Here is where you’ll find those things unique to my universe.
Antimatter is one of the greatest mysteries of particle physics. It is asymmetrical to matter, the substance of which the majority of our universe is composed. Produced artificially, it is the main fuel source used to power the Labule’s starships and hoskas and is consequently very important to the Empire. Unlike chemical or nuclear fuels, it can be produced from simple hydrogen, enabling antimatter production facilities to be constructed around virtually any stable star.
Antimatter is, put simply, the antithesis of matter. In the same way that matter is composed of distinct subatomic particles, antimatter is composed of antiparticles, which hold opposite charges to their particle counterparts. For example, a positron (antielectron) holds a positive charge, while its matter equivalent, the electron, holds a negative charge. In the same way that an electron and a proton form a hydrogen atom, a positron and an antiproton form an antihydrogen atom. Whenever antimatter comes into contact with matter, both are mutually annihilated at the subatomic level and photons are produced. During annihilation, the entire rest mass of an antiparticle is converted into kinetic energy, making an annihilation reaction far more efficient than a nuclear fusion reaction.
Since naturally occurring antimatter is rare in our universe, it is not practical to mine it. Instead, it must be produced artificially. In order to produce antimatter, radiation is collected from a fixed star. The elementary particles of this radiation are then slammed together in linear accelerators, which create high energy reactions and produce small quantities of antimatter. Due to its volatile nature, antimatter cannot be stored in traditional fuel containers; therefore, it is stored in magnetically-charged containers, which use a magnetic field to keep the antimatter separate from the matter and prevent premature annihilation. (Magnetic fields are composed of energy, not matter). These magnetic containers, usually built into asteroids, store the antimatter until it is ready to be transferred into a starship’s magnetic containers as fuel.
Elukufa (Milky Way Galaxy)
The Elukufa, also known as the Milky Way Galaxy, is a type SBC barred spiral galaxy consisting of approximately four hundred billion stars. It is approximately one hundred thousand light years in diameter, three hundred thousand light years in circumference and one thousand light years thick (with the exception of the galactic core, which is thicker). The galaxy is structured with a barred galactic core at the center which is orbited by four large spiral arms and at least two smaller spiral arms. [Structure of the Elukufa and its Arms.] The center of the galactic core is widely believed to contain a supermassive black hole.
According to current knowledge, the Elukufa’s sole sentient species is humanity, and it is the only galaxy known to support life. Politically, the Elukufa is divided amongst five separate nations: the Frybar Gloer Gor Bari , the United Mankind , the Hania Federation , the Republic of Greater Alcont and the People’s Sovereign Union of Planets . The latter four nations, as per the Nova Sicilia Treaty , are members of the Four Nations Alliance . [Political Map of the Elukufa.]
The Frybar currently rules fifteen thousand inhabited star systems and twenty thousand other star systems. Since the Four Nations Alliance is not forthcoming with statistical information concerning their population, we can only guess combined that they rule over approximately the same amount of star systems. This would bring the total number of fully inhabited star systems in the Elukufa to a rough estimate of three thousand.
The Elukufa exists concurrently with an alternate universe known as fath . These two universes are linked by sord , of which the Elukufa contains approximately thirty billion. These sord are arranged in twelve concentric rings, extending outwards from a cluster of central sord. Each ring contains the same number of sord. At the edge of the twelfth ring is a cluster of anomalous sord that is widely believed to lead to another galaxy.
Beyond the facts and figures, the Elukufa holds a special significance for my people. Since we do not claim any land world as our home, we find our place among the stars of the galaxy. In a broad sense, the Elukufa is our home… a home we will fight to protect.
Fath (Plane Space)
“Normal Space and Plane Space were like conjoined twins that had a botched separation surgery.” —Morioka-sensei
Fath, or what you call Plane Space, is the means by which our people travel across interstellar distances. Obviously, it is impossible for a vessel to exceed the speed of light while in Dath (normal space); this would make interstellar travel long and tedious were we restricted to this medium. Fortunately, Fath gives us an alternative.
Fath is an alternate universe, linked to our own via Sord Gulark. A Sord Gurlark, usually referred to only as a Sord , is the second form of a Yuanon particle, taking the form of spherical luminescent cloud approximately one Sedarj (1000 kilometers) in diameter. Using a Sord is the only known method of traveling between Fath and Dath. While the Fath side of a Sord resembles a spherical cloud, the Dath side resembles a flattened, twisted seashell. Although every point on the Dath side corresponds with a point on the Fath side, this relationship is not very precise and cannot be accurately predicted. Therefore, when a ship makes Sord passage, its location is random and must be calculated upon the completion of passage.
