-2
$\begingroup$

So, this is the deal. In this scenario, humans are unable to create an interstellar civilisation. They have tried colonising exoplanets the slow way, at about a quarter of the speed of light, but this is just too slow and meaningful communication or trade between these worlds is pretty much impossible. So, we need a method of faster-than-light travel, but the problem is, humans can’t invent it,

The reason? All the methods of “superluminal” travel that don’t defy the laws of physics, (wormholes, warp drive, etc), involve meddling with the fabric of space-time, which humans cannot achieve themselves in this project. However, nor I do not want it gifted to them by some more advanced, clarkean civilisation. So, how can humans achieve “faster-than-light” travel, without inventing it themselves or having to procure it from an alien civilisation?

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
5
  • 13
    $\begingroup$ I want a banana. But I don't want to grow banana tree myself, and I don't want to get a banana from somebody else. How can I have a banana? $\endgroup$
    – AlexP
    Commented Jan 11, 2023 at 15:20
  • 4
    $\begingroup$ Let's see -- can't make it themselves, and can't get it from anyone(s) else. Sounds like "they can't" to me... $\endgroup$
    – Zeiss Ikon
    Commented Jan 11, 2023 at 15:27
  • $\begingroup$ Options that don't involve naturally-occurring phenomena (which usually don't appear in particularly convenient locations), self-development, or remarkably altruistic aliens: theft.... I'm out of ideas. $\endgroup$
    – JBH
    Commented Jan 11, 2023 at 23:42
  • 4
    $\begingroup$ Voting to reopen : This question is not about a story nor how to write, nor the choice of characters, but about a world. Why 3+ people thought that is a complete mystery to me.While it's likely worth a downvote for displaying a very apparent contradiction without explaining why they need this, the question is otherwise specific, does have valid answers, and the contradiction paradoxally lowers the number of valid answers so much it's really not worth complaining it is lacking an explicit scale in answers. $\endgroup$
    – Tortliena - inactive
    Commented Jan 12, 2023 at 23:01
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ VTC: opinion-based. There are no criteria by which a single best answer could be selected. This is a brainstorming question. $\endgroup$
    – Tom
    Commented Jan 13, 2023 at 16:38

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
6
$\begingroup$

They can find places where faster-than-light travel occurs naturally due to some nature phenomenon. Tunnels, which may be rare but findable once you know what to look for. They can't/don't know how to make new tunnels, but they can use existing ones.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
3
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ This seems to solve the problem. Add on that they can maybe "hitch rides". Advanced alien craft may be actively making tunnels. They last for about a day. Humans are basically stuck waiting at the bus stop. If someone opens a tunnel in the direction they want to go, they can go. Otherwise they have to wait. Kinda risky, but functional in high enough traffic areas. $\endgroup$
    – JamieB
    Commented Jan 11, 2023 at 21:10
  • $\begingroup$ This sounds like a wormhole in all but name. The wormhole in DS9 satisfies this description perfectly. $\endgroup$
    – Tom
    Commented Jan 13, 2023 at 16:40
  • $\begingroup$ Humans can't create wormholes themselves but I don't see any indications in the post that humans can't use existing ones. $\endgroup$
    – alamar
    Commented Jan 13, 2023 at 22:08
6
$\begingroup$

/However, nor I do not want it gifted to them by some more advanced, clarkean civilisation./

They have it gifted to them by backwards primitives.

These folks are on one of the planets your humans colonized the hard way. They have stone age technology generally. They have fire and some tame animals. They have a stack of crystals that makes deafening radio noise and is not good for anything the humans can discern; humans call it the radio bomb.

And they have another stack of crystals (also some leaves and small bones) that can disappear and take things with it. It turns out these things are appearing light years away. Humans have not been able to duplicate this yet though with some effort they can predict where the things are going to go. If the humans want to move themselves light years away, they need a couple of the primitives to stack up the crystals (and leaves, and small bones). And hopefully come with, carrying supplies, so the humans can get back.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
1
3
$\begingroup$

This is often handled by having the Clarkean civilization be long gone, probably for never-explained reasons, but with remnants of functioning tech left behind. This has none of the baggage of having a superior culture inclined to gift the humans their tech, and it gives the author a free hand to limit as they like, ranging from "there's only a few functioning ships, and they cannot be replaced" through "the factory to make ships works, but we can't build new factories" up to "we reverse-engineered / cracked the language and read the manuals, and now we can make and innovate as we like".

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .