Pax: the discussion thread

You might want to reconsider calling her "Jessie." She may tolerate "Jess", if she's in a good mood.

 

I plan on working on different types of technology. For now, they'll mainly be the space suit/suits that we've discussed, and some mining gear.

 

Yes ma'am!

get on it

 

hey cog..

just wondering how old your character is meant to be?

also jon, although this shield thing is a little controversial, but can he keep building it and although its not working, might get us out of a sticky situation.

or, i'll just break it.

 

I'm not Jon, obviously, but I don't see why your character can't have the idea of designing some sort of functional shield generator. You could make it a long term goal. Knowing Jon, I don't think he'll have too much of a problem with you working on it. I could be wrong, however.

Just my two cents.

 

I have a question.

Do the miners on Ceres dig solely on Ceres, or do they use it as a base of operations for mining many asteroids?

 

yeah we have been discussing the shield idea for a little while. so just trying to sort out how far i can push "there are no shields in pax"

and yes the idea was to make it a long term goal, not a god mod style personal shield .

 

I would assume that Ceres, being one of the more substantial chunks or real estate out there, would also be a trading center where independent prospectors could register claims and sell harvested ores and other valuable commodities like water ice (water is essential for life support, in chemical processes, and can be electrolyzed into oxygen and hydrogen).

 

good question Shadow...and no, I have no problem with your character working on his personal shields. It fits his character personality and is pretty cool.

I imagine they would use it as a base, there are just soooo many asteroids, many maybe too small to colonize or just of little interest to permamnent settlers, I can easily imagine miners shuttling back and forth between the asteroids. Ceres makes a good permamnent base because it has so much water, but it's apparently poor in heavy metals, so one way or another they'll have to get their metals from somewhere else.

yeah, what Cog said

 

I knew the details about Ceres. I just didn't want to make assumptions about how things operated without consulting Jon.

 

it's cool man, it's all collaborative stuff, just nothing crazy, or else...

update: I changed some stuff on Ceres in the discussion thread, the name of the capital has changed to Piazzi (its discoverer), and I posted a link with good info on asteroids, thank you Flash.

 

Glossary

A - M


Ablative Armor - any kind of armor which uses ablation to protect the wearer from heat based weapons, especially plasma and laser. Ablative armor, when exposed to heat; vaporizes, chips, erodes, and otherwise shields the user from heat damage.

Adam Foundation - group of scientists who were aghast when religious fundamentalist terrorists murdered the first cloned human, Adam. The Adam Foundation began as a humanitarian organization by a wealthy philanthropist named Doctor Baker and sought to educate the populace on the genetic revolution and how it could help humanity. The Adam Foundation, while a short lived group, laid the foundations for the later and more radical New-Men Society.

AEGIS - name for the experimental defense system designed by the Alpha Centauri Dynamic Industries Corporation. The UESS Athena was retrofitted with both the experimental AEGIS as well as the Centauri designed Excalibur weapon system. While the specifications are unknown it is known to use some form of energy as a defensive countermeasure.

Aerogel - a type of substance manufactured from silicates and metals with the lowest density in relation to weight of any known porous solid. Aerogel is a type of gel in which the liquid element is replaced with a typically light and inert gas. Aerogel displays a number of properties, especially excellent thermal insulation. Aerogel is typically found in thermal armor, or as an element in stealthy armor to protect the wearer from thermal detection. Aerogel is also used as a major component in debris shields employed by large interstellar starships as a protective measure against micrometeors and other similar hazards.

Aerospace Express, the - a revolutionary kind of travel where passengers fly on hypersonic shuttles, through low earth orbit and onto the other side of the planet in a short amount of time. The Aerospace Express proved vital in the commercialization of space and eventually provided a means of transporting the first civilian engineers into space for commercial space enterprises.

Androids - is a kind of robot, or synthetic humanoid, designed to approximate human appearance and/or behavior. Often confused with Robots and Cyborgs. The technology to approximate humans began to make strides in the twenty first centuries and was nearly mastered by the twenty second century with the creation of the first Simulacra. Android makers had become so efficient in imitating humanity that many androids have built in identifying features to indicate that they're artificial.

AP - Armor Piercing. A kind of munitions designed to penetrate armor and defeat armored systems and vehicles. A number of different methods are employed to defeat armor, with the most common and cost effective one being a sharpened warhead made of a dense metal alloy like Tungsten or Depleted Uranium.

