No. systems: 105 Sector: Phoenixwith 3 inhabited planets: 1 Ruled by:with 2 inhabited planets: 9with 1 inhabited planet: 17Arms: On a black field, a silver lozenge on which is a mermaid withblack hair and green tail, looking into a crystal ball held in herright hand, holding a sword point-down in her left.
SKYWALKER, Subsector 7-B:
No. systems: 189 Sector: Cygnuswith 3 inhabited planets: 4 Ruled by:with 2 inhabited planets: 10with 1 inhabited planet: 17
SLEIPNIR, Subsector 5-B:
No. systems: 103 Sector: Pegasuswith 3 inhabited planets: 2 Ruled by:with 2 inhabited planets: 12with 1 inhabited planet: 22
SOH TREE: (Traiti) A moderate-climate Homeworld tree with broad silvery-green leaves and sticky sap.
SOL, Subsector 1-A:
No. systems: 63 Sector: Orionwith 3 inhabited planets: 3 Ruled by:with 2 inhabited planets: 11with 1 inhabited planet: 20
SOLAR FEDERATION: (2091-2128) Established when enough Terrans had moved off-planet to justify a System-wide government, the Federation was a loose democracy. It was superseded when hyperdrive allowed humanity to travel faster than light, rapidly spreading to the point where sheer scale made democracy impossible. At that point the Federation Congress amended the constitution, dissolving the Federation and creating the Terran Empire.
SOUL-BLADE: (Irschchan) A dagger carried by all Irschchans from pre-adolescence. It has the owner's personality impressed on it by a specialized form of darlas, and is supposed to remain with its owner for the rest of @'s life. The owner becomes uncomfortable if it is not within reach, more so if it is handled by another, and suffers permanent psychic shock if it is destroyed.
After the owner's death, the soul-blade is preserved in the family's Hall of Memories, where the survivors are able to feel the presence of their deceased relatives.
SPECIAL LIAISON: An individual with special knowledge of a culture or society, usually because @ was born or raised in it, appointed to work with the officer in charge of a mission to that culture.
STILDYNE, Subsector 7-F:
No. systems: 96 Sector: Cygnuswith 3 inhabited planets: 6 Ruled by:with 2 inhabited planets: 8with 1 inhabited planet: 26
STINGWEED: Nemran plant. A low-growing shrub with silvery-green three-lobed leaves and milky sap. The sap contains something generally described as a cross between a fungus and a bacterium, which is harmless to intact skin, but is poisonous if introduced into a wound. The first indication of poisoning, usually in less than an hour, is that the wound begins to ooze a thick, greenish-yellow, foul-smelling matter. If the victim does not receive prompt treatment, a fever develops, followed by delirium, coma, and death, the speed of progress determined by the amount of poison absorbed. It is dangerous for anyone except a medic or physician with life support available to attempt medicating a stingweed victim, since even something as normally safe as quidine may at times intensify the poison's effect.
STUNNER, NEURAL: A blaster setting or special-purpose handgun that stuns rather than injuring the one shot. Although it causes no actual damage, the victim does wake with a severe, migraine-like headache.
STYX, Subsector 17-B:
No. systems: 115 Sector: Induswith 3 inhabited planets: 3 Ruled by:with 2 inhabited planets: 10with 1 inhabited planet: 21
SUBSECTORS: The second subdivision of the Empire, ruled by earls. There are 106 Subsectors, having an average of 53 planets in 36 systems.
SUCCESSION, IMPERIAL: After considerable study of possible alternatives, Emperor Chang decided that the Imperial succession should be based, with one modification, on the Roman Catholic method of selecting Popes. That difference was timing; rather than wait until the Sovereign died to elect a new one, thus risking a period without a ruler, the Conclave would elect a Successor as soon as the new Sovereign ascended the Throne. Acting on that, a Conclave to elect his Successor was held a month later; that was Ranger Susan Lindner, who followed his example, as has been done ever since. See below for a list of the first twenty-five Sovereigns and the dates of their reigns.
