by Jason Fry
dead lights. Eyes.
derelict. Cargo left behind after a shipwreck with no expectation of recovery. Any claimant may legally salvage derelict.
destroyer. A small warship with the speed to hunt down small, nimble attackers.
dirtside. A spacer’s term for being off one’s ship on a planet or moon. Said with faint derision and distress.
dirtsider. A spacer with minimal training and experience, limited to simple tasks aboard a starship. A hardworking dirtsider may eventually be rated an ordinary spacer.
dog watch. Either of the two short watches between 1600 and 2000. At two hours, a dog watch is half the duration of a normal watch.
dreadnought. A large, well-armed but slow warship.
dromond. A very large merchant ship, often one that carries expensive goods.
dry dock. A facility where starships are taken out of service for substantial repairs or refitting.
duff. A kind of pudding served as a treat aboard starships.
E
engineer. The crewer or officer responsible for keeping a starship operating properly.
engine room. The control room for a starship’s engines. Sometimes the same as the fire room.
ensign. A flag indicating a starship’s allegiance.
escort. A starship providing protection for another vessel, typically one that is unarmed.
F
fanlight. A portal over the door of an officer’s cabin, providing light and air while maintaining privacy.
fenders. Bumpers on the sides of a starship, used to protect against damage in crowded shipyards, on landing fields, or in parking orbits.
fire room. The control room for a starship’s reactor. Sometimes the same as the engine room.
fireship. A starship loaded with munitions and exploded among enemy ships to damage them.
first mate. A starship’s second-in-command.
flagship. The starship commanded by the ranking officer in a task force or fleet.
flip. A strong beer favored by crewers.
flotsam. Debris and objects left floating in space after a starship is damaged or destroyed.
flummery. A shipboard dessert.
fore. Toward the front of a starship; the opposite of aft.
forefoot. The foremost part of a starship’s lower hull.
freighter. A general term for a merchant vessel.
frigate. A fast warship used for scouting and intercepts, well armed but relying more on speed than weapons. The Shadow Comet, the Ironhawk, and the Hydra are heavily modified frigates.
G
galleon. A large merchant ship, particularly one that carries expensive cargoes.
galley. The kitchen on a starship.
gangway. The ramp leading into a ship, lowered when a ship is on a landing field.
gibbet. A post with a protruding arm from which criminals sentenced to death are hanged.
gig. A small, unarmed ship used for short trips between nearby moons or between ports and starships in orbit. An armed gig is generally called a launch.
grav-sled. A small wheeled vehicle used for trips on the surface of a minor planet, moon, or asteroid. Not a luxurious ride.
green. When referring to a system or process, an indication that all is ready or working normally.
gripe. A malfunction or problem with a system aboard a starship.
grog. A mix of alcohol and water, beloved by starship crewers. Also refers to alcoholic drinks imbibed in port, which shouldn’t be mixed with water but often are.
gunboat. A small but heavily armed warship. Often found patrolling ports or spacelanes.
H
hail. An opening communication from one party to another.
hammock. A length of canvas or netting strung between beams belowdecks, in which crewers sleep.
hand. A crewer. Use generally limited to discussions of “all hands.”
hang a leg. Do something too slowly.
hardtack. Bland starship rations that don’t spoil over long cruises but aren’t particularly tasty. Unlike in ancient times, hardtack is rarely actually hard.
hatchway. An opening in a ship’s hull for transferring cargo to and from the hold.
head. A bathroom aboard a starship.
heading. A starship’s current course.
head money. A reward for prisoners recovered.
heave to. A command for a starship to stop its motion.
heel. To lean to one side.
helm. Originally the controls for piloting a starship, but now generally a term indicating an officer is in command of a starship.
HMS. His (or Her, depending on who is the monarch) Majesty’s Ship, a prefix for a warship from Earth.
hold. The area of a starship in which cargo is held. Hatchways or bay doors generally open to allow direct access to the hold.
hominy. Ground corn boiled with milk.
hoy. A small merchant coaster.
I
idler. A crewer who isn’t required to keep night watches.
impression. Forced service aboard a starship during wartime.
in a clove hitch. Dealing with a dilemma.
in extremis. Unable to maneuver safely due to malfunction, damage, or some other condition. Privileged vessels must yield the right-of-way to starships in extremis.
in ordinary. Out of commission; said of a starship. Also applies to the crew of a starship while she is laid up in ordinary.
in soundings. Sufficiently close to a celestial body that its gravity must be taken into account during maneuvers.
intercept. The process of examining a starship for possible boarding, often followed by a boarding action.
interrogatories. Reports prepared about an intercept and boarding action, detailing events with evidence from the ships’ records. Interrogatories are submitted as part of a claim in admiralty court.
invalid. A spacer on the sick list because of illness or injury.
J
jetsam. Objects jettisoned from a starship in distress.
job captain. A captain given temporary command of a starship while the regular captain is away or indisposed.
jolly boat. A small craft used for inspections or repairs of starships in orbit.
jump-pop. A sugary, caffeinated drink loved by children and crewers alike. Bad for you.
