By Gregg Giles

Library Data

Branch Sector: Settled during the closing years of the Sixth Expedition. After failing to cross the Sixth Rift by continuing straight on the original Zhodanizar route, many explorers opted to remain close to where they stopped. The natural choice for a colony was at Frost (J-0501), which quickly became the central world of the cluster.

Core: The center or “hub” of the galaxy to which all arms are connected. It’s an area dense in star clusters, causing gravitational fields to overlap and at times act sporadically. The Core acts as a giant psionic “magnet”, drawing many psionics to it.

Expedition Corridor: A long route reaching from the Zhodani Consulate coreward, spanning 5,200 parsecs in length. In most cases, this route is nothing but an invisible line that vessels follow. In some instances, the corridor is settled in regions several subsectors wide.

Fronzhatlivr: The Zhodani name of all galactic space coreward of the Consulate. The literal translation means “wasteland” due to the initial belief that the worlds there were useless and barren. This broad term includes the Zhodani Outreaches, the corridor beyond Vlanchiets Qlom, and the Old and New Colonies.

Frost: (J-0501, A6666C5-D-D). This is the capital world of the moderately populated Branch sector. Frost acts as the capital of the entire Sixth Rift region, and attempts to preserve the ways of the Zhodani in society and government. Settled in 909.

General Kiravriashav: Military leader directing the Eighth Core Expedition. Appointed by unanimous vote of the Qlomdlabr. Born 1108 Imperial on Chronor.

New Colonies: Name given to the worlds Spinward of the Shtievdriadr cluster. There are very few actual colonies, but the name implies they will be there one day.

Old Colonies: Name given to all settled worlds rimward of the Sixth Rift. These are mainly worlds colonized by the 6th and 7th expeditions.

Prazar: Zhodani for “Sophont Trek”; also the name given to the Zhodani Eighth Core Expedition.

Tlachaf subsector: A subsector along the main expedition corridor. Explored during the 6th expedition around –62 Imperial. Qrevl (0403), Dlanzhla (0508) and Eyekrtazal (0604) were discovered to have non-intelligent life similar to Terran reptiles. Unabsorbed areas of the subsector are not considered worth colonizing without first undergoing extensive terraforming projects. The forbidden zone classification of Vladlenz (0705) remains unexplained. New techniques of exploiting waterless worlds are being attempted on Peetl (0203) and Ev Peetl (0204).

Zhodanizar: In Anglic, “Zhodani Trek”.