Cheong Chang, 19 Jan 2128 - 1 Jan 2149Susan M. Lindner, 1 Jan 2149 - 9 Nov 2182Bjorn Bengtsson, 9 Nov 2182 - 7 Jul 2230Juana Mendez, 7 Jul 2230 - 10 Feb 2249Christopher J. Kyle, 10 Feb 2249 - 19 Apr 2256Mohammed Gamayel, 19 Apr 2256 - 10 Dec 2280Corwin M. Jacobs, 10 Dec 2280 - 20 Aug 2315Brandy P. Lansky, 20 Aug 2315 - 17 May 2333 (female)Halona Strider, 17 May 2333 - 18 Aug 2366Nicholas C. Browder, 18 Aug 2366 - 23 Sep 2382Eileen P. Holt, 23 Sep 2382 - 4 Aug 2395Grant L. Barton, 4 Aug 2395 - 26 Jan 2420Leonard M. Frey, 26 Jan 2420 - 7 Nov 2488Joyce G. Kingsley, 7 Nov 2488 - 25 Jan 2508 (male)Adli Yasunon, 25 Jan 2508 - 28 Mar 2553Charles Davis, 28 Mar 2553 - 20 Sep 2577Rick Forrest, 20 Sep 2577 - 11 Apr 2603Corina Losinj, 11 Apr 2603 - 19 Feb 2624 (female, Irschchan)Jasmine Wang, 19 Feb 2624 - 29 Nov 2630Ray Kennard, 29 Nov 2630 - 29 Dec 2678Anna A. Peterson, 29 Dec 2678 - 14 Sep 2700Konstantin J. Gagarin, 14 Sep 2700 - 8 Jun 2753Sharon T. Windsor, 8 Jun 2753 - 6 Mar 2804Prae Ofyn, 6 Mar 2804 - 21 Feb 2862 (male, Irschchan)Einar J. Lang, 21 Feb 2862 - 26 Dec 2893
SURYA, Subsector 1-B:
No. systems: 193 Sector: Orionwith 3 inhabited planets: 2 Ruled by:with 2 inhabited planets: 10with 1 inhabited planet: 24
SUSANOWO, Subsector 12-E:
No. systems: 193 Sector: Eridanuswith 3 inhabited planets: 1 Ruled by:with 2 inhabited planets: 10with 1 inhabited planet: 20
SYSTEMS: The third subdivision of the Empire; the 1,431 with more than one inhabited planet are ruled by counts.
T/CT: Terrene/Contra-Terrene, a more accurate term for what is often called matter/anti-matter (since both are actually matter, simply in different forms). The reaction between the two forms liberates all the energy both contain, making it by far the most efficient and least polluting energy source available. For this reason, T/CT is used almost exclusively for planetary and large-craft energy needs.
TALENT: Psionic ability strong enough to be trained into a reliable skill. Always includes a mind screen (sometimes powerful enough to be called a mind shield) and telepathy. It may also include telekinesis, darlas, clairvoyance, teleportation, psychometry, rarely precognition, and (so far only in humans) healing. There may be other aspects also, as yet undefined. On Irschcha, it has been searched for and trained by the White Order since circa 3000 BCE; the first human so trained was Ranger James Medart, in 2569.
Talent is uncommon among humans, only about half of one percent having mind shields, though perhaps twice as many have the weaker screens. Among Sandemans, Talent of shield level is fifty percent, ninety-five percent for warriors. Very few Sandemans, however, are willing to take Talent training, seeing it as a violation of privacy, so there is no way of telling what other aspects they might have.
TARLAC, Esteban: (2533-2568) Imperial Ranger, 2553-2568. His first solo mission was stopping the Nemran revolt. He was almost killed when the rebels poisoned him with stingweed, but he was rescued and kept alive, until Imperial forces arrived with medical help, by 14-year old David M. Scanlon, who was made a Life Duke for the feat.
Tarlac's greatest accomplishment, though, was his almost single-handed ending of the Traiti War. He agreed to submit to the Traiti Ordeal of Honor and succeeded, returning to Terra with the Traiti leaders, who claimed their rightful place (thanks to their Terran origin) as Imperial citizens. Tarlac was assassinated during the ceremony, by a Humanity First fanatic. The Traiti maintain, however, that he actually died of his Scarring seconds after completing the Ordeal, and became the last member of the Circle of Lords, their gods; they revere him as the Peacelord.
