Part 4

The three spires of the drive were in place...

Along the command centre all the doors were open. The external access doors - open, the captains door - open, and all the cockpit compartments - were open.

The command centre was a long corridor. Running centrally were the command and control tables. Lit on top and side; projecting displays from table top to ceiling. The cockpits were set into the walls of the command centre, one per valid crew member. The cockpits were secure and self sustaining to be used in heavy flight or cockpit. Built to withstand almost anything, should disaster occur the crew should survive - and still operate their jobs from their cockpits. Throughout the ship were other safe areas.

The crew were everything to the Golden Chance.

On the forward screen the countdown clicked down.

Ko-on was receiving reports. Already crew non critical to the operations of the spatial compression were safely tucked away.

At the command centre fore section Jolo Hq kept checking the flight program simulations. The problem with compression flight was the navigation. It had to be right and was almost impossible to run manually. Not much for the chief pilot to do except make sure the charts were right and press the start button.

The captain was in office. Plotting and listening. Senior crew dropping in with quick updates with responses of thanks and nod of head.

Of course the word around the ship was out that they were outnumbered and outgunned, also rife around the ship were recounts of their Captain and Ex Admirals legendary actions at Midtreanas. Midtreanas was almost urban legend. Down in the kitchens a book was being started, trying to define how wild the tactics to come would be. The good news was all the crew felt that the ship would survive. The only question was how.

Then it was only five minutes to go before the compression drive kicked in. The Captain strode out of his office, silver presentation microphone in hand, office door sealing behind him. He walked smiling till he was half way along the command centre.

"Dazzling lights a firey blaze"

He flicked the mike on

"Teaching us to not look away"

A hum filled the air. He held the microphone just above his mouth.

"Attention all, attention all. This is the Captain. As you must all know we're about to execute an early and somewhat speedy course change to intercept the convoy "Need for Speed" led by Ex Admiral Van Gehand aboard the Smokeless Fire. The convoy is due to be interecepted by a Sterateel gunship support vessel. In the coming fight we will be outnumbered, we wll be executing tactics that should amaze or enemies. The Golden Chance will survive. We will all survive. I promise you this - do what I ask and you'll be getting free drinks out of the coming events for the rest of your lives. We're about four hours out from catching up with the convoy, during the coast sections of this course change I ask you all to rest and eat well, nothing else, we can work when get there. That's all. Good Luck to us all, but I don't think we'll need it"

The microphone is shutdown. The captain leans into his cockpit and placed the microphone in his holder.

And says

"Seal the command centre, get into position, and let's enjoy this course change".

Transfer Gates

Transfer Gates are "Short" range methods of moving people and goods. Gates link up two points in Space Time and allow transfer of solid material between them. There is heavy regulation on these gates due to obvious criminal and terrorist application. Generally gates are only held on military ships or used by controlled licensced operators - such as space station to shore transfers.

Gates are range limited. Generally they can only effect a transfer between objects within 1 light second of each other. Limitations such as power and keeping gates aligned normally reduces this considerably.

However gate transfers are virtually instant, are not interruptable and are completely secure.

Transfer Gate technology is the way to get cargo and crew into space, and the way for the military to make secret transfers between ships

Part 3

The Golden Chance was an old lady of the fleet. Built over a 120 years ago she had long and graceful lines; bulked here are there with additions over the years but still fundamentally a lithe ship, even if showing the weight of old age. Fleet had designed her for many roles, and in her years she'd served them well. She'd ended up in Hajamke a relaxed colony founded by accident, built indepentantly and re-united with Fleet only two generations ago. On unification a serious of flexible ships had been assigned to defend the system, together with it's own built sentinals.

It had taken the Chance 5 years to get there. Bouncing high over lightspeed, then cruising near it. Most of it's original crew then trained the new eventually settling down, being on the land, breathing real air and taking on uncomplicated lives with actual dirt between their toes.

That was some time ago. Her new captain had stumbled on Hajamke with a handful of survivors from the Battle of Midtreanas and in doing so had a credit in finding the site for the Star Pool. The Star Pool project that the ex-admirals convoy was supplying; When the pool was ready Hajamke stood a chance of really joining the fold.

Which was a pity, for that brought risk. Not just from obvious attack, but of also being swallowed up in the homogenity of fleet. Still everyone rushed to built the pool.

At this time with Hajamke's sole star blazing brilliant orange behind; three long ripples issued along the Chance's hull. Hull plates moved exposing three trenchs from which three long low albedo gray towers rose, from the stem and hinged near the stern. Three slender towers that were the integral to the compression drive of the Golden Chance. Like sails they would move her, not by catching any wind but simply making waves in the nature of space and time itself.

The movement was smooth and calm. Lit only by high contrast star light.

Unlike the command centre, unlike the rest of the ship where everything was a bundle of busy.

Calmer also than the Captains mind

"Strangers moving in stranger ways
Flashing lights that persist and stay"

Part 2

Pictures in the air, sliding, enlarging, reducing, twisting even swaying. Floating blue images, lines, diagrams and flashing dots. The paraphrenalia of strategy. Then the annoyance of a tone designed for notice one that is hard to ignore.

A wave of the hand

"Captain Your line to the Smokeless Fire is on demand"

"Thank you"

Perhaps a little curt, not intentional - more lost in thought. Still summon a warm drink, feet up and make a the call. At least the ex-admiral running the Smokeless Fire is an old friend. Who quickly answers - exuberantly as usual.

"Freddie; are you catching up on old times?"
"Sorry to say no to that sir"
The ex admiral ponders for a tiny time
"Freddie, you never really called me sir when I was your Captain ..."
"Ok, sorry, I've got bad news. There's a good chance that a Sterateel support ship is moving to intercept your colony"
"How big"
"We guess three gunships and support fighters"
"That's a lot Freddie"
"It's going to be a tough fight."
"Can we get help?"
"With the Keramiss out of action - it's probably not a good idea"
"Ok, I see that point "
"I'm moving up our schedule to join you. I'm authorising speeds beyond navigation code, so tell your boys to batten down in case our wake hits. I want to prepare a defence strategy for the convoy"
"Thanks Freddie - I'll see the other captains don't complain"
"I have an awkward off the record question?"
"You best go ahead"
"Does the 'Fire have a working transfer gate"
"That would be illegal"
"So would some of my ideas at the moment"
"Off the record..."
"Completely"
"I've retrofitted a few systems on the 'Fire"
"Thank goodness for that - when we get in formation I'll come accross and we can work out what you need"
"That's good Freddie"
"Ok, well I'll be back in touch once we're in position"
"Good, you'll this convoy in fighting shape when you arrive"
"That I do not doubt"

A blink, silence, a thought, and a little less light. A muted room and a busy ship. A place for serious thought

"Drifting stars and flashing lights...."

The song continues

Getting Around

If this is Space Opera then there must be space travel. Both interplanetary and Interstellar. Here are the rough concepts for the bending of physics in Fleeting Moments.


Star Pools
These are points that connect to wormholes to wormholes. Star Pools are vast and dangerous. They are the points where connections where space time is sufficiently altered to allow Worm Holes to be built. No worm hole is ever 100% stable or directable. However transit is instant. Worm Holes have a tendancy to focus onto Star Pools. So Star Systems with Star Pools can more easily send and receive traffic.

Sometimes ships do go the wrong star pool - they either stay where they are or try again.

Sometimes ships in worm hole transit go so far off target that they may either never been seen again.

Star Pools are still seen as an advantage


DV Engines
DV - Delta Velocity. Or to put it simply very very efficient rockets. A primary (and simple method) or moving ships around.

Compression Engines
These compress and uncompress spacetime in a bubble around the ship. Very high speeds - even FTL speeds can be achieved by compression engines. Compression Engines need huge amounts of power and can often only be run for relatively short periods. However these are the most stable method of travelling large distances.

Note: Unless a Star Pool is used Interstellar travel usually takes months of years.

Note: All ships have methods of regulating the effects of acceleration. However during high speed or high risk operations most crew retire to individual booths, with self backing up systems for keeping the crew alive should anything go wrong

Part 1

"..fleeting moments;
different times and different ways.."

"Ahem" A tap on the table. An opening of eyes. A misfocus, a man, massive displays behind a dark brown mug.

"What's the news?" A recovery

"Latest from the Keramiss. Their engine repairs will take another 3 - 4 days, but they have the parts; so they won't need any help from us; but something disturbing from the probe they launched. Our preparations to catch up the convoy are all on time, helm has a acceleration window plotted - we can be in position today Captain"

"Ok, Ko-on let's take a look at the probe results. Where do you want to do this, main table or my office"

"For the moment - your office"

TIme to stand, grab the still warm cup and motion Ko-on to follow. Past the other empty tables, in front of the other tables, past the vast screen with it's arrays of views, tables, schematics and illustrations whilst opposite are the operations tables and wall desks of the command centre to a glass wall, with a glass down which opens silently. They both enter, the door closes, and at a quick nod the glass silvers. No noise here. Just a desk some and chairs. The captain settles into his.

"Here's the problem", a white stone is placed on the desk and touched for a few long seconds. Images focus over the desk.

"Last good image from the proble before it ceased transmitting, the books give it an 87% chance of being a support ship, around 3 gunships plus support squadron of fighters. It's on a low energy flight path, that with small modification could intercept the convoy in 11 or more hours",

"Ok, does the convoy know?"

"It's beyond their range to resolve - for a while at least."

"Good, that means I've got a good chance to talk to the ex-admiral with some sound tactics when he calls. We need to get into position a few hours earller. When we finish here arrange that with navigation. Give them my authorisation to exceed local acceleration codes for compression engines"

"Aye - what about the crew?"

"I'll get on the performance mike before we course shift. First I want to take a look at the full report on your stone and talk to an ex admiral - I need to ask him if he's breaking the law. I assume he is?"

"The stones in your desk, I'll get comms to secure a line with the convoy leader - I assume that's the ex admiral you want"

"Yes - but I didn't say anything"

"Ok Captain"

Ko-on gets up, takes his stone, the door glides open and shut

The room is silent.

The Story

In another place....

Interstellar travel has bee around for a long time.
Technology is such a part of life as to be completely invisible.
No one really notices it

A war rages accross the stars.

On one had there are the Sterateel. So alien as to be unknownable. So alien as for diplomacy to always fail. On the other hand are out heroes (no name here - I want the players to imagine them). The clash is the familiar (our heroes) and the alien.

No one knows why the war started or how it will end. It is played accross vast distances with each side taking almost random resources off each other.

This story is of the Frigate "Golden Chance" and her crew as she attempts to escort a convoy of supply ships to the constuction point of a Star Pool a place that draws in currents of chaotic fluttering wormholes that allow fast (if sometimes unpredictable)interstellar travel. Construction of the pool is important - it will allow development of what is an otherwise isolated system.

The Sterateel are just starting a campaing here and the job of getting accross the system is going to be a hard and tragic one

This is to be simple story. Told on a human level that alludes to huge goings on. An attempt to create the start of a huge space opera.

Fleeing Moments - the Space Opera

Written live in a blog format the blog consists of

1) Episodes and scenes from the story
2) Background and source information
3) Lyrics Poetery -and imagery writing
4) Story Arc notes
5) Discussions

The blog and copyright will be to myself (Robert Lyn Davies)
The Plan is to create a non linear novel told serially