The LAST FRONTIER Glossary

Terms and concepts used in Marina Twelve’s ‘The Last Frontier’.

 

ALPHA (Beta, Gamma, Epsilon, etc.) A prefix often used on star names based upon Greek Number equivalents Alpha = 1, Beta = 2, etc. as a designation of the order of star brightness in a constellation AS SEEN FROM EARTH. No relation to ACTUAL relative brightness of stars though-—the Names were just kept from earlier times.

 

ANTI GRAV / GRAV SYSTEM Provides ‘lift’ and hover capabilities for larger ships when lifting off of planet surfaces. Also provides "artificial Gravity" for passengers when ship is in space.

 

ATV All Terrain Vehicle. It is the most common mode of ground transportation in most colony areas where roads are usually few or non-existent. It is a large six-wheeled vehicle with an enclosed cabin.

 

BATTLE CRUISER Very large, heavily armed warship. A military vessel used for attack and defense along the outer perimeters of Terran controlled Space. Not involved with law enforcement.

 

BEARINGS Directions in three Dimensional space such as 230 on 123---230 being the horizontal direction (azimuth) in degrees (0-360) and the second number is the vertical angle or Zenith expressed in 0-360 degrees.

 

BIOTELEMETRY/BIOTELEMETRICS (BT) The use of the sensing capabilities inherent in humans and other organisims, to permit the detection and interpretation of "quantum link data." This technique has thus far proven itself more efficient than the direct use of electronic detectors, and unlike RADAR or other EM based sensing systems, BT is not limited by distance or the speed of light. (Based on real observations and research)

 

BIOTEMEMETRICIST or BT A person who is able to sense and interpret BT data with a 98+ percent degree of accuracy and is utilized as an adjunct to other sensing/telemetry systems on a starship. Such individuals are quite rare, so they are used only on the most important military operations.

 

CAPSTAN TUBES Slightly inflatable elastic tubes, about 3/4 inch in diameter, that are attached to and run along the outer surface of the skin tight pressure suits. These tubes inflate so as to tighten the fit of the pressure suits against the body to simulate external "atmospheric pressure" when the wearer is in a "depressurized" environment.(See also Pressure suit)

 

CLICK A kilometer

 

COM SCREEN Communications or computer display screen—as both functions are by this time integrated, the distinction is not relevant.

 

COM LINK Communications link—such as two way radio—especially if integrated with computer technology.

 

COMPUTER controlled by voice commands and are intelligent. They ARE, however, ‘unobtrusive’ not speaking unless spoken to or if the situation requires it. If requested to, they will take over most human duties on the spacecraft and follow instructions.

 

CORDS or CO-ORDINATES— the 3D Spatial location of a ship or the location the ship is to jump to. Consists of 3 numbers of fifteen digits for the X, Y, and Z, positions respectively.

 

DEFLECTOR FIELDS These are "hard" energy fields generated (usually) by smaller ships to protect them from the impact of energy weapons—such as "Photon Cannons" They work by deflecting the force away from the ship and letting the ship’s mass and momentum absorb some of the impact energy. A ship thus equipped might be knocked off course, but as the field strength exceeds the mass, the ship is practically immune to damage. Somewhat different from the Force Fields or Shields used on the larger ships.

 

ENFORCER SHIP The Syndicate’s standard "Ship o the line". 800-1200 feet long and about one third that in diameter. Looks like an elongated egg. Circular in cross section. Carries six "point five" meter bore, turret mounted photon cannons along its vertical "belt" that encircles the largest diameter of the ship. The cannons can be aimed in any direction and can be concentrated as a "volley" straight ahead or astern.

 

FERRY Small interstellar transport ship that runs regularly scheduled routes between star systems. Carries both passengers and cargo.

 

FORCE FIELDS/SHIELDS "soft" energy field generated by larger ships to "Absorb" impacts of energy weapons. Somewhat different from the Deflector Fields used on smaller ships.

 

GP or GALACTIC PLANE Horizontal reference for absolute bearing numbers. A line through Earth’s sun (Sol) to the Galactic center is the 0/360 reference line.

