TOG In Space

by cmopatrick

A novel about Shawn Ryan and his adventures set in the Star Citizen universe. Please note that this was begun in 2013 (only months after the Star Citizen funding campaign launched), long before most of the game mechanics had been described (much less finalized). (update:) When canon Xi'An content was finally added, the story fell completely out of canon (their choice, not mine).

34. glossary & notes

TOG In Space does not represent canon for Star Citizen; it was begun before we had much lore at all, much less for the Xi'An. As of this posting (January 2016) we still do not have much more than when I was mentally solving problems and filling in the gaps between inception in 2013 and early 2015 when the story finished.

In order to write the story, I've created quite a bit of explanation/backstory; for the sake of perhaps explaining things that might not be apparent, I am including a large slice of that background here: the glossaries, a complete character list, and some of the most pertinent Xi'An lore. Please feel free to ask questions of me if you wish.

...

Glossary

Astranym - the English word for the second part of a Xi'An name, it is usually related to the family nestline, but not always (especially for noname Xi'An)

cap - slang for any tDCS device; the most common models do look like caps with the array of electrodes woven in, but flight helmets and other headgear can also be "caps".

Capper – slang for a person who spends long hours using a tDCS (transcranial Direct Current Stimulation) training "cap" to learn any of an array of skills much faster than normally possible, to many folks they are considered comparable to other kinds of junkies.

C-coal - a chemically reactive heat source used for barbecuing; unlike our modern charcoal, it doesn't give off harmful or restricted gasses or require any form of oxidation. The heat is therefore clean... but to have a smokey flavor, one has to drizzle various plant extracts over the c-coals while cooking.

Clisnas - small pink to reddish pear-shaped pithy fruit native to Terra III (but common in the eastern UEE) that tastes like a cross between an orange and champagne; because of it's thick pulp, it is often juiced.

Croshaw's Revenge - most common form of jump sickness, often considered a rookie mistake; for those susceptible to it, it is usually caused by eating too much and then travelling through a jump lane (ie., interspace). Symptoms include high fever, nausia, and loose bowel issues, and it usually lasts three or four days.

Dekaday - ten days, a human term for the ten day period ("a'tēēl") that is used by the Xi'An much as we use the seven day 'week'.

dinos - a human reference to a group of Xi'An with slightly more lizard-like or dinosaur-like faces (Sommne); these Xi'An have teeth instead of turtle-like beaks.

Fatayer - a savory meat/cheese/whatever pastry common in the Levant. The kinds Jurdi makes are similar to traditional Lebanese fatayer recipes with pleasantly spiced lamb and cheese. (actual Arabic word)

fist bump - a part of human greeting rituals that has replaced shaking hands in several cultures; came into popular use after a number of rapid spreading pandemics in the 21st century were traced to physic contact like hand-shakes. (from davidon)

Great Banner - The Milky Way Galaxy; seen from deep space, it dominates the view looking much like a river of burning sand... and like a king's banner of old drew the intrepid forth for battle, so now the Great Banner draws intrepid pilots forth to conquer the void.

(The) Hatched - (alternately, "The Intelligent Hatched") a translation of "Xi'Aah" (Xi'An), it can be used in conversation with or reference to Xi'An.

HogBack - an older gunship model, it was much more common in the 2800s. Its parent company, Holes Inc., was bought out by RSI four decades ago.

Imps - slang for Imperials, more properly known as UEC or United Earth Credits.

jape - slang for a jump point (from kazee)

jix- rough equivalent of vernacular uses of 'cool', 'sweet', or 'sick'; often used as an exclamation (eg., 'Jix!').

MUD - common term for DSML, a drug used to save pilots ejecting into space from dying due to extended exposure. MUD is injected into the bloodstream, usually from a packet incorporated into spacesuits at the collar; it takes sixty to ninety seconds before the pilot looses consciousness, and after recovery while the body is warmed, the pilot's blood (and hence his/her cells) must be cleaned. Pilots usually regain some level of consciousness within 48 hours, but are unfit to fly for a week to ten days. Unlike Antifreeze, MUD is somewhat democratized, with different providers, cost points, and tweaks on method of delivery; there is even the option for the more chemistry literate folks to brew up their own. The greatest advantages of MUD are that a pilot who is injured or has a minor suit rupture (anywhere except the helmet) can survive. Also, it is based on the original cryo transit formulas used on the Artemis and other early exploration and colony ships; this gives the added value to a pilot of creating a state of complete stasis. This is incredibly important for pilots who are likely not to have an S&R MedEvac nearby to pick them up within the next 24 hours. There are credible reports of 'MUDdy' pilots being fished out of space years after their ships were shot out from underneath them and being revived by the standard MUD process.

oxy-capper - the stereotypical tDCS capper, these "'lectro junkies" not only spends long hours using tDCS training "caps" but they breathe pure oxygen while doing so.

puchast - a nasty human slur.

Python - a gunship introduced during the first Tevarin war (2543). While now considered ancient, many heavily upgraded units are still in service in borderland systems and lesser priority areas due to their toughness and ballistic firepower. However, they are bulky and not exceptionally maneuverable compared to modern designs, and unless significantly modified they are very ammunition dependent.

Rarish - an urban teen subculture, it is mostly focused on a wild form of dance (also called 'Rarish').

Rarish dance - a popular (30th century) teen form of dance, performed in wild crowds to music typically with fast driving beats and thick bass/bass drum percussion; by twentieth century standards, the music sounds like a blend of Trance with middle eastern/eastern European instruments driven by a phat bass line.

Rat's Blood Reactor Fuel - A hot sauce made from extract of ghost chilies, fire flowers, and several secret ingredients (likely of Xi'An origin), it comes in a black bottle with a blood red skull and crossed bones and equally blood red lettering on it; Rat's Blood is generally accepted to be the hottest (spicy) sauce known to man, and is at least equal to anything the Xi'An have ever demonstrated to humans.

