Library Data

Appearing here with the kind permission of Joseph Heck ccjoe@showme.missouri.edu

The Imperial Traveller's Library Service

Another service of the Traveller's Aid Society

update 1115.000

This data base is assembled by the Society with the aim of providing the interstellar traveller with an accurate, up to date source of information about the Imperium, its worlds, and its surroundings. Included are entries on the major subjects most commonly requested by interstellar travellers. All in all, this data base is one the most comprehensive, widely accessible libraries in the Imperium. In addition, the system allows for continual updating and expansion, simply by connecting your portable data base to a local TAS computer system. To avoid filling too much memory space (always precious on a starship's computers), a large portion of the data is stored off-line, requiring specific action on the part of the operator. However, the most important core information may be immediately accessed by anyone with a minimum of computer literacy. It should be noted that the updating of the data tends to result in the content of a particular library being biassed towards the area in which the updating occurs. For example, this data base currently shows a lean towards information originating in the Imperial Spinward Marches.

Please note: All the data in this file except for The Pernicons, Gateway Station, Psi-Corp and the Forlorn are standard Traveller data. The Pernicon's and Psi-Corp are my additions, and the Forlorn were created by Bruce Johnson. Credit is given within each section, where credit is due.

Also, my Traveller Universe does not use Jump Drive's, but Star Gate/Wormholes. Jump Drive's make no sense, Jump Gate/Wormhole's can be explained with the current body of scientific knowledge on the subject. All concepts and terms associated with wormholes are inspired by the work of Dr. Kip Thorne. The term "Hyperspace" and "Jumpspace" are used interchangeably in this text. Jump Drive's and Hyperspace have been redifined.

A

AAB

The Argushiigi Admegulasha Bilanidin, which in Vilani literally means the "Vilani Repository of All Knowledge", is a major scientific institution on Vland. The extensive AAB facilities include a vast museum, a library, and several research centres and publishing houses. Not only does AAB collect samples, specimens, and recorded materials from all over explored space , but it also publishes an abridged 15 holocrystal encyclopedia set of its extensive data files. Known simply as "The Encyclopedia", the set contains the equivalent of 7500 extensively illustrated volumes, yet it can easily fit into a large pocket.

Adair

Archduke of Sol, Grand Admiral of the Rim. Adair's great grandmother held the post of Grand Admiral of the Rim during the Solomani Rim War, and was rewarded with the Archduchy.

Amber Zone

Traveller's Aid Society classification for a nation, world or system which presents a need for caution in dealings and activities. The amber zone may indicate chaos, upheaval, or xenophobia in local business, politics, society, or culture, or may be applied for other reasons. Travellers should exercise caution. See also Red Zone,Travel Zone.

Ancients

The name given to a race of intelligent, alien beings who inhabited various locations in this portion of the galaxy approximately -300 000. Archeological evidence recovered from excavations of the few known Ancient cities indicates that the race destroyed itself during a 2000 year conflict known as the Final War, which left only ruined cities and shattered planets.

The Ancients were responsible for several major features within the region now occupied by the Imperium. Their warfare resulted in the large proportion of asteroid belts throughout this spiral arm. There is evidence that they created the multiworld rosette at Tireen (in the Vargr Extents). Scattered empty cities (most severely damaged by war) stand as evidence of their conflict; most, however, are under investigation by the Imperium and are not open to the public.

The Ancients are generally accepted as responsible for the dissemination of Humaniti within its current domain when they transplanted genetic stock from Terra to at least forty worlds across a span of some 360 parsecs. Similarly they were also responsible for the creation of the Vargr through the genetic manipulation of carnivore/chaser animals. Apparently they used Terran canine stock acquired at the same time as Humaniti. See also Antiquity, Humaniti, Solomani Hypothesis, Vargr.

Andory(Spinward Marches 0236 C695735-9)

Prime candidate for the Droyne homeworld. Discovered in 802 and placed under interdiction by Imperial Interstellar Scout Service. See also Droyne.

Anglic

The official language of the Third Imperium. A distant descendant of Terran English, Anglic was the language of the Rule of Man (-2294 to -1776). Anglic remained a common interstellar language for trade and commerce during the Long Night. Its widespread use on the original worlds of the Third Imperium made it the natural language when the Imperium was established.

On many worlds, Anglic is only a second language used for system traffic control, commercial operations, and interstellar communications. Anglic is often called Galanglic (for Galactic Anglic). The Imperium has not been able to prevent the emergence of a wide variety of Anglic dialects. Interstellar communications, holocrystals, and recordings help to spread a uniform pronunciation of Anglic throughout the entire Imperium.

Within the Imperium, any Anglic speaker can understand almost any other, but isolated communities on worlds with little contact with interstellar trade lanes shift their speech patterns to form dialects. In addition, broad areas within the Imperium have established their own pronunciation patterns; accepted dialects include Rim (which includes Terra), Core (the central region of the Imperium), Riftian (the spinward frontiers), and Transform (the Antares region).

Antares

Trailing region of the Imperium. The name is applied to a variety of places at the trailing fringe of the Imperium.

Antares is a domain of the Imperium, a sector within that domain, and capital of that sector.

Antares, League of

An automonous region within the Imperium. The worlds were originally pressed into the Imperium in 89 during the Antarean Pacification Campaign. The worlds were occupied by the Julian Protectorate during the Julian War. When regained for the Imperium at the end of the war, the peace terms included a mandate that the League of Antares be given limited automony for control of trade, commerce, and internal affairs.

The automony of the League served as a model for the later establishment of the Solomani Automonous Region.

Ansing Expedition

Famous exploration of the accessible reaches of the gas giant Annikkittar in the Pretoria system in 870 to 884. Extensive use of specially designed exploration vessels, protective suits, and high technology equipment allowed the Ansing Foundation of Vland to extensively map and explore the upper reaches of the gas giant's atmosphere.

Antebellum

Literally, before the war. General historical term referring to the period within the Imperium before the Civil War, specifically 210 to 604.

The Antebellum period was characterised by expansion of the Imperium with large scale colonisation efforts, integration of numerous regions into Imperial society, and an overall mood of growth and exploration. With the end of the Antebellum period, the Imperium turned more attention inward and devoted resources to internal development and consolidation.

Antiquity(Corridor 0816 A223420-C)

One of the best preserved Ancient sites in existence. Discovered in 385, the site is unique in that many parts of it are still operational. The biggest problem faced by researchers has been figuring out what things did, and how they worked. Many items are still a mystery. See also Ancients.

Artifact

Any manufactured object. The term artifact is commonly used to refer to any object, item or group of related items produced by the ancients.

Aslan

A race of intelligent beings with an established interstellar dominion spinward and rimward of the Imperium; in addition large numbers have settled within the Imperium.

Aslan stand roughly human-sized, averaging 2.0 metres in height and weighing about lOOkg. They are descended from fourlimbed, upright, bipedal carnivore/pouncer stock originally adapted to a solitary arboreal existence.

The earliest Terran explorers saw in them a vague resemblance to the Terran lion, and they have been described (by Imperials) as lion- like ever since, although there is very little true similarity. The derivation of the word Aslan is unknown. There are two sexes, male and female. The most notable difference is the increased size and mane of the former. Females outnumber males by 3 to 1.

Aslan have a highly specialised dewclaw under each thumb which folds back jackknife fashion into a horny covering in the base of the thumb and palm.

A vast Aslan dominated region (the Aslan Hierate) lies far to rimward, but Aslan themselves have ranged well beyond its borders, with many settling within the Imperium and attaining full status as citizens. As such, they subordinate themselves to Imperial authority, although they have remained culturally separated from human society. Aslan serve in the Imperial armed forces; they achieve nobility; they pay taxes; they run businesses. See also Aslan Border Wars, Aslan Hierate.

Aslan Society

The Aslan are a warrior race, proud, noble, and devoted to those in authority above them. An individual Aslan is usually a member of a family of from 2 to 12 individuals under a patriarchal leader. Several families will combine into a pride with one dominant family. A number of prides form a clan, with a dominant pride. Aside from military organisations and the ruling council (within the Hierate), the clan is the highest socio-political unit among the Aslan.

A deep-seated territorial instinct causes the aslan to have an inordinate (from a human standpoint) concern with land. For male Aslan, owning land is a major goal in life. An Aslan's stature is determined by the amount of land he (or her husband) controls, or by the amount of land owned by any higher lord the Aslan may be vassal to. The lowest classes of Aslan are landless, and provide the farmers, labourers, craftsmen, and factory workers. A holder of a large territory will often grant authority over it to vassals (usually sons, brothers, or male relatives by marriage) who administer the land in his name.

The sexes have very different roles in Aslan society. Males (in all but the lower classes) are concerned mostly with military operations, acquisition of territory, and political affairs.

Females are concerned with trade, industry, and the accumulation of knowledge. Upper class males have little conception of money and are literally incapable of functioning in a technological society without aid, so they are thus seldom encountered without the supervision of a wife, mother, or other female relative or employer.

For instance, a typical Aslan mercenary unit will be organised by a wealthy married female, who will then assign its operation, for a share of the proceeds, to an unmarried female relative. The battle commander and most of the troops will be unmarried males (many of them also relatives) hired with the promise of land grants (and the opportunity to gain honour and reputation in combat); however, staff, operations, supply, and intelligence officers will generally be female.

The extremely deadly nature of any combat between Aslan has led to a rigid, ritualised pattern of behaviour designed to reduce conflict. Aslan are very polite, and while most have learnt to be patient with non-Aslan, accidental fights still occur. Disputes between individuals are handled by the patriarchs; disputes between families are handled by the pride leaders; disputes between prides are handled by clan leaders.

Aslan Calender

The Aslan calender is based on the period of Kuzu (the Aslan homeworld) around Tyeyo, its star. The Aslan ftahea (year) is 319.98 standard days in length. See also Aslan Border Wars, Aslan Hierate, Kuzu.

Aslan Border Wars (-1118 to 380)

A series of conflicts between various Aslan clans and human systems as the Aslan expanded toward already settled human territory. The Aslan achieved jump drive late(-1999) and proceeded to expand into available territory in their region of space. Contacts along their trailing border necessarily resulted in friction with the human systems in that region.

Because the Long Night was already well under way by the time the Aslan encountered humans, there was no central human government to resist Aslan attacks. Since there was no united Aslan authority either, the sides were fairly matched, and numerous small wars erupted between Aslan clans and human splinter states, with alliances between the various powers constantly forming and dissolving.

The border between human and Aslan space remained relatively constant, with a few systems changing hands after each war. At this time some clans also launched raids into the interior of the former Imperial domains, where they conquered and settled worlds as much as 40 parsecs beyond the border.

Once the Third Imperium expanded into the region(circa 200), its superior organisation and technology gradually put an end to the Aslan threat. The final treaties, known as the Peace of Ftahalr, were negotiated with all the major clans. They established a buffer zone about 30 parsecs wide between the Imperial border and the region of Aslan control. There has been no war since then(380), although the Solomani have violated portions of the zone and incorporated it into their boundaries. See also Aslan, Aslan Hierate.

Aslan Hierate

Interstellar, multisector government of the many Aslan clans. Aslan society centres on the clan. Within the Hierate, the family structure of the Aslan and the governmental structure are the same. The highest governmental functions are performed by a council of twenty-nine clan leaders chosen from amongst the most powerful clans.

"the 29"(as they are known) have a quasireligious status and represent the essential unity of the Aslan race. To be chosen one of the "the 29" is the highest honour to which an Aslan can aspire. The 29 meet continuously on Kuzu to adjudicate interclan disputes and decide matters of group policy. No member of the 29 speaks for the Hierate as a whole, nor does the whole 29.

