Acorna’s People

by Anne McCaffrey

  Des Smirnoff—an unsavory sort, a former Kezdet Guardian kicked out for failure to share the proceeds of his embezzlement with appropriate superiors, now an officer with the Kilumbembese Red Bracelets.

  dharmakoi—small burrowing sapient marsupials known to the Linyaari, now extinct as a result of Khleevi war.

  didi—Kezdet slang for the madam of a brothel, or for one who procures children for such a madam.

  Didi Badini—a madam on Kezdet who tried to kill Acorna.

  Dom—a Palomellese criminal posing as a refugee aboard the Haven; a key member of Nueva Fallona’s gang.

  Edacki Ganoosh—corrupt Kezdet count, uncle of Kisla Manjari.

  Ed Minkus—a companion of Des Smirnoff’s who has followed him from the Kezdet Guardians of the Peace to their present employment with the Red Bracelets.

  E’kosi Tahka’yaw—former ally of General Ikwaskwan’s, betrayed by him in some manner which he would prefer not to discuss.

  enye-ghanyii—Linyaari time unit, a small portion of a ghaanye.

  Epona—a protective goddess identified with horses, and by some children of Kezdet, with Acorna.

  Esperantza—a planet taken away from its colonists by quasilegal manipulations on the part of Amalgamated Mining.

  Esposito—a Palomellese criminal posing as a refugee aboard the Haven; a key member of Nueva Fallona’s gang.

  Eva—Kezdet orphan, training on Maganos.

  Ezkerra—first-generation Starfarer, married to Andrezhuria.

  Feriila—Acorna’s mother.

  Foli—second-generation Starfarer.

  Geeyiinah—one of the Linyaari clans.

  Gerezan—first-generation Starfarer, Second Speaker to the Council.

  ghaanye (pl. ghaanyi)—a Linyaari year.

  gheraalye malivii—Navigation Officer.

  gheraalye ve-khanyii—Senior Communications Officer.

  giirange—office of toastmaster in a Linyaari social organization.

  Giryeeni—Linyaari clan name.

  GSS—Gravitation Stabilization System.

  Haarha Liirni—Linyaari term for advanced education, usually pursued during adulthood while on sabbatical from a previous calling.

  Hafiz Harakamian—Rafik’s uncle, head of the interstellar financial empire of House Harakamian, a passionate collecter of rarities from throughout the galaxy and a devotee of the old-fashioned sport of horse-racing. Although basically crooked enough to hide behind a spiral staircase, he is fond of Rafik and Acorna.

  Hajnal—a child rescued from thieving on Kezdet, now in training on Maganos.

  Haarilnyah—the oldest clan amongst the Linyaari.

  Haven—a multigeneration space colonization vehicle occupied by people pushed off the planet Esperantza by Amalgamated Mining.

  Hrronye—Melireenya’s lifemate.

  Iirtye—chief aagroni for narhii-Vhillinyar.

  Ikwaskwan—self-styled “admiral” of the Kilumbembese Red Bracelets.

  Illart—first-generation Starfarer, First Speaker to the Council, and Markel’s father.

  Johnny Greene—an old friend of Calum, Rafik, and Gill; joined the Starfarers when he was fired after Amalgamated Mining’s takeover of MME.

  Jonas Becker—interplanetary salvage artist; alias space junkman. Captain of the Condor. CEO of Becker Interplanetary Recycling and Salvage Enterprises, Ltd.—a one-man, one-cat salvage firm Jonas inherited from his adopted father. Jonas spent his early youth on a labor farm on the planet Kezdet before he was adopted.

  Joshua Flouse—mayor of Rushima.

  Judit Kendoro—assistant to psychiatrist Alton Forelle at Amalgamated Mining, saved Acorna from certain death. Later fell in love with Gill and joined with him to help care for the children employed in Delszaki Li’s Maganos mining operation.

  Karina—a plumply beautiful wannabe psychic with a small shred of actual talent and a large fondness for profit. Married to Hafiz Harakamian. This is her first marriage, his second.

  Kass—Rushimese settler.

  kava—a coffee-like hot drink produced from roasted ground beans.

  Kerratz—second-generation Starfarer, son of Andrezhuria and Ezkerra.

  KEN—a line of general purpose male androids, some with customized specializations, differentiated among their owners by number, for example—KEN637.

  Kezdet—a backwoods planet with a labor system based on child exploitation. Currently in economic turmoil because that system has been broken by Delszaki Li and Acorna.