TARLAC, Subsector 6-G:
No. systems: 44 Sector: Scorpiowith 3 inhabited planets: 0 Ruled by:with 2 inhabited planets: 10with 1 inhabited planet: 23
TEACHING TAPE: A standard reading tape "overprinted" with electronic impulses which can be played directly into a human brain to provide instant memorization of facts. The recipient must still learn to work with those facts (e.g., how to pronounce and otherwise use the words and grammatical rules of a language), but is saved the considerable time @ would normally have wasted in rote memorization.
TEFNUT, Subsector 12-B:
No. systems: 82 Sector: Eridanuswith 3 inhabited planets: 4 Ruled by:with 2 inhabited planets: 8with 1 inhabited planet: 26
TERRA:
Sector: 1, Orion Year: Standard (365 1/4 days)Subsector: A, Sol Day: Standard (24 hrs)System: Sol Gravity: Standard (980 cm/sec2)Settled/established: N/A Axial tilt: 23.5 deg.By: N/A Oxygen: 21%Satellites: 1 (Luna) % Water: 73Ident code prefix: TER Continents: Phys. 4, polit. 7Ruled by:
General: The world where humanity, Traiti, and cetaceans evolved. It is the Imperial capital world, centered on the Antarctic Palace Complex; it is also the capital of Sector Orion and Subsector Sol.
It remains a world of many societies, though there is no longer much friction between them.
The Traiti call it Truehome.
THAKUR: (Sandeman) One who has accepted personal fealty from another.
THAKUR-NA: (Sandeman) One whose offer of personal fealty has been accepted.
THARK: (ISCTK-2395-8016) High Adept of the White Order, 2540-2569. Corina Losinj's teacher until she discovered his planned revolt against the Empire. His intent was to replace the unTalented (and therefore unqualified, in his opinion) human rulers with the White Order. When he discovered that Losinj had become a Ranger, and was forced to realize that some humans did indeed have Talent, his reason for revolt was eliminated. The same honor that had motivated him to start the revolt then required that he halt it, surrender leadership of the White Order, and accept punishment. As part of that punishment, he destroyed his soul-blade, which sent him into a permanent state of psychic shock. Since he had ended the rebellion himself and imposed a part of the punishment on himself, he was not executed; instead, he was placed in the custody and care of Clan Ch'kara of the new Traiti Sector.
THOMPSON, Jase: The first Bloodmate to be recognized as such, in 2277. He was in command of the Evaluation Team sent in response to Archbishop Klein's complaint about Narvonese turning into blood-drinking monsters. When blood tests taken on landing showed him to be extremely susceptible to the nosferatu pseudo-virus, Count Nilssun decided he would be an ideal Imperial Liaison for the System if he became a Kin. When he rejected the idea, she arranged for him to become infected, then be weakened enough for the Change. To her disappointment, he did not appear to Change--but that night, it became obvious that he literally had to feed a Kin at daily intervals; in so feeding Narvon System's Chief of Detectives, Enna Kaufman, he Bonded to her. When he was questioned by Count Nilssun, he mentioned a dream of the Dragon Prince, which led to the further discovery that a number of others who had not appeared to Change had also had such a dream, and were also able, but did not have, to supply a Kin's daily needs. ("Teams")
THOR, Subsector 12-G:
No. systems: 74 Sector: Eridanuswith 3 inhabited planets: 1 Ruled by:with 2 inhabited planets: 12with 1 inhabited planet: 21
THOTH, Subsector 20-B:
No. systems: 158 Sector: Chameleonwith 3 inhabited planets: 4 Ruled by:with 2 inhabited planets: 8with 1 inhabited planet: 24
THUNDERBIRD, Subsector 10-A:
No. systems: 55 Sector: Aquilawith 3 inhabited planets: 6 Ruled by:with 2 inhabited planets: 16with 1 inhabited planet: 23
TITANIA, Subsector 4-B:
No. systems: 72 Sector: Fornaxwith 3 inhabited planets: 2 Ruled by:with 2 inhabited planets: 10with 1 inhabited planet: 24
TOLI: (Traiti) A Homeworld vine that often kills the trees it uses for support. It also yields orange berries that, to quote Ranger Tarlac, "look like jelly beans, smell like dirty socks, and taste fantastic."
