Conveyor Operation

An unassisted parachronic convey-
or can only jump to timelines in the
same quantum. For a long-range con-
veyor to jump to a different quantum,
it requires the assistance of a
parachronic projector (see below). For
a safe jump, the total mass of the con-
veyor and its payload cannot exceed
the field generator’s capacity. A typical
conveyor, after subtracting its own
mass, can transport anywhere from
500 to 2,000 lbs. of occupants and
cargo.
A conveyor jump requires a lot of
energy in a single pulse – more than a
TL8 vehicular power plant can deliver.
The necessary pulsed power system
accounts for about half the mass of a
conveyor. It can deliver enough energy
for a single jump, after which it must
be recharged. Most conveyors have an
onboard fuel cell that can replenish
the energy bank in about 30 minutes.
This means the conveyor can’t return
immediately after making a jump!
A conveyor needs to be pro-
grammed with the precise parachron-
ic coordinates of both its location and
its destination. If a conveyor gets lost,
it’s in trouble: the crew may know
where to go, but not how to get there
from their current position. Finding
the coordinates of a new universe is a
huge research project, taking years of
effort. Infinity and Centrum both have
the parachronic coordinates of several
hundred
universes
on
file.
In
Homeline, most are publicly available,
but some (for closed worlds, or those
known to be controlled by Centrum)
are secret.
Parachronic coordinates are used
in conjunction with the actual space-
time location of the conveyor to plot a
“parachronic course.” A different
“jump program” is required for each
location in real space (e.g., Times
Square, New York) and each set of
parachronic
coordinates
(e.g.,
Homeline to Earth-Beta). Infinity
Unlimited charges about $500 for a
pre-plotted jump program, from a
commercial I-Port to the equivalent
location in the target universe. To cre-
ate a custom jump program (e.g., to
depart from your garage in Queens
instead of from Times Square) takes 5
to 10 days of supercomputer time . . .
at a cost of $1 million to $20 million.
For this reason, most legitimate trav-
elers use the I-Ports.
Just prior to departure, the convey-
or’s operator must perform final jump
calibrations to correct for local condi-
tions and the conveyor’s current mass.
Solar neutrino and cosmic ray density,
local electrical and magnetic fields,
and similar factors can all influence
the jump; a good operator will com-
pensate, taking 10 minutes. The oper-
ator can take more or less time; see
Time Spent (p. 346) for the effects on
the skill roll for the jump.
Finally, the operator hits the
“jump” button! This activates the con-
veyor’s generator. (If the jump requires
a projector, he hits the “ready” button
instead. The conveyor jumps as soon
as the projector’s field is focused on it.)
The conveyor vanishes, to reappear at
the same point in space in a different
universe.