I have been working on this for my own setting for a while...a couple of years at least...I have a lot more information on it..which I am trying to get into a form I can put into a booklet form...any feedback/comment/interest for such a setting.
Hyperspace travel 101
Faster than Light travel is well beyond the grasp of Human technology. So to allow interstellar travel without the need for multi generation flights, Humans use Hyperspace as a shortcut between distant points.
Hyperspace is in fact a parallel universe that is much younger and much more energetic than Normal space. It's small size, and higher quantum energy state creates a hot dense universe compared to Normal space.
Each point of time space in normal space, is directly tied to a sister point in Hyperspace. By opening a transit point which allows a normal space object to transfer into Hyperspace A starship can side step into Hyperspace. It then travels at much slower speeds to the sister point of it's desired destination and transits back into Normal space. While it goes no faster than a 20th century airliner, it has to travel a far shorter path effectively crossing trillions of miles in weeks rather than millennia.
This aspect of Hyperspace makes it possible for interstellar travel and trade to exist, and allows various races to expand their populations to stars out of the reach of conventional space flight. However the transit into hyperspace begins a dangerous journey through a region where normal space physics do not exist,or are distorted by the local environment of hyperspace.
Mass Shadows and safe transit points.
All objects in normal space effect not only normal space/time, but Hyperspace/time. Most objects are far too light to cause a noticeable effect in Hyperspace. However large stars and solar systems create a mass shadow which attracts matter in Hyperspace toward the center of the mass shadow.
The lack of any gravitation in Hyperspace prevents this condensed dust and gases from forming into planets and stars, but it does cause the creation of irregular masses of condensed matter, and gas. These obstructions react violently to having transit points opened in their mass, which means vessels must transit into open regions to avoid a rather violent explosion, or accidental collision, on entering Hyperspace.
safe transit is usually only possible at a distance of 100 diameters from any world although this is not always the case. random drift and debris can create hazards even in normally safe zones. Most Hyperdrives include devices that detect instability caused when a transit point intersects with matter concentrations near the point of arrival, and shut down the system to avoid accidents.
All systems have naturally occurring safe points which are formed when eddies and ripples in the systems mass shadow sweep debris clear in a small area. these transit points for the Sol system occur at a point where the Solar gravity ad mass interact with Jupiter's mass and gravity, usually in a region inside the asteroid belt.
For example the Trans Jupiter Transit zone occurs in an area swept clear by the combined interaction between Jupiter and Saturn over millions of yeas has created a stable channel of open Hyperspace that is safe to transit into from Real space.
Trans gates, and Artificial transit points.
Artificial transit points, and transit gates are possible, and common. a large array of electromagnetic emitters, and regular housekeeping patrols to remove large dangerous debris from the gate area. sweep a small region of Hyperspace clear and allow small vessels to enter Hyperspace just outside the moons orbital radius.
These artificial transit gates allow vessels such as shuttles and yachts which are not large enough to carry life support for the week long cruise out to transit Zone Alpha to enter Hyperspace within hours of an earth launch and then cruise on their own to distant destinations.
While not instantaneous it is possible to travel across the 100 light year radius of human occupied space in as little as one month. In practice traveling along well traveled and safe routes a passenger can expect a one month voyage between earth and Avandiir, ( the imperial capital world, distance 20 light years) with trips ranging from one to four weeks being most common.
The travel times between major capitals are roughly on par with the travel times between Europe and The Americas by means of Sailing vessels. this does limit reaction times, and increases the cost of transport, but the low cost of Hyperspace capable craft, and demand for off world goods makes interstellar commerce and travel an affordable prospect.
In practice Military, and independently owned vessels, use less favorable higher risk route through Hyperspace. The higher risk level, allows them to make a voyage that would take commercial liner of hauler, a month, in ten to twelve days.
Other means of travel and communication using Hyperspace.
Experimental Hyper ways, artificial tunnels with transit gates at either end, allow passengers and commuters to ride a subway system from cities on one continent to another in less than thirty minutes. Hyper slings, allow special stations in orbit to fire a capsule directly into Hyperspace on a preprogrammed course to a capture station, these capsules are usually for cargo but several military forces have experimented with using them as a means of delivering vehicles, troops, and combat machines to neighboring systems with little delay time.
Hyper skip: ( jump Drive)
experimental trials of Skip drives which effectively skip a vessel off the Hyper-subspace boundary and eject them back into real space have been proceeding for several years. the dangers, and expense of the drives and the precision required for calculations required to bounce off two separate dimensional boundaries, and reenter normal space without vaporizing make the system an interesting experiment and little more for the foreseeable future.
this system does offer the hope of traveling several light years at a time without exposing the crew to the dangers of Hyperspace. But a 12 percent success rate, and half the probes skipped so far detonating on arrival make it seem like a poor investment to anyone but pure research agencies.
Hyper-net.
By opening small transit points and beaming broad band signals into Hyperspace, it is possible for faster than light signals to be transmitted between planets. Distortions, and noise caused by Hyperspace noise, do interfere with signals limiting range to around five light years between relay points in real space. However the system allows distant computer networks to bounce data requests, and communications packets between the Networks on one planet and another. shortening the transit time for a signal to days rather than decades.
relay lags, the need to transmit the same packet several times to compensate for distortion and signal degradation and the primitive amount of bandwidth available for a signal limits the hyper net to text, and prerecorded voice only without accessing a far more advanced network established by the O'sahdii and made available for commercial data transfer.
The limitations of the system restrict commercial traffic to packets of less the one megabyte, and suffer delays of 1 to six days when relayed to systems more than 3 light years away. Signal degradation, and data loss along the network force most high density data transfers, and vital documentation to be transferred by courier along normal mail boat relays.
