The Legacy of Earth (Mandate Book 2) (34 page)

Glossary of Tech

2011
- Semi-automatic .45 caliber sidearm with two rail mounts; next-generation handgun inspired by the classic Colt 1911 commissioned by the U.S. Army

ARM
: Automated Robotic Miner; attaches to an asteroid, mines water ice and metal ores to produce SRCs; can mine and separate nickel-iron, aluminum-osmium, and titanium

ARF
: Automated Robotic Factory; consumes ores mined by an ARM and stored in SRCs; produces completed SCPs

ARB
- Automated Robotic Builder; a robot that can assemble SBMs out of blueprint files using SCPs; S-ARB model operates in zero-gee; G-ARB model operates on ground; the last model produced was the X8R class

Ganymede
- Largest moon of Jupiter; diameter: 3,300 miles; orbit: 665,000 miles; significant for having a magnetic field

M66 TAR
- Trooper Automatic Rifle; standard battle rifle of the UNSC Defense Force; uses 6.8mm rounds and 50-rnd magazines; features a gas-operated short-stroke piston with a rotating bolt, free-floating barrel, and three rail mounts

MCGL
- Multiple Capacitor Gigawatt Laser; also called “McGhoul” and “heavy-mount”; primary offensive weapon of UNSC Navy capital ships; requires high-density capacitors

MCML
- Multiple Capacitor Megawatt Laser; also called the “light-mount”; secondary offensive/defensive weapon on UNSC Navy capital ships; primary weapon on smaller ships

Promise Class
- Manned transport ship; hundreds were constructed by the Seerva Orbital Shipyard at SSL4 and abandoned when Seerva left; early model was cigar-shaped like a passenger jet; later models added additional cargo capacity to the rear; became a favorite of T3 and mercenary crews

Raz-Cam
- Small remote-controlled camera enclosure with control jets for limited maneuvering in zero-gee

RTCD
- Real-Time Communication Device; also known as “hypercomm”; faster-than-light communication device based on remote quantum entanglement; invented by Erik Smirnov

SBM
- Standard Building Module; hollow box of any specified dimensions; used as a single room or floor in a larger structure

SCP
- Standard Construction Panel; thin hollow rectangular panel,  two inches thick with a honeycomb structure for strength and low weight; used for construction of SBMs

SCPL
- Single Capacitor Personal Laser; handheld laser rifle; uses charge magazines

SRC
- Standard Resource Container; designed for use by related automated systems (ARMs, ARFs, and ARBs); used to transport resources, such as raw ores and SCPs

SSL4
- Seerva Station Lagrange Four; also called "ell-four"; renamed to Space Station L4 when the T3 corporation acquired ownership

SF-100 Wasp
- Space Fighter craft; operational details classified

SHAM
- Space Heavy Autonomous Missile; standard heavy missile used by the UNSC Navy

SLAM
- Space Light Autonomous Missile; standard light missile used by the UNSC Navy

ST-1 Beetle
- Space Transport craft; operational details classified

Skipper
Class
- Disposable booster spacecraft used for initial bootstrap (see Timeline)

T3
- Tandem-Tesla-Tasc Inc; a multi-national corporation; acquired most of the Seerva patents and ships and stations left behind when Jack Seerva left Earth

Techsystem
- Technical Ecosystem; full sensory virtual environment, detailed enough to replace the real world; capable of sustaining downloaded or constructed lifeforms

Vigilant Class
- Automated ship with robotic mining and processing equipment on board; sent to asteroids and moons to collect and process ores

X8R
- Second-generation construction robot class, one of which became self aware and named itself Decatur

Military Ranks

(of the UNSC Defense Force)

Officer:

• Ensign (O-1)
  
• Lieutenant 2nd Class (O-2)
  
• Lieutenant 1st Class (O-3)
  
• Senior Lieutenant (O-4)
  
• Commander (O-5)
  
• Captain (O-6)
  
• Rear Admiral (O-7)
  
• Vice Admiral (O-8)
  
• Admiral (O-9)
  

Spacer Enlisted:

• Spacer 2nd Class (E-1)
  
• Spacer 1st Class (E-2)
  
• Senior Spacer (E-3)
  
• Petty Officer 2nd Class (E-4)
  
• Petty Officer 1st Class (E-5)
  
• Senior Petty Officer (E-6)
  
• Chief Petty Officer (E-7)
  
• Senior Chief Petty Officer (E-8)
  
• Master Chief Petty Officer (E-9)
  

Trooper Enlisted:

• Private 2nd Class (T-1)
  
• Private 1st Class (T-2)
  
• Lance Corporal (T-3)
  
• Corporal (T-4)
  
• Sergeant (T-5)
  
• Staff Sergeant (T-6)
  
• Gunnery Sergeant (T-7)
  
• First Sergeant (T-8)
  
• Master Sergeant (T-9)