Warstrider 06 - Battlemind

by William H. Keith

  Lung Chi: DM+32° 2896 (Chien) IV. World terraformed by colonists of Manchurian descent. Overrun by Xenophobes in 2537–8.

  Magflitter: Personal air transport, flown through interaction with a planetary magnetic field.

  Medsystem: Any AI-oriented electronic network dedicated to monitoring and controlling biological functions during cephlinkage. Bodily functions are monitored through micro-circuitry imbedded within ship or combat suits, which in turn are plugged into the AI overwatch system. All physical sen­sations, including pain, can be edited from the human brain’s awareness.

  Meteffectors: Metabolic Effectors. Nanotechnic devices that increase the efficiency of certain bodily processes, convert­ing body fat to energy, and food to muscle tissue.

  Microbion: Gene-tailored, microscopic artificial life-form designed to perform some ecological or life-support function, such as adjust a planetary ecology’s tolerance to high or low carbon dioxide levels.

  MJ: Megajoule. Measure of energy. The detonation of one kilogram of TNT releases approximately five MJ of energy.

  Morphing: Xenophobe ability to change shape or repair itself within certain limits, made possible by flexibility of positioning and bonding between the machine’s nanotechnic “cells.”

  MSE: Mental Stability Evaluation. Test recorded by full sen­sory link determining a subject’s reactions, flexibility, and the presence of potentially hampering or unwanted prejudices or mental debilities.

  Nangineering: Nanotechnic engineering. Use of nano­technic devices in building or in medicine.

  Nanits: “Nanotechnic units.” Molecule-sized or smaller programmable machines.

  Nano-Ds: Nano disassemblers. Xenophobe weapon, deliv­ered by mag-accelerated projectile or through contact with a specialized appendage, consisting of billions of submicro­scopic machines programmed to disassemble molecular bonds. A high concentration of nano-Ds can cause several kilos of mass to disintegrate into its component molecules within seconds.

  Nanoflage: Nanofilm on military vehicles designed to trans­mit colors and textures of vehicle’s immediate surroundings. Selectively reflective, it does not reflect bright light or motion.

  Nanomold: A semiportable nanovat used in construction. Placed on site, it uses Rogan’s Process to convert dirt or other locally available raw material into fabricrete walls or prefab building sections.

  Nanovat: Industrial tank used for growing nanotechnic prod­ucts. Small vats can produce, on order and with proper raw materials, food, garments, disposable computers, and other small items. Large vats are required to grow pieces of large manufactured goods like vehicles.

  Navsim: ViRsimulation used in ship navigation.

  NCM: Nanotechnic Countermeasures. Submicroscopic devices programmed to hunt down and destroy enemy nanotechnic disassemblers before they cause irreparable damage. In combat, applied as a patch or an aerosol.

  Neopsychometrics: The science of measuring human psy­chological variables, such as aptitude, emotional disturbance, or psychotechnic disorders. “Neo” pertains to the revolution in human psychology brought about by link-assisted diagno­sis and treatment.

  New America: 26 Draconis IV. Frontier colony 48.6 light-years from Sol.

  NOI: Nippon Orbital Industries, manufacturer of cephimplants and other DI (direct interface) equipment.

  Null: Person possessing no cephlink hardware and unable to engage in financial transactions, interface with computers, or engage in useful work. Large numbers of Nulls on Frontier worlds and even in some areas on Earth constitute a growing and problematical lower class.

  PLSS: Portable Life Support System, pronounced “pliss.” A small and lightweight unit providing air, heat, power, and waste recycling for environmental suits and other protective garments.

  Prebiotic: A world similar to Earth in the distant past, before the evolution of life. Possessing primitive atmospheres carbon dioxide, water, methane, and ammonia, they can be tailored through terraforming techniques to eventually develop Earthlike environments.

  Psychotechnic Disorders: General term for a group of men­tal disorders resulting from breakdowns in an individual’s abilities to relate to high-tech, computer-oriented society. They include:

  Technic Depression (TD): Feeling of inferiority to AIs, coupled with an inability to cope with speed of information transfers, virtual reality shifts, or changing styles.