Physics
Gravity:
Gravity is not a major factor in Hyperspace Physics, the mutual attraction of one mass on nearby masses, and distortion of the space time fabric, is greatly muted in Hyperspace causing gravitational forces to be weak to nonexistent in Hyperspace.
even in regions where huge masses of Hypermatter have formed into massive reefs the gravitational force is so week that objects more massive than earth are irregular jagged sheets of material spread out into broad irregular, and porous, plates instead of solid spherical masses.
The only major concentrations of Gravity are within the "Mass Shadows" of super massive Normal Space bodies such as solar systems, Super giant stars, Neutron stars and black holes. This tends to cause reefs to form in broad crescents around these objects spiraling in slow rotation around their Normal Space anchors.
Inertia:
Inertia seems to be altered in Hyperspace as well as gravity. It is still a constant threat to travelers, however it seems to follow a different set of rules than in Normal space. At a certain threshold based on the mass and velocity of the object the effects of inertia increases at a much higher rate than in normal space. This fact allows scientists and engineers to use the altered inertial properties to great advantage.
Distance:
Hyperspace is a highly compressed. Each point in Hyperspace is linked to a point in Normal Space by Gravitic and quantum anchors but these points are not always fixed. While the distance from one point to another may be tens of thousands of miles, the normal space point connected to the two Hyperspace points may be millions or trillions of miles distant from one another.
Speed of Light: While the physics of Hyperspace are altered from Normal Space the Speed of light is still a constant. However due to the unique traits of hyperspace an particle moving at the speed of light will arrive at the same comparative distance as if it were moving many times the speed of light.
Chemistry:
Unlike Normal space Hydrogen, Helium and light gasses are found in much lower concentrations with Oxygen, Carbon, and Iron making up the larger percentage of matter. Exotic metals, and isotopes of common elements also exist in high concentration, complicating navigation and survival for Normal Spacers due to their sometimes unstable nature.
A chance collision between a Normal space object and unstable Hypermatter can result in an energetic reaction which releases large amounts of heat and exotic quantum particles. The reactions re intense enough to cause break down of normal matter and serious thermal damage to manufactured structures and organic tissue.
As a result any vessel traversing Hyperspace must maintain a strong electromagnetic field to deflect energetic Hypermatter protecting is systems and passengers from sudden terminal thermal shock...in short ships without "Static Barriers" are prone to being blown apart without warning by Hypermatter.
In addition to the energetic forms of Hypermatter There are thousands of isotopes of common elements which have been altered by the presence of exotic particles in their atomic structure. These isotopes are often referred to as "Zed" and"Exo" Isotopes or inaccurately referred to as Dark Matter.
Zed isotopes often possess unique properties not found in Normal isotopes. Carbon Zed being the most notable. When subjected to low level modulated Quantum resonance Carbon-Zed releases large amounts of heat, and exotic particles that create a highly charged hot plasma.
This property makes Carbon-Z and excellent fuel for Quantum resonance reactors, starships Ion Plasma drives and other applications. it's relative abundance, stable nature and high density make it a highly sought after commodity resulting in numerous mining drifts and processor stations being constructed in areas where Carbon-Zed is found in concentration.
Stable Hyper Energetic Matter (Hypermatter)
By means not understood or explained by Normal Space physics, matter exposed to the regions near the event horizon of a Singularity become hyper energized exotic particles which normally do not combine or interact with matter are forced to bind with the nucleus of atoms giving the matter much greater stored energy.
These particles may quickly (and destructively) decay when exposed to the physics of Normal space. In Hyperspace Hypermatter may linger for much longer periods, (some Hypermatter isotopes can have a half-life of millions of years.) unless an outside force liberates the exotic particles contained by the isotopes.
By means of quantum resonance specific hyper isotopes can be coaxed into rapid decay releasing energy with a spectacular release of heat, and exotic radiation. This allows the use of Hypermatter as fuel and in weapons systems by advanced cultures
Unstable Hypermatter:
Similar to Stable Hypermatter these exotic isotopes decay at various rates, or when it comes into contact with Normal Matter. This poses a distinct hazard to travelers when large concentrations of Unstable Hypermatter are encountered. When properly harvested and shielded Unstable Hypermatter is a powerful if dangerous fuel source. By Interstellar Protocols the use of Unstable Hypermatter in weaponry is highly restricted ad subject to severe reprisals if deployed by an interstellar power.
Dark Matter:
Once again the term is misapplied to this family of isotopes. The matter is similar to other isotopes in the fact that exotic particles are trapped within the structure of a common isotope. This family of exotic mater is nearly inert, reacting weakly with acids, bases, magnetic fields and the presence or absence of heat.
Generally expensive and hard to refine from ores Dark Matter is used in extremely advanced alloys, and weapons systems. Its density, and inert nature makes it ideal for use in Mass driver projectiles and industrial tools, devices.
Carbon-Zed:
a hard structurally rigid substance with a hardness that approaches that of sapphire and diamond. It is used in advanced alloys, polymers, synthetics, power sources, and in near molecular scale electronics
Ferro-Zed/Exo-Iron:
Infused with exotic particles this isotope of iron is denser, less malleable, less reactive to acids, and gasses. It's also has a much higher melting point which makes it an invaluable metal for creation of advanced alloys, armor and military hardware.
However it is highly detrimental to Humans due to the fact it can replace the iron in hemoglobin. This causes a type of anemia due to the fact Ferro-zed does not readily combine with oxygen.
Geography:
Hyperspace has several major features that make navigation and survival difficult. Veils, Reefs, nebula, and Drifts, each one is formed by the various physical processes at play in Hyperspace and give the region a sometimes hellish violent nature.
Veils: veils are truly awe inspiring sights. Sheets of dust and gases, lit by sheets of blue green red and gold light, sometimes massive electrical arcs leap across the surface of a veil in spectacular displays.
Veils are formed by the distortions created when Hyperspace folds back in on itself. Gasses trapped and excited by the distortions in Hyperspace eventually build up into curtains of energy thousands of miles thick and millions of miles high.