TORRANCE, Clan: (Sandeman) Clanhome is located on Quivira Continent. Although its specialties are boating and seamanship, like most clans it raises most of its own food; because of Quivira's topography and relatively cold climate, it has more land than the average clan. That land includes most of the Cold Peak mountain range, which is popular with tourists who can get the clan's permission to visit; the clan hunts there, as well as harvesting ice-berries, most of which are exported as a luxury item.
TORVA BUSH: (Traiti) Actually a low-growing tree. Its tough inner bark can be used as a substitute for rope or twine.
TRAITI: A cousin-race to humanity, having evolved on Terra from a common ancestor, and removed by the Others about 35,000 BCE to insure racial survival. Although traces have been found on Terra, they were not recognized as such until after contact was made; before that, such finds were denounced as mistakes at best, frauds at worst.
Traiti males average about two meters in height and 250 kilos in mass, with females somewhat smaller. They are heavily built but not fat, due to greater tissue density. Their bodies are human-looking, as are the hands (with the exception of semi-retractile claws instead of nails), although their skin is medium gray in color and as tough as leather armor despite its softness. Heads are their least human-looking feature, being ovoid and having the long axis approximately parallel to the ground, with bulges along the top and sides. The eyes are small; the nose is barely noticeable except for slit nostrils, and the lipless mouth has triangular, serrated teeth. There are no external ears.
Much of Traiti society is influenced by their sexual imbalance and (on human terms) severely limited fertility. Only approximately one-quarter of the Traiti race is female, leading to a custom (almost a compulsion) requiring that females and younglings be protected. (Note that because of this, all Traiti fighters are male.) Their "family" structure is by clans ranging from 10,000 members up, with all adult members of a clan acting as parents to all its younglings.
Custom restricts sexual activity to within a given clan, which is not, thanks to occasional adoptions and a very stable gene pool, genetically harmful to the race. The general attitude is that sharing bodies is a thing of goodness, between any two adult members of the clan. Heterosex is preferable when available, because of the possibility (however remote) of offspring, but because of the sexual imbalance, the great majority of Traiti males are bisexual in orientation.
During peacetime, clans are led by the Ka'ruchaya consulting with the senior fighter, always a Cor'naya; in combat, the senior Cor'naya takes charge, consulting with the Ka'ruchaya. Although she is not in any formal position of authority, both listen to the clan's Speaker for the Circle of Lords, who is their religious leader. The race as a whole is led by the male Supreme and the female First Speaker.
TRAITI, Sector 21:
Ruled by: Supreme & First Speaker, co-Dukes No. systems: 568Subsectors: 6 Inhabited planets: 308A. Homesun D. KranathB. Peacelord E. CarleC. Davis F. Sepol
TRAVELER, Subsector 5-C:
No. systems: 93 Sector: Pegasuswith 3 inhabited planets: 1 Ruled by:with 2 inhabited planets: 11with 1 inhabited planet: 28
TREASURE-TUNNELS: Role-playing game derived from the twentieth-century Dungeons and Dragons. It has a steady following in most of the Empire, especially in Subsector Sandeman, where it is a tactical training aid as well as a game.
TRIBUNAL, IMPERIAL: A formal hearing by an Imperial officer to determine the facts in a case, then order the appropriate punishment or reward.
TRIQUINIA:
Sector: 17, Indus Year:Subsector: A, Alph Day:System: Ganges Gravity:Settled/established: Axial tilt:By: Oxygen:Satellites: % Water:Ident code prefix: TRQ Continents:Ruled by:
General: The first Imperial contact with this world was made by Ranger Caitlyn Macdonald, who discovered a planetary population of intelligent four-legged creatures apparently engineered from Terran colonists' pets and domestic animals. The humans had been subsequently wiped out by a disease that did not affect the animals, and all Terran connections were forgotten. (Cathy Whitehead)
TUONETAR, Subsector 15-C:
No. systems: 156 Sector: Aurigawith 3 inhabited planets: 3 Ruled by:with 2 inhabited planets: 9with 1 inhabited planet: 23
TYR, Subsector 18-G:
No. systems: 42 Sector: Arieswith 3 inhabited planets: 6 Ruled by:with 2 inhabited planets: 9with 1 inhabited planet: 19
UKKO, Subsector 20-D:
No. systems: 71 Sector: Chameleonwith 3 inhabited planets: 3 Ruled by:with 2 inhabited planets: 10with 1 inhabited planet: 26
ULTRAWAVE: The gravitics-based communications system. It is essentially instantaneous at intra-galactic distances.
