Arcology
A self-contained, self-sustainable, floating fortress and home environment favored by the barons of the Tri-Terra Republic. They are now considered status symbols, but largely archaic and out of production.
Artificial
Short for “artificial person” or “artificial soldier” etc. -A synthetic being built from silicon-based cells to resemble a living being (e.g. an android). They typically have polymer skeletons beneath the silicon flesh, and a substance called “Silocar” flowing through their veins (see Silocar). They are ubiquitous in Confederate society.
Athenaeum Crystal
Form of solid state storage for data using the molecular structure of a specialized crystal.
AU
Astonomical Unit – the distance between the Earth and its star, Sol
Automadoc
Short for Automaton Doctor (artificially intelligent doctor robot)
Autosub
Short for Autonomous Subway – a popular form of mass-transit in the Confederation of Sovereign Systems
Barons &
Baronesses
Title for the CEO of a major company or corporate entity. Barons also get automatic membership in the Barony (see Barony), and function as part of the government.
The Barony
1/3 of the Confederate legislature. It shares power (in theory) with the Sovereign Council and the Office of the Premier, but its total control of the Confederate Treasury makes it the primary government entity.
Bani Tree
Tree native to Isinar. Has a peppermint smell and emits pheromones many animal species find soothing.
‘Bot
Slang for robot
Breather
Membrane
Adhesive membrane that fits over the repertory organs of the host organism and either filters, or recycles the air in harsh environments.
Broghite War
War started in 36:7 CST with the deaths of the ambassadors to the Broghite Commonwealth from the Confederation- the Keltan family.
C-37
An aerospace light cargo vessel with memory-polymer wings. It is the most ubiquitous aerospace ship in the Confederation, with both civilian and military models.
Cephalon Sphere
Moon-sized neutronium spheres made by the ancient “Cephalon” species capable of transporting matter across large distances instantaneously
Cerberai
Genetically engineered canine organisms. They are about as intelligent as an average, unenhanced teenager. They come in many varieties.
Cerebral
Computer
a.k.a. CC
A silicon-cell, neural-fiber computer that sits between the meningies of the brain, or directly on the central-nervous system, with neural-fiber links into the central nervous system of the host organism. They provide cognitive enhancement and link the host to external systems able to receive its electromagnetic signal.
Chonmage
Traditional Samurai-style hair, including a topknot style queue
Cleebians
Dominant species of the Greater Cleebian Prosperity Sphere noted for their mathematical abilities and lack of empathy for other sentient life. They have a capitalist economy, like the Tri-Terra Republic. They are considered an elder space-faring species who has had an interstellar empire for a thousand years.
Confederate Space
Authority
a.k.a. CSA
The CSA is the federal law enforcement branch of the Confederate government. Answerable to the Office of the Premier, it monitors citizens, prosecutes crimes, and serves as an interstellar intelligence agency in both the Spur and in the Cyberweb. It has various divisions, like the Cybercrimes & Forensics division, that carry out specific functions.
Confederate Time a.k.a. Space Years
Confederate time is a timekeeping system developed to be the same regardless of local timekeeping customs. It was developed by the Solans and the Cleebians after the Quae-Sol War. It has standardized units and its own calendar. The year consists of 500 30-hour days (hours are the same as Earth hours) divided into 10 months of 5 weeks each. It is primarily used by Spacers and on official documents.
Confederate
Star Corps
Name for the military machine of the Confederation. It is sub-divided into various branches, among them the Star Jumpers and the Confederate Star Force.
Confederation
of
Sovereign
Systems
Conglomeration of five sovereign star-nations; The Tri-Terra Republic (Solan/human, VoQuana), The Cleebian Greater Prosperity Sphere (Cleebian, Achinoi), The Galaenean Unity (Galaenean), The Relaen League (Relaen), The Isinari Equalitarian Republic (Isinari) and unofficially The Savorchan Tribal Sovereignty which has no governing powers at this time (Savorchan).
ConSov
Short for Confederate Sovereign, the official unit of currency in the Confederation of Sovereign Systems.
Cyber-Evolved Lifeform a.k.a. CEL
A being that has been so altered by cybernetic technology that it can be considered a cybernetic sub-species of its parent species. They are illegal in the Confederation.
Cyberweb
A term for the Confederate digital environment network—the Internet of the 25th century. It can be linked with in a variety of ways, and supports virtual environments as well as very high speed communication. Due to the limits of interstellar communication, each system has its own Cyberweb, as does every planet, every ship, even certain pieces of technology. Confederate citizens rely on the Cyberweb for nearly every life activity they engage in.
