Definitions & Terminology

Assault Marine Regiment
The primary role of an Assault Regiment is to assault heavily defended planets and these units can be assigned to almost any ship type in the White Knight Fleet. The vessel itself is unimportant, it merely serves to tow the self-contained Marines to the various fields of battle. These regiments are accompanied by supplies, dropboats, cryogenic pods and habitation pods for the Marine units.

Bardo
This is the religious belief of an in-between place, similar to Purgatory for modern day Catholics.

Battle of the Antilles Moon
The fight which occurred on the Antilles Moon between the Human Marine Corps Cadets and the Hardit Rebels. It is during this battle which Osman was killed and Springer lost her leg. This battle is alternatively known as The Battle of the Swoons, in a humorous reference to the way the combat drugs and then Fraser McEwan’s nanites effected Arun. While Arun couldn’t remember the battle, his peers never forgot how humorously loopy Arun was and loved needling him with the facts of the battle.

Battle for Detroit
This battle occurred from 2566AD to 2568AD, off camera during the period covered in Indigo Squad (Book 2), while the Human Legion founders were occupied in a space battle with the Free Corps Mutineers. During their absence the Free Corps Mutineers on Tranquility fought a vicious battle with the White Knight Loyalists, aided by the Hardit population who were secretly eliminating the competition to make room for their New Order. Ultimately Detroit City was compromised and severely damaged from the internal fighting causing the Free Corps Mutineers abandoned the Tranquility System to the Hardits after suffering severe losses fighting off the Loyalists forces. Those Loyalist forces either died off or later merged into The Human Resistance to continue the war with the Hardits. This status quo continued until the arrival of the newly minted Human Legion.

Battle for Labor Camp 3
The first major engagement of the First Tranquility Campaign, this is the place where we find out that Hardits made good soldiers after all. We first encounter the disciple of the New Order, with their combined arms and equipment superior to that of their militia brethren. The Hardit Janissaries were forced to march into the fire from a GX Cannon, which quickly thinned their numbers, but then a coordinated cyber-attack, drone strike and grav-tank assault turned the tides of the battle. Many refugees were lost, four Marines died and the GX Cannon was destroyed by a plasma round fired from one of the Hardit combat drones. Ultimately Major Arun McEwan had to order a tactical withdrawal back to Rendezvous Point Beta so they could reassess the situation. During the retreat from the camp Lance Corporal Laskosk fired his missiles into the helix entrance where the grav-tanks were exiting from and caused a structural collapse which destroyed all of their tanks and trapped them inside their compound. As for the main goal of rescuing Spartika, this was accomplished though she was unconscious and badly injured.