RSI Hopper 450 - Short range four/five seat spacecraft, most commonly used as a "taxi" for reaching orbital platforms or taking travelers around a planet (does not have the range for interplanetary travel); the seating is usually arranged with two seats in front and two behind, laid out much like a planetary hovercar or sedan.

sequence - a secure communications protocol that uses encryption and multiple channels. A simplified explanation is that three or more separate channels are used, each broadcasting continuously throughout a transmission (the broadcasts may have meaning or be complete random gibberish). The actual communication, after being encoded, is scattered across the channels in a predetermined manner. The channels themselves are then usually also encrypted. Without the initial sequence (the number of valid channels and their cyphers) and a common reference point in time, it is exceptionally difficult to crack a long message, and impossible to crack a short one. However, since the likelihood of transmission problems through jump relays is higher, such communications rarely use a sequence with more than four channels to reduce the chances that a retransmission will be required. In tight combat situations, where line of sight allows microwave burst communications, high powered command and control units may use up to nine channels that are open continuously (even when nothing is being communicated), making a crack statistically impossible.

Slabbed! - an excited slang roughly equivalent to "Cool!", "Jix!", or "Slick!"

somal - a large member of a cat-like species native to Terra; they most resemble a small jaguar (hence the common reference to 'Terran Jaguar'). They have a vicious reputation for brutally hunting livestock and occasionally humans.

Stamin - slang for standard minute, a human measure of time

tack - self-identification for a teen from the Rarish subculture (as in: "Where do the tacks hold on?" means "Where do the Rarish teens go dancing?").

Tonkor - High end mobiglas manufacturer (to use modern watches as an example, think just one step below Rolex); best known for 4 and 5 chip models (chips provide grid-free material or material needed where the grid isn't available) and their durable Informer MobiGlove®, a mobi device worn on the hand (hardware on the back of the hand) that is popular with pilots and anyone who finds a need to use both their hands. All current Tonkors can securely interface with visual technology like the retinal and newer ONI (Optic Nerve Integrated) implants and with molar and jaw audio implants.

trog - an insult questioning one's intelligence (from 'troglodyte').

UEGC 2741-171 Section 4 - the UEE Statute (Governmental Code) that grants (& covers) secrecy for OES covert operations and related information.

Ungun'd! - "I'm unarmed!" in the slang of junkies, criminals and pirates.

wauglash - a rude demeaning (human) reference to one or more Xi'An

whoaho - a human slur on par with 'bast-ard' or 'a**hole' (as in "you lying whoaho!").

...

Xi'An Glossary

a'tēēl - the Xi'An week (aka., dekaday), but composed of 10 kluh (days) instead of 7 days

Aet Nogg - the "Seer's Eye" glyph; the actual meaning of "Aet" is unclear, but Nogg involves seeing, vision, or awareness.

An'shan - human(s), humanity (literally, something like "warm things" or perhaps "warm bloods")

Athlē-korr - "Safe Travel" a formal good-bye. Roughly the equivalent of Godspeed in ancient Earthen sea-faring days. (canon/official from the "Meet the Xi'An" page)

Chac - A casual hello. To be used among peers or to subordinates. Use of this phrase from a subordinate to a superior or to a Xi'An of a higher caste than you will cause offense. (canon/official from the "Meet the Xi'An" page)

Chash'anori - Pretty good

Chash'ambosari - Good enough

Chash'ambosoy - (something close to 'good enough')

chrognaggh - bridge, but also used to imply a close connection or link; as in 'a good diplomat may be called a "bridge-builder"'

Dog Sha'U - the battery of tests to qualify for Xi'An civil service; they last a whole a'tēēl (Xi'An week, aka., dekaday).

Dor'Qual - an older Xi'An cargo craft, slightly larger than a Constellation and smaller than a Starfarer.

Ee'shu - astranym (kinda like a family name) for an Emperor's nestlings.

ga - yes

Gath - casual good-bye. (canon/official from the "Meet the Xi'An" page)

glee'ha - mildly intoxicating beverage with a bright ruby color, usually served chilled (but no ice). Similar to lagers in clarity and bite, but tasting like a slightly salty spiced wine. Imported in bulk by Mosh Nog Spirits (official Xi'An importer), but there are also local breweries authorized to make it in most systems along the Perry Line. Varieties: Glee'ha/Glee'ha Xree (rare in the UEE, the latter is a better brew of the same that is only produced in the Emperor's "authorized" breweries).

Grrsatch - the Xi'An equivalent of marriage, it includes pairing, nesting, and raising young. Note, when spoken, the word almost sounds like a cat's purr, implying some deeper satisfaction or pleasure to be found in this social bond.

Haeeth Dogo Xi'A Xres - First Above All Hatched, a title reserved for the Xi'An Emperor (literally "Raised Over Hatched (the) First")

Ith asas - generic admission of mistake; literally, "I wrong", "I err"

Ith lakshore - "Follow me"; literally, something along the lines of "I lead" or "I'm leading"

Ith shen'Ga - "I agree"; literally, "I confirm" or "I find (for) yes"

Ith Wahwei - "I don't understand" (more or less)

Jiā - homeworld of the Xi'An, seat of power for Emperor Kray and his governing council.

Kath - stop, usually as command; Kath! = Stop! Depending on context, alternate meanings are Cease!, or Silence!

Kla'Shi En - civil service "universities"; there are seventeen in the Xi'An empire.

Kluh - the Xi'An version of a standardized day, it translates to 25.85 hours Earth standard hours; "coincidentally", it is the length of the day on Jiā. (variant: klu')

Loaqlaa' - (UEEN designation = "Banshee") Well armed Xi'An heavy fighter/gunship produced by Mai'Eek Imperial (an Imperial Charter corporate entity). Like other Mai'Eek Imperial ships, it's flight configuration most resembles a figure eight, mounting engines and thrusters within loops and most weapons outside. It is much more maneuverable that the Xress, but does not have nearly as good aerodynamics for atmospheric ops.

