Re: [SG] Islamic Bombers

On Sat, Jan 26, 2002 at 03:01:47PM -0500, Richard and Emily Bell wrote:
>The exact dud rate to spur the hopes of the wearers need only be enough
>that some previous wearers have escaped their fate.  The enemy might
shoot
>you if no better target presents itself, but the commissar WILL shoot
you
>if you do not run, and has the power field to ignore the blast.

The _Sten_ series (Allan Cole & Chris Bunch - 8-book SF series) has an
interesting example of a suicide bomber. Her superiors establish that
she's prepared to give her life for The Cause; she is told "drive this
van full of explosives up to the enemy barracks, and pull the blue 
lever; that'll start a five-minute timer, at which point you run away. 
If you pull the red lever, that'll set off the bomb at once; but don't 
do that unless you have to, we value your commitment." Naturally, 
either lever will set off the bomb immediately; and, in practice, she's 
fanatical enough that she pulls both anyway...