Battle of Rest Stop 1
This is one of the major battles of the First Tranquility Campaign, where approximately 17 exhausted Human Legion Marines and an unknown number of refugees fought off 3,000 Hardit militia, who were supported by an unknown number of Hardit Janissaries, from their superior entrenched positions. This battle occurred with the Human Legion and its support refugees controlling the high ground on a small hillside fought off the emboldened Hardit military. The site was chosen so that it was near a stream so that there was a water source for the exhausted humans, and the ability to cool off any overheated equipment. The approximately 3,000 Hardit Militia assaulting the entrenched Human Legionnaires had to cross an open field, while walked into interlocking fields of fire. The Human Legion defended this hill with several interlocking defensive perimeters, or circles, with several contracting circular trench systems operating as fall back positions. The Hardits began the initial assault by attacking from the north under the cover of night, but the superiority of the teamwork between the AI and the Marine in his specialized Battle Suit quickly won the day on the initial attack, forcing the Hardits to fall back in disarray. This Hardit probe did, however, manage to dwindle down the critically short supply of energy for the SA-71’s and their supply of munitions. Further, the Janissaries at the rear of the Militia quickly began firing on their own troops to motivate them to advance, starting the second assault on the Human Legions position. In an effort to consolidate their fire, Marine Senior Sergeant Gupta ordered his Marines to fall back to their secondary hole, which served to tighten up the interlocking fields of fire. The next assault came from the east, from the far side of the stream near the Marines. This fourth assault was also broken, and again the Janissaries fired on their own retreating troops but the success would be hard won as ammo supplies went critical and several Marines began experiencing armor failure. As the Hardits retreated, Marines raced to reclaim the outer trenches so they could continue to pour fire at the retreating Hardit troops. At this point the Hardits also began to run out of mil-spec munitions and began lobbing homemade plasma bombs at the enemy from equally homemade catapults. The round of homemade plasma bombs, either because of poor construction techniques or poor aiming, burned rather than exploded and many of them hit their own troops instead. These four assaults had devastated the freed slaves, withering away their numbers as well as the ammunition stores. In order to effect a breakout of their encircled position, Major McEwan orders his senior scout to find a weak point in the east for them to break out through and to mark several easy targets to hit along the way but to avoid engaging the enemy. This was so that their intent wasn’t obvious, and then he creates a mobile reserve out of 2nd Section to attempt a delaying action. He then ordered Sergeant Gupta to lead a charge into the enemy to stir more confusion among Hardit ranks and delay any further assaults. Sergeant Gupta uses this chance to teach the Marines and the Hardits what Marines trained with combat blades are capable of when properly trained and motivated. It is during this battle that the Marines first use the battle cry “Freedom,” shouted by the 5 Marines charging into the Hardit ranks with only their knives to fight with. Later, the surviving Marines began to refer to this moment of the battle as the Charge of the Bloody Blades. Afterwards, the Hardits again regrouped and assaulted the formation two more times, ultimately taking the outer rings of the defensive perimeter. At this point the militia began attacking and isolating individual Marines, using pneumatic drills to force open the Marine helmets and kill the human underneath. Just when things looked bleak and Arun was planning a desperate push out towards the east Lieutenant Xin Lee and her hastily formed Human Legion Air Arm arrived with three modified Stork Class Shuttles and saved the day, though at the cost of a shuttle. After the impressive aerial display, and the loss of a shuttle, there were still over 2,000 Hardit Militia left on the field. However the damaged shuttle made them pay in blood for its loss and took out almost all of the remaining militiamen, giving the remaining two shuttles time to grab the remaining Marines and Refugees and abandon the field.

Battle of the Swoons
The fight which occurred on the Antilles Moon between the Human Marine Corps Cadets and the Hardit Rebels. It is during this battle which Osman was killed and Springer lost her leg. This battle is more properly known as The Battle of the Antilles Moon, though it is more humorously called The Battle of the Swoons in reference to the way the combat drugs and then Fraser McEwan’s nanites effected Arun. While Arun couldn’t remember the battle, his peers never forgot how humorously loopy Arun was and loved needling him with the facts of the battle.

Beta City Retrieval Raid
This plan, designed by Lieutenant Xin Lee, sought to retrieve any viable resources from Beta City and deny any enemies who followed them the use of the city. It started with an insertion from the lake floor, neutralizing the automated defenses by setting off a Tactical Gamma Bomb off in the city and getting the heck out of there with as much as they could carry. They would also leave the drones from the pilfered blinder missiles in hunter-killer mode to attack any Hardit which followed behind to see what was going on. During Phase Guinshrike of this attack Ensign Dock flies a decoy shuttle to draw enemy SAM fire, allowing the mini-drones from the blinder missiles to seek out and destroy the launch sites. Then Ensign Dock’s Stork would submerge in the lake and wait for the Marines to lift off back to Detroit City, while his human cargo would go topside and make a lot of noise so the Hardits thought a land attack was coming. Then they would detonate the gamma bomb to kill all of the bases inhabitants and return to retrieve the needed supplies to continue the fight. Then Tawfiq has the Antilles Moon Mass Driver again bombard Beta City, forcing them to cut short their supply raid. Given the report from the Hardit Supreme Commander, Arun returns inside the doomed city with Umarov and Xin Lee in an effort to save the Night Hummers trapped there. Sadly, they end up refusing the help and Arun and Xin Lee leave empty handed, but having fulfilled their oaths to protect the Night Hummers. During their encounter, the Night Hummer tells the Marines to head towards the base known to the Jotuns as Shepherd-Nurtuer-4, and from there they must liberate the Night Hummer home world as soon as they are strong enough to do so. He is even told that the coordinates are 127541.06,356122,9011121. Ultimately the Night Hummer used this brief encounter to force Arun to sacrifice the Marines at Detroit City, fulfilling his earlier promise, in an effort to safeguard his people.

