"Communications, get me Navigations."
The Communications AI's reply was immediate. <She's not answering, Sir.>
The title Communications refers to the person currently in charge of communications both within the spacecraft and with entities external to the ship. The recruitment of an
Afterlife Intelligence or two is especially common when filling the role of Communications, as AIs' lack of sleep requirements makes it easy to ensure someone is always on duty, although certain organizations such as the
Hydell Order and
Space Defense Legion still prefer living crew members.
Among the more magically inclined civilizations Communications requires training in
Telepathy, allowing them to mentally and securely speak to anyone within range. This has also earned the system itself the nickname "Telecomm". Larger ships and especially space stations house teams of Telepaths to allow a higher quantity of concurrent conversations.
In contrast, the Legion has developed a different method, passing conversations along specially designated wires within the ship with a device on both ends to encrypt and decrypt the signal, and alert the recipient only when they receive a message. The Legion's inter-ship communications are passed across the Void along encrypted wavelengths, a method considerably slower and less secure than Telepathy or enclosed wires but considered an acceptable risk due to its greater range possibilities and the
Sparnell Confederation's ineptitude interpreting the signals.
Long distance communications may or may not pass through Communications, depending upon the ship's setup. Some organizations lean on Navigations for interstellar conversations, using
Necromancy to bridge distances, although most still use Telepathy in addition to take advantage of the higher security as well as the option to send information, memories, and present experiences rather than relying solely on words.
Jake grinned, his arms open in greeting. "Welcome to Janikk Station. You're welcome to stay as long as you like. If you need anything, ask for Communications to assist."
Benji looked up at the ceiling. "Communications is the voice from before? How does he hear us?"
"There are speakers throughout the station," Communications answered. "Not much privacy in space these days, I'm afraid. But we usually only listen when we're called. Usually."— Hands of Destinee, Book 2: Destinee's Call
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