Cyberweb Protocol Address a.k.a. CPAd
A way of identifying locations, individuals, and devices in the Cyberweb. A digital address.
Delgrix
Species of six-limb quadropeds (4 legs, 2 arms) from the Sagittarian side of the Confederation.
Democratic Labor
Party (DLP)
The DLP is the political party of the working people of the Confederation. It enjoys support from the majority of the populace living in big cities and settlements, and from a select group of barons. It is the chief rival of the Mercantile Party.
Digital Incarnation
One’s representation in cyberspace
Dorgar
Home world of House Olivaar
DS-109 Combat Drone
Humanoid robotic combat platform in widespread use by the Confederate Star Corps for ground operations. Considered a support unit for biological troops, it has a quadroped mode that can be used for transportation.
Eagle
Military slang for a member of the Confederate Star Corps’ space navy. So named for the symbol of said division: an eagle clutching a five-pointed star
Environmental
Suits a.k.a. E-Suits
Typically skin-tight or nearly skin-tight suits made of insulated, shielded smart-fiber polymers to allow the wearer to survive in harsh conditions, including vacuum. They have a hood component with a built-in breather membrane and a 6 hour air supply in a low-profile air tank.
Exit Zone
Area around a star where it is considered minimally safe for a neutronium-antimatter powered FTL drive to exit an Einstein-Rosen Bridge
Fastcrete
A very quick-drying concrete-like substance used in modern Confederate architecture
Farber Tree a.k.a. Anilonian Farber Tree
Tree native to the planet Anilon. It has extremely dense wood and makes for an excellent construction material.
Feast of
Paraximos
A celebratory holiday held on Anilon.
Fleshrider
One who uses the Cyberweb and cerebral computer technology to electronically inhabit the body of another sentient being. The practice is illegal in the Confederation.
Gaianism
Religious order broken into two main sects, the Naturalists and the Evolutionaries. They share a belief in the sacred nature of lif
e and the spiritual nature of the universe around them. Naturalists believe in keeping the body and environments pure, Evolutionaries believe in controlling nature and their own evolution through technological manipulation.
Gauss Weapons
Projectile weapons, on a personal scale, that use magnetic fields to accelerate ammunition to super-sonic speeds.
Guror
Military rank in the Nyangari Protectorate
HEL
High Energy Laser (weapon), comes in various sizes
Hex-skin
A form of cybernetic armor implanted into the skin.
Hizgrul Caldera
Region of Savorcha where the seat of the Savorchan Tribal Sovereignty lies.
Hoshinagi no Tachi
Ancestral sword of House Mitsugawa, it was forged when Mitsugawa Hiroaki founded the Taiumikai settlement. It is an ultra-low friction, carbon-reinforced, Ākuha blade.
Hotelcater
Cyberweb site specializing in rating lodgings throughout the Confederation
IFF
Identify Friend or Foe system common in military hardware.
Kaizan Award
Confederate award for excellence in journalism
Kaldur
Nyangari whiskey that may be safely ingested by humans
Keynesian Fortune
House Keltan’s FTL ship. Named after the 20th century British Economist J. M. Keynes
Kharg
A term from Orgnani meaning “Boss” or “Big Male” depending on the translation. It is used to denote the heads of criminal cartels outside the Empire, and the oligarchic families that run the Orgnan Empire.
Kosfanter
Capitol of the Confederation of Sovereign Systems, a moon of the gas giant, Matre; the 5th planet in the Matre’s Glory system.
Kuschelbär
German for “Teddy bear”
Latanus Feast Day
An Anilonian Holiday
Levo DNA
Left-turning DNA (like humans have). Its opposite is Dextro-DNA (right turning)
Mailmaton
Automated robot with low-level intelligence for delivering packages and other physical items.
Medical Nanomachines
Nanoscale robots with pre-programmed, medical functionality.
Mercantile Party
(MP)
The MP is the party of the majority of barons. Its purpose is to ensure the unhindered, virtually unregulated state of interstellar commerce remain as it is. It enjoys a vast wealth and firm support from some of the wealthiest Barony houses, including Revenant, Olivaar, and Sordekaar.
MRD
Military Reconnaissance Drone
Musashi-Maru
Mitsugawa House FTL ship. Named after the famous Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi
Nanodetox
Commercial name for pre-programmed nanoscale robots that remove toxins (usually alcohol) from the host system.
Nanomachines
Remotely programmable, nanoscale robots
Neo-enlightenment
Fashion movement popular in the Solan sectors of the Confederation expressing some of the styles of dress and attitudes of 18th century Europe (Earth).