Blade Charge
See Charge of the Bloody Blades.

Carabinier
An old Marine term used to describe a warrior who specializes in the use of a carbine weapon, such as the SA-71 Carbine.

Charge of the Bloody Blades
This is sometimes referred to as the Blade Charge, but was properly recorded as The Charge of the Bloody Blades. This term references the mad dash, led by Sergeant Suresh Gupta, of five Marines armed only with blades into a massed enemy formation. They used their weapons to effect, killing hundreds of Hardit Militia and causing them to rout again and retreat to their own lines. Again, they were fired upon by the Janissaries, so they ultimately continued charging until the battle was decided.

CO
The abbreviation for Commanding Officer.

Conference for Truth
The meeting between all of the Officers and leaders of the new Human Legion to air all grievances and share any secretes which they might have kept to date so they could better work together down the road.

Day of Xenocide
The day when Tawfiq Woomer-Calix and her New Order killed all of the humans left alive on Tranquility. The exact death toll is unknown, but it was upwards of tens of thousands of humans who died that day. The Hardits believe that they have, at this point, successfully eliminated humanity from Tranquility but humanity is like the galaxies cockroach, notoriously hard to kill.

Diskmate
A term used for a fellow Marine who resides in the same Habdisk and is often in the same squad and section as the user of said term.

Drent
A popular curse word among the Human Marine Corps.

Dwonks
An insult which implies that one is less than intelligent, similar to calling someone stupid.

Earths Accession Treaty
The treaty which officially gave Earth and humanity standing within the Trans-Species Union which was made possible by President Horden signing the Vancouver Accords with the White Knight Empire.

Eighth Frontier War
A frontier war between the White Knight Empire, via their client species proxy, and the Muryani and the Amilx. This was a very mobile war, which included a series of fluid probes and parries by the Muryani and the Amilx, around a few minor systems situated 10-40 light years from Tranquility.

Escape from Tranquility
After the Fall of Detroit, the Human Legion needed to escape Tranquility to regroup and recover. Given the Space Superiority that owning Beowulf provided the Human Legion, they were able to achieve this reprieve from combat to resupply at the Antilles Moon. In order to facilitate their escape the Human Legion had to rescue the survivors of Del-Marie Sandure’s downed shuttle and recover enough fuel to make it back into space. Like all Marine endeavors, there was plenty of bloodshed along the way and most of it was from the Hardit Janissaries.

EVA
The abbreviation for the Extra Vehicular Assault chutes that sent the Human Marine Corps to war.

Fall of Detroit
This term is used to describe the aftermath of the Second Battle for Detroit City, when the Hardits beat back the Human Legion defenders.

First Law of Soldiering
Never volunteer for anything!

First Tranquility Campaign
This was the first military campaign waged by the Human Legion and was fought against the Hardit rebels in 2568 AD. This battle was ultimately a loss, but to those who fought here it tested the bonds of their new loyalty to humanity first and in that sense the battle was a resounding success. These events are covered in Renegade Legion (Book 3) of the Human Legion Series, but two years have passed since they first left Tranquility and much has happened in their absence. The campaign was short as well, having lasted only one standard week from beginning to end. In the end the Human Legion lost 21 battle hardened Marines, thousands of the refugees they fought so hard to free and untold numbers of humans who had to be abandoned on Tranquility when the Beowulf left for the system the Night Hummers sent them too.
 * 1) The Battle for Labor Camp 3
 * 2) Rendezvous Point Beta
 * 3) Rest Stop 1/ The Battle at Rest Point 1
 * 4) Beta City Retrieval Raid
 * 5) The Second Battle for Detroit
 * 6) Fall of Detroit
 * 7) Escape from Tranquility

Frakk
A popular curse word among the Human Marine Corps.