Mahhragna ith ilxag - I am too humble for such honors (or something like that)

mit - 2 (two)

mix - teeth

molath - literally, eat 'mo' (a common food staple); the term is more commonly used to refer to dinner or any main meal.

Nagdach - a race (or perhaps species) of Xi'An notable for their physical size and strength; average adults are around 4 meters tall and weigh 500 to 600 kg. Skin coloration in the males is often brilliant blue to turquoise marks and accents (especially in the face) on forest green, while females are often equally brilliantly marked with reds on duller olive tones.

Nadjah Ith Mayn? - loosely translated, "Can you hear me?"

nog - involving seeing, vision, and/or awareness (variants include nogg and nogh).

punt - continue, literally "speak"

rhitna - please (e.g., "rhitna nogg" is "please see")

sagrathe - ghost, with a connotation of an evil entity.

shaē – Xi'An standardized "year" of 400 kluh (days)

Shē'sueren - literally "Hello and Greetings with Peace." This is the formal greeting and meant to only be used among close friends or with trusted business partners or in the hope of establishing a bond. Use of this phrase in a casual manner or when approaching a situation with tension or duplicity will immediately marginalize you in the Xi'An's eyes. One could argue that it's a pledge of truth and honor as much as a greeting. (canon/official from the "Meet the Xi'An" page) .

Slath! - "Move!" or "Get Up/Out!" - usually used as a command, normally under hostile circumstances. Also used as a command to initiate some operation in Xi'An group space ops.

taax - 3 (three)

taahg'naagch - humiliation, dishonor, lose face

Takshak - an exceptionally ancient formal Xi'An challenge that originated with male territorial disagreements. If accepted, it is settled with an urggh. Takshaki is the act of one Xi'An male challenging another with the takshak.

tash - another word for "continue" (similar to "punt"). Any other original literal meaning is not known at this time, however.

tēēl - 100 kluh (days) or one quarter shaē (year)

urggh - a deep drumming sound that is part of a ritual "nonviolent" dominance battle between two male Xi'An; it consists of a rising voicing described as kettle drums building towards a crescendo that continues to increase in volume and sonic force until one of the two cannot stand the pain and submits by becoming silent.

Xi'rrahn - a spicy Xi'An sauce for food, especially meats.

xre - one

xres - first

xres'sa - eldest

Xress - a courier class craft produced by Mai'Eek Imperial (an Imperial Charter corporate entity). Slightly smaller in mass than an Origen 350R; the Xress is considered by most to be the fastest piloted craft for linear acceleration (kinda like the space version of a top funny car drag racer) in the known universe. It has an exceptional acceleration curve but is not very maneuverable. It is also VERY lightly armed, carrying only two class three slots (usually with counter-measures and missiles). It most resembles a figure eight (8); the wings actually have good aerodynamic lift and can give her a good dynamic profile for atmospheric ops. The name in Xi'An is a play on "xres" which means "first".

Xsaxas'Ha 'Annan - (designated the "Night Witches" by the UEEN), an elite all female group of Xi'An fighter pilots. Their members are female Xi'An who, after finishing the required fifteen years service, decided to forgo pairing/nesting to stay on to train to become expert (and eventually) senior combat pilots. They are the amazons of the Xi'An and their units have legendary dogfighting skills.

Yay Shok - Present Credentials, usually an order, similar to the human order/request to present papers (eg., "Papers, please"). Literally, "Yay Shok" means something close to "Give Reasons" (or "Give Excuses").

Zagg'Radch - the Emperor's worn symbol of office (similar the a human king's crown). Sometimes called "The Imperial Beak", it is a custom ornament made of polished Rhodium that is worn across the Emperor's face from the top of the nose down to the edge of the beak, extending from the front of one ear ridge to the front of the other with dips below the eyes that allow unimpeded vision. One is fashioned for a new Emperor at ascension to the throne, but an Emperor may have several during a lifetime (as the face changes size and/or shape). The symbol is believed to have originally represented a head emblem (perhaps also a guard of some sort) which could be conspicuously worn while also wearing a combat or pilot's helmet.

Zsark - vertically oriented Xi'An craft slightly larger than a Constellation, usually used for VIP transport, rarely seen outside of Xi'An space except with their diplomatic corps.

...

Significant Character list

(by order of appearance)

Shawn Ryan: Human, aka "TOG" (The Old Guy)... the star of the show, if you will. Born in 2881, improperly convicted of piracy in 2898, released from RRS imprisonment 2907, graduated Advocacy Pilot school 2909. He was 61 at the start of the story in 2943.

Kree'Gna: Xi'An, Shawn's friend and sometimes partner, also Deputy Diplomat of some sort within the Xi'An Empire.

Duncan Fischer: Spacecraft AI voice, loosely based on the Solaris VII announcer in MW4:Mercs (voice acted by George Ledoux)

Gloria: Human, identified as a "Reporter" (one class of agent from MARC)

Arron: Human, married to Camilla, works on the tea plantation

Camilla: Human, married to Arron, manages the tea plantation

Jurdi Abboud: Human, "The best" suit tailor, her specialty is flight-suits; resides on Terra Prime. Shawn secretly wishes she were older and available as she is both cute and brilliant. Of course, if she were available and interested, Shawn would probably not worry about her just being in her forties.

Athas Mgren: Xi'An, Diplomat of the Empire to the population of the Terra system, adjunct to Torsi Leelk (official/canon) Diplomat to the UEE; she is member of the Emperor Kray's caste (aka., the Imperial NestLine).

Ksan Ko'Kree: Xi'An, intelligence councilor to Diplomat Athas Mgren (rank is similar to a CIA station chief), member of the 'Seer' caste.

Dora: Human, down on her luck kid... or at least that's what she says... occasionally works for 'Mark' ;)

Eowyn: Human, Director of Valinor Aeorspace's Hadur III Research and Supply Station.

