Glossary of Unknown Heroes (Version 2.04)

[Warenwolf]

This is the glossary of Unknown Heroes, a story written by Warenwolf. If you need an explanation and don’t find it here, PM me or post a request here and I will see to it.


Explanation of time units used in the story (and first installations of X-games, except X3):

Sezura = approx. 1,7 seconds
Mizura = 96 Sezuras (2,72 minutes)
Stazura = 96 Mizuras (261,12 minutes = 4,352 hours)
Tazura = 7 Stazuras (30,464 hours = 1,27 days)
Wozura = 7 Tazuras ( 8,89 days)
Mazura = 7 Wozuras (62,23 days)
Jazura = 8 Mazuras ( 497,84 days or 1,36 years)
There is 56 Wozuras in one Jazura, which is 392 Tazuras

Only Teladi use timeunits below:
Quazura = 22 Mizuras (59,84 minutes)
Inzura = 8 Mizuras (21,76 minutes)
Sonne same as Jazura, only used by Teladi





Glossary (Version 2.04):
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42 MM GL:
Grenade Launcher. Rapidly fires 42 mm cylindrical HE or Shape-Charge grenades. ”Blast from the Past” in X-Universe (such technology have existed since 1960s)

A88.0087:
An old Terran design intended for the PCPU function. After awakening of Xenon Network and establishment of Connected Systems, A88.0087’s mission continues, under slightly different parameters. Then in 764, a situation occurs that A88.0087 cannot resolve with its hardware specifications… A88.0087 is forced to have an unauthorized update.

A89.0001:
Updated version of the A88.0087. Its functions are entirely altered. Unintentionally, a new type of Xenon has been produced. Where this would lead remains to be seen.

ABC protection:
Atomic, Biologic and chemical protection.

Accelerator Station:
This unmanned station has only one function: to accelerate and de-accelerate ships. The point is to allow ships to accelerate to speeds beyond capability of their engines in reasonable time. This station functions on principles similar to that of inertial shuttles (see below). It allows for a cheap and reliable way to afford exploitation of space not in vicinity of Gates.

Anarchy Port:
Largest pirate base in the game is in the Loomanckstrats Legacy sector. This base exists in the game. It is built using a captured base that existed in this sector before it was seized by a pirate force.

AP5, Battle Station:
Heavily armed, semi-mobile station orbiting Argon Prime planet. Headquarter to Argon’s Navy Intelligence.

APT :
Argon Prime Time. Add 2170 years to convert to Earth Standard.
(764 APT + 2170 years = 2934 A.D)

Argon Pride:
Failed colonization operation. Over 80.000 settlers died in this tragedy.

Argonia:
Huge city on Argon Prime, capital of Argon Federation. First mention of it, as of author’s knowledge, was in Farnham’s Legend (if memory serves me correctly). There is also a news broadcast mentioning it in X3.

Basic Theory 1000:
Theory subject in Armed Forces which deals with Armed Force’s ethics and history.

Bayamon
Prior to X3, the pirates had their own type of ships. One of them is Bayamon, M4 class ship with following stats (maxed out):
- Speed & acceleration: 206,12 km/h & 27 m/ss
- Weapon HP: 4 (IRE, PAC, A.PSG & ID)
- Shields: Two 5 MW shields
In my story our heroes sometimes use customized variants of pirate ships…


Binyamin Halevy
Captain that Erich killed in order to save his and other lives. Many years later, a link unveils between Max Rudel, Boris Gellar and the dead captain…

Buck Seydlitz Khan:
Erich’s friend. Only other survivor (beside Erich) of Argon Pride Tragedy. Now mental patient. See also Suad Khan.

Boris Gellar:
Former admiral in Argon Navy. Commanded taskforce formed around carrier ship “General Donahue” during Argon Pride Tragedy. Awarded for his actions during that operation. Is extremely wealthy now and is considered a “Giant” (meaning that he has much influence in Argon space).

Carrick Boyz:
Pirate clan led by Pirate chieftain Carrick. Rules over the two stations: Carrick’s Lair and Carrick’s Retreat.

