Lore: Drop-Drones (Patreon)

Drop-Drones were developed during the TPA (Terran Protectorate Alliance) era before the Discovery War started and they were the primary workhorse for surface-to-orbital and orbital-to-surface logistics.

Drop-Drones are large enough to store a practical amount of cargo, while still being small enough to fit into smaller interplanetary starships.

Their key design parameters focused on modularity and reusability when it came to freight transport as they evolved across several prototype iterations.

The very first Drop-Drone prototype was a large lander rocket with enough Delta-V thrust to escape planetary gravitation. It was fitted with powerful retro-fire rockets that could be triggered in rapid pulses to slow the Drop-Drone down during planetary re-entry.

Drop-Drones were cost-effective, but they weren't the most reliable form of transport and thus they were mainly used for freight. They were prone to depressurization, and in some severe instances, they disintegrated during re-entry from wear and tear. They were rarely used to transport people, livestock and valuable cargo to-and-from orbit.

This all changed when the Discovery War broke out. Humanity was ill-prepared to fight off the Cephilusk sentinels, and the war only escalated once the sentinels activated the newly constructed Sol Gate. The cornerstone of Humanity's defence strategy was logistics, and we had to rapidly adapt our transport methods. Using the surplus availability of Drop-Drones was a logical choice. The basic models were adapted to reduce spontaneous disintegration from excessive atmospheric friction, and later during the war, they were also outfitted with small impulse engines to allow for short space travels. Older Drop-Drones that couldn't be refurbished to prevent depressurisation were used to transport Assault Marines, as their combat armour was already designed to function in low to no-pressure environments. The original modular design also came in handy. The most common Drop-Drone configuration during the Discovery War was two personnel modules, one armoury module and one supply module.

Since the signing of the peace accord and the acceptance of Humanity into the Interstellar Concordat, Drop-Drones are slowly being phased out. While there is a renewed need for freight transport, most companies prefer to make use of shuttles and larger starships. It's ironic that the majority of these starships are still equipped with at least one Drop-Drone for orbital and surface transportation.

Interestingly, some freight companies went the opposite direction and opted to exclusively use Drop-Drones for their transport. Perhaps the most notorious of these is Lemmurck Logistics which are known to purchase entire batches of decommissioned Drop-Drones at scrap prices. These Drop-Drones are then repaired and modified to create large "trains" of interconnected modules which they use for affordable interplanetary freight transport. These interconnected Drop-Drones are no longer used for atmospheric re-entry but are instead loaded and launched from one planetary gravity well to another planetary gravity well where they are "captured" by receiving stations, unloaded, reloaded and then launched back. This has created several "two-way" freight lanes across the solar system. Carl Lemmurck, owner of Lemmurck Logistics is one of the richest trillionaires* in Sol, and no other freight company has been able to compete with them on price.

Other notable uses for decommissioned Post War Drop-Drones include makeshift housing by nonprofit and government organisations like the RCE movement (Rapid Colonisation Establishment) which started using these Drop-Drones immediately after the war as housing and warehouse modules during the initial establishment of a new colony.

Initially, there was a large push for new colonies outside of Sol once the peace accord was signed. Humanity was determined to proactively prevent another potential extinction threat and saw movements like the RCE as a way to ensure the survival of our species. Large corporations also contributed funding in return for exclusive mining rights on these new colonies.

Other species in the Concordat feared that humanity was spreading too fast and ignoring ancient colonisation agreements that kept the peace. Our leaders adopted a "rather ask for forgiveness than permission" approach, and one of the stipulations for allowing humanity into the Concordat was the eviction of several of these "illegal" colonies. The fact that many of these colonies were nothing more than basic infrastructure supported by decommissioned Drop-Drones made it easier to pack up and leave.

No matter your stance on Drop-Drones and their use, they have had an undeniable influence on humanity and the way we do things, much like the invention of the steam locomotive or the first aircraft.

*Rumour has it that his youngest daughter, Helen Lemmurck is the one that actually has all the power and her father is a mere figurehead that allows her to act with impunity.

If you haven't tried Infinite Stars yet, you can find it on Steam or Itchio. You'll get to see some Drop-Drones up close and personal while experiencing a whole sci-fi world crafted with love and attention to detail.