Caine's Mutiny, page 86
part #4 of Caine Riordan Series
Riordan grinned at the others, started forward with a confident stride. “More theater,” he joked as he walked through the yawning portal. “There’s no reason to be worried. I’m not.”
Not much.
The airlock door closed behind him.
Appendix A
Dramatis Personae
Ayana Tagawa: Former XO of SS Arbitrage; senior impressed crewperson aboard Red Lurker
Bannor Rulaine: Major, U.S. Special Forces/IRIS; crew of UCS Puller
Caine Riordan: Commodore, IRIS/USSF; crew of UCS Puller
Christopher “Tygg” Robin: Lieutenant (later Captain), IRIS; crew of UCS Puller
Dora Veriden: crew of UCS Puller
Duncan Solsohn: Operative (later Brevet-Major), IRIS; crew of UCS Puller
Emil Kozakowski: Former master of the SS Arbitrage; (former) employee of CoDevCo
Karam Tsaami: Pilot and Flight Officer, CSSO; crew of UCS Puller
Lorraine Phalon: Lieutenant Commander, JAG, USSF
Melissa Sleeman: Advanced science and technology expert; crew of UCS Puller
Miles O’Garran: Master CPO, SEAL/IRIS; crew of UCS Puller
Peter Wu: Lieutenant, IRIS; crew of UCS Puller
Philip Friel: Chief, Engineer, USSF/UCAS; crew of UCS Puller
Richard Downing: Director of IRIS, Caine Riordan’s handler
Tina Melah: Chief, Engineer, USSF/UCAS; crew of UCS Puller
Vassily Sukhinin: Chief negotiator and Deputy Director of IRIS, Sigma Draconis; CTR Consul
The Cold Guards
Two-Gun Baker: Private, USMC/UCAS
Bernardo “Bear” de los Reyes: Corporal (later Sergeant), U.S. Army Ranger/UCAS
Bjorn Hasseler: Captain, Canadian Army/UCAS
Charles (Chucky, “the Hammer”) Martell: Private, USMC/UCAS
Donna Gaudet: Chief Warrant Officer, CARICOM/UCAS
Yehuda (“Sundog”) ben York: Private, Canadian Army/UCAS
Katie Somers: Lance Corporal, British Army/UCAS
Matthew Fanny: Top Sergeant, U.S. Army/UCAS
The Lost Soldiers
Alexander Shvartsman: First Lieutenant, Soviet Ground Forces
Carlisle Hansell: Commander, CO of USS Swordfish, USN
Emmett Owen: Sergeant, MACV-SOG, US Army Special Forces
Isaac Franklin: First Lieutenant, Pararescue Jumper, USAF
Ivan Zhigarev: Lieutenant Colonel, RKKA/Red Army
Martin Enderle: Lieutenant Commander, Executive Officer of Orzel, ORP/Free Polish Navy
Patrick Paulsen: Colonel, USAF, CO of the Lost Soldiers
Richard Hailey: Captain, MACV-SOG, US Army Special Forces
Robert Lane: Sergeant, MACV-SOG, US Army Special Forces
Steven Rodermund: Lieutenant Colonel, USAF
Susan Phillips: Captain, Special Operations Executive, UK
The Ktor
Brenlor Perekmeres: Evolved and Srin; Captain of Red Lurker
Idrem Perekmeresuum: Evolved; Second Officer of Red Lurker
Nezdeh Perekmeres: Evolved, Aware, and Srina; Executive officer of Red Lurker
Olsirkos Shethkador’vah: Evolved, Tagmator; Master of Will Breaker
Sehtrek: Intendant; crew of Red Lurker
Tegrese Hreteyarkus: Evolved; crew of Red Lurker
Tlerek Shethkador: Evolved, Aware, Srin, and Ambassador to Earth/CTR; Captain of Ferocious Monolith
Zurur Deosketer: Evolved; crew of Red Lurker
The Hkh’Rkh
Ezzraamar Laarkhduur of the Moiety of Nys’maharn
Jrekhalkar, Fist (later Voice and Fist) of the Great Clan Gdar’khoom
O’akhdruh, Silent Voice of the Great Clan Gdar’khoom
Uzkekh’gar of the Great Clan Gdar’khoom
Yaargraukh Onvaarkhayn of the moiety of Hsraluur, former Advocate of the Unhonored
Z’gluurhek, Scion, vassal of the Great Clan Gdar’khoom
Other Exosapients
Alnduul: Senior Mentor of the Custodians of the Accord, Dornaani Collective
Yiithrii’ah’aash: Prime Ratiocinator of the Great Ring, Ambassador to Earth/CTR, Slaasriithi
Appendix B
Glossary
Allsires: The ten highest Greatsires of the Patrijuridicate. They constitute an oligarchic supreme court, but have no greater legislative power (officially) than the other Greatsires.