CCI implant:
Command, Communication and Intelligence processing implant. Implant issued to low level NCOs in cybernetic augmented units. A tactical augmentation.

Colonel Forsyth
Head of the anti-piracy section in the Navy Intelligence.

COMSAT network:
Communication’s network of satellites across entire x-universe. Ordinary man’s way of communication, since message drones or messengers is an expensive way of telling your son to remember to buy one extra cahoona steak… The game itself (Both X2 and X3) mentions such networks in BBS messages.

Council of All Families:
The martial government that rules over Split affairs (Source: X3 sector description of “Family Pride”).

Donahue City:
Name of the first town in the new colony. Named after the carrier that provided escort for colonization ships. See Argon Pride.

Dragonfly:
Dragonfly missiles in X2 are different to X3 Dragonfly missiles. In X2 these missiles are target seeking type. In X3, they are dumbfire. I am sticking to the canon (as far as equipment goes) as long as I am working on “The Assassin” part of Unknown Heroes…

Elisa’s Elysium
The largest independent shipyard in the Known Universe. Most of the Bayamons, Mandalays and Orinocos are produced here. The shipyard has also other ship related production modules like engines, shields and missiles.

Erich Campbell:
Our (anti-) hero. Main character of the story, Armed Forces commissioned cyberborg who after being betrayed is now working as assassin.

EYE:
The unifying name for a network of surveillance satellites and the software that analyses the information that is gathered by those satellites. Also includes the pattern analyzing software.

Faith:
Name of the transport ship Tony bought.

Frigate class
A smallest warship capable of operating independently. This type of ships was commissioned when it became obvious that there was a need for ship that could fill the gap between corvettes and destroyers. Frigates are fulfilling many diverse functions such as patrol, armed exploration and screening duty. Compared to the corvette, standard frigates are slower but are more heavily armed with larger cargo spaces allowing it greater operative range. Certain types (Saladin class) of light frigates are just as fast as most corvettes and have more anti-fighter oriented armament, but carries fewer ships than standard frigate. This type of ships does not exist in the game (correction: as of 2.0 patch in X3 the Hyperion can be considered a frigate although the game refers to it as “yacht”).


Family T’kr
This Split family was involved in “Dragon Incident” (happened in 754, while events in the game take place in 764) and was blamed for the mentioned disaster. If readers are interesting in reading more about T’kr family, they can use map of the universe in their game and select “Family T’kr” sector…

Floating Missile Batteries
Like Lasertowers, this installation is automated, fixed defense. It fires missiles and torpedoes on predefined enemies. Sometimes they are camouflaged as rocks floating in space, using ambushing tactics for taking out the enemy. Much more deadly than a standard lasertower. This installation is not available in game.

Fortune Nebula:
The Fortune Nebula is located in the sector Mines of Fortune. Source: Argonopedia.

Escort Carrier
Small carrier, smaller than a modern TL that had been made from converted older generations TLs or old passenger cruiser ships. Its task is to provide carrier’s force projection capability where use of actual carrier is deemed too expensive, such as in anti-piracy duty or in some cases “cannon boat diplomacy” towards small independent planets or stations. Since Khaak threat such ships can are found useful in escorting convoys.

General Donahue:
Argon Federation Carrier. Commissioned 729, refitted 754. Decommissioned in 762 after onboard explosion caused massive damages. After attack on Presidents End, brought back in service and redeployed as massive slow moving weapons platform in outer systems.

Ghurk:
Huge, bipedal animal with tremendous strength. Aggressive omnivorous animal capable of killing a man with single blow.

Hailshower torpedo:
A torpedo developed on an unknown independent world or station. The Hailshower torpedo is developed to fight against Khaak clusters, aiming to exploit their habit of flying in tight formations. The torpedo is programmed to detonate 200 meters away from its target and “shower” it with fist sized metal balls that travel in high speeds and that damages whatever it hits in much the same way as MD do. The swarm of metal balls are made to expand as a shot from shotgun would, in order to hit as many targets as possible. Devastating weapon with only drawback that only a ship capable of launching huge torpedoes may use it. Of course, this weapon doesn’t exist in X3 (but wouldn’t it be nice if it did?)