Navigation routes can be greatly shortened by traversing a veil, or finding a thin point in the veil and traversing through it. Unfortunately these openings and thin regions are constantly shifting making them unreliable as a means of cutting travel time for most commercial traffic.
Inside a veil high winds violent turbulence and dangerous energy discharges make navigation treacherous. Ship systems are damaged, crews injured and passengers treated to a truly hair raising ride as the ship fights hurricane force, and higher, winds. in addition large fragments of debris, highly abrasive dust, and the dangers of a sudden eruption of charged gases make veils a tremendously dangerous place to pilot a vessel.
Reef:
Irregular in size shape and composition reefs resemble their aquatic name sakes. on the surface millions of filter feeders, grow in rainbow colors hiding the ugly gray black crags of rock they grow on.
Often flat crescent shaped strands of rock formed by dust and debris collecting around the Mass Shadow of super massive Real space object. Reefs are one of the few places in Hyperspace that liquid water can be found in abundance. found in small pools, lakes and cisterns formed in the porous structure of the reef, entire lakes, and small seas are found on larger reefs. Many reefs have an interior network of steamy moisture laden passages often penetrate deep into the depths of the reef.
This concentration of water has led to a teeming, highly varied, and aggressive biology growing up around reefs. This wildlife spreads out into the more open reach of Hyperspace, and migrates easily from reef to reef. Ranging from microscopic to the monstrously huge Exo-life form are often aggressive, and well protected against predators and natural hazards.
Drifts:
While most reefs are anchored to the Mass shadow of a Normal Space object drifts either formed in the absence a Mass Anchor, or have broken free of that anchor due to some outside force. Drifts are irregular, and often consist of broken remains of reefs, large loosely formed clouds of smaller masses of coral
The size, shape, and density of Drifts vary widely but they are a significant hazard to navigation do to the fact they tend to move freely around large regions of Hyperspace and can form breakup and reform without any warning.
Nebula:
Almost identical to their Normal Space counterparts Nebula are massive clouds of gas, dust, and debris. These huge clouds are often violent and turbulent places lit by massive electrical discharges, eruptions of energy caused by decay of unstable Hypermatter and powerful storms generated by the differences in heat, and charge among pockets of gas within the nebula. These bodies are often not much more dense than water mixed with heavy dust, debris and other solids till it approaches the consistency of a thick pudding.
Energetic Quasi Stellar Mass (Hot Nebula) :
As close as Hyperspace can come to a star. Hot Nebula are masses of super hot plasma dust and gasses held together by the Mass Shadow of Hyper massive objects in Normal Space. (super massive black holes, galactic cores and a few Super massive Giant stars.)
Heated by gravity, decaying Hypermatter and other unknown forces the Hot Nebulae burns with a dull red light often concealed by a thin crust of coral and debris
White Nova:
His is one of the most dangerous of all quasi-stellar objects in Hyperspace. White Novae are formed when a massive black hole temporarily punches a hole into Hyperspace, expelling a stream of highly energetic exotic matter into Hyperspace.
While the actual intrusion of the black hole into Hyperspace lasts only nanoseconds. The energetic matter, gasses and exotic particles linger for minutes, days or even decades. While the streamers of Hypermatter generated by white novae are extremely dangerous the true destructive power of a White Nova is the shockwave it creates. in Normal Space The shockwave is muted by the vacuum of space, in Hyperspace the shockwave can propagate for great distances.
White Nova shock waves are powerful enough to shatter even the largest reefs, and scatter drifts. These powerful blast often rock hyperspace producing sleet of dangerous fragments ranging in size from gravel to mountains. White Novae seem to be one of the primary forces that redistribute matter in Hyperspace and spread life forms (which survive the shockwave impact) into distant regions of Hyperspace.
Biology:
Hyperspace has its own highly diverse and robust biology. Often these creatures make use of Xeno Isotopes, and exotic matter to develop formidable defenses and weapons for hunting their prey among the reefs.
Three forms of life have evolved in Hyperspace Sedentary, mobile and free swarming. Sedentary creatures are much like the life forms that form aquatic reefs; most are filter feeders gathering nutrients from particles of matter, and small bit of organic matter that happens by them. These range from sponges and anemone to predatory creatures that use mobile stalks, spring trap jaws, and electrically charged tendrils to stun then kill their larger prey.
Mobile Life forms often resemble insects, arthropods and crustacean with a combination of legs, mandibles ad tendrils/tentacles not commonly seen in a single species in terrestrial oceans. Ranging in size from no larger than a flea to some life forms that rival dinosaurs and elephants in size there is no biological niche not filled by mobile creatures in Hyperspace.
Classifications of Hyperspace
Open Hyperspace:
where there are few mass shadows created by normal space bodies such as solar systems and massive stars Hyperspace tends to be devoid of concentrations of dust and gas. in these regions temperatures hover around 200 degrees below zero Fahrenheit and only thin gas and dust limit visibility and navigation.
though mostly empty massive veils of gas and dust can form into slowly changing visually spectacular displays that have become popular scenic attractions and are often featured in advertising for various travel agencies.
Open space is the safest fastest, and most navigable regions of Hyperspace with vessels able to achieve effective speeds of 20-30 light years per day. However strong winds, violent storms and dangerous electrical discharges make this region potentially hazardous to travel.
to allow safe navigation weather ships, and scouts are often deployed updating subscribers on current conditions, transiting vessels, and other vital information needed by slower less agile commercial vessels for safe transit.
In open regions massive permanent habitats and carrier ships have been constructed. Habitats usually referred to as drifts, allow vessels to refuel, make repairs, and allow the passengers and crews to enjoy the more enjoyable aspects of Hyperspace life without danger from wildlife and sudden attack by hostile vessels.
Supper Haulers are so massive that they can carry several dozen docked commercial vessels and convey them at high speeds and low expense over long distances. Most often small in system freighters, shuttles and personal yachts will make use of a super haulers or space train to make log interstellar distances.
