Verteron Fold Drive

Overview

The principle form of Superluminal travel utilised by the Serene^Union of Kaenei, the Fold Drive functions along the principle of total mass negation, and the manipulation of the fabric of space into a more accepting arrangement. The extremely high energy demands required to achieve this mean that the primary power source of the drive system is the Matter/Anti-Matter Reaction Assembly.

Application

Energy from the volatile reaction is shunted through heavy-gauge power transfer conduits to identical power storage facilities. Here a percentage of the total energy yield is siphoned off for shipboard operations, whilst the majority is shunted to the Verteron Fold Drive. Here the charge required is contained until the Verteron Drive activates, creating a static "bubble" around the starship which negates the mass of anything within the field- Effectively making it a non-event in the space time continuum.

The second phase involves the manipulation of space itself. A folding technology is employed that allows both the starting point of the starship and the arrival point to occupy the same point in space and time. The starship passes through this newly crated fold, and space returns to normal.

Limitations

Due to the precise nature of the field required to negate the mass of the target starship, powerful gravitation fields interfere with Verteron Drive modulations and as a result sources of these fields must be avoided. The primary source of these fields being planets, it is not normally possible to engage the Verteron Field Drive in orbit, or within a Solar System.

The energy requirements of the drive are proportional to the distance travelled- Small folding will allow for other systems to remain engaged and functional e.g. Weapons. However during great distances or that which requires the drive to function close or at maximum operational capacity consequently draws far more energy and may impact normal starship operations.