Free Corps Mutiny
The attempt of some separatists who want to allow humanity take on an even more prominent role in the White Knight Empire, but still ultimately be slaves to their whims. This was different than the attempt by Arun McEwan to create a separate human empire because the Free Corps Mutineers didn’t seek autonomy.

Gibberballs
The popular Marine nickname for the EVA chutes within which they ride into combat.

Gifting
The process of sharing emotions and simple information through bodily contact, thus allowing the transmission of select nano-transmitters to enter the other persons system.

Grognard
This appears to be a term of endearment between Umarov and Del-Marie Sandure, referencing an ancient French word for an elite veteran soldier

Grok
An alcoholic beverage enjoyed by many Marines in rec-chambers throughout the White Knight Empire. It isn’t know what type of alcohol this is, but sometimes not knowing is the safest bet. Either way, it is a cherished past time of Marines to imbibe in this beverage.

Hokum
A once popular curse word among the Human Marine Corps, used to describe a lie that doesn’t stand up to intensive scrutiny. This word is a synonym of bullcrap or bollocks. Hordens Bones- A curse word that refers back to President Horden, the man who signed the Vancouver Accords that sent the descendants of the human marines into slavery under their White Knight overlords.

Hordens Children
A curse word that refers back to President Horden, the man who signed the Vancouver Accords that sent the descendants of the human marines into slavery under their White Knight overlords.

Hordens Sweet Fanny
A curse word that refers back to President Horden, the man who signed the Vancouver Accords that sent the descendants of the human marines into slavery under their White Knight overlords.

Hormone Suppressant Gel
A topical gel smeared on the snout of a Hardit to help eliminate the distraction of inter-gender pheromones which continual distract them while in mating season.

Human
A sentient Earth species, known in the most proper scientific terms as Homo sapiens, that sent millions of its offspring off to serve their White Knight overlords as a result of the Vancouver Accords. The most current humans, Marines of Arun’s generation, would be so genetically different from their Earth born forefathers that science might require them to be reclassified as something else. These new Marines are as different from their Homo sapiens forbearers as the Neanderthals were from the Homo sapiens. As a result of their low status within the White Knight Empire, the term ‘human’ became synonymous with the lowest of the low classes.

Icer
A term used to describe a cryogenically frozen Marine.

Janissary
A term used to describe a devoted follower, with a religious connotation. This is also the name for the soldier class within the Hardit New Order. They were clean, disciplined, clanless and genderless warriors capable of levels of violence as yet unheard of by the Human Legion. They wore a metalized fabric as a uniform, exalting their war against their biology in favor of machinelike efficiency.

Klick
A shorthand term used to describe a kilometer, a statutory unit of measure.

LBNet
This term is used to describe the Local Battle Network, the local communication channel used by combatants.

Mader Zagh
A popular curse word among the Human Marine Corps.

Marine Farms
A term used by earlier Marines, including Marine Umarov, to describe the bases were Marines were bred and trained into the martial services. We know of at least three of them on Tranquility, though one lost city seems to be lost to the ages.

Morse Code
An ancient form of radio communication where the recipient sends and receives messages which are spelled out by a series of dots and dashes, or short and long pings, which correspond to an alphabet or code in which letters are represented by combinations of long and short signals of light or sound.

Moscow Express
A Scendence team made up of Majanita, Osman, Springer and Cristina that competes during Arun’s time as a Marine Cadet (Book 1).

Nova
A word that can reference a super nova, an astrological event, or be used colloquially to mean great or good.

