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Re: [FH]FTL comms

From: "Jeremy Sadler" <jsadler@e...>
Date: Mon, 3 May 1999 21:25:50 +1000
Subject: Re: [FH]FTL comms

>> Humanity as of the 2180s has not developed FTL comms (at least no-one
is
>> letting on that they have, who knows WHAT goes on at various secret
>> research installations in out-of-the-way star systems....?). All
>> interstellar communications in human space go via ships.
>> For the aliens, of course, who knows....? <grin>
>I may missed this before, but this is the first official word on the
subject
>I've seen. Either way, thanks, Jon.

I've always envisioned that "message ships" would exist that are
essentially
FTL engine with computer crews and cargo space. They do all the dull
bulk
hauling (mail, packages, shipments etc) without the need for human crew.
Of
course, they are open to interception, but that's the price you pay (and
you
buy a good tactical AI).

I also envisioned "message pods", which are like the carrier pidgeons of
the
FT universe. Every ship has a heap of these, and they are essentially a
computer with a small FTL engine. I figure them to be about the size of
an
average human (for Trek people, maybe a photon torpedo). (Though it
would be
great to have really small ones, I gather that FTL engines are rather
large
pieces of equipment). Essentially you tell the pod computer where you
are,
where you want it to go, the message it's to carry and drop it out the
side.

Of course, being about the size of a human, these things could be made
to
carry _warheads_... remotely deliverable weapons!

Jeremy Sadler
Unofficial Stargrunt II Web Site
http://stargrunt.virtualave.net

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