Admiral Gramthr Emmin: Xi'An, Commanding officer for the Xi'An Navy in the Hadur system. Member of the Emperor Kray's caste (aka., the Imperial NestLine).

Dnong Ksack: Xi'An, very old, obviously an intel type, and a member of the 'Seer' caste.

Brother Patrick: Human, physician and Franciscan Friar from the Weymouth Priory (located about eleven kilometers from Shawn's tea plantation on Terra)

Toth Anddag: Xi'An, "Eldest Seer of the Outer Ring"; member of the 'Seer' caste.

Elsa Wong: Humam, OES Associate, psychiatrist at the UEE Xeno Affairs office in New Austin.

Po Shen-zhong: Human, OES Associate, Terra Prime assistant station chief.

Po Mai: Human, OES Associate, Married to Po Shen-zhong

Po Xin: Human, OES Associate, Po Shen-zhong's daughter, Xeno affairs specialist

Major McMurdoe: Human, OES Associate, Assistant to Po Shen-zhong

Gordon Bellforte: Human, OES Associate, black ops jack-of-all-trades, very familiar with Xi'An customs, at least common ones; master assassin.

Dr. Millesius: Human, OES Associate, psychiatrist, expert on interrogation results.

Dr. Lee: Human, OES Associate, ranking OES profile and asset psychologist on Terra.

Hornek Tish: Tevarin, mentioned as the source of several attempts on TOG's life; works for several unnamed Senators; not actually in the story as of chapter 13.

Dalton Banner: Human, bounty hunter

Agent Ellison: Human, Advocacy Agent on Terra assigned to the Prime office.

Associate Jones: Human, OES Associate, muscular black ops type.

Doctor Harrington: Human, doctor who tends to Shawn during his recovery from wounds.

Torsi Leelk: Xi'An, Xi'An Diplomat to the UEE (the official/canon/CIG one).

Lanai: Human, Flunkie that MARC sent to keep an eye on Shawn; she is Hawaiian and Shawn appears to have an unqualified attraction to her (as Gloria predicted).

Brother Colum: Human, Franciscan Friar and leader of the Weymouth Priory (located about eleven kilometers from Shawn's tea plantation on Terra). While not a physician per se, he is someone at peace and that peace seems to rub off on others...

Erica Vas: Human, OES Associate sent by Mr. Po to keep an eye on Shawn.

Captain Josiah Priest: Human, UENavy, Military intel officer.

Janice Amesly: Human, Director of Terran branch of The Imperator's office.

Lu Mei-Li: Human, Marshal with the Imperator's Office of Internal Security (think USA Secret Service).

Costigan: Human, Imperator of the UEE (canon character, but I haven't found a first name mentioned anywhere... will correct this if one is given in Canon).

Cynthia Mills: Human, Advocacy (acting) Section Chief, Terra

Bashir Abboud: Human, Jurdi Abboud's teenage son

Jamila Abboud: Human, Jurdi Abboud's (adopted) young daughter

Rashid Abboud: Human, Jurdi Abboud's (adopted) toddler son

Dean Olivian: Human, ex-SATABall center for the Earth team that won the league trophy in 2931 and 2933, now associated with Brother Colum somehow.

Amanda Starrington: Human, head of the Imperial Senate Intelligence Committee

"Carl": Human, member of the Imperial Senate Intelligence Committee

Howard "Howie" Aumundsen: Human, mechanic/tech on M50 racers, lives on Earth's moon.

"Fat" Claire: Human, (aka. "Skipper"), owns/captains a Reclaimer she calls the "SS Minnow".

"Professor": Human, (slave when first met) crewman on the "SS Minnow".

"Mary Anne": Human, actual name Svetlana Tolstoy, (slave when first met) pilot on the "SS Minnow".

Svetlana "Lana" Tolstoy: Human, originally introduced as "Mary Anne", pilot (and originally a slave) aboard the SS Minnow.

Ryoko Hirosu: Human, Deputy Adjutant to the Director of Terran branch of The Imperator's office.

Attle Heehth: Xi'An, High Council Advisor to Emperor Kray (the official/canon/CIG one).

Yanna Coso: Human, Ambassador to the Xi'An Empire for the UEE Diplomatic Corps (the official/canon/CIG one).

Mai Ee'shu: Xi'An, Special Assistant to High Council Advisor Attle Heehth, also xres'sa (firstborn or eldest) of Emperor Kray's seventh nesting.

Tsee Allath: Xi'An, a defense force commander at a prison on Xi, Rihlah.

Kray: Xi'An, His Imperial Majesty, First Above All Hatched, Emperor Kray (the official/canon/CIG one, though the titles HIM and FAAH are not canon).

Naaēlish Ee'shu: Xi'An, xres'sa (eldest) from Emperor Kray's 13th nesting, current heir to the Imperial throne of Emperor Kray.

...

Further Notes and Lore:

Basic Assumptions (Xi'An Lore)

The Xi'An are a space-faring species or very closely related group of species. UEE Xenobiologists understandably disagree about how to classify the Xi'An, since they have not gotten permission to genotype the Xi'An population, Xi'An biologists have proven loathe to share their data, and Xi'An in UEE space are distinctly disinclined to cooperate with packs of UEE scientists swarming after them trying to collect blood or tissue.

The Xi'An original home planet is the oft sought Jiā, though until Shawn Ryan and Bashir Abboud's mission for Imperator Costigan in 2943, no humans had visited there... or at least returned to tell the tale. Jiā is the seat of Imperial government and residence of Emperor Kray. While there must be jump points to Jiā, no human knows how many or from what systems; even Ryan & Abboud's trip did not yield jump-point coordinates for a route in because they were taken and returned under stasis. Xi'An expatriates claim that it is a superworld dominated by lush jungles, tropical seas, and many lower order species of hatched, plus sea life, a myriad of insect-like denizens... and there are even rumors of a few small live-born creatures.