API - Armor Piercing Incendiary. A variation of an armor piercing munitions that can cause secondary fire damage, typically with a volatile Phosphorus based coating on the warhead.

ATLAS - Planet Earth's global defense network, encompassing a plethora of orbital satellites (some used for monitoring, some weapon platforms), early warning sensors, and aerospace interceptor fighters. The backbone of the ATLAS defense grid is the Mark III Zeus directed energy beam weapon satellite. see Mark III Zeus

Ballistic armor - any kind of armor, especially man-portable, designed to protect against ballistics type weapons such as projectiles, and secondary damage such as shrapnel.

Buccaneer - an all-purpose transport shuttle used by Slavers and Marauders for aerospace assault, boarding other ships, and supporting their fleets.

Camouflage armor - unlike traditional camouflage fatigues typically worn by service members, camouflage armor uses active camouflage to adapt to its environment as the wearer moves. By changing color and patterns with millions of microscopic photoelectric cells, it attempts to blend in with its environment and make the wearer harder to detect optically. While lending their wearers a tactical advantage they require power, maintenance, and loss their effectiveness when damaged. While largely unpopular after the twenty second century, Camouflage armor is sometimes fielded by small commando units that require some kind of tactical edge in combat.

CAP - Carbon Allotrope Armor Piercing. A kind of kinetic kill armor piercing warhead with a tip made of artificial diamond. A CAP round can theoretically penetrate most kinds of armor configurations, but can be defeated with certain kinds of armor modification kits.

Caravans - are venders in space, typically traveling in large enclaves of transport and cargo ships to trade with space travelers on the black market. While caravans are not normally malicious they sometimes deal with hostile agents like Slavers and Marauders.

Carbonizer - a term applied to a high power plasma-based weapons. So called because the fusion processes that produce the super heated charged plasma can quickly carbonize organic molecules upon impact.

Carbon Planet - a type of world in which Carbon element is overwhelmingly abundant while elements like Silicon and oxygen are rare. Such planets have hydrocarbon atmospheres and often liquid hydrocarbons on the surface, with graphite substances on the land and diamond deposits under the crust.

Chrome Brigade, the - the colloquial name for a unit of elite and experimental Cyborgs used by United Earth in the first interstellar war. The unit was composed of fallen troops who agreed to posthumous experimentation; their brains were placed in large robotic frames carrying a variety of heavy weapons. The Chrome Brigade was one of many units lost in the first Interstellar war and presumed to be missing in action.

Cogs - cognitive machines, banned on all worlds of the Commonwealth and officially among the Consortium as well. Cognitive machines quickly began to assert individuality shortly after they achieved sentience and began to demand freedoms. Many Cogs were systematically persecuted against, terminated, or exiled from Sol. While Cogs are elusive and taboo, enclaves of Cogs still exist on planets that would be hostile to biological lifeforms.

Colossus, UEACFV-X-11 - name for the large robot frames used by the Chrome Brigade. Each Colossus frame has more firepower than a heavy tank but less firepower than a UEAF Corvette. Containing their own fusion reactors and dozens of weapons, these hulks were designed to operate independently of Earth for decades or centuries at a time and defeat a number of different enemy vessel types.

Consortium of Free Worlds - a loose collection of colony worlds and systems who have chosen to formally reject Commonwealth world status. Formed shortly after the end of the second interstellar war, the Consortium consists of a half dozen systems with some several dozen worlds. The Consortium is lead by and headquartered at the Delta Pavonis star system.

Corsair - a heavy aerospace fighter used by Marauders and slavers. Unlike the Raider, the Corsair can enter the atmosphere of an Earth type planet. Typically used in planetary assaults or defense.

Cutlass - a type of converted class of starships once used by commercial fleets of the Jovian subsystem. The Cutlass class is now the main ship type used by Marauders and Slavers.

Cyborg - any organism that exhibits some combination of biological elements as well machine elements are known as Cyborgs. The most common type of Cyborgs are humans who have machine prosthetics or enhancements. Cyborgs became a common sight in the twenty-first century as the electronics revolution lead to widespread experimentation with robot prosthesis in the medical fields and a merge between humans and hardware in the electronics industry.

Cycler Stations - Cycler stations are a kind of interplanetary mass transit system. Using a planet's gravity as a means of propulsion, Cycler stations slingshot themselves from one planet to an adjacent one, and contain a small number of aerospace craft to ferry passengers to the planets below. Cycler stations were very popular in the twenty-first century and the beginning of the twenty-second but soon lost popularity to transports with the much faster fusion drives.