  Technomegalomania (TM): Delusion of godhood fos­tered by virtual realities. Marked by depression, anger, or hostility when subject is in the real world, by feelings of invulnerability and power when linked.

  Technophobia (TP): Unreasonable fear of machines, computers, or aspects of technic society, such as analogues or cephimplants.

  Quantum Sea: Energy continuum reflected in “vacuum fluctuation,” the constant appearance and reabsorption of vast quantities of energy on a subatomic scale. Tapped by starships operating within the K-T plenum.

  Rank: Terran Hegemony ranks are based on the Imperial Japanese rank structure, though the English terminology is preferred in common usage. A rough comparison of rank in the Hegemony Military, as compared to late twentieth-century America, is given below:

  Enlisted Ranks

  US. Army/Marines

  Imperial Military

  Private 2nd class/(no equivalent)

  Nitto hei

  E-2 Private/PFC

  Itto hei

  Superior private/(no equivalent)

  Jotto hei

  E-3 PFC/Lance Corporal

  Heicho

  E-4 Corporal/Corporal

  Gocho

  E-5 Sergeant/Sergeant

  Gunso

  E-9 Sgt. Major/Sgt. Major

  Socho

  WO Warrant Officers (CWO)

  Jun-i

  Commissioned Ranks

  US. Army/Navy

  Imperial Military

  O-O Cadet

  Seito

  O-1 2nd Lieutenant/Ensign

  Sho-i

  O-2 Lieutenant/Lieutenant (jg)

  Chu-i

  O-3 Captain/Lieutenant

  Tai-i

  O-4 Major/Lieutenant Commander

  Shosa

  O-5 Lieutenant Colonel/Commander

  Chusa

  O-6 Colonel/Captain

  Taisa

  O-8 Major General/Rear Admiral

  Shosho

  O-9 Lieutenant General /Vice Admiral

  Chujo

  O-10 General/Admiral

  Taisho

  O-11 General of the Army/Fleet Admiral

  Gensui

  Rebrief: From “RAM-edited briefing.” Originally a means to update RAM-loaded information by rewriting cephlink-stored data. Now means downloading fabricated data into a subject’s RAM for purposes of interrogation or brainwashing.

  Recjack: Using implants for recreational purposes. These range from participation in ViRdramas to shared multiple sensual stimulation to direct stimulation of the hypothalamic pleasure centers (PC-jacking).

  Riderslot: Opening in an ascraft or other transport’s hull designed to receive striders. Usually equipped with grip­pers, magnetic locks, and autoplug ICS and datafeed con­nectors.

  RJ: Military slang for free time spent recjacking.

  Rogan Process: Nano construction technique, named after inventor Philip Rogan, employing assemblers and any plenti­ful raw material. Through “RoPro” or “RoProduction,” walls, buildings, roads, any similar large structure, can be “grown” out of rock and earth quickly and cheaply.

  SDT: Subsurface Deformation Track Path through a plan­etary crust previously used by Xenophobe underground travelers. Rock once turned plastic by intense heat and pressure offers subsurface “highways” more easily traversed by subsequent craft.

  Sekkodan: The Imperial Scout Service, tasked with exploring and cataloging new worlds, as well as operating high-speed courier ships between the worlds of the Shichiju. Its members wear green uniforms and it is considered to be a civilian bureau rather than a military un
it.

  Schiz, Schiz Out: Slang for mental breakdown brought on by jacked shutdown of mental activities for a protracted period of time, or through severe mental stress during linkage.

  Selfware: Jacker slang for the human mind, both the physical processes of neuronic impulses and the less quantifiable pro­cesses of consciousness, reasoning, and “self.” If software is the program run on hardware, selfware is the program run on wetware.

  Sempu: “Whirlwind.” Shotgunlike antipersonnel weapon firing shot connected by strands of monofilament.

  Sensphere: Tennis-ball-sized gold sphere held against palm implants. Creates a pleasant, mildly stimulating, and erotic tingle through the interface circuitry.

  Servot: A robotic, general-purpose servant.

  Shakai: “Society.” The elitist, upper-class culture of Imperial Earth.

