Space Travel
There are three forms of space travel:
- Planetary Ascent: Boost Engines
- Interplanetary Travel: Slipstream Drive
- Interstellar and Intergalactic Travel: Bloom Generator
Planetary Ascent — Boost Engines
Boost Engines are used for planetary ascent. These engines require no reactive mass. Instead, they generate plasma within a rocket dome and expel it to produce thrust.
A ship’s reactor cannot meet the engines’ immense power demands in real time. Before launch, the reactor is brought to peak output while charing high-density capacitor banks. During ascent, that stored energy is rapidly discharged through the engines.
Boost Engines cannot operate for long. Their capacitor banks empty quickly, and prolonged use risks overheating or damaging the thrust chambers. They are therefore limited to surface-to-orbit ascents and short maneuvering burns.
Interplanetary Travel — Slipstream Drives
Slipstream Drives make interplanetary journeys far more practical than conventional Boost Engines. A Slipstream Drive generates an Albrecht-Gray Field (AGF) around the vessel. This field forms a distorted bubble of spacetime that allows the ship to accelerate without exposing its occupants to most of the resulting inertial forces.
The AGF is then propelled forward through space much like a bar of soap slipping through squeezed hands. Acceleration places strain on the field, however. Greater acceleration produces greater strain, and exceeding the field’s tolerance can cause it to collapse—which can be catastrophic.
Before the field can be safely dropped, it must be returned to equilibrium through a corresponding period of deceleration. If it collapses or is shut down while the vessel still carries slipstream momentum, that momentum is transferred to the ship all at once.
Most ships therefore accelerate gradually to reduce strain on the field and remain well below their theoretical limits.
Because Slipstream vessels remain in normal spacetime, relativistic time dilation still applies. It becomes increasingly significant during extreme deep-space journeys, making Slipstream impractical for most interstellar travel.
A vessel inside an AGF normally remains in zero gravity unless equipped with gravity plating. Typically only larger vessels can power both the Slipstream Drive and gravity plates at the same time. Smaller ships instead orient their decks for acceleration or deceleration, reversing midway through the journey. The field can then be configured to allow a controlled portion of the inertial load to reach the occupants, creating a steady deckward force of approximately one standard gravity.
Slipstream Interference
The AGF is influenced by nearby gravitational forces. Stars and planets have the greatest effect and can limit safe speeds to 1–3 AU per day. Within the outer reaches of a star system, speeds can rise to around 5 AU per day. Once beyond significant stellar interference, continued acceleration can eventually produce interstellar cruise speeds of 40–80 AU per day.
A slipstream naturally warps small masses around the Albrecht-Gray Field, allowing the vessel to bypass dust and minor debris. Larger objects—such as a suitcase-sized meteoroid—can destabilize the field and, as their mass increases, will cause it to collapse.
To prevent this, slipstream-capable vessels are equipped with a Gravitometric Array, or GA, which scans the intended route and plots a course around potentially disruptive hazards. Calculating a safe corridor can take several minutes before the slipstream drive is engaged. Once underway, the GA continues scanning the vessel’s path for emerging hazards.
Examples
| Region | Typical Safe Speed |
|---|---|
| Near planets, moons, and stars | 1–3 AU/day |
| Outer planetary system | 3–5 AU/day |
| Clear interstellar space | 40–80 AU/day |
Interstellar journeys are possible using Slipstream, though they remain impractical for most purposes.
| Destination | Approximate Distance | Typical Travel Time |
|---|---|---|
| Pluto | 39 AU | 1 ~ 2 weeks |
| Termination shock | 85–95 AU | 2 ~ 7 weeks |
| Heliopause | ~120 AU | 1 ~ 2 months |
| Proxima Centauri | 268,770 AU | 9 ~ 18 years |
Interstellar and Intergalactic Travel — Bloom Generators and Wormholes
Faster-than-light travel is accomplished through wormholes found within the termination-shock boundary of a star’s heliosphere. These naturally occurring spatial bridges form point-to-point links within a vast interstellar and intergalactic fabric.
Ships equipped with Bloom Generators can activate and enter these wormholes. Entering a wormhole exits Newtonian space into something entirely different, known as jumpspace.
Some ships include built-in Bloom Generators (Star-Class vessels), but most transits are made using Gate-Class vessels that can ferry other ships through the network (also known as jumpships.)
