NationStates Jolt Archive

The carrier IDSS Viable Maneuvers gleamed brightly as she flew through the void in absolute silence; a steady light streaking slowly through the vastness of stellar space.

She had set out just over a day ago; thirty-six of the devices had been put in place already, with the new MISATmk4 defence drones positioned alongside them - developed to protect Vilya Elenosto - but there were a further five hundred to be placed.

Roughly half were known as MIADs - magnetic impetus accelerant devices - and the other half were MIDDs - magnetic impetus decceleration devices.

It would take weeks-

* * *

"And in a special report," the blond-haired man at the grey desk bearing the Three Stars and the letters INN blazing above them at a slightly diagonal tilt, leaping outwards in 3D glory, "INN Solar can bring exclusive news that the EOTED Imperial Defense Stellar Ship Viable Maneuvers is beginning her historic mission to lay the so-called Earth to Mars Highway. Consisting of five hundred thirty six MI-based devices, the EtMH will allow rapid motion between Earth and Mars at a low energy expense, with energy being provided by energy packs delivered reguarly by special small drone 'freighters'.

"Scuttlebutt is that the ITC owned Imperial Space Networking Co-operative (IsnCo) has won the contract to control the system, and has been responsible for design and construction - a deal involving a Rlh15million subcontract to Rivette. Economic analysts unanimously feel that todays upwards trend on the IsnCo shares are set to continue, with profit and turnover projections for Q4 set to be announced within the next two weeks..."

~ INN Solar - "Bringing the Truth, Home - from Mercury to the Oort Cloud, your news is our business." (The First, Original, And Best INN)

Very impressive indeed, this could pave the way for cheap and fast trips to Mars by nations that are only in the space shuttle era of their space programs.

Very impressive indeed, this could pave the way for cheap and fast trips to Mars by nations that are only in the space shuttle era of their space programs.

IsnCo fully intends to contract out the use of the Highway - at considerably lower cost to the consumer than most would have to expend in order to make the journey otherwise.

~ IsnCo spokesperson

OOC: Of course, there are problems, in that the distance between Earth and Mars varies, and that the two planets are occasionally on opposite sides of the sun...

OOC: Of course, there are problems, in that the distance between Earth and Mars varies, and that the two planets are occasionally on opposite sides of the sun...

[OOC: I know that. That's why there are far, far more of the MIDDs and MIADs than are actually required for the distance...]

OOC: Of course, there are problems, in that the distance between Earth and Mars varies, and that the two planets are occasionally on opposite sides of the sun...

[OOC: I know that. That's why there are far, far more of the MIDDs and MIADs than are actually required for the distance...]

OOC: All those devices seem quite expensive. Interesting concept though. Hermes Spacelines Inc. (who currently has a monopoly on ultra low cost interplanetary shipping) is certain to have an internal fit.

EDIT: And remember, if a loop gives a ship forward velocity, the loop will aquire backwards velocity. Recoil....

And where do the loops get their energy from?

OOC: Of course, there are problems, in that the distance between Earth and Mars varies, and that the two planets are occasionally on opposite sides of the sun...

[OOC: I know that. That's why there are far, far more of the MIDDs and MIADs than are actually required for the distance...]

OOC: All those devices seem quite expensive. Interesting concept though. Hermes Spacelines Inc. (who currently has a monopoly on ultra low cost interplanetary shipping) is certain to have an internal fit.

EDIT: And remember, if a loop gives a ship forward velocity, the loop will aquire backwards velocity. Recoil....

And where do the loops get their energy from?

[OOC: No... the recoil is countered by the MIDD/MIAD itself, as the MIDD/MIAD is mobile (has to be, or the whole thing wouldn't work). They're relatively inexpensive - the MIDD/MIAD system itself is merely derived from a nearly identical method used on the EOTED mag-lev train network.

And the MIDD/MIADs get their energy from the energy packs, mentioned in the post. They're basically big superconductive coils that store current; high-tech batteries.]