Pilot Check Modifier: None
Average Speeds: x2 listed speeds
( Max speed modified by hull type and pilot checks and can reach x6 listed speeds)
Normal Hyperspace:
These regions consist of pockets of denser space surrounded by large areas of open hyperspace. They exist most commonly due to interaction of mass shadows of multiple stars and star clusters. They can also form around singular massive objects such as brown dwarf stars.
Normal Hyperspace is easily navigated and seldom have much in the way of extraordinary hazards The presence of dense gas and dust in the region also makes them ideal refueling points for starships and smallcraft.
Small scale mining and 'fishing"operations will take place in these regions with several vessels supporting the operations for short periods of time then moving on. Most often long term resource gather structures are not profitable enough to operate in these regions tending to gravitate to denser regions of hyperspace.
Maritime assistance agencies, military forces, and support facilities such as fuel depots may be established along frequently traveled routes and provide a stop over for ships in transit to refuel, seek minor repairs, and assistance in case of attack or medical emergencies.
Dense Hyperspace:
near large normal space masses dust and small debris will condense into clouds and nebulae, this sort of region is more difficult to navigate but is most common near stars with inhabited planet. large vessels, and slower commercial traffic require detailed scans of a dense region to navigate safely, and most vessels will pay for navigational assistance by fixed nav stations which use drones, and manned scout vessels to map the rapidly changing condition in a dense region of Hyperspace.
Dense regions are prone to violent weather caused by electrically and thermal variations in the gasses and dust. often storms in a dense region can reach gale, or hurricane force in a matter of hours. this violent weather and the dust and debris propelled by the weather ores man vessels to alter course or maintain position until a storm blows itself our, or travels out of the vessels intended flight path.
Due to the high concentrations of dust and gas, these regions have limited lines of sight and can be completely obscured by large veils and nebulae, navigation by radar and other electromagnetic sensors can also be impaired by charged particles and random bursts of radio frequency noise generated by static discharges between varying areas of electrical charge.
to safely navigate those regions combined visual, and radar based systems may be needed with heavy shielding to prevent the systems from being affected by charged gas and dust. Many fleet, and individual actions take place in dense Hyperspace regions due to the short lines of sight which allow vessels to hide from, or stalk other vessels. for this reason many vessels will launch point defense drones and fighters to scout ahead of and trail the mother vessel to detect and discourage attackers.
large schools of mobile fauna and flora are common in Dense regions feeding on drifting pollen and exo-plankton common in Hyperspace. Many species contain useful products, or are edible by humans creating a booming Hyper-fishery industry which often frequent dense regions of Hyperspace.
materials gathering and extraction platforms are also found in these regions and can be quite massive. Using electromagnetic and physical nets to trap and direct dust, and debris into processing stations these drift miners can extract large quantities of lighter exo-materials each day. the large size of the nets, and stations however can cause navigational problems for commercial vessels requiring regular monitoring of nets and stations by navigational assistance agencies.
Pilot Check Modifier: -2Dm
Average Speeds: listed speeds
( Max speed modified by hull type and pilot checks and can reach x4 listed speeds, risk of collision does exist on a roll of double 1s on a skill check,Average Pilot check to avoid collusion, 2d6 damage to ship from collision)
Cluttered Hyperspace:
closer to large mass objects in real space large amounts of solid matter can accumulate and form into large free floating reefs, and clouds of dense debris and gravel. The higher temperatures in these regions often create frequent lightening, and thunderstorms which make navigation, and a prolonged presence in a cluttered region risky.
cluttered regions have an unfortunate tendency to be home to large solidified masses, ranging in size from gravel to drifting mountains and island. they are often highly irregular and jagged, with multiple bodies traveling in swarms held together by local conditions and mutual attraction.
large schools of mobile fauna and flora are constant in Dense regions feeding on drifting pollen and exo-plankton common in Hyperspace. Many species contain useful products, or are edible by humans creating a booming Hyper-fishery industry which often frequent dense regions of Hyperspace.due to close proximity of large reefs and drifts ships are far likelier to encounter mobile fauna which may be attracted to the ship using it to hitch a ride to new feeding grounds or to use the ship for protective cover from predatory species.
materials gathering and extraction platforms are also very common in these regions they physically mine large resource rich drifts using mining rigs, and large crushes to strip mine available resource. Numerous smallcraft, debris from mining operations, and the sometimes trigger happy nature of miners protecting their claims can cause navigational problems for commercial vessels requiring vessels to be very cautious when making a close approach to a mining facility.
Pilot Check Modifier: -4DM
Average Speeds: listed speeds
( Max speed modified by hull type and pilot checks and can reach x4 listed speeds, risk of collision does exist on a roll of double 1s on a skill check,Average Pilot check to avoid collusion, 2d6 damage to ship from collision)
Obstructed Hyperspace:
these regions are almost impassable for any starship. either large masses of 'land" extremely energetic high temperature gasses, or other local features make travel through these regions extremely difficult. to negotiate Obstructed regions a starship must navigate fissures and passages within the mass of the obstruction, or be heavily shielded against radiation and heat.
Most Obstructed regions form within 50 diameters of a real space object such as a gas giant, or star. they will radiate for up to 1000 diameters around super giant stars, neutron stars and black holes. near galactic cores the obstructed zones may span vast regions where the extremely faint gravitation caused by the mass shadow of the core are strong enough to form massive concentrations of matter that is hot enough to support fusion at it's very core causing masses of gases to randomly fuse and shatter the structure and cause shockwave that constantly destroy and reform the solidified drifts.
Travel within 100,000 diameters of a galactic core is almost impossible by any known means to reach open space a race would have to tunnel through solid masses to reach another system or navigable hyperspace.
