Brothers in Valor (Man of War Book 3)

by H. Paul Honsinger

  deuterium-separation plant: A facility for producing deuterium fuel for fusion reactors. Such plants function by separating naturally occurring deuterium oxide, also known as heavy water, from ordinary water, taking advantage of the two substances’ differing densities through the use of a series of high-speed centrifuges. Once heavy water of suitable concentration (more than 95 percent) is obtained, the deuterium is then broken down by electrical hydrolysis into elemental oxygen and deuterium. Such facilities tend to be located on water-covered moons similar to Europa in the Sol System because they provide a large supply of relatively high-deuterium water, a shallow gravity well, and some kind of large hard surface (either ice or rock) on which to construct the facility.

  droga, merda, porra (Brazilian Portuguese): Bummer, shit, fuck. An exclamation of shock and dismay.

  dummkopf (German): Stupid. In German, though, the term dummkopf can be used as an appellation in a way that “stupid,” which is primarily an adjective, is rarely used in Standard. Accordingly, in some ways, the term may equate better with the Standard nouns “idiot” or “moron.”

  Dusang: The standard unit for measuring the interaction between a stated surface area and a tachyon-based scan.

  “E” for “Excellence”: An award, conferred upon a vessel by a task-force commander or higher authority, for conspicuous excellence or achievement in any area of endeavor. The award is displayed by illuminating running lights arranged in the shape of a large letter “E” when the vessel is not stealthed. The award is typically made for some demonstration of outstanding proficiency by the vessel and is authorized to be displayed for a limited number of days, usually sixty.

  EM: Electromagnetic. Usually short for the term “electromagnetic radiation,” meaning visible light, radio waves, ultraviolet, infrared, and similar forms of energy forming a part of the familiar electromagnetic spectrum. Often used to distinguish sensors that detect EM radiation from those that detect other phenomena, such as gravitational effects or neutrinos.

  EMCON: Emissions Control. A security and deception measure in which a warship not only operates under what twenty-first-century readers would call “radio silence” but also without navigation beacons, active sensor beams, and any other emissions that could be used to track the ship.

  Emeka Moro: Union Space Navy frigate, Edward Jenner class, Registry Number FLE 2372, commissioned 8 December 2295. Currently (as of 20 February 2315) undergoing extensive repairs and refit at James Lovell Station to repair damage sustained in battle against a Krag Barsoom class battlecruiser on 11 November 2314. For the person, see Moro, Emeka.

  enlisted ratings: The ranks of enlisted men in the Union Space Navy are listed below, in order of increasing rank. Within each rank, not separately listed here, are three classes—third, second, and first. So within the ranks of able spacer, one can rise through the ranks of able spacer third class, able spacer second class, and able spacer first class.

  recruit

  ordinary

  able

  petty officer

  chief petty officer

  Epsilon Indi: As viewed from Earth, the fifth brightest star in the Constellation Indus (the Indian). A main sequence star, class K, orbited by two brown dwarf stars and seven planets, located approximately twelve light years from Earth. The name is also used to refer to the third planet of this system, Epsilon Indi III (sometimes referred to as “Bravo” for the letter “B” as it was the second Earth colony outside the Sol system, coming after “Alpha” or Alpha Centauri), which is the home of the Clara Barton Military Hospital, the largest and most advanced hospital for military casualties in the Union. The term “Indians” for residents of that world is regarded as a slur and should be avoided by persons who do not want to start a fight with one of that world’s notoriously pugnacious inhabitants.

  FEBA: Forward Edge of Battle Area. The “front line,” or in three-dimensional space, a plane or other two-dimensional surface, marking the boundary between space controlled by friendly forces and space controlled by enemy forces. Alternately, the surface marking the forwardmost friendly forces. Sometimes referred to as FLOF or Forward Line of Own Forces (from Forward Line of Own Troops in pre-starflight Earth ground combat).

  frame: A vertical cross section of a warship, numbered from bow to stern for the purpose of describing the location of damage to the ship’s structure or to large areas. A destroyer might have as few as eight frames, while a carrier has hundreds.

