Navigators

Humanity is the only species in the Universe which has elevated the idea of space travel to an almost religious experience.

This page details the history and function of the Navigator Sect.

History
The Navigators were technically already in existence before Gamma Stream technology was introduced to humanity. In other words, there was a group in charge of transporting large quantities of ships across interstellar distances. However, following Rudd Ciasall's first journey to the Andromeda Galaxy, it soon became apparent that a new teaching body needed to be established in order to ensure that humanity could spread its reach further. Thus, the Navigator's were formed with Rudd Ciasall designated the first Teacher; their sole intent to imprint Humankind's legacy amongst the stars.

At first the Navigator's doors were open to all who could afford the relatively high entrance fees - however, it soon became apparent that without extremely high natural intelligence Navigation was exceedingly dangerous to the unwitting individual. Accordingly the Navigator's borrowed huge amounts of money from the Galactic Government to begin offering scholarships to Humans with high natural intelligence as indicated by their Sphere grades.

It took 100 years for their initial investment to pay off, the debt they had incurred in affording these scholarships nearly crippling the organisation before anyone had been formally trained. However, by the end of this 100 years 1,000 Navigator's had been trained and fully licensed. The Navigator's paid off their debt within 5 years.

Now with separate schools along all the Central Colonised Planets the Navigators's structure has changed considerably from its meagre beginnings. Fully independent of the government the Navigators are now ruled by a council, rather than a collection of 'Teachers'.

Religious Controversy
Whilst not an official religious group there are several characteristics about the Navigators which tend some to align it with a religion as well as a transport service; primarily the treatment of intergalactic travel as a sacred institution. The sanctity of travel then leads to the ritualisation of certain aspects of Navigator training: critics align the status of a Navigation License to the robes of a priest in BGS Christianity.

TO BE CONTINUED.

Function
During the last 20 years of their training Navigators choose to specialise in one of x tasks:


 * 1) Military (30%)
 * 2) Scouting (25%)
 * 3) Trade (25%)
 * 4) Colonisation (20%)