Ironstar, p.57
IronStar, page 57
ballistic - (re: missiles or Tubeships) - coasting with Tubedrive off, undetectably.
Beamer - small-arms weapon, laser-guided particle beam, available in 4 current infantry models:
·model J-1P - pistol, 15kJoule/shot, 87-shot 1300kJ rechargeable energy cell
·model J-2P - pistol, 18kJoule/shot, 144-shot 2600kJ dual rechargeable energy cells
·model E-4M - medium rifle, 55kJ/shot, 91-shot 5000kJ quad cells + 120-round external magazine, 330 rpm fire rate
·model E-5H - heavy rifle, 70kJ/shot, 86-shot 6100kJ 5-cell + 95-round external magazine, 300 rpm
·model P-6R - portable bipod-mount rail gun - 16-gram copper-cased tungsten slug, 8 or 24 rnd mag - 2500 mps at 98 rpm (3,535 mps at 42 rpm using double energy cells)
Bioferous - bearing life (a planet or star system)
C.M.O. - Chief Medical Officer
Cypherpak - encrypted data package, a memory nanochip.
D of A - Department of Agriculture - a Regnum Draconis government regulatory agency
Drone - FTL reconnaisance/sensor missile
ECM - Electronic Counter-Measures - electronic warfare technology
fifty-fives - weapons power cartriges, 55,000 Joules (about equivalent to thirteen 20th century shotgun shells) Later replaced by 70,000 Joule version.
FTL - faster than light - aka ‘superluminal’
GPR - ground-penetrating radar
Greenbutt - Marine and Navy slang for Marines.
Hablet - human-habitable planet
Higgs particles - the ultraheavy superatomic particles which cause matter to have mass, normally found in nearly-cancelling pairs; in Tubedrive applications, produced by phased array emitters in a Drive Collar to create the Tubewall.
Hullmetal - a light, extremely tough alloy grown in null-g factories, used for vessels’ hulls, armor and some weapons. Composition depends on application but usually includes iridium-osmium or iridium-aluminum-titanium plus other exotic elements
Indie, indig - native (indigenous) sapient
Jackdrop - a fastest-possible shuttle transit from space to planetary surface (Regnum Marine slang)
Joule - a standard unit of energy. A .22 rifle bullet carries about 80 joules. Also Kjoules or KJ - 1000 joules, MegaJ - 1,000,000 joules, and TeraJ - 1,000,000,000 joules
Keps - kilometers per second (Regnum Marine slang)
Krono (pl. Krona) - Regnum-backed Civilium currency, approx. $2.10 ($USA, 2000 A.D.)
LAS (or LAST) - Landing Assault Shuttle (Troop) - sturdy, armored, armed space-to-surface shuttle, crew 2-7+100 passengers - 32x4m, 80 tonne, limited FTL (250c)
LGM - ‘little green men’
LIA/PD - lost in action, presumed dead.
Lizzie, lizards - Kruss (slang)
LOS - line of sight
LZ - landing zone
Mailtube - FTL courier missile, a miniature, unmanned automated Tubedrive vessel with basic navigation and evasion software and a data payload; the fastest, the only practical way, to send a message over lightyears.
Manhome - planet with indigenous humans
Meps - meters per second - Regnum Marine slang
Mercantile Doctrine - A protocol under which a coalition of corporations supported the Regnum Draconis Monarchy during civil war, in exchange for a bill of rights and privileges for businesses generally, and giving certain companies limited specific rights and vetos in government matters.
Mercantiles - Companies having membership in the Mercantile Coalition, or representatives of such companies.
Metric - the “shape” of space: mathematically, a description of the deviation from flatness in a given region; a solution to the field equations of general relativity.
MPA - main processor array
Nanoblok - the central processor module of a computer
NavInt - Naval Intelligence Division (NID)
NMR - nuclear magnetic resonance - scan technology, detects chemicals at limited distance.
Periastron - a trajectory’s closest approach to a star.
Polycorundite (aka ‘polycor’) - extremely tough, hard transparent ‘smart’ plastic
Railgun - fires metal slug at high to ultrahigh velocities using electromagnetic fields - turret mount or man-portable versions
Siderial - the normal universe, outside a Tubefield or event horizon
Slo-flo - a viscous resin/metal-fiber composite, easily flexed at low speeds, locks into immobility if deflected quickly. Can be manufactured with a range of mobility thresholds, military version has controllable mobility thresholds.
