Windhorn Chain

The Windhorn Chain is the name given to a proposed Jump Bridge within Windhorn Sector.

• It would lie deep within the Windhorn Rift.
• It is not currently extant.

Description (Specifications)

A Jump Bridge is proposed to be constructed within Uroez Subsector of Windhorn Sector, deep within the Windhorn Rift.

• The project is known as the Windhorn Chain.

The intention is to build the Chain using one or more Rogue Worlds, which would serve as deep space refuelling points.

• Although the preferred hex locations are known, there is no evidence that any such suitable worlds have yet been found within them.
• If suitable bodies can be found and the facilities are constructed, the Chain would facilitate crossing the Windhorn Rift, taking months off of travel times between the spinward and trailing sides of the rift.

Two variant proposals exist: a jump-4 bridge and a jump-6 bridge.

A basic map showing the proposed location of the jump-4 Windhorn Chain Jump Bridge.

(Chart sourced from Traveller Map)

• The Bridge facilities would lie within interstellar hexes 1811 and 2211 of Uroez Subsector.

A basic map showing the proposed location of the jump-6 Windhorn Chain Jump Bridge.

(Chart sourced from Traveller Map)

• The Bridge facilities would lie within interstellar hex 2011 of Uroez Subsector.

The Windhorn Rift

The proposed Bridge would lie within the center of the Windhorn Rift.

• The rift hinders travel and commerce within the region.
• It has placed a boundary on settlement and expansion within the area.

A simple map showing the general extent of the Windhorn Rift.

(Chart sourced from Traveller Map.)

• Lair, the Vargr homeworld, is marked in red.
• Vland, the Vilani homeworld, is marked in green.

Within Empty Hexes

Hexes are extremely large, in the region of 3.2 lightyears / 170 light weeks across.

• Without exact coordinates to jump to within the hex, any ship arriving randomly within it would likely to end up many tens of light-weeks away from the Jump Bridge facilities.
• Exact coordinates, all required permits, and security codes would need to be acquired before travel to the Bridge could be attempted.
• Any Jump Bridge facilities would have significant defensive capabilities.

Once suitable Rogue Worlds have been found within the designated hexes, navigation / emergency buoys would be emplaced around them, precisely locating the Jump Bridge facility in relation to their position.

• The buoys would be positioned to form a sphere around the Bridge facilities, some lying as far as 10,000 AU distant.
• The buoys would provide emergency assistance to vessels that have emerged from jump, perhaps as a result of a navigation error, at a great distance from the Bridge facilities: they would contain supplies of oxygen, food, and water.
• Each buoy would automatically transmit a signal to the central Bridge facilities if it was activated or accessed.

History & Background (Dossier)

The whole concept is seen as being deeply flawed. Objections that have been raised include:

• It would incur huge expenditure and considerable amounts of materials to set up and get operational. Keeping the facilities running would be a massive and ongoing drain of resources.
• One of the two proposals would require advanced jump-6 ships, as well as the support and maintenance facilities necessary to keep them running. Few such ships are available within the extents and few suitable facilities currently exist.

Ownership and control of the proposed Bridge is a contentious topic. Negotiations regarding the proposal are ongoing and have been extremely fraught.

• Interested parties include the Empire of Varroerth, the 17th Disjuncture, and various corporate interests.
• At least one meeting has descended into violence, resulting in the death of an ambassador.

Despite these issues Gzugzo Lines, a major shipping interest within the sector, continues to support the idea.

Many believe that the jump bridge already exists, and that the Imperium is somehow involved.

World Listing

The following systems and worlds are associated with this proposal:

5 Worlds in Windhorn Chain

Aedzko  •  Gouueurr  •  Kagha  •  Uethknal  •  Voagour  •  

References & Contributors (Sources)

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This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Mongoose Publishing or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master Scout Emeritus Adie Alegoric Stewart of the IISS