  Shichiju: Literally “The Seventy.” Japanese term for the seventy-eight worlds in seventy-two systems so far colonized by Man.

  Shishino Chi: “The Lion’s Blood.” Imperial equivalent of the Purple Heart.

  Silicolubricant, Silicarb: Greasy black silicon compound used to reduce friction in interior working parts.

  Sky-el: Elevator used to travel between a planetary ring and the surface of the planet. A cheap and efficient way of moving people and cargo back and forth from surface to orbit. Earth has three sky-els: Singapore (Pulau Lingga), Ecuador (Quito), and Kenya (Mount Kenya). New Earth has two. Other worlds have one. Some, including New America, have none.

  Slang, profanity:

  dreamjack: Military slang for a very good or much-desired assignment.

  easy feed: Slang expression for “no problem,” or “that’s okay.”

  gok, goking: Sexual obscenity. From Japanese goku, “rape.”

  Heggers, Hegleggers: Military slang for Hegemony foot soldiers.

  iceworld: Military slang for “Stay cool. I’m cool.”

  I’m linked: I’m with you. I’ll go along with that.

  jackin’ Jill: Girlfriend, especially as a casual RJ sex partner.

  mincies: Military slang for civilians. From the Japanese minshu.

  nork (also NORC or NORC-Socket): Colloquial for an idiot. From nonregistered C-socket, it refers to the common practice of illegal “back-alley” implant surgery for people who don’t have the money or the connections to secure a legal (registered) implant. Many such operations result in permanent brain damage.

  nullhead: Stupid. Empty-headed. By association, crazy. Also, people without jacks, unable to interact in technic society.

  odie: Let’s odie = let’s do it, let’s move. From Japanese odori, “dance.”

  pulling strings, jerking strings: Slang expression: “You’re kidding me.”

  scut, scutting: Worthless. A useless person. From medi­eval scuttage, a tax paid in feudal times to avoid military service.

  staticjack: Mild curse. Expression of disgust or amaze­ment.

  static free: Easy, direct, simple, problem-free.

  straight hont, the hont: The truth. From Japanese hontono koto.

  Slot: (1) Linkage module for human controller. Warstriders have one, two, or three slots; a three-slotter strider has places for a commander, pilot, and weapons tech.

  (2) Space for equipment aboard transport. Ascraft have “slots” to carry four or six warstriders. (Slang) By popular usage, a place for a person in an organization, i.e., a “slot in the infantry.”

  Software: The programs run by computer hardware, up to and including AIs.

  Stridertink, tink: Personnel who perform routine repair, maintenance, and service on striders, vehicles, and heavy equipment. Also called techs or teenies.

  Synchorbit: That point, different for each world, at which a satellite has an orbital period exactly matching the planet’s rotation. Planetary sky-els rise from the world’s equator to extensive constructions—factories, habitats, and other orbital facilities—in synchorbit.

  Synchorbital: Facilities built at synchorbit.

  Tacsit: Military slang for Tactical Situation.

  Teikokuno Heiwa: “The Imperial Peace.” The Pax Japonica.

  Teikokuno Hoshi: Star of the Empire. Imperial medal for supreme service to the Emperor.

  Teleop Weapons: Long-range missiles operated by weapons technicians at remote locations. Control can be by radio or—to avoid battlefield jamming—laser or a molecular fiberline unreeled behind the projectile.

  Tenno Kyuden: Palace of Heaven. Seat of Imperial govern­ment, located at Singapore Synchorbital.

  T-form: Terraform. Converting an existing planetary atmosphere and environment to one that supports humans.

  Thermal: Military slang for any infrared sensory device or scanner.

  TO: Table of Organization.

  Towerdown: The base of a sky-el tower, a busy terminus for freight and passengers.

  Transplas: Synthetic building material, transparent and very strong.

  T-socket: Temporal socket. Usually paired, one on each side of subject’s skull, in temporal bone above and behind the ear. Used for full-sensory, full-feedback jacking in conjunction with an AI system, including experiencing ViR, full-sensory communications, and computer control of ships or vehicles.

  Universal Life, Lifers: A widespread, moderate “green” movement dedicated to preserving alien ecosystems.