The duration of a wormhole journey bears no relation to physical distance. A short hop may take weeks, while a leap across half the universe may last only minutes.
Bloom Generators
A Bloom Generator consists of two alien devices: the Bloom Extraction Core (BEC) and the Newtonian Frame Generator (NFG).
Wormholes are latent in their natural state, and non-traversible. The BEC causes the wormhole to “bloom,” defining its event horizon and aligning the vessel for safe entry.
The laws of physics within jumpspace are incompatible with ordinary matter. During transit, the NFG creates a localized region of Newtonian physics around the vessel, shielding it from the surrounding environment.
Bloom Generators are supplied exclusively by the Grays and carry strict prohibitions against reverse engineering. Some believe they are designed to self-destruct if tampered with; others suspect they resist observation on a fundamental level. Whatever the cause, every serious attempt has ended the same way: a megaton-scale explosion followed by lingering reality instability.
Wormhole Astronomy
Wormholes behave differently depending on their position. Those near the leading edge of a star’s termination shock boundary tend to be the most stable, where those further from it become more instable.
It is believed that Wormholes are created when fusion begins in a protostar. Once established, they do not drift, decay, or collapse—though new ones still appear as stars are born. Upon a new star formation, wormholes “lash out” until they find a connection with another heliosphere anywhere in the universe. Roughly half connect to relatively nearby stars (on a galactic scale), while the others reach into more remote regions—even bridging intergalactic distances.
When a star dies, its wormholes typically dissolve. However, some persist as rogue wormholes, shifting to new heliospheres. While they may appear as normal, rogue wormholes are notoriously unpredictable. Some exhibit unstable transit behavior; others defy known patterns entirely. A few are even rumored to connect to alternate universes within the broader metaverse—though such claims remain unverified.
Navigation charts assign wormholes one or more designations:
- Stable — A mapped route with a reliable destination and tolerable transit times.
- Unstable — A mapped route with fluctuating transit times or an elevated risk of jumpshock.
- Unmapped — An unexplored or newly discovered route with an unknown destination.
- Dead — A route leading to a known, catastrophically hostile destination.
- Rogue — A wormhole detached from its original star and captured by another heliosphere.
Jumpshock Syndrome
Jumpshock is the collective name for the cognitive and sensory effects caused by wormhole transit. Symptoms are usually mild and fade after the ship returns to Newtonian space, although espers and void-touched individuals are especially susceptible.
Its cause remains uncertain. Leading theories blame exposure to non-local spacetime geometries, imperfect NFG shielding, or both.
Common symptoms include:
- Acute Synesthesia — Sudden sensory cross-talk, such as seeing sounds or tasting light. Most often triggered during transit through a wormhole’s event horizon, less common during jumpspace travel.
- Biphase Dissociation — The sensation of existing in two places at once, with dual sensory input and thought streams.
- Chrono-Lag Syndrome — Distorted perception of time, where seconds feel like minutes or even hours, depending on severity.
- Empathic Bleed — Intrusions of others’ thoughts or emotions. Frequently seen in latent espers.
- Residual Void Sensitization — A post-jump ability to sense nearby void-touched entities. Effects usually fade within hours, though in some cases can persist for days.
- Temporal Apparitions — Brief hallucinations of people, voices, or environments, often perceived as echoes from the past or future.
- Temporal Dislocation — Severe déjà vu, contradictory memories, or overlapping recollections of alternate realities.
- Transient Aphasia — Temporary disruptions in language function, including language comprehension and even the ability to read, write, or speak.
- Vestibular Dysfunction — Sudden episodes of imbalance or spatial distortion. Particularly challenging during zero-G maneuvers (floatwork).
Famous Lost Expeditions
Despite centuries of exploration, most wormholes remain unmapped. Many vessels have vanished while attempting to chart them, becoming cautionary tales—or legends.
Authorities discourage unauthorized entry into unmapped wormholes. Privateers, prospectors, and rogue explorers continue to take the risk, whether for fortune, discovery, or simply a story worth telling.
The Tantalus Reach
The exploration ship Tantalus vanished while surveying a wormhole in the Coreward Drift. It was found one month later on the far side of the galaxy, although its logs recorded 152 years spent drifting in jumpspace. No trace of the crew was ever found.
The Split-Line Incident
A jumpship entered a wormhole through a misaligned event horizon. Two identical, heavily damaged versions of the vessel emerged two years later, each carrying duplicate crews and mutually inconsistent logs.