"The Trust Concordance applauds Ma-tek's obvious concern for the economic prosperity and the wellbeing of all sentients."

"We also await to see how much the toll will cost."

¤Tritarchic Dominions of New ArAreBee¤

(OOC: Nice concept, albeit I've seen something similiar, albeit it required negative matter and was for interstellar distances. (I think the ratio was turning a four year trip into one less then one year, something like that. Realistic too.)

The idea is extremely interesting to us, and we would like more information. How big are the devices to be? Assuming they are ring shaped, how big are they and what is the limit on ships they can propel?

This project will tie in quite well with an ongoing discussion to establish a single point of trade for Mars-Orbit at least for civilian traffic. If the project takes off, I could see both parties reaping tremendous profits from the twin systems.

http://www.pacifier.com/~cziller/fidelo.jpg

The idea is extremely interesting to us, and we would like more information. How big are the devices to be? Assuming they are ring shaped, how big are they and what is the limit on ships they can propel?

This project will tie in quite well with an ongoing discussion to establish a single point of trade for Mars-Orbit at least for civilian traffic. If the project takes off, I could see both parties reaping tremendous profits from the twin systems.

http://www.pacifier.com/~cziller/fidelo.jpg

Each device will be fifty metres in diameter. They are indeed ring-shaped, although they do not hold a fixed shape-configuration - each 'ring' has around sixty-five thousand moving parts, discounting the nanomachines inside the energy packs.

There is no 'limit' on mass or frequency of traffic - however, as mass increases, travel time also increases. The system is designed to be able to transit a Retribution class ship - 1.2km long and three hundred metres in both other spatial dimensions - with a small Taskforce supporting. As the system is used more frequently, the power providing energy packs may be replaced with reactors at key points along the Highway; but development of that sort is some time away. Construction is expected to be completed within the next month or so, with the aid of another Fear class carrier expected within the next couple of weeks.

~ ITC Official Statement

Several Thelas and Taidani based mining companies are exspressing interest in working with the Imperial Space Networking Co-operative to build a similar system between Mars and a base in the Asteriod Belt.

Several Thelas and Taidani based mining companies are exspressing interest in working with the Imperial Space Networking Co-operative to build a similar system between Mars and a base in the Asteriod Belt.

The warship IDSS Fear lifted from her moorings at the Primary Space Navy Dockyards, nr. Turath, effortlessly.

Her upgraded MI core lifted her - equally effortlessly, and without the usual so-called 'wobble-effect' caused by her large mass being buffeted by the displacement of the atmosphere around her - into the blue sky above-

And within minutes, she arrives in the Bay of Turath... and vaults to orbit at twenty-seven times the speed of sound.

Glowing fiercely, she accelerates hard, vanishing from unaided sight within seconds-

* * *

"...holding steady at 6PSL... ready for Transition on your mark, sir."

Captain Salyian ux-Rihad smiled. This was it; T-drive had only been fitted on one ship previous to hers - a fact that made her rather proud, in fact - and this would only be the second time any ship in history had made a transitional 'Hop'.

"Mark," she stated flatly - calmly keeping the excitement from her tone. She did not believe in joviality on the bridge - she was a rare breed, in that respect, and she knew it. She also knew that she was widely regarded as one of the best officers in the fleet - an opinion she most definitely did not hold herself.

The young, fresh-faced officer at the helm - Second Lieutenant Tiati Aquinall, she recalled - poked the contact closed that would-

* * *

The IDSS Fear veritably undulates with light and arcing electricity - the surface of her hull awash with all frequencies of light in the visible-light spectrum and beyond, she literally pulsed with colour-

-and then she vanishes.

* * *

Location 'Alpha'; Near Mars Orbit

The IDSS Fear explodes back into being, visible only as a pulsing white light set against a rusty orange background - from outside Martian orbit and looking in, at any rate.

Despite her relatively high velocity, she slips into a graceful arc and sweeps around the curve of the red world far below; Mars does not have an EM field worth speaking about, however, which makes the maneuver all the more tricky.

