2Vac Station- One horse town. From “they’re so small they only need 2vac not 8”
8VAC offset- insult. “Just taking up space” waste of air.
Ablebody- From “able-bodied spacer.” The average spaceship crew member. Person of all work. Not specialized to a role. Ablebodies can also have areas of expertise, this term is used for them when they don’t, or aren’t doing it.
Advanced Xenolegal Executive (AXE)- Northern Republic of States FBI/CIA style government agency, but do the dirty work. Mostly off-books. Not at all savory. Terrible reputation with everyone. But they get shit done.
Aesir- a space ship maker, maker of the Skeidbrimir
All-Thing- (Peregrination word) the gathering of all the Peregrination ships every 500 days. Where things like renamings, marriages, adoptions, etc are finalized. Weddings, deaths, births etc.
Asterotime Law- “star law” the law of the belt
ATA- pronounced “at-uh” abbreviation for “acknowledged and agreed.” Evolution of outer sign for “I hear you, and am going to do what you say” into a single, easy-to-say syllable.
Aye-ya -(Peregrination word) from the chinese aiya. Exclamatory phrase expressing surprise, blame, dismay, shock, or fear.
Avtur- A liquor, named after one of the names for jet fuel
Ballast- derogatory. The opposite of “ablebody.” Someone who’s useless in a crew. Sometimes used for civilians/non-crew/passengers on a ship. Not used to refer to people with specialized roles in crews.
Balloon- Delaney yardie slang. Semi-derogatory. The new guy. B/c they’re tethered to another crew member not just the ship
Beltward- A descriptor of direction. Toward the belt. Away from the center of the system. “outward”
Black Brass- Urban legends or folk tales. (See “Brass” for etymology)
Black hole- insult. Dense, etc.
Bloody Thursday- The day of a huge clash between the military in the California Broadcast Republic and IWM strikers and activists. 5 documented dead, many more wounded
Bonded Mechanics- Ship mechanics who are certified by the SOMETHING school. Basically ones that went through apprenticeship and all that. The ones that are actually good at their job.
Brass- Truth, or something true. (“talking brass” teling the truth) Also slang for sex, derived from telling the truth in pillow talk. “Brass House” and “Black Brass” are both derived from this. Etymology: rhyming slang. "brass tacks" rhymes with "facts" but ten shortened to just "brass"
Brass House- Polite name for a brothel. See also “House of Truth” (See “Brass” for etymology)
Break Seal- Delaney yardie slang. Take off an exosuit. Also slang for going to the bathroom, specifically the first time after you get unsuited, but in general as well.
Breakers- See Salvagers
BROCO- Basic Resource Object, Comestible Output, asteroids harvested for biological raw materials that can be used in bio3D printers to make edible foodstuffs.
BRONCO- Basic Resource Object, Non-Comestible Output, asteroids harvested for raw materials that are non-edible
BROLO- Basic Resource Object, Liquid Output, asteroids harvested for liquid raw materials (specifically water)
Bubble Bike- See “skiff”
Carry/have a patch - Peregrination idiom for “have the endorsement of someone”. Example: “She’s fine, she’s got Arturoskin’s patch.”
The California Broadcasting Republic- one of the nations where the USA used to be. The west coast, basically, including some of Mexico
C-COW- Cargo Conveyor & Offloader, Wheeled. An all-terrain transport used to move a large amount of cargo through a variety of environments
Check your seals- Delaney Yard worker slang. A sign off/good-bye. Standard response to “Watch your tether” (originally from the checklist posted just inside the airlock in every Yard.)
Comdress- communication address. Phone number/email address in one
Comet- Terminal station slang. Someone born on the station, who wants a bit more space, but not to leave entirely. Travels through the system, comes back at regular intervals (see: Homecoming) to pick up loads of Starlight Truffles, trade, party with their families, etc before leaving again.
Comet Crunch- A candy bar
Compound 2- A sedative, with off-label use as an intoxicant
Constructed Asteroid- Exactly what it sounds like. An alternative to space stations or orbitals.
Council of Captains - Peregrination. A group of captains who meet at the All-Thing to hash out changes to Family Law. Their proposals are taken to the captains at large for ratification.
