A

Altair: the third sub-light starship sent to 61 Cygni.  Named for one of the three stars of the Summer Triangle.

Amazon: the second sub-light starship sent to Epsilon Eridani.  Named for the longest river in South America.

Amundsen: the fifth sub-light starship sent to Alpha Centauri; returned to Earth.  Named for the leader of the first expedition to reach the South Pole.

Assembly (formally "Ship's Assembly"): the legislative body of the civic government aboard a sub-light starship, comprised of all adult members of the ship's complement.  One quarter of the complement, selected randomly every two years, are given an additional vote in the Assembly which is intended to represent the interests of "future generations" of the colony.  (These "posterity" members, each with two votes, therefore represent 40% of the Assembly.)  Under the parliamentary system of governance, the Assembly chooses a Chief Administrator who holds executive power — heads the government — as long as they hold the confidence of the Assembly.  In any event, a new election for Chief Administrator must be held at least every five years.

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B

Babur: the first sub-light starship sent to Epsilon Indi; remained in orbit above Bhumi (Epsilon Indi II).  Named for a historical Indian leader.

Bhumi: Epsilon Indi II, the colonized world of the Epsilon Indi system; first settled by the sub-light starship Babur.  Named for a Hindu mythological figure.

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C

Cascade: the second faster-than-light starship, sent to Epsilon Eridani.

Chief Administrator: the chief executive officer of the civic government aboard a sub-light starship selected by a majority vote of the Ship's Assembly.  The Chief Administrator holds executive power — heads the government — as long as they hold the confidence of the Assembly.  In any event, a new election for Chief Administrator must be held at least every five years.  The Chief Administrator controls the Ship's Police, responsible for public order and general law enforcement.  The Chief Administrator appoints the Ship's Judiciary, the Ship Commander and the Chief Scientist.

Chief Scientist: head of the Scientific Corps of a sub-light starship, which is responsible for all technical operations — the most important functions being engineering and life support — and scientific activities, including medical care and education.  The Chief Scientist is appointed by the Chief Administrator.  Like the Ship Commander, the Chief Scientist serves a term of three years but is also eligible for immediate and repeated reappointment.  Also like the Ship Commander, the Chief Scientist can only be removed prior to the expiration of their term by a vote of a supermajority of the Ship's Assembly.

Columbus: the first sub-light starship, sent to Alpha Centauri; remained in orbit above Demeter (Alpha Centauri A-IV).  Named for the leader of the first European expedition to North America.

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D

Da Gama: the third sub-light starship sent to Alpha Centauri; returned to Earth.  Named for the leader of the first European expedition to the Indian Ocean.

Demeter: Alpha Centauri A-IV, the colonized world of the Alpha Centauri system; first settled by the sub-light colony ship Columbus.  Named for a Greek mythological deity.

Deneb: the first sub-light starship sent to 61 Cygni; remained in orbit above Orpheus (61 Cygni III).  Named for one of the three stars of the Summer Triangle.

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E

Ebisu: Tau Ceti III, the colonized world of the Tau Ceti system; first settled by the sub-light starship Rorqual.  Named for a Japanese mythological figure.

Epsilon Eridani: star system 10.5 light-years from the Sol system; the second destination for sub-light starship colonization.

Epsilon Indi: star system 11.8 light-years from the Sol system; the fourth destination for sub-light starship colonization.

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F

Francis Drive: starship propulsion system designed on the basis of faster-than-light (FTL) principles first discovered by Free Scientist Carter Iohannes Francis.

Free Scientists: groups of research scientists and engineers who act independently of national governments and contract with public or private employers under the research-contract system which guarrantees their sovereign autonomy.

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G

Gandhi: the third sub-light starship sent to Epsion Indi.  Named for a historical Indian leader.

Glimmer: the fifth faster-than-light starship, sent to Tau Ceti.

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H

[No entry yet.]

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I

Insurrection: rebellion of descendants of the "Free Scientists" against the political order of the World Union; waged across Earth and throughout the Sol system; ended in stalemate.