The Xi'An measure time differently. The shaē are year like periods that last 400 kluh (days). Shaē are subdivided into four Tēēl (periods of 100 kluh), which are subdivided into 10 A'tēēl ("weeks" aka., "dekadays") of 10 kluh each.

In terms of Earth species, the many groupings of Xi'An are most similar to birds and reptiles (probably dinosaurs as well). As with many birds and some reptiles, younger and breeding age females are usually larger than males of the same age; in consideration of this, many military and civilian guards are female. However, Xi'An continue to grow throughout their lives (though after roughly the first fifteen annual cycles their growth generally minimizes). Someone you met fifty years ago would normally be noticeably larger (especially taller and having more bulk) after that time passed. Males tend to continue to grow at a slightly elevated level until they are nearly 150 standards old; by this time, they have equaled or exceeded the size of similar age females.

Most Xi'An "skin" color is shades of green, brown, olive-drab, or some combination of these. Some breeding age males develop head and face colorations; most often taking the form of skin or scales with red, yellow, gold, or blue markings. The most common of these display markings are scales with brilliant edge colors that naturally fall off after nesting. Most mature Xi'An males also have a dewlap, a fold of skin under the chin that can become red and distended when they are very upset or amorously aroused. Seeing a male with his dewlap distended is cause for great caution, but fortunately is rarely seen in public (at least when humans are present). Both coloration and the dewlap are likely vestiges from more primitive male territorial displays and courting behavior.

In general, Xi'An prefer to avoid violence as a manner of resolving conflict, considering it less efficient and more disorderly than reasoned argument or intellectual manipulation. It has been said that once crossed, a formerly friendly Xi'An can harbor a grudge for decades; if the offense is great enough, the scheming and machinations can take on truly Byzantine magnitude. Xi'An are, however, vicious opponents in actual combat, both as individuals and in Xi'An military units. Though still unseen by humans, tales of the Spirit Wars told by Xi'An expats are enough to make even veterans of the Vanduul conflicts take notice.

The Xi'An are a "hatched" species. In other words, they come from eggs laid by the female parent. Xi'An are decidedly NOT mammals, so females have no breasts. A normal brood of nestlings is three, though some subgroups and family-lines may lay as many as eight per nesting (some humans refer to these as a "clutch" though Xi'An who understand the term are generally offended by it). Most Xi'An will forgo subsequent pairing/nesting cycles until the previous generation of nestlings has reached the Age of Service and entered the military; principle exceptions are upper castes and especially the Imperial Nest-Line itself, where many broods of young can be primarily raised by surrogates (think nannies and/or childcare). Most groups within the Xi'An accept Klaahk's teaching that male female pairings should remain intact until all nestlings are mature enough to leave the nest (home). Furthermore, following the guidance of Klaahk in On Being Upright, the vast majority of these exclusive pairings are maintained for life. Even the Emperor and his Empress have been exclusive in pairing together.

The xres'sa ("eldest") nestling ("child") is the first to completely clear their egg's leathery shell, with the mother making the call if two (or more) of the nestlings appear to complete their escape at the same moment. While a nestling is still completely or partly in the shell, he/she is not considered to be what humans would call "born". Another difference, aside from the xres'sa, the rest of the siblings from a nesting are treated as birth order equals; this does occasionally complicate succession to primacy when a patriarch dies and any/all xres'sa are also deceased. Subsequent nesting are each treated similarly, but with nesting order recognized.

Pairing and nesting is forbidden during the mandatory fifteen years of military service. Some individuals who remain in service after that are allowed to pair and nest, though it is discouraged for members of the Imperial Navy and planetary (ground) combat troops. Officers are further discouraged from pairing/nesting until what we would consider flag rank (a General officer or member of the Admiralty... or above). This holds true even for Imperial Nest-Line officers.

Some subgroups within the Xi'An have four digits (three fingers and a "thumb") instead of five. This gives rise to a contrast in math & numbers within the Xi'An and between some of them and humans. These four digit Xi'An learn octal (base eight) and hexadecimal (base sixteen) numbers and math long before learning decimal (base ten); as a result, they are generally much better at thinking in a nearly digital manner than creatures who first learn to use decimal number systems. Nestlings from this group can normally count to two hundred fifty-five (255) on their "fingers" before their third shaē (by expressing 0 by a folded finger and 1 by an extended finger... two hands gives them an eight bit binary number... a byte). Many of these four digit Xi'An have longer nose/mouth structures (muzzles) and teeth instead of a turtle-like or bird-like beak; it could be said that they look more lizards or dinosaurs; UEE Xenobiologists who theorize that the Xi'An are multiple distinct species usually point first to this subgroup. One further note, the Seers caste includes a disproportionate number of individuals from these subgroups.

(ooc note: I originally imagined that all Xi'An were four instead of five digit creatures, and that their math was completely octal, hexadecimal, or binary... that didn't seem to fit with what we found out about them early on, so I reduced four digit Xi'An to being a subgroup. In TOG In Space, Dnong Ksack and Ksan Ko'Kree are both four digit Xi'An.)

Xi'An do not consider insects to be even a lower order part of the hatched; rather, like sea life and live-born creatures, they are considered food (humans excepted). There is some reason to believe that part of the hatred between the Xi'An and the rather insectoid Kr'Thak is that the latter claim to be the true "Hatched". How the Xi'An managed to translate an insectoid language is still unanswered.

...

Xi'An Races/Species (Xi'An Lore)

There are five known races/species of Hatched who all originated on the planet Jiā. In order of population within the empire, they are: Xi'An, Sommne, Nagdatch, Xai'Looch, and Tsee'La. All but the Xai'Looch are bipedal, and all but the Xi'An have at least one vestigial trait that makes them distinctly different, and so likely to be indicative of speciation rather than simple racial differences. However, there is no apparent attraction much less breeding across these groups, so the viability of crosses can not be observed.

