Fiction:Draconid Imperium/Technology

At over 250,000 years the Draconis empire posesses advanced technology based on miniaturisation and using energy emitted from black holes. Their widespread existance means that many races have encountered their technology in one form or another. Technology has many social and philosophical effects and research focuses on developing present technology rather than experimenting with outlanish technology or novelties.

=Military Technology=

Armour
Military forces are often equipped with ceramic armour in the form of various reinforced plates. Although the use of full-body armour of this variety is restricted to the marines (who require full-body protection in hazardous environments), several protectorates had developed their own varieties prior to assimilation. Marine-issue gear is outfitted to function as basic powered armour; The reinforced ceramic plates absorb impact energy which is then transferred to batteries for storage, this energy can then be used to boost user or weapon performance. Ceramic armour of this type can be expensive so forces such as the auxillaries and militia - even if they have access to large stocks ceramic armour - are restricted to protection of more vital body parts. Forces using other forms of armour including kevlar and nanofibre weave can afford more coverage due to the lower cost.

Vehicle protection ranges from several forms of reactive armour for light-to-medium vehicles and angled ablative armour for heavier vehicles and starships. Most combat vehicles use angled plates to negate impact damage or possibly deflect the shot. The angle of armour is most extreme with layered ablative armour found on main battle tanks. When an impact hits, a layer of armour (Normally 10-45 micrometres thick) dissolves off. The angle spreads the impact as much as possible. Many combatants refer to attacking layered ablative armour as 'fruit peeling' (Normally an analogue of the onion, depending on species). The prevalence of beam and missile weapons in space make ablative armour a common sight on starships of all sizes.

Battlestations
Measuring several kilometres high, imperial battlestations are behemoths of construction. Capable of dwarfing the kilometre-long battlemaster-class capitals these orbital fortresses are typically stationed at locations the empire considers strategically vital - such as critical systems, gateway systems and choke points - their presence can be seen in the sky above a stationed world and also represent the empire's overall strength.

The structure focuses around a central disk where most of the weapons batteries are installed along with the primary docking ports and sensor equipment. The station then extends outward from the top and bottom of this disk; above are accomodations and armouries and below are factories, storage chambers and secondary docking bays within the bulb at the base. Gravity is maintained through centripedal force which maintains an average of 1g. Deeper inside gravity is maintained with a-grav generators.

The battlestations provide more than just defence; factories and offices allow for more rapid development of the orbiting world and in some cases the planetary or system governor will take up residence on board. In some circumstances a planet would have more than one battlestation orbiting it. The empire refrains from stationing these structures within interstellar space - where they would have no anchor point and could be easily avoided - and gateway systems will usually have highest priority demand.

Energised Weapons
Often incorectly referred to as energy blades or phasic blades. Energised weapons sheathe the metal blade in a disruption field emitted from inside the blade that allows it to more easily cut through denser material. The blade is still sharp without this disruption field since that is the actual cutting tool. Energised blades are commonplace throughout the empire but their relative cost compared to a normal longsword means they are generally used by officers and dedicated swordsmen.

The blades themselves are powered with a high-eficcency battery in the handle that can continuously power the balde for five hours. Dedicated swordsmen will carry a replacement battery repladed by unscrewing and removing the bulb at the handle's base.

Fusion weapons
Nicknamed 'melters', fusion weapons work by firing a high-energy pulse of exotic matter at the target. The pulse destabilises the bonds between molecules; acting as a toxin at lower levels (Leaving the target limp and soft) and reduces the target to aggregate gel at higher levels. Fusion rifles and pistols can function as armour-piercing weapons when against light armour but are ineffective compared to larger-scale fusion launchers - either as a bazooka-like weapon or when vehicle-mounted - As energy weapons they consume large amounts of energy and are either supplied by energy-dense batteries or a separate power pack mounted on the vehicle. Imperial law states that only Draconis military personnel can qualify to use fusion weapons and any non-draconis caught with fusion weapons would face sentencing equal to stealing vital governemnt property.

The nature of the weapon makes it ineffective in space, however larger vessels will use large-scale fusion launchers for orbital bombardment - either via low-orbit approach or by firing a shell - And when used correctly can either be used for surgical impact or widescale splash damage depending on the nature of the target.

Holofields
A common infiltration device, the principle involves creating a forcfield and either projecting a holographic image over the top or bending light to create the illusion that something is bigger or smaller or a different shape than it actually is. Holofields have better use in military applications than they do in civillian areas. Unlike other forms of shielding the holofield only creates a weak solid boundary. A projectile or energy weapon would simply pass through along with any other solid object given enough force (the field's density is controlled by the user). The user can theoretically look and feel like anything along with providing an illusion that might not entirely fit the user's anatomy.

