Terminology
Below, you'll find a list of the terms found in the novel that don't fit into any of the other encyclopedia categories.
Bandit
Pilot slang for enemy aerospace craft.
Blanked
Pilot slang for killed or destroyed. In her last sortie, Brooke blanked four bandits.
Bogey
Pilot slang for enemy aerospace craft.
Exo
Slang for exobeing (alien). See "exobeing" for more details.
By definition, the prefix "exo" means something outside of or external to something else.
For example, an exoplanet is a planet outside of Earth's solar system.
Exobeing
The 23rd century term for alien or extraterrestrial. Centuries ago, the word "alien" was used to refer to life outside
of Earth's solar system. Through overuse of the term "alien" in fiction, and with increased knowledge of other solar systems, the term
"alien" gradually took on a different meaning. In the 23rd century, when someone uses the term "alien," they're specifically referring to
fictional extraterrestrial life portrayed in books and vidsims (interactive holographic movies).
An "exobeing" is a real extraterrestrial life form and typically denotes an intelligent life form in colloquial speech.
Exoplanet
An exoplanet is a planet outside of Earth's solar system. See "exo" for details.
Extrasolar
The prefix "extra" means outside of or external to something else. So, an extrasolar threat is a threat from outside of the solar system.
Feed
The 23rd century term for data channel or stream. A feed is a continuous stream of data. Marie checked the news feeds for her latest scoop.
Fruity Planets
A delicious breakfast cereal consisting of blinking marshmallows shaped like planets and other celestial objects. The closest 21st century
equivalent is Lucky Charms.
IMP
Acronym for Intrasolar Military Police.
Jovian
Jovian is an adjective that refers to anything related to the planet Jupiter. The Jovian system consists of Jupiter and its moons, just like
the Terran system is comprised of Earth and Luna (The Moon). When someone refers to someone as as "Jovian," they mean that the person
in question is from the Jovian system.
Luminosity, Project
Project Luminosity is the U.N.'s multi-tiered approach to implementing phase (faster-than-light) technology. The tiers are:
1) Roll out FTL communications systems to key U.N. installations
2) Build, test, and fly unmanned FTL probes
3) Build, test, and fly the first manned FTL spacecraft (the phase shuttle). Train and select qualified pilot candidates.
4) Build, test, and fly the first manned phase fighter (the PF-1 Quasar)
5) Mass produce phase fighters and install phase drives in all U.N. spacecraft
Obaa-chan
Japanese for grandmother.
Playmate
Pilot slang for a team member, ally, or any friendly force.
Separatist
A term ascribed to political parties, geograhic regions, and entire nations and colonies that have chosen to secede from their parent nations or leave the U.N.
More extreme separatist groups seek to acquire antimatter weaponry in order to ensure their independence.
Separatist militias acquire patchwork star fighter craft and other weapons on the black market.
The number of separatists is increasing exponentially, and the separatist movement threatens to destroy the solar economy and usher in all-out war.
As far as the U.N. Secretary-General is concerned, the word separatist is synonomous with terrorist.
Sortie
An attack from a defensive position. In 23rd century speech, sortie has become synonymous with "mission" or "assignment."
After all, U.N. Aerospace Defense is a institution for defense, not offense.
Terminus
A U.N. spacecraft carrier. Terminus is the Jovian (Jupiter) system flagship.
Viking
The proper name given to the phase shuttle, the first crewed faster-than-light spacecraft. Viking is named after the 20th century space probe
of the same name. The naming of Viking also pays tribute to the Norse Vikings who first discovered the American continents.