There are no Hierate armed forces; each clan has its own, and rarely act in concert with those of other clans. The Hierate itself can call upon military forces only in so far as the clans themselves agree to provide such forces. Even the minor forces conveying the 29's decisions are actually under the control of individual clan leaders.

Assassination, Right of

A method of ascension to the Imperial throne which involves the assassination of the present Emperor, along with all heirs, by the pretender to the throne. The assassin can then claim the throne, subject to the approval of the Moot. Originally established in order to remove the Emperor Cleon III (also known as Cleon the Mad) when he demonstrated homicidal tendancies.

However, the murder of Empress Nicholle by Cleon IV in 475 led to a revival of the method, and ultimately to the Civil War in 606.

Astrography

The science of mapping interstellar space. Basic to any science of mapping is a coordinate system. The system used by the Imperium is based on rings of longitude, rays of latitude, and parsecs. By convention, rays of latitude are measured from a starting point at Reference/Core, this world being at ray 0000 and on the ring 10 000 parsecs from the centre of the galaxy.

The system is highly Imperio-centric, and liable to break down beyond certain limits. However it admirably serves within the area surrounding the Imperium. Other states use different conventions, but the Imperial system is widely accepted by many client states. In ordinary discourse, a world is refered to by its name, sector and/or subsector. For example the home of the first Barracks Emperor, Olav, is Rhylanor/Rhylanor/Spinward Marches)

Atrake

Fruity wine produced on Zila from trakes. Atrake enjoys a reputation within the Marches as a quality wine, largely due to extensive marketing by Tukera Lines.

B

Bad War/Good War

See Good War/Bad War.

Barracks Emperors

Collective term describing the succession of emperors springing from military backgrounds(and usually seizing the throne by force) during the Civil War. See also Emperors of the Flag.

Battle Rider

Non-jump capable ship intended to stand in the line of battle in space combat and carried interstellar by a battle tender. Two opposite views in naval architecture have dominated the design of the major battleships of space navies. The battle rider concept involves a large jump-capable tender carrying many (two to ten) heavily armed and armoured battle riders. The opposite concept is the battleship, a large jump-capable ship which carries the jump drives and fuel tanks internally.

The battle tender, so integral to the concept of the battle rider, is little more than a large dispersed structure with jump drives, fuel tanks, and basic controls. By dispensimg with the need for jump drives and associated fuel tanks on each of the riders, each becomes ton for ton more heavily armed and armoured.

It is generally held that, in any meeting between a battleship and a battle rider of equal displacement, the battle rider will triumph. See also Battleship, Battle Tender.

Battleship

Jump capable starship intended to stand in the line of battle in space combat.

The battleship concept involves well armed and armoured starships of massive displacement and capable of meeting almost any adversary. In battle against superior forces, however, the battleship can flee using its own jump drives. The opposite concept (of battle riders carried into combat by a battle tender) does not allow for the possibility of superior force; no matter how good a rider is, if it meets a superior adversary, it is placed in a posistion of winning or dying. Retreat is nearly impossible without losses. See also Battle Rider.

Battle Tender

Interstellar ship transport intended to carry battle riders into combat. Generally a dispersed structure, it transports a squadron of battle riders ready for immediate launch upon entry into a system. While riders press the attack, the tender stays in the reserve for protection. See also Battle Rider.

"Behind the Claw"

A slang term used by inhabitants of the Spinward Marches, Deneb and Trojan Reaches sectors to refer to these areas. The term derives from a supposed resemblance between a claw and the Great Rift, as seen on maps of the Imperium.

Inhabitants of this region feel a certain pride in the designation, and it is used to imply that they share a camaraderie and common interest. The name was once used as the title of a popular news magazine with a circulation area encompassing the three sectors named above. The term is rarely used by inhabitants of other areas of the Imperium.

Belt Mining

The process of extracting useful minerals and other substances from asteroids. Asteroids fall into three basic categories for mining purposes.

Nickel Iron

Nickel-iron asteroids are reasonably dense, high-grade sources of metals, and are also useful to the shipbuilding industry as hull material.

Carbonaceous

The most common asteroid type, and also that with the lowest value. The best markets for such rocks are space colonies and largeistations which make use of the various useful elements which can extracted from them.

Ice chunks

Made up of frozen volatiles, including methane, water, etc. Hence, these "dirty snowballs" are a source of hydrogen fuel, and so support "ice miners". The main markets are starports and space stations which cannot, for one reason or another, use more convenient sources, such as oceans or gas giants.

None of these types are particularly valuable, and will never make a miner rich. However many asteroids, especially nickeliron types, contain rare minerals, platinum, lanthanum, etc.

Occasionally, an asteroid may be valuable for scientific, or even aesthetic, purposes. Finally there are the products of civilisations, from the week old wreck to the treasure trove of the Ancients.

Belter

Strictly speaking, one who practises the profession of asteroid prospector and miner, usually working alone or with a small number of partners. Loosely, any resident of an asteroid belt (including citizens of civilised belts such as Glisten, some of whom have never been in a spaceship).

Blistein Yards

The Blistein company of Glisten (Spinward Marches/Glisten) has achieved a high reputation for specialist starships of nonstreamlined types. Although constructing on a small scale compared to builders like Ling Standard, Blistein vessels are sought after due to their attention to customers' special requirements.

Blistein is the main supplier of private yachts to the Marcher Nobility, and this provides the bulk of their output.

Occasionally, however, a class of vessels such as the Leviathan merchant cruisers are turned out, and several powered planetoid types have also been constructed.

Boat

Any defensive non-starship. In general, the term boat is reserved for craft produced for local defensive operations. While non-interstellar in nature, they are heavily armed and armoured.

Also, any small craft used interplanetary. See also Gunboat, System Defence Boat.

Brzk

Archduke of Antares. Brzk's great- (to the eighth) grandfather, Admiral Soegz, was a loyal supporter of Arbellatra in the final years of the Civil War.

C

Capital (Core/Capital 2118 A586A98-F)

Central world of the Imperium and seat of government since its founding. Situated in the centre of the Imperium, Capital's astrographical posistion has proven of prime importance as a communications hub, a cultural centre, and an industrial focus.

Centaurs

Name commonly applied to the K'kree, because of their resemblance to a mythical Terran creature. See also K'kree.

Children of the March

A fleet intruder (later frontier cruiser) of the Azhanti High Lightening class. Tail number 6355. Laid down 095- 994. First flight 117-997. Displacement 60 000 and heavily armed.

The Children of the March was unusual in this class of ships primarily for its method of finance. The boost to subsector ecomony created by the award of starship construction contracts is always important enough to make all areas of the Imperium vie for the privilege. At the time of the bidding invitations, the Solomani Rim War (990 to 1002) was burning on the other side of the Imperium; there was little chance that the Spinward Marches would receive a contract.

The Duke of Regina, speaking for the Marches, proposed that the marches fund one additional ship from its own resources, on condition that the Marches would receive a portion of the total run. The school children of the worlds within the Marches contributed their lunch money, at a quarter credit each, for the ultimate funding of one ship, and it was named Children of the March in their honour. Reportedly, some backwater schools districts still collect for the "Starship Fund".

Church of the Chosen Ones

A fanatical Vargr sect which believes that the Ancients not only "invented" the Vargr race by genetic manipulation of Terran carnivores, but that the Ancients also returned to the Vargr several times and improved the race to the point that it could take its rightful place as the leader of this part of the galaxy. Some Church members even believe that the Ancients will return to bring this about. The Church has waned in influence since its founding 200 years ago, but it still has followers on many worlds. See also Vargr.

Ciencia Iphegenia (b. 1088)

Grand Princess of the Imperium, daughter of the Emperor Strephon and Empress Iolanthe. As heir to the Iridium throne, Grand Princess Iphegenia has been educated from birth to eventually assume the mantle of authority for the Imperium. Her early fascination with the sciences prompted an extensive interest in the Imperial Interstellar Scout Service, which considers her its patron.

Civil War (606 to 622)

Fought between various factions within the Imperium for control of the bureacracy. It had its origin in the strain on communications within the Imperium caused by the long time lags dictated by the very size of the Imperium. To cite one cause, however, would be simplistic. The diverse backgrounds of the many constituents of the Imperium had its effects, as did rivalry for power by major naval and military commanders and a lessening in the Imperium's expansionist tendancies.

The spark which started the Civil War came from the First Frontier War (589 to 604) in the Spinward Marches. Communication lags and a lack of preparedness forced the Marches to conduct most of the war on its own with| little additional help or support from the Imperium. Grand Admiral of the Marches Olav hault-Plankwell forced the war to an end and found solid support for a new government. Marching on Capital with his war fleet, he forced an audience with Empress Jacqueline I, supposedly for recognition of his war effort. In the course of the meeting he personally murdered the Empress, and then proclaimed himself Emperor by right of fleet control. The ensuing power struggle lasted through 18 years and 17 emperors.

The fighting in the Civil War was of two varieties: fringe battles for power bases, and central battles for power in the Core. The fringe battles were fought throughout the Imperium as rival factions recruited forces. Once any power block built up enough strength to make victory seem possible, the forces were moved to the Core and used to either seize power or to wrest it away from someone else.

But there was also a cheaper, easier route open to many. The dynastic crisis of 244 had produced a precedent for assassination of the emperor if he or she overstepped the bounds of legitimate activity. The concept was introduced to legitimise the elimination of Cleon the Mad and was never intended for any other purpose. Nevertheless, in the turmoil of the Civil War, assassination was introduced and accepted, at least by those utilising the technique, as a way of promoting a succession in government.

The line of Emperors during the Civil War came mostly from naval officers, and they are collectively called the Emperors of the Flag. Of these seventeen seven were assassinated and ten were killed in battle; the line was ended by the person sometimes considered the eighteenth Emperor of the Flag - Arbellatra.

During the course of the Civil War, the Outworld Coalition (of Zhodani and Vargr) saw that their defeat in the First Frontier War at the hands of Olav need not be permenant. They attacked again in the Second Frontier War (615 to 620). Their defeat in that war had greater effects than they would know. Grand Admiral Arbellatra Alkhalikoi managed the meager forces of the Spinward Marches against the Coalition and forced a second defeat.

Arbellatra's strategy after the war was (like Olav) to march on Capital and seize power. She, however, did not make the mistake of seizing the throne. Instead, she defeated the putative emperor and then took possession of power, holding it in trust for a rightful successor. She held the post of regent for seven years while a search for a member of Jacqueline's family could be found to take the throne. In the stability that followed with her as regent, she made an impression on the Moot and succeeded in establishing a broad power base. Ultimately, the Moot approached her to take the throne herself, an end which was probably in her mind all along.

With the end of the Civil War, the Imperium entered a period of renewed expansion and consolidation. The express boat system was established to enhance government, commercial, and private communications; the Solomani influence in the Imperium was lessened and replaced with a more cosmopolitan policy; renewed efforts at interior development of existing Imperial territories provided a new focus for the nobles of the Moot. See also Emperors' List, First Frontier War, Moot, Outworld Coalition, Second Frontier War.

Clan Severn

A Rhylanor based shipbuilder, with associated facilities on Jae Tellona and Margesi. The Rhylanor yard concentrates on filling Naval contracts, while civil and merchant operations are dealt with on Margesi. The Jae Tellona facilities engages primarily in maintenance and overhauls, but is also capable of constructing some of the simpler components for the other yards.

Client State

An independent political unit which has elected (or had forced upon it) the patronage of a larger political unit.

