Quantum Jump

Of all the ways to travel faster than light, the Quantum Jump is usually considered the most insane. 
The principle behind "Quantum Jump" involves opening a simultaneous pair of rifts in space-time, one at the point of departure, the other at the destination. The vessel simply enters the rift and exits the other side. The exit is the tricky part because the vessel has to arrive at its destination and open the rift before it arrives using a quantum temporal displacement engine, and exploiting a quantum property that allows effects to proceed cause. 
It is this tricky part --- opening a rift *after* using the open rift --- that causes instability problems with Quantum Jump drives. Test vessels exploiting Quantum Jump technology have experience structural failure in a many as one in five jumps; emerging inside-out or mangled beyond survivability. For this reason, its use is limited to emergency escape systems on small war craft including Aves, Falcons, and Aquilae. (<a href="http://worldsapart.wikia.com/wiki/Book_11_-_Charlemagne">Worlds Apart Book 11</a>; <a href="http://worldsapart.wikia.com/wiki/Book_12_-_Earth"Worlds Apart Book 12</a>) 
The Lynx have developed technology for stabilizing the quantum jump, reducing it to manageable rates of failure. It is their primary FTL technology. The Lynx consider the stabilization technology a strategic asset and have not shared it with humans. 
Quantum Jumps are also used by the AI's of Ecco 1 for tactical attacks; they lack the stabilization technology but consider the risk acceptable.
Category:Technology