Holofields can also be used to create decoys, these can be just as solid or porus as fields generated by generators designed to be worn. The civillian applications primarily include the holodeck, which along with recreation is used or a variety of physical activities including military use.

Coil
Primarily developed by the Speeder Trade Federation prior to assimilation - and to a lesser extent by the Draconis before the widespread use of fusion weapons - coilguns function by having the projectile 'ride' a magnetic field via alternating electromagnets (As the bullet reaches a coil it turns off and the one in front turns on) and are still used to this day. Their popularity stems from their more flexible nature comapred to railguns along with a faster firing time, lack of noise and easy maintainance. Coilguns, like their rail counterparts, are capable of firing rounds at supersonic speeds, the sonic boom that follows (which is probably the only source of sound) can have a further deabilitating effect to the unprepared.

Rail
While not as common as fusion, the main advantage of rail weapons is their immense velocity and range and is often used for artillery, anti-air and within long-range personnel weapons. The velocity of the weapon provides considerable penetrating power, making it commonly seen in lanchers. The immense heat and pressure generated by such technology during firing can wear down the barrel quickly. Along with supercoolant flowing through larger weapons rail weapons are often fitted with easily-detachable barrels that can be quickly replaced. Rail technology is mainly seen on starship guns and is rarely seen in anything that requires rapid-fire capabilities.

Despite the flexibility the Talons normally equip auxillaries or militia with coilguns (Imperial Law states that use of fusion tech is restricted to Draconis military personnel outside of the personal weapon. Draconis Soldiers may keep a fusion pistol as a sidearm when not on active duty). This, combined with the relative expense of a fusion weapon on the black market, means that coil weapons are a common sight within all but the most lavish of organised crime groups and civillian frontier groups.

Missile
Missile technology focuses on an internal explosion. Both RPGs and larger missiles are designed to burrow into a target before exploding. To achieve this missiles consist of four components: A fuel propellant, gyrostabilisers a specilised warhead and a nanofibre-laced drillbit. The idea is that as the missile leaves the launcher it spins rapidly, as it nears a target the drillbit activates in order to burrow through (The nanofibre drillbit is harder than diamond and can be sharpened to a few hundred atoms in diametre). As it is drilling it is kept in motion through bursts of propellant and the spiral design of the drillbit. Upon reaching a certain depth the warhead detonates, the effects of the impact vary depending on the type of warhead used: The system used in the warheads is completely automatic, warheads are calibrated prior to firing and en-route to account for distance and the armour thickness of the target. Warheads contain an advanced targeting system and are capable of weaving past various obstacles. The fuselage itself is also converted into an explosive upon detonation, igniting any remaining propellant. The size of missile varies greatly depending on purpose from 20cm long RPGs to the 200m crustbuster warheads used during orbital bombardment.
 * Fragmentation warheads are designed to discharge many thousands of shrapenel capable of tearing organic tissue to shreds, the purpose is to incapacitate as many crew members as possible. The explosive force is also capable of causing considerable damage to armour.
 * Plasma warheads discharge a container of plasma inside the hull. The rapid expansion of the plasma effectively turns an enclosed area into a furnace. Like fragmentation warheads these are designed to primarily incapacitate crew. The shockwave (both of heat and gas expansion) can cause considerable damage to living tissue and, even if one survives the explosion, survivors would be severely deabilitated if not dying.
 * Fusion warheads act in a similar manner to plasma variants. However they are capable of damaging machines as well as organics due to the reactive nature of the exotic particles. Unlike plasma the impact of a fusion warhead renders the chamber useless as the particles melt every surface they touch.
 * Dragon warheads are designed primarily to destroy or tear away armour. Frequently used on vessels with considerable heavy armour, the warhead burrows within the hull (designed not to go as far as other warheads) and then explodes. The explosion not only tears away armour but effectively converts the armour itself into a fragmentation grenade - bombarding anyone in or near the vicinity with superheated shrapnel.

Plasma
Imperial Talon forces use plasma grenades in place of fragmentation grenades. Most grenades come in the form of a sphere with a red button set at the top. When the grenade explodes it exposes anyone within the blast radius to a shockwave, intense heat and superhot corrosive plasma. The mix of these can leave the target severaly deabilitated. Their nature has led to them being nicknamed 'dragon's breath' on both sides, plasma grenediers are often nicknamed 'dragons' because of this. Plasma shells are also used in anti-vehicle weapons; The confined spaces inside leave the crew easily exposed the to the charge, killing the entire crew in seconds and leaving the exterior virtually unscathed.

Somewhat less common are plasma firearms; Although they aren't used by Talon Marines, several protectorates have been known to use them and on occasion a voulenteer has been granted permission tu use these weapons in the field. =Civillian Technology=

Biotech
Genetics has found common use within the empire. Many species of animal are genetically modified to adapt to new conditions prior to being deployed in terraforming projects and stem cell implementation has made the need for organ donors obsolete. Genetic modification on members of the genus Draconis is considered illegal as is extreme gene therapy on sentient species. Genetically modified crops are common, producing long-lasting bumper crops to provide for the many trillions living in imperial space.

The Draconis have yet to use biotech in engineering or organic/machine fusion, preferring the feel of soft stone and metal. And the species themselves are unlikely of reaching technological singualrity partly because of laws on genetic modification and partly because of the stigma on cybernetics.

Computers
Computer technology is very advanced in the empire. Computers are divided into two distinct groups depending on the level of sapience: Low-A.I.s (lA.I.) have little to no free will and only mimic a level of intelligence while true-A.I.s (tA.I.) are capable of independent thought. lAIs are the most common types available and are widely distributed throughout imperial space from calculators to personal computers and phones. On the other end are basic supercomputers, although very powerful, border on true sapience. Higher-grade lAIs also serve on vessels as the onboard ocmputer and are capapble of stringing together unique sentences.

tAI's come as either advanced supercomputers or as quantum computers. Quantum computers are generally found on logistics warships such as the Highcortex-Class cruisers and serve as tactical support. tA.I.s, while capable of independant thought are designed to pose minimal threat to the crew. In the event a tA.I. does go rogue the crew can remotely activate a shutoff switch - disabling and resetting the system. Quantum tA.I. systems have a unique personality which changes in the new system whenever the software is duplicated or reset; resetting a quantum tA.I.s system creates an entirely new personality. tA.I. supercomputers will have either a factory or custom-made personality that is preserved when copied or reset.

Cybernetics
Cybernetics are a form of tissue replacement that involves replacing the tissue with metal and electronics, linkinng the prosthesis with the centran nervous system. Cybernetics can be very varied; replacing a leg is a common alternative to using stem cells. Replacing a limb with a weapon (jokingly reffered to as "getting a handgun") is rare and considered aboinable - depite how cool some people think it is, the real pracicality is far from ideal. Cybernetics are rare within Draconis colonies. This is because many citizens believe that the use of unneeded cybernetics such as replacing a perfectly good limb tarnishes their superiority (Due to the nature of the species' creation story, the effect of doing this is considered the same as painting over another artists' masterpiece while they watch). This does not, however, extend to non-invasive augmentation such as combat optics. Depending on the species, these beliefs vary between protectorates - some openly embace replacing healthy limbs or organs while others forbid it. although such a social stigma does not apply to those seeking to replace body parts lost in some other way, most prefer stem-cell treatment to 'regain' their old self rather than a cold metal extension.

The Exonet
The Imperial Exonet is the Empire's answer to the internet. The expanded nature of the empire make the exonet highly dedentralised, there is normally one server hub in each cluster connected to central hubs within each subsector. Data is sent via tachyon pulses - subatomic paticles that travel at superluminal speeds. The tachyon relay network also makes up the basis for galactic communication. Server hubs and tachyon relays are often placed together and at least one gateway world will have one (referred to as exonet relays) within a subsector.

Relay boosters are one of the facilities within exonet relays; Their purpose is to boost the strength of a signal before it travels through a wormhole, it is also capable of boosting a signal that emerges from a wormhole. Despite EM interference, little data is lost in transit since the pulses are arranged in a digital nature. Only the more well-established worlds can have access to more advanced exonet hubs. Tachyon tranamissions themselves are very basic. However they are 'padded' on the other side via tachyon relays meaning a holotransmission only requires as much bandwidth as a video recording despite being projected from a wall panel and providing a crisp, full 3D image.

Nanofibres
The creation of nanofibres has allowed industries to greatly strengthen materials from textiles to steel sheets and vehicle armour. Nanofibres are created using nanobots that weave threads (which can be as thin as several atoms in diametre) out of alloys of titanium, aluminium, silicon, graphene and carbon (the ratios vary depending on product purpose). These nanobots then arrange the threads to create the product.

Because nanofibres can be weaved to absurdly low thicknesses and can be harder than diamond, they are a popular choice for use in armour-piercing rounds, they are used in missile technology (warheads are fitted with a drillbit harder than diamond, allowing them to burrow into a target before exploding) and are a key component of ceramic armour.

