Kal
Whispers
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Few organisations are as interested in unconventional means of travel as Greystone Mercantile, the developer of the Helldrive and the Navbrains, and one of the driving forces behind the Jumpmaster Project's more unusual undertakings. Utilising the newest biomechanical technologies available to them, these strange orbicular devices are, in effect, navigational computers so advanced they border on self-awareness.
Sometimes referred to as Navspheres by their makers, these extraordinary devices are able to process near unfathomable amounts of relevant data, including the invisible currents of the Force, to calculate optimal jumps for any situation. Under ordinary circumstances, anyway.
Internal Greystone threat assessments indicate that an event such as Csilla's destruction might well pull their entire fleet out of hyperspace due to auto-sedation protocols aimed at preventing the loss of Navbrains to unusually strong disturbances. Fortunately, such tragedies are rare.
More localised events are liable to have more localised effects. This includes wars, plagues, famines, and purposeful disruptions.
- Intent: Biomechanical path engine analogue; partially Force-based functionality.
- Image Source: Reverse Engineering by Benjamin Last and Our Secret Mind by Quentin Stipp.
- Canon Link: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Primary Source: Path Engine
- Manufacturer: Greystone Mercantile
- Affiliation: Greystone Mercantile
- Market Status: Closed-Market
- Model: Stargaze Engines / Navspheres
- Modularity: Moderate, primarily size.
- Production: Limited
- Material: Animatter, Neuromesh, etc.
- Stargaze Engines are semi-sentient biomechanical devices composed primarily of Neuromesh held within an Animatter shell. They are fuelled entirely by biomass, which is pumped in through a dedicated aperture and processed by something vaguely resembling a stomach. Each and every Engine has a Navbrain interred within, destined to spend the remainder of its natural life adjusting or enhancing the calculations of the rest of the Engine with its Forceful senses. These devices are plugged directly into ships and should never be opened by customers.
- Stargaze Modules are smaller devices suitable for Starfighters and such; since they lack a Navbrain of their own, optimal performance is only possible if operated by a Force Sensitive pilot with an aptitude for Instinctive Astrogation. This issue can be alleviated or eliminated by having such vessels jump in concert with other vessels that do have a functional Navbrain or a gifted astronavigator.
- Prognostication: Stargaze Engines are biomechanical Path Engine analogues able to calculate quick and unconventional hyperspace jumps, including making unusually short and precise microjumps, traversing the Deep Core and Unknown Regions, and bypassing major hyperlanes.
- Interference: The integrated Navbrain can be obfuscated by Disturbances in the Force and such, detrimentally affecting performance.
- Size Matters: Stargaze Modules can fit on Starfighters, but they cannot hold a Navbrain - their performance suffers accordingly.
Few organisations are as interested in unconventional means of travel as Greystone Mercantile, the developer of the Helldrive and the Navbrains, and one of the driving forces behind the Jumpmaster Project's more unusual undertakings. Utilising the newest biomechanical technologies available to them, these strange orbicular devices are, in effect, navigational computers so advanced they border on self-awareness.
Sometimes referred to as Navspheres by their makers, these extraordinary devices are able to process near unfathomable amounts of relevant data, including the invisible currents of the Force, to calculate optimal jumps for any situation. Under ordinary circumstances, anyway.
Internal Greystone threat assessments indicate that an event such as Csilla's destruction might well pull their entire fleet out of hyperspace due to auto-sedation protocols aimed at preventing the loss of Navbrains to unusually strong disturbances. Fortunately, such tragedies are rare.
More localised events are liable to have more localised effects. This includes wars, plagues, famines, and purposeful disruptions.