To date, only the Xi'An and Sommne have been seen outside of Xi'An space and only Xi'An make up the expatriate community, at least in UEE space. There are rumors that there are both Sommne and Nagdatch among the diaspora within Banu space, but they appear to be very distrusting of humans and have never been sighted.

It is a common fact that all Xi'An encountered so far have refused to answer scientific study questions, much less consented to giving blood or tissue. Rumors that a group of UPARQ grad researchers attempted to kidnap members of a X'An delegation to extract DNA samples have not been independently verified, but many otherwise trustworthy persons on the Bio and Xeno campuses claim to have seen holovids of Xi'An from the delegation eating the grad students... live... as a warning against any further attempts. The claims seem further borne out by the fact that NO UPARQ research organization will even consider accepting funding to study the feasibility of, much less mount, a similar effort.

Xi'An:

The best known of the races/species is the one that now rules it's namesake empire. By far the largest number of Hatched are these beaked creatures, with almost 95% of the total imperial population. Xi'An Ja (or "True Xi'An") is the archaic term, but it has been officially forbidden to use the term since the acceptance of Klaahk's directives on governance. Today (2945), the term is only whispered by the most bigoted of the race, and then only outside of Xi'An space or in secret meetings unpenetrated by Seers or their spies.

Sommne: The most likely candidate to be considered a different species (at least of those Xi'An seen by humans) are the Sommne; they have three fingers and an opposable thumb while the other four races/species all have four fingers and the thumb. They also have teeth instead of beaks, but the Xai'Looch and Tsee'La are similar in this regard. These are the ones often refered to as "dinos" or "dino-faced". Even though Sommne make up only about 4% of the total population, a disproportionate number of them are Seers.

Nagdatch: By far and away the largest of the five races/species are the Nagdatch. Though they make up only about a percent of Xi'An population as a whole, they are often 90% or more of the shock troops and legal enforcers of the Empire. Skin coloration in the males is often brilliant blue to turquoise with marks and accents (especially in the face) of forest green, while females are often equally brilliantly marked with reds on duller olive tones. Aside from their size and bulk (Mature adults average four meters tall and weigh on average 800 kilograms; older males sometimes reach more than five meters and weigh as much as 1.5 metric tons), Nagdatch have one additional combat advantage: they have a vestigial nerve bundle just above the legs that can act for a short time as a second brain for movement should they sustain primary brain damage. In other words, shooting one through the skull in what would be a kill shot for any other human or Xi'An will not stop them immediately. Granted, the wound will still be mortal, but for several minutes, the body will aggressively act upon threats (presuming it still has one of it's five senses available to use to locate such threats). Nagdatch are, however, somewhat less intelligent that the average from the other races/species and to date none have risen into the Xi'An Civil Service.

Xai'Looch: (pronounced zai hlOOch or jai hlOOch, with the accent on the OO and OO pronounced like "loose" and "ch" like "church") The one non-bipedal member of the family are the aquatic Xai'Looch. They have much broader heads, with wide mouths, their heads mostly resemble those of newts or salamanders; like many of those, they can breathe in water or air. They also have long swimming tails and their hind feet normally are webbed (their forelegs/arms and hands are not). While they can raise up to something like a sitting position, their are most naturally inclined to lay on their stomachs, even in conversation with others.

Now often considered the mental equals of the best of the Xi'An, they were nearly hunted to extinction as an inferior race up until the reign of Emperor Chow (the current Emperor's great grandfather). While their numbers have rebounded some in the shallower seas of Jiā, they are believed to be less that .001 percent of the Hatched on Jiā and it is not believed that they represent any significant presence off of Jiā. Shawn Ryan has reported that he saw some craft modified for Xai'Looch to use, but there is not independent verification of this (partly because no one else has the same level of access to Xi'An core worlds). Xai'Looch are the only Xi'An who are officially exempted from martial service, though there is a branch of the naval academy dealing with developing actual naval strategies and tactics that is well attended by Xai'Looch (less than ten percent of living Xai'Looch have NOT served a fifteen year tour, with the entire term at this academy).

Tsee'La: These slight creatures have one of the more curious vestigial traits (though some Tsee'La claim it isn't vestigial at all, but an evolutionary precursor): they have folds of skin that stretch from their wrists to their legs along the outermost line. It is commonly believed that these folds at one time were much broader and gave the Tsee'La the ability to glide from higher locations. Again, some of them claim that these are merely evolutionary steps towards Tsee'La being able to fly. Their faces are longer than even the Sommne, but much narrower, almost birdlike in relation to their already light builds. Also like the Sommne, they have teeth instead of beaks; umlike them, however, their hands have the more common four fingers and thumb like the other three species.

Like the Xai'Looch, they were once hunted to the brink of extinction, but unlike the Xai'Looch their numbers have never really rebounded, with maybe 7,000 individuals registered (it seems that habitat loss is the main contributing factor as surviving nesting pairs fight for the more limited primitive nesting sites that Tsee'La prefer.

Though a tiny population, Tsee'La contributions are significant to the Empire. While not generally above the mean for most intelligence, Tsee'La have an incredible 360x360 (true 3d) spatial intelligence. This generally means that the most crucial scouting and interdiction jobs the military has, those along the Kr'Thak border, are reserved for these members of society, and as such Tsee'La pilots are treated much better than the average Xi'An. Tsee'La are the most naturally colorful of the Xi'An, their skin often ranging from a brilliant yellow to a scarlet red, often on the same individual (males are riotously patterned in the most vivid hues during breeding years).

...