The sub-sentient navigation AI doesn't see it that way, however; to the AI, it is merely more numbers to crunch... and crunching numbers is its life.

Rapidly slowing, the carrier calmly slips into a areosynchronous orbit.

[OOC: I know that the term 'geosynchronous' is applied to an orbit in which forward momentum is offset by the revolution of the Earth below, but this isn't Earth. And 'geo' means 'Earth'. Therefore, 'areosynchronous' orbit is far more appropriate - from 'Ares' (pronounced Aries), another word for Mars, for those who don't know.]

[OOC: I know that the term 'geosynchronous' is applied to an orbit in which forward momentum is offset by the revolution of the Earth below, but this isn't Earth. And 'geo' means 'Earth'. Therefore, 'areosynchronous' orbit is far more appropriate - from 'Ares' (pronounced Aries), another word for Mars, for those who don't know.]

Entirely-OOC: Wow. And here I was thinking that I was the only person who used that term. Curse the physics that make cythereosynchrony impossible; 'twould be such a fun word to use.

OOC: Actually, in sci-fi and real life both, people who study Mars rocks and comets and asteroids and such are called xeno-geologists rather then areologists or some such.

So geostationary orbit is still the correct term.

OOC: Of course, there are problems, in that the distance between Earth and Mars varies, and that the two planets are occasionally on opposite sides of the sun...

[OOC: I know that. That's why there are far, far more of the MIDDs and MIADs than are actually required for the distance...]

OOC: All those devices seem quite expensive. Interesting concept though. Hermes Spacelines Inc. (who currently has a monopoly on ultra low cost interplanetary shipping) is certain to have an internal fit.

EDIT: And remember, if a loop gives a ship forward velocity, the loop will aquire backwards velocity. Recoil....

And where do the loops get their energy from?

[OOC: No... the recoil is countered by the MIDD/MIAD itself, as the MIDD/MIAD is mobile (has to be, or the whole thing wouldn't work). They're relatively inexpensive - the MIDD/MIAD system itself is merely derived from a nearly identical method used on the EOTED mag-lev train network.

And the MIDD/MIADs get their energy from the energy packs, mentioned in the post. They're basically big superconductive coils that store current; high-tech batteries.]

Maybe you could just eliminate the whoel problem by using Tiburon's "quadrent system": the Earth, the space colonies, the moon, and Mars... we launch a shuttle to the colonies to go to the moon, which then prepares it for the long journey to Mars...

OOC: Of course, there are problems, in that the distance between Earth and Mars varies, and that the two planets are occasionally on opposite sides of the sun...

[OOC: I know that. That's why there are far, far more of the MIDDs and MIADs than are actually required for the distance...]

OOC: All those devices seem quite expensive. Interesting concept though. Hermes Spacelines Inc. (who currently has a monopoly on ultra low cost interplanetary shipping) is certain to have an internal fit.

EDIT: And remember, if a loop gives a ship forward velocity, the loop will aquire backwards velocity. Recoil....

And where do the loops get their energy from?

[OOC: No... the recoil is countered by the MIDD/MIAD itself, as the MIDD/MIAD is mobile (has to be, or the whole thing wouldn't work). They're relatively inexpensive - the MIDD/MIAD system itself is merely derived from a nearly identical method used on the EOTED mag-lev train network.

And the MIDD/MIADs get their energy from the energy packs, mentioned in the post. They're basically big superconductive coils that store current; high-tech batteries.]

Maybe you could just eliminate the whoel problem by using Tiburon's "quadrent system": the Earth, the space colonies, the moon, and Mars... we launch a shuttle to the colonies to go to the moon, which then prepares it for the long journey to Mars...

OOC: Well, EOTED is talking about accelerating ships to near the speed of light quite quickly...so we are talking about billions of tons of deuterium/tritium used every year, maybe every month, after this system starts to see some use.