Hakidashisan:
Pink hero ape. A toy, cartoon star and holosim game. Has its own song “Buy, buy Hakidashisan” . Popular among the children in Argon Federation to great dismay of their parents. Has nothing to do with this story.

Ha’nt Wyrta a.k.a Ha’nt Nameless or Ha’nt the Renegade:
Young Split warrior that Otto Dahl offended and humiliated something he attempted to take revenge for (preferably publicly). However the destiny decides differently…

High Peaks:
Mountain range, south of the Donahue City.

Independent systems:
Any system or sector that is not ruled by any of major powers in the Known Universe. The game refers to them as “Pirate sectors”. I have chosen a more neutral term.

Inertia shuttle:
Shuttle that is propelled by accelerating it through series of rings that are alternating their magnetic poles. It is used as transportation between stations. Deceleration is achieved in process similar with acceleration, only that magnetic forces are now used to slow down the shuttle.

Jacquelyn Rudel:
Wife of Max Rudel. Former Miss Universe.

Jane Freedman:
A young, highly intelligent and efficient Navy Intelligence officer. After Max Rudel’s murder, she is ordered to track down Erich Campbell.

Joachim:
Mechanic working at a humanitarian base on Olmancketslat’s World. Agreed to help Otto find certain person.

Known Universe
Almost the same thing as X-Universe. The portion of space that is mapped and explored.

Kofstad:
Producer of affordable quality cars. It dominates markets in newly established colonies but Kofstad 1200 TKI is also among ten most sold cars in Argon’s core sectors.

Korttal t’Mrkt
Battlemaster of Mrkt family, a family in client status to the leading Rhonkar family.

Lasrifle:
Small arms weapon that fires a narrow, concentrated beam.

Liberty class gunboats :
A ship that has been designed in Elisa’s Elysium. Used by many nations in Independent Systems. Its armament and shields can be compared to that of the Split Dragon, however this class is much slower and can carry more variable weapon array. It is one of few types of fighter ships where every weapon is placed in fully rotate able turrets.

MAM howitzers
Most of readers know what a howitzer is. Effects of Matter/Anti-Matter reaction are less known. Print out this page (A4 format). Add similar amount of antimatter (to that of printed page). Result: One section of medium sized town is gone. Now think of a bombardment with these babies… Principle of how I think such howitzer should work: A warhead is accelerated through series of rings with help of alternating magnetic fields, achieving speeds of 1-2 MACH. That would result in ranges of 100-500 km dependent of design, size and weight of the grenade launched.

Mandalay[/]
Prior to X3, the pirates had their own type of ships. One of them is Mandalay, M5 class ship with following stats (maxed out):
- Speed & acceleration: 260,18 km/h & 8 m/s
- Weapon HP: 2 (IRE, A.PAC, B.PAC & A.PSG)
- Shields: Four 1 MW shields
In my story our heroes sometimes use customized variants of pirate ships…

Mazzar
Spaceport located in Argon Prime’s Northern Hemisphere.

Max Rudel:
CEO and one of the owners of NSM. Had been so for nine jazura. His older brother acquired NSM trough hostile takeover but than died after his ship’s heat shields failed during the atmosphere reentry. Rudel has served as commander of infantry contingent aboard General Donahue

MDB:
Popularly known as the MDB or Molecular Displacement Beam, the most powerful weapon known to man that failed victim to its own destructiveness. This complex weapon could fire two beams that literally tore apart molecules at the intersection of the two beams. However, this process destroyed the beams’ emitter too, making this weapon one time affair, useless to the military needs. The resurrection came in form of the MDB mine. This mine is equipped with powerful sensors and chemical thrusters. Once target is detected, the mine broadcast targets position and vector to other mines and quickly accelerates towards its target. In addition, the mines’ simple targeting computer can analyze the target, deciding how many mines are necessary to successfully engage a target. Once in the range, the mines fire their weapons in unison, coordinating their fire. The strength of the target’s shields is irrelevant – the shields offer no resistance to this weapon… There is no such weapon in X3

Mistan shells:
Strong narcotics in X-Universe. Prohibited even by liberal Teladi Company Law.