Pilot Check Modifier: -8DM
Average Speeds: listed speeds
( Max speed modified by hull type and pilot checks and can reach x4 listed speeds, risk of collision does exist on a failed a skill check, Difficult Pilot check to avoid collusion, 2d6 damage to ship from collision)
Hyperspace travel 101
Faster than Light travel is well beyond the grasp of Human technology. So to allow interstellar travel without the need for multi generation flights, Humans use Hyperspace as a shortcut between distant points.
Hyperspace is in fact a parallel universe that is much younger and much more energetic than Normal space. It's small size, and higher quantum energy state creates a hot dense universe compared to Normal space.
Each point of time space in normal space, is directly tied to a sister point in Hyperspace. By opening a transit point which allows a normal space object to transfer into Hyperspace A starship can side step into Hyperspace. It then travels at much slower speeds to the sister point of it's desired destination and transits back into Normal space. While it goes no faster than a 20th century airliner, it has to travel a far shorter path effectively crossing trillions of miles in weeks rather than millennia.
This aspect of Hyperspace makes it possible for interstellar travel and trade to exist, and allows various races to expand their populations to stars out of the reach of conventional space flight. However the transit into hyperspace begins a dangerous journey through a region where normal space physics do not exist,or are distorted by the local environment of hyperspace.
Mass Shadows and safe transit points.
All objects in normal space effect not only normal space/time, but Hyperspace/time. Most objects are far too light to cause a noticeable effect in Hyperspace. However large stars and solar systems create a mass shadow which attracts matter in Hyperspace toward the center of the mass shadow.
The lack of any gravitation in Hyperspace prevents this condensed dust and gases from forming into planets and stars, but it does cause the creation of irregular masses of condensed matter, and gas. These obstructions react violently to having transit points opened in their mass, which means vessels must transit into open regions to avoid a rather violent explosion, or accidental collision, on entering Hyperspace.
safe transit is usually only possible at a distance of 100 diameters from any world although this is not always the case. random drift and debris can create hazards even in normally safe zones. Most Hyperdrives include devices that detect instability caused when a transit point intersects with matter concentrations near the point of arrival, and shut down the system to avoid accidents.
All systems have naturally occurring safe points which are formed when eddies and ripples in the systems mass shadow sweep debris clear in a small area. these transit points for the Sol system occur at a point where the Solar gravity ad mass interact with Jupiter's mass and gravity, usually in a region inside the asteroid belt.
For example the Trans Jupiter Transit zone occurs in an area swept clear by the combined interaction between Jupiter and Saturn over millions of yeas has created a stable channel of open Hyperspace that is safe to transit into from Real space.
Trans gates, and Artificial transit points.
Artificial transit points, and transit gates are possible, and common. a large array of electromagnetic emitters, and regular housekeeping patrols to remove large dangerous debris from the gate area. sweep a small region of Hyperspace clear and allow small vessels to enter Hyperspace just outside the moons orbital radius.
These artificial transit gates allow vessels such as shuttles and yachts which are not large enough to carry life support for the week long cruise out to transit Zone Alpha to enter Hyperspace within hours of an earth launch and then cruise on their own to distant destinations.
While not instantaneous it is possible to travel across the 100 light year radius of human occupied space in as little as one month. In practice traveling along well traveled and safe routes a passenger can expect a one month voyage between earth and Avandiir, ( the imperial capital world, distance 20 light years) with trips ranging from one to four weeks being most common.
The travel times between major capitals are roughly on par with the travel times between Europe and The Americas by means of Sailing vessels. this does limit reaction times, and increases the cost of transport, but the low cost of Hyperspace capable craft, and demand for off world goods makes interstellar commerce and travel an affordable prospect.
In practice Military, and independently owned vessels, use less favorable higher risk route through Hyperspace. The higher risk level, allows them to make a voyage that would take commercial liner of hauler, a month, in ten to twelve days.
Other means of travel and communication using Hyperspace.
Experimental Hyper ways, artificial tunnels with transit gates at either end, allow passengers and commuters to ride a subway system from cities on one continent to another in less than thirty minutes. Hyper slings, allow special stations in orbit to fire a capsule directly into Hyperspace on a preprogrammed course to a capture station, these capsules are usually for cargo but several military forces have experimented with using them as a means of delivering vehicles, troops, and combat machines to neighboring systems with little delay time.
Hyper skip: ( jump Drive)
experimental trials of Skip drives which effectively skip a vessel off the Hyper-subspace boundary and eject them back into real space have been proceeding for several years. the dangers, and expense of the drives and the precision required for calculations required to bounce off two separate dimensional boundaries, and reenter normal space without vaporizing make the system an interesting experiment and little more for the foreseeable future.
this system does offer the hope of traveling several light years at a time without exposing the crew to the dangers of Hyperspace. But a 12 percent success rate, and half the probes skipped so far detonating on arrival make it seem like a poor investment to anyone but pure research agencies.
Hyper-net.
By opening small transit points and beaming broad band signals into Hyperspace, it is possible for faster than light signals to be transmitted between planets. Distortions, and noise caused by Hyperspace noise, do interfere with signals limiting range to around five light years between relay points in real space. However the system allows distant computer networks to bounce data requests, and communications packets between the Networks on one planet and another. shortening the transit time for a signal to days rather than decades.
relay lags, the need to transmit the same packet several times to compensate for distortion and signal degradation and the primitive amount of bandwidth available for a signal limits the hyper net to text, and prerecorded voice only without accessing a far more advanced network established by the O'sahdii and made available for commercial data transfer.
The limitations of the system restrict commercial traffic to packets of less the one megabyte, and suffer delays of 1 to six days when relayed to systems more than 3 light years away. Signal degradation, and data loss along the network force most high density data transfers, and vital documentation to be transferred by courier along normal mail boat relays.
Physics
Gravity:
Gravity is not a major factor in Hyperspace Physics, the mutual attraction of one mass on nearby masses, and distortion of the space time fabric, is greatly muted in Hyperspace causing gravitational forces to be weak to nonexistent in Hyperspace.
even in regions where huge masses of Hypermatter have formed into massive reefs the gravitational force is so week that objects more massive than earth are irregular jagged sheets of material spread out into broad irregular, and porous, plates instead of solid spherical masses.
