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Jump refers to a set of phenomena and principles which allow extrasolar travel. The space is stitched with displacement jump points, ripples which are connected to each other. The distortion waves of a jump point ripple across a ship's plot board.

Jumping is insanely dangerous and relies heavily on a pilot's carefulness.[1] It needs flawless and precision data collection, calculations and pinpoint maneuvering, without room for errors such as faulty sensor input, microfraction's divergence, wrong angle of aquisition or not fully engaged engine; this means unpredictable results or annihilation. Delays necessitate recaculation.[2][3]

A double jump is a much more risky and dangerous movement, where the same node is jumped twice in quick secession. The possibility is considered that the jumping ship might fall inside a star or planet. Double jumping offers some advantages and can be used as a tactical maneuver by capital ships. The TCS Concordia performed a double-jump to retreat from Tesla system to Enigma system.[4]

The jump containment fields could contain a limited amount of total mass; this limited the size of the ships' reactors (and thus the available energy for shields and plasma, in turn being a factor of balance between a ship's weight and offensive/defensive power.[5]

Process[]

Once inside the nexus, the Jump engine would interlock with the displacement of the jump point and hurls the craft across many light-years.

When the jump engines kick in, there is a gut-wrenching sense of falling (or "gut-wrenching twist"[6]), that many pilots hate. The engines override the artificial gravity in the interior of the ship for a moment. Where the star fields are visible, they are seen coalescing into a shimmering, deep red glow, an effect of the ship leaping through the folded space of the jump field, and they appear again once the ship is through.[7]

The G-force effects are negligible, although the passenger can see a dazzling light outside the porthole, as other ranges of the light spectrum become visible when the neutron warp drive is enabled. The jump is usually instant, but can last only minutes. The lights are then replaced by the usual black space.[8]

References[]

  1. Chris McCubbin, Official Authorized Wing Commander Confederation Handbook, Every Citizen's Guide to Practical Science
  2. Chris McCubbin, Official Authorized Wing Commander Confederation Handbook, NAVCOM A.I.
  3. William R. Forstchen, Action Stations, ch. 3
  4. Wing Commander II: Vengeance of the Kilrathi, Enigma series (Mission 1)
  5. William R. Forstchen, Action Stations, Chapter 2
  6. Mercedes Lackey and Ellen Guon, Freedom Flight, Chapter 7
  7. William R. Forstchen, Action Stations, Chapter 3
  8. Mike Harrison, Wing Commander I and II: The Ultimate Strategy Guide, The Academy Years

External links[]

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