Criscuites- “cricket biscuits” a high-protein food made from cricket flour
Crunchy limb replacement- robotic/metalic/cybernetic replacement as opposed to “squishy”/biological/vat grown one.
Cryomation- A means of body disposal after death, while in space. “freeze-dry the body in the vacuum, then break it down to dust, and compress that into a stone about yay big. Then you gotta drop them off at the next rock or station you come to. Someplace inhabited.”
Cutters- See Salvagers
Di-pent- (diamaxin-pentanol)- a medication also used as a recreational drug. A tranquilizer and mood stabilizer, when snorted produces euphoric calm
EDNA- Executive Domestic iNtegrated Assistant, space Alexa
"Environmental Debris Defense System" EDDS- turreted guns on a ship that are definitely just there for preventing asteroid strikes and maybe deterring pirates but the ship isn't armed, of course not, don't be silly. Colloquially known as Eddies, or an Eddy.
Fabber- Slang for 3D printer/prefabricator
FaSTR Pod- Fabrication and Shipping, Transactions Remote, the units of production/shipping in the YuKon factories. Each Pod has one employee, a 3D printer, a biological 3D printer, and a chute for sending packages out.
Fiku- (Peregrination word) Peregrinational profanity. Basically just fuck
Five Card Drift- space poker. A betting card game. Mechanics TBD
Flea- See “skiff”
Flyboy- Belter slang for pilot
Fool’s Gambetta- a brand of hard liquor.
Gemini- A type of skiff made by OmniCycle (a subsidiary of Taurus Industries)
Go heavy- speed up, step on it. From higher gs while accelerating
Grifola Terminus Stercus- (aka sucker shrooms, hen-of-the-vents, Terminal conk) mushroom growing only on waste disposal vents in terminal station. False scarcity kept up by both Terminal and the Starlight Truffle Company, who is known for killing and/or maiming people to keep the secret
Heliotime law- “sun law” the law of the inner planets
Hejmiko- (hey-meeko) (Peregrination word) Peregrenational term of endearment. Literally “home friend.” Equivalent of “sweetheart” or “honey” both platonic or romantic, but more often platonic.
Hejmagard - (hey-mah-gard) (Peregrination Word) Literally “home guard”. Idiomatically “hearthship crew/resident”. Describes an isolationist political faction of the Peregrination.
Hen-of-the-vents- see Grifola Terminus Stercus
Hendley- See Salvagers
Hersir- title of a leader in the Knights of Heimdal, a terran supremacy group
Homecoming- Terminal Station. The time when the Comets return to the station. A big, multi-day party. Something like Mardi Gras in terms of dancing, food, drinking, but less wild.
Hopper: A low-altitude VTOL aircraft that uses ducted fans or vectored thrust nozzles for lift; not capable of long-range or high-altitude flight but able to do short 'hops', city to city. Designed to be simple to operate, at least compared to more serious aircraft. Basically, a flying car. Expensive to maintain and of limited utility, so most are owned by either enthusiasts or rich douchebags
House of Truth- Brothel (see also “Brass House”)
Hydrocarbon-5- a liquor
Jungle- the crowded, dirty, shanty-town part of a city or settlement. Where NoGoes gather
Jovian Astromerchant Fleet- JAF, exactly what it says
Kenotime Law- the law of the black, mostly a joke, a reference to the lack of clear governance in the black
Kessler- A fuckup/disaster. Can also be verbed “things got kesslered all to hell”
Labor-Rights Contract- basically indentured servitude. A contract in which one provides labor to someone for a given period in exchange for compensation given in advance, and then room and board, as opposed to ongoing compensation. Generally exploitative. Not really very well thought of. Illegal in some areas.
Laying Hull- euphemism for sex, female analog of “laying pipe.” Originally Delaney yardie slang, but much more widely used now.
Maestren- gender neutral equivalent of the title “master” as used in the way one talks to a child. (“young Mestren Smith”)
Makhnovchik- The language spoken on Makhnovshchina (see locations and world bible). A mixture of English, Ukranian, and Russion, plus some stuff (see breakout document)
Manus Casia Myelitis- Purple Hand Myelitis or MCM. A genetic, degenerative nerve disease. Largely manageable with ongoing drug treatment.
