Galactic Standard Time
Galactic Standard Time (GST)
The Forge runs on Galactic Standard Time — a base-10 timekeeping system adopted across most inhabited space as a common language of scheduling, contracts, and navigation logs. Unlike the chaotic local calendars of individual worlds, GST has no seasons, no religious observances, no legacy units.
Units
| Unit | Size | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cycle | base unit | One full rotation of a standard habitat drum. Roughly equivalent to an old-Earth day. |
| Arc | 100 Cycles | A working period — the span of a typical contract, patrol route, or supply run. |
| Epoch | 10 Arcs (1,000 Cycles) | A long era of time. Most people measure their lives in Epochs. |
Stardate Format
EPOCH.ARC.CYCLE
- EPOCH — Four-digit epoch year (e.g. 2407)
- ARC — Arc within the epoch, two digits (01–10)
- CYCLE — Cycle within the arc, two digits (01–100)
Stardate 2407.04.03 — the campaign begins here.
Calendarium tracks the date directly in this format. No conversion needed.
Time Advancement Guide
| Event | Time Passed |
|---|---|
| Short scene, encounter, or conversation | +1 Cycle |
| FTL jump to a nearby system | +3–5 Cycles |
| Survey mission or investigation | +5–15 Cycles |
| Long transit across the Forge | +1–3 Arcs |
| Extended downtime, recovery, or training | +1–2 Arcs |
| Major story break between chapters | +1–3 Arcs |
In-Universe Notes
- GST originated with the Precursor-era navigation guilds. No one knows what planet it was calibrated to.
- A "Cycle" in GST is close enough to a standard day that most spacers use the terms interchangeably.
- Fringe settlements and wanderers often ignore GST entirely, using local sun-cycles or ship-board time. This causes endless contract disputes.
- "Arc" is also used informally as slang for a contract period: "I signed on for two arcs" means roughly six months of work.