DST Accelerator Lanes

Seen as massive structures in orbit around crucial trade routes throughout the sector, DST Accelerator Lanes are circular gates that convert star-decks or space vessels into light particles and fire them through a network of other gates.

Seeing as independent FTL drives are considered impossible, even by the legendary Dactylon the Inventor (creator of the Delots). These gates are considered DMZs by all space-faring species, due to the common interest in maintaining these networks to facilitate interstellar commerce.

Because if one gate is damaged or even destroyed, the time and resources spent on repairing them would set interstellar commerce in the entire sector back decades.

Operations:

During the show, DST Accelerator Lanes are the primary method for ships to traverse throughout the sector. The various O-Docks (on/off ramps in the Accelerator Lane Network) act as gateways that convert star decks or space vessels into packets of light photons and shoot them across the universe for FTL travel.

The flight path of individual ships are calculated from various planet-side control stations (Risidomes or orbiting airport terminals in the event of catastrophic power failure) and are sent down these paths until they reach their logged destination. From there, the O-Dock will reassemble the ship at its destination.

While the Hellecians co-opted this technology from the Mycestians who in turn received permission from the gods, and possess a deep understanding of its inner workings. Unfortunately, this kind of technology can't be replicated.

While many have tried integrating 3rd party O-Docks into the existing Accelerator Lane Network (ALN). The existing network can't be artificially expanded or altered for two reasons: its perfect alignment to the various gravity wells and cosmic fluctuations in the sector and the grid's ability to maintain its homeostasis by keeping a self-contained energy loop among the existing O-Docks through the Cosmic Aurora.

The only way to expand the network's reach is by finding and reopening lost O-Docks knocked out of commission by the supernova that destroyed Karoj-Menos and reshaped the sector into its new homeostasis.

Deep Space Travel is way is dangerous, as it requires a manned exploratory vessel to go into hibernation and float through uncharted space in the hopes of unlocking a new part of the network and establish a new colony.

At the moment, there are at least 35-40 active O-Docks in the ALN; which only represents about 15% of the original network before being knocked out of commission and sent through the void by the Karoj-Menos supernova.

History of Space Travel:

While space travel leading up to the wars between the Delots & Lanaxdrians is pretty common. The idea that trillions of worlds lay beyond the constraints of a civilization's atmosphere was considered ludicrous. The only ones who lived in the sky were the Pantheon and their race of servants known as the Mycestians.

This idea was central to the archaic economy prior to the destruction of Karoj-Menos.

The wealth of a civilization was centralized around a Mycestian Palace where all resources and finished goods would be stored in what the populous called "Stables" (since Mycestians resembled humanoid horses) and were distributed to the masses by the ruling nobility according to the will of the Gods.

To show their power and authority came from the gods, the Mycestians would send the goods to the gods into the sky in what appeared to be a giant grain elevator. 

Legends circulated about Dactylon & his son Syracilus the Elder escaping the labyrinthian world in the Eceterus-Prime cluster. Most Hellecians believed these stories to be myths and life proceeded as normal.

Until the day, the progenitors descended from the sky on their own ships with the legendary Dactylon on board.

Establishing resistance cells along these Accelerator Lanes, the oppressed Hellecians were to band together in secret as the progenitors gave their children ships, pilots, weapons & a plan to take down the pantheon in a sector-wide coup e'tat.

Space Travel after Karoj-Menos:

Following the destruction of Karoj-Menos, the remaining Mycestian nobility were able to raid the homes of the Hellecians off in war. They raided their crops/livestock/homes, they took their wives and children as hostages, & locked up their palaces with all the material wealth of their planets.

Returning home, they were given an ultimatum to work their lands as fiefs in exchange for their children and economic prosperity. Reluctantly, the war heroes became serfs for a short time.

In the meantime, local economies plummeted, famine became widespread & violence spread throughout the Hellecian neighborhoods as their livelihoods were being held hostage in an uneasy truce.

However, this also meant the DST Accelerator Lanes were left unguarded by the Mycestian nobility. So many of these desperate groups (those who already lost their families and crops) hijacked the Ionite ships.

These raiding parties of desperate people ran up and down the unregulated Accelerator Lanes looting and pillaging the Mycestian Palaces they could find (while also indirectly killing another group's family and livelihood). 

And thus the cycle led to the Age of Anarchy: a time where entire planets were ravaged, bands of raiders pillaged and slaughtered anyone with value, and nearly exterminated the entire Mycestian race (save for those enslaved during the Invasion of Karoj-Menos).

This all changed when the Perxis-Sadem (led by the remaining gods) swarmed the sector and forced the divided Hellecians to band together. Thus, the Archaenids took control of the Accelerator Lanes with their advanced armada and provided stability and regulation up and down the arteries of the sector.

Present Day:

After the swarm was dispersed, the DST Accelerator Lanes are heavily regulated by the Delothian Collective. Only those with official clearance are allowed travel up and down the various lanes after passing inspection through local Risidomes or orbiting customs terminals.

In an attempt to curb overpopulation in the Attican Core Worlds and establish new taxable colonies, the Psygonaut Mandate was coded into version 1.0 of the DTOS by King Thesacles. It's purpose was to provide an incentive for explorers, colonists & adventure-seekers to leave their old lives to expand the ALN by finding more deactivated O-Docks in service to the Collective.