UNICORN, Subsector 14-B:
No. systems: 48 Sector: Phoenixwith 3 inhabited planets: 2 Ruled by:with 2 inhabited planets: 10with 1 inhabited planet: 24
URSA, Sector 9:
Ruled by: No. systems: 651Subsectors: 6 Inhabited planets: 313A. Polaris D. IndraB. Hathor E. IlmatarC. Apis F. Meerclar
VADER, Clan (Sandeman): The first clan founded after Overthrow. Named for the Saga's Black Lord, it is the arbiter of the most delicate questions of honor. It specializes in energy weapons, the development of one of which, the lightsaber, required controlled-length laser beams, which has had considerable effect on many fields of Imperial technology.
VERANOL: Developed by Solar Federation researchers in 2096, Veranol is a pale blue liquid which remained the only reliable means of insuring accurate testimony until the mindprobe was developed in 2543. Although it is still used for that purpose when mindprobes are not available, its primary use now is in the anti-interrogation conditioning given Imperials in sensitive or senior positions. There is speculation that it is also used to condition IntelDiv field agents to help them maintain cover identities during covert investigations, but Marine Corps authorities refuse to comment.
VIP CODES: A ship carrying Imperial nobles and/or senior officers will use special designations to inform others of that fact. A vessel carrying the Sovereign will drop its name and use either "Navy One", "Marine One", or (in the rare case of a civilian ship) "Empire One".
Ships carrying other VIPs retain their names, identifying the senior's rank, whether crewwen or passenger, by the following Distinguished Visitor codes:
DV-1: RangerDV-2: Duke, Fleet Admiral, or Commandant of the Marine CorpsDV-3: Earl or AdmiralDV-4: Count, Marine Lieutenant General, or Navy Vice AdmiralDV-5: Baron, Marine Major General, or Navy Rear AdmiralDV-6: Imperial Liaison Officer, Marine Brigadier General, or Navy Commodore
VIRGO, Sector 16:
Ruled by: No. systems: 360Subsectors: 4 Inhabited planets: 200A. Athena C. IshtarB. Isis D. Freya
VISHNU, Subsector 18-D:
No. systems: 198 Sector: Arieswith 3 inhabited planets: 3 Ruled by:with 2 inhabited planets: 10with 1 inhabited planet: 21
WAR DOGS, Sandeman: One of the two types of livestock modified by the Shapers, of the wide variety they took with them. These are Doberman pinschers modified for size (averaging about 45 kilos), intelligence, and speech. Their intellectual ability is about that of a ten-year-old human. The speech modification was less successful; while they can be understood, it takes either concentration or a practiced ear. Clan Shona is the primary breeder and trainer of these dogs, and tends to consider them as members of the clan.
WARRIORS, Sandeman: Males genetically modified even beyond the Sandeman norm by addition of a gland which produces the hormone egerin. Under the Shapers, warriors were about ten percent of the male population. This changed after Overthrow, when more warriors were seen as vital to the defense of the race. After Annexation, when the benefits of warrior-police were seen on the worlds they had conquered, other worlds began to hire them and warriors became an economic asset to their clans. Up to half of a modern clan's men may be warriors, with many of them away from the clan in the Marines or on contract as security forces.
Egerin is the primary part of a sex-linked recessive gene complex, and is responsible for giving them speed, strength, and stamina well above the Sandeman norm. Although the psychological segment of the gene complex is smaller, it is no less important: Sandeman warriors enjoy fighting.
These physical and psychological traits are developed by training which starts at age five. The major emphasis, of course, is on combat and related subjects, such as weapons, martial arts, High War Speech, military and Sandeman history, and perhaps some spacecraft handling. Other important subjects are customs and courtesies, need management, the clan's specialty, and one or more personal interests, usually including some form of handiwork. When the young warriors move into the main clanhome at puberty, they begin doing their own chores (laundry, cleaning, etc.), including a share in cooking.
