happy board: A term used in starships to describe a system status board indicating all systems operating correctly. While status lights use the same blue-crimson or blue-amber-crimson encoding as other bistate or tristate indicators, studies have shown that most sophonts respond quickly and accurately to emotional inputs, and process these
The flat robot hummed unheard as it ran along the rails of the sub-highway service plenum, gliding smoothly to a stop at the location of the damaged slab. The plenum was clear; no need to move fragments out of the way before doing the replacement. Clunk. The pneumatic prop-ram extruded
Colonists wanted to settle on Tilain (Innia Rise). Currently unimproved T-class world, carbon dioxide atmosphere, mean surface temperature 270K. Partial ecopoesis in progress to mixed D-protein-lipid-D-carbohydrate ecology. Independent/non-politan colonial corporation; not a freesoil world. Prospective colonists or colony groups expected to purchase a minimum of one share in the
Cool People Rebel Against Authority: Played straight and inverted. The former because, yes, being who they are and therefore ideologically predisposed that way, tyrants and slavers and democracies and other forms of unjustified authority make great villains in Imperial adventure series. The latter because, being such a freewheeling culture with
Cool Gate: The stargates, giant miles-wide holes in space through which can be seen the distorted stars at the other end of the wormhole, embedded in a pair of arms wrapped around it containing a whole pile of support machinery, a power reactor, and a little bit of space traffic
adjustment: just about any op that doesn’t fit into any more specific category. Anything from spiking planetary water supplies to curing a pet’s sniffles. black house: a safe house or other facility so far out-system you can’t find your primary without a gravigraph. cauterize: to clean up
Coolest Club Ever: The best known (and with, therefore, the largest Wannabe Line in the Empire) is the Aleph, on Baranithil Station; the most popular would be the Polythalience, on the Conclave Drift; the most exclusive would be the Floating Meme – wherever it turns up next; and the most infamous
Cool Chair: It’s a civilization built by and for technophiliacs with distinct mad science inclinations. The non-cool chairs are in a distinct minority. Including, yes, hovering chairs, mecha chairs, heavily armed hovering and mecha chairs, chairs that can control the surrounding environment if not in fact the starship they’
If I ever again have to figure out how to program a cornucopia to produce pre-damaged goods, at least I won’t be starting from scratch. I ventured outside Sanctuary today in pursuit of what records there were of the landing points of the refugee shipments that might have included
Pose of Supplication: Wince. No, don’t. Really. Never kowtow, kneel, genuflect, otherwise grovel, or even bow deeper than, oh, 45 degrees unless you’re about to apologize in the full formal old Japanese sense of the phrase. Keep your head up and look people in the eye, even for
Opening today at the Anchalate is the final exhibition in the Empire-wide shiftsculpture competition sponsored by the Delphys Academy of the Shaping Arts and the Company of Assemblers and Free-Roaming Nanoengineers. General admissions will begin at Waterclock-18, after the special exhibition for the Imperial Couple and the attendance of the
Lorcis Vianath-ith-Vianne & Selves Pty., Bonded Commercial Obligators, to Mettáre viKoruaz, viKoruaz, viHanic, and Siblings, greetings. With regard to your communication of the 3rd inst. with our client, Ordene Psychedesign, ICC: Without prejudice, our client expresses regret at your client’s dissatisfaction with the performance of their product, AnAddiction™. Nevertheless,