NS/releases/valve/manual/front_phasetech.html

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<td valign="top" background="images/design/surround_title_s.gif"><span class="sectionlink"><a href="frontiersmen.html">Frontiersmen
Data</a></span><span class="sectiontext"> :: Technical: <font color="#FF6600">Phase
Technology</font></span></td>
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<td>&nbsp;</td>
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<p><img src="images/images/10_data.gif" width="13" height="10">
When a marine steps into a phase gate, he becomes
the anchor for a subject field. A tunnel is then
carved through dimensional space, guided by the
observatory, till it finds another phase gate.
This tunnel is called the &quot;potentiality stream&quot;.
To put it simply, it makes it more and more likely
that the subject will actually be in the new location,
until it becomes so <i>likely</i> the probability
fulfills itself, and the subject <i>is</i>.</p>
<p><a href="items_distress.html">Distress beacons</a>
make use of temporary, basically disposable phase
gates, generated out of the nano-construction
abilities of a ship or base's <a href="front_commander.html">command
network</a>. Subject fields are created just long
enough to send all waiting reinforcements, with
the <a href="structures_observatory.html">observatory</a>
pinpointing the location. Some day, technology
like this may allow for point-specific personal
phase gate travel to any location within a command
network. </p>
<p>Phase travel requires energy commiserate with
the amount of mass being sent and the distance
it is to cover: first to generate the subject
field, and then to create the potentiality stream,
which must be tamed if the destination end is
to remain fixed. The observatory's job is to bombard
the stream with spatial information, allowing
it to latch on to the destination field. Without
a fixed destination point generating its own subject
field, the potentiality stream is too difficult
to control, and will wave about blindly. It will
as likely smear the marine over a few miles one
sliver at a time, or deposit them in solid matter
(which splits the stream &#150; not a pretty sight),
as transport them to a safe location. Even then,
on a small bit of pressurized metal surrounded
by an unforgiving vacuum, &quot;safe&quot; is
a relative term. </p>
<p>This is basically the same principle employed
by the huge, galaxy bridging gates that anchor
trans-system civilization &#150; except they deal in
thousands of light-years instead of a couple square
miles. As one expect, the size of the gates, and
the energy drain, is commensurately larger. Getting
such huge streams to hold still is a massive feat.
Human civilization went bankrupt trying to build
and operate these gates, while competing and fighting
with one another. <a href="general_tsa.html">The
Charter</a> has paved the way for economic and
military stability, and the TSA is dedicated to
preserving it.<br>
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