  Vacwalls: Walls or bulkheads holding pressure against vacuum.

  VCH: Vehicle Cephlinkage Helmet. Allows direct human control of warstriders, ascraft, or other military vehicles. Internal leads plug into the operator’s temporal sockets, while external sockets receive leads from AI interface.

  ViR, Virtual Reality: Made possible by cephalic implants, virtual reality is the “artificial reality” of computer interfaces that allows, for example, a human pilot to “become” the strider or missile he is piloting, to “live” a simplay, or to “see” things that do not really exist, save as sophisticated computer software. An artificial world existing within the human mind that, through AI technology, can be shared with others.

  ViRcom: Full sensory linked communication. Linker enters a chamber and plugs into communications net. He can then engage in conversation with one or more other humans or their computer analogues as though all were present together.

  ViRdrama: Recreational jacking allowing full sensory experience through cephlinkage. Linker can participate in elaborate canned shows or AI-monitored games. Two or more linkers can share a single scenario, allowing them to interact with one another.

  ViRnews: Also ViRinfo. Jack-fed informational programs permitting viewer interaction and questions with pro­grammed “guides.”

  ViRpersona: The image of self projected in virtual reality dramas or communications. Clothing styles and even person­al appearance can be purchased as a cephlink program, much as someone would buy new clothes.

  Warstrider: Also strider. Battlefield armor on two or four legs, giving it high mobility over rough terrain. Gener­ally consists of a fuselage slung between two legs, and equipped either with two arms mounting weapons or with interchangeable weapons pods. Sizes include single-slotters (eight to twelve tons), dual-slotters (ten to thirty tons), single-slotters three-slotters (twenty-five to seventy tons), and spe­cial vehicles such as Armored Personnel Walkers that carry large numbers of troops.

  Wetware: The human brain, the ultimate computer.

  Whitesuit: Slang for Hegemonic naval personnel. From their dress uniforms, which are white with gold trim.

  Who-was: Rumor, scuttlebutt. Corruption of Japanese uwasa.

  Xeno, Xenophobe: Human name for the life form that first attacked the human colony on An-Nur II in 2498. So-called because of their apparent hatred or fear of other life forms. Investigations within the Alya system in 2541 proved Xenophobes are machine-organic hybrids evolved from fairly simple organisms billions of years ago. They are defined by their technology, much of which has been borrowed from other civilizations.

  Yukanno Kisho: Medal of Valor. Imperial decoration awar
ded in ten orders, or dans, for bravery in the line of duty.

  Japanese Words and Phrases

  Baka: Foolish, stupid, or silly.

  Daihyo: Representative. In twenty-sixth-century usage, the Emperor’s representative to a government or local military force within the Shichiju.

  Dan: Order or ranking.

  Fushi: Eternity, immortality. Era-name of current Emperor Fushi 84.

  Gaijin: Foreigner, specifically a non-Japanese.

  Gokuhi: Secret.

  Hema: Damned mess. Bungled situation.

  Kancho: Depending on how you say it. “warship captain” or “enema.”

  Kao: Face.

  Kichigai: You’re crazy!

  Ko-tori: Bird.

  Mon: A family badge or design.

  Nengo: Era-name, determined by each new Emperor, for purposes of dating.

  Nettena-yo: Wake up!

  Nimotsu: Baggage. O-nimotsusan (“honorable baggage”) refers to passengers aboard small and Spartan couriers and packets.

  Obake: Black Goblins. Regimental name for 3rd Imperial Marines.

  Sashimono: Military banners bearing the mon of the commander.

  Sen-en: One thousand yen (en in Japanese).

  Sensei: Master. Title of respect for the teacher of a given discipline.

  Sheseiji: “Bastards.” Related to shesei, “posture” or “atti­tude.”

  Shoko: Military officer.

  Tatami: Padded floor or floor mat.

  Tenno-heika: Formal title of address—His Majesty, the Emperor.

  Uwasa: Rumor, gossip.

  Yujo: Camaraderie. It has taken on the special meaning of “warrior’s bond.”

  Zugaikotsu: Skull.