Boarding Harpoon
essentially a huge, hyperdermic needle filled with coma-gas, boarding harpoons were used by pirates and smugglers to board targetted warships. The super-heated tip of the harpoon melted through the hull of the target, sealing the harpoon into the breach. The coma-gas was then expelled, rendering the crew of the target vessel unconscious. The attackers could then board the target ship be moving through the harpoon.