Expedition 914: The Rosette Rift
Expedition 914 entered a high-energy wormhole on the trailing face of the Rosette system’s termination shock and never returned. Years later, fragments of the ship and crew were discovered fused into a mountainside on Marik V.
Space Ship Classes
Spacecraft are classified by their travel capabilities and strategic role:
- Boost-Class: Short-range vessels limited to planetary ascent, descent, and local orbital operations..
- Stream-Class: Non-jump-capable vessels which have slipstream drives.
- Star-Class: Independently jump-capable vessels.
- Gate-Class: Infrastructure-scale vessels that shape interstellar travel.
Boost-Class Vessels
Boost-Class vessels rely entirely on Boost Engines and are limited to planetary ascent, descent, and short orbital maneuvers. They lack Slipstream Drives and Bloom Generators, leaving them dependent on stations, carriers, or larger ships for travel beyond a planet’s immediate vicinity.
Most are small, lightly equipped craft built around a single purpose:
- Shuttles — Carry passengers and light cargo between a planet’s surface and orbit.
- Lifters — Heavy cargo vessels used to move freight, equipment, and vehicles to orbital facilities.
- Dropships — Armored military transports used to deploy troops, vehicles, and supplies.
- Escape Pods — Emergency vessels used for evacuation to a surface. Not capable of returning.
Stream-Class Vessels (Non-Jump-Capable)
Stream-Class vessels have no Bloom Generator and depend on Slipstream Drives for travel within a star system. Some smaller vessels also carry Boost Engines for planetary ascent and descent.
Civilian Stream-Class ships include planetary shuttles, private yachts, cruise liners, freighters, and lightly armored exploration vessels.
Military hulls are classified by role:
- Fighters - Small, short-range craft used for interception and close combat.
- Transports – Light logistics ships carrying troops, cargo, and supplies.
- Cutters and Gunships – Fast patrol craft used for scouting, customs enforcement, and courier work.
- Corvettes – Armed vessels designed for interdiction, reconnaissance, and escort duties.
- Destroyers – The heaviest Stream-Class warships, built for system defense.
Star-Class Vessels (Jump-Capable)
Star-Class ships carry their own Bloom Generators, allowing them to travel between star systems without relying on jumpships.
Civilian examples include long-range liners, corporate freighters, private interstellar yachts, and deep-range science vessels. They serve routes beyond the established jumpship network and are often used for independent exploration.
Star-Class military vessels form the core of most interstellar fleets:
- Tenders – Support ships used for logistics, troop deployment, and infrastructure delivery.
- Frigates – Light warships suited to independent patrols and long-range missions.
- Cruisers – Multi-role combat ships used for patrol, command, and strike operations.
- Carriers – Mobile platforms that deploy fighters and other small craft.
- Battleships – Heavily armored capital ships built for system-level dominance.
Gate-Class Vessels
Gate-Class vessels are immense mobile installations that shape interstellar trade, travel, and warfare.
Jumpships
Jumpships are mobile spaceports capable of carrying dozens—or even hundreds—of Stream-Class vessels through wormholes. Their internal concourses contain markets, lodging, entertainment, and other public spaces for passengers and crews during transit.
Since the Arrival, many have become wandering micro-cities and some of the last secure links between isolated worlds. No confirmed Kraal sightings have occurred in jumpspace, making a jumpship one of the few places where many people still feel safe.
Most follow fixed circuits through interconnected wormholes. Long-haulers call these routes gravelines.
Jumpships carry both Bloom Generators and Slipstream Drives, but their immense size and docking structures make them slow and unwieldy. They favor routes where the wormholes lie relatively close together.
Colony Ships
Colony ships are self-sustaining vessels originally built to seed new worlds. They carry thousands of passengers, modular infrastructure, and the equipment required to establish a planetary settlement.
Unlike jumpships, they can carry only a handful of smaller vessels. Since the Arrival, most have been abandoned. Those that remain often serve as refugee arks, drifting from system to system and spending as much time in jumpspace as possible.
Starbases
Starbases are immense mobile command platforms used as military jumpships, fleet anchors, and sector control centers. Their weapons allow them to conduct orbital bombardments, support major fleet actions, and dominate entire regions of space.
In some navies, these vessels are known as Dreadnoughts.
