Peer Communications |
Overview
In the military, corporate, and civilian sectors, few technologies are as important as communications technologies. An empire such as the Imperial Combine has information running through its veins, and that information is the life blood of economics, politics, research, diplomacy, education, and recreation.
Communications technology is present at all scales and in all walks of life. From the personal links favoured by those individuals with access to holos, to the huge arrays which relay databursts between distant gates — different devices are designed to do different things, and to do those things well.
Communications technology is present at all scales and in all walks of life. From the personal links favoured by those individuals with access to holos, to the huge arrays which relay databursts between distant gates — different devices are designed to do different things, and to do those things well.
LinksA link is a compact terminal which combines a secure communications system with an open platform upgrade philosophy. It is a short-range device which seeks to junction with the nearest available network, be that the communications system of a vessel, station, or town. It can also be used for direct and private peer-to-peer calls.
Links are usually worn. Elm Caden had his clipped to his collar when he was not in armour, whereas Bruiser wore his around his neck like a pendant. A link has simple 'tap, press, or hold' controls. A paired holo must be used to program the device with contacts, translation folders, routing guidance, and any other customisations. |
Holos and AuthenticationThe relationship between a holo and a paired link is so well secured that they are often used in combination for the transmission of identity authenticators.
For example, up until security was tightened on Imperial fortresses, during the Great War of the Shaeld, holos would be used by arriving visitors to 'sign in' to facilities such as Fort Herses, and that authentication would be considered sufficient by the staff on the arrivals gates. During authentication a holo will transmit a digital seal, which will then be verified with a digest supplied by the link. The seal would contain both recent and historical biometric information pertaining to the user. |
System Communications |
Overview
System communications operate on a different scale to peer communications, but in some ways they are very similar.
One way or another, planetary networks, stations, and vessels all communicate across the interstellar gulf through wormholes. The two ways this is usually achieved are:
Every Imperial planet has a communications network, comprised of its various cities' separate networks. This overall network is usually tethered to the star system's gate by means of a communications tower in the planetary capital. Comms traffic between the tower and the gate is often very heavy, however much of the traffic can be stored as a databurst and held until the gate is next active. Data is then sent to the interstellar network, where it is routed to its destination. Only messages which are flagged for immediate transmission by an authorised party will trigger an immediate gate activation.
In a similar fashion, vessels of the Imperial Navy will generally amass huge amounts of data to be sent back to command, or to various other recipients. Much of this can be stored in an aggregated transmission and sent as a databurst next time the vessel happens to travel a wormhole. On some occasions however a message must be sent immediately, and any ship equipped with a GNG drive can open a micro-wormhole for that purpose.
One way or another, planetary networks, stations, and vessels all communicate across the interstellar gulf through wormholes. The two ways this is usually achieved are:
- By opening an ad hoc wormhole with the express intention of sending a databurst through it,
- By delivering a databurst to a gate, for delivery with the next transmission.
Every Imperial planet has a communications network, comprised of its various cities' separate networks. This overall network is usually tethered to the star system's gate by means of a communications tower in the planetary capital. Comms traffic between the tower and the gate is often very heavy, however much of the traffic can be stored as a databurst and held until the gate is next active. Data is then sent to the interstellar network, where it is routed to its destination. Only messages which are flagged for immediate transmission by an authorised party will trigger an immediate gate activation.
In a similar fashion, vessels of the Imperial Navy will generally amass huge amounts of data to be sent back to command, or to various other recipients. Much of this can be stored in an aggregated transmission and sent as a databurst next time the vessel happens to travel a wormhole. On some occasions however a message must be sent immediately, and any ship equipped with a GNG drive can open a micro-wormhole for that purpose.
The Nexus
A nexus is a semi-permanent, artificial network of microscopic wormholes. They are usually maintained in civilised star systems, and assist greatly in navigation, communications, and defence.
When arriving outside a star system with no nexus, a ship's sensor readings of the system interior could reflect a situation minutes or hours old; this is because of the time taken for the light (or other energy signal) to travel across the star system. Inhabited planets in the same system suffer with the same problem — communicating important information can incur unacceptable delays due to the ever-changing distances between planets.
By allowing information to be carried freely outside the geometric constraints of normal space, a nexus can dramatically shorten communication delays.
In effect, a nexus shortens the distance between sensors and transmissions to just a few milli-light seconds. The actual time lag, and therefore the distance to the source, can be calculated by triangulating different instances of the signal. Star systems in which a nexus has been established are so heavily-permeated with microscopic wormholes, that the chances of a signal intersecting a wormhole aperture are relatively high. The aperture threshold of the wormholes prevents them from admitting solid matter.
A nexus is generated and stabilised by the local gate. If a gate is destroyed, or taken offline, it may take some time for the nexus to collapse. Its performance as a communications tool will become erratic and unreliable during this period, with ships or facilities farther away from the gate noticing the effects first.
When arriving outside a star system with no nexus, a ship's sensor readings of the system interior could reflect a situation minutes or hours old; this is because of the time taken for the light (or other energy signal) to travel across the star system. Inhabited planets in the same system suffer with the same problem — communicating important information can incur unacceptable delays due to the ever-changing distances between planets.
By allowing information to be carried freely outside the geometric constraints of normal space, a nexus can dramatically shorten communication delays.
In effect, a nexus shortens the distance between sensors and transmissions to just a few milli-light seconds. The actual time lag, and therefore the distance to the source, can be calculated by triangulating different instances of the signal. Star systems in which a nexus has been established are so heavily-permeated with microscopic wormholes, that the chances of a signal intersecting a wormhole aperture are relatively high. The aperture threshold of the wormholes prevents them from admitting solid matter.
A nexus is generated and stabilised by the local gate. If a gate is destroyed, or taken offline, it may take some time for the nexus to collapse. Its performance as a communications tool will become erratic and unreliable during this period, with ships or facilities farther away from the gate noticing the effects first.