Universe

Story

During the latter part of the First Stellar Expansion, it became evident that the technology from planets in the Home Cluster could not support the ever expanding colonization effort. The hyperdrive had opened an era of fast, economical travel between the stars. Journeys that used to consume decades could be made in a matter of days. However, the hyperdrive was not without its problems. Its unrefueled maximum range was a major limitation. After 3 or 4 hyperjumps, the ship would be completely out of the inhabited regions, with nowhere to refuel. Its fuel capacity was also part of the second limitation: the so-called "Mass Limit." Stated simply, the mass limit sets a severe limit on the maximum size of a spacecraft that can enter hyperspace. Because of these limitations, the experts were predicting an end to the rapid expansion that had previously characterized Earth's emergence as an interstellar civilization. In 2105, a research ship travelling through the far reaches of the Tau Ceti starsystem discovered a huge alien artifact. Entire scientific communities came to study the artifact and, several years later, the purpose of the great machine was discovered. It was a hyperspace booster. It had the capability to "push" spacecraft not tens but thousands of lightyears. Since the booster itself did not enter hyperspace, ships up to the mass limit could travel a thousand lightyears with minimal power use. Years of research continued. Why had the aliens abandonded the booster? Where had they gone? The scientists were unable to say. The booster contained a mapping system depicting millions of stars but very few of them had received any special mention. Finally, the control system was deciphered and test flights were made. They proved the machine to be fully functional and technician's knowledge of the control system adequate enough to allow regular use. The Second Stellar Expansion started. You are in a cluster of stars known as the Local Group. The LG is unable to communicate with Earth because travel using the booster is strictly one-way. Packages from Earth arrive every 25 days, with examples of the latest developments in technology. They appear somewhere in orbit around Axia, your home planet and the first colony of the Local Group. Although progress has been swift during the 200 years history of the Local Group, the colonies still lag behind Earth's level of development; the packages are vital. Some of the planets in the LG haven't even progressed as far as Axia because of environmental and cultural differences. Your own planet was specially noted by the aliens who built the booster and there is evidence that there were colonists on the planet before the humans arrived. All is not well now in the Local Group. There are many documented cases of slave trading, oppresive governments, and piracy around some of the less developed worlds. But far worse is the distressing news from Axia that for the past 80 days, not a single package has arrived from Earth. None of the previous communications had mentioned any difficulties on Earth or with the booster. Rumors about what has happended to the booster are rampant. Some suggest that the Earth was attacked by aliens, or that the booster has broken down, or the original owners returned to take their machine. Whatever the reason may be, the Local Group is now on the verge of complete panic. Only 15 days ago, the Axian Central Educational Institute announced that it had evidence pointing to the presence of a second hyperspace booster - somewhere in the Local Group. Your mission: locate the hyperspace booster. Your ship and crew aren't free, however, so during the course of your search, you are going to have to earn a living. Be the first to find the second hyperspace booster and your fortune is made. Fail, and a civilization encompassing 21 inhabited planets and 20 billion people will fall. The need for a hero has never been greater.