 

HUNDRED OVER TEN Common name for an automatic handgun that fires 100 Ten millimeter, explosively propelled projectiles per load. Name derived from 100/10 marking on magazine. that fits forward of the trigger. Explosive propellant is in separate container in the handle. Charge is adjustable. Fires single, 3 shot bursts or full automatic. Also comes in 120/8 and 50/20 variations. Lead/uranium projectiles EXPAND to full size on impact and are smaller when stored in magazine.

STILL more practical than hand held "ray guns"

 

INERTIAL DAMPING An adjunct to the Anti Grav system that Counteracts inertia from acceleration, deceleration and course changes. This protects the internal structures and passengers in the ship from damage or injury from sudden changes in velocity or direction. Usually set to .5 G to give operators some "feedback" as to motions and velocity changes.

 

 

J-COM Communication system that uses jump technology and relay stations to send messages faster than light to distant ships and colonies.

 

JUMP To move through space from one point to the other by changing the "spatial attribute" waveforms of the particles in the space ship. Allows for instantaneous travel between light-year distances. Because of immense energy requirements, such jumps are limited to about seven PARSECS at a time. The "Jump capacitors" of the ship must then recharge, before another jump can be executed. Recharge time and distance per jump varies by ship type.

 

JUMP CAPACITORS Component that stores energy from jump engines and rapidly discharges it in a short intense pulse that multiplies the initial charge many fold.—Just as a laser AMPLIFIES a longer pulse of light into a much more intense short pulse.

 

JUMP ENGINES Generate the energy to charge the ship’s jump capacitors

JUMP SHIP Any ship that uses jump technology.

 

Light Year The Distance light travels in one year while traveling at 186,000 miles per second or 300,000 Kilometers (Clicks) per second.---5,880,000,000,000 miles or ten trillion Kilometers

 

PARSEC A standard unit of astronomical space measurement (from PARallax + SECond) A distance of 3.26 light years. Based on a distance needed to see one second (of a degree) of parallax (change of apparent position) in a star from either side of the Earth’s orbit.

PHOTON CANNON Basic space weapon. Fires bursts of concentrated Photon energy. Standard weapon is the .5 Meter (bore) photon cannon (called a Point Five). These are carried by Syndicate enforcer and Terran Confederation Cruiser ships. Larger bore weapons are found on the big battle cruisers. And smaller bore on Raider and fighter craft.

 

PLANET DESIGNATIONS Planets are named or officially designated by their STAR’s name and its number, counting from the center of the system. The Second planet in the Proxima Centuri system is Proxima Centuri Two, for example.

Most planets in the "life zone" of star systems range from ‘two’ through ‘four’.

 

PRESSURE SUIT Garment worn by space travelers for use in low air pressure or outer space environments. The "body" part of a "space suit". Unlike 20th Century suits that are "pressurized" internally by air, THESE suits Fit the wearer "skin tightly" and provide protection by virtue of the inelastic fabric that encloses the body and limbs. Inflatable‘Capstan Tubes’ Run along the surface of the suit, so as to tighten it further as needed in a low pressure environment. A HELMET with a small air tank and oxygenator is attached to the pressure suit when it is used.

 

QUELL Short for QUARK Accelerator. A device that extracts and accelerates quarks into a target, for energy generation purposes. It’s advantage is that it can split the nuclei of the atoms of ANY element, and not just Uranium or Plutonium as Neutrons would. This causes a fission type chain reaction from which energy is extracted. QUELLS were used in land (Planet) based power plants to produce energy cheaply. But they were highly unstable. Sometimes, if the particles escaped confinement, the Quell would consume ITSELF with catastrophic results---It could take a small planet with it. The technology was eventually banned in favor of anti-matter systems. The quells were shipped off and dismantled. Ashley Bainbridge modified a functional Quell into a weapon and installed it on Leslie Webber’s Ship.

 

RAIDER Ship of about 400 feet in length. An elongated flat ellipsoid, that resembles a Cockroach or Waterbug in shape and appearance. Used by Syndicate affiliated gangs to attack unarmed or lightly defended Passenger or Transport vessels. Carries varying numbers of photon cannons in the .1M to .3M size range. They usually attack in pairs.

