MSS Notes: Sub space drive

The Sub space or ‘Omega’ drive was developed from the physical principles discovered by Eleanor and Koor Kawaresen during Eleanor’s postgraduate semester at Florida State University. Successfully proved by the Omega III crew of Commander Corwen Blount, co-pilot Paul Stovek, Astronavigator Liam O’Reilly, and mission specialists Edith Paget and Edward Mulholland.

According to data obtained, the physical properties of sub space are not as predicted by the initial research. There is a significant but small anti relativistic effect which means that if a journey is begun to within a particular set of energy parameters, there is a risk that the craft may return from a round trip several minutes before beginning a journey through sub space. Because of the energy disparity effect of a craft returning out of sub space, mission profiles that might result in such an occurrence are strictly forbidden. This is because of the phenomenon named the ‘doppelganger effect’; i.e. two bodies of identical origin may not occupy the same space / time point as the short-lived isotopes of antimatter and quantum foam ‘residue’ from a sub space journey have massive explosive potential. There is no empirical data to support this hypothesis, but the mathematical models that sub space theory relies upon indicate enough significant risk of should such circumstances occur.

Sub space has proven highly efficient as a means of travelling between star systems up to a hundred plus light years distant. However, the fuel requirements are such that longer journeys are at present not practical.

A Sub space ‘bomb’ based upon the Omega drive was discussed by certain defence research institutes, but after numerous attempts to make a controllable device failed spectacularly, such research was deemed too dangerous, and all funding was withdrawn.

The energy requirements of the drive are high, and require a direct power source with at least thirty Gigawatts output. Only a Nuclear Fusion reactor with a minimum rating of one hundred Gigawatts at is able to deliver this level of power when required. Larger scale reactors such as a hundred Terawatt model have been proposed, but the cooling systems required for reactors of this size are considered too bulky and unwieldy for practical space travel purposes. Only one of this scale (Thunder Bay) is currently operational and requires several massive superconductor heat sinks to remain safely operational. However, the Thunder Bay installation has the significant environmental benefit of keeping the northern shores and much of Lake Superior ice free. Thunder Bay also provides backup energy for much of North America. A second installation is planned for the currently deserted city of Winnipeg, which will make North America a net energy exporter for the first time in over a century. An alternate site at Trois Rivieres, Quebec, was vetoed by the bloc Quebecois on environmental grounds, shortly before the city of Quebec was declared deserted in 2081.

The idea that sub space technologies would support some form of instantaneous teleportation was finally proven impractical in the late 2020’s because of the disorganising nature of sub space energies. While it has been known for many years that teleportation is possible, unprotected ordinary matter can never be restored to its previous matter state having passed through sub space. For example, it is a well understood phenomenon that unprotected organic matter disorganises and disintegrates into random inorganic compounds after exposure to conditions both in subspace and through ‘wormholes’. The Omega drive creates a hypermagnetic bubble or ‘tame space warp’ in which a craft made of normal matter may traverse the medium of sub space and return to ‘normal’ space intact.

Quantum foam erosion damage has been noted following return from sub space. This phenomenon has been linked to poor hypermagnetic field design allowing miniature sub space vortices to come into contact with unprotected matter following exit from subspace. Improved field coil array design has been instrumental in preventing asymmetric field collapse and thus almost eliminated such damage since the near disaster with the Vancouver.

Re: Vancouver, Cargo class 100 tonne capacity sub space transport. Third off the production line after the Atlanta and ill-fated Boston. First to suffer near catastrophic field collapse on the approach to the New Philadelphia star system. Massive loss of argon from the frontal field coil arrays almost crippled the Vancouver. Fortunately, New Philadelphia colonists with specialised metallurgical experience effected repairs to the frontal hull section, and enough argon was available in the Vancouver supply to repressurise the frontal coil arrays and return them to full use.

MSS Notes Re: Plague

Plague: Ebola type virus prevalent in tropical climates. Believed to be artificial mutation / variant of African Ebola, but currently (Late 2000’s) decimating poor South American populations. Predominantly droplet type infection also believed to be first spread by a particular species of flea / flea parasite. 90% fatality rate. Survivors suffer high rates of Liver and Kidney failure, also damage to Pancreas and Spleen. High short term cancer risk. Only 1.2% of sufferers have no measurable aftereffects apart from massive weight loss and muscle tissue atrophy.