Meteors and Moon Men- a holotop rpg of aliens and laser blasters. Space D&D
Natural Asteroid- One that is not constructed. That occurred naturally in the system.
Neftyanye- a Makhnovchik word meaning literally: oil, colloquially, bullshit, useless trash, a derogatory
New Texarcana- one of the nations where the USA used to be.
The Nine States- A collection of nations where the USA used to be, the midwest, basically. The Alliance of Homesteading Families, the Children of Brigham Young, the State of Jefferson, Anarchia, The Farmers & Ranchers Alliance of Middle America, & the USA (the Unitary State of America)
NoGos (No home, Going anywhere)- people who stow away on hulking transport ships and work as transient laborers, with a culture and folklore similar to 1930s Hobos. Set up living spaces (Lullabies, after one of their cultural icons Woody Guthrie) in cargo holds if they’re stowing away illegally, have been known to freeze to death in flight.
The Northern Republic of States- One of the countries where the USA used to be, New England, basically
Nueva Baja Vigilance Committee- a Terran basically vigilante group from the California Broadcasting Republic’s Nueva Baja Archipelago, “protecting their community” nationalist fucks. Had run ins with the IWM and Dr. Gold.
NUTS (No Use in Tampering, Stop)- something you paint on engine parts to keep keen young engineers off them. (Sometimes said to mean “Negative Utility in Tampering” instead). A retroactive definition for a phrase that originally was exactly what it sounds like, possibly starting as a joke (as in “keep your hands off my nuts”) but has been, over time “sanitized” for younger, & more easily offended mechanics.
Orbital Buddy Program- a program through Terran Veteran Affairs that pairs older veterans with newly separated ones.
OH-2- solar ray protective shielding, for planets that have atmosphere. Basically a bubble but not fully enclosed. A new product from Wescott-Provina right around the time of the Centennial Storm
Paanch Sau Party - (Peregrination word) Literally "five hundred" party. A celebration of all the marriages, births, and adoptions that happened since the last All-Thing. Ships will hold their own or sometimes host them together (or in proxy of a ship that is not attending.)
The Protean Hind- a colony ship headed for the neptune system, the Protean Hind. She developed reactor trouble way out in the void. Leaking radiation into her crew compartments. Wasn’t rescued, resulted in the conviction of Joseph Brand (see I Walk These Hills)
Polar- the shortened name of a beer
Rag-and-Bone Folx- See Salvagers
REI/NS (Rapid Engine Interruption/Negation System)- Emergency override that kills ships engines. Most ships are equipped with some version of them.
Rover: a wheeled utility vehicle with some off-road capability, usually with more wheels than a 'truck'. Most have enough interior space to work in and live out of for at least brief periods of time. Usually have cabins that can be sealed for use in hostile environments; on Mars they're something of a hold-over from the pre-terraforming era
The Rust Belt- The band surrounding Mars dividing terraformed/bubbled area from rough wilderness.
Salvager- People, usually with their own ships, or part of a crew, who search the black for broken down ships/stations, that have been wrecked or otherwise abandoned, and break them down to sell
Scrapper- See Salvager
Scrapper’s Prayer- Said by Salvagers for unknown dead in the black- “To this dear stranger, laid to rest unknown. / May you walk no more through these dark hills alone. / Your road is run. / Your journey done. / May you at last be still and in our hearts find home.”
Scrounger- See Salvager
Shipfall- When particularly large vessels get decommissioned (like bulk freighters, cruise lingers, or even military ships), the expedient way is to fly it into the inner system and let a large shipyard take them apart. But for more profit, you can fly it our to a station in the outer worlds and moor it there. Instead of a single scrapper, dozens or even a hundred independant salvage crews will descend on the large ship, each paying the owner a fee to get access to the salvage. The bustle of activity forms a little boom town, with a temporary boom in population of not just the scrappers, but other people moving in to make money off the newcomers. Known colloquially as a "shipfall" with the "shipfall town" growing around it.
Shipfall Town- See “Shipfall”
Skeidbrimir- a ship made by Aesir. Fast, but fairly low-muscle. Runs either an AE884 or AE900 engine
Skiff- (also known as Flea, Bubble Bike, or Gemini) a small, generally 2 person vehicle used to make short trips around the outside of space stations or orbitals. They have their own atmo and 02, but are not equipped to make long journeys. They could probably go from orbit down onto a planet if you were really pushing things and were ok possibly burning your skiff out. There is a huge underground skiff racing community on New New Vegas.