This relationship is generally mutually beneficial and is essentially commercial in nature. That is, the political or defensive ties which may be part of any patron-client relationship are ultimately intended to promote trade between the two.

Collector

see Pernicon

Confederation

Group of independent states, worlds, or systems united for specified purposes while generally retaining more freedom of action than the members of a federation. Also known as a league or alliance (especially of princes, nations, states, worlds, or systems).

Corridor

Imperial sector containing 267 systems dramatically split by the Great Rift; 69 systems lie rimward of the Rift and 149 systems form the coreward third of the sector. Corridor is named for its role connecting old, well-established Vland sector with the frontier sectors Deneb and the Spinward Marches. The name Corridor dates from about 140 and has displaced the old Vilani name (Eneri, rough translation: "star salad") for the sector.

Coyns

Of the rare artifacts recovered from Ancient sites, the most common are coyns, small disks of metal engraved with various symbols. Their specific use is unknown. It may be that the objects served as money, jewelry, mystic focii, or some other unknown purpose.

Coyns have been found in various precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum, iridium, and even monadium. Sets range in size from six to thirty-eight pieces and are considered desirable to museums throughout the Imperium. Each coyn has a scrap value of Cr400 (if gold); to a museum, the value is closer to Cr4000.

Crisis of '99

Albert Croale, in his book Almost Disaster presents a hypothesis that the Third Frontier War (979 to 986) occurred two centuries too late. After reviewing the progress of events in the spinward reaches of the Imperium from the antebellum period to the late seventh century, Croale then analyses the rise of the Psionics Institutes, their growing public acceptance, and their spreading power. Finally, he presents that a straight projection of events would predict a resurgence of the Outworld Coalition, increased hostilities, and a Third Frontier War.

Instead, his hypothesis as stated in his book indicates that the Psionic Suppressions (800 to 826 and beyond) were a massive manipulation of the population of the Imperium, a form of psychohistory, intended to eliminate the power of the institutes.

Preparations were ongoing for war, and the Imperium made representations of strength (in 799) to the Coalition. It backed down.

But the pyschohistory project went wrong and resulted in widespread rejection of psionics as a whole within the Imperium to the point that even the government had difficulty in using the science of psionics for its official purposes.

Cruiser

A ship capable of independant operations and of support of the main line of battle. Cruisers are intended to fulfil two diverse missions- in battle, they support and reinforce capital ships which are present and which form the main line of battle, generally from the flanks, and they perform seperate operations, often acting as the centre of task forces which have no capital ships. Cruisers are also put to use as independant ships.

Currency, Imperial

The basic unit of legal tender in the Imperium is the Imperial credit. Individual worlds may issue their own currencies, and those currencies may or may not be acceptable on other worlds. Similarly, corporations and megacorporations may issue scrip, and its acceptance outside of the corporate environment is a matter of conjecture. But Imperial credits are accepted everywhere in the Imperium and many locations outside of it.

Imperial credits are almost impossible to counterfeit because of their unique method of manufacture. Plastic fibres are combined under high temperature and pressure and extruded as a rectangular bundle of great length. The different coloured fibres form the pattern of the bill. It is not printed but actually made a part of the structure of the note. The bundle is sliced into paper thinness, and a 14-digit alphanumeric is added for uniqueness.

Credit bills are issued in 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, 1000, and 10000 credit denominations. Plastic coins, manufactured in a similar manner in various shapes, are issued in quarter (a quart), half (a demi), one, and five (a bec) credit denominations.

Imperial credits can be bulky in large enough quantities. Bills measure 75 x 125 millimetres; 1000 bills stand 50 millimetres high and weigh 500 grammes.

D

Darmine

Cultural region in the Zarushagar sector. Darmine had a separate but submerged cultural identity within the First Imperium and happily threw off that domination when the First Imperium fell.

Allowed to flourish by the Rule of Man, the community of worlds survived the Long Night with little harm. Darmine was the major focus of the Ilelish Pacification Campaign (76 to 120).

Darrian Confederation

Group of worlds in the Darrian subsector (Spinward Marches) settled by humans from Darrian (Spinward Marches/Darrian 0627 A463955-G) during the period 1137 to -927.

The current capital is Mire (Spinward Marches/ Darrian 0527 A665A95).

The Darrian Confederation contains 18 worlds within the same subsector and has a population of 17.19 billion. Darrians are humans who developed independently on Darrian. Some Solomani blood is evident from Solomani traders who encountered Darrian in -1511 and provided them with sufficient technology to explore their subsector.

The Darrian Confederation is a Client State of the Imperium. It has had long standing conflicts with the Sword Worlds. See also Humans.

Delgado Trading, LIC

Originally a manufacturer of military hardware and widely known for their work in minaturisation, Delgado has extensive holdings in heavy mineral mining and refining, publishing, antiquities trading, and recently, the toy industry.

Founded in997, Delgado is the youngest of the megacorporations.

Stock Ownership: Imperial Family- 5%, Delgado family- 47%, Noble families- 27%, Private ownership-21%.

Deneb

Imperial sector containing 385 systems lying beyond the Great Rift; named for the sector's brightest star, Deneb.

Deneb sector was fragmentarily settled by both Vilani and Vargr during the latter years of the First Imperium, but major developments of the sector only took place after Third Imperium Scout Service explorations located major resource worlds in quantity.

Industrial worlds that exploited those resources soon created trade routes and commercial ties that linked the Imperial core with the Spinward Marches.

Deneb sector is primarily Imperial. The Imperial border runs just within the coreward edge of the sector, and scattered Vargr systems (as well as non-aligned systems and client states) lie beyond the border.

Digest Touring Award

Outstanding journalism award offered every seven years by the Travellers Digest magazine (a popular magazine with a wide circulation in the spinward sectors of the Imperium, available on either plastic vellum or electronic media).

The recipient, who must be a professional journalist living and working "behind the claw", is given honorary membership in the Travellers' Aid Society. (worth one million credits); he or she is then expected to travel through the region during the tenure of the award and to submit a feature article once every thirteen weeks. The intent of the Digest is to "promote understanding of cultural diversity within the Imperium". The most recent winner of the award, in 1100 is Akidda Laagiir an editor of the Mora World Review on Mora (Spinward Marches/Mora 0704 AA99AC7-F).

Directions, Galactic

North, south, east, west are insufficient terms for referring to directions within the galaxy. Instead, the following conventions have achieved widespread acceptance when referring to direction:

Toward the galactic core (toward Capital from Terra) is coreward; away from it, in the direction of the rim, is rimward. In the direction in which the galaxy is rotating (toward Regina from Vland) is spinward, and the opposite direction is trailing.

These directions are widely used in describing Imperial features and businesses. For example, the Spinward Marches is a Sector at the extreme spinward fringe of the Imperium.

Finally, within the Imperium, the term coreward is also used to indicate the direction of Capital, the Imperial core. There is some potential for confusion if the term is accepted out of context.

Domain

Group of four sectors within the Imperium under the general control and direction of an Archduke. Since the Civil War, the importance of the Domains has been considerably reduced.

Dresden (b.1051)

Duke of Sanches. Dresden married Princess Lydia in 1092. They issued two sons (the twin princes, Varian and Lucan) in 1094.

Droyne

Intelligent major race inhabiting scattered worlds within an area larger than the region of the current Third Imperium. The Droyne are a small race derived from winged omnivore gatherers.

They vary in size depending on caste but generally stand one metre tall (large workers and warriors can be larger than humans). The history of their evolution remains a puzzle because their homeworld is not known with any certainty.

Droyne society is divided into rigid castes determined when an individual reaches adolescence. The six castes of the Droyne each serve different functions within Droyne society. Although identical at the time of caste selection, caste members develop pronounced physical and mental differences by maturity. Different genetic programs are awakened by differences in diet and environment among the various castes. Young leaders, for instance, experience a nearly 30 percent increase in brain size in the first year after casting. The following are descriptions and definitions of castes:

Workers

Manual labour and mundane ordinary activity are not too smart and are temperamentally suited to contentment with ordinary labour and subservient tasks.

Warrior

Trained for combat and possessing comparatively well developed muscles and reflexes, the warrior is the security troop, the marine, and the policeman of the Droyne culture. They are common in frontier bases, and less numerous in civilised areas.

Drone

Drones have a variety of purposes in Droyne society. They perform a reproductive role which makes them parents to Droyne young, and they have a role in the ceremonies which determine caste for maturing young. In addition, drones comprise a sort of middle management caste, which is responsible for many of the routine functions in business, trade, and administration.

Technician

This caste is the science-orientated portion of Droyne society and is concerned with both research and practical implementation of technology.

Sport

Although the caste system of the Droyne is rather rigid, the sport is the deliberately accepted exception to caste structure. Sports are special individuals who cross caste lines to become scouts, messengers, representatives, hunters, prospectors, and to take other occupations that require individual initiative or separation from Droyne society for long periods of time. A sport is the most commonly encountered Droyne outside their own worlds.

Leader

Leaders are required to manage and direct society. They are ultimately responsible for everything that the Droyne as a whole do.

Society: There is little individual freedom in Droyne society, and as a result, society and government join into one concept.

Workers work. Leaders lead. All of society is dedicated to continuing the existence that provides all members with food, shelter and the other amenities that make life enjoyable. In addition, there is little discord in Droyne society when things are running smoothly, as each member of society has its own function to perform. Only when disaster occurs is the group forced to strain.

A typical Droyne group consists of a variety of Droyne from the different castes. There will be many workers, few drones and leaders, and technicians and warriors based on current needs.

Each group will also have several sports, although they may not be present; instead they may be occupied with their own solitary tasks.

This is not to say Droyne are mindless. Leaders are-quite capable and responsible; warriors haveistrategic and tactical senses; technicians are inventive and clever. But all accept the central group as a part of their lives and work for its benefit above their own.

Dulinor

Archduke of Ilelish. The newest of the archdukes, appointed by Strephon in 1099, a decision which has since met with much controversy.

E

Ebokin

Sophont race native to Yebab. Ebokin (singular: Eibokin) are bilaterally symmetrical and are built low to the ground, with eight legs and four small manipulative arms set close to the head. Adult female Ebokin average 0.8 metres tall, 1.5 metres long, and 130 kg in weight; males are somewhat smaller. Ebokin society is a very conservative matriarchy, bound by strict, unchanging laws. Ebokin seldom leave their homeworld.

Emissary

Ex-imperial Navy fleet intruder (formally the Sparkling Distress) of the Azhanti High Lightening class. Tail number 6379.

Laid down 138-997. First flight 121-1000.

Currently in Oberlindes Lines service in the Vargr Extents.

Somehow, Oberlindes managed to purchase the ship with its weaponry intact, which violates Imperial regulations. Thus, the ship is unable to return to the Imperium. However, the Emissary has operated successfully as an Oberlindes flagship in the Extents and has proven effective, by the implied threat of its presence, in protecting Oberlindes shipping from piracy. The Emissary is armed with a large spinal mount particle accelerator and considerable secondary weaponry

Emperors of the Flag

During the Civil War period (604 to 622), the Imperium was in the hands of a series of naval officers of flag (admiral) rank. These eighteen emperors achieved the throne through assassination, fleet action, political manoeuvres, and general mayhem. The year 619 particularly saw six emperors hold the throne, none of them for more than three months.

The succession of Emperors of the Flag began with the seizure of the throne by Olav hault-Plankwell in 604, which precipitated the Civil War. It ended with the naming of Arbellatra as regent of the Imperium by the Moot in 622. See also Civil War.

