Why did Beowulf Never Noticed the Wormhole Terminus?

Jonathan_S wrote:There was something in the previously collected data that led Axlerod to be quite confident there was a wormhole at Manticore. (Or at least confident enough to spend what had to be a lot of money on a fleet to try to seize the system before they would be able to come in and verify the wormhole's existence)

It was some time ago I read the books, but I seem to remember that Axelrod was on the clock here since others had raised the question about the possibility of a wormhole in the system which in the end led to Manticore hiring a survey-ship. Is my recollection wrong?

Joat42 wrote:It was some time ago I read the books, but I seem to remember that Axelrod was on the clock here since others had raised the question about the possibility of a wormhole in the system which in the end led to Manticore hiring a survey-ship. Is my recollection wrong?

I think you're conflating things a bit.

By the end of ACTD, when Axelrod kicks off the task force to take over Manticore, they say the data is public and available to everyone, but no one had noticed. So it might be just a matter of time until someone did, or accidentally supplied more data that tipped everyone off.

But it's only in ACTI where a researcher in Manticore meets with the Queen and the cabinet to tell them of her theory that there is a wormhole there. So yes, the clock is now ticking for Axelrod, but Axelrod does not know that yet. They'll probably figure out because they're going to be invited to a conference on wormholes on Manticore in the next year or so (probably the next book). There's a discussion about excluding them from the invitation list, but in the end the conclusion is that they shouldn't exclude anyone.

ThinksMarkedly wrote:

Joat42 wrote:It was some time ago I read the books, but I seem to remember that Axelrod was on the clock here since others had raised the question about the possibility of a wormhole in the system which in the end led to Manticore hiring a survey-ship. Is my recollection wrong?

I think you're conflating things a bit.

Not really. I looked up the info, the timeline is as follows:

• 1533 PD - Axelrod gets hold of the survey-data indicating there is a wormhole junction in the Manticore system and hides it by falsifying public records.
• 1535 PD - Manticoran astrophysicist Doctor Tolochko publishes his findings that there are indications of a junction in the system but he is largely dismissed for the next decade.
• 1543 PD - Axelrod attacks Manticore by using Vogelsong mercenaries.
• 1585 PD - The existence of the wormhole junction is confirmed and the Manticoran survey-ship Pathfinder makes the first jump to Beowulf.

So my recollection was largely correct and Tolochko's publication may have speed up Axelrod's plans although I don't think we have any textev for that assumption.

Robert_A_Woodward wrote:Beowulf, the home of great astrophysicists, never noticed that their system (Sigma Draconis) had a wormhole terminus. Axelrod (see epilogue of _A Call to Duty_) had people crunching data, supposedly for all systems with survey reports and they didn't notice it either. What gives? Is it particularly distant? For some reason, it has a very weak resonance zone? Nobody ever bothered doing an updated survey of the Sigma Draconis system c. 1400 with much better equipment to replace the one done centuries earlier?

Beowulf's astrophysicists could have been too busy investigating all of the other reported phenomena from all over the galaxy. It could also be that the chance of detection goes down as the system's traffic goes up. Long range sensors might be affected by a high traffic system.

Seriously though, and I have resisted posting this again because it wasn't well received before, I think it was all plot driven because if Beowulf had discovered their terminus then Beowulf would have popped out of the MWJ. And by proxy, the SL would have claimed ownership. Again, by proxy. So, it was plot driven.



But, mostly, Beowulf might have been too busy making babies. After all, we are talking about ... Beowulf!

Robert_A_Woodward wrote:Beowulf, the home of great astrophysicists, never noticed that their system (Sigma Draconis) had a wormhole terminus. Axelrod (see epilogue of _A Call to Duty_) had people crunching data, supposedly for all systems with survey reports and they didn't notice it either. What gives? Is it particularly distant? For some reason, it has a very weak resonance zone? Nobody ever bothered doing an updated survey of the Sigma Draconis system c. 1400 with much better equipment to replace the one done centuries earlier?

Beowulf's astrophysicists could have been too busy investigating all of the other reported phenomena from all over the galaxy. It could also be that the chance of detection goes down as the system's traffic goes up. Long range sensors might be affected by a high traffic system.

Seriously though, and I have resisted posting this again because it wasn't well received before, I think it was all plot driven because if Beowulf had discovered their terminus then Beowulf would have popped out of the MWJ. In time, the SL would have claimed ownership by proxy or by "decree." So, it was plot driven.



But, mostly, Beowulf might have been too busy making babies. After all, we are talking about ... Beowulf!