounts could destroy all life on a planet. It exorts a negative effect on organic matter causing instant and complete necrosis at the cellular level turning all organic matter into an extremely unstable and rocklike substance that is also noticeably brittle. Because of these potentially devastating effects, thalaron research is banned by the Federation.

During the Shinzon overthrow of the Romulan government in the late 2370s, a thalaron emitter no larger than a personal padd was used to assasinate the entire Senate by former Senator Tal'aura. Upon activation, the emitter produced a unique and deceptively beautiful green display roughly a foot in height. This proved to be merely a brief charging period for the weapon, and it quickly expelled the deadly radiation into the room's rafters where it fell upon the Senators. Upon contact with the skin, necrosis took less than thirty seconds to begin and less than a further minute to complete.

Thalaron radiation was the key power system and aboard the Reman warbird Scimitar which also doubled as a giant thalaron emitter; the vessel's commander, Shinzon planned to use the device to annihalate Earth's population. Because of thalaron's unique radioactive properties which allow it to expand almost without limit when properly stimulated, the Scimitar's reactor was capable of providing an enormous amount of power which not only helped the massive ship be sustained, but allowed it operate shields, offensive weapons and a cloaking device at the same time - a previously impossible operation whether onboard a vessel with a standard matter/anti-matter warp core or even a quantum singularity powered Romulan warbird.

The Scimitar's reactor proved to be extreme volatile however, and a single shot from a standard-issue Starfleet sidearm was enough to cause it and subsequently the Scimitar to explode.