The Southern States of America (SSA)- one of the countries where the USA used to be, the American south and some of the southwest
SPACE (System Planet and Colony Express) System- A intra-system public ship transit network that goes between the major settlements (or at least the major ones when it was founded). Paid for by the Coln Nye Atbrook Endowment for Public Transportation & Intra-System Connection.
Spacer’s Flu- A kind of catch-all sickness from being in space. Anything from falling ill after using a Lullabye to various bugs passed around ships
SPUR (Solid Propulsion Utility Rocket)- A device that gives ships a quick burst of speed. Think NOS for space ships.
Soora - Peregrination word. From the irish “saor”. Literally “free”. Describes property that is under control of the family.
Stabilized Orbit: When an orbiting body has been moved from an orbit that is sub-optimal (either because of where it takes the body, or because it gets in the way of other things) into one that works better for the needs of the people using it/working around it.
Starlight Truffle- see Grifola Terminus Stercus
Starshine- “moon hooch” a liquor brewed by NoGos
Sucker Shrooms- See Grifola Ter,omis Stercis
Sunward- travelling toward the sun, a directional descriptor. Toward the center of the system. “Inward”
Supplemented Asteroid- One that may be either constructed or natural, but that has been added to after the fact to change its useability.
SupraCath Bio-waste Management System- a YuKon development piloted on Kesstrel to limit time needed for bathroom breaks
System Exchange Station (SES)- Stops on the SPACE system that aren’t part of a planet/orbital/habitat/asteroid
Terminal Conk- see Grifola Terminus Stercus
Ulko- (Peregrination word) Perrigrinational for outsider
Ulkoff - (Peregination word) Portmantau for “ulko cough”. When a Family ship has had no contact with the outside for a long time and then docks in a port, the entire crew will often get a cold/flu.
Unty- (Peregrination word) Perrigrinational non-gendered version of auntie/uncle, specifically with a diminutive connotation
VACquero- asteroid wrangler/cowboy. Harvest asteroids and take them places for use. From Vaccum cowboy.
Vanda Coerulea sublucidus- the Starry Twilight Orchid, and the most expensive plant in the System. Stolen from Preston Jorgenson and sold to Alfee Augusto
Vanderbilt 9000 Personal Pleasure Craft- Spaceship. “A sleek cube with a quartet of rockets at the bottom and fancy filigree on the side. Even had tailfins.”
Vatnichka- a Makhnovchik word meaning propaganda, specifically things like speeches or pamphlets
Void-locked- backwater. Middle of nowhere.
Vollattes- like a cigarette except instead of lighting it, you tear the end off (or cut it like a cigar) and the contents start reacting to the oxygen in the air and subliming, which is endothermic, so the whole thing gets cold as it reacts. Originally the trademarked product Vollatté, generalized to the term for all of them..
Vollies- See “Vollattes”
Vulture- A Salvager who hears distress calls, and rather than going to help, waits until they die to go in and break the ship down for sale.
Wagetiffs- a Makhnovchik word meaning From “wage theifs” exploitative employers. Capitalists who run the businesses that use people
Wandering - a tradition that young Family members are sent out to other ships of the family, or to spent time among the ulko before settling down.
Watch your tether- Delaney Yard worker slang. A sign off/good-bye. Generally replied to with “check your seals.” (originally from the checklist posted just inside the airlock in every Yard.)
Wellerman- "someone from large planet like earth, mars or venus" in our setting. Literally "someone from a gravity well"
Wet Banana- A mixed drink made of ethanol compounds and and isoamyl acetate.
Whacker- Alcohol, “brewed runoff sucrose stuff” + caffeine
Wunjie- Lunar slang, derogatory. Derived from “1 G” people from non-Lunar planets/asteroids
YoCol- (pronounced yokul). YuKon employee slang for basic associates. The rank and file. From YuKon Colonists
YoTown- YuKon employee slang for town asteroids/settlements/stations. Generally used by people like MOUNTIEs as a derogatory.