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5D Shunt
Unlike ZPE (Zero Point Energy) power systems which rely on electromagnetic drag to produce propulsion and power needs, a Fifth Dimension Tap, also known as 5D shunt, produces effects by directly manipulating the four lower dimensions.
Full Item Description
Even elementary children are aware of the three primary dimensions, which allow solid objects to be measured and have form, and beginning physics students are taught to measure and use the fourth dimension of time to calculate forces of acceleration and motion. The Fifth Dimension is sometimes discussed in passing at that level, as for an object to move from one place to another through the 4th dimension, it somehow has to get there and that is where the fifth, or 'work', dimension is found.
History
While other scientists worked on 'free energy' devices such as portable cold fusion and ZPE perpetual motion and mass drivers, Jos Heimlich (no relation) was able to get a grant to research his own theory to provide clean safe power through his 5D shunt. With his team in the Gong-Zwieback Quantified labs, he was able to produce the first small scale 5D shunt in the year 869 P.A. By 875 GZQ labs was able to be completely self sufficient for all it's power needs with it's one 5D shunt power plant.
The year 880 saw the first use of 5D shunts as space drive and since there was no impact to nearby objects not being manipulated, GZQ labs won a unifying contract among all space agencies, laying the foundation for a united planet. With space travel now available in any location, even from the backyard without disturbing Mrs. Kibblznbiz prize fruendzas, innovators around the world started experimenting with transports of their own, converting bulging vacation transports into makeshift spacecraft with bolted on parts from 5D shunt generators.
The Administration of Fifth Dimensional Components and Applications act, or A5DCA, was put in place in 897 after nefarious organizations used miniaturized 5D shunts to terrorize the populace, assassinating targets by sending them out of the atmosphere or simply using the forces to rip them apart, or by gaining access to sensitive locations by moving the security structures away. Since all that worked so well, however, the power of 5D shunts was turned to destruction, allowing not just exploration, but conquest.
Modern uses for 5D shunts see them present almost everywhere something needs done. From starship drives to personal defense weapons, if someone can afford the price tag, there's a way to develop a shunt for the job.
Applications
A typical 5D shunt is about the size of a refrigerator and can meet the power needs of a home. Smaller shunts can move a light weight vehicle frame, not just for moving wheels on ground use, but can be adapted at a greater cost to move the frame in any direction, in the manner of a reactionless VTOL. Highly expensive and highly regulated personal weapons can manipulate small portions of the target, but are not easily concealed, being about the size of phone book while only weighing half as much. Such weapons have the advantage of never ever needing recharging or reloading, making them a long term investment.
The general principle here is that the 5D shunts can simply move a target around in a controlled manner. Teleportation is theoretically possible, since the fifth dimension is above the 4th dimension of time and would be comparable to simply drawing a line from a different dot. Movement is reactionless, eliminating the need to deal with forces like drag or other bothersome Newtonian concepts.
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Before anyone starts commenting on the actual 'reality' of this, please just consider this a science fiction submission, loosely based on real concepts, not presented as fact, nor possibility. You know, like the Star Trek original series communicators. Interesting and almost plausible.
You mean, WalkieTalkies or Cell Phones?
No problem with the reality aspect at all, we are today much more open to scifish subs. But of course we can find something else to pick on. :)
Besides wanting to know more of how exactly it works ('cause I have a hard time believing in "free energy"), there are two things to address:
First, is there a countermeasure to the process? Any schmuck with even a little gun could take out the largest spaceship - just target some piece(s) that will cause decompression, and they are done for. There have to be shields, or special materials or something, that will hinder this.
Second, it means unlimited power, and that would deeply change the universe. This is a campaign (or story) defining piece, and that should be mentioned.
On the whole, very interesting, and one has to fear if it is not actually plausible. :)
An interesting idea, but to keep it from being over-used and abused, I would set a minimum size to a 5D Shunt, something that would allow it to be used in vehicle and ships, but preventing it from being used in hand-held devices and personal firearms.
There needs to be _some_ downside beyond it being used for evil. As soon as you have free power, the concept of 'cost' is almost gone.
Maybe this is the campaign defining event, propelling the world into a post scarcity economy, and brining in turmoil beyond measure.
Could be a great plot hook: destroy the prototype and kill the team to stop the change, or protect the team at all cost to usher in a new world order (cue religious fanatic, secret societies, and government organisations.)
I think though, that if you have free energy, the entire gameworld economy will shift drastically. The very concept of warfare is skewed, since building new ships is essentially cost free: Just equip a few robots with 5D shunts, send them off to the asteroid field, and hey, presto, a brand new fleet. Might be an interesting article to write.