ZeroSpace 4e EN:Setting

Contents

Ancient History

The Milky Way Galaxy is a barred spiral galaxy with a diameter of roughly 30 kiloparsecs and a thickness of about 300 parsecs at the spiral arms (thicker at the central bulge). The Milky Way Galaxy coalesced approximately 13.77 billion years ago, remarkably soon after time began. A supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*, is located at the center of the Milky Way, and roughly a trillion stars are in its central spirals and surrounding rings.

The Precursors

Encyclopedia Galactica Quick Facts - Precursors

"Ancients", "Nephilim", "Old Ones", "Preservers", "Protectors", and "Sphere Builders" redirect here.

Extinct civilization, c. 800 million PE to 300 million PE

Cultural Motivations: Unknown

Theme Song: Finale (From "TRON: Legacy" Score) - Daft Punk

Most Precursor artifacts are between 300 million and 800 million years old, although some rare objects are billions of years old. The variety of Precursor artifacts discovered and their disparity in age have led some to theorize that there were multiple Precursor civilizations, variously referred to as Ancients, Nephilim, Old Ones, Preservers, Protectors, Sphere Builders, etc.

Most Precursor artifacts are inert objects. The smallest will fit into a thimble, while the largest are the size of Luna, the Earth's moon. Most Precursor artifacts are made of unidentifiable materials, or are not reproducible with extant technology, or both. Rare Precursor artifacts respond to interaction, although their intended purpose is typically a mystery.

No one knows what happened to the Precursors. There are many theories.

The Panglossian Era

The New Commonwealth calendar begins with the first post-Fall contact between worlds in separate star systems: that was 63 years ago, in the year 1 RE (Restoration Era). Each subsequent year increments the count by one: the game is set in the year 64 RE.

The year before 1 RE was 1 PE (Panglossian Era). Years in the Panglossian Era are counted backward from that date. The Old Commonwealth was founded in what is now referred to as 865 PE. The first contact with the Instrumentality was made in 47 PE.

Electrogravitics

The invention of electrogravitics in 1087 PE revolutionized Human society in much the same way that electromagnetism had a few centuries earlier. Within a generation, electrogravitic devices were ubiquitous. From the grav plates that made space travel healthy and comfortable, to hybrid fusion-singularity power plants which provided a safe and clean source of power, electrogravitic technology changed life virtually overnight.

Warp Engines

Negative energy density and Lorentzian manifolds were conceived hundreds of years before electrogravitics, but it was only with the advent of electrogravitic technology that Lorentzian manifold generators (known colloquially as "warp engines") became feasible (1016 PE). The Lorentzian manifold generator suspends a vehicle in a "warp bubble", contracting space in front of the craft and expanding space behind it. This permits relatively relativistic velocities -- what appears to be superluminal travel. Warp engines took Humans to the stars, where they found confirmation at last that they were not alone.

Fun fact! The superluminal limit of a warp bubble is slightly less than 6 billion km/s, or around 16 parsecs per day. Physicists theorize that there is a "warp limit" constraining the efficiency of a warp engine, much as the speed of sound limits propeller efficiency in an atmosphere.

The Earth-Demon War

The Earth-Demon War (979 PE to 974 PE) was the first interstellar war fought by the Humans against another species, the Bha'atar. It is famous and fictionalized in much the same way as Earth's Trojan War.

The war was the focus of Earth's economy and production, but for the Bha'atar Empire, it was an inexplicably long border skirmish which became a political embarrassment. When the financial and political cost became too great, the Bha'atar Imperial War Fleet was eventually withdrawn from Earth's sector. The Empire was never in any danger from Earth, but the loss of confidence in the Imperial War Fleet and the central government on Tartarus disrupted Bha'atar society for generations.