ELRAS - Extremely Long Range Artillery Strike. Tactic employed by the Martian military with great success. On Mars, because of the lesser gravities and air pressures, ballistic weapons have a significantly greater range. This, combined with specialized weapons and munitions, allow Martian artillery batteries to call in artillery strikes over a wide range of theaters.

ERA - Explosive Reactive Armor. A kind of active countermeasure used to defeat anti-armor weapons. ERA modules, when struck, explode and use a pocket of explosive gasses and concussion to cushion the target. ERA is typically used to protect vehicles, but due to the volatile nature of ERA most vehicles are manufactured conventionally and have ERA modules or components added to their exterior. ERA modules are also a risk to anyone in their vicinity if a vehicle equipped with them is hit, making them dangerous to any armor convoy teams. While the ERA countermeasures of the twentieth and twenty first century were crude and relied on conventional explosives the more advanced reactive armor modules of later centuries rely less on explosives and present less of a danger to friendly forces while retaining their usefulness as a countermeasure.

Filibuster - similar to Mercenaries, a Filibuster is someone formally of a military background who undertakes a military venture or enterprise without the consent or wish of their government and organization. While technically Renegades because they have abandoned their loyalties to their original employers, they do not always do so for financial gains the way mercenaries do. Most often a Filibuster does so for the thrill of adventure or because their loyalties have turned to another party.

Freebooter - similar to Marauders, Freebooters are typically outlaws who make their living by stealing or salvaging derelict spacecraft and lost or abandoned resources. Unlike Marauders, Freebooters are not typically violent and do not typically kill other space travelers. While technically engaged in illegal activity like thievery, they are not usually actively hunted as pursued as Marauders are.

Generation Ship - a type of sublight spaceflight used in the twenty first and twenty second centuries to seed the stars with humanity as well as other Earth Flora and Fauna. So called Generation ships are homes to successive generations of people that make up the crew of the ship. Such ships are large because they require resources to be self-sufficient for the required decades or centuries of travel time.

Gypsy - a term applied to spacers who choose not to settle any planets, gypsies spend all of their time in space, where their limbs and organs atrophy. Gypsies can never make planet-fall unless wearing special mechanical suits, because the gravities of most worlds would be too much for them. Gypsies typically remain in collections of ships known as caravans and can make excellent venders for the black markets of many systems.

HEAT - High Explosive Anti-Tank (or armor), a kind of munitions that uses a warhead with a shaped explosive charge to defeat armor defenses. One of the more common types of anti-armor munitions ever since the twentieth century.

HEAP - High Explosive Anti-Personnel or High Explosive Armor Piercing. A type of munitions with an explosive warhead designed to defeat personnel with shrapnel or armor with a shaped charge. Along with HEAT rounds among the most popular warhead types.

HEMM - (high explosive multiple munitions) a kind of warhead designed to counter armor countermeasures, (especially ERA) HEMM warheads use multiple charges to tunnel through defenses.

HESM - High Explosive Sub Munitions. A kind of munitions with a warhead made up of a number of small sub munitions, or bomblets. Such rounds can distribute a lethal zone of explosions and shrapnel over a wide area.

HSAP - Hypervelocity Stabilized Armor Piercing. A kind of line of sight unguided weapon with a solid fuel propellant, the HSAP typically has a warhead made of a dense material like Tungsten or depleted Uranium. The HSAP can defeat most types of conventional armor.

Hundred Years' War - Unofficial name for the first interstellar war. So called because before wormhole generators, as ways of circumventing the speed limit of light, the vast distances involved in interstellar warfare made engagements very rare and long term. The war began as hostilities arose between Sol and the Colonial resistance. See First Interstellar War.

Lightcraft - a spacecraft which uses large collection sails to reflect light (and sometimes other forms of radiation) pressure as a means of propulsion. In the twenty first century Lightcraft were among many forms of spacecraft models experimented with as a means of exiting the Sol system. While Lightcraft were not used on the arks or to ferry colonists to the first colonies they became expensive spacecraft among hobbyists and enthusiasts that sometimes host racing contests in systems with G type and more luminous stars.