Operation Clubhouse
The attempt by Arun McEwan, during his temporary foray into Aux servitude, to raise the morale of the Aux humans around him. This operation foraged a more cooperative existence among the Aux and allowed them to unify against the Hardits for a better life. This operation occurs, with the help of Pedro and the Trog Nest, during the Scendence tournament and allowed the Aux to blow off steam. It was like Christmas, Easter and the Super Bowl all rolled into one for the Aux, but it is yet to be determined if this will have any lasting effect. Further, it is possible that this endeavor cost Hortez his life, though this has never been confirmed.

Phase Guinshrike
This was one of the most critical parts of the Beta City Retrieval Raid where Marines Vanderman, Pak and Kraevoi ride in a shuttle flown by Ensign Dock in an effort to draw fire, allowing all SAM sites to be destroyed. The Marines ride in the back of the shuttle firing chaff with the sole intent of drawing enemy fire for their blinder missiles to take out. Once they took out all of the SAM batteries, they were to put on a show of prepping for a land attack to keep the Hardits guessing.

Point Defense
A military term used to describe the protection of a single object or a specific area, such as a vehicle or base, against incoming projectile weapons.

Prong
A popular curse word among the Human Marine Corps.

Rendezvous Point Beta
The fallback location for those Marines and refugees who survived the Battle for Labor Camp 3. The Human Legion Marines of Force Patagonia were forced to proceed from Labor Camp 3 towards this point at the greatest possible speed as they were being pursued by a larger force of New Order Janissaries. Half of the rescued slaves from Labor Camp 3 hadn’t made it to the rendezvous point, though it is unclear as to how many tried and how many died waiting in their slave pens. The exact location of this rendezvous point was unknown, as detailed maps of Tranquility were classified and sealed, but it was definitely a wooded area since most frequently used trails are designed to protect their users from the harsh sun, making foliage overhead a desirable trait. From this location Force Patagonia proceeded to Rest Stop 1, where they could make a stand if necessary or proceed more directly to Detroit City if the situation allowed for it.

Renegade Conspiracy
The Night Hummers and those who collaborated with them to plan their eventual bid for freedom. This group seeded the galaxy with potential allies, hidden weapons and other assets in preparation for their war for independence. They also planted the seeds of Earthly 20th century tyrannical ambitions in Tawfiq Woomer-Calix and goaded her into believing only by eradicating every human on Tranquility could she gain her empire. It is believed that this would motivate the Human Legion to continue on with their mission, rather than getting bogged down in the Tranquility System.

Renegade Legion
The term that the Night Hummers gave to the Human Legion, and was supposed to refer to the fact that they owed no allegiance to any side in the White Knight Civil War. This group became known as The Human Legion, but the term ‘human’ had become synonymous with the oppressed races everywhere.

Resuscitation Attrition
This term describes what happens when a cryogenic thaw goes bad, causing the loss of life or sanity of the individual being revived.

Scendence
A game engaged in by the Marines that serves a dual purpose of being a training exercise and a way of fostering a healthy inter-regimental rivalry. The game has four sub-fields of play that all contribute award merit points to the team. 1.	Deception-Planning: Usually just called ‘Deception,’ this is one of the four fields of contest for the games. This sub-category usually involves a lot of bluff and trickery. 2.	Obedience: 3.	Gunnery: 4.	Endurance-Stoicism: Usually called ‘Endurance,’ this is one of the four fields of contest for the games. This sub-category usually involves an almost super human force of will and self-discipline.

Scuttle
The intentional sinking or destroying of a damaged vessel to deny it to any enemy forces.