Certainly quick, possibly efficient, but I would not call it cheap by any means. Much cheaper to make a slower haul. Otherwise it is kinda like driving a mack truck at 400mph...you spend a lot more on gas.

OOC: Actually, in sci-fi and real life both, people who study Mars rocks and comets and asteroids and such are called xeno-geologists rather then areologists or some such.

So geostationary orbit is still the correct term.

[OOC: Actually, a geologist who studies Martian rocks is only a geologist because they study them from here on Earth - and the basis of their study is to learn more about geology (the study of Earth and its formation), not Mars. Even though the formation of Mars is important, its study is currently really only to provide a more detailed idea of how the Earth was formed and 'works'.

However, if a scientist worked on Mars... they'd be an areologist, and not a geologist. See Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars Trilogy for details.

So I'll stick with areosynchronous, thanks. ;)]

OOC: Of course, there are problems, in that the distance between Earth and Mars varies, and that the two planets are occasionally on opposite sides of the sun...

[OOC: I know that. That's why there are far, far more of the MIDDs and MIADs than are actually required for the distance...]

OOC: All those devices seem quite expensive. Interesting concept though. Hermes Spacelines Inc. (who currently has a monopoly on ultra low cost interplanetary shipping) is certain to have an internal fit.

EDIT: And remember, if a loop gives a ship forward velocity, the loop will aquire backwards velocity. Recoil....

And where do the loops get their energy from?

[OOC: No... the recoil is countered by the MIDD/MIAD itself, as the MIDD/MIAD is mobile (has to be, or the whole thing wouldn't work). They're relatively inexpensive - the MIDD/MIAD system itself is merely derived from a nearly identical method used on the EOTED mag-lev train network.

And the MIDD/MIADs get their energy from the energy packs, mentioned in the post. They're basically big superconductive coils that store current; high-tech batteries.]

Maybe you could just eliminate the whoel problem by using Tiburon's "quadrent system": the Earth, the space colonies, the moon, and Mars... we launch a shuttle to the colonies to go to the moon, which then prepares it for the long journey to Mars...

OOC: Well, EOTED is talking about accelerating ships to near the speed of light quite quickly...so we are talking about billions of tons of deuterium/tritium used every year, maybe every month, after this system starts to see some use.

Certainly quick, possibly efficient, but I would not call it cheap by any means. Much cheaper to make a slower haul. Otherwise it is kinda like driving a mack truck at 400mph...you spend a lot more on gas.

[OOC: It's cheaper. Trust me. EOTED produces energy for consumption in a different way to most; nanotech-based power cores (feasible ones, at that) provide cheap electricity for the Empire*, and there is currently a rather large surplus. Having a superconductive national grid, there is never any wastage - that is, the only electricity used is the electricity needed. Also, the Empire stores the surplus energy in large superconductive coils - meaning that EOTED has an extremely energy-rich economy. This Highway will be powered by that surplus, transferred from the coils into energy packs - so there is no additional cost beyond the purchase fee that the Imperial Space Networking Co-operative will have to pay Imperial Energy for the electricity.

At first, anyway - when traffic increases past a certain point, costs will begin to rise as standalone power cores will be required - but that would require something like 30+ ships using the system every day, and that doesn't seem likely at this point. And once that stage is reached, income from the 'toll' of using the Highway ought to cover the overheads.

* the nanotech-based power cores work in a similar manner to a traditional power core - namely, the magnet-in-a-coil principle. However, the system is largely self-sustaining, as the only moving parts involved are the nanobugs themselves. Essentially programmed iron filings (kindof..), the nanobugs interact with powerful EM fields (based on the MI principle), and 'scrape' electrons and protons from the field lines. Eventually, the constructed EM field collapses - and then more standard nuclear power cores/surplus electricity from the power grid provides the electricity required to 'jumpstart' the system again. Although it sounds like electrical output is far lower than electrical input, it isn't. This is due to the manner of the EM field - the field itself interacts with the Earth's EMF, and in turn 'scrapes' electrons and protons from that field. Most of the gained electrons/protons spill away from the field and are lost, but enough are 'captured' to allow the electricity-generating EMF to have a higher gauss rating than the original electrical input would provide.