  Khang Kieaan—a planet torn between three warring factions.

  Khaari—senior Linyaari navigator on the Balakiire.

  Khetala—captured as a small child for the mines of Kezdet, later sold into the planet’s brothels. Rescued by Acorna, and now a beautiful young woman.

  Khleevi—name given by Acorna’s people to the spaceborn enemies who have attacked them without mercy.

  kii—a Linyaari time measurement roughly equivalent to an hour of Standard Time.

  Kilumbemba Empire—an entire society which raises and exports mercenaries for hire—the Red Bracelets.

  ki-lin—oriental name for unicorn, also a name sometimes associated with Acorna.

  Kirilatova—an opera singer.

  Kisla Manjari—anorexic and snobbish young woman, raised as daughter of Baron Manjari; shattered when through Acorna’s efforts to help the children of Kezdet her father is ruined and the truth of her lowly birth is revealed.

  Kubiilikhan—capital city of narhii-Vhiliinyar.

  LAANYE—sleep learning device invented by the Linyaari which can, from a small sample of any foreign language, teach the wearer the new language overnight.

  Laarye—Maati and Aari’s brother. He died on Vhiliinyar during the Khleevi invasion. He was trapped in an accident in a cave far distant from the spaceport during the evacuation, and was badly injured. Aari stayed behind to rescue and heal him, but was captured by the Khleevi and tortured before he could accomplish his mission. Laarye died before Aari could escape and return.

  Laboue—the planet where Hafiz Harakamian makes his headquarters.

  Labrish—Rushimese settler.

  Liriili—viizaar of narhii-Vhiliinyar.

  Linyaari—Acorna’s people.

  Lukia of the Lights—a protective saint, identified by some children of Kezdet with Acorna.

  Maati—a young Linyaari girl of the Nyaarya clan who lost most of her family during the Khleevi invasion. Aari’s sister.

  Ma’aowri 3—a planet populated by cat-like beings.

  Makahomian Temple Cat—cats on the planet Makahoma, bred from ancient Cat God stock to protect and defend the Cat God’s temples. They are—for cats—large, fiercely loyal, remarkably intelligent, and dangerous when crossed.

  madigadi—a berry-like fruit whose juice is a popular beverage.

  Maganos—one of the three moons of Kezdet, base for Delszaki Li’s mining operation and child rehabilitation project.

  Mali Bazaar—a luxurious bazaar on Laboue, famous for the intricate mosaic designs which decorate its roof.

  Manjari—a baron in the Kezdet aristocracy, and a key person in the organization and protection of Kezdet’s child-labor racket, in which he was known by the code name “Piper.” He murdered his wife and then committed suicide when his identity was revealed and his organization destroyed.

  Markel—first-generation Starfarer, son of First Speaker Illart.

  Martin Dehoney—famous astro-architect who designed Maganos Moon Base; the coveted Dehoney Prize was named after him.

  Melireenya—Linyaari communications specialist on the Balakiire, bonded to Hrronye.

  Mercy Kendoro—younger sister of Pal and Judit Kendoro, saved from a life of bonded labor by Judit’s efforts, she worked as a spy for the Child Liberation League in offices of Kezdet Guardians of the Peace until the child labor system was destroyed.

  Midas—Count Edacki Ganoosh’s private space yacht, entrusted to Kisla Manjari, used to follow Becker as he searches for the Linyaa
ri home world.

  Misra Affrendi—Hafiz’s elderly trusted retainer.

  mitanyaakhi—generic Linyaari term meaning a very large number.

  MME—Gill, Calum, and Rafik’s original mining company. Swallowed by the ruthless, conscious-less, and bureaucratic Amalgamated Mining.

  M’on Na’ntaw—high-ranking Red Bracelet officer, cheated by General Ikwaskwan in a way that threw the blame on someone else.

  Moulay Suheil—fanatical leader of the Neo-Hadithians.

  Naadiina—also known as Grandam, one of the oldest surviving Linyaari, is host to both Maati and Acorna on narhii-Vhiliinyar.

  Naarye—Linyaari techno-artisan in charge of final fit-out of spaceships.

  [Auntie] Nagah—Rushimese settler.

  narhii-Vhiliinyar—second home of Linyaari.

  Nadhari Kando—Delszaki Li’s personal bodyguard, rumored to have been an officer in the Red Bracelets earlier in her career.

  Neeyeereeya—the most populous of the Linyaari clans.

  Neeva—Acorna’s aunt and Linyaari envoy on the Balakiire, bonded to Virii.