Smartshot - weapons technology: generally any smallbore projectile which is active after firing, either for guidance, or after striking a target (latter use illegal against sentients)
Spitball - FTL anti-shipping missile, manufacturer Spitzbergen Arms, standard version Spit-4
Spit-5 - upgraded version of Spit-4, with team-attack AI upgrade.
Spoof - small FTL missile similar to mailtubes, with sophisticated Electronic Counter-Measures warhead and AI capable of imitating the grav-wave signature of most vessels
Spyfly - small, light air reconnaissance drones, from dragonfly to 4m wingspan
·model RO-7 - operator guided or autonomous AI, 30-cm disc, can carry small beamer weapon
Suitpack - backpack for survival suit, recycles air, carries battery, med supplies and various tools optional depending on mission.
Survival suit - a spacesuit able to protect wearer from vacuum, sharp objects and temperature. Includes suitpack and cloth made of 1 to 2 mm hullmetal links.
·model 3S - (surface use) full passive armor, air 40 hrs, medpack, analyser, nav/comm and rescue beacon, rations, internal plumbing.
·model 3G - (general use) full passive armor, air 40 hrs, delta v 5 kps, descent bubble, medpack, analyser, nav/comm and rescue beacon, rations, internal plumbing.
·model 3C - (combat use, unpowered) full passive armor, air 66 hrs, delta v 12 kps, descent bubble, medpack, analyser, nav/comm and rescue beacon, rations, internal plumbing, slow-flo armor shielding.
·model 3CP - (combat use, powered) full rigid armor, air 220 hrs, delta v 22 kps, descent bubble, medpack, analyser, nav/comm and rescue beacon, rations, internal plumbing, slow-flo armor shielding, built-in beamers and railgun, aux. power pack and storage.
Tango - open 4-wheel drive light ground vehicle, seats 2-6 plus light cargo
Tau - comparable to Mach number for atmospheric flight, a measure of relativistic distortion of mass, length and time, due to speed. Tau=1 means stationary, Tau=0 means lightspeed. Tau = sqrt(1 - [v/c]2)
Tubedrive - the FTL engine of a Tubeship, generates Tubewalls and maintains internal gravity. Inoperable in atmosphere.
Tubefield - an interlocking phased array of Higgs particles; the gravitational field they produce
Tubeship - a spaceship capable of FTL. Speed depends on mass, size, and angular momentum
Tubewall - the artificial gravity well created by Tubedrive.
UnTube - to drop out of Tubedrive
Warm boot - starting a computer from standby, one level above cold shutdown
Wristcomp - powerful 15x9x2cm wrist computer includes camera, screen, translator, 2-way communications
Appendix 3: Naval Specifications
Regnum Navy Ranks - Regnum Marine equivalent
Fleet Admiral - Field Marshal
Admiral - General
Vice Admiral - Lieutenant General
Rear Admiral - Major General
Captain - Colonel
Commander - Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Commander - Major
Lieutenant - Captain
Lieutenant(JG) - 1st Lieutenant
Ensign - 2nd Lieutenant
Chief Warrant Officer - CWO
Warrant Officer - WO
Master CPO - Master Gunnery Sergeant
Senior CPO - Master Sergeant
Chief Petty Officer - Gunnery Sergeant
Petty Officer - Sergeant
Seaman - Corporal
Seaman Apprentice - Private
Vessels
RNS Argosy - Destroyer, Sandra Wallace
RSS Arvida-Yee - Regnum Survey Ship (registration RS88938), William Leitch
RNS Attila - Destroyer, Vincent Steuben
RNS Belleville - Battlewagon (Y-class), Alexi DaCosta commanding
RNS Leacock - Battlewagon (Y-class), flag, Rear Admiral Carl Mattison
RNS Meredith - Light cruiser, Lewis Graham
RNS Utterson - Destroyer, Angelo Krepescue
RSS-Regnum Survey Ship
RNS- Regnum Navy Ship
FTB-Fast Torpedo Boat
LAST-Landing Assault Shuttle (Troop)
Regnum Navy Specs
Survey Scout - speed 2,300 c, size 50x12 m, mass 1,300 Tonne, crew 9
FTB (Impaler class) - speed 2170 c, size 64x14 m, mass 2,350 T, crew 14
Destroyer - speed 1,725 c, size 200x24 m, mass 22 KT, crew 95+10 marines
Light Cruiser - speed 1,495 c, size 480x76 m, mass 520 KT, crew 385-430+40
Heavy Cruiser - speed 1,180 c, size 675x165 m, mass 3.3 MT, crew 1120-1300+100
Battlewagon (Sioux class) - speed 970 c, size 920x240 m, mass 9.1 MT, crew 3200-3700+300
Battlewagon (Yoruba class) - speed 1,050 c, size 820x172 m, mass 4.6 MT, crew 1860-1980+180