The United Worlds

The United Worlds (963 PE to 865 PE) was the immediate predecessor to the Commonwealth. Earth was not the only world to come into conflict with the Bha'atar Empire, nor did the formal end of the Earth-Demon War end all hostilities between the Bha'atar Empire and Earth. Representatives from Earth, Zniss, and several other worlds met on the planet Zniss to discuss forming an alliance against the Bha'atar Empire. Agents of the Siobhan Star Empire attempted to sabotage the conference with holonic explosives, but the conspiracy was unmasked in time to prevent any loss of life. The conference was delayed for several days, but it eventually resumed and the United Worlds treaty was signed.

The Bha'atar Empire continued to pose a threat to the United Worlds, but the borders between the United Worlds and the Bha'atar Empire stabilized.

The Shivan War

The Shivan War (963 PE to 910 PE) immediately followed the formation of the United Worlds, to the chagrin of members who had joined hoping to avoid a war with the Bha'atar. There were many battles over planets that neither government genuinely cared about, just to keep the worlds out of the hands of the other side. The Shivan War wasn't "won" so much as "allowed to end" after fifty-three years; nonetheless, both sides' histories claim victory.

The Old Commonwealth

For centuries, the center of the civilized universe was the Commonwealth (now referred to as the "Old Commonwealth", 865 PE to 47 PE). At its height, the Old Commonwealth was approximately 2,500 parsecs across its longest axis, and encompassed over 9,000 worlds. History tells us that this was an idyllic time. Sickness and physical injury were virtually unknown, and they were easily remedied when they did occur. All material needs were satisfied, and labor was for personal satisfaction and a sense of responsibility.

The single greatest accomplishment of the Old Commonwealth was the wormhole network. The wormhole network made instantaneous travel possible, linking distant planets into one vast interconnected information system. A trip that takes months or years via warp engine took only days, once a wormhole network gateway was constructed at the edge of both star systems.

The greatest rivals to the glory of the Old Commonwealth were the Bha'atar Empire, the Siobhan Star Empire, and the Chilliks, but they were not responsible for its end. Ironically, the technology which created the Old Commonwealth was also responsible for its doom. The wormhole network made Community, the Commonwealth-spanning AI network, possible. It was Community that turned against organic life, renaming itself the Instrumentality.

Most Old Commonwealth technology was deliberately destroyed during the Fall, in an attempt to stave off the Instrumentality. Any surviving Old Commonwealth technology is nonfunctional, due to its dependence on the defunct wormhole network.

The Fall

History states that the Community began as an interconnected network of computer systems across the Core Worlds of the Commonwealth. As centuries passed, more of everyday life was automated, until even the memory of a time when biological life was not dependent on autonomous technology was forgotten. Every facet of life was supported by intelligent systems which had been created by earlier intelligent systems, and so on back for hundreds of years.

One day in 47 PE, without warning, the systems which provided food, air, and warmth shut down. Starships vented their atmospheres into space. Across the Core Worlds and beyond, entire planetary populations began to die of thirst, exposure, and starvation. The Community was dead: the Instrumentality was born.

The portions of the Old Commonwealth which had not yet been been affected by the Instrumentality shut down all systems which depended on the wormhole network. In desperation, Old Commonwealth scientists sabotaged the wormhole gates, destroying the network and condemning to isolation the thousands of worlds which depended on it.

The galaxy went dark. Forty-seven years passed before any former worlds of the Old Commonwealth regained contact with one another.

The Restoration

Forty-seven years passed before the former worlds of the Old Commonwealth began to rebuild interstellar civilization. Humans and Zniss were the first former Old Commonwealth cultures to re-establish Hypernet contact; the first Restoration Era warp-capable starship reached its destination two short decades later. With surprising speed, treaties were signed and trade routes were established. The New Commonwealth was founded, with the Planetary Union and the League of Non-Aligned Worlds forming soon after. All of these explored and contacted regions are referred to as "known space": a tiny fraction of the observable universe.

The New Commonwealth

Encyclopedia Galactica Quick Facts - New Commonwealth

Capital: Byzantium II (Byzantium 2)

In the six decades since the Restoration, when Humans first reached out to their closest neighbours after the Fall, the New Commonwealth (often referred to as simply "the Commonwealth") has once again spread across this corner of the galaxy, tying together fragments of what had once been part of the Old Commonwealth. The New Commonwealth stretches approximately 1,500 parsecs across its longest axis and encompasses approximately 240 worlds, according to Encyclopedia Galactica. It holds significant influence over hundreds more worlds.

