Blue Goose is the first human ship that made it there, but there are countless alien ships that were taken from their home network due to routing error, and end up at the same place. However, some of those long distance connections are still alive, and the routing error made the Blue Goose jump all the way to an aperture at the Magellanic Clouds. Over time, for some unknown reason (maybe due to lack of maintenance, since their creators are dead), the networks got disconnected and drifted apart. Turns out, there are different networks of rifts, scattered all around the space.

Suzy is an expert on the syntax, an intelligent programmer of an alien programming language Crossing that distance takes about 6 months on average, but the actual time varies depending on routing, and the efficiency of the syntax code entered. The network of apertures are contained within the Local Bubble, about 400 light years across. The locations are based on real life map: However, the syntax is not 100% deciphered, and routing errors occasionally happen. The way to use them is to 'program' them using a so called syntax, so the network routes you to your destination. But their creators long gone, so their origins are unknown. First of all, I recommend you to read or listen to the (audio)book by Alistair Reynolds, but if you just want some details, just read below.įTL travel is based on an alien technology, that people discovered.

Alastair reynolds aquila rift