CIC-

Combat Information Center. The “nerve center” of a warship, responsible for gathering and organizing sensor data and the tactical situation.

CL-

Light cruiser. The primary scouting unit of most navies. Also used for both commerce protection and raiding. Average tonnage is from 90,000–150,000 tons.

CLAC-

LAC carrier. A starship of dreadnought or superdreadnought size configured to transport LACs through hyper-space and to service and arm them for combat.

COLAC-

Commanding Officer, Light Attack Craft. The commander of the entire group of LACs carried by a CLAC.

Committee of Public Safety-

The committee established by Rob S. Pierre after his overthrow of the Legislaturalists to control the PRH. It instituted a reign of terror and systematic purges of surviving Legislaturalists and prosecuted the war against the Star Kingdom.

Confederation Navy-

Organized naval forces of the Silesian Confederacy.

Confeds-

Slang term for citizens of the Silesian Confederacy and (especially) for members of the Confederation Navy.

Conservative Association-

A generally reactionary Manticoran political party whose primary constituency is the extremely conservative aristocracy.

Coup de Vitesse-

A primarily offensive, “hard style” martial art preferred by the RMN and RMMC. Main emphasis is on weaponless combat.

Crown Loyalists-

A Manticoran political party united around the concept that the Star Kingdom requires a strong monarchy, largely as a counter balance to the power of the conservative element in the aristocracy. Despite this, the Star Kingdom’s more progressive aristocracy is heavily represented in the Crown Loyalists.

Dolist-

One of a class of Havenite citizens totally dependent on the government-provided Basic Living Stipend. As a group, undereducated and underskilled.

ECM-

Electronic counter measures.

EW-

Electronic warfare.

FIA-

Federal Investigative Agency. The national police force of the restored Republic of Haven.

FIS-

Federal Intelligence Service. The primary espionage agency of the restored Republic of Haven.

Ghostrider, Project-

A Manticoran research project dedicated to the development of the multi-drive missile and associated technology. The original Ghostrider blossomed into a large number of sub-projects which emphasized electronic warfare and decoys as well as offensive missiles.

Gravity waves-

A naturally occurring phenomenon in hyper-space consisting of permanent, very powerful regions of focused gravitic stress which remain motionless but for a (relatively) slow side-slipping or drifting. Vessels with Warshawski sails are capable of using such waves to attain very high levels of acceleration; vessels under impeller drive are destroyed upon entering them.

Grav pulse com-

A communication device using gravitic pulses to achieve FTL communications over intrasystem ranges.

Grayson-

Habitable planet of Yeltsin’s Star. Star Kingdom of Manticore’s most important single ally.

Hyper limit-

The critical distance from a given star at which starships may enter or leave hyper-space. The limit varies with the mass of the star. Very large planets have hyper limits of their own.

Hyper-space-

Multiple layers of associated but discrete dimensions which bring points in normal-space into closer congruence, thus permitting effectively faster than light travel between them. Layers are divided into “bands” of closely associated dimensions. The barriers between such bands are the sites of turbulence and instability which become increasingly powerful and dangerous as a vessel moves “higher” in hyper-space.