  frigate: A type of warship with a slightly higher displacement range than destroyers (frigates typically mass between 18,000 and 26,000 metric tons; note, the largest classes of destroyer are heavier than the smallest classes of frigate), but usually somewhat slower and less maneuverable, more heavily armored and armed (particularly in the matter of the number of missile tubes—most destroyers have only two forward firing missile tubes, while most frigates have at least four and many have six or eight), and carrying a larger supply of consumables and weapons reloads to give them significantly higher endurance on station without resupply. Frigates are most commonly used in detached service. Frigates are typically skippered by a full commander. While frigates in saltwater navies are typically smaller than destroyers, they are larger in the Union Space Navy because the type was introduced into service after destroyers, and because “frigate” was the most reasonable saltwater navy term available and there was no appropriately “naval-sounding” name for a vessel type intermediate in size between destroyers and battlecruisers.

  FTL: Faster than light. Superluminal.

  Gates: The traditional naval nickname for a respected and highly able Computer and Information Systems Officer. The name is taken from that of William “Bill” Gates (born 28 October 1955; died 23 August 2077), the founder of the Microsoft Corporation and one of the architects of “the Personal Computer Revolution.” The term was first applied to computer officers upon the formation of the UESF (see) in 2034.

  genau (German): Exactly, precisely. Often used to express agreement.

  Goat: Informal name for the Chief of the Boat (see).

  Gott im Himmel (German): God in heaven! An exclamation of shock and dismay.

  Greenie: Colloquial term for a recruit spacer. So called because the working uniform for that grade is light green in color.

  Gynophage: An extremely virulent genetically engineered viral disease launched by the Krag against the Union in 2295. The disease organism is highly infectious to all humans, but a gene sequence unique to the human “Y” chromosome prevents disease symptoms from manifesting in all but a tiny fraction of males, thereby keeping infected males contagious but asymptomatic. It is 99+ percent fatal to human females. It is believed that, left to itself, the disease would have killed all but a few of the human females in the galaxy and resulted in the virtual extinction of the human race. It was disseminated by thousands of stealthed compression-drive drones launched by the Krag in the early days of the war, each of which launched thousands of submunitions that exploded in the atmosphere of human-inhabited planets. The disease functions in a manner similar to Ebola, by breaking down the tissues of the internal organs, but kills much more rapidly. Once the disease begins to manifest, the subject is dead within minutes. The disease is currently treated/prevented by the Moro Treatment, a combination vaccine and antibody devised by a team led by the brilliant Dr. Emeka Moro (see).

  hopping the wort: The process of adding hops (the female flowers of the hop plant) to the boiled grain product that will be fermented into beer (wort), one of the stages in the art of beer making that most calls for skill on the part of the brewmaster.

  Hotel: Union Forces Voicecom Alphabet (see) designator for the letter “H.” Sensors and Tactical designation for a hostile contact or target.

  hottie Scotty: A particularly industrious or capable member of the Engineering crew, sometimes used disparagingly regarding a person who, for the moment, is the favorite of the Chief Engineer for reasons unconnected with merit (see Scotty).

  hypergol
ic: Two substances that, when combined, will ignite and combust without need of an ignition source—a term used in the navy primarily to describe fuels for missiles and thrusters. Rocket motors employing hypergolic fuels are mechanically simpler and inherently more reliable than those that do not because no ignition source need be provided in the design. On the other hand, hypergolic fuels provide a lower specific impulse (essentially the amount of thrust developed per unit of fuel and oxidizer) than cryogenic fuel/oxidizer combinations such as hydrogen/oxygen.

  IDSSC: Interstellar Data Systems Standardization Convention (pronounced “id sick”). An informal agreement among the major computer and data systems manufacturers of the Union, most human worlds, and several alien races providing for standardization of data formats, transfer protocols, design of cables and connectors, and other matters to allow interchangeability and transferability of data and computer equipment from one star system to another. Because of IDSSC, a Pfelung printer can be attached to a computer made on Alphacen, and used to print a document written and saved to a data chip on Ghifta Prime.

