It is a given in a certain kind of sf that our heroes are free to explore or trade across interstellar distances in their own spaceship but such capabilities cannot be taken for granted. How do they do it?
UNS Ghost Dance was a spherical interplanetary naval transport, bought cheap by the Saxtorphs after the First Man-Kzin War, then refitted and renamed Rover. The new owners converted most personnel space to carry cargo.
A company tested an unmanned experimental hyperdrive craft which was lost after a monopole meteoroid fouled its electronics. When every other search had failed, Dorcas Saxtorph calculated where the derelict probably was. They found her, claimed salvage rights and installed the hyperdrive in Rover. Subsequently, licensing for purchase of hyperdrives was tightened up but the Saxtorphs were protected by a grandfather clause.
"'So here we've got the only completely independent starship in known space.'" (5, p. 49)
Suddenly, what started as a cliche becomes the exciting premise of a new adventure series.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
And I hope, assuming a real FTL scenario, there would soon be MANY private companies and independent entrepreneurs with FTL space ships! It would be reminiscent of what we saw during the early Polestotechnic League, up to Nicholas van Rijn's life time in the Technic history. Such companies and independents would be exploring, fostering trade, developing commercial possibilities.
I would dislike and oppose attempts by either the UN gov't or the early Solar Commonwealth to monopolize control of FTL ships in the hands of the state.
Ad astra! Sean
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