Starstruck

Glossary Entry: Core, Krystal

Any one of the huge Borinyum Krystal (type Q-Krystal) geodes used to supply power, gravity and information storage for planet-sized space stations, such as the galaxy’s 483 (as of this writing) Recreation Stations. As one would expect, the core geode exerts a gravity-like pull on any person, pet or object that might otherwise be floating about the levels of the station, crashing into other persons, pets or objects. Strangely, the further away a station level is from the core, the stronger the gravity experienced by the inhabitants of, or visitors to that level. This effect might’ve made the use of Core Krystals impossible, as ships, or comets passing at a distance could be grabbed by the Krystal-generated gravity and pulled into collision with any station that the offending core powered. Luckily, Q-Krystal geodes only occur in proximity to Y-Krystals, which serve as a natural buffer to the Q-Krystal’s gravity-generating effect. When ground into a fine power and mixed with liquid polymer, this Y-Krystal paint can be sprayed onto the ceiling and/or sky of the outermost station level, thus forming a barrier through which the exponentially increasing gravity cannot pass. Of course, anything bolted to a station level’s extremely high ceiling-skies—say, lighting fixtures—must be bolted well! A station’s lifts (See: Up-See-Daisy) and drops (See: Down-See-Daisy) produce their vari-grav beams using instruments that project light and sound through a matrix woven of Q-Krystal and Y-Krystal string, of varying strength.