  IFF: Identification Friend or Foe. A general descriptive term for any system that allows vessels to identify each other as being friendly or hostile, usually involving an exchange of coded electronic transmissions.

  inertial compensator: The system on a space vessel that negates the inertial effect of acceleration on the crew and vessel contents (known as “G forces”), enabling the ship to accelerate, turn, and decelerate rapidly without killing the crew and ripping the fixtures from the deck.

  jump: The process by which a space vessel uses its jump drive (see) to transition from one point in normal space to a distant point in normal space by transitioning for one Planck interval through n space.

  jump drive: One of the two systems that allows a space vessel to cross interstellar distances in less time than it would take to travel at sublight speed (the other being compression drive, see). The jump drive transfers the vessel in a single Planck interval from one point in space, known as a jump point, to another jump point in a nearby star system and never less than 3.4 nor more than 12.7 light-years away. Jump points are generally located between 20 to 30 AU from a star and almost always lie at least forty-five degrees away from the star’s equator. For some unknown reason, systems either have no jump points, three, or a multiple of three (most commonly three), usually located several dozen AU from each other. Jumping is always more energy efficient and much faster than traversing the same distance with compression drive. However, it is almost impossible to jump into an enemy-held system, because the enemy will almost always have weapons trained and ranged on the jump points, and the process of jumping requires that the jumping ship power down all sublight drives, weapons, shielding, and point-defense systems, making it virtually helpless when emerging from a jump. Accordingly, in order to take a system, it is usually necessary to send in ships from a system within ten light-years or so under compression drive and take the jump points, thereby allowing heavier ships, troop carriers, and supply vessels to jump in.

  Jurassic Space: The period, technology, or practices associated with human space exploration, particularly manned or crewed space exploration, before humanity acquired the technology to explore interstellar space by defeating the Ning-Braha at the Battle of Luna (circa 1960 to July 2034).

  Khyber class: A class of destroyer, the first of which, the USS Khyber, was commissioned on 24 April 2311, making these vessels a “new” class in 2315. The Khybers are exceptionally fast and maneuverable, even for destroyers. The thrust-to-mass ratio of these ships is in the same range as those of many fighter designs; accordingly, it is said that they handle more like large fighters than escort vessels. They are equipped with pulse-cannon as powerful as those on many capital ships (although they have only three of these and a smaller rear-firing unit, whereas a capital ship might have a dozen or more). Ships in this class are extremely stealthy, possess a sophisticated ability to mimic the electronic and drive emissions of other ships, and have a highly effective sensor suite. They are also equipped with SWACS (see). The trade-offs made to optimize these characteristics include highly spartan crew accommodations (spartan even for a destroyer), a radically reduced number of reloads for her missile tubes (twenty Talons and five Ravens versus a typical destroyer loadout of sixty and twelve), a small crew making for a heavy workload for all personnel, modest fuel capacity, and a reduced cargo hold. Unsupported endurance is rated at seventy-five days (as compared to 180 days for most destroyers), but in practice, it is somewhat shorter. It is believed that the class was designed to make quick, stealthy raids into enemy space and destroy his supply lines and means of communication, thereby disrupting his logistics and command/control/communications. Mass: 16,200 metric tons. Top sublight speed: .963 c. Compression drive: 1575 c cruise, 2120 c emergency. Weapons: three forward-firing Krupp-BAE Mark XXXIV pulse-cannon, 150-gigawatt rating; one rear-firing Krupp-BAE Mark XXII pulse-cannon (colloquially known as the “Stinger”), seventy-five-gigawatt rating. Two forward- and one rear-firing missile tubes. Standard missile loadout of twenty Talon (see) and five Raven (see) antiship missiles. Ships in this class are named after historically significant mountain passes and ocean straits. Length: 97 meters; beam: 9.5 meters. Commissioned ships in this class as of 21 January 2315 are: Khyber, Gibraltar, Messina, Cumberland, Hormuz, and Khardung La. The projected size of the class is eighty-five ships.

  Known Space: That portion of the Milky Way galaxy explored by humans or of which humans have reasonably reliable information from alien races, mostly consisting of a portion of the Orion-Cygnus galactic arm centered on the Sol System.