Nanomachines
Microscopic robots that arrange molecules at a molecular level. Programmed with basic algorithms they can make anything from tanks and spaceships to perfectly-weighted masses and even - in some cases - food. Draconis nanomachines are not self-replicating in order to maintain a level of control of how many are available, this also prevents the 'grey-goo' scenario from occuring within Imperial space. The use of nanomachines has revolutionised the chemical industry, allowing corporations to make 'ideal' medicines and stimulants.

The reputation of nanomachines has been tarnished recently due to the Mecha-Wasp war and although the advancements made by the necha-wasp have been aquired and reverse-engineered by scientists many are still against self-replicating machines.

Certain devices also use more mundane variations of microscopic mechanisms to make their products as compact as possible. Surveillence devices, toys and gadgets use micromechanisms to work, meaning less bulk is required within the product.

Spacetime manipulation
The warp drive uses an antimatter reactor to warp spacetime around a craft, riding the wave for distrotion to it's destination. The benefit of using warp drives is that even with enormous amounts of acceleration/deceleration the crew feels almost nothing since all that is required is to disperse the field. Low-power warp fields can also act as shielding; when encountering a high-gravity bubble a missile or rail shot will be compacted, drastically reducing its momentum or outright destroying it.

Black Hole reactors (named Senvinus Reactors after the inventor of wormhole travel) are megastructures built as large rings around black holes; their purpose is to harvest energy within the singularity. Although the empire currently lacks the power levels required to create their own black holes they can still manipulate spacetime to a suitable degree. Since black holes function as a way for the Draconis to travel thousands of light-years in an instant, the Reactors create 'stability corridors' at the event horizon. This corridor allows a craft (which generates it's own antigrav field) to pass through unharmed. When a new black hole is discovered the empire will dispatch a reactor to orbit it, generating a stability field within the event horizon for any expeditions looking to pass through. Reactors are capable of changing thier radius to account for different sizes of black holes. The combined gravitational distortion and nanofibre construction make them almost indestructible and completely autonamous.

Singularity stabilisation drives (also known as singularity drives are rare. This is because their main purpose is to provide protection for any vessel passing into a black hole that does not possess a Senvinus reactor. They generate a far greater antigrav field than most vessels, strong enough to encompass the fleet, and are normally built on board the vessel with the most powerful reactor. Due to their rarity they are designed to be easily installed and removed before being transferred to another fleet. Any vessel that has not been chartered to explore or enter a new connection is deprived of a drive for other vessels to use.

In the prototype phase is the cascade singularity generator (nicknamed planet crusher). There are two versions which do the same thing in the end: A drill and a sattelite network. The basic principle is using intense gravitational distortion to warp the planet's mass to breaking point.
 * The drill impacts a planet and the generator (built into a diamond-weave casing) drills down to the core, once there it generates intense gravitational fields that tear the planet apart, crushing it and has a chance of pulling any sattelites and moons orbiting.
 * The sattelite network emits strong gravitational fields that tear buildings apart and fracture the planet before stronger pulses crush the pieces together.

Although the planet itself could theoretically survive; any life, atmosphere and original geography would be completely destroyed. The warping also fractures the core, making it vunerable to solar flares. While the planet would survive, the effects would make the planet completely unihabitable. The original purpose was to use it as a shock-and-awe tactic along with destroying planets otherwise too well-fortified to conquer.

Transportation
Most vehicles within imperial space remain using wheels and tracks, however some worlds do use hover vehicles. Most flying vehicles use grav-plates to stay off the ground along with microthrusters to move forward. These microthrusters are very small but the engine provides more than enough power to sustain the vehicle in flight. Smaller thrusters are reserved for skycars in larger, more vertical, cities while full-purpose jets retain medium-sized thrusters.

The ion engine, powered by a fusion reactor, emits a thin stream of high-energy particles. Although the overall acceleration is poor compared to chemical rockets they make up for greater acceleration and manouvreability. Vessels in orbit or in combat will use ion thrusters due to their low-energy input and low fuel onsumption, many planetary citizens have commented the engines are also rather quiet, prompting several companies to build ion engines into skycars.

Transmission
Tachyon emitters form the core of the imperial communication system. Tachyons themselves are subatomic particles that always travel faster than light. Most data is transmitted through tachyon pulses and is 'padded' at the recieving end. This makes it possible for virtual communication via holograms despite heavy interference or transmission spread.

Senvinus Reactors use tachyon emitters to transmit energy via confined tachyon pulse to nearby worlds. Energy converters built within the reactors convert the energy into tachyons based on E=mc^2. These confined emissions are more focused and coherent than standard transmission pulses. confined tacyon pulses are common use in energy transmission, this means that entire sectors can be powered from a single source. The deployment of CTP relays on many worlds minimises the transmission spread thoughout a sector since normally what is a pinpoint source at point A could have the radius of a small planet after 3 parsecs.