LAST (shuttle) - speed 250 c, size 32x5 m, mass 80T, crew 2-7+100
Mailtube - speed 1,550 c, size 150x18 cm, mass 65 Kg, uncrewed
Spit-4 - speed 2,900 c, size 150x18 cm, mass 95 Kg, uncrewed
Spit-5 - speed 2,900 c, size 150x18 cm, mass 95 Kg, uncrewed (enhanced AI)
Kruss Navy Specs
Corvette (K)- 1,960 c - 130x20 m, 12.4 KT, crew 46
Light Cruiser (K) - 1,610 c - 310x82 m, 480 KT, crew 420
Patrol Cruiser (W)- 1,420 c - 425x104 m, 1,060 KT, crew 990
Heavy Cruiser (I) - 1,300 c - 540x135 m, 2.3 MT, crew 1,920
Battleship (W)- 1,115 c - 770x190 m, 6.4 MT, crew 5,800
Battlefort (G)- 880 c - 1,080x190m, 9.4 MT, crew 7,350
(K)=Kappa class, (I)=Iota class, (W)=Wolfram class, (G)=Gamma class
Appendix 4: Place names
Place names (Civilium Planets)
Armitage - capitol of Armitage Brotherhood, a small human empire
Confluence Prime - capitol of Solar Confluence, a league of methane-breathers inhabiting gas giants
Civilium - a federation of civilized sentient races including all human, Kruss, Confluence and other empires, responsible for peace and order, enforces laws of conflict and trade.
Darkwall - planet where Kruss and humans met, now a Civilium wardstate, quarantined at request of autochthons
Draconis Prime - capitol of Regnum, a medium-sized human empire
Greenworld - failed Regnum colony
Kettleblack Nebula - a hundred-by-three hundred lightyear cloud of thin dust hiding thousands of stars, barely explored by humans.
Krusslath - Kruss home world
Longsummer - Regnum world, Kirrah’s childhood
New Rochelle - Regnum world, wine exporters
Noopisha - homeworld of Noopish, currently a Kruss possession
Novo Karachi - Regnum desert world, dangerous fauna - mining
Northland - Regnum mining world, home of Atikokan Mining and Metals
Regnum Draconis - (kingdom of the dragon) one of 18 human interstellar empires, containing approx. 45 stellar systems
Sharpspur - world near Noopisha, currently a Kruss posession
Trailway - Regnum Navy base nearest Athena/Sho’Ito
Sho’ito planet
Diameter: 13,580 km (1.065x Earth)
Atmosphere: Nitrogen 80%, oxygen 19%, surface pressure 1225 millibars
Surface Gravity: 10.496 m/s2, 1.071 Standard G.
Mass: 7.1687e+024 kg (1.20x Earth mass)
1 year local = 1.395 Standard years
1 year local = 449.05 days local
1 day local = 27 hours 14 minutes Standard
takka: unit of time: 1 hour 21 minutes 39 seconds (1/20th of a local day)
bhrakka: unit of time: approximately 4 minutes 5 seconds (1/400th of a local day)
Sho’ito Nations
Ale’appa - west across Sea of Sun - peaceful city-state - freshwater fishermen, traders
- land 190,000 km2 (plains & forest), pop. 28,000 (conquered by O’dai)
O’dai - southwest - expansionist monarchy - farmers, fishermen, traders
- land 1,420,000 km2 (plains, rainforest, jungle), pop. 235,000
Pavatta - north - feudal, hunters, foresters, some farming and mining
- land 5,760,000 km2 (plains & boreal forest), pop. 140,000 (dispersed)
Talam - central - farming, trading democracy, decentralized
- land 615,000 km2 (plains & forest), pop. 73,000
Wrth - fierce mountain tribe to northeast, plains nomads and herdsmen in summer
- Land 510,000 km2 (mostly uninhabitable mountain), pop. 35,000
Yashee - island fishing people, off eastern shore of continent, peaceful
- Land 5,000,000 km2 (80% ocean), pop. 175,000
Place names (Talam nation)
Ale’appa - fallen city, west of lake
Geera - river flowing west from city of Talameths’cha
Geeratha - river flowing from east to Talameths’cha
Malame’thsha - Akaray’s village
Olame’thsha - Talamae village on north bank Geera
South Geera - river flowing from south to Talameths’cha
Talam - the Realm (the land; its people)
Talameths’cha - capital city of Talam
Upper Geera - river flowing from northeast to Talameths’cha
WhiteCap Mountains - Wrth homeland, east of Talam
Place names (Pavatta nation)
Pavoai - capital city
Uttra - southern city
Place names (O’dai nation)
O’dakai - O’dai capital city
City Streets (Talameths’cha)
Falling Ash Road - north-south main road
Merchant’s Path Road - n/s, 2 km east from palace
Scholar’s Road - e/w, 3 km north from palace, n. of school
Slow Water Road - east-west main road
Tailors’ Road - n/s, +3 km east from palace.