Second Battle for Detroit City
This battle occurred as the First Tranquility Campaign wound down. Tawfiq, now firmly in control of Tranquilities Hardit population, uses her intelligence from the Night Hummers and waits for the Human Legion to split its forces and launches a major ground offensive against Detroit City. As the senior officer there, the defense is led by Lieutenant Brandt. At the last minute he is forced to reconfigure more of their ground missiles to target air assets because the attack on Beta City from the Antilles Moon mining facility, the Hardits have again launched cargo that will act like a kinetic projectile at Beta City, Tranquility means that Beowulf had to leave them to their own devices. Sadly, they will have to test the theory of weaponizing their engines another day. Much of the ad hoc defensive missile batteries had been rigged by Del-Marie Sandure and Deacon, proving yet again the usefulness of trained warriors against unthinking hordes. This battle for Detroit hinged on the ability of the Human Legion and the Resistance to hold off the Hardit air wing so they didn’t overrun Gate Three, the only topside entrance into Detroit City not damaged in the First Battle for Detroit and to prevent the enemy breaking through via the underground tunnels. As the Hardits break through Lt. Brandt uses his last moments to tell McEwan about the millions of hidden Marines frozen in cryopods hidden in secret layers underneath Detroit City, before he sets a self-destruct charge to kill his Marines and the Hardits surrounding them. In doing so, they also bury the Icer Marines and protect them from Hardit paws. In the end, the battle was a complete loss, but the Human Legion survived and continued on which was in and of itself a small victory.

Second Law of Soldiering
Never stand out.

Skagnat
A popular curse word among the Human Marine Corps.

Skat
A card game played by human Marines, which is believed to have originated from Ancient Earth.

Space Rat
A term used to describe human spacers or naval forces personnel. Most of these personnel are born and raised out in deep space.

Space Superiority
The tactical ability to control the space around regions you control and to deny the enemy the use of the said same space.

Tactical Assault (TAC) Regiment
A Human Marine TAC field unit that is comprised of eight companies and is used aggressively assault objects through a number of mediums (underwater, on land, in the air and in the voids of space). One of Tranquilities Tactical Marine Regiments holds approximately 12 field battalions and 8 cadet battalions, each organized into 24 companies of 6 squads, with the additional support of a Command Section and a Heavy Weapons Section. Like the Void Regiments, they are trained in void combat. However, a TAC Regiment is allied to a small tactical warboat which complement the Marines and create a combined operations unit. One of the other differences between void and tactical Marine regiments is that the TAC Marine will egress through an EVA chute. These chutes use amniotic gel to shield the Marine from physical trauma will the TU maneuvers to avoid enemy fire.

Team Ultimate Victory
A Scendence team led by Marine Cadet Xin Lee and included Arun McEwan that competes with during Arun’s time as a Marine Cadet (Book 1). Joining this team ultimately helped the battalion as a whole, but cost Arun among his peers in Blue Squad.

Totalizer
A system of tracking the progress of all cadet battalions in real time, with the lowest battalions going into the Cull Zone.

Trophied
A term used to describe killing, short for entropy

Twinkle Eyes
Both an insult and term of endearment for Major Arun McEwan used by his romantic crush Lieutenant Xin Lee.

Ugly Foods
A list of foods which can be ingested by all sentient slaves of the White Knights, meaning each species has the capability through enzymes, to digest it. These foods were more properly called Universal Foods, but because of their look and smell they earned another nickname.

Universal Food List
A list of foods which can be ingested by all sentient slaves of the White Knights, meaning each species has the capability through enzymes, to digest it. These foods were more often called Ugly Foods because of their look and smell.

Vancouver Accords
The treaty, ratified by President Horden in the Canadian city of Vancouver, which made Earth a client state of the White Knight Empire. One result of this was that millions of human children were sent off to be bred and trained as soldiers for their new overlords. Another result of this treaty was that it allowed humanity to become a part of the Trans-Species Union.

Veck
A popular curse word among the Human Marine Corps.

Void Marine Regiments
A Marine Regiment that specializes in vacuum and zero-g warfare. The ships Marine compliment of Void Regiments are trained to form a defensive screen to protect the vessel and add offensive capabilities against enemy vessels. These Marines exit their transport vehicle through an airlock or hangar bay on the vessel.

Vulley
A popular curse word among the Human Marine Corps.

Vulley Buddy
A popular curse word among the Human Marine Corps.

Wide Battle Net
The large battlefield network of communications which links smaller units.

XO
The abbreviation for Executive Officer.