New Boron Colonies:
Cluster of sectors around Lucky Planets system. These Boron colonies were established as result of Split-Boron and Xenon war, where Kingdom came to conclusion that Kingdom’s survival could only be ensured if Borons did not restrict themselves to a single cluster of sectors.

Ni Lan
A Boron that wanted to take a peek. Into a certain computer system, resulting in Jane Freedman giving him a ticket to prison. When Erich and Otto are captured, they are placed in cell next to Ni Lan’s.

NSM:
NorthStar Mining. Company that deals with extraction of minerals in both space and planet surface.

Nushari Buckzoid:
Currency used by Nushari World, a planet in Danna’s Chance system.

Olmancketslat’s World’s civil war:
Escalating civil war between SCS and AFS, both federations of several semi-independent states and citystates. Population on the planet is highly mixed with only Boron race being absent. First reference on this war, as of author’s knowledge, is in X2 (on BBS). There are several references to this war in both X2 and X3 games.

Olav Lie :
Officially, chief of security for Boris Gellar. There are indications however, that Lie’s loyalties are not with Boris Gellar…

One-time-pad cipher:
This system does exist and it can be proven (mathematically) that it is unbreakable. It has been around for looong time, but has a deficiency – it is rather unpractical for real life use. If interested in this subject, read more about it on the internet, since my knowledge about this is limited. The book “The Code Book” by Simon Singh offers an interesting read about this subject.

Orinoco[/]
Prior to X3, the pirates had their own type of ships. One of them is Orinoco, M3 class ship with following stats (maxed out):
- Speed & acceleration: 174,88 km/h & 7 m/ss
- Weapon HP: 2 (IRE, PAC, PSG, HEPT & ID)
- Shields: Two 25 MW shields
In my story our heroes sometimes use customized variants of pirate ships…


Oxygen f/b:
Oxygen filter/buffer. An implant operated inside larynx. Its function is to provide constant oxygen percentage in air which user had breathed in. However it can’t deal with extreme values (So in oxygen free or 100% oxygen atmosphere you will die despite having Oxygen f/b implant)

Otto Dahl:
“Salvager” and pirate according to some. Others claim that he is not an ordinary pirate. Future will tell.

Pegasus:
Pegasus light fighter could obtain speed of 1009 km/h in X2, significantly higher than X3’s version of this spaceship.

Perimeter Station:
This smallest of modular battle stations, barely larger than a M6 class ship, is nothing more than an advanced weapon platform. Often placed near the tactical points in the space, like strategic mines or as perimeter defenses of larger space stations. Sometimes they are used as cheap resupply stations in deep space.

PMD:
Portable Mass Driver. See Mass Driver in the game manual.

Pocket ships:
From the humble beginnings of organized society, the right to use violence was restricted to the regime and its forces (chieftain, king, army, police etc…). The Known Universe (X-Universe) regimes restrict public’s firearm and fighter ships access. Companies are allowed to use fighters to protect their fighters and bases, but as pirate menace increases the need for the larger warships increases. Without access to warships, the solution is to make freighters into mini battleships using components available on civil market. “Pocket class” is not a standardized class of ships but rather a designation for modified freighters.

POS film
Type of material that dissipates laser energy (but not the resulting heat).


POST
Power On Self Test.

Profit Protection Force:
This is Teladi Navy. The name has been extracted from BBS messages. Survival training school in Two Grand sector.

RDF, Rapid Deployment Force:
Special Forces consisting of elite navy personnel. RDF teams consist of a frigate with its complimentary fighters and are constantly on standby ready to assist civilian or military authorities within mizuras.

Rhino:
Rhino is apparently predecessor to Elephant transporter. This Split design has been phased out. Info about it is gathered from a webpage “The Commander’s Space Station”. Modified Rhino was used as base of operations for the Black Gang.

Sector 21:
First time mentioned (as of author’s knowledge) in X2: The Threat game in couple news articles. They are mentioned also in couple of the stories here in the forum.

