The Universe of Hollen's Prize

[MysticMoon]

The cosmos is vast, the number and type of species inhabiting it even moreso. Clumped together are the central worlds of the Core. Heavily populated, centers of industry, these Core worlds are home to the most advanced technology. They are also the most civilized, with peace kept through patrolling warships. There is no single government ruling the Core worlds and politics play an important role between the various species and governments.

Beyond the Core are the worlds of the Outer Rim. The Outer Rim has a well-deserved reputation for lawlessness. The population is thinly stretched and less protected. Technology tends to be behind the times compared with the more affluent Core worlds. Pirates are a common threat. A few aggressive species have made their homes here, the most notable being the emaciated, yellow-skinned Klandatha and their insectoid footsoldiers.

[MysticMoon]

Technology tends toward hard science, with a few exceptions. Jump drives are able to send ships lightyears in a blink, but will only work at a distance from any large gravity well. Ships tend to spend a few days to a few weeks accelerating out to jump distance before leaping to the edge of another gravity well (plotted out by skilled astronavs) and then decelerating toward their destination.

Long range communication is via tachyon radio. The Core worlds possess the technology and repeater infrastructure for near realtime communication, creating the opportunity for an interstellar level internetwork. For the Outer Rim, communication is far slower and can take anywhere from hours to days to relay a message.

[EchoMirage]

Wow, this role-play's player slots sure got filled fast.

[MysticMoon]

Artificial gravity has not been developed, despite extensive research into the technology. Rotating space stations and thrust from reaction engines (ships are designed with decks perpendicular to the drives) provide reasonable fascimiles. Spacers become adept at handling themselves in anything from zero to a couple of gees for extended lengths of time.

[MysticMoon]

Shipboard systems: Most ships are powered by nuclear reactors (the majority being fusion.) Thrusters range from the slow and ponderous pulse-ion drive, to the moderately paced fusion drive, on up to the speedy yet expensive matter-antimatter drive. A good mechanic will be knowledgeable about such systems and will also be comfortable with maintaining other systems, such as the physical structure (hull, conduit, etc) and life support. Larger, well-crewed ships tend to have a number of specialized engineers in this role.

Electronics and computers are an integral part of the function of any starship. Components exist throughout the structure of the ship; any good technician will spend as much time in crawlspaces as sitting at a terminal.

[MysticMoon]

Medical Technology is highly advanced. Genetic manipulation is well-developed. Body sculpting is common among the affluent and as a part of some cultures (while reviled in others.) This includes extreme changes in appearance, from multi-hued skin to additional limbs. Genetic modifications are also used by some in order to adapt to alien environments. For instance, adding gills to live underwater or strengthening muscle and bone to handle high-grav worlds. New limbs or organs are easily regrown and a majority of genetic maladaptations have been cured. For those so inclined, and able to pay a hefty price, cybernetic enhancements are also available.

This applies mostly to the Core worlds. In the Outer Rim, skilled med-techs are rare and the facilities to perform most of these procedures are lacking. Some even choose to avoid gen-mod technology altogether, as a matter of cultural pride or religious beliefs.

A shipboard medic is expected to have a passing familiarity with the physiologies of the various crew members. Some are little more than glorified paramedics while others run the equivalent of small-scale hospitals.

[MysticMoon]

Pilots tend to be the rock stars among ship crews. The rest of the crew keeps the ship together, but the pilot gets the ship where it's going. The pilot is the most visible of all the crew, and among other pilots reputation is everything.

Astronavigation requires an understanding of mathematics and the operation of the jump drive. Calculations for a jump can take hours or days, depending on the length of the jump (intrastellar vs interstellar) and on the quality of the processing power available. There are two paths to such a career: expensive schools or a grueling apprenticeship. Apprenticeships are generally run by guilds and rely on a formalized process of progression. More informal apprenticeships exist, but it is nearly impossible to achieve the proper credentials through such avenues, making jobs among the Core worlds nearly impossible to acquire.

[MysticMoon]

Cargo handler has two connotations, depending on the context. Among the larger freighters of the Core, dedicated crew are required to load and unload cargo, as well as monitor and protect it during transit. Many are also put to work in a janitorial capacity. Among the smaller and shadier freighters, cargo handler tends to be a euphemism for hired gun. Many have gunnery skills and a strong military background and are expected to help repel pirates and keep the captain safe in sketchier ports.

[MysticMoon]

There is no single overarching government. Some planets have multiple governments while some governments span star clusters. Earth is still a smattering of different governments, although many of those have far reaching colonies. There are empires, republics, oligarchies, tyrannies, anarchies, communes, and many other forms of governance across the various inhabited worlds. Each alien species is also separated into different subcultures and governments.

The galaxy is a crowded, messy place.

[MysticMoon]

The closest thing to universal currency is the credit. The value of the credit is agreed upon and recognized by most governments, although this is a loaded topic and full of political wrangling and intergovernmental disagreements. The credit is generally dismissed by the Outer Rim, especially with the lag in interstellar communications and the difficulty of tracking the exchange between worlds. Barter and the use of precious elements is more common there.

To further confuse matters, some governments issue their own forms of currency, to be used within their own borders.

[MysticMoon]

The planet Ghestree, not to be confused with the orbiting station Starport Ghestree, lies in that nebulous region between the civilized Core and the wild Outer Rim. It is a favored spot of free traders, being the last stop of the corporate freight lines. Hardy souls willing to face the dangers of the Rim do a brisk trade bridging the gap between the heavily industrialized Core and those willing to pay a high premium for manufactured goods.

There is also a fair amount of passenger traffic. Ghestree acts as a way station for those seeking a more anonymous life away from civilization and a point of ingress for those seeking a safer life in the Core.

Ghestree orbits around an orange-yellow main sequence G7 star. The land is divided up between tropical swamps and frozen tundra. The lizardlike Hessta have a colony in the swamps, bordering a Terran colony on slightly firmer land. The short, thick, and furry Glesta (who named the planet) live in the frozen north and are more than happy to leave the rest of the planet to the other two races.

[MysticMoon]

There is no true AI, although the most advanced computers and robots can fake it to a degree. Most robots are little more than intelligent appliances. They can be very adept at a particular task but do not have the ability to reason, understand humor, or think creatively.

[MysticMoon]

Once a ship has reached the proper distance to make a jump, the drive must be powered up. This requires a few hours to accomplish, adjusted by the efficiency of the drive and the rating of the power plant. Each drive is limited in the distance it can travel, so unless the destination is within this distance, multiple jumps are required. At each stop along the way, the astronav must calculate the next jump and the drive must be recharged.

Well-crewed ships making long trips usually have a few astronavs onboard, so they can work in shifts. Half a dozen jumps can easily take a full day to complete.

[MysticMoon]

Powers of the mind, psionics, psychic ability; whatever the name, the source of such abilities is beyond known science. It is extremely rare. Despite massive funding by the militaries of several states, no known way to quantify or reproduce such powers has surfaced.

It is also a mercurial power to have. Some call it a double-edged sword. Others refer to it as being cursed. Even the most skilled of psionicists seem to have little control over their powers and it is not uncommon for the effects to misfire wildly.

There have been no recorded examples of flashy or magical effects, such as pyrokinesis or telekinesis. Most fall into the realm of empathy, telelpathy, remote viewing, and the occasional episode of psychometry (the ability to read an inanimate object's history by touching it.)