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J

Judiciary (formally "Ship's Judiciary"): the judicial body of the civic government aboard a sub-light starship, appointed by the Chief Administrator, from a list of candidates provided by the Judicial Advisory Committee, an "arm's length" body of shipboard legal professionals (including former judges) selected by the Ship's Assembly.  Members of the Judiciary serve a term of six years but are eligible for immediate and repeated reappointment.  Like the Ship Commander and the Chief Scientist, members of the Ship's Judiciary can only be removed prior to the expiration of their term by a vote of a supermajority of the Assembly.

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K

[No entry yet.]

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L

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M

Magellan: the second sub-light starship sent to Alpha Centauri; first sub-light ship to return to Earth.  Named for the leader of the first European expedition to circumnavigate the globe.

Missouri: fourth sub-light starship sent to Epsilon Eridani.  Named for the longest river in North America.

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N

Nile: first sub-light starship sent to Epsilon Eridani; remained in orbit above Phaethon (Epsilon Eridani II).  Named for the longest river in Africa.

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O

Orca: the second sub-light starship sent to Tau Ceti; began return voyage to Earth but encountered Glimmer while still under acceleration and subsequently returned to Tau Ceti.  Named for a toothed whale of Earth.

Orpheus: 61 Cygni III, the colonized world of the 61 Cygni system; first settled by the sub-light starship Deneb.  Named for a Greek mythological figure

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P

Peary: the fourth sub-light starship sent to Alpha Centauri; returned to Earth.  Named for the leader of the first expedition to reach the North Pole.

Phaethon: Epsilon Eridani II, the colonized world of the Epsilon Eridani system; first settled by the sub-light starship Nile.  Named for a Greek mythological figure.  Phaethon orbits at the inner edge of Epsilon Eridani's habitable zone, making it substantially warmer than Earth and, at times, subject to intense solar storms.

Porpoise: the third sub-light starship sent to Tau Ceti.  Named for a toothed whale of Earth.

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Q

[No entry yet.]

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R

Radiant: the third faster-than-light starship, sent to 61 Cygni.

Rorqual: the first sub-light starship sent to Tau Ceti; remained in orbit above Ebisu (Tau Ceti III).  Named for a baleen whale of Earth.

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S

Scientific Corps: body of engineers and scientists aboard a sub-light starship, which is responsible for all technical operations — the most important functions being engineering and life support — and scientific activities, including medical care and education.  Headed by the Chief Scientist.  Modelled on the historical Free Scientists.

Scintillant: the first faster-than-light starship; sent to Alpha Centauri.

Shadow: the fourth faster-than-light starship, sent to Epsilon Indi.

Shivaji: the second sub-light starship sent to Epsilon Indi.  Named for a historical Indian leader.

Ship Commander: head of the Ship's Crew of a sub-light starship, which is responsible for operation of the ship and the Ship's Academy which trains personnel for service in the Ship's Crew.  The Ship Commander also functions as the "head of state," responsible for asking a member of the Ship's Assembly who enjoys the confidence of the Assembly to serve as Chief Administrator.  The Ship Commander is appointed by the Chief Administrator.  Like the Chief Scientist, the Ship Commander serves a term of three years but is also eligible for immediate and repeated reappointment.  Also like the Chief Scientist, the Ship Commander can only be removed prior to the expiration of their term by a vote of a supermajority of the Assembly.

Sixty-one (61) Cygni: star system 11.4 light-years from the Sol system; the third destination for sub-light starship colonization.

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T

Tau Ceti: star system 11.9 light-years from the Sol system; the fifth destination for sub-light starship colonization.

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U

[No entry yet.]

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V

Vega: the second sub-light starship sent to 61 Cygni.  Named for one of the three stars of the Summer Triangle.

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W

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X

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Y

Yangtze: the third sub-light starship sent to Epsilon Eridani.  Named for the longest river in Asia.

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Z

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