The only major concentrations of Gravity are within the "Mass Shadows" of super massive Normal Space bodies such as solar systems, Super giant stars, Neutron stars and black holes. This tends to cause reefs to form in broad crescents around these objects spiraling in slow rotation around their Normal Space anchors.
Inertia:
Inertia seems to be altered in Hyperspace as well as gravity. It is still a constant threat to travelers, however it seems to follow a different set of rules than in Normal space. At a certain threshold based on the mass and velocity of the object the effects of inertia increases at a much higher rate than in normal space. This fact allows scientists and engineers to use the altered inertial properties to great advantage.
Distance:
Hyperspace is a highly compressed. Each point in Hyperspace is linked to a point in Normal Space by Gravitic and quantum anchors but these points are not always fixed. While the distance from one point to another may be tens of thousands of miles, the normal space point connected to the two Hyperspace points may be millions or trillions of miles distant from one another.
Speed of Light: While the physics of Hyperspace are altered from Normal Space the Speed of light is still a constant. However due to the unique traits of hyperspace an particle moving at the speed of light will arrive at the same comparative distance as if it were moving many times the speed of light.
Chemistry:
Unlike Normal space Hydrogen, Helium and light gasses are found in much lower concentrations with Oxygen, Carbon, and Iron making up the larger percentage of matter. Exotic metals, and isotopes of common elements also exist in high concentration, complicating navigation and survival for Normal Spacers due to their sometimes unstable nature.
A chance collision between a Normal space object and unstable Hypermatter can result in an energetic reaction which releases large amounts of heat and exotic quantum particles. The reactions re intense enough to cause break down of normal matter and serious thermal damage to manufactured structures and organic tissue.
As a result any vessel traversing Hyperspace must maintain a strong electromagnetic field to deflect energetic Hypermatter protecting is systems and passengers from sudden terminal thermal shock...in short ships without "Static Barriers" are prone to being blown apart without warning by Hypermatter.
In addition to the energetic forms of Hypermatter There are thousands of isotopes of common elements which have been altered by the presence of exotic particles in their atomic structure. These isotopes are often referred to as "Zed" and"Exo" Isotopes or inaccurately referred to as Dark Matter.
Zed isotopes often possess unique properties not found in Normal isotopes. Carbon Zed being the most notable. When subjected to low level modulated Quantum resonance Carbon-Zed releases large amounts of heat, and exotic particles that create a highly charged hot plasma.
This property makes Carbon-Z and excellent fuel for Quantum resonance reactors, starships Ion Plasma drives and other applications. it's relative abundance, stable nature and high density make it a highly sought after commodity resulting in numerous mining drifts and processor stations being constructed in areas where Carbon-Zed is found in concentration.
Stable Hyper Energetic Matter (Hypermatter)
By means not understood or explained by Normal Space physics, matter exposed to the regions near the event horizon of a Singularity become hyper energized exotic particles which normally do not combine or interact with matter are forced to bind with the nucleus of atoms giving the matter much greater stored energy.
These particles may quickly (and destructively) decay when exposed to the physics of Normal space. In Hyperspace Hypermatter may linger for much longer periods, (some Hypermatter isotopes can have a half-life of millions of years.) unless an outside force liberates the exotic particles contained by the isotopes.
By means of quantum resonance specific hyper isotopes can be coaxed into rapid decay releasing energy with a spectacular release of heat, and exotic radiation. This allows the use of Hypermatter as fuel and in weapons systems by advanced cultures
Unstable Hypermatter:
Similar to Stable Hypermatter these exotic isotopes decay at various rates, or when it comes into contact with Normal Matter. This poses a distinct hazard to travelers when large concentrations of Unstable Hypermatter are encountered. When properly harvested and shielded Unstable Hypermatter is a powerful if dangerous fuel source. By Interstellar Protocols the use of Unstable Hypermatter in weaponry is highly restricted ad subject to severe reprisals if deployed by an interstellar power.
Dark Matter:
Once again the term is misapplied to this family of isotopes. The matter is similar to other isotopes in the fact that exotic particles are trapped within the structure of a common isotope. This family of exotic mater is nearly inert, reacting weakly with acids, bases, magnetic fields and the presence or absence of heat.
Generally expensive and hard to refine from ores Dark Matter is used in extremely advanced alloys, and weapons systems. Its density, and inert nature makes it ideal for use in Mass driver projectiles and industrial tools, devices.
Carbon-Zed:
a hard structurally rigid substance with a hardness that approaches that of sapphire and diamond. It is used in advanced alloys, polymers, synthetics, power sources, and in near molecular scale electronics
Ferro-Zed/Exo-Iron:
Infused with exotic particles this isotope of iron is denser, less malleable, less reactive to acids, and gasses. It's also has a much higher melting point which makes it an invaluable metal for creation of advanced alloys, armor and military hardware.
However it is highly detrimental to Humans due to the fact it can replace the iron in hemoglobin. This causes a type of anemia due to the fact Ferro-zed does not readily combine with oxygen.
Geography:
Hyperspace has several major features that make navigation and survival difficult. Veils, Reefs, nebula, and Drifts, each one is formed by the various physical processes at play in Hyperspace and give the region a sometimes hellish violent nature.
Veils: veils are truly awe inspiring sights. Sheets of dust and gases, lit by sheets of blue green red and gold light, sometimes massive electrical arcs leap across the surface of a veil in spectacular displays.
Veils are formed by the distortions created when Hyperspace folds back in on itself. Gasses trapped and excited by the distortions in Hyperspace eventually build up into curtains of energy thousands of miles thick and millions of miles high.
Navigation routes can be greatly shortened by traversing a veil, or finding a thin point in the veil and traversing through it. Unfortunately these openings and thin regions are constantly shifting making them unreliable as a means of cutting travel time for most commercial traffic.