The Precepts of Klaahk (Xi'An Lore)

The Precepts of Klaahk (also translated as "The Orders of Klaahk" or "The Guide of Klaahk") is an three millennium old written collection that puts forth a system of orderly social thought and organization upon which Xi'An society is now loosely based. It is very similar in many ways to the Analects of Confucius. Legend has it that it was taught by Klaahk to Emperor Lay at the end of what is now considered the seventh era, a time of destructive upheaval. The Emperor considered it so enlightened he used it as the centerpiece of a peace proposal that all parties agreed to... and the eighth (the current) era began. It might be fairly noted that the Xi'An since have not always been completely committed to following this orderliness, but despite the occasional internecine wars that have occurred (the last being about six centuries ago) they have continued to return to The Precepts of Klaahk for inspiration and guidance.

The work is broken down into sections, such as "On Being Upright" and "On Governing". Some of his better known "rules" are:

Honor is above all and Duty is the embodiment of Honor. (from "On Being Upright").

As the Xi'An are above all other hatched, so is the Emperor's Nest-Line above all other Xi'An. (from "On Governing")

Klaahk put forth the ideal that nested pairs had an honor-bound obligation to remain together while raising nestlings. He reasoned that it was essential for the good of social order and insured a complete education for the young. He further advised that truly upright Xi'An should pair for life, though he allowed a second pairing partner after one of the two had died without losing said upright status. Pairs who have been together for 128 shaē are greatly honored, wearing a white patch under their glyphs as long as they remain together; those rare few who reach their 256th "anniversary" are often invited to meet with the Emperor, are given the "Faithfulness of Upright Union" (a small shallow platinum drinking bowl) and publicly extolled as models for all Xi'An.

Some view Klaahk's design and creation of the civil service as his greatest achievement. He postulated that order was best kept through the then novel idea of putting only qualified individuals into positions of authority; up until then, it was the norm to have various warrior leaders and their offspring governing, usually with only self-interest guiding their actions. In On Governing, he excoriated this practice and showed how the endemic corruption of the system was crippling Xi'An social, economic, and scientific growth. Indeed, it was this part of his presentation to Emporer Lay that is seen as most influential in creating the core of Emperor Lay's successful peace proposal. (more on the civil service in the post on castes)

One of the most potent symbols of Xi'An social order is the seventeen Tablets of Klaahk, a series of linked ovid stone tablets that hangs down like a chain in the Xi'An Emperor's Hall of Council. They are believed to actually be the tablets Klaahk gave Emperor Lay as a gift before the latter knew the former. The tablets are believed to be the source of the Civil Servant's caste glyph, three horizontal ovids stacked vertically, just as the original seventeen are.

In the Eons since, The Precepts of Klaahk have been expounded upon by a group of scholars and legal minds, generally refereed to as the Many Since ("Arrish Hiet").

...

Castes in Xi'An Society (Xi'An Lore)

Xi'An society is ordered on the somewhat contradictory ideals that nest-line (family) is important for the individual's future success... but that the individual is actually responsible to fill the highest social role they can earn (skill, talent, experience).

At the pinnacle of society is the Emperor's Nest-Line. Emperor Kray holds the current apex, but it is assumed that qualified members of the same line will assume leadership in government, military, and in those businesses considered "Imperial Charters" (spacecraft maker Mai'Eek Imperial is one of the better know Imperial Charters).

Most of Xi'An governance is centered in concentric rings of councils. Place on the system, planetary, and local councils is occupied by a mix of what might be considered "Noble" Nest-Line and the civil service. Civil service represents one of only two significant castes in government that is entered through hard work and diligence; the other is the much smaller Seers, the Empire's intelligence "agency" equivalent (more about the Seers to follow).

Civil Service

In the opinion of many, the Xi'An Civil Service caste is the backbone of Hatched society. Organized based on Klaahk's rules from On Governing, civil service populates government agencies with individuals who have earned their places through study, passing very rigorous exams, and on the job experience. Even Imperial Nest-Line members are subject to the same high standards, meaning that they are not just birthright position-holders.

Recruiters for the civil service monitor progress of Xi'An nestlings from throughout the empire, usually detecting intelligent youngsters early enough to watch for signs of aptitude, skills at discipline, and ethical behavior. Nestlings identified this way are then tracked through their military service for any deviations or further growth. At four a'tēēl (dekadays; ie., 40 kluh (days)) before the individual is released by the military, Civil Service recruiters are allowed to approach prospective candidates; most of these individuals if they have no desire to remain in the military will jump at the chance to join. Upon discharge, a recruited individual is sent to one of seventeen Kla'Shi En, civil service universities for up to two years of study preparing for Dog Sha'U (a battery of tests that lasts a whole a'tēēl (dekaday, ie, 10 standard days).

Seers

The Seers are a special blend of broad intelligence service, the Emperor's secret police, xeno (alien) monitors, councilors to higher level leaders, and the closest thing Xi'An have to moral police (protecting the society from negative influences... or at least what they think are negative). They usually recruit from military intelligence organizations; like civil service recruiters, they usually approach these individuals four a'tēēl (dekadays) before anticipated discharge.

...

Common Glyphs (Xi'An Lore)

"Glyphs" are one of Xi'An society's short hands for recognizing an individual's place in the greater social whole. They are worn on clothing and also appear on vehicles and spacecraft (when appropriate).

Most individuals will wear two glyphs, general role (broad job class/caste) first, nest-line (family) second. The principle exceptions are the military, civil service, Seers, and the Imperial Nest-Line (more about each below). Because Xi'An society is stratified by caste, recognizing where one fits is usually considered the most important thing to know about them. Xi'An from unrecognized families or the base caste wear only their caste glyph. It should be noted that most Xi'An expatriates or criminals will usually wear only a family glyph if they wear any at all.

In most formal attire, glyphs are displayed on the left sleeve of the garment, sometimes in ostentatious display (especially true for members of the Imperial Nest-Line), but more often muted and stacked up from the cuff in order of ascending importance. On less formal wear, the glyphs are displayed on the collar, starting just left of the center of the throat and moving further left in order of descending importance.

Military

The military replaces the two common kinds of glyphs with a different set entirely. First is always one that represents rank. Next for the majority of individuals is their role/assignment glyph.