Jupiter Trojans. Two groups of asteroids that share an orbit with Jupiter, lying ahead of and behind the giant planet in its orbit. The group ahead of Jupiter is called the Greek node, while the trailing group is called the Trojan node. That naming convention developed after individual asteroids were named, resulting in an asteroid named after a Greek hero (617 Patroclus) residing in the Trojan camp, and an asteroid named after a Trojan hero (624 Hektor) residing in the Greek camp.
K
keel. A long girder laid down between a starship’s bow and stern, giving her structural integrity.
keelhaul. To abuse someone. Derived from the ancient practice of hauling a disobedient sailor under a ship’s keel.
keep the matter dark. Keep something confidential.
ketch. A short-range merchant starship.
kip. A cheap lodging house in a port.
klick. A kilometer.
L
ladderwell. A ladder connecting decks on a starship.
lagan. Cargo left behind after a shipwreck and marked by a buoy for reclamation. Lagan can be legally salvaged under certain conditions.
LaGrange point. A stable point in space where the gravitational interaction of various large bodies allows a small body to remain at rest. Space stations, roadsteads, and clumps of asteroids are often built or found at planets’ LaGrange points.
landing field. An area of a port where starships land. Typically, only small starships actually use landing fields, with larger vessels remaining in orbit.
larder. A room aboard a starship in which provisions are stored.
lash up and stow. A command, typically piped, for crewers to roll up their hammocks, clearing space for sh
ipboard operations.
launch. A small, lightly armed craft kept aboard a starship, used for short outings and errands between ships. An unarmed launch is generally called a gig.
letter of marque. A document giving a civilian starship the right to seize ships loyal to another nation, an action that otherwise would be considered piracy.
liberty. Permission to leave a ship for a time in port.
lighter. A starship used for ferrying cargo between ships and to and from ships in orbit above a port.
loblolly boy. A surgeon’s assistant.
log. A record of a starship’s operations.
longboat. A small starship primarily used for provisioning bigger starships.
long nine. A cannon designed to hit targets at very long range.
lumper. A laborer hired to load and unload a merchant ship in orbit or in port.
M
magazine. A section of a starship used for storing missiles and other ordnance.
marine. A soldier aboard a warship who splits his or her duties between gunnery and boarding actions. The term is typically reserved for formal military ships, though it is sometimes extended to soldiers serving for pay to defend merchant starships. Crewers who perform this role aboard civilian ships are never called marines.
mast. A pole attached to a starship’s hull to maximize the capabilities of sensors and/or antennae.
master. A member of the bridge crew who is not the captain or first mate. A female crew member holding this rank is sometimes but not always called mistress.
master-at-arms. A crewer responsible for discipline belowdecks. On some ships the warrant officer or bosun serves as the master-at-arms, but wise captains avoid such an arrangement, as many crewers regard it as unfair.
matey. An affectionate word for a shipmate.
mess. Where meals are served belowdecks.
midshipman. A crewer training to be an officer. Midshipmen typically begin as children, spending years as apprentices belowdecks before being appointed to a starship’s bridge crew. Low-ranking masters who are new to the bridge crew are often still called midshipmen.
moor. To secure a starship during a period of inactivity, whether in orbit or on a landing field.
musketoon. A pistol with a broad, bell-like muzzle.
“my starship.”A declaration of a captain or ranking officer indicating that he or she is assuming command. Command can be assigned through the order “your starship,” etc.
O
off soundings. Sufficiently far from a celestial body that its gravity can be ignored during maneuvers.
ordinary spacer. A spacer capable of performing most activities aboard a starship, but not an expert. With work, an ordinary spacer may rate as an able spacer.
ordnance. A starship’s offensive weapons and materials, from cannons to missiles.
ore boat. A starship hauling ore, typically owned by a prospector.
P
packet. A small passenger boat that carries mail and personal goods between ports.
parley. A negotiation, often informal, between enemies.
parole. A prisoner’s pledge of good behavior while in captivity, or conditions agreed to if released.
pass. A document indicating a starship’s allegiance, and good for safe conduct from privateers aligned with a given nation. The validity of a pass is ensured by transmitting the proper recognition code.
passageway. A corridor aboard a starship.
peg. Figure, as in “I didn’t peg you for a lawyer/pirate/etc.”
performance bond. A financial guarantee that a privateer will abide by the terms of its letter of marque. Fines can be levied against a performance bond by an admiralty court or by the government issuing the letter of marque.
persuader. Slang for a carbine, large knife, or other weapon that can sway the less well-armed participant in a dispute.
pinnace. A small, fast, highly maneuverable ship used for offensive and defensive operations by warships and other starships, and typically operated by either a single pilot or by a pilot and gunner.
pipe. A whistle used by the bosun to issue orders to a crew. Any spacer quickly learns to identify the unique tune for each order.