Fath exhibits different physical laws than Dath. It exists in only two dimensions of space, as opposed to the three spatial dimensions of Dath. By entering via Sord Gurlark, our ships can travel in Dath by creating a Flasath, or miniature space-time bubble that allows our ships to exist in three dimensions while in Fath. By rotating the Flasath, the entire miniature universe, along with whatever’s inside, travels through Fath.
A space-time bubble in the planar universe behaves like an elementary particle in the ordinary universe and assumes either of two possible states. Imagine the bubble is spinning (like the “spin” of the elementary particles). If its axis of rotation is perpendicular to the plane, it doesn’t change its position. On the other hand, if the axis is parallel to the plane, it moves (or rolls) on the plane. The former is called the stationary state (teishi-joutai, scobrtamh) while the latter is called the mobile state (idou-joutai, noctamh). The maximum velocity of a moving bubble solely depends on its mass and is inversely proportional to its square root although the direction of movement can be set arbitrarily. The bubble can slow down by switching between the two states in a certain ratio.
Abh Interstellar ships and those of other nations carry a system (flathatia) to create a space-time bubble around itself. When two bubbles come very close to each other, they eventually merge into one. This is called space-time merging (jikuu-yuugou, gor ptarhoth). Battles between ships can only happen after this has happened. It is worth noting that, because bubbles are “spinning” even in their stationary state as mentioned above, it requires energy to maintain the bubble in the planar universe. When a ship runs out of energy, the bubble disappears and its content, including the ship, collapses. By the way, cutting off one’s bubble from a bigger one is called space-time separation (jikuu-bunri, gor rytcosec).
Apart from the bubbles, space-time particles (kikuu-ryuushi, spuflasath) and quantum pressures are the only things that can propagate in the planar universe. Thus communication methods between bubbles are very limited. It is apparently possible to communicate directly by inter-bubble communication (houkan-tsuushin, droch flactaider). However, limitations in range and capacity mean, when there is a need to exchange large amounts of information, one has to rely on the very primitive method of communication ships (renraku-tei, pairriac). These are small ships that can create the space-time bubble and, thanks to their relatively small mass, can travel the planar universe much faster than their mother ships. Of course, once the bubble of a communication ship merges with that of the recipient of the information, they can use ordinary communication through electro magnetic waves.
There are approximately thirty billion Sord in the Elukufa, or Milky Way Galaxy. Although all known Dath Sords exist within the Elukufa, they do not logically correspond with their Fath counterparts. A central cluster of Sord is located at the galaxy’s center, with the rest organized in twelve ripple-like rings extending outwards. Each ring contains the same number of Sord, so the further out the ring, the farther apart the Sord are located. Generally, the Sord within the first seven rings are the most commonly used. Additionally, there is an anomalous cluster of Sord located on the edge of the twelfth ring that is widely believed to lead to another galaxy. Currently, the Frybar controls this group of Sord.
Klanyu (Laser Pistol)
“Compared to Lafiel’s menacing-looking, flesh-searing Klanyu, the men’s Ribwasia were just toys, both in appearance and damage potential.”
The klanyu, also known as the laser pistol or light source pistol, is a one-handed directed energy weapon employed by the Frybar . The klanyu produces coherent photonic radiation in the form of a klanraj (laser beam), which is capable of injuring or killing a human being if properly aimed.
A standard klanyu is equipped with a safety switch that has three settings: disabled, asertaf and uultaf. Asertaf, also known as illumination mode, produces a harmless beam of light that can be used as a source of illumination in dark areas. Uultaf, or shooting mode, fires a fully coherent klanraj that can burn flesh or melt metal.
Yapeil, also known as light source magazines, are the primary source of power for klanyu. When a yapeil is depleted, it needs to be replaced or the weapon will be useless. Yapiel also have a secondary function; they have a ‘grenade mode’ which causes them to explode with devastating force.
Canon Conflict: In the English translation of the third Crest of the Stars novel, klanraj are explicitly stated to travel at the speed of light and be invisible to the human eye, as is typical of laser radiation. However, in the television series, they are depicted as blue sublight beams of energy, probably for dramatic reasons. Since the book is considered higher canon under Project Lafiel’s Canon Policy , the article above is written to correspond with the book’s depiction.