  Neggara—second-generation Starfarer.

  Neo-Hadithian—an ultra-consevative, fanatical religious sect.

  Ngaen Xong Hoa—a Kieaanese scientist who invented a planetary weather control system. He sought asylum on the Haven because he feared the warring governments on his planet would misuse his research. A mutineer faction on the Haven used the system to reduce the planet Rushima to ruins. The mutineers were tossed into space, and Dr. Hoa has since restored Rushima.

  Niciirye—Grandam Naadiina’s husband, dead and buried on Vhiliinyar.

  Niikaavri—Acorna’s grandmother, a member of the clan Geeyiinah, and a spaceship designer by trade.

  Nirii—a planetary trading partner of the Linyaari, populated by two-horned sentients, technologically advanced, able to communicate telepath-ically, and phlegmatic in temperament.

  Nueva Fallona—Palomellese criminal who posed as a refugee to the Starfarers until she could carry out a coup putting her and her gang in control of the Haven. She was defeated by the children of the Starfarers.

  Nyaarya—one of the clans of the Linyaari.

  One-One Otimie—a Rushimese trapper and prospector.

  Order of the Iriinje—aristocratic Linyaari social organization similar to a fraternity, named after a blue-feathered bird native to Vhiliinyar.

  Pal Kendoro—Delszaki Li’s assistant on the planet Kezdet. Brother to Mercy and Judit. Acorna’s dear friend, and once her possible love interest—though they didn’t, in the end, try to do anything about it. Given that the pair came from different species, it could have been problematic. Currently in love with ’Ziana, the captain of the Starfarers.

  Palomella—home planet of Nueva Fallona.

  Pandora—Count Edacki Ganoosh’s personal spaceship, used to track and pursue Hafiz’s ship Shahrazad as it speeds after Acorna on her journey to narhii-Vhiliinyar.

  pahaantiyir—a cougar-like animal native to Vhiliin-yar.

  Provola Quero—woman in charge of the Saganos operation.

  Pyaka—a Rushimese settler.

  Quashie—a Rushimese settler.

  Qulabriel—Hafiz’s assistant.

  Rafik Nadezda—one of three miners who discovered Acorna and raised her.

  Ramon Trinidad—one of the miners hired to direct a training program on Maganos for the freed children.

  Red Bracelets—Kilumbemese mercenaries; arguably the toughest and nastiest fighting force in known space.

  Renyilaaghe—Linyaari clan name.

  Rezar—second-generation Starfarer.

  Roadkill—otherwise known as RK. A Makahomian Temple Cat, the only survivor of a space wreck, rescued and adopted by Jonas Becker.

  Rocky Reamer—intergalactic vendor of precious stones.

  Rosewater’s Revelation—Uncle Hafiz’s best racehorse.

  Rushima—agricultural world colonized by the Shenjemi Federation.

  Saganos—second of Kezdet’s moons.

  Sengrat—a pushy, bossy, whiney, bullying know-it-all with a political agenda on the ship Haven.

  Shahrazad—Hafiz’s personal spaceship, a luxury cruiser.

  Shenjemi Federation—long-distance government of Rushima.

  Sita Ram—a protective goddess, identified with Acorna by the mining children on Kezdet.

  Skarness—planetary source of the famous (and rare) Singing Stones, stones that are sentient, each of which emits a single, perfectly pitched note whenever stepped upon. Collectors usually assemble one or several octave scales of the stones, including the requisite sharps and flats.

  Skomitin—somebody in Admiral Ikwaskwan’s past of whom he does not care to be reminded.

  Starfarers—name adopted by the Experantzan settlers who were displaced by Amalgamated’s manipulations. They refused unsatisfactory resettlement offers and turned their main ship, the Haven, into a mobile colony from which they carried on a campaign of nonviolent political protest against Amalgamated.

  Ta’anisi—the Red Bracelets’ flagship.

  Taankaril—visedhaanye ferilii of the Gamma sector of Linyaari space.

  Tanqque III—rainforest planet; export of its coveted purpleheart trees is illegal.

  Tapha—Hafiz’s ineffectual son, who made several attempts on Rafik’s life before he was killed during yet another murder attempt on Rafik.

  Thariinye—a handsome and conceited young space-faring Linyaari with a crush on Acorna.

  Theloi—one of the planets the miners had to leave hastily to avoid their many enemies (see Acorna).