 

RANDOM FIELD A tool used by BIOTELEMETRICISTS to "focus" upon and increase their accuracy. Consists usually of a modified com screen that displays a "random scatter" of dots. The density and dynamics of which can be adjusted for maximum effect. Often used with a sonic chamber, a "white noise" auditory equivalent. Even NORMAL people can "see" "Visions" using the device, but only trained BT’s can derive useful information from it. (Hey, this ACTUALLY exists in a simpler form)

 

REACTION ENGINES These engines are what actually moves the ships through space. They can achieve just under light speed. They use powerful electromagnetic coils to generate opposing magnetic fields, which are "decoupled" in synchronized pulses from the generating coil, thus providing a forward momentum. These pulses have to be "tuned" so that one field is still coupled to its coil (and the ship) while the other field is in a decoupled, collapsing mode but is still providing a force to push against. This "timing" can be tinkered with to vary preformance.

 

REMOTE VIEWING (RV) An ability especially well developed in BTs Where the "mind" of the operative can project itself and observe scenes and activities at a distant location. First utilized by CIA and KGB operatives in the late 20th Century. To maintain proper "mental state" necessary, the operative uses a "monitor" a person who directs the operative and gives instructions. (This is RL, not Sci -Fi)

 

REPS or REPTOIDS A "hostile" alien race that resides beyond Terran controlled Space. "Lizard like" intelligent creatures. Have good space and weapon’s technology but not JUMP technology YET. They often raid "border" areas in large fleets of small fighter ships. They are KNOWN to have large warships. All efforts to establish communications with them have failed.

 

SHUTTLE Small detachable ship carried on the larger vessels. Used to transport passengers and small items of cargo the surfaces of planets, so the larger ship does not have to land.

 

SPIDER a ship to ship boarding device, used in emergency and hostile situations. It consists of an X shaped array attached at its center to an articulated hollow arm that swings out from the attacking ship. The X has hydraulically actuated claws on the ends of each arm that dig into the hull of the ship to be boarded and hold it on. In the center is a conical, hydraulic "beak" that punches through the hull and opens up into four segments, that peel the plates open inwardly. Thus opening a sealed hole connecting to the hollow arm that then serves as a passageway between the two ships.

 

TERRAN INTERSTELLAR CONFEDERATION (TC) The loose umbrella governmental organization that comprises the Earth colonies and planetary states established in the Terran (Earth) controlled parts of Space. (Yes, it IS a CONfederation)

 

TERRAN SPACE COMMAND (TCSC) The military presence of the TC in space. Its mission is to protect Terran territory from alien incursion and to protect trade, passenger and transport routes from disruption by alien or hostile Terran organizations.

 

THE SYNDICATE An organized Crime cartel that operates in the outer regions of Terran space. Most "lawlessness" in the region can be traced to it. They have even gained inroads into some governmental institutions and the military. Captain Leslie Webber was one of the few SC commanders who dared stand up to them.

 

TRANSPORT SHIP Large cargo carrying vessels. Composed of strings of large rectangular "modules" or "tanks" And a "command unit" with a bridge and engines attached. There are a few cabins for passengers and cheaper passenger transportation in the cargo holds (Tanks).

 

UNIVERSE Some two hundred years in the future. The interests of Earth have expanded into the local interstellar space of the Milky way Galaxy. Many planets in other star systems now have small human colonies on them. Most of the population is involved in mining of raw materials, farming and ranching. The only "aliens" thus far encountered have been the "hostile" "Reps". The Space command has managed to keep them at bay.

Crime and lawlessness are rampant and the SC is very thinly spread out over the area. People learn how to defend themselves quickly, or they are Dead. The Syndicate is successful in organizing the various outlaw gangs so as to form its own "shadow government". Only a few, Like Leslie Webber recognize its true threat and strongly oppose it.—But Leslie is captured and "made an example of" They hoped to never be bothered by HER again. But they were wrong.

 

 

 

*********************************************
© 2001 by Marina Twelve. All Rights Reserved. These documents (including, without limitation, all articles, text, images, logos, compilation design) may printed for personal use only. No portion of these documents may be stored electronically, distributed electronically, or otherwise made available without express written consent of the copyright holder.