anthrobot : An anthropomorphic machine that may be anything from fully autonomous to fully operator controlled.
bracer: Slang for a palmcomp wrist-adapter.
C4I: Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence.
chromaflage: “Active” camouflage that blends into the visual background; a “chameleon suit.”
creepers: Small semi-autonomous reconnaissance robots, shaped like spider-centipede hybrids.
Greatsires: Family heads that are the legislators of the Patrijuridicate and bring legal cases to the attention of the Allsires.
EXHALTED: EXtremely High ALtitude Theater Engagement Designator/director. A miniaturized lightweight reconnaissance platform with extraordinary loiter time.
halbardiche: Hkh’Rkh weapon, translated to reflect its fusion between a halberd and bardiche.
Know-It-All: A nearly homophonic bastardization of the acronym NOAH-ITAL (Network Overseen Automated Helper-Independent Tactical Augmentation Link). This is a purpose-built military variant of the NOAH, the most sophisticated form of autonomous personal helper.
LITI: Light Intensification/Thermal Imaging.
LoS: Line of sight.
MISLS: Multiple Independent Stand-alone Launch System. Also deployable in clusters for ease of collective control, these are untended missiles equipped with a light, disposable launch stand that may be left and fired from anywhere within the operator’s range of control.
MULTI: Multiple Use Launch Tube, Infantry. A cluster of seven hexagonally framed launch tubes on a reconfigurable launch stand, firing ten-by-seventy-five-centimeter missiles.
Patrijuridicate: The combined legislative and judicial body comprising the Hkh’Rkh government; also an interchangeable term for the entirety of the Hkh’Rkh state.
prophotabs: Prophylatic tablets for both males and females.
Proxie: A nearly homophonic bastardization of the acronym PROXHAE (Platform, Remote-Operated, eXtreme Hazard, Autonomy-Enhanced.
RAP: Rocket-Assisted Projectile. A small (25-30 millimeter) rocket-propelled warhead.
Rectorship: The Hkh’Rkh equivalent of the Russian Academy of Sciences. It is funded by the Patrijuridicate and overseen by a board of Greatsires. Since most educational institutions among the Hkh’Rkh are intra-Family in nature, the supreme importance and prestige of the Rectorship is magnified by its identity as the only true state/inter-Family locus of higher education and, particularly, research.
thermoflage: “Active” camouflage that blends into the thermal background.
ur-primogenitorial list: Those in the core family of a House (the primogenitorial line) who are included on its “ur-list”: products of a string of unions that meet extraordinarily rigorous selectivity criteria.
zhyzh’hakz: Hkh’Rkh ritual stimulant, formerly a combat drug.
Appendix C
The Accords
The Accord is a democratic council comprised of politically equal member states. Membership is conferred through a process of mutual assessment and determination. Attendance at all Convocations of the Accord is mandatory; absences are treated as abstention and warrant the censure of the Accord. Accord policy and arbitration outcomes are determined by simple majority votes. However, changes in the accords themselves (additions, deletions, emendations) require unanimous approval (abstentions are construed as rejections). Issues addressed by the Accord include: Accord policies and actions toward non-Accord powers, races, objects, or phenomena;
interpretation and application of the accords;
proper procedures for administering the Accord, including first contact, meeting, and communication protocols;
reassessment and periodic alteration of the current pathways of allowed expansion for Accord member states.