Appendix 5: Talamae Language & miscellaneous
Vocabulary
ak’ - prefix: no, negation
anshae - arm;
anshath’la - courage, fortitude [lit: arm of the spirit]
aska - dear, beloved one
ath’la - essence; spirit; soul; light
ath’la’doma - see ath’lae’mara [lit: spirit-sculpture]
ath’lae - priest [lit: spirit-puller]
ath’lae’mara - priest’s healing [lit: light drawn forth]
ayah - trouble; ‘sticky danger’
bothta - armor
bhrak - copper coin
bhrakka - unit of time: approximately 4 minutes 5 seconds (1/400th of a local day)
dappa - oilseed plant, cultivated by Talamae
dakka’tachk - corporal (rank of)
daythan - eating; attacking; investigating
daethra - making; preparing
doi’la - unit of length - 1200 hab’la (516 meters)
doma - sculpture, three-dimensional art including architecture
dosha - root; (with proper name) lord
eesa - called, named
eetah - decisive success, victory, consummation
eeyu - danger
eeyutha - big (‘mother of’) danger
firado’kae - synergy; strength of numbers (lit: braid-of-three)
fira’tachk - major (rank of) [lit: leader of braid-of-groups]
fira’toka - genetic material [lit: life-braid]
gaelae - hurry; urgent
glatha - medicinal fruit [lit: ‘mender’]
guta - part, portion
hab’la - unit of length, about 43 cm.
honak - spear-creature
irwua - ‘pond-net’ communal predator
ito - wisdom; experience plus knowledge
ito’lae’mara - rune-drawing [lit: wisdom drawn forth]
jasa - friend, ally
k’ - is
kaena’hachk - power-of-darkness, righteous rage
kae’rruckh - fierce native raptor, 2.5 m wingspan
kaetha’sha - power-with, synergy
kalalla - decoy; sacrifice; gift-as-tool
karadoi - client, patron
‘kai - suffix: past tense
ki’ - was
kiros - to defeat; consume; discover
kiro’shapa - to instruct
kir’shas - lesson; classroom
kir’shazza - hypothetically; lesson between friends
kir’vekka - caution; lesson between enemies
laeto - lead, to draw along
lotha’shu - guest; visitor
ma - us
mara - go, exit, leave
marathka - flee, escape
mu’atha - smaller cousin grazing creature
mu’uthn - large grazing creature
nago’ra - wash
‘o - interrogative suffix (apply to any word)
ol’ - prefix - ‘small’
or’eeyu - approaching danger
patha - calm pleasure, comfort
pathazza - comfort-between-friends (non-sexual)
pa’wai - tree species: rubbery wood
pudra - fish plentiful in warm fresh water, meaty and tasty
rifflauth - growth; profit
ro’ath’la - fellowship, sister/brotherhood, lit. ‘group-spirit’
ro’tachk - sergeant (nearest equiv), lit. ‘group leader’
rova - group, team, organization, body
sanak - strike, blow, completion
sana’tachk - lieutenant (nearest equiv) [lit: strike-leader]
sana’toka - poison [lit: life-striker]
sasstha - teamwork, cooperation, coincidence
sha’pluuth - wooly herbivore, herded by Wrth
shee’thomm - authority plus responsibility
shee’tho’vai - alderman, voting representative of city block
sho’Teescha - King’s officer
sho’ - prefix: child of (mother). Suffix: ‘-my mother’