  Kuiper (rhymes with “piper”) Belt: A belt of bodies, made mainly of frozen volatiles such as water ice, methane, and ammonia, found in the outer regions of many star systems. In the Sol System, it begins about 30 AU from the Sun (the orbit of Neptune) and extends out to approximately 50 AU. Kuiper belts typically contain several planet-size objects, known as Plutinos—a name taken from Pluto, a Kuiper belt object discovered in 1930 and classified as a planet for more than seventy years. Kuiper belts are tactically important mainly because the large number of massive icy objects provides a good place to hide a warship’s mass and heat signatures.

  lubber: A person unfamiliar with space and not possessing the skills and knowledge associated with service on a space vessel. From the old Saltwater Navy term “landlubber,” which is, itself, of obscure origin.

  lubber line: A space vessel course consisting of a straight line through space from the point of origin to the destination.

  Mark One Eyeball: Naval slang for the human eye without any artificial aid of any kind. Called “Mark One” because it is the original unimproved model (often, naval systems are numbered Mark I, Mark II, Mark III, and so on as new versions are introduced).

  M-62: Model 2162 pistol. One of the two sidearms approved for use by Union Space Navy personnel (the other being the M-1911), the M-62 is a ten-millimeter, semiautomatic, magazine-fed handgun. It was introduced to naval use in 2062 during the First Interstellar War, when the Glock polymer-framed weapons then issued were found to become brittle, to warp, and even to sometimes melt in the temperature extremes of space combat, requiring that the navy issue an all-metal handgun to supplement the M-1911. The resulting weapon, designed by the Beretta-Browning Arms Corporation, was based superficially on the venerable Browning Hi-Power design modified to fire the larger cartridge (the older weapon was originally designed for the 9 mm cartridge but was also manufactured for the .40 S&W round) and constructed with modern alloys and coatings. It has a fourteen-round magazine.

  M-72: Model 2072 close order battle shotgun. The Winchester-Mossberg Arms Company Model 2072 is a semiautomatic twelve-gauge shotgun designed for close order battle against boarding parties or for use by boarders. It has a “sawed-off” thirteen-inch barrel and is fed from a ten-round box magazine rather than the traditional tube magazine so that it can have a short barrel for use in close quarter
s while retaining high magazine capacity. The most common load fired in this weapon is a high-velocity 00 buckshot shell that propels ten .33 caliber (8.322 mm) hard cast lead balls at a muzzle velocity of approximately 350 meters per second. The weapon is also capable of firing various slug, slug-sabot, dart-penetrator, and exploding rounds. It is of steel, aluminum alloy, and composite construction (no polymer parts) and is equipped with fixed military aperture sights.

  M-88: Model 2288 pulse rifle. The Colt-Ruger Naval Arms Corporation Model 2288 is a 7.62 x 51 millimeter, select fire, magazine-fed battle rifle issued to navy personnel for boarding actions, ship defense, and ground combat, similar in form and function to the M-14 battle rifle issued by the United States of America in the mid-twentieth century, but containing an improved internal mechanism and made significantly lighter through the use of aluminum and composite materials (5.56 mm rounds were found to lack sufficient penetrating power to reliably kill Krag wearing combat gear). It is also the standard-issue personal weapon of the Union Space Marine Corps. The rifle is fed from a thirty-five-round box magazine and is of all metal/composite construction (no polymer parts). The naval version has standard military aperture sights adjustable for range only (not windage), while the marine version is equipped with a detachable optical aiming device that operates either as a red-dot reflex sight or a low-light-capable zoom telescopic sight. Muzzle climb and recoil in full-auto mode are nearly eliminated by a miniature, power-cell-driven, inertial compensator unit in the stock. The weapon has four firing modes: semiauto, three-shot burst, six-shot burst, and full-auto. It is called a “pulse rifle” because, coaxially mounted below the rifle barrel, is a launcher from which can be fired the MMD (“Make My Day”) pulse grenade, a 35-millimeter self-propelled short-range projectile containing a shaped-charge-equipped pulse slug capable of penetrating the armor on a Krag fighting suit at a range of fifty meters and then exploding, killing the occupant. The MMD is also effective against lightly armored ground vehicles.