Lightning Plasma

Several centuries ago, when the Toba age of spaceflight was hitting its stride, various forward-looking Toba pointed out the danger that small erratic asteroids in the Aluza system posed to Quantum Prime. In the end, the Toba decided to gather all of the small asteroids into a cluster, thus forming Gyroscopia. The plan worked well…but there was one unexpected result. From time to time, as the mini moons passed each other, giant lightning bolts would arc from one moon to the next. On several occasions these giant inter-moon lightning bolts hit Toba space craft there were in the vicinity, causing casualties and even fatalities. Something needed to be done to prevent a recurrence, and the Gyroscopia system was placed off limits until Toba scientists could get to the bottom of the issue.

A decade later, after extensive research, the cause of the phenomena was pin pointed: seams of metals that pierced several of the moons, and which accumulated electrical charges are the moons crossed through the magnetic field of Quantum Prime. At points where the metallic seams reached the surface, strong charges could occasionally arc across space, to another moon that had built up the opposite charge.

The solution was to intentionally trigger discharges, on a schedule, so that Toba spaceships could be kept clear of the area. …but a spinoff of the research was the invention of Lightning Plasma. Ores from the metallic seams are (carefully!) mined and kept in electrically insulated capsules. When the time is right, add some Lightning Plasma to your rocket and watch your competitors’ s eyes light up in envy.