Communication Grid

The galaxy runs on signals and records. Movement of ships and cargo is slow, so messages are the only way to keep trade, contracts, and law functioning across wide space. But signals are not fast enough to bind the galaxy into a single system. Every region operates with some delay, and those delays are exploited by factions that profit from missing or outdated information.

Signals vs. Ships

• Signal Speed. Signals move faster than any ship, but not at instant speeds. A message between two core worlds can take days. A message from the core to the far rim can take weeks or even months depending on available relays.

• Practical Impact. Crews often depart with contract terms or price indexes that expire before arrival. When they land, conditions may have shifted—tariffs raised, embargoes imposed, or a client already blacklisted.

• Regional Variation. Core-to-core routes have the fastest signal relays and lowest loss. Rim-to-rim messages are often slow, corrupted, or lost entirely. Many choices are made without certainty, forcing crews to gamble.

• Workaround. Some companies or guilds pay for dedicated priority bands, but these are expensive and limited. Syndicates sometimes spoof priority signals to manipulate cargo flows.

Relays and Archives

• Relay Stations. Automated or crewed satellites amplify and redirect signals. Many are old and need constant upkeep. Outages are common, especially on rim lanes.

• Keth Leagues. Keth maintain survey relays that track route stability. Their “Archive of Routes” is considered the most accurate public record, though access requires payment or guild membership.

• Data Guilds. These guilds purchase relay logs, clean corrupted files, and sell verified copies. They publish bulletins covering:

  • Lane changes (safe or unsafe routes).

  • Embargo notices (cargo forbidden by faction decree).

  • Blacklists (individuals, ships, or crews barred from official work).

• Market. Updated archives are sold in ports at high prices. Crews must decide whether to pay for the latest copy or risk traveling with outdated information.

Authenticity and Proof

• Signatures. Every message must carry an attached digital signature linked to an authority, guild, or escrow office. Unsigned messages are usually ignored.

• Seal Codes. Cargo containers, water meters, and reactor parts all carry seal codes. These codes verify origin and chain of custody. Counterfeit codes are a major crime but still circulate widely.

• Crew Identity. Crews often carry several proofs to survive inspections and checkpoints:

  • Ship Registry: Official Central Authority license or a planetary charter.

  • Cargo Seals: Each shipment’s encoded proof, matched against manifest.

  • Work Cards: Crew records showing training, ranks, and previous contracts.

  • Escrow References: Neutral proof of payment agreements stored with an escrow bank or Synthborn node.

• Disputes. When authenticity is challenged, disputes may go to arbitration at a port. If neither side has strong proofs, Syndicate or Free Company “judges” may settle matters by force or favor.

Signal Corruption and Fraud

• Loss and Distortion. Long-range messages can degrade. Weather in gas giant systems, solar storms, or failing relays can scramble content.

• Tampering. Syndicates and Mega-Corporations sometimes intercept signals, either delaying them or altering key data (such as tariffs, blacklists, or lane ratings).

• Backups. Many crews send messages twice: once along the fastest band, once along a slower, more secure relay chain. This doubles cost but reduces risk of total loss.

Local Solutions

• Bulletin Boards. Most ports have physical or local digital boards where guilds, syndicates, and planetary governments post updates. These are not always current.

• Courier Ships. When certainty is required, contracts include payment for a fast courier ship to carry sealed records. Couriers are expensive and targets for piracy, but their cargo of proofs and contracts can be worth more than bulk ore.

• Trusted Relays. Certain worlds (e.g., Slipwind for the Keth, Brightline for the Synthborn) are trusted more than others to provide authentic, timely relays. Crews often stop at these worlds solely to update their records.

Everyday Consequences

• Crews may arrive at a port with cargo only to learn the embargo changed weeks ago.

• A blacklisting could have been overturned in the core, but the rim has not received the notice, leading to fines or seizure.

• A rival crew could bribe a Data Guild to delay publication of a blacklist update until after they make port.

• Syndicates often exploit delayed news to force “expedite fees” for clearance.

For most people in the Drift galaxy, communication is not about truth or transparency. It is about having the freshest, most trusted copy of records at the time you need them.