Shyneum (Shy-Neum)
Shyneum is a rare and valuable crystalline material that has become essential for interstellar travel and communication. Its stunning appearance ranges from fuchsia pink to ruby red, and it emits a brilliant burst of red and blue fire when exposed to black light. This unique mineral is typically found in asteroids and planets orbiting specific red stars, though it has been discovered in other solar systems as well.
The strategic value of shyneum has made it the primary focus of both private and governmental salvage operations across various galactic nations. One notable example of this is the Human Republic, who have a deposit of the mineral on the moon. This deposit was the result of an impact witnessed by the monks of Canterbury in 1178.
To access shyneum's tachyonic properties, the mineral must be cut and polished into a crystal blade, which is then subjected to a powerful electromagnetic field and intense bombardment of X-ray lasers. This process results in the almost complete conversion of photonic energy into a flux of tachyon radiation, enabling the utilization of shyneum for FTL (Faster Than Light) applications.
However, this very process causes the blade used to gradually burn and disintegrate over time, ultimately rendering it useless. When this occurs, the afflicted ship must be taken to a shipyard to have its shyneum core replaced with a fresh one. As for the exhausted blade, which will look like a piece of obsidian that crumbles under the slightest pressure, it is traditionaly jettisoned into a star.
Despite its challenges, the value of shyneum cannot be overstated in the realm of interstellar travel and communication. As long as the universe continues to expand and humanity explores new frontiers, the demand for shyneum will only continue to grow.
Original Source: Starflight 2: Trade Routes of the Cloud Nebula (Electronic Arts 1989)
Author notes:
In the game: Starflight 2: Trade Routes of the Cloud Nebula, shyneum is what replaced endurium as the fuel for FTL travel … other than that, there is very little explanation of the origin and appearance of this substance. Some clues, however, suggest that it was the explosion of the six suns, which gave rise to the Cloud Nebula, that was the cause of its creation.
Nonetheless, since the prime version was incompatible with Master of Orion’s hardware, I decided to attribute it a function similar to Star Trek’s dilitium. Without it, communications and interstellar voyage remain subject to Einstein’s law of relativity.
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