Phase Lanes and Gravity Wells

Space in The Stars We Claim has three scales, and each one moves differently.

Inside a gravity well

Every planet, moon, gas giant and asteroid sector holds its own gravity well. Inside it, ships fly at sublight speed: this is where they fight, build stations, mine and bombard. A battle in a well begins with a real attack, and ends when the last enemy is destroyed or leaves.

Between wells: the phase jump

Inside a star system there are no lanes. A fleet simply phase-jumps from one well to another; a longer trip is routed hop by hop. Planets keep orbiting while this happens, the inner ones faster than the outer, so the shortest route today may be the long way round tomorrow.

Between stars: hyperlanes

Star systems are joined by hyperlanes. Each lane ends at a jump point, fixed on the system's edge. Fleets cross from jump point to jump point, which makes those edges natural places to watch and to defend.

The galaxy also holds places that are not star systems: black holes, rogue planets, nebulae and derelicts, each joined into the lanes like any system.

One camera

All three scales share one continuous view. Zoom out from a turret to its ship, to its fleet, to the well, to the system and to the whole galaxy, and give orders at every step.