Inside a veil high winds violent turbulence and dangerous energy discharges make navigation treacherous. Ship systems are damaged, crews injured and passengers treated to a truly hair raising ride as the ship fights hurricane force, and higher, winds. in addition large fragments of debris, highly abrasive dust, and the dangers of a sudden eruption of charged gases make veils a tremendously dangerous place to pilot a vessel.
Reef:
Irregular in size shape and composition reefs resemble their aquatic name sakes. on the surface millions of filter feeders, grow in rainbow colors hiding the ugly gray black crags of rock they grow on.
Often flat crescent shaped strands of rock formed by dust and debris collecting around the Mass Shadow of super massive Real space object. Reefs are one of the few places in Hyperspace that liquid water can be found in abundance. found in small pools, lakes and cisterns formed in the porous structure of the reef, entire lakes, and small seas are found on larger reefs. Many reefs have an interior network of steamy moisture laden passages often penetrate deep into the depths of the reef.
This concentration of water has led to a teeming, highly varied, and aggressive biology growing up around reefs. This wildlife spreads out into the more open reach of Hyperspace, and migrates easily from reef to reef. Ranging from microscopic to the monstrously huge Exo-life form are often aggressive, and well protected against predators and natural hazards.
Drifts:
While most reefs are anchored to the Mass shadow of a Normal Space object drifts either formed in the absence a Mass Anchor, or have broken free of that anchor due to some outside force. Drifts are irregular, and often consist of broken remains of reefs, large loosely formed clouds of smaller masses of coral
The size, shape, and density of Drifts vary widely but they are a significant hazard to navigation do to the fact they tend to move freely around large regions of Hyperspace and can form breakup and reform without any warning.
Nebula:
Almost identical to their Normal Space counterparts Nebula are massive clouds of gas, dust, and debris. These huge clouds are often violent and turbulent places lit by massive electrical discharges, eruptions of energy caused by decay of unstable Hypermatter and powerful storms generated by the differences in heat, and charge among pockets of gas within the nebula. These bodies are often not much more dense than water mixed with heavy dust, debris and other solids till it approaches the consistency of a thick pudding.
Energetic Quasi Stellar Mass (Hot Nebula) :
As close as Hyperspace can come to a star. Hot Nebula are masses of super hot plasma dust and gasses held together by the Mass Shadow of Hyper massive objects in Normal Space. (super massive black holes, galactic cores and a few Super massive Giant stars.)
Heated by gravity, decaying Hypermatter and other unknown forces the Hot Nebulae burns with a dull red light often concealed by a thin crust of coral and debris
White Nova:
His is one of the most dangerous of all quasi-stellar objects in Hyperspace. White Novae are formed when a massive black hole temporarily punches a hole into Hyperspace, expelling a stream of highly energetic exotic matter into Hyperspace.
While the actual intrusion of the black hole into Hyperspace lasts only nanoseconds. The energetic matter, gasses and exotic particles linger for minutes, days or even decades. While the streamers of Hypermatter generated by white novae are extremely dangerous the true destructive power of a White Nova is the shockwave it creates. in Normal Space The shockwave is muted by the vacuum of space, in Hyperspace the shockwave can propagate for great distances.
White Nova shock waves are powerful enough to shatter even the largest reefs, and scatter drifts. These powerful blast often rock hyperspace producing sleet of dangerous fragments ranging in size from gravel to mountains. White Novae seem to be one of the primary forces that redistribute matter in Hyperspace and spread life forms (which survive the shockwave impact) into distant regions of Hyperspace.
Biology:
Hyperspace has its own highly diverse and robust biology. Often these creatures make use of Xeno Isotopes, and exotic matter to develop formidable defenses and weapons for hunting their prey among the reefs.
Three forms of life have evolved in Hyperspace Sedentary, mobile and free swarming. Sedentary creatures are much like the life forms that form aquatic reefs; most are filter feeders gathering nutrients from particles of matter, and small bit of organic matter that happens by them. These range from sponges and anemone to predatory creatures that use mobile stalks, spring trap jaws, and electrically charged tendrils to stun then kill their larger prey.
Mobile Life forms often resemble insects, arthropods and crustacean with a combination of legs, mandibles ad tendrils/tentacles not commonly seen in a single species in terrestrial oceans. Ranging in size from no larger than a flea to some life forms that rival dinosaurs and elephants in size there is no biological niche not filled by mobile creatures in Hyperspace.
Classifications of Hyperspace
Open Hyperspace:
where there are few mass shadows created by normal space bodies such as solar systems and massive stars Hyperspace tends to be devoid of concentrations of dust and gas. in these regions temperatures hover around 200 degrees below zero Fahrenheit and only thin gas and dust limit visibility and navigation.
though mostly empty massive veils of gas and dust can form into slowly changing visually spectacular displays that have become popular scenic attractions and are often featured in advertising for various travel agencies.
Open space is the safest fastest, and most navigable regions of Hyperspace with vessels able to achieve effective speeds of 20-30 light years per day. However strong winds, violent storms and dangerous electrical discharges make this region potentially hazardous to travel.
to allow safe navigation weather ships, and scouts are often deployed updating subscribers on current conditions, transiting vessels, and other vital information needed by slower less agile commercial vessels for safe transit.
In open regions massive permanent habitats and carrier ships have been constructed. Habitats usually referred to as drifts, allow vessels to refuel, make repairs, and allow the passengers and crews to enjoy the more enjoyable aspects of Hyperspace life without danger from wildlife and sudden attack by hostile vessels.
Supper Haulers are so massive that they can carry several dozen docked commercial vessels and convey them at high speeds and low expense over long distances. Most often small in system freighters, shuttles and personal yachts will make use of a super haulers or space train to make log interstellar distances.
Pilot Check Modifier: None
Average Speeds: x2 listed speeds
( Max speed modified by hull type and pilot checks and can reach x6 listed speeds)
Normal Hyperspace:
These regions consist of pockets of denser space surrounded by large areas of open hyperspace. They exist most commonly due to interaction of mass shadows of multiple stars and star clusters. They can also form around singular massive objects such as brown dwarf stars.
Normal Hyperspace is easily navigated and seldom have much in the way of extraordinary hazards The presence of dense gas and dust in the region also makes them ideal refueling points for starships and smallcraft.
Small scale mining and 'fishing"operations will take place in these regions with several vessels supporting the operations for short periods of time then moving on. Most often long term resource gather structures are not profitable enough to operate in these regions tending to gravitate to denser regions of hyperspace.
Maritime assistance agencies, military forces, and support facilities such as fuel depots may be established along frequently traveled routes and provide a stop over for ships in transit to refuel, seek minor repairs, and assistance in case of attack or medical emergencies.
Dense Hyperspace:
near large normal space masses dust and small debris will condense into clouds and nebulae, this sort of region is more difficult to navigate but is most common near stars with inhabited planet. large vessels, and slower commercial traffic require detailed scans of a dense region to navigate safely, and most vessels will pay for navigational assistance by fixed nav stations which use drones, and manned scout vessels to map the rapidly changing condition in a dense region of Hyperspace.
Dense regions are prone to violent weather caused by electrically and thermal variations in the gasses and dust. often storms in a dense region can reach gale, or hurricane force in a matter of hours. this violent weather and the dust and debris propelled by the weather ores man vessels to alter course or maintain position until a storm blows itself our, or travels out of the vessels intended flight path.
Due to the high concentrations of dust and gas, these regions have limited lines of sight and can be completely obscured by large veils and nebulae, navigation by radar and other electromagnetic sensors can also be impaired by charged particles and random bursts of radio frequency noise generated by static discharges between varying areas of electrical charge.
to safely navigate those regions combined visual, and radar based systems may be needed with heavy shielding to prevent the systems from being affected by charged gas and dust. Many fleet, and individual actions take place in dense Hyperspace regions due to the short lines of sight which allow vessels to hide from, or stalk other vessels. for this reason many vessels will launch point defense drones and fighters to scout ahead of and trail the mother vessel to detect and discourage attackers.
large schools of mobile fauna and flora are common in Dense regions feeding on drifting pollen and exo-plankton common in Hyperspace. Many species contain useful products, or are edible by humans creating a booming Hyper-fishery industry which often frequent dense regions of Hyperspace.
materials gathering and extraction platforms are also found in these regions and can be quite massive. Using electromagnetic and physical nets to trap and direct dust, and debris into processing stations these drift miners can extract large quantities of lighter exo-materials each day. the large size of the nets, and stations however can cause navigational problems for commercial vessels requiring regular monitoring of nets and stations by navigational assistance agencies.
Pilot Check Modifier: -2Dm
Average Speeds: listed speeds
( Max speed modified by hull type and pilot checks and can reach x4 listed speeds, risk of collision does exist on a roll of double 1s on a skill check,Average Pilot check to avoid collusion, 2d6 damage to ship from collision)
Cluttered Hyperspace:
closer to large mass objects in real space large amounts of solid matter can accumulate and form into large free floating reefs, and clouds of dense debris and gravel. The higher temperatures in these regions often create frequent lightening, and thunderstorms which make navigation, and a prolonged presence in a cluttered region risky.
cluttered regions have an unfortunate tendency to be home to large solidified masses, ranging in size from gravel to drifting mountains and island. they are often highly irregular and jagged, with multiple bodies traveling in swarms held together by local conditions and mutual attraction.
large schools of mobile fauna and flora are constant in Dense regions feeding on drifting pollen and exo-plankton common in Hyperspace. Many species contain useful products, or are edible by humans creating a booming Hyper-fishery industry which often frequent dense regions of Hyperspace.due to close proximity of large reefs and drifts ships are far likelier to encounter mobile fauna which may be attracted to the ship using it to hitch a ride to new feeding grounds or to use the ship for protective cover from predatory species.
materials gathering and extraction platforms are also very common in these regions they physically mine large resource rich drifts using mining rigs, and large crushes to strip mine available resource. Numerous smallcraft, debris from mining operations, and the sometimes trigger happy nature of miners protecting their claims can cause navigational problems for commercial vessels requiring vessels to be very cautious when making a close approach to a mining facility.
Pilot Check Modifier: -4DM
Average Speeds: listed speeds
( Max speed modified by hull type and pilot checks and can reach x4 listed speeds, risk of collision does exist on a roll of double 1s on a skill check,Average Pilot check to avoid collusion, 2d6 damage to ship from collision)
Obstructed Hyperspace:
these regions are almost impassable for any starship. either large masses of 'land" extremely energetic high temperature gasses, or other local features make travel through these regions extremely difficult. to negotiate Obstructed regions a starship must navigate fissures and passages within the mass of the obstruction, or be heavily shielded against radiation and heat.
Most Obstructed regions form within 50 diameters of a real space object such as a gas giant, or star. they will radiate for up to 1000 diameters around super giant stars, neutron stars and black holes. near galactic cores the obstructed zones may span vast regions where the extremely faint gravitation caused by the mass shadow of the core are strong enough to form massive concentrations of matter that is hot enough to support fusion at it's very core causing masses of gases to randomly fuse and shatter the structure and cause shockwave that constantly destroy and reform the solidified drifts.
Travel within 100,000 diameters of a galactic core is almost impossible by any known means to reach open space a race would have to tunnel through solid masses to reach another system or navigable hyperspace.
Pilot Check Modifier: -8DM
Average Speeds: listed speeds
( Max speed modified by hull type and pilot checks and can reach x4 listed speeds, risk of collision does exist on a failed a skill check, Difficult Pilot check to avoid collusion, 2d6 damage to ship from collision)