Empire

Group of independent states, duchies, nations, tribes, worlds or systems under the supreme rule of one emperor.

Exotic Material

By Michael Mifsud
Material that has a negative average energy density, as measured by someone moving through it at nearly the speed of light. Commonly used for Stargate construction, it can be naturally found around the horizion of a Black Hole.

Express Boat

Rapid communication ships which are designed to make optimum use of jump technology in communicating information within the Imperium. Because the Imperium is so large, ordinary communication must depend on ships travelling along established trade routes, making Regina nearly 4 years out from the Imperial Core.

The express boat (abbreviated Xboat) system, established originally in 624 and expanded to cover the entire Imperium by 718, cuts this communication time by nearly 75 percent. Selected locations along major trade routes are established as sites for express stations, which are orbital facilities which service and refuel the Xboats on their communication runs.

As an Xboat arrives in a system, it beams its recorded data to the express boat station, which then retransmits it to an Xboat standing by for a jump outsystem. Time between jumps is almost always under four hours and has been recorded at under seven minutes, making the speed of communication nearly the speed of jump (since Xboats carry jump-4 drives, speeds near four parsecs a week). In practise, this speed is somewhat reduced by the fact that trade routes do not follow straight lines and that not all jumps are made at jump-4. Nonetheless, the system achieves approximately jump-2.6 per week.

F

False War

See Fourth Frontier War.

Federation

Group of states, worlds, or systems, each internally independent, joined into a union to which has been surrendered certain rights and responsibilities, most generally to do with foreign affairs.

First Frontier War (589 to 604)

The first of the border clashes between the Imperium and the Zhodani, which sparked the beginning of a continuing antipathy between the two major lines of humaniti.

With the conclusion of the war, Olav hault-Plankwell returned to the Imperial core with his war fleet and took the reins of government, dispatching Empress Jacqueline and thus starting the Civil War and the reign of the Barracks Emperors.

First Imperium (-4045 to -2204)

The first modern interstellar civilisation, politically and culturally dominated by humans originating on Vland. The jump drive was discovered on Vland in -9235. Immediately the Vilani discovered a number of interfertile and technologically primitive human races on worlds within 60 parsecs. These were gradually brought to a high technology state with Vilani help and assimilated into a loose interstellar community bound by trade and common culture.

Eventually, the client races themselves explored beyond the local sphere, contacting and trading with still more races. These new races gained their technology without being assimilated into the Vilani culture; the resulting increased friction caused a series of wars beginning in about -5400.

In response to the threat, Vland began tightening its control of its trade sphere, and finally organising it into a centralised state in -5273. This marked the beginnings of the First Imperium, although there was as yet no emperor. During the thousand year period of the Consolidation Wars, Vland conquered and absorbed its enemies until there were no longer any civilised states on its borders (except for a portion of the Vargr Extents, isolated from the Imperium by the Windhorn).

The last war ended in -4045, and the Vilani declared the establishment of an interstellar empire to govern all Vilani territory. Known as the Grand Empire of the Stars or Ziru Sirka, the Vilani dating begins at this point. With no exterior threats, the Ziru Sirka lasted for nearly 1200 years; at its height, which was attained soon after the end of the wars, the First Imperium contained 27 sectors and over 15 000 worlds.

However, the cost of maintaining centralised control over this vast expanse was cultural rigidity; exploration had ceased with the beginning of the wars; now scientific research slowed to a halt, and the beginnings of a hereditary caste system began to emerge. Civilisation was in decline.

As long as there was no exterior threat, the Grand Empire was safe; but gradually, despite all efforts, technology leaked across the borders. New interstellar states arose, and the Imperium could no longer afford to absorb them. Slowly, the Imperium lost territory along its coreward and trailing marches.

Then, in -2422, the Imperium was contacted along its rimward border by the Terrans, who had recently emerged into space.

Terran expansionism led to a series of interstellar wars which ultimately resulted in Terran conquest of the Imperium in -2204 and the founding of the Rule of Man.

First Interstellar War (-2408 to - 2400)

The first military engagement between the Vilani of the First Imperium, and the Solomani of the Terran Confederation. This began an on-again, off- again series of wars between these two major human races, which ended in the defeat of the First Imperium and the beginning of the ascendance of the Solomani. See also Nth Interstellar War.

Flame Sculpture

A Darrian art form. Developed before the super- nova which destroyed interstellar interaction in that region for 700 years. Initially, techniques were invented to shape flame using gravitic technology, application being in such things as cutting torches. However, it was discovered that the flames could be molded, and artisans began practising this new art. Busts, landscapes, and other 3-D subjects were sculpted in flame, along with letters, company names and logos.

As with many Darrian artifacts, those created before the disaster (known as Early sculpture) are considered the best, and are all simple in form, with the rarest being sculpted while the Darrian worlds struggled to survive (known as Maghiz) Modern sculpture is far more complex than the older forms, and is less prized by art lovers.

Forlorn

by Bruce Johnson

History
The Forlorn are a minor human race of unknown origin. Commonly calledGypsies, a term they dislike, the Forlorn (the Galanglic translation oftheir word to describe themselves) are the only known zero-gee adaptedhumans.

The Forlorn, as near as can be told, seem to have originated somewhere inthe area of space trailing the Imperium (Milieu 0), possibly somewhere inthe Fornast sector, possibly more distant than that. Their planetaryculture apparently reached about TL 8 before some great calamity occurredon their homeworld. The Forlorn themselves have only fragmentary knowledgeof that time, and no remaining records; much of their history has beenpassed down in an oral tradition, this time is known only to them as 'TheDestruction'.

Apparently they had some warning of the calamity, because they undertook adesperate task: to save as much of their people, culture and history aspossible.

A monstrous building effort took place on their home world, whichaccording to their oral tradition sapped all of it's resources.

Hundreds of large sub-light ships were built, several millions of peoplewere placed on board for a journey that was supposed to only last,perhaps, ten years, to nearby systems that their scientists thoughtcontained planets that would sustain them.

At this point what happened is unclear. Tradition holds that whatever thecalamity was, reached out and overtook their ships, as well, before theywere completely out of the system. Apparently great damage was done to allof the ships, many were utterly destroyed, most lost some functions. Thegreat fleet was scattered, as well.

Through truly heroic effort, some twenty seven of the ships were broughtback together. All were damaged, many had hundreds of dead and wounded,with failing life support systems, failing power generation, failingcontrol systems.

Fortunately the people in the 27 had access to a large supply of materialand machinery destined for use on the now-unreachable target systems. Bycannibalizing their future, they managed to bind the 27 into a looseassociation of structures, linked by tenuous threads, but linkednonetheless.

After 1500 years, they had traveled unimaginable distances, and had cometo know themselves as the Forlorn, the lost ones, as they passed starafter star, never having the delta vee their feeble propulsion systemcould muster to stop at the ones their instruments indicated had habitableplanets, never finding one they could stop at that had anything but bakedvacuum rocks and vast, cold gas giants.

As the centuries passed they became accustomed to their low gee world,becoming masters at recycling, refashioning ships again and again,stealing matter from the cold empty space, atom by atom, with hugemagnetic nets, that fueled their power systems, ran their lights, kepttheir precious plants alive, kept them alive.

They changed, physically, as well. Their ancestors had all been chosen fortheir suitability of working in space, and the harsh first 500 yearsruthlessly weeded out all but the fittest. They slowly became slender,lithe, conservative of air, and movement. The 27 could only manage 0.25gravities in the parts that were able to spin for weight. Most of theliving spaces were permanently weightless.

The web that bound the 27 became the culture that bound the Forlorn.Cooperation was essential in all things, and each individual had a graveresponsibility to all, if they were to survive. Yet grim surroundings didnot mean grim people. They had access to a number of plant dyes to colortheir world, and once the dreadful first few centuries passed, and theylearned to manage their world better, they were able to expand, havefamilies, start to live again. They had to, else succumb to the gnawingdespair that had robbed so many in the early years of their will to live.

The 27 became a world of it's own, slowly growing, speeding through theempty reaches of space toward their rendezvous with the Third Imperium. In-240, the first report of a rumored giant sub-light ship filtered throughthe free trader network back to the Federation. By -180 it was clear theship was approaching, and it was steadily decelerating. It was headedtowards a system with a sparsely inhabited agricultural world in theGeshaggere system. In -168, as they slowed to a wide looping orbit aroundthe primary, the Forlorn were astonished to find themselves met by otherhumans in spacecraft. They were almost as astonished as the Scouts who metthem.

Thus began the last upheaval in the lives of the Forlorn.

After 1500 years of believing that they were the only humans in existence,the shock of finally coming to rest, and finding, not only humans, buthumans who could travel faster than light, humans who had spread tothousands of worlds, humans who were already living on the beautifulplanet that they had come to think of as their new home was more than manycould take. To many this was a time as dark as the original Destruction.To many their struggle to live over the last 1500 years had been anexercise in futility...they thought they were the salvation of humanity.An epidemic of depression and suicide swept the Forlorn.

Worse, when some of them ventured down to the planet, they found it wasnot a place they found fit to live in, it was dirty, smelly, diseaseridden. They weighed too much, many were utterly paralyzed from theweight, and most of them suffered from horrible agoraphobia. They wereused only to no horizon in the space between ships, or a ships hull, atmost, a hundred meters away; a horizon line many kilometers or hundreds ofkilometers away left them reeling with dizziness, nausea, and a feeling ofpanic.

Soon, the survivors realized that after all this time, they HAD a home,and it was on their familiar, beloved 27. They realized that now they nolonger had to depend on capturing material atom by atom, but they couldcomb the system they were in for material. They could construct large newhabitats, fill them with their recycler farms, their beloved strinthee's,and grow. Their depression turned to exhilaration, as they realized thatthey, of all the people they'd met were the most suited to living inspace. They had technologies far in advance of the Imperium, in somerespects: in the areas of large scale life support systems, zero geeconstruction, long distance sensors and analysis, manipulation of magneticfields, hydroponics farming they were at least TL 13-14. In this they atleast had something to offer the Federation. They were fortunate theirfirst contacts were with a honest scout from an honest large corporation.Their secrets weren't stolen from them, and their interests were properlyrepresented during the chaotic first years of their recontact withhumankind.

It is doubtful that they'd be as lucky in today's expansionistenvironment.

The Forlorn: In the Imperium
The Forlorn have increased their numbers since arriving in the Imperium,with a total population now somewhere around 5-8 million. There arepockets of them throughout the old Sylean Confederation space. Forlornwork teams are in high demand for zero gee construction, and Forlorndesigned life support systems are sold throughout the Imperium for use invacuum and hostile environment habitats. Forlorn researchers are found inthe IISS research branch, where they are working on long distance sensorand survey techniques

Still, most Forlorn are still clustered in the Geshaggere system, livingand working in their growing cluster of habitats at Geshaggere's lagrangepoints. They are acutely aware that they are, by now, quite different fromthe people they have settled amidst, and feel considerably lost unlessthey are with a number of other Forlorn. Their history of intensecommunity cooperation have made them even more group oriented than theVilani, though without the technological conservatism that marks Vilaniculture. They have a distinct language, that they work assiduously to keepalive, as they do their rich oral history and traditions.

They have a love of brightly colored clothing and surroundings, of music,of food. They have embraced a number of foods from their newsurroundings, blending them into their cuisine as the plants have provento be compatible with their farming systems.

