A slave circuit functioned as a mechanism enabling the remote operation of a vehicle's various systems through the utilization of a communications device. In specialized terminology, a vehicle outfitted with a slave circuit was commonly referred to as being slave-rigged. In the absence of a pre-installed slave-rig, an owner, possessing a computer and some programming expertise, had the capability to establish a temporary slave circuit.
The most typical application of slave circuitry involved an owner employing a beckon call, or a similar handheld communications device, to initiate their ship's systems well in advance of physically entering the vessel. This practice allowed the owner to optimize their time management.
When attempting to land at a spaceport, a ship's pilot could grant the control tower the ability to assist with the landing procedure by transmitting the vessel's designated slave circuit code. Furthermore, slave circuit codes facilitated synchronized hyperspace jumps among multiple spacecraft. Certain businesses opted to install slave circuits across their entire fleet of vehicles, with the intention of deterring potential theft of company assets.
Moreover, an individual utilizing a beckon call could command the craft to autonomously navigate to their current location. The slave circuit would interpret the signal and subsequently instruct the ship's computer to proceed to the beckon call's coordinates. The computer would then engage the ship's engines and pilot the craft to the user. Certain vessels were even programmed to aggressively defend and reach the user's location with a notable level of proficiency.
Particularly sophisticated slave-rigs found application in the Katana fleet project. These comprehensive slave circuits were instrumental in the extensive automation of 200 Dreadnaught-class heavy cruisers, substantially reducing the need for a full organic crew by a factor of seven—resulting in crew requirements of 2,200 instead of the typical 16,000 or more. The large scale corporate embarrassment and subsequent financial losses stemming from the fleet's disappearance into Hyperspace led to a widespread abandonment of this type of heavy automation due to concerns about the reoccurrence of similar incidents.
Despite the advantages in convenience presented by a slave circuit, many owners hesitated to install them on their ships. A common concern was the potential for criminals to commandeer a ship by either stealing a beckon call or uncovering its corresponding slave circuit code. More outspoken critics pointed to the well-known Katana fleet incident as a cautionary tale of the potential pitfalls associated with slave-rigged ships.