I like it, and you have to realise that not every story has to rip along at a fair clip. Slower stories are called "character pieces", or if you prefer, "fluff". :-D
I really like the coil-transfer idea, but I'm pretty sure that's a dockyard job. Either way, I'm going to keep that in mind for my own tech background. Good job!
If it's 16 light-days to get out of the storm, why will it only take 18-odd days to get out in impulse? What's your top impulse speed? The ST Encyclopedia has full impulse as 0.25 light-speed, which means it should be 16*4=64 days to get out. The shuttle must be going at 4c (warp 1.5 or so) to get out in 4 days.
Yes, this is me getting bogged down in the technical details, but I'l just like to know. Heh.
I believe Jolly uses the idea that .25c is the usually called for 'full impulse power', but that the sublight engines are actually capable of much faster top-end speed. It's just that going faster than .25c is inefficient...it's more cost effective to just go to warp...except in combat or situations such as the one presented in this story.
That might not be out of the Tech Manual, but it might've been in the DS9 reference...I know for certain it was in the Last Unicorn Games Trek RPG, which had some good material in it.
Many references lead to a high 'c' velocity for impulse.
Yes, some of it comes from the technical manual (both TNG and DS9). Though these days I temper my use of those since I discovered that their listing for the effects of a level 16 TNG phaser pistol blast being about the same blast yield described for a 2.5 megaton nuclear detonations...
Where I also get this is from a canon source. In Star Trek: TMP, right around the 'wormhole' accident, Sulu states they are at impulse power and holding at "Warp Point Eight". (.8c) I took this to be the best impulse velocity the ship could make. I also decided that the Excelsior could probably do .9c, given the 15 year design leap. This also coincides with the Last Unicorn game system's stats for the base model Excelsior.
The idea of how long it would take to cross 16 light-days of space at that impulse velocity was purely off the top of my head and is immaterial. I also intentionaly try to keep what 'full' impulse is kinda vague, which is pretty well what they did in the show(s). But if pressed, I'd have to go with what the tech manual says, and label it at .25.
Them's my thoughts on the idea.
And as to the coil swap being a yard job, you are indeed correct. But, trapped out in dangerous space with no real way of calling for help...one tends to find ways to rig something up...like the American ship in WWII which had her bow ripped off in a storm. Said ship's crew stopped off and built her a new one of wood so she could sail more safely on the way home.
I'm glad you liked what you read thusly. La'ra has again responded by answering your questions rather than stating what he actually thought of the story itself...but this is normal...
--thu guv!
I remember the TMP sublight speeds were voiced, and I'm pretty sure that (on top of Sulu's comment) on their attempt to go to warp speed Kirk orders "Warp point nine-five". Admittedly, a quick search of Memory Alpha only backs up the Guv's assertion:
http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Impulse_driveI'm of the opinion that for proper sublight operations, the SFB/SFC speeds (1 to 31) represent the full range of standard impulse speeds. Speed 25 is .25
c, which is full or "cruise" impulse. Also, that Speed 31 is .31
c, and represents the upper limit of manoeuvrable sublight speeds, or "emergency" impulse (as in "All power to the sublight engines!"). These limits are for manoeuvrability, which can alter direction instantaneously and at will with new impulse commands.
Of course, space being space, as long as you keep applying power, you keep on accelerating all the way to .999
c, but manoeuvrability becomes much harder then, and to get to these higher speeds you need a few days of standard Newtonian-style acceleration instead of the almost instantaneous rest to full impulse we see in Star Trek.
However, this is all beside the point and this is why I removed this tech detail-fest from your specially-dedicated story. If anyone else wants to debate this, it won't spoil the flow of your tale.
Topic: Full Impulse - separated not to clog up Ronjar's story (Read 2649 times)