Outside of the Geshaggere system, they are most often found in familygroups of 15-45 individuals, never solitary. They have been the target ofmore than a little discrimination, for their habits of travelling ingroups, their strange language, their habitual use of filter masks in thepresence of outsiders, and more often, their disdain for those theyconsider 'Drangin', 'dirt-bugs', their derogatory term for anyone whoisn't happier living at zero-g in a nice clean space habitat. In otherwords, anyone who lives on a planet. Most Forlorn feel they are truly theonly modern humans, living free from their planetary bonds. All of endlessspace is their homeland.

Forlorn innovations:
Life support systems. Forlorn life support systems are really designed foruse in large habitats, or very large ships; they are unsuitable for use insmall ships. They are a combination recycling system/farm, using acombination of plants, algae, and some rather exotic polymer andmetallopolymer membrane systems to maintain a healthy atmosphere, food,and water supply over long, practically infinite periods of time. Thesesystems are much more efficient than current Imperial life supportsystems, but need more attention and are at times quite susceptible to'poisoning' by outside contaminants, such as heavy metals, bacteria andfungi. They work best when a 'clean' system can be erected, such as on avacuum world, or in orbit, where some decontamination can be set up forincoming personnel.

They have smaller systems for use on board small ships, which are morelike small hydroponic gardens more than anything else. These cannotreplace full life support systems, but rather, provide an extra amount of'conditioning' to the system, particularly the air supply, removing traceirritants, and adding the impossible-to- replicate scents of livingplants. Ships that carry such systems do not receive any cut in costs forlife support, but can realize an increased 5-10% on middle and highpassage fare, because the systems simply make it more pleasant to be onboard.

PC's could well want to invest in one of these systems, not only for theincreased revenue, but again, because it's a lot more pleasant to be on aship with one.

Forlorn 'Life Conditioning Unit': Displaces 2 dT/100 dT of ship to be'conditioned', requires minimal power, and requires 0.1 Crew member/ dTfor maintenance and operation, counted as Steward.

Magnetic field manipulation:
The Forlorn's only resupply system during their centuries in flight weretheir laboriously adapted magnetic radiation and particle shields (Theiroriginal ships were to carry the fuel they needed). They became adept atmanipulating magnetic fields within the low power constraints of theirsystems, filtering the scant detrius of interstellar space for hydrogen,carbon monoxide, methane, and rarer molecules. They have a large practicalknowledge of this subject, but since most of their experience is asignificant fractions of c, the practicality and usability of theirtechnology is questionable in the much lower speed Imperium. Still theyhave struggled to make some headway.

MagSieve Magnetic 'sieve' for recovering low concentrations of materialfrom plasma, gaseous, or other extremely low density media. Basically avariation of the Bussard Ramjet; this is a system that can collectspecifically sized molecules or atoms from some medium. Currently usedexperimentally for recovering trace resources from cometary belts, theupper reaches of Gas Giants, proto star systems, or similar environments.This is currently experimental technology, and is still somewhat of a'solution without a problem'. The advantage of this system is that itcould be converted to a rugged, automated system. Resource concentrationsmay be low in Cometary belts, or particularly proto-star systems, but asimple device that can operate for months or years without service couldcollect a huge amount of material. Forlorn control of magnetic fields,however is still pretty much confined to low power applications.

Zero Gee construction:
Forlorn structures are marvels of maximum strength with minimum mass, andtheir abilities to work on and manipulate structures in zero gee arealmost inborn by now. They have developed a number of specializedcomposites and alloys for such use. Their structures are often designed towithstand stresses in very defined directions, and Forlorn designs oftenresemble elaborate spiderwebs of tension elements, often looking no moresubstantial than balsa wood models.

Forlorn structures are typically built in place as they cannot withstandthe forces required to boost them into position. However, they are oftenfar more economical of construction time, material and volume than'normally' designed orbital hab's or structures, and have found a nichefor use as astronomical observatories, deep space sensor platforms or commrelays, or belter habitats.

Some of their engineering elements and composites are finding their wayinto Imperial engineering practice, as well, and there is a noted Forlornoccupying the Branfield chair at the Sylea Institute of Technology. Well,she doesn't actually occupy the chair, but rather an orbital habitat nearSylean Highport, which serves as a classroom/summer camp/laboratory forstudents in her program of Alternative Construction Methods. She simplytelecommutes for all her ordinary departmental duties.

Miscellaneous Forlorn Library data:
Groukit: This is one of the few plants the Forlorn were able to retainfrom the Destruction. In it's most primitive, base form, it is a low, fastgrowing, squashlike vegetable. It was originally intended to be a foodsource and 'air conditioner' plant, since it has large leaves forrelatively high rates of respiration. It has been manipulated into a largenumber of variants providing everything from dyes to food to fibers forcloth. Even now, after an influx of new plants, the Groukit has animportant place in Forlorn agriculture, and even more, an important placein the Forlorn heart. Every household has a large, lavishly cared forGroukit in a place of honor in their main room.

Strinthee: This is the only animal from their home world that the Forlornhave left. All the other species they were taking with them were lost withthe rest of the Fleet. The strinthee is a small omnivorous quadruped,massing 1-4 kilos, which occupied the same niche on their home world asthe modern house cat, as a pet and predator on small pests. Longconsidered lucky on ships, both surface and spacegoing, there werenumerous strinthees on all of the ships of the Fleet. Strinthee's are welladapted for zero-gee life as well, since the evolved from small arborealomnivores. They do not have prehensile taile or opposable thumbs, but areotherwise quite dextrous. Strinthee's are as much a part of a family asthe any other Forlorn, and though they are quite inquisitive at times,they will tend to stay within sight or scent distance of their family.

Forlorn societal structure:
The Forlorn, more than any other society inthe Imperium value the group, over the individual. Decisions, major, andminor are often made by consensus. While this can slow negotiations withnon- Forlorn, this means that agreements are well thought out.Paradoxically, though, the Forlorn value innovative thinking byindividuals as well, since many times throughout their history, it wasonly the quick actions and ideas of individuals that saved them. Forlornschooling focuses a great deal on rapid, iterative problem solving: " Fixit NOW, then fix it better, until it's done right" rather than "study itto death, then fix it right"...far too often in their history what wouldhave been dead would have been them. The Forlorn, in other words, areinveterate tinkerers.

Since the entire 27 came to become, essentially, an extended village, theForlorn concept of 'group' includes all the Forlorn in existence. They dorecognize more immediate familial groups, and Forlorn living arrangementsare usually oriented around this size group, which will usually consist ofa biologically related extended family. Forlorn are very gregarious,though, and larger communities tend to still act in a very unifiedfashion. The initial screening of their remote descendants, and theintervening 1500 years of isolation, with the vastly smaller initialpopulation of the 27, means that the Forlorn, while considerably moregenetically homogenous than the Imperial norm, are relatively free ofgenetic diseases.

They are, in general, more susceptible to diseases and infections than theImperial norm. This accounts for their habitually wearing filter masks andfull cover outer garments in areas where they have wide contact withoutsiders and their pathogens, particularly in their rare ventures onto aplanet. Physically they are taller, much thinner, and often weaker thanthe Imperial norm, although this is mostly the effects of life led at lowor zero-gee; there are some Forlorn who are adapted to higher geeenvironments. Most have long, nimble toes, as well, and some can use themalmost as facilely as hands. Zero-gee has other advantages as well. MostForlorn are quite long lived, due to the lessened strain of gravity ontheir bodies, as well as the low calorie diet they maintain.

There has been some mixing of the Forlorn and Imperial humans, but theirgreater susceptibility to disease and cultural differences have combinedto keep the Forlorn a fairly insular group, and 'adopted' Imperials are asmall minority.

At home, Forlorn have a wide variety of dress, often in wild colors. Theirlove of color and visual variety extends to the rest of their environment,too. Forlorn habitats are riots of colors, small nooks and crannies filledwith bits of stuff, knicknacks, plants, materials 'put aside' (the Forlornare still fanatic recylclers...any bit of metal, plastic, wood or othermaterial that left over from anything, will get scooped up, and put asidefor recycling later.) Older Forlorn, in particular, also have asignificant 'thing-itis', the urge to collect all sorts of'things'...mostly small and decorative, or something with some utility,they are closer to the time when all they had was the 27; there are, infact a number of them who were alive before the fleet stopped. Theyremember the days when a small decorative object was truly a treasure,when everything was assembled, atom by atom from the magnetic nets.

The Forlorn, as a group have an acute awareness of the fact that they arethe ONLY of their kind that have ever been found. A significant sect amongthem are the 'Ill'ikashi', 'Rejoiners' in Galanglic. They believe thatwhen the great fleet was scattered, the 27 were not the only ships tosurvive. If they were able to survive, then surely there were others. Theybelieve that it is a duty of theirs to seek out and find their lostpeople, knowing that this is a monumental task. Their rituals are mostlysmall reminders of the lost ships; on more important occasions, extraplace settings are set out for the lost, as if they might appear at anymoment. Astronomy and other sensor-based sciences are honored professionsamong the Ill'ikashi, and they form the bulk of the Forlorn who work forthe IISS.

The majority of the Forlorn, however, believe that they were the only onesspared, and it is their duty to retain their history and traditions. Aformalized expression of this is the 'Deltra Harissim', literally the'Society of Makers', a honorary fraternity of engineers, anotherprofession held in high esteem by the Forlorn. Members of the group arethe keepers of the 'Marakin' or 'Ships Log'; the recorded history of theForlorn.

There are numerous facimile copies available, now that the Forlorn haveaccess to the materials and technology, but the Marakin, distinguished bythe capitalization, is still kept by the chief of the Deltra Harrisim,using paper made from specialized groukit leaves. It is in the in thecenter of Forlorn culture, on the 27, maintained now as a museum/shrine inthe Geshaggere system.

The Marakin itself consists of some 4700 volumes of hand written history,stretching back to the time immediately after The Destruction and thescattering of the fleet. The earliest books are never handled any more,they are the original engineers hasty notes on construction of theoriginal 27, listing the modifications to the ships controls andmechanisms, inventories of material, preliminary designs of recyclingequipment, all written on cheap bound notepads, scraps of paper, bits ofpacking....anything they could get their hands on. The Marakin evolvedinto a written history about ten years into the voyage, as it seemed thatthey might, after all, just might make it. These earliest volumes are fartoo fragile to handle, and much of the information in them is impossibleto get to, and what is known about the contents has been lost or garbledover the ages. The Deltra Harissim are undertaking research into how toaccess the records without harming them, and the Ill'ikashi areenthusiastic partners in this, as they believe clues to their origin, andpossible tracking the Lost Ships lie in these books.

They have contracted with the Alkhalikoi Institute of Archaeology on Syleain this endeavor, and several visiting scientists from there are livingand working in the 27.

One of them, Dr Muthahti Vinoosh, has written a minor best-sellerrecounting her time on the Marakin project, and with the Forlorn. Thislight, affectionate portrayal of her hosts has earned Dr. Vinooshreciprocal affection from the Forlorn, and has softened their image asinsular, arrogant masked strangers for a wider range of people in theImperium.

Fourth Frontier War (1082 to 1084)

Also known as the False War.

Short inconclusive war fought primarily in the Jewell subsector (Spinward Marches sector) between the Imperium and the Zhodani Consulate. The war began with initial assaults by the Zhodani against Jewell and Regina subsectors stalled at the borders. Its final battle the Battle of Two Suns, 1084, was waged in the vicinity of Yres and Menorb and resulted in Imperial victory. The armistice was signed before instructions for the conduct of the war were received from Capital.

G

Galanglic

Primary language of the Third Imperium. See Anglic.

Gas Giant

A large planet with an extensive atmosphere of hydrogen and hydrogen compounds. Starships fuel themselves by diving into this atmosphere and skimming hydrogen from it.

