Impulse

An efficient alternative...?

Impulse, officially called Arkite, is an artificial compound initially created by the Eden Corporation in order to serve as an alternative for the quickly dwindling supply of Arkonite. Whilst it is not as potent as the material of the Arkons, it is a viable choice for fueling a Glide Drive.

Properties

Material Characteristics

Similar to Arkonite, Impulse physically has many similarities to Bismuth crystals; cross-sections of the material reveal chromatic layers. In comparison to the neat cuboids that Arkonite is often retrieved in, Impulse is grown much like a bismuth crystal, and as such tends to be much more irregular. Generally, this is considered the easiest distinction to make between Arkonite and its derivatives.

Physical & Chemical Properties

All Impulse compounds share the same Spacial warping properties as Arkonite - the main difference is the potency of the warping. For example, Impulse-2, which is approximately only 25% Arkonite by volume, is approximately 1/4 as potent as pure Arkonite harvested from Crash Site Apollyon.
In some ways, this property is useful - some vessels do not need to move as fast as pure Arkonite would permit them, whilst others don't require nearly as much of the material to form a safe contraction-and-rarefaction field. As such, it is not uncommon for light picket vessels, frigates, and even some civilian craft (especially those delivering high priority packages or messages) to utilise Impulse instead of its purer, and thus more expensive, parent material.

Origin & Source

Impulse was initially created by researchers at EC Labs New Paris on Geneva; the researchers there, under funding from the Commonwealth government, were assigned to discover new compounds derived from Arkonite, so that new Arkonite could be created by Humanity, rather than having to rely on the dwindling supplies at Crash Site Apollyon. Although pure Arkonite could not be synthesized after over 5 years of intensive research, the Laboratory did confirm that they had developed compounds that utilized low percentage volumes of Arkonite, but could also be used as fuel for a Glide Drive, albeit at a less efficient rate than pure Arkonite.
Although initially kept as a military secret, several derivative compounds - much weaker than those developed by EdenCorp - were quickly developed from production leaks across the Orion Arm. This discovery was one of the first sparks that transformed the Periphery from a collection of rebellious miners on the Edge of Commonwealth space to a legitimate threat to Commonwealth leadership in the region.

History & Usage

Cultural Significance and Usage

As mentioned, the discovery and proliferation of Impulse transformed the various rebellious systems in the Periphery from a group rag-tag pirates and sailors into a legitimate rebellion against Commonwealth authority. Although their ships weren't as fast as Commonwealth Naval Command (CNC) vessels due to their less potent Glide Drive fuels, what the Periphery lacked in numbers and speed in response they more than made up for in tactics. As the majority of the Periphery fleet were able to work exceptionally well on their own, it wasn't uncommon for two-ship patrols, nicknamed "Tangos," of Periphery vessels to cause serious damage to entire battlegroups of CNC ships during their mid-flight flip-and-burns. This tactic forced the Commonwealth to move away from their standard Cone Ship strategy, instead employing their own rapid response patrols to combat the threat posed by Periphery wolf-pack tactics.

Type

Composite

Color

Chromatic/Rainbow coloured, although it often forms crusts which take on the colour of collected dust.

Common State

Solid