Martine: This world, located in the Hyde solar system, is the homeworld of Jinto. It is notable for having its own indigenous life (non-sentient flora and fauna) before it was colonized by pre-Frybar humans aboard the Yuanon-powered generational colony ship Leif Erickson. These humans, descendents of English-speaking Earth natives, built only one massive city on the planet, keeping their expansion to a minimum in order to preserve Martine’s unique ecosystem.
One hundred two years after colonization, the Leif Erickson (which was abandoned but still in orbit around Martine) exploded as its Yuanon changed form and became a full-fledged Sord Gorlark. It wasn’t long before a Labule armada came through this newly-opened Sord. Lead by Rue Spen Dusanyu, the Frybar demanded the immediate surrender and integration of the Hyde solar system into the Frybar Gloer Gor Bari. Faced with the overwhelming military might of the Labule fleet, Martinese President Rock Lin (Jinto’s father) surrendered. He traded Hyde’s space defense network codes for the right to become the count of Hyde and the de facto ruler of Martine. This greatly angered the Martinese population.
After the Battle of Safugnoff (see Frybar/FNA Conflict), the Four Nations Alliance captured Hyde. Rock Lin was executed and Teal Clint, Rock Lin’s former aide, was put into power. When the Frybar liberated Hyde from enemy occupation, Teal Clint retained power on the planet, and Martine was reintegrated peacefully in exchange for Jinto’s permanent exile from Martine. Despite this, Jinto has set up a fuel processing plant around the Hyde star in the hopes of establishing a source of steady income for himself. This will include repayment of my father’s loan to him.
The planar universe exists almost independently from the ordinary universe (tsuujou-uchuu, dadh), where we live. The two universes are connected only through the “Sords” (mon, saudec), which are spread over the galaxy. As you can imagine, the Sords are strategically very important.
In the ordinary universe, these Sords assume one of the two possible states. An open Sords look like a sphere emitting dim light and can be used as the gateway to and from the planar universe. On the other hand a closed Sord looks like a particle releasing a large amount of energy. The closed Sords used to be called Yuanon and were used as the energy source of interstellar ships but, after their use as a Sord was discovered, this became rare. As some of you may have noticed, the fact above means a closed Sord is transportable.
The distance between two Sords across the ordinary universe is independent from that in the planar universe. So two Sords, which are very far from each other in the ordinary universe, may be very close together in the planar universe.
The state of a Sord is not fixed. Putting an excess amount of energy into it can open a closed Sord. On the other hand, if an open Sord is left alone without any supply of energy, it will decay back into its closed form with a half-life of 12 years.
In contrast to the dynamic nature of the Sords in the ordinary universe, the Sords are unchanged in the planar universe and look like a distorted spiral. Also it seems no one has succeeded in moving Sords in the planar universe.
It should be noted that, when a ship goes into a Sord, it doesn’t know which part of the Sord it will come out of in the other universe. That is, even if two ships go in side-by-side, there is no guarantee that they will come out of the Sord side-by-side.
“Some said it was a “white hole,” and another said it was “null space” or “hyperspace”.” Regardless of the moniker, they all reasoned that mysterious particles of this nature were probably holes in the walls that separate one universe from another.“–Morioka-sensei
Strictly speaking, a Yuanon is simple a particle of matter which can take two forms. In context, the Yuanon is the very particle which allows our race to travel across interstellar distances.
The Yuanon particle has two forms: Sord Loeza and Sord Gulark. The Loeza form, commonly referred to by the landers simply as a Yuanon, is a particle approximately a thousand times the mass of a proton, which radiates nearly 500 megawatts of energy. This is the naturally occurring state of the Yuanon. In this form it can be moved through normal space (Dath) and used as an energy source. In its second form, the Sord Gulark, the particle expands to become a sphereous, nebulous cloud approximately one Sedarj (1000 km) in diameter. This Sord Gulark, more commonly known simply as a Sord , is a gateway into Fath . When left in a low-energy state for approximately 12 years, a Sord Gulark will eventually revert to its previous state, Sord Loeza.
The Yuanon was first discovered back when mankind had not yet left its Solar System. The research vessel Oort Cloud discovered a Yuanon, existing in Sord Loeza state, approximately three-tenths of a lightyear from Sol. This unique particle was touted as an exciting new energy and propulsion source for spaceships, given the low specific impulse of conventional propulsion systems. The first Yuanon-powered ship, the Pioneer, was basically a giant superconductor designed to absorb most of a Yuanon’s excess energy, then redirect it for propulsion; this proof-of-concept was imperfect at best. However, during that time Earth had become overcrowded and mankind was eager to expand to other worlds. A colony vessel, the Leif Erickson, was build, crewed and sent into deep space to explore other star systems.