stage of life. The first to transcend (it is assumed) were the Progenitors.
memetic — bizarre “thought” organisms residing primarily in E-Level hyperspace.
Quantum — organisms discovered only during the last 100 million years, existing between the interstices of the universe, making scant contact with Galactic society. Their way of life seems to depend on macroquantum uncertainty.
There is widespread disagreement over whether the number of life orders should equal eight. Even more are suspected. Contact between life orders is dangerous, and widely discouraged.
patron — a Galactic race that has uplifted at least one animal species to full sapience.
pidura — six to the seventh power duras, or approximately four days.
Polkjhy — the name of the Jophur battleship that landed on Jijo in search of the fugitive Earthship Streaker.
Primal Delphin — semilanguage used by natural, nonuplifted dolphins on Earth.
Progenitors — the legendary first spacefaring race, who began the cycle of Uplift two billion years ago, establishing Galactic society.
rewq — quasifungal symbionts that help the Six Races “read” each other’s emotions and body language.
sooners — outlaws who colonize worlds designated fallow by the Galactic Institute of Migration. On Jijo, the term means those who try to make new illegal settlements, beyond the confines of the Slope.
Streaker — a dolphin-crewed Terran starship. The Streaker’s discoveries led to unprecedented pursuit by dozens of Galactic factions, each seeking advantage by possessing the dolphins’ secrets.
stress atavism — a condition found among newly uplifted species, which tend to lose their higher cognitive functions under stress.
Terragens Council — the ruling body of humanity’s interstellar government, in charge of matters directly affecting relations between Earthclan and Galactic society.
Toporgic — pseudomaterial substrate made of organically folded time.
transfer point — an area of twisted spacetime that allows faster-than-light travel for vessels entering at a precise angle and velocity.
Tymbrimi — a humanoid species allied with Earthclan, known for cleverness and devilish humor.
tytlal — see noor.
Uplift — process of turning a presapient animal species into a fully sapient race ready to join Galactic society. Performed by “patron.”
wolfling — a derogatory Galactic term for a race that appears to have uplifted itself to spacefaring status without help, or else to have been abandoned by its patron.
ylem — the underlying fabric of reality itself.
Zang — a phylum of hydrogen breathers consisting of single cells, sometimes organized to resemble huge squids. They live in the atmospheres of gas giants. Jijo’s entire region (Galaxy Four) has been leased to hydrogen breathers by the Institute of Migration.
