Spatial Fold Drive

Unlike the Quantum Impeller Drive, the Fenghuang Spatial Fold Drive was a technology designed purely for tactical reasons.  As such, it was one of the few pure military technologies used by the Empire.  Simply put, the Spatial Fold Drive was a modified variant on the Quantum Impeller Drive technology.  In essence, the S.F.D. was a Q.I.D. that was designed to be used only at its highest settings with no lower settings.  It was designed to allow Fenghuang military craft that were large enough to hold one to make tactical jumps around the battlefield during combat.
While the majority of S.F.D.s remained in Fenghuang control, at one point in the distant past, a single prototype model was given as a gift to the Alzamatii species.  It was thought that, due to needing extremely precise destination co-ordinates, the technology would help the younger species start to explore beyond the boundaries of their home star system.  Though it started out benign as the Alzamatii sent thousands of probes over the course of a couple centuries, their nature eventually won over their curiosity.  As the majority of the Fenghuang had turned their attention away from the Alzamatii and to other things, the Empire was surprised when a small vessel folded in near a Fenghuang held world and attempted to raid a scientific outpost.  Outclassed and outgunned by a patrolling Fenghuang scout, the raider was captured and analyzed.
Tracing the raider back to the Alzamatii star system, the Fenghuang made an extremely rare pause as the entire Empire turned its eyes back onto the younger species.  In the short time their attention had been diverted, the Alzamatii had chosen military might over peaceful exploration.  Withdrawing from official contact with the Alzamatii, Fenghuang vessels continued to encounter more and more Alzamatii ships trying to make raiding runs inside Fenghuang space.  While the Alzamatii eventually learned to avoid the Empire whenever possible, they soon found space not occupied by the Fenghuang and quickly expanded into it as soon as possible.
At this current point in time, the Terran Imperium knows of only the Spatial Fold Drives and related technology used by the Alzamatii, though some in Intelligence are familiar with some parts of the story about the ancient history between the Fenghuang and the Alzamatii.
Category:Engines
Category:Technology