Note: I was thinking about the FTL aspect, and did come to a first conclusion how i want to handle it. I know that i am all over the place at the moment. Condensing everything into a Codex like structure will be a pain, but that is future me's problem.
Jumpscream (FTL Re-entry Shock)
A Jumpscream is the disruptive phenomenon produced when an object exits FTL and re-enters normal space. It is loosely comparable to a supersonic boom, but instead of being atmospheric, it
propagates through dynamic mass, shaking spacetime itself as the object forcibly reasserts its mass and momentum into realspace.
The intensity of a Jumpscream is determined by two primary factors:
- Total mass of the object exiting FTL
- Effective FTL velocity immediately prior to re-entry
The resulting wave manifests as a piercing, pressure-like sensation in sentient beings and as a measurable spacetime disturbance on instruments.
Biological Effects
The effects of a Jumpscream vary by distance, object mass, and species sensitivity:
- Low intensity: mild discomfort, disorientation, pressure behind the eyes
- Moderate intensity: pain, nausea, loss of balance, temporary sensory overload
- High intensity: severe pain, unconsciousness, or systemic shock in vulnerable species
In sufficiently strong events, the piercing sensation can linger for several hours, even after the disturbance itself has dissipated.
Humans are considered highly susceptible compared to many other species.
Detection and Distance Scaling (Human Baseline)
As a general reference:
- Small ship exiting FTL near Earth orbit (ISS distance):
Detectable by every human on the planet as physical discomfort.
- Exit near lunar distance:
Detectable only by sensitive individuals (~5% of humans).
Sensitivity varies significantly among alien species.
- Exit at 1 AU (Earth–Sun distance):
Functionally undetectable without instruments.
- Small private vessel (~10 crew):
Typically detectable only by sensors unless extremely close.
- Titan-class FTL vessels (e.g., Titan Mocar):
A near-planetary exit would cause global neurological shutdown on most human-inhabited worlds and catastrophic effects on less resilient species.
Planetary Countermeasures and Juno-3
Humanity is only capable of countering high-mass, high-velocity FTL re-entry shocks in the vicinity of Earth, and only after the discovery of Juno-3.
Juno-3 made it possible to:
- Store and release planetary-scale energy reserves
- Actively counteract spacetime destabilization caused by dynamic mass re-entry
- Suppress or blunt the Jumpscream effect on humans
These countermeasures:
- Are extremely energy-intensive
- Can only be sustained for short durations
- Are tied to fixed, hardened infrastructure (planets or moons, no spaceships)
- Do not scale to multiple simultaneous entries or to deep-space protection (System will "over"compensate)
As a result, Earth remains one of the very few human worlds capable of surviving a close-range capital-class FTL exit without catastrophic biological consequences.
Civilian and Military Protocols
To mitigate Jumpscream exposure:
- Civilian FTL traffic exits at a minimum of 10 light-minutes from inhabited planets.
- Outer worlds and mining colonies use a reduced but standardized 5 light-minute entry window.
- Military vessels are not legally bound by these restrictions but typically follow them unless tactical conditions require otherwise.
Large FTL objects are easily traceable, making stealth re-entry by capital-class vessels effectively impossible.
Highly developed worlds may attempt partial dampening, but without Juno-3-grade energy storage, such systems are limited and unreliable.
Mitigation Technology
Human military forces employ personal Jumpscream dampening systems, which reduce biological impact at the individual level.
- Mass: ~2 kg
- Usage:
- Standard on combat equipment
- Worn by active ship crews
- Issued to all crew during Red Alert
- Rarely used in civilian contexts due to weight and cost with the exception of Ultralite
Strategic Significance
Jumpscream physics strongly shape:
- FTL traffic law
- Military doctrine
- Planetary defense planning
- Species-specific power dynamics
The discovery of Juno-3 elevated humanity from a species passively enduring Jumpscream exposure to one capable, in limited circumstances, of resisting it. This capability marks a decisive, but
narrowly constrained, leap in human strategic relevance.
Codex Entry //
A Jumpscream is the spacetime shock produced when an object exits FTL and re-enters normal space. The effect propagates through dynamic mass, shaking spacetime as the
object’s mass and momentum are restored to realspace.
Intensity scales with object mass and FTL velocity. Effects range from mild discomfort to severe neurological pain, depending on proximity and species sensitivity. Humans are particularly
vulnerable.