A cloud of particles, expelled from a ship using electric and magnetic fields. Incoming missiles will hit the particles, and be destroyed or reveal their location. The cloud spreads, and becomes less effective as it gets further from the ship. To maintain its effectiveness, it must be replenished from a ship's limited supply.

Where resources and industrial capacity are available, nano bots or micro bots can be included. Power is beamed into the cloud allowing the bots a limited amount of control over its trajectory and use.

Mostly used for defence, at very close ranges, a dust shield can be used to attack, hitting the target with high speed particles. Bots can sometimes use the beamed power to alter their trajectory and rendezvous with a target, and then use the power to dismantle the target, or attack in some other manner.