The new Pelops probe was launched today amid great fanfare for the galactic east, carrying with it the hopes of many to locate an operational jump gate. In the last 600 years since the scream no working jump gates have ever been located despite extensive searching by many across the sector. However not all have given up the search, and today’s launch represents a big step on the road towards a hopeful resolution.
The jump gates once enabled mankind to travel instantaneously across the stars without the use of the spike drive. Unfortunately the scream and the silence that followed has led to the loss of the knowledge to construct or maintain such triumphs of engineering. If new jump gates could be developed it would lead to a new dawn for galactic trade and communications as no longer would transport be limited to the holds of merchant vessels. Pelops is unique in its ability to detect the energy signature of a working gate across interstellar distances. The plan is to make a series of jumps across the sector stopping at predefined points to carefully ‘listen’ for signs of life.
Of course many are sceptical of the idea and cynics say that there are many around today who like the dominance of the merchant guilds and would be happy to see Pelops fail.