At approximately 18 years old, there is a graduation ceremony for the new warriors and w'women, indicating that they now take their place in the clan as adults. There is no sharp division other than that an adult will not fight or have sex (except for the instructors) with a student; part of the post-graduation party is an adult inviting one of the new graduates to one or the other.
Warriors have the typical Sandeman ethnocentrism, but to an even greater degree. The race was created to be better than its creators, and the warriors are the best of the Sandemans. Fortunately, they are also more concerned with honor, propriety, and courtesy, and they are thoroughly trained in "warrior restraint"; it is dishonorable to fight Others who regard themselves as non-combatants, however great the provocation, except in self-defense. To a Sandeman warrior, the Marine slogan "Death before dishonor" is a truism--and a probable reason most warriors spend some time in that service.
Their physiology and training, however, make it unlikely that a warrior will ever become a Ranger or Sovereign; they are temperamentally unsuited to administering a civilian group larger than a clan.
WARRIORS'-WOMEN, Sandeman: (abbreviated w'women) The female members of the warrior caste, women trained in combat, medicine, and need management. They have no genetic modifications beyond those shared by all Sandemans, so any girl-child who wants to take the training may do so, and most warriors' daughters, particularly the eldest, at least begin training; those who complete it successfully wear a gold-gemmed ring (e.g., golden topaz) to mark their status. Since they have no special genetic alterations, however, any who decide they are not suited to the life may quit at any time, during or after training.
Because of this, there are fewer w'women than warriors, though ideally their numbers would be equal. About the best ratio most clans can expect is one w'woman for two to three warriors.
WEN: (Imperial English) Indefinite pronoun used either when sex is unknown or irrelevant (e.g., crewwen) or referring to a group in which both sexes are present (e.g., crewwens).
WHITE ORDER: (Irschchan) The organization of Talented Irschchans that has ruled that planet since approximately 3000 BCE, its most strongly Talented member becoming the High Adept. In keeping with the Empire's policy regarding already-existing governments, this was modified only in that the High Adept also becomes the Planetary Baron.
At initiation, a member drops @'s family name, using "of the White Order" instead.
XAN: Xanadu's planetary computer.
XANADEN: Inhabitant of Xanadu.
XANADU:
Sector: 1, Orion Year: 729 std. daysSubsector: C, Heimdall Day: 83 hoursSystem: Kama Gravity: 950 cm/sec2Settled/established: 2142 Axial tilt: 47 deg.By: Oxygen: 23%Satellites: None % Water: No surface waterIdent code prefix: XAN Continents: NoneRuled by: Steen family
General: Pleasure planet. Although its surface is uninhabited, its near-surface volume contains numerous large cave complexes which have been improved and expanded. It has no native life, even plants, but Terran imported plants thrive, thanks to carefully-controlled lighting and atmosphere. Since everything is underground, the surface year and day are irrelevant to Xanadens; the entire planet operates on Palace Standard Time.
Xanadu's only significant economic asset is tourism, its most famous attractions the Pleasure Dome and the amators.
XANTH, Subsector 4-D:
No. systems: 94 Sector: Fornaxwith 3 inhabited planets: 6 Ruled by:with 2 inhabited planets: 12with 1 inhabited planet: 21
YAMA, Subsector 15-D:
No. systems: 109 Sector: Aurigawith 3 inhabited planets: 6 Ruled by:with 2 inhabited planets: 9with 1 inhabited planet: 17
YONAR:
Sector: 13, Crater Year:Subsector: D, Idun Day:System: Jade Gravity:Settled/established: 2516 Axial tilt:By: Oxygen:Satellites: 3 % Water:Ident code prefix: YON Continents:Ruled by:General: The main colony suffered a disastrous flood in 2518; therescue mission was led by Ranger James Medart, his first solo.
ZEUS, Subsector 12-F:
No. systems: 150 Sector: Eridanuswith 3 inhabited planets: 7 Ruled by:with 2 inhabited planets: 8with 1 inhabited planet: 17
ZWILNIK: Anyone dealing in illegal drugs, or dealing illegally in legal ones. (From the Lensman multiverse chronicled by E. E. "Doc" Smith, with thanks.)