Jupiter, in the Sol system, is an example of a gas giant.

Gateway Station

By Michael Mifsud, inspired by 3001: The Final Odyssey and the work of Yuri Artsutanov.

Gateway is Earth's one and only spacestation. It is of a very odd design. It can be best described as a 'ring around the world', in a geostationary orbit (GEO), linked to the Earth by four mighty Tower's, America Tower, Africa Tower, Asia Tower and Pacific Tower. The Towers are made out of Buckminsterfullerence (C60) which has a far greater tensile strength then diamond. Each Tower is a ten-million-floor skyscraper, which has efffectively solved any foreseeable population problems on Earth. The station itself, the rotating ring around the GEO has a circumference of more than half the distance to the Moon.

All ship's dock on Gateway, all access to Earth is via great elevator's within the various tower's. The use of the elevator avoids the danger, noise and environmental hazard's of rocketry. It is a crime to land directly on Earth without authorisation. Only rocket's to launch now from Earth are thosed used in re-enactments at Cape Kennedy.

General Products, LIC

Largely concerned with heavy industry, General is a manufacturer of starships, non-starships and heavy machinery of all sorts. General is known for inexpensive products of adequate quality, but of late its starship division (particulary its military products) has been plagued with disaster.

The corporation was formed by the merger of a number of smaller manufacturing concerns shortly after the end of the Civil War, in the period 620 to 622.

In the Spinward Marches, General owns the shipyards on Regina and Efate, and holds the maintenance conccesion at Pixie naval base in addition to other insatallations. The last military contract held by these yards was for four Kinunir class vanguard escorts, all ill fated, and none presently in service.

Stock Ownership: Imperial family- 5%, Hortalez et Cie- 26%, Noble families- 35%, Private ownership- 12%, Antares Holdings- 12%, Others- 10%.

Glea (Central/Glea 2609 A667800-F)

Main coordinating centre of the Hive Federation since 410. Centre of the Glean Cluster, an unusually rich grouping of 16 Hiver-habitable worlds which are mutually accessible by jump-1 shipping.

Good War/Bad War

The terms "good war" and "bad war" are expressions used by mercenary soldiers to differentiate between small-scale actions, not involving Imperial forces, and large scale conflicts involving Imperial forces, including wars between the Imperium and other states.

Small scale actions are viewed as good because generally the Imperial rules of war are observed, preventing, among other things, the use of nuclear weapons. Good wars are usually short and not particulary bloody. A unit in a tight spot need merely surrender and activate its repatriation bonds to be removed from combatant status. Even antiguerilla actions are good, under this classification, because of the fact that although most guerillas usually observe no restraint with captured government forces, captured mercenaries can usually be ransomed to serve as a source of income.

A war is bad when no such controls are in effect, and a mercenary unit will be subject to the full horrors of war. Mercenary units are understandably reluctant to accept bad war contracts, but they may be forced into them, especially when near the border areas.

Grand Prince

Imperial titular designation of the heir to the Iridium Throne. Under Imperial custom, the eldest daughter or son of the Emperor becomes heir to the throne at the age of 12.

Elaborate ceremonies confer the title Grand Prince (or Grand Princess) on the heir and proclaim the information to the Imperium.

Great Rift

Broad expanse of space with a very low density of stars lying on the spinward borders of the main region of the Third Imperium. The Great Rift is a pronounced impediment to to interstellar travel, and it constrains jumps to the Spinward Marches through the Corridor sector.

The Great Rifts is one of the many astrographic features which have provided long-term security for the Third Imperium. By its very nature, the Great Rift has made outside incursions difficult, which has made the interior of the Imperium a secure population centre.

Groat

Herbivore native to Fulacin in the Rhylanor subsector.

Individual groats are harmless, but the outer members of a herd will attack any perceived danger in groups.

Groats have been transplanted to several worlds in the Aramis subsector, most notably Focaline.

The groat's shaggy hair (known as groatle) is the most obvious resources it provides. Once sheared, cleaned, and groomed, it has a softness and silkiness rivalling the finest synthetic. In addition, groatle contains metal salts, which has two beneficial effects. First, groatle cloth is proof against most small lifeforms (such as Terran moths) which eat other animal fibres.

Second, a simple chemical treatment brings out an iridescent, shimmering quality which is very attractive. Groats are also raised for their meat, which is highly prized by Vargr.

GSbAG (Geschichtkries Sternschiffbau AG)

Founded, according to company propaganda, in -2438 from a consortium of old Terran manufacturing firms. In actual fact, there is no concrete evidence of the corporation's existance prior to a contract with the Sylean Federation Navy in -334. Unlike other manufacturers, GSbAG (populary known as Gas-bag) has restricted itself almost exclusively to the manufacture of starships since its earliest known existance.

GSbAG is one of two firms charged with the manufacture of the personal vessels of the Imperial family and is a major contractor for the Imperial military. Their products command extremely high prices, but it is generally conceded that the quality makes them well worth it.

Stock ownership: Hortalez et Cie- 19%, Imperial family- 4%, Noble families (includes the families of the legendary founders)- 44%, Other corporations- 13%, Private investors- 4%, Other- 16%.

Guaran (Ricenden/Guaran 0827 A565800-F)

Homeworld of the Hivers.

Guaran has no special political importance, although it attracts millions of tourists annually from all over the Federation.

Gunboat

Ultimately, the distinction between ground, air sea and space craft disappears for military vehicles, and a single type of vehicle assumes all of the roles for system defence. Called gunboats, they are capable of extended operations in vacuum, atmosphere and water, ready to continue resistance to enemy action. Individually, the vessels are strongly armed, and can fight enemy ships while later supporting ground troops or bombing enemy installations. Further, they can continue resistance for long periods, hiding in oceans or local gas giants, and coming out only when there is promise of enemy losses.

Typically, a gunboat is fast, well-armed and well-armoured. It is capable of a wide variety of military responses, and has a high survival potential. Displacement is 200 to 600 tons. See also System Defense Boat.

Gvegh

A language group (including Gvegh, Gvegh-Aek, Knithnour, Uedhu, and Taeksu), spoken by 60% of all Vargr in the Spinward Marches, Deneb, and the sectors immediately coreward. Thus, it is the most commonly encountered Vargr language.

H

Hiver

Intelligent major race with a large federation trailing the Imperium. Hivers average 1.5 meters from ground to top of upraised head and weigh about 150 kg. Descended from omnivore gatherer/scavenger stock, they are the most alien of the major races. Hivers exhibit a modified six-fold radial symmetry; the body has a calcareous internal skeleton consisting of a series of rings supporting the limbs and a fused carapace protecting the brain and internal organs.

The head is a modification of one of the limbs and contains six eyestalks and six manipulative tentacles, plus paired infrared sensor organs. The other five limbs are identical (except for slight modifications of the hand opposite the head) and are used as arms and legs indiscriminately. Each limb ends in a six-fingered radial hand. Fingers are very flexible and have muscular suction cups on the lower surface about halfway to the tips. Hiver arms and hands are generally weaker than a human's but are very tough and difficult to injure.

The mouth (digestive opening) is on the lower surface of the body. There is no sound-producing organ, but Hivers do have three ears placed around the neck near the head. Hivers have only one sex. Reproductive cells are exchanged each time that Hivers meet, using the modified rear hand (the process has been termed by humans as "shaking hands"). The cells are kept in a reproductive pouch on the lower body surface where they conjugate and exchange genetic material. Once every forty days or so, a cell develops into a larva, which then drops from the parent's body.

Hive planets are mostly wilderness, and the larva enter the wilds, where most are killed. After about a year, survivors return to civilization, where they are welcomed into any nest and begin their education as citizens. Parental instinct in Hivers is very strong, and the young are adopted by the entire nest. (Note that this instinct applies only to the year old returnees; Hivers have no concern for younger larvae, and in fact they consider them minor pests).

Hiver language is a combination of arm/tentacle waving and physical contact. The written language is ideographic and is used as a standard language among the races of the Hive Federation. Hivers talking among themselves use all three aspects of language (gesture, touch and writing) at once, a process capable of great subtlety and sophistication, but unintelligible to the outsider.

Hivers are unique among the major races in that they had a complex culture before becoming sentient. Originally, they lived in the tunnels and built-up mounds of a large (1000 kilogram) burrowing animal. In exchange for shelter, they gave food. They farmed fungus and foraged outside for decaying vegetation and dead animals as a source of food for the fungus.

Burrowers were allowed to graze the in the farm tunnels. Hivers ate the fungus and whatever fresh food they could find outside. Intelligence arose as the outside environment changed, forcing the foraging parties to travel farther to discover new sources of food and fertilizer; foragers advanced from simple scavenging and gathering efforts to complex cooperative efforts of hunting and trapping live game.

Today, fungus remains the staple of the Hiver diet; fungus growing is a highly developed art. Most buildings retain the beehive shape and large underground tunnel complexes of the original burrowers, but they are constructed by machines; the burrowers (known as snohl) are now reduced to the secondary function of keeping the tunnels clean. Hiver attachment to them is essentially irrational; they just feel more comfortable with snohl around.

Society: Hive society is highly individualistic. The term "Hive" results from an early Human misconception which stems from the appearance of the Hivers' building and tunnel complexes. Nests contain from five to five hundred individuals, who are usually centered around some common endeavor.

While one hundred is an average size for nests (and was the size in precivilized times), larger groups may come together for some civilized purpose such as large manufacturing companies or universities. Small nests are usually spaceship crews or isolated research parties. A young Hiver will spend its first fifteen years in its home nest; thereafter, nest changes may take place as often as a modern human might change jobs.

Because of the nature of their reproduction, Hivers never experienced the population pressures so important to human history. The population of the homeworld is now only a few hundred million, only ten times greater than it was in prehistoric times. Predators control the young; when the adult survival rate rises, thus increasing the number of young produced, the predator population increases proportionately and the balance is maintained. Space colonization arose not from pressures but from curiosity, with which Hivers are amply endowed.

The Hivers have colonized only those planets with climates most pleasant to themselves; if the planet has no predators that like to eat Hiver larvae, they are imported. Because of the high birth rate, a colony will rapidly fill up to its maximum population level of a few hundred million and will then stabilize. Hivers like planets of size 6 or less, with thin or standard atmospheres and unvarying climates. Hiver enclaves, for commercial or scientific purposes, are found on worlds of more extreme characteristics.

Hive industry and business excels at communications technology and robot construction. Major exports include artificial and computer languages, translators, and sophisticated electronic hardware of all types. Hiver mathematical systems are in much demand for their power and elegance.

Hive Federation

Human term for a loose interstellar community dominated by the Hivers; Hive Confederation is also sometimes used. The Hivers have only one culture and one language; the Hiver genotype (with individual variations similar in degree to differences between individual humans of the same race) is also constant.

The Federation government (if such a term is at all applicable) is mostly concerned with maintaining the uniformity of the Hiver culture and species. This is accomplished by frequent reproductive embassies from one planet to another. Members of many different nests will shake hands with everyone nearby in a sort of farewell party and will then board a large embassy ship bound for a far-off world. Once there, they will meet with as many people as possible, shaking hands and exchanging news, art, gossip, scientific information, political views, and so on for about a year. They will then return home for another year-long round of parties, discussions, and handshaking.

Most disputes among communities are handled in these embassies; others, considered too urgent or transient to wait for an embassy, are settled by judges. There is a considerable body of Hiver common law and custom, and a judge is a person who has spent years in study of the law; judges' decisions are not necessarily binding and are open to compromise, but they carry a great weight of custom.