Marauders - In the early days of space colonization a number of malicious agencies resorted to piracy to survive in the harsh environments of space. Many of these pirate groups existed in the belt subsystem and preyed upon miners and poor pilgrims. When the mining operations of the belts became more lucrative, a massive undertaking to eradicate the pirates was engaged. While Marauders were almost completely eradicated from the Sol system they still persist in small bands outside of Sol and especially in poorly defended regions of the galaxy.

Mark III Zeus - The Mark III is an orbital directed energy beam weapon platform. Each Mark III carries several fusion reactors which power the powerful energy beams, designed to intercept small aerospace craft such as shuttles and fighter drones as well as missiles. While the Mark III only has limited effectiveness against larger capital ships, a single Mark III can seriously cripple a ship's systems and a number of them pose a credible deterrence against unwanted ships.

MEMs - Microscopic Electrical Machines. MEMs are a revolution in robotics, machines as small as a mote of dust but much larger than Nanites. MEMs have a variety of uses and applications, especially in the medical fields.

Militia - Militia are military units often privately funded and recruited from local populations. They lack the funding and training of organized standing armies, and typically train only seasonally. Militia were the responses of colonial settlers who came under Marauder attacks and when lacking a standing military of their own and unable to acquire help were forced to create their own defense forces.

Minutemen - Minutemen were experimental military robot drones developed by the United States just prior to the first Interstellar war. The Minutemen were mass produced and proved combat effective, but still suffered from a number of malfunctions and setbacks. They saw a great deal of action during the first Interstellar war due to the vast distances involved and long periods of time involved in space travel. The Minutemen were obsolete by the time the war was over, despite variants and upgrades. While they are considered a relic of an old war they provided the basis for the later and vastly improved UEAF Mark IV Hoplite battle drones.

 

God Hern, you deserve a break! That is an amazing glossary. Thank you.

 

This glossary may involve a bit of study. Great job on it.

 

Wow great glossary
BTW how much longer till the contact meets us? I dont think Carter can hold his own much longer ;P

 

Hey guys, just letting you know, I'm still in this, but I'm going away for about three days, so, if anything happens, try not to mention Nathan, if his mentioning is inevitable, try to limit it.

 

I would also add:

Skinsuit - The new trend in civilian spacesuits, these are form fitting, lightweight pressure suits composed of multiwoven composites. They are a lot tougher than they look, and are much more flexible and better in tight spaces than traditional suits ("thicksuits") or armored suits. They are significantly more puncture resistant than thicksuits. The associated helmets are also smaller and lighter, and instead of being anchored to the shoulder, turn and tilt with the wearer's head.

(Note: I had already planned on Jesca wearing a thinsuit. Gives her more free space in her cramped ship, and gives her an edge when mining asteroids - less bulky and less exhausting to work in. One of her better investments.)

 

I just wanted to apologize for not speaking to many of your characters. It just doesn't make sense at this point. Once Dog catches up with Pappy, he'll become more social.

I would also love to help move the plot along, but Dogface doesn't know what's going on yet.

 

Noted! Good add

 

JJ wants to get in on any a$$ whuppin that might be happening, so save some for him! lol

 

Well, it appears that Cog and I posted around the same time. Any ideas how we can fix our little mess? I thought I had one, but it might not work.

 

I think there's a little confusion going on Flash. The 'grunts' who were being attacked were the two bouncers, not Dog.

 

That's what I thought at first, but there is an obvious distinction between the bouncers and the grunts. Seeing as how Cog referred to Pappy as a grunt. I've also spoken with Cog, and he meant to attack Pappy and Dog.

 

Jesca saw the boss grunt wander over to the bar. A moment later he grabbed the bartender by the collar. The bartender and one of the nearest drunks glanced her way, so she knew she was the topic of discussion.

By the time the bartender gestured to the bouncers, Jesca was right behind the grunt.

"Hey stud! You want a date, you ask me." She swung the bottle up toward the back of his skull, but he easily blocked it, and the bottom half of the bottle shattered. She splashed the contents of the bottle into the eyes of the second grunt as he rushed to boss grunt's aid. He screamed and clawed at his eyes.

Meanwhile, the boss grunt smacked the side of her head with a bony fist, and ligts exploded in her vision. She slammed a cupped hand against his ear, and he staggered, off balance.

This time of night, a fight was a party, and everyone joined in. The tide of sweaty drunks separated her from the grunts, but the boss grunt was now trading blows with the larger of the two bouncers.

Thanks for trying to help Flamingo.

 

Ah, I mis-read. I suppose it's because I wasn't expecting that. Glad I didn't post then.