pirate. A civilian starship (or crewer aboard such a starship) that seizes or attacks other ships without authorization from a government. Piracy is punishable by death. A civilian ship with authorization for such seizures or attacks is a privateer.
pitch. A starship moving up or down through the horizontal axis. Sometimes an involuntary motion if a starship is damaged, malfunctioning, or being piloted poorly.
port. The left side of a ship, if a crewer is looking toward the bow from the stern. A starship’s port hull is marked by red lights. Also, a planet, moon, or asteroid where a starship crew takes on supplies, offloads cargo, or has other business.
porthole. A small, generally round window in the hull of a starship.
press gang. A group of spacers that prowls ports, looking for men or women to impress into the navy, merchant marine, or crew of a starship. Press gangs are now rare in most ports.
privateer. A civilian starship authorized to take offensive action against another nation, typically by seizing merchant ships belonging to that nation. Unlike pirates, privateers possess a letter of marque, which requires them to abide by the laws of war and all other laws of space.
privileged vessel. A starship that has the right-of-way while navigating.
prize. An enemy vessel, crew, and cargo captured in space by a warship or privateer. The claiming of a prize is declared legal or illegal through a hearing in admiralty court. A legally taken prize is either condemned and sold to a nation or on its behalf, or released for ransom and allowed to continue on its way. Either way, the proceeds (prize money) are divided among the ship’s crew.
prize agent. An agent who sells prizes on behalf of a nation, pocketing a fee for his or her efforts.
prize court. A court that decides claims on captured starships.
prize law. The interplanetary laws governing the taking of prizes.
prize money. The proceeds from the sale of a prize and the ransom of her crew, shared out among the bridge crew and crewers at the end of a cruise.
protection. A certificate attesting that a spacer is a member of a starship’s crew. Designed to thwart press gangs, though not always effective in doing so.
purser. A crewer responsible for keeping a starship’s financial records and distributing provisions to crewers. Typically a role assigned by the warrant officer to a trusted veteran spacer.
put in irons. Imprison.
Q
quarterdeck. A starship’s command center, often known as the bridge on civilian ships. Typically reserved for the officers of the bridge crew.
quittance. A release from a debt.
R
ransom. Money paid to pirates or privateers for the safe return of a ship and/or her crew. Also, money paid to privateers to allow a captured starship to proceed along its course without being taken to prize court for claiming and condemnation.
reactor. The power source of a starship, housed near the engines and heavily armored for protection and to prevent radiation from leaking and poisoning the crew.
recall. An order to return to a starship and prepare for liftoff.
red. In reference to a system or situation, an indication that things are not ready or functioning normally.
rescue. The recapture of a prize by a friendly ship before it can be claimed in prize court and condemned. A rescue restores the starship to its prior owners.
retainer. A crewer whose family has served aboard a starship or for a specific family or shipping company for multiple generations. Many privateers and merchants are crewed in large part by retainers.
right-of-way. An indication that a starship has priority over other starships for navigating in the area. The starship with the right-of-way is the privileged vessel; other starships are burdened vessels.
roadstea
d. A safe anchorage outside a port or a port’s orbit, often at a space station or isolated asteroid.
roll. A starship moving to port or starboard of the horizontal axis while changing its vertical orientation. Sometimes an involuntary motion if a starship is damaged, malfunctioning, or being piloted poorly.
rudder. The device used by the pilot to steer a starship. A physical object in ancient times, but now a series of software commands.
S
salvage. To recover and legally claim abandoned or lost cargo (or a starship), or to claim subject to a legal ruling.
scope. A screen showing the result of sensor scans, or providing diagnostics about other starship functions.
scow. A dirty, poorly run starship.
scurvy. Originally a disease to which sailors were susceptible; now a term of contempt.
scuttle. To intentionally render a starship or an important system aboard a starship inoperable, so as to deny it to an enemy.
Securitat. The intelligence service of the Jovian Union.
settle one’s hash. To subdue or silence someone, often violently.
shindy. A dance favored by boisterous crewers. Also: a good time had by same. A night of hijinks while at liberty in a port would be remembered as “a fine shindy.”
ship of the line. A warship big and capable enough to take part in a major battle.
shoals. The area of space near a celestial body, within which particular care must be taken by a pilot. A term borrowed from ancient sailing.
shore leave. Free time in port granted to a starship’s crew.
short commons. Thin rations.
sick list. The roster of crew members ill and unable to perform their duties aboard a starship.
silent running. Operating a starship with as few systems engaged as possible in an effort to avoid detection.
slew. A maneuver by which a starship turns around on her own axis.
sloop. A small, fast starship with weapons. Sloops are smaller than corvettes and typically used for interplanetary voyages.
slop book. A register of items given to crewers by the purser. The cost of these items is subtracted from their pay or share of prize money.
soft tack. Bread or cake, a treat during long cruises.
space. As a verb, to expose someone deliberately to a vacuum, with fatal results.