A member state’s membership in the Accord requires, and remains contingent upon, truthful self-representation in all disclosures of data or statements of intention: lies of omission or commission are expressly forbidden. If it is found that a member state misrepresented itself upon application for membership in the Accord, its membership is annulled.
One member state of the Accord is designated as the Custodian of the accords. The Custodians are charged with ensuring that all member states comply with the accords, that lack of compliance is corrected, and that disputes are resolved by arbitration commissions.
The Accord and its individual member states are expressly and absolutely forbidden from interfering in the internal affairs of any member state. The only exception to this is articulated in the Twenty-first Accord.
All entry into another member state’s space must comply with territorial transit agreements negotiated between the member states in question. If no such agreements exist, a member state may declare any intrusion into its territory as illegal and may require the Accord to convene an arbitration commission to seek redress. The race designated as Custodians are excluded from these constraints when acting in their capacity as Custodians. However, they are expected and enjoined to use all possible restraint and to secure prior permission wherever and whenever possible.
No violence of any kind or on any scale is permitted between the races of the Accord.
No espionage is permitted between the races of the Accord, nor are other clandestine attempts to subvert or circumvent the autonomy, prerogatives, or secrecy constraints of another member state.
No agreement (legal or personal) made between individuals or collectives from two (or more) member states may ever explicitly or implicitly encumber or abridge the absolute indigenous autonomy of any of the parties to the agreement. Therefore, any member state (or inhabitant thereof) may terminate any agreement with any other member state (or inhabitant thereof) at any time for any reason, contractual obligations notwithstanding.
Disputes between member states and violations of these accords may only be resolved by a Custodian-appointed arbitration commission. Member states involved in a dispute may not serve on arbitration commissions convened after the commencement of their dispute until said dispute is resolved. All arbitration commissions are chaired by Custodians, and must follow the same determinative protocols as the Accord itself, as outlined in the First Accord.
Member states which are found to have violated an accord are instructed by the finding commission how to make amends for this violation. If the member state finds these instructions unacceptable, they may propose an alternate means of making amends, may request a reconsideration, or may appeal for clemency or exoneration (if there are suitably extenuating circumstances).
Member states which flagrantly or willfully violate one or more accords forfeit their membership in the Accord. The same applies to member states which choose to ignore or reject the final determination of arbitration commissions. Former Accord member states may reapply for membership.
Members of the Accord must agree to restrict their use of interstellar-rated microwave and radio emissions to dire emergencies (such as distress calls, or in the event that all other communication systems have malfunctioned).
All Accord ships must be equipped with a transponder that, upon inquiry from any other Accord ship, will relay its member state of origin, its name or code, its master, and any special conditions under which it is operating.
All Accord ships must be furnished with multiple crewpersons who are conversant in the Code of Universal Signals and, if requested, must use this Code to initiate and respond to any and all communiqués.
All member states must maintain strict compliance with the Accord-prescribed pathways of allowed expansion. A single race may petition for a revision of its own expansion pathway: this is handled as an arbitration.
New races are contacted by the Accord only when they achieve routine interstellar travel, whether of a faster-than-light or slower-than-light variety.
The time and method of contacting a new race is determined by the Custodians of the Accord. Prior to contact, new races are designated as “protected species.”
Monitoring of nonmember intelligent species is the responsibility of the Custodians. Routine supporting tasks may be assigned to one other member state that possesses sufficient technological and exploratory capabilities.
An outgoing Custodian member state selects the order in which member states are invited to succeed it. FTL travel is the prerequisite for Custodianship. The minimum duration of Custodianship is 24.6 Earth years. Minimum advance notice of resignation from Custodianship is 4.1 Earth years.
If no race is willing to accept Custodianship, the Accord is considered dissolved, as are all agreements previously made and enforced under its aegis.
Extraordinary circumstances: the Custodians are to intervene as soon as is practicable, and unilaterally if that is most expeditious, if: any member state’s or protected race’s homeworld is invaded or otherwise attacked;
if any member state or protected race takes action that is deemed likely to result in the destruction of a planet’s biosphere.
The Custodians may undertake this intervention without soliciting Accord consensus, and may, if necessary, violate other accords in order to ensure that the intervention is successful.
Charles E Gannon, Caine's Mutiny