  Theophilus Becker—Jonas Becker’s father, a salvage man and astrophysicist with a fondness for exploring uncharted wormholes.

  thiilir (pl. thilirii)—small arboreal mammals of Linyaari home world.

  Tianos—Kezdet’s third moon.

  Turi Reamer—seven-year-old daughter of Rocky Reamer, very business-like.

  Twi Osiam—planetary site of a major financial and trade center.

  twilit—small, pestiferous insect on Linyaari home planet.

  Uhuru—one of the various names of the ship owned jointly by Gill, Calum, and Rafik.

  Vaanye—Acorna’s father.

  Vhiliinyar—home planet of the Linyaari, now occupied by Khleevi.

  viizaar—a high political office in the Linyaari system, roughly equivalent to president or prime minister.

  Virii—Neeva’s spouse.

  visedhaanye ferilii—Linyaari term corresponding roughly to ‘Envoy Extraordinary.’

  Vlad—cousin of Des Smirnoff’s, a fence, probably descended from Vlad the Impaler.

  Wahanamoian Blossom of Sleep—poppy-like flowers whose pollens, when ground, are a very powerful sedative.

  Winjy—a Rushimese settler.

  Ximena Sengrat—Sengrat’s beautiful young daughter.

  Yukata Batsu—Uncle Hafiz’s chief competitor on Laboue.

  Yasmin—Hafiz Harakamian’s first wife, mother of Tapha, faked her own death and ran away to return to her former lucrative career in the pleasure industry. After her accumulated years made that career much less lucrative, she returned to squeeze money out of Hafiz in the form of blackmail.

  Zanegar—second-generation Starfarer.

  Zaspala Imperium—backward planetary confederation, original home of Des Smirnoff.

  Dr. Zip—an eccentric astrophysicist.

  A Brief Note on the Linyaari Language

  By Margaret Ball

  As Anne McCaffrey’s collaborator in transcribing the first two tales of Acorna, I was delighted to find that the second of these books provided an opportunity to sharpen my long-unused skills in linguistic fieldwork. This task required a sharp ear and some facility for linguistic analysis to make sense of the subtle sound-changes with which their language signaled syntactic changes; I quite enjoyed the challenge.

  The notes appended here represent my first and necessarily tentative analysis of certain patterns in Linyaari phonemic
s and morphophonemics. If there is any inconsistency between this analysis and the Linyaari speech patterns recorded in the later adventures of Acorna, please remember that I was working from a very limited database and, what is perhaps worse, attempting to analyze a decidedly non-human language with the aid of the only paradigms I had, twentieth-century linguistic models developed exclusively from human language. The result is very likely as inaccurate as were the first attempts to describe English syntax by forcing it into the mold of Latin, if not worse. My colleague Elizabeth Ann Scarborough has by now added her own notes to the small corpus of Linyaari names and utterances, and it may well be that in the next decade there will be enough data available to publish a truly definitive dictionary and grammar of Linyaari; an undertaking which will surely be of inestimable value, not only to those members of our race who are involved in diplomatic and trade relations with this people, but also to everyone interested in the study of language.

  Notes on the Linyaari Language

  1. A doubled vowel indicates stress: aavi, abaanye, khlevii.

  2. Stress is used as an indicator of syntactic function: in nouns stress is on the penultimate syllable, in adjectives on the last syllable, in verbs on the first.

  3. Intervocalic n is always palatalized.

  4. Noun plurals are formed by adding a final vowel, usually-i: one Liinyar, two Linyaari. Note that this causes a change in the stressed syllable (from LI-nyar to Li-NYA-ri) and hence a change in the pattern of doubled vowels.

  For nouns whose singular form ends in a vowel, the plural is formed by dropping the original vowel and adding -i: ghaanye, ghaanyi. Here the number of syllables remains the same, therefore no stress/spelling change is required.

  5. Adjectives can be formed from nouns by adding a final -ii (again, dropping the original final vowel if one exists): maalive, malivii; Liinyar, Linyarii. Again, the change in stress means that the doubled vowels in the penultimate syllable of the noun disappear.

  6. For nouns denoting a class or species, such as Liinyar, the plural form of the noun can be used as an adjective when the meaning is “of the class,” as in “the Linyaari language” (the language of the Linyaari rather than the usual adjectival meaning of “having the qualities of this class”)—thus, of the characters in Acorna, only Acorna herself could be described as “a Linyaari girl” (a girl of the People), but Judit, although human, would certainly be described as “a Linyarii girl” (“a just-as-civilized-as-a-real-member-of-the-People” girl).