The discovery of alien races and their integration into society required a slightly more formal organization, which grew out of the coordinating body which schedules embassies. Two additional bodies were established: the Federation Navy and a development agency.

The Hiver parental instinct was aroused by the discovery of numerous intelligent species less fortunate then themselves, and work began immediately to lift the "children" to civilization. An early experience with an aggressive race led to the establishment of a system of quarantined worlds, denied entry to (or knowledge of) interstellar society.

Covert operations are in progress on quarantine worlds to modify overly aggressive cultures into acceptable members of the Federation, and several quarantined worlds have so far been opened since the beginning of the program. So far, no quarantined race is close to achieving interstellar travel on its own; public debate continues on what to do in such a case.

The navy is the main instrument of military force. Hivers came late to the concept of war and are more comfortable with hightech, long-range oriented violence; they dislike the personal approach of ground combat.

When ground forces are absolutely needed, other races of the Federation generally provide troops. Federation armed forces are essentially a deterrent force and are seldom used as an instrument of policy.

Other races of the Federation are equal partners in society, although the structure of society is Hiver generated, and those races able to adapt best to the Hiver way of life and customs have been most successful. All races participate in the embassies, although in a modified form.

Some associate species retain strong internal governments or police forces to regulate the aggressive tendencies of their members, but whatever solution is reached, all Federation member societies are nonaggressive.

Most worlds of the Federation have communities of several species; races inhabit the worlds they find most pleasant.

Hoard of the Sky Raiders (Collace Press, 1098)

Pseudoscientific tract written by Professor Jothan ~essandi, formerly of the Institute for System Studies on Collace. The book's controversial theories have provoked considerable interest in research institutes across the sector.

Holiday Year

The year zero in the history of the Third Imperium, decreed by Cleon I to commemorate the establishment of the Imperium. Technically an aspect of calendar reform, the use of the year zero provides a central date point for counting years back into the Long Night and forward into the future of the Imperium.

The actual advantages of a holiday year are slight: centuries begin in the hundredth numbered year instead of the first numbered year, and the number of years between any two dates can be determined by subtraction.

More importantly at the time, the holiday year was used as part of the public relations campaigns which were impressing the authority of the Imperium upon local governments. The minor requirement of changing to the new calendar was used to determine the cooperation by those governments.

Hortalez et Cie, LIC

Founded in 221 by Lucienne Hortalez, capitalised from family funds. Primarily a banking and investment house, Hortalez specializes in loans to planetary governments, mercenary unit bonding, underwriting of large scale projects of all sorts, and other fiscal activities. Hortalez is one of the major insurance houses in the Imperium. In some regions (especially the Spinward Marches) the firm acts as a mercenary clearing house.

Stock ownership: Hortalez family- 74%, Other corporations 15%, Imperial family- 5%, Other- 6%.

Howood

Extremely dense, striated material obtained from the trunk of the Howood tree, a rare plant native to Pretoria (Deneb/Pretoria) and known to grow on several similar worlds in the Spinward Marches. The tree concentrates metals from the soil in their extremely tough bark. Howood is aromatic and its scent is especially pleasing to Vargr. It is also beautiful; the size, colors, and intensities of its rings and striations vary unpredictably with the characteristics of the environment in which the plant grows.

Humaniti

Collective name for the human races, including the Solomani, Vilani, Zhodani, and others. Former spelling Humanity.

See also Humans.

Humans

Intelligent major race dominating the Imperium, the Zhodani Consulate, the Solomani Confederation, and several additional interstellar communities. Humans stand approximately 1.7 meters in height and weigh about 100 kg. Descended from omnivore gatherers, humans developed intelligence in response to shifting climatological factors.

The most unusual aspect of Humaniti is the fact that Humans are present on many different worlds and stand at various levels of development on these worlds. The Solomani Hypothesis states that Humans evolved on Terra (Solomani Rim/Sol) and were scattered to many different worlds by the Ancients for reasons currently unknown. The result is that many different and parallel human races exist and coexist throughout known space.

The three most widespread human races are the Solomani (Humans from Terra), the Vilani (humans from Vland), and the Zhodani (humans from Zhodane).

See also Ancients, Humaniti, Solomani Hypothesis, Solomani, Vilani, Zhodani.

Hyperspace

By Michael Mifsud
Bonehead Maneuver inspired by Babylon 5

Hyperspace is a semi-fictitious space between normal space. It is the area a wormhole's tunnel exists in. It is a convenient name for any space that exists outside of our normal Universe.

Sometimes a wormhole fails. This can be due to the rare, but possible, collapse of the wormhole or the slightly more likely failure of the Jump Gate. Catastrophic failures like these are called misjumps. They can destroy the ship and its crew. Other failures can destroy a drive or send a ship in the wrong direction. Some misjumps spit the vessel out into normal space immediately, sometimes only part of the way, sometimes many hundreds or even thousands of light years away.

Misjump's can be enginered. The opening of a wormhole within a wormhole can cause a misjump, but normally it causes the complete destruction of the ship and both wormhole's. Some military experimentation in this area has found it to be a semi-effective tactic. Unfortunetly, the ship or device creating the wormhole is also destroyed. After the first such experiment, the process was named the "Bonehead Maneuver".

Hyperspace Institute

Originally established at Deneb to investigate interstellar jump drives. Financed initially by the Duke of Deneb, the institute has since become an arm of the sector government. Projects include training for starship engineers and naval architects.

I

Imperial Calendar

The Imperial Calendar was established at the creation of the Third Imperium as a universal calendar reform. Dates count from the founding of the Imperium, the year-"zero". Dates before zero are negative, dates after are positive. For example, Terra discovered jump drive in -2431. The Imperium was founded in zero. Emperor Strephon was crowned in 1071. The year is divided into 365 standard days, which are grouped in 52 weeks of seven days each. The lengths of days and weeks is a legacy of Terran domination during the second Imperium. Days are numbered consecutively, beginning with one. The first day of the year is a holiday and is not part of any week. For example, the first day of the twelfth century of the Imperium (holiday) is 001-1100.

Imperial Edict 97

This executive order is the enabling act for the use of Imperial warrants. Unusually obscure for such a wide ranging and powerful edict, it is nonetheless on file at all Imperial installations. The edict runs to 34 pages, much of it pure legalese; when distilled down, it proves very direct: an order to assist the bearer of an Imperial warrant with all the power you can bring to bear. Only the emperor has the power to issue these warrants. A similar edict (edict 3097) provides limited power to the Archdukes of the Imperium to issue similar warrants, although they are limited in their duration and territory.

See also Imperial Warrant.

Imperial Guard

Eleven regiments of highly trained, superbly equipped troops dedicated to the protection of the Emperor and the Imperial Palace. Accepted as one of the elite formations of the Imperial armed forces, the Imperial Guard is a respected unit with a long and honored tradition. One purpose of the Imperial guard is to provide a symbol of political unity for the Imperium. One Regiment is drawn from each of the seven Domains of the Imperium, with each serving a one month tour of duty as honor regiment in rotation.

Imperial Research

The worlds of the Imperium manifest a wide range of technological levels. The Third Imperium has always allowed its member worlds a wide degree of latitude, and it meddles very little in local affairs. With communication limited to the same speed as transportation, a single offworld query can involve weeks, months, or even years before a reply is received. ln addition, the cost of offworld transportation (both in time and money) tends to limit the interchange of information, the shipment of experimental prototypes and other such activities that are basic to the dissemination of scientific knowledge. Most worlds have found that simply purchasing advanced technology from a neighboring world is impractical. Not only is such high technology expensive, putting it to any cost effective use requires that the technology be understood. Consider: as useful as Tech Level 8 solid-state chip circuits are, they cannot be used on a large scale without the knowledge of electronics or the ability to provide supporting circuits (power circuits, circuit boards, and so on), which further implies knowledge of photoprocessing, and even crystal culture. In the final analysis, attempting to jump to a higher Tech Level without passing through any of the intervening Tech Levels just doesn't work; one must pass through the lower stages of technological development on the way to the higher Tech Level. Regardless of what the individual member worlds do, there are also certain large-scale interests in the Imperium which back research projects. Such research is generally privately backed (such as under contract by multiworld corporations), or it is sometimes performed in established Imperial Research Stations.

Imperial Rules of War

To mitigate most of the potentially disastrous aspects of armed conflict, the "rules of war" evolved as an accumulation of unwritten concepts, which were established on a case-by-case basis. The rules of war have never been officially codified, both to prevent them being seen as an Imperial endorsement of war and to keep formal precedent from preventing Imperial intervention whenever the Imperium deemed it necessary. The main aim of the rules is maintaining the economic and military well-being of the realm. They give the Imperium the right to intervene only when local military action threatened this well-being. The primary causes of instability, as viewed by Imperial analysts, have been long-term economic dislocation and excessive extraplanetary influence.

A) long-term social or economic dislocation is suffered when a region loses its ability to carry on at its prewar level of activity.

B) Excessive extraplanetary influence is even more vague. Historically, the Imperium has tolerated the use of force as a necessary outlet for built-up political and social pressures. In such cases, a short war is deemed preferable to continuing tension, sabotage, political agitation, etc. However, attempts by extraplanetary forces, such as offworld governments or large commercial interests, to seize control of a world's affairs are beyond the scope of the "safety valve" rationale.

"Assistance" is tolerated so long as it is deemed appropriate to the level of legitimate interest in the affairs of the world held by the extraplanetary organization. For example, the Imperium has often tolerated the provision by megacorporations of providing training cadre, arms equipment, etc. on a limited scale, and even of training fully equipped striker units to local governments. However, when it appeared that the primary burden for the conduct of the war has been carried by an extraplanetary power, the Imperium has intervened, claiming the power is using the misfortune of a local dispute as a pretext for aggression.

Unlike the above rules, one prohibition is clear and firm throughout the Imperium: the use or possession of nuclear weapons of any type.

Imperial Stationary

The Imperial family has reserved (both by custom and by law) a distinctive design for its personal stationary. Well-known throughout the Imperium through its use for routine messages and for Imperial appointments, the form is cream colored and embossed with the Imperial Sunburst in gold. Both physical and electronic versions of the stationary are used.

Because it is used for Imperial appointments (even when issued blank for office use) all Imperial officials are familiar with the design and can readily tell physical forgeries from the real thing. Electronic versions are data encrypted with a special code lock and require a special hardware key to be unlocked, thus making even electronic forgeries difficult.

Imperial Sunburst

The symbol of the Third Imperium established by Cleon (the first emperor) when the empire was proclaimed. Images show him standing before the original banner with a golden yellow sunburst against a black background, representing Capital's G-type star against black space. In 247, the Eliyoh (a nonhuman minor race) joined the Imperium. To that race the symbology was unimpressive. The Eliyoh vision centered in the far infra red, which resulted in distinction between the official colors of yellow and black being impossible. So Empress Porfiria declared that the symbol would have no official color. The original banner in the Imperial throne room is still black with a yellow sunburst. The Imperial Interstellar Scout Service uses a red sunburst; the Imperial Navy yellow; the Imperial Army black; the Imperial Marines maroon.

Imperial Sylean University

The traditional school for the Imperial family and most higher noble families. The university is one of the most prestigious in the Imperium.

Imperial Warrant

Instrument of power issued by the Emperor, or Imperial Dukes and Archdukes (to lesser extent). A warrant is a written or electronic document on Imperial stationary provided to trusted agents of the Imperium as a method of bypassing the bureaucracy.

Typically, a warrant is provided to an individual who uses the power it provides to accomplish some mission of interest to the issuing official. Missions may include establishment of colonies in areas requiring development, the assumption of military command in the midst of a crisis, and the unilateral establishment of new noble lines to administer provinces which have suffered from war or economic collapse.