There are two exceptions to this:

First, the Imperial Nest-Line is the only nest-line glyph allowed, and it always comes after rank.

Second, is the special units glyph, which follows rank (and Imperial Nest-Line if present); units like the Xsaxas'Ha 'Annan (aka., the "Night Witches") have a special unit glyph.

A further glyph may be added after role if the individual has received higher order commendations or any of the special recognitions that humans call "medals", but only one glyph may be added, no matter how many such commendations have been earned (the glyph representing the "highest" one earned is usually the one displayed, but that is at the individual's discretion).

Civil Service

The civil service caste glyph is the most recognizable one to outsiders, since the diplomatic corp, customs, and various port and trading officials all are part of the Xi'An civil service. It is believed by most that the glyph is a representation of the first three of the Tablets of Klaahk, since Klaahk's original teaching/guidance is responsible for the formation, organization, and intended conduct of the Xi'An civil service.

Individuals serving within the civil service normally wear three glyphs, the unique "Civil Service" caste glyph (three stacked elongated ovids as seen above), followed by a role glyph (usually representing both the department of current assignment and the job performed), and finally a nest-line glyph. The principle exception is the Imperial Nest-Line; in the same manner as the military, the Imperial Nest-Line glyph follows only the civil service glyph, the role glyph coming last.

One further special note: if the individual came into the civil service from an unrecognized family or the base caste (so they have no nest-line glyph), the third glyph is a repeat of the civil service caste glyph; in this way, the civil service announces to all that such individuals have elevated themselves into the family of civil servants. One note, however, since civil service is not hereditary, the civil servant's immediate family (partner and nestlings) may only wear the civil service glyph as a nest-line glyph for as long as at least one adult in the family is a civil servant and (in the case of nestlings) only until they are age eligible for military service.

Seers

The Seers' glyph is a horizontal oval with a circle within it, it represents a stylized eye. Seers are the only Xi'An caste that is proud to normally only wear the Aet Nogg, the "Seer's Eye" glyph. Even most Imperial Nest-Line members choose to forgo adding the Imperial Glyph; principle exceptions being the titular heads of the "Inner Ring" where secrecy of the fact is of no use.

Imperial Nest-Line

The Imperial Glyph is believed to be an extremely simplified representation of the Zagg'Radch, the Emperor's worn symbol of office. Only "acknowledged" Imperial descendants may wear it, usually only to the second "cousin" of a past or present Emperor. As noted above, the Imperial Nest-Line glyph is placed in an honored position that insures it is recognized as different from common Hatched nest-lines.

One special note, after ascension, the Emperor only wears one glyph: the Imperial glyph.

...

Imperial Charters (Xi'An Lore)

There are many kinds of business enterprises in Xi'An society, but there are really only three general classes: common, illegal, and those operating under an Imperial Charter.

Imperial Charter companies usually have at least ten percent of their funding initially supplied by the Imperial NestLine, and often by the Emperor himself. Major Imperial Charters, like Mai'Eek Imperial, may have as much as 51% of their ownership in Imperial hands. Usually, Imperial Charters will have an Ee'shu (member of the sitting Emperor's immediate family) on their equivalent of a board of directors or in one of the top three executive positions. Again, using Mai'Eek Imperial as a well known example, out of seven board members, three are Ee'shu, another Imperial NestlLine member is a fourth, and the Managing Director (roughly the CEO) is the xres'sa from Emperor Kray's ninth nesting.

Mai'Eek Imperial

Maker of three different spaceship chassis, Mai'Eek Imperial has been in business for almost 450 shaē, originally building the Empire's premier survey ship, the Ta'Pah, but soon thereafter taking an imperial contract for a new heavy fighter, the Loaqlaa' (later called the "Banshee" by UEE units who heard it's unworldly howl during atmospheric operations long before they ever saw the ship). Recently (32 shaē ago), they added a superfast courier ship to their offerings, the Xress; weighing barely more than an M50 but with several times the thrust, it is considered by many to be the fastest production ship in the known galaxy.

Above are rough head-on silhouettes of the three craft. The central circles are the central ship body, the larger circles off center are powerplant/thrusters, and the smallest circles on the Loaqlaa' are weapon mounts/pods. Powered is delivered through matched powerplant and thruster sets that are self contained external to the small ship central cores. The Ta'Pah has two class 2 engines that abut the central core, while both the Xress and the Loaqlaa' have four completely outboard class 3 sets. The greatest advantages, according to Mai'Eek engineers and several Special Naval units that use the Loaqlaa', are that power and performance can be kept high even if one or two of the sets is damaged or destroyed and that when all four are operating at full power, the high ROF energy weapons will not drain either the shields or the thrust..

The biplane like wings on the Ta'Pah and Xress have great lift (the Ta'Pah only when horizontally oriented), with onboard avionics adjusting the aerodynamics of the wings based on their orientation to planetary gravity and any maneuvers.

One of the main distinguishing features of Mai'Eek Imperial ships is that the cockpits are essentially gimbaled, so the ship body can reconfigure for horizontal rather than vertical aspect (so the Ta'Pah can glide, for example). All three ships also dock with the cockpit faced into the Xi''An standard docking port.

From the side, Mai'Eek Imperial ships are boxy, rectangular craft. The exception is the Ta'Pah; when it is gliding it deploys a long telescoping boom-like tail that serves as an enhanced rudder and balance. The engines (powerplants & thrusters) are completely shielded by the wings (so you can not see them from the side). On the Ta'Pah, the cockpit dome sits completely forward of the wings, on the Xress, only enough to dock the cockpit, and on the Loaqlaa' it can extend forward to be completely exposed or retract back into the body for additional protection. Most of the weapons on the Loaqlaa' are large (size 3 or 4) class 1, excepting four wing mounted missile racks. The wings of the Loaqlaa' can pivot off the plane in two places (the section with the engine sets and the section behond with the weapons) when in combat configuration, so those fixed class one have a limited turret action.