Conventional Faster Than Light Travel

Conventional Faster Than Light Travel (or ConFaTL) is a mode of transporting mass-objects through spacetime in a manner that curtails the lightspeed constant. As the first form of FTL travel developed, it is today considered "conventional", and is distinguished from other forms of circumventing the lightspeed constant, such as ADE Relocation, Heinz-Bode Relocation, Bode-Pure Replication, Dutch Oven Isotraversion, Wormhole Travel, and Voodoo.

Description
In ConFaTL, realspace mass-objects allowed to circumvent the lightspeed constant through the manipulation of spacetime itself. First, a Higgs generator, mounted to the bow of a vessel, creates a directed gravity field for a set distance in front of the craft, which draws space in on itself. Second, a drenergy generator (originally called a "dark energy thruster"), mounted to the stern, stretches out the space behind the vessel for a set distance. Finally, the two engines in tandem are utilized to create a semi-independent bubble of spacetime around the vessel, detatching it partially from the manipulated stretches of space. When the two generators cease their manipulation of spacetime fore and aft, realspace returns to its original state such that the contracted space ahead of the ship stretches back out "beneath" the bubble containing the craft. When the bubble is reintegrated fully to the universe, the ship is deposited near the far end of the distorted span of space. This process is repeated in sequence, with the ship skipping along stretches of space so as to achieve travel at a speed that is, for practical purposes, greater than the speed of light.

Shortcomings and Dangers
Confatl is limited by the need for engines capable of manipulating spacetime itself, which are quite large. As a result, it can only be achieved by larger craft, as the Higgs and drenergy generators simply cannot fit upon ships less than roughly 2 km in length and width.

Objects travelling by confatl have been known to miscalculate anticipated resolution points, or the spots in realspace where the object will next appear, due to unexpected local interferences in spacetime. These miscalcuations can occasionally result in harm to the travelling object and/or local realspace objects. For example, a vessel may collide with an unstable star, black hole, or even a civilized planet engaging in gravitational activity. As a result, confatl use is heavily regulated and routes are circumscribed in parts of the Milky Way and Hephaestus Galaxies.

Modern Use
In general, confatl has fallen out of favor as a method of FTL travel between civilized locations in realspace and is impractical (too slow) for travel between galaxies. It remains the preferred method of travel to unsettled locations within galaxies.