Moonboats

From: Peter Metcalfe <metcalph_at_bigfoot.com>
Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2000 19:35:33 +1300


Theo Posselt:

>First, regarding Moonboats, that magical subject. I'm
>not totally clear on some basic facts on them:
>* How many exist?

As many as you want...

>* Are there different types?

Bound to be. As well as the large barges, there are probably Moonboats built for speed so as to carry a messenger at high speed.

>* Are they ever used for trade? Or just military
>rapid movement?

Since the Janube common events has Lunar Missionaries travelling by Moonboats to preach, there is a demonstrable non-military use. However these missionaries are Arrolian heretics.

Within the Empire, my belief is that Moonboats are used for transporting Lunar VIPs as well as "military rapid movement". While many of the Moonboats are used by the Red Army, IMO many more are leased to some important clan or another for its own uses. Some examples might be:

The Satrap of Darjiin undoubtedly has a huge Pleasure Barge that always floats lazily at least a mile above the ground and houses the deliberations of the Perpetual Congress. Food, wine, drugs, slaves, aphrodisiacs and visitors are carried back and forth by smaller Moonboats.

The City of Yuthuppa has its own fleet which dock at the Star Towers and are used to visit the realms of the Sky People.

There might even be the equivalent of a great race in the empire in which many clans put up their own Moonboats to race around the Empire in return for some fitting prize.

I can't see the point for trade as it seems to lack any significant advantage over the more mundane Oslir traffic. There is speed but that alone doesn't do much (or else the Concord would have beaten the pants of the Boeing 747).

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