Senator McCarthy Senior:
Presidental Candidate in upcoming Presidential Election in Argon Federation. Many experts predict that Senator McCarthy soon will be President McCarthy… Powerful, well-connected man with background from Argon Navy.

SFRL:
Solid Fuel Rocket Launcher. Optical guided, shoulder launched missile. RPG of tomorrow.

Slave Chip:
See the game manual. The first reference to Slave Chips I have heard about, was in a story that shipped with X2 CD called "Final Dominion" by Steel.

SLR (Sub-Lasrifle)
A weapon that has an extended energy storage capacity and small size at the cost of a laser beam with reduced energy output.

Squid SM:
The Squid is Boron solution to the nightmare of every owner of a space factory – changing trading patterns in the Universe. What once looked as promising booming sector, may look as deserted as Xenon space in few mazuras. Pirate attacks, raids by Independents, changing priorities by Senators or simply changing market, may leave a station in an economical dead zone, only visited by Goners.
The Boron solved this problem by designing a station moving ship. Squid ship is based on the Orca design, however it is twice as large. It has a myriad of “arms” (hence the Argon codename Squid) that attach themselves to the station. Then a jumpdrive is activated bringing the station in position desired by station’s owner. Currently only two ships are operational. So far, only smallest and medium sized stations can be repositioned this way.

Stella (A.I.):
Jane Freedman’s artificial intelligence. Also a friend (as much as software can be your friend).

Suad Khan:
Officially owner of spaceship service shop. In reality, he is officer in Argon Secret Service, working in hardware analysis section, culture and warfare specialization. Uncle of Buck Seydlitz Khan.

Tagan Glastil (TG):
Teladi personal firearms manufacturer. The first manufacturer that began producing weapons that ergonomically can be modified to fit any race within minutes. Erich’s personal firearm is a TG-21. Otto prefers a less powerful, but lighter TG-18.

Tanya:
Member of Sector 21 with rank of sector leader. As sector leader, she is responsible for political propaganda, recruitment and general coordination of Sector 21’s operations in the Ore Belt. She wants Tony to join the organization.

Thalikimanstir 14th:
Teladi shipyardmodule owner at Shipyard Station at Seizewell sector. Notoriously liberal interpreter of the Company’s Law, even by standards of her own Teladi species. Is rumored to have sold many Falcon heavy fighters to various pirate clans.

The Council of All Families:
Martial government that rules over Split affairs. Its location is on the Split homeworld, in Family Pride sector. Source: Argonopedia.

Toby:
Member of Sector 21’s special intelligence section. His particular specialization is tactical planning and execution of operations. Absolutely loyal to the organization. Recruited Tanya.

Tony:
Young man who has lost his father because of the NSM’s callous dealing with aftermath of a mine accident. Sector 21 tries to recruit him.

Vaasa:
Middle sized space station constructed for battles with limited ship repairing facilities. Location and armament are classified. Now abandoned, however some rumors claim differently…

Vega Outpost:
Holyday resort outside Argonia. Popular place to party for the graduates. Also playground for extremely rich who can afford to buy properties around the town.

Wasp:
Wasp missiles in X2 are different to X3 Wasp missiles. In X2 these missiles are target seeking, single warhead type. In X3, they are swarm type missiles. I am sticking to the canon (as far as equipment goes) as long as I am working on “The Assassin” part of Unknown Heroes…

Wolf:
Old scout ship of Split design. Around the time UH is happening, Wolf is considered an archaic design. Its stats follow below (Maxed out):
Speed and acceleration : 440 & 24 m/ss
Steering: 140 %
Cargo: 50 units
The Wolf is capable of mounting two weapons and two shield projectors of 1 MW strength (2 MW total). The info has been gathered from Argonopedia.

Wolfgang Lüth
Fighter Ace. During Khaak attack at Presidents End, he served as Wing Commander. Later he is promoted to the rank of Group Captain and transferred to Task Group 21.2 guarding Omicron Lyrae.

Xenon:
See the game manual and Argonopedia