Orgnan
Dominant species in the Orgnan Empire known for brutality.
Orgnan Empire
Vast star-sovereignty ruled by the Orgnan species. Its economy is infamously a slave-economy, with several species held in bondage.
Palace of the Just
Mansion and gardens on Xur’qon Island, Ikuzlu, Kosfanter System- the residence of the Premier of the Confederation
PT
Physical Training/Calisthenics
“Quill-hawk”
Derogatory term for an Achinoi male.
Pool of Shakrath
Cisterns of the Cephalon’s nanomechanical technology system for converting life forms into living weapons scattered throughout old Cephalon space. The Savorchans consider them holy sites.
Relaen
Dominant species of the Relaen League. They are an ancient group of sentient species who has been wandering the stars since the loss of their home world thousands of years ago.
Sakari
Cleebian eating utensils
Savorcha
A planet on the Confederate-Orgnan border. Home world of the Savorchan Tribal Sovereignty.
Shell a.k.a.
Combat Shell
Confederate term for a heavily armored, environmentally sealed, exoskeleton. CSC-1A is the Confederate heavy combat model used in the Savorchan Conflict.
Shimada Style
Form of Japanese hairstyle worn by women of the Edo period of feudal Japan, and popularized by Geisha
Silocar
Artificial blood for synthetic life systems. It functions to transport nanomachines, and is polarized to carry a charge. It functions as a kind of liquid wire, maintenance, and sanitation system all at once.
Solan
Term for a person from the Sol system, typically human. Also, a synonym for human.
Somarill
A full somatic immersion stream in the Cyberweb, a hyper-real simulation nearly-indistinguishable from reality while experiencing it (like a dream).
Spacer
Slang for someone who spends most of their life in outer space. This term is the opposite of ‘Weller
Star Jumpers
Division of the Confederate Star Corps, so named because this special forces unit’s primary function is to assault targets from space, either ship to ship or ship to ground using specialized powered armor. Their symbol is a star dawning over the arc of a planet.
Star-side
Term meaning to be in space/outer-space or near-orbit
Symbiotic Cerebral Computer
a.k.a. SCC
A Cerebral Computer with an AI installed
Taiumikai
Home world of House Mitsugawa, HQ of the Shiragawa Zaibatsu
Tachypsychia
Time-perception distortion
Tri-Terra Republic
Based on Venus, Sol system, this is the primarily human sovereignty of the Confederation of Sovereign Systems. The term “Tri-Terra” refers to Earth, Venus, and Mars- the three original human worlds of Sol.
UI
User Interface
Umitsuru
Winged amphibian scavenger/fisher native to Taiumikai. Wingspan measures over 2 meters.
Uul
Relaen traditional musical instrument consisting of two sets of strings, and requiring at least 3 hands to play properly (usually played with 4). It predates their exodus to the stars.
Venus University
Most famous of the Cytherean Ivy-League Universities, its reputation comes from being the most popular school for Barony heirs and heiresses for Solans. Located on Venus, Sol System.
VoQuana
Dominant species in the VoQuana Remnant, a hybrid species created by the blending (and intensive genetic manipulation) of the now extinct Qua and humans. They are rumored to be telepathic, and a great deal of fear is evident in the Confederation from the belief that they are.
VoQuana
Remnant
Conquered sovereignty of the VoQuana species. It has no official status in the Confederation of Sovereign Systems, and its citizens are quarantined on its planets.
‘Weller
Someone who spends most of their life on a planetary body (in a gravity well). This is the opposite of a Spacer.
Well-Side
Term meaning on the surface of a planetary body (in a gravity well)
The Will
Short for “the Will of the Matre” a Daewonist expression that has come into common use to express a variety of emotions. It can also mean “the Will to survive” or a metaphor for one’s personal drive/ambition
‘Wormer
Slang for an FTL ship that makes an Einstein-Rosen Bridge
Xur’qon Island
Island in the middle of the Ikuzlu Atoll, the site of t
he Palace of the Just, residence of the Premier of the Confederation
Zov
A VoQuana world near the Greater Cleebian Prosperity Sphere.
About the Author
Michael Formichelli has been a die-hard fan of science fiction and fantasy since his mother first let him stay up late to watch Star Trek re-runs in the early 1980’s. Along with a passion for sci-fi, Michael is a lover of all things science related from astronomy to biology, and beyond. He holds a black belt in Kendo, and is rather fond of studying foreign languages.
He lives in orbit of New York City with his wife and their distinguished cat, Manginus.
Keltan's Gambit: Chronicles of the Orion Spur Book 2 Page 53
