Portable Force Field: A small area force field, usually configured to project a wall of force or a small bubble, meant to improve entrenchments and other fighting positions; it is too cumbersome to be used on the move. Issued at the squad or platoon level.
Portable Graviton Weapon: A 10cm energy weapon issued to Marine weapon platoons, replacing the ALS-43.
Pow, pows: Short for power pack, the high-density batteries used to supply energy to combat armor and some weapon systems. Not to be confused with P.O.W. (prisoner of war).
Puppies: Common term for the Hrauwah species, due to their resemblance to short-haired humanoid canines.
Rat: A derisive term for corporate employees, bureaucrats and city dwellers of all stripes, originating from a popular song from the First Century AFC.
Remfie: Civilian, especially those with little understanding or appreciation of the military. Less-commonly, military personnel operating far behind the lines who show same. Origin: REMF, Rear Echelon Motherfucker.
Risshah/Risshah Nest Collective: A Class One species brought into Starfarer society as a client of the Lhan Arkh Congress. The Nest Collective was largely destroyed in war with the USA, although a few million members survive under Lhan Arkh patronage.
Rothschild Threshold: The point at which reactionless drives hit steep diminishing returns, roughly around a thousandth of the speed of light. Named after the human astrophysicist who translated the Hrauwah formulas into human mathematics.
Shellies: Slang term for tank crews.
Snakes: Derogatory term for the Risshah.
Starfarer: Common term for any species capable of building and manning starships (vessels capable of faster-than-light travel); popularly synonymous with ‘civilized,’ ‘cultured,’ ‘high-tech.’
Stormin’ Norman: Common nickname for the MBT-5 Schwarzkopf tank
Tango: Short for Echo Tango, or ET (see above), used somewhat less frequently than ET or Eet. Also, military vernacular for ‘target.’
Textic/Textic-American English: Written form of modern English, notable for the use of shortened words, anagrams and other minimalist techniques to maximize meaning with the minimum number of letters, numbers and characters possible. The spoken version can be found mostly among the lower classes in human cities or enclaves.
United Stars of America: A nation comprising the former United States, Canada and portions of Mexico on Earth, as well as several dozen stars around the galaxy.
Vehelians/O-Vehel Commonwealth: Class Two Starfarer species that has a mostly commercial relationship with the USA.
Vipers: Slang term for the Nasstah species.
Warp Rating: A living being’s ability to endure entering warp space, ranging from 1 – can only endure warp travel while sedated or unconscious, to 4 – can enter warp in a sealed suit and survive. Less than ten percent of most Starfarer species (the average is closer to five percent) are warp-rated. Humans, for reasons not yet understood, are an extraordinary exception, with fifty percent of their population rated at level 1 or higher.
Widowmaker: Slang term for newly-issued Portable Graviton Weapon (see PGW).
Wyrms: Slang term for members of the Wyrashat species.
Wyrashat Empire: A Starfarer polity dominated by the Class One species of the same name.
Table of Contents
Prologue: Paint It Black
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
GLOSSARY
Havoc of War (Warp Marine Corps Book 5) Page 28