Origin; Possibly cultivated in terror call laboratory for dispersal throughout North America. Current multiple outbreaks are thought to be a result of poor containment protocols. Virus breaks down 72 hours after death of infected host. Burning does not destroy virus. Disposal Protocol is for 6 days quarantine in sealed casket / impervious bag before interment. After this time, corpse is deemed to be ‘safe’ for burial / incineration.

MSS Notes re Communications

Despite the fact that properly shielded craft can successfully enter and leave sub space, in the late 2000’s no one has yet found a means to use the medium for transmission of voice / video communications from within a gravity well of more than one third of Earth Gravity. Energy requirements are very high, and signal quality is poor at over one parsec. A ‘Quantum wave’ effect sub space transmitter once showed promise, but research has since been discontinued after hazardous and random ionizing radiation levels were found to be a deleterious side effect.

News and materials are transmitted via transport vessels such as the Atlanta, a hundred tonne capacity unarmed interstellar cargo carrier.

Done

The Sky Full of Stars is complete. Formatting, cover design, the works. I am now going to buy myself a hardback copy, although the download is much cheaper(Please, please buy the download - I make double the royalty per copy).

Now to work on the next volume; 'Falling Through the Stars'.

I have bought my own copy of the hardback version which means I should have it in my hot little hands for Christmas.

Sky full of stars low resolution artwork

Final artwork for front cover dust jacket of Sky full of stars

Final artwork for rear cover dust jacket of Sky full of stars

Sky full of stars Cover notes

Reformatting of text has reduced the final MSS from 432 pages to 415. Word count 148,520. I suppose if pushed by an editor I might consider chopping out five thousand of that, but then that's the whole point of self publishing isn't it? You write what you want to write, not what fits in with what someone else sees as a 'market'.

Have been up half the night fretting over cover notes and cover design. In the end I decided on this text for the back cover;

There was what the media reported…

…rumours of a hoax have surfaced on several news services…. Now over to our Vancouver studio, where Environmental lobbyist Caleb Yamato is challenging the Omega projects environmental safety….

…The mystery of the two missing Omega crew members has sent a riot of half informed conjecture around the news feed community. The ill-fated mission to prove a radical design for travel between stars is being proclaimed an unmitigated failure by several authorities….

…In Brussels, the hereditary President of the Gaian Republic of Europe, Owen Blair, denounced the Omega Mission as a ‘plot of the western Terrorist nations’ to destabilise the peace loving Gaian European Republic….

Then there was the real story

The sky full of stars, first volume in the ‘Stars’ trilogy is a story of future wonders and personal tragedy set against the first interstellar war ever fought by humans.

Inside front sleeve;

In the midst of a mini ice age, the once mighty world powers are shrunken husks of their previous selves. An isolationist North America is the last of the Democracies, the Middle East a radioactive wasteland, and the expansionist Gaian Republic of Europe a repressive pseudo theocracy ruled by a tiny elite.
The Omega FTL drive, last gasp of the North American Space programme, succeeds beyond all expectations, but on the way back from orbit repeated attempts are made to shoot the returning crew down. Stranded on Earths moon, Mission Commander Corwen Blount hatches his own desperate rescue plan.

“Teach this young guy all you know.” The picture of a young, reddish blonde haired man with intense, almost harsh blue eyes appeared on screen.
“Who is he?”
“His name’s Richard Windsor. That’s all you need to know. He’s going to be your escort pilot.”

Well if no-one else buys a copy, I'll be keeping mine, and donating one to my local library.

Final (Hopefully) edit

Have just finished what I hope is the final draft of 'The Sky full of stars' at 148,463 words, most of it dialogue. I've tried to keep the immediacy of the narrative by keeping the descriptions minimal. No detailed travelogues, which I personally find makes a book too heavy a read. I've tried to make my characters do the scene painting through their dialogue in a minimalist sort of way. No windy speeches or explanations either.

The story rips along at a goodly pace, and overall I think it works. Tell you the truth I'm pig sick of editing and amending the manuscript, which is supposed to be one of the signs you're done and dusted.

Time for bed.