I should note that this is a very simplistic explanation, and thusly any inconsistencies can be considered to be as a result of my attempt to keep things simple in the explanation. A full explanation can be provided, but not here; come ask me on Esper.net if you want to know. :P]

OOC: Basically, your breaking conservation of energy. OK.

OOC: Basically, your breaking conservation of energy. OK.

[OOC: Sheesh, no. I'm not freaking stupid. Go back and read it again... but more carefully, this time.]

OOC: Basically, your breaking conservation of energy. OK.

[OOC: Sheesh, no. I'm not freaking stupid. Go back and read it again... but more carefully, this time.]

I did, and it does.

The ship shivered beneath his feet slightly as it cut loose the last piece of its cargo; the ITC had accelerated the program, and so the science vessel Truth had been 'hired' from the IDF to fulfil the revised contract.

Captain Imsri Menjda wasn't impressed, however. He felt quite strongly, in fact, about the matter; his crew were not damned guinea pigs - and he objected to the insinuation that they were. A ship with a T-drive using the Highway - as the very first ship to do so, to boot - was irresponsible, as far as he was concerned.

It was irrational, in fact, and he did know that. The T-drive wasn't a thing; it was many things, working in tandem. And they didn't work in the same way when a Hop wasn't required. He knew this. Yet he remembered that ship; the Gravitic/MI Incident was not outside of his memory. It was crisp, clean, and sharp; he had been in a similar orbit on the Righteous Example, serving as first officer, when that ship had gone done.

And this reminded him of that, no matter how irrational it was-

He shook the feeling of anxiety away, dimly aware that he was being spoken to, and, as captain of the ship, he really ought to pay attent-

"Sir?"

"Eh?" It wasn't dignified, and he knew it.

"We're ready, sir. Momentum will carry us into the yield-range of the first ring shortly; this'll be a one-way trip, of course, as the-"

Menjda cut the young woman off - who was clearly excited - with an irritable wave of his hand. "I know all that," he half-snapped, "how long?"

"One minute, sir."

* * *

The Truth was a To Seek, To Find class science vessel - the second in her class; the first with T-drive modifications straight off the 'factory line'.

She was, like her sister-ship, sleek but wide - somehow, however, she manages to portray the ideal of forwards-facing; it is plain which is the front, and which are the sides, thanks to the nose-cone and the sweeping shape of her wide-rear-to-blunt-nose body.

She slowly drifts towards... nothing. Nothing is particuarly visible-

But light, cast from the distant Sun, glints gently from a direction forwards and to one side slightly from the drifting Truth; the faint image of a ring-shaped object is visible for an instant.

A faint white light eminates from the ring for an instant as the Truth - a split instant, leaving the merest impression of the shape of the ring - drifts by; and the Truth accelerates away from the ring, with the Highway set to provide a gentle acceleration curve. Onwards, she drifts, towards the next 'ring' - each one further from the next than the last was from the one preceding it; but in two days time, the Truth will - or should, at least - arrive in cislunar space, just inside Luna's orbit of the Earth.

* * *

Some three hundred thousand kilometres away, the IDSS Viable Maneuvers plods slowly through space (at a full 'stop', actually, but she has momentum nontheless), her sensor suites fully deployed to take readings as the Truth passes her by; and, of course, in the event of a problem, the Viable Maneuvers was just one of three ships deployed along the first completed half of the Highway. The other two were closer to Earth - and one destroyer was charging out through the solar system (at 0.08c by now, having left cislunar space some twenty hours previous), just in case a ship with T-drive was required to render assistance with the greater speed that brought.

All four ships wait.

All four crews hope, and wait with their ships, amidst the deep silence of the eternal night of the Void.

And back on Earth, investers figuratively hold their collective breath...