For example, Emperor Strephon sometimes exercises his power through agents rather than directly through the bureaucracy of the Imperium. These instances are rare, although there is reason to believe that such agents are more numerous than it appears. See also Imperial Edict 97.

Institute for System Studies

Research foundation located on Collace (Spinward Marches/268 0407 B628943-D). Primarily concerned with historical, archaeological, and xenological research, the Institute maintains a wide range of facilities for all manner of other scientific endeavors as well. Founded in 988, the Institute is closely tied with Imperial research organizations. Teams from the Institute are employed throughout the sector.

Interdiction

The Imperial practice of interdiction of worlds within the boundaries of the Imperium had long been a source of contention between liberal and conservative factions in the government. Interdictions must be approved by a member of the Imperial family, but generally such approval is given in response to a request from an interested service, which is almost always the Scouts or the Navy.

It is generally held that the Scouts recommend interdiction to shield a young or sensitive culture from the interference that trade and commerce will bring.

The Navy is held to be more vindictive in its recommendations, for they use interdiction to punish local governments or to hide its own mistakes.

Interdicted worlds are awarded travel zone red ratings by Travellers Aid Society. See also Red Zone.

Instellarms, LIC

Founded in 626, shortly after the end of the Civil War, by Axel Murdoch, a retired colonel of mercenaries. Taking advantage of inside contacts in the Imperial military, Murdoch was able to obtain large quantities of surplus military equipment at very low prices, but still costing billions of credits. Where Murdoch got his financing is not known.

Murdoch's connections with various mercenary unit commanders coupled with a willingness to ignore the Imperial regulations on mercenary warfare where profits were large enough enabled Instellarms to dominate the mercenary arms trade in the coreward sectors of the Imperium within ninety years, and in the Imperium as a whole within two centuries.

Manufacturing, buying, and selling military equipment of all sorts, Instellarms is a specialty supplier of mercenary units of all sizes and types. Agents of the firm can often be found on a battlefield, negotiating the purchase of the equipment of the losing side before the battle is completely over. The company does not deal in interstellar vessels and chemical, bacteriological, or nuclear weaponry.

Stock ownership: Murdoch holdings, LIC- 32%, Hortalez et Cie 30%, Noble families- 8%, Ling Standard Products- 6%, Ichiban Interstellar, LIC- 5%, GSbAG- 5%, Sternmetal Horizons, LIC- 8%, Other- 6%.

Iolanthe (b. 1052)

Empress of the Imperium. Iolanthe, the daughter of the senior Duke of Gushemege sector, and member of a prominent Vilani noble family, married Strephon in 1079. Her primary avocation is the preservation of developing cultures within the Imperium.

Iridium Throne

The symbol of the continuing line of emperors of the Third Imperium. The physical throne was originally an iridium construction on which the emperor sat. Over time, the term has come to represent not only the emperors throne, but the office of the emperor itself.

Ishuggi

Archduke of Vland. Ishuggi heads one of the oldest noble lines in the Imperium, being directly descended from the original Archduke, Laerkigar (appointed by Emperor Artemsus in 72).

J

Julian War (175 to 191)

A war initiated by the Imperium, under Emperor Martin I, to annex the sectors of Meshan, Mendan, and Amdukan. After nine years of negotiation and diplomatic manoeuvering with the many confederations of the area (each a member of a larger confederation), Martin mobilized the Imperial Navy against these states. In the first three years of the war, Imperial fleets pushed deep into ,lendan sector, capturing the capital world of Lasla and several important industrial worlds. In178, however, a minor bureaucrat in the government of the capital of a confederation in Amdukan sector had risen to power there and gathered around himself an alliance of neighboring confederations. This bureaucrat then proposed a defensive confederation encompassing all three sectors under attack.

This state, the Julian Protectorate (named for its founder), fought sporadic battles, doing its best to push back the Imperial fleets. Then, in 185, concentrated Protectorate fleets crossed the Lesser Rift in an end run against Antares, and with deep raids against the Imperial Depots in Antares and Ley sectors. With two local depots destroyed, the Imperium withdrew its fleets to protect its internal communication lines.

The Protectorate fleets then concentrated on the Antares cluster, a lightly defended group of worlds, which fell easily to their advances. Using these worlds as a base, the forces of the Protectorate carried the war into the Imperium. In 190 the Imperium lost several battles in attempting to retake the Antares cluster, and Martin I became convinced that the Protectorate could not be pressed into the Imperium, and gave up the fight. However, the war did not end there, as the Protectorate insisted on keeping a hand in the Antares cluster. The peace treaty included the establishment of the League of Antares as a compromise, ending the war in 191 on the Protectorate's terms.

Jump Dimming

The transitions to and from jump space are momentous occasions during an interstellar trip. Following an old Vilani superstition, the pilot of a ship customarily dims the ship's interior and exterior lights before going into jump. Historically, this custom derived from the need for most of the ship's power to be diverted into the computer and jump drive systems, so that the jump drive can be guided into creating the jump field properly. Zhodani and Solomani pilots do not follow this tradition of 'jump dimming'.

Lights on a ship are typically dimmed for a period of about two minutes; the lights are brought back up to full strength as soon as the ship is in hyperspace.

Jump Drive

By Michael Mifsud
The combination of equipment required to allow the creation of adhoc wormholes. Due to the massive power requirement's to "punch a hole" into hyperspace, then burrow through to a required destination point, only large or small hyper advanced ships have Jump Drives.

High tech society's can begin building vessels that can create wormholes themselves, without having to rely on a gate at TL15. Vessels of TL15 are experimental, becoming common at TL16. The ship effectively carry's it's own gate along with it. The wormhole is created and maintained by a computer known as the Jump Governor. The governor locates a useable wormhole in the quantum foam then creates a worm hole of the required size.

Jump Gate

By Michael Mifsud, part's of the definition borrowed from Babylon 5

A Jump Gate is an artifact that can manipulate wormhole's. The Gate maintains the wormhole and keeps it stable. When the gate is not in use it reduces the wormhole to its almost normal, tiny state. When activated, the Jump Gate expands the wormhole to any desired size. Thus the affect of a "opening flower" can be observed.

Most jumpgates are designed with three or four fourteen-kilometer long generators. The "brackets" are free floating with a central computer controlling the positional thrusters; these allow the brackets to re-position for larger than average ships and maintain a relative stationary position. After activation, a jumpgate usually takes five minutes to recharge itself, relying on a Zero Point Field for it's primary source of power, with a Solar or Fusion plant as a backup. As a consequence of such a power output, it takes a long time to shut one down and even longer to start it back up.

Jumpgates can be used by any ship (though the control codes can, and usually are, changed in times of war). The jumpgate automatically bills the ship that uses it. The money goes to the government who installed the extremely expensive gate. Shipping companies buy access to the jumpgates in bulk, assign routes to their ships and then sell the surplus on the open market. They keep their schedules secret to protect against piracy.

Unfortunetly jumpgates are a paired creation, one jumpgate links to another jumpgate, and that is the only gate that can be travelled to. This is the jumpgates only known drawback

Advanced civilisations (TL16+) have solved this riddle and can travel from any jumpgate to any other jumpgate available to that governament. This is done by following a lock-on signal generated by the jumpgate to which the entry point is linked. Not all jumpgates are linked to one another. One can ride a lock-on from gate to gate to reach the desired exit point. In addition to the narrow lock-on signals between the gates, jumpgates broadcast a homing signal that can be picked up a little over one-thousand kilometers away. This signal gives a three dimensional location for the gate and is a small safety precaution to aide ships that may have become lost in hyperspace. Once again, this is only available to technologically advanced civilisations.

Due to accidents during the initial deployment of Gates only one vessel or one group of vessel's flying in formation may travel through a gate at any one time. High tech society's can build vessels that can create wormholes themselves, without having to rely on a gate, see Jump Drive for more information.

During the initial deployment of Gate's, special construction crews were sent to destination star systems traveling in exceptionally fast vessels (not FTL). They would arrive at a particular system, construct a Gate, activate it, then, if all went well, be able to return via the gate to their initial system. These trip's would sometimes take hundreds of Earth years, but generally averaged around the 26 year mark. Construction time various between a few months to a few years depending on the technology level of the society. Eventually, human construction crews were replaced with slightly more expendable robot crews.

K

Kedzudh, Commonality of

Loose interstellar government in the Vargr Extents. The Commonality dates from 1044, when several world governments joined in an attempt to suppress piracy. The Commonality government has limited powers of taxation; government institutions include a small navy/police force and a university. Individual worlds conduct their own interior and exterior relations.

Kirur (Ruupiin/Thirty 1315 B863A03-F)

Homeworld and capital of the Two Thousand Worlds, the interstellar empire of the K'kree. The planet's oceans are extremely shallow and the world exhibits almost no volcanic activity, which is very unusual for a world of its size. Kirur has one large continent, which was conquered in prehistoric times by the current ruling clan; Kirur is one of the most politically stable planets known.

K'kree

The K'kree (once called Centaurs by humans) are among the most massive of the major races and are the only one of the major races to be descended from herbivores. An adult K'kree stands about 1.5 meters at the shoulder and between 2.0 and 2.4 meters tall when standing erect. Weight averages 550 kg. They are bilaterally symmetrical, hexapedal, and homeothermic. They bear some resemblance to the centaur of ancient Terran myth, a trait noted by the earliest human explorers.

The arrangement of the manipulative organ (or hand) on the front limb is one of their most interesting features. Complex cartilaginous tubes permit the fingers of the K'kree hand to telescope out of the way when the hand is used as a weapon. Fully extended, the fingers are mutually opposable to each other and to the "thumb" which is in reality an extension of the ulna. The K'kree hand is very flexible but somewhat weaker in grasping power than a human hand.

The K'kree are covered with short gray or black fur and a dense black mane covering the head and neck and upper back of both sexes. Unlike Terran mammals, the young are fed partially digested, regurgitated food instead of milk. Males average 15 percent to 20 percent larger than females.

K'kree are extremely conservative in all aspects of their culture. Ceremonial military units (such as bodyguards) are armed with equipment which K'kree military technology outdated centuries ago, and (aside from modifications made necessary by the discovery of space flight) K'kree government has not changed significantly in centuries.

Because of their origins as plains-dwelling herd animals, the K'kree are claustrophobes; they cannot stand to be enclosed.

K'kree cities are clumps of low, broad buildings; the interior is never more than one story in height, which allows the sky to be visible. Internal building divisions are achieved with curtains and tapestries.

K'kree are extremely gregarious. They are never found alone, and will quickly sicken and die if removed from other K'kree for any length of time. Receiving a trade or diplomatic delegation from the K'kree means entertaining the entire family (one or more wives, servants, scribes, assistants, etc.) of the merchant or ambassador. The K'kree word for "my" refers to a possession of an individual's herd, not to that of an individual. Privacy and individuality are exotic and little understood concepts for K'kree.

Society: K'kree society is divided into castes. The system is a remnant of ancient times which no longer fits K'kree culture perfectly, but the K'kree stick with it because it is traditional. There are hundreds of castes, but distinctions are too faint for non-K'kree to understand. For simplicity, castes can be divided into three general groupings: noble, merchant, and servants. It is possible for a family to rise in caste, but this is a rare occurrence.

The lowest caste, the servants, has come to include farmers, factory workers and unskilled laborers as well as servants for all classes.

The next higher caste, the merchants, includes most skilled workers, scientists, engineers, technicians, scribes and government administrators, as well