IRT 3584 After Hard Times:
<applause>
<cheers>
Bravo! The Great Game lives again!
Scott's challenge:
I can see three ways to wreck the Imperium. Two are relatively quick, one
would take 100+ years. In ascending order of time requirement:
1) Yaskaydroy gets tired of the Imperium being a nuisance near his
pocket universe in Regina subsector, and proceeds to smash the Imperium,
though not so thoroughly as he did his children. While he's at it, he
smashes the Hivers, Aslan, Vargr, Zhodani, Solomani, and anyone else in
space. All High Pop worlds are destroyed, all ships over 5000 tons
likewise. The Imperium starts over in a few years looking a lot more like
the Classic Traveller picture of reality (few ships, all small, etc).
2) Lucan's agents in Darrian learn the secret of the Star Trigger.
Lucan orders the Star Trigger used against all his enemies (read:
EVERYONE). During the Maghizes happening all over the Imperium at once,
civilization dies. Things rebuild as before. Difficulties: it takes a
while for light to propogate through that much space. This version would
take 20-50 years to complete the collapse, that much more to recover.
A variation of same: Antares goes supernova (film at eleven). The pulse
has an effect on the whole of known space similar to the Maghiz. Takes 500
years to complete, but knocks Lucan out in only 200.
3) Use H. Beam Piper's excuse: The worlds of the Imperium all become
self-sufficient when someone introduces a self-replicating robot factory.
Interstellar trade collapses. Everyone is out of work. The economies all
go bust. Spiral down into the Dark Ages. Unfortunately, things wouldn't
happen that way (probably). And it would take 200-300 years in any case.
I consider the second scenario most likely. It would trash the Imperium id
a Star Trigger was used on the star of every High Pop world in the area
(don't forget the Solomani and Zhodani worlds). Unfortunately, Lucan is
the only Leader crazy enough to do it, and is not real terribly likely to
get the secret away from the Darrians. But it COULD happen.
Later...
- -- Via DLG Pro v0.985b
[email removed]
I have learned to use the word "impossible" with the greatest caution.
--W. von Braun