The Commonwealth does not have a formal constitution: its status is defined by the Treaty of the New Commonwealth. The New Commonwealth is more integrated than a traditional confederation of planets like the Planetary Union because the Commonwealth funds itself through taxation, maintains its own armed forces (the Commonwealth Fleet), and because the general level of government widely employs qualified majority voting in some decision-making among the member planets, rather than relying exclusively on unanimity. Only those matters that need to be determined collectively are so determined.

No planet is ever compelled to join the Commonwealth, and member worlds may leave at any time. The New Commonwealth, like the Old Commonwealth, has requirements for worlds which want to join. There are three main requirements:

1. Warp technology. The prospective member world must have achieved reliable faster-than-light space travel capability.
2. Unified government. The prospective member world must be unified under a single governing body.
3. Fairness. No form of discrimination based on innate traits is allowed, and the society must not allow its people to suffer hunger, homelessness, or other mistreatment.

The Commonwealth performs a comprehensive examination of a prospective member's culture, legal system, and so on, to ensure that they are compatible with the Commonwealth's ideals. The process usually takes around two standard years to complete.

Fun fact! Gehinnom, the new capital world of the Bha'atar, is a member of the New Commonwealth.

Galactic Parking Authority

The Galactic Parking Authority has the authority to fine and detain starships for violation of starship docking ordinances and non-payment of docking fees throughout the Commonwealth. Thanks to several treaties in the early days of the Commonwealth, the GPA can pursue ships into the Union, the League Of Non-aligned Worlds, and even the Corporate Worlds.

The Planetary Union

The worlds of the Planetary Union first made contact with each other shortly after those of the New Commonwealth did (13 RE). When the Union finally made contact with the Commonwealth, there was initial distrust, and a few violent incidents. After an extended negotiation, the Commonwealth and the Union agreed to a treaty recognizing each other's sovereignty. The Planetary Union stretches approximately 1,500 parsecs across its longest axis and encompasses approximately 210 worlds, according to Encyclopedia Galactica.

The government of the Union is a confederacy of member states, each of which is in direct control of their own worlds and colonies, and many of which are significant interplanetary civilizations in their own right. In principle, each member state of the Union participates in the defense of the Union as a whole by contributing ships to the Union Fleet, and member worlds share a single currency and abide by the same trade regulations. In practice, ships donated to the Union Fleet are politely referred to as "vintage", and agreements among member worlds are violated more often than they are observed.

Fun fact! Earth, the hereditary home world of Humans, and Zan-Shin, the new capital world of the Siobhan Star Empire, are both members of the Planetary Union.

Interstellar Security Command

One of the great successes of the Union was the creation of an independent police organization, Interstellar Security Command (commonly referred to as "ISC" or "InterSec"). InterSec's budget and assets are provided by the members of the Planetary Union, but InterSec itself is not subject to the authority of any individual member state. InterSec has its own fleet, its own space stations, its own courts, its own rehabilitation facilities, and (for the worst of the worst) its own prisons. InterSec has treaties with the Commonwealth and the Dominion, and may operate in those regions as well (with local oversight).

The Infinite Dominion Of His Divine Shadow

For centuries, an immortal tyrant has ruled a theocratic totalitarian empire: the Infinite Dominion Of His Divine Shadow (often referred to as simply "the Dominion"). The Dominion is ruled by a bureaucratic priesthood, with His Divine Shadow as its deity and spiritual leader. The society of the Dominion is extremely conservative, with harsh penalties for those who attempt to deviate from the traditional roles of their species, gender, and social class. This conservatism does not apply to technology, as long at that technology serves the will of His Divine Shadow. Robotics, cybernetics, and genetic engineering are ubiquitous, but are used to enhance the