Serena Dawn and Starfall

[Samlangdon]

Starfall…that’s what some people called it. That odd, colorless foray into the void where the ship sails between systems at superluminal velocities. The moment before starfall is always tense, as the crew announces system departure is imminent. Engineers checking and double checking, lights dimming and non-essential power systems are shut down. Meanwhile, all the passengers hoping that the astrogators did their onerous calculations correctly and misjump was not in their future.
As the departure point approaches, all are ordered to secure themselves in couches. For over four standard days now, the acceleration of the Serena Dawn approximated 1 g of gravity to bring the old freighter to the insertion velocity of 1.0634% c. In these final moments before departure, the acceleration ceases at a cruising speed just under insertion velocity. The pre-jump weightlessness only adds to the tension.
It is during this period that the GUTdrive is checked, double checked, checked again. It is this piece of equipment, housing a broken shard of space time—a brimming cauldron of exotic matter—that makes entry into the void possible when the precise velocity is attained. The raw physics are understood by very few, but it works to hurdle ships throughout the frontier more often than not.
As the ship makes some final course calculations, final acceleration is announced. The jump is ‘go.’ No one knows how many the old tramp freighter has made, but the last overhaul was at Truane’s Star. Gravity returns in that instant as a final push to insertion velocity is attained. The lights dim and the hull rattles from the enormous amount of power diverted from the power plant to fire up the GUTdrive.
More silent prayers as the Dawn departs reality, leaving Truane’s Star for a hot, barren world in the Zebulon system. 9 months ago, an exploration crew made a similar journey, and never returned.
And then, starfall. It will only last a few uncomfortable seconds, but seems an eternity….
And then it is over. 5 light years crossed in mere seconds and Zebulon system is confirmed. The crew announces that turning will begin for deceleration, and that for the next several minutes all passengers are to remain strapped until the decel commences.
The destination….a habitable but uncolonized rock called Volturnus.

Commentary:
The 1.0634% C I think sounds better for void insertion velocity. The GUTdrive (grand unified theory, I think) is my own addition that I got from a Baxter novel, and I think helps to explain getting into the void. (I’m less than pleased with 1% lightspeed just puts you in). It does not change game mechanics or spaceship ops in any way. Starfall, I like as a term for jump and got it from the Alternity setting.
Formal posts aren’t beginning yet. This is just background, setting the stage. My next background post will describe a little more detail of whose on board the Dawn, the mission, etc. Keep making those characters.

[jedion357]

Rocking the charts is the dralasite singing sensation with her hit "Starfall"
Endorsed by the Brotherhood of Spacers as theme music for the transition to starfall.

"Starfall"
This is the end
Hold your breath and count to ten
Feel the ship move and then
Hear my heart burst again

For this is the end
I've drowned and dreamt this moment
So overdue I owe them
Swept away, I'm stolen

Let the stars fall
When it crumbles
We will stand tall
Face it all together

Let the stars fall
When it crumbles
We will stand tall
Face it all together
At starfall
At starfall

Starfall is where we start
A thousand miles and poles apart
Where worlds collide and days are dark
You may have my number, you can take my name
But you'll never have my heart

Let the stars fall (let the stars fall)
When it crumbles (when it crumbles)
We will stand tall (we will stand tall)
Face it all together

Let the stars fall (let the star fall)
When it crumbles (when it crumbles)
We will stand tall (we will stand tall)
Face it all together
At starfall

[x2:]
(Let the star fall
When it crumbles
We will stand tall)

Where you go I go
What you see I see
I know I'd never be me
Without the security
Of your loving arms
Keeping me from harm
Put your hand in my hand
And we'll stand

Let the stars fall (let the stars fall)
When it crumbles (when it crumbles)
We will stand tall (we will stand tall)
Face it all together

Let the stars fall (let the stars fall)
When it crumbles (when it crumbles)
We will stand tall (we will stand tall)
Face it all together
At starfall

Let the stars fall
We will stand tall
At starfall
Oh

[rattraveller]

Grekka arose from her bunk aboard the Serena Dawn. Now that it had reached a 1G cruising speed she felt she could move around comfortably. She had never thought she would need what they called “space legs” since she never thought she would leave Kraatar. Now all these months later she had them but didn’t like to use them.
Initially she had booked passage aboard a Trans Travel merchant ship, thinking she would go to the White Light system and start a new life. When one of the robots on the ship malfunctioned, Grekka fixed it for the Captain who then asked her stay on. He knew her story and had advised her going to a Human planet might not be best. Grekka had grown up with Humans and thought she would be comfortable among them but the Captain had told her the Humans on Gollywog were very different then the Humans of Kraatar.
During the week she spent on shore leave she learned just how different they were. Most had been accepting but some who did not like the Vrusk Trade Houses and sided with the Kraatar Liberation Corp had made things difficult for her. Besides having grown up on the very dry Kraatar, she found the very wet Gollywog not to her liking. Going back to the Trans Travel merchant seemed like her best option although a Lt. Tabbe was very convinced she would make an excellent marine.
Of course that was not the only thing she had to learn to become comfortable with since having had to leave Kraatar. Looking down at her roommate for this trip, a Dralasite she remembered her first meetings with large numbers of them and Yazirians. Before travelling the stars the only contact she had had with those species had been in holovids. Dralasites were always playing jokes and talking instead of working. Yazirians were always grabbing strange looking swords and charging into fights screaming “You are my Life Enemy Prepare to Die”.
While she had met many of both species and thought the stereotype could never be universally applied, she didn’t know about her current teammates. So far she hadn’t had much interaction from the Dralasite called Dalmar Lar but being roommates that should change. On the other hand the two Yazirians Gideon Pai-jon and Kahn gak Harkannon moved like warriors and both had had to put swords into the weapons locker so maybe the stereotype wasn’t far off with them.
Grekka would have preferred to share a cabin with the last member of the team a Human named Rigel Famm. Like the others she had not dealt much with him but he seemed OK so far and she was used to humans and they were the same age. The Captain of this ship another human had a thing for males and females sharing a cabin. Only it seemed to apply only to mammals since Dalmar was in male form for his species. Humans were just like that.
Well Dalmar was going to get something to eat, Grekka decided now was the time to get to know them. Calling out she said, “So what do you prefer to be called?”