by Gary Caplan
Classes of starships in the Alliance of Worlds. Waterway lightcruiser, Heroic heavycruiser, Legendary battlecruiser, Constellation carrier, Galaxy dreadnaught. Subclasses of the Legendary type design include Pegasus and Oceanic classes. The Phoenix is a Pegasus class design.
commlink. This is a generic term for a portable or mobile communication and information device. It also refers to the embedded communication neural link that allows the user to access many types of information. Info-pads also are a type of commlink.
COMNET. A truncation of the Estrian-designed communication array stations (COMmunications NETwork). They effectively transmit in hyperspace.
conn. Abbreviation for starship flight controller.
Delta Quadrant. Includes a few of the more advanced space-faring civilizations. The Delta quadrant is populated by Saldron, Estrians, Karratin, and Lyramenian. Other civilizations also populate this region.
Gamma Quadrant. This region of the galaxy is largely unexplored, though there are many Cynz worlds here, as well as the Earth colony of Terminus. It is also believed that the Gamma quadrant is the region in which Supreme Commander Mor’ag of the Accadian Empire has his bases of operation.
Hegemony. The name for the alliance of the four elder, very advanced, space-faring civilizations. The members of the Hegemony include the Estrians, Karratins, Lyramenians, and Quarran.
hyperspace. The dimension that lies outside of normal space and the medium through which a starship must travel to cross vast distances, effectively moving beyond the speed of light. Some ships create a hyperspace slipstream corridor through sections of hyperspace.
lactar. An Accadian year (approximately 1.5 Earth calendar years).
light year. Unit of distance equal to the distance light travels in one Earth calendar year (365 days). The Alliance of Worlds measurement is a similar distance.
Linknet. The secured system of access to direct computer interface of links between all Alliance of Worlds databases and computer memory banks. Most Linknets are with the starship computer or base computer; however, the COMNET can be utilized to interlink over vast distances.
quadrants. The Milky Way galaxy is divided into four quadrants: the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta quadrants.
Selkecks. Accadian term of distance equivalent to approximately 1.5 kilometers.
star flight control area. This is the bridge control section that houses both helm and navigation control stations.
star flight control officer. Position of title given to the pilot of a starship. The star flight control officer’s duties include piloting the vessel, as well as plotting courses through the ship’s navicomputer.
tzura. Accadian term of time equivalent to slightly over one Earth week.
parsec. A unit of distance equivalent to 3.26 light years. The term is a contraction of “parallax second,” showing the unit’s origin in ancient Earth astronomy.
Alliance of Worlds naval officer ranks. (higher to lower) Grand admiral, fleet admiral, vice admiral, commodore, fleet captain, captain, commander, lieutenant commander, first lieutenant, second lieutenant, ensign.
sector. Defined here as an area of space measuring 1000 light years, each sector is 1000 light years across x and 1000 across the y dimensions. Sectors may be variable in the z direction but are usually set to 500 light years, depending on how coreward or near the galactic center the sector lies. The core sectors, being near the center of the galaxy, are greater in the z direction. A typical sector in the Alliance of Worlds space contains about fifty to one hundred viable, life-sustaining or terraformable stable star systems, although sectors toward the core often contain more. The Milky Way galaxy is divided into several sectors and subsectors, grouped into four main regions of space, called “quadrants.” Sectors are usually named or numbered. Many in common usage are named for a major star or planet located in that sector (i.e., Quellus sector, Rhendal sector, Mercan sector, Omega sector). Subsectors are 100 cubic light years and may include numbers and letters in their title, such as Subsector 10Rh, or the tenth subsector in Rhendal.
Sector Alpha. This is one of the most important sectors in the Allce of Worlds space, as several trade routes come through that area. It is also the sector wherein lies the Star One base and the headquarters of the Alliance of Worlds.
Sheppard’s Fleet Postings. Robert Sheppard’s first posting as ensign and part of his second-lieutenant time was onboard the Waterway class cruiser Eteran. His remaining second-lieutenant time was as a starfighter wing lieutenant and then as first lieutenant onboard the Constellation class dreadnaught Orion. While a lieutenant commander, and later as a starfighter wing commander, Sheppard was stationed on the battlecarrier H’jum’pta under Fleet Captain Peregrine. Then Sheppard transferred to a first officer position as a commander under Captain St. John on the Heroic class ship Indefatigable before its refit for its Magellanic Cloud journey. When St. John’s science mission left on the long exploratory science mission, Sheppard decided to continue his time as a straighter squadron wing commander and became first officer on the Legendary class battle-cruiser Valiant that was in one of the task forces under Commodore Peregrine’s command. After his promotion to captain, he was given command of a new Heroic class heavy cruiser, the Endeavor. He continued later as fleet captain of Task Force Four, and he stayed onboard the Endeavor. After his promotion to commodore and upon gaining another star cluster, he chose the Pegasus class battlecruiser Phoenix as his flagship.
Star One. A massive space station 120 kilometers in radius or 240 kilometers in circumference, that doubles as Alliance of Worlds headquarters and one of the Alliance of Worlds starbase component and starship construction facilities. It is located in Alpha sector, approximately 300 light years from Earth.
Starfighter Types:
A squadron wing usually consists of twenty starfighters of varying types. The larger types, such as the Sentinel and Guardian, have multiple configurations. Examples include:
Sentinel class: Multi-manned attack craft (also called T50)
Guardian class: Multi-manned attack craft (also called T100)
Scimitar class: Two-man attack craft
Valkyrie class: Single-man attack craft
Star Knights. They are mostly preservers of civilization and not police or security. Star Knights have been authorized by organizations, including individual Alliance Worlds, as moderators, investigators, or surveyors. They are organized into several “Orders,” some of which can be almost vigilante like. Star Knights use telepathic or psionic disciplines and psychokinetic metaphysical manipulations. Some are able to access other dimensional planes and utilize additional abilities. In the Alliance of Worlds, most have psi-level ranking designations on record. The Star Knights’ authority is not universal, and not all planetary governments fully authorize their actions.
UGAS. United Galactic Alliance Starship. This is the abbreviation for the starship member notation for Alliance of Worlds starships; the UGAS is normally inscribed before the actual name of the spacecraft.
zilakh. Accadian unit of time equivalent to approximately 1.5 standard months.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter 1 Events Aboard the Phoenix
Chapter 2 Bridge of the Phoenix
Chapter 3 The Crew and the Aftermath of What Happened at Quellus
Chapter 4 Space Goes Ever On
Chapter 5 The Archon
Chapter 6 Alliance Operations
Chapter 7 Star City
Chapter 8 Preparation in Rhendal Sector
Chapter 9 Enter the Star City
Chapter 10 Internal Defense
Chapter 11 Talcon Awaken
Chapter 12 Allies and Enemies
Chapter 13 Onboard the Phoenix
Chapter 14 New Developments
Chapter 15 Varlon Base
Chapter 16 Small Victories
Chapter 17 Back Aboard Phoenix and Old Enemies
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sp; Chapter 18 Battle of Rhendal Sector
Chapter 19 The Star City Arrives
Epilogue
Glossary of Terms