From: Robyn Stott <rodstott@a...>
Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 07:38:27 +1000
Subject: Re: [GZG] FTverse colinies and FTL communications
Courier ships could also be sped up by using them in relay, ships may only be expected to make one or two jumps to a way point where another courier ship could be stationed, each operate on a regular jump cycle. News, mail etc is then tightbeamed (or wide beamed throughout a system if you want) to the waiting courier ship, which then jumps out to its destination, while the first ship spools up their FTL drive for the jump back. Of course this system would work best in the inner colonies, and not the outer colonies where reliance on passing tramp freighters, military patrol ships willing to carry the mail, and probably a regular courier ship stopping in every couple of weeks. This method is similiar to the old pony express and coaching wayhouses... stops to feed, water, and rest the horses were minimised by having fresh sets prepared along the route. Far quicker to change a set over (in this case transmit the data to another ship) than to rest the horses (or to spool/cycle the FTL Jump drive up for the next jump in the sequence) This method, especially if a system/government is willing to using several ships to act as couriers could easily halve the time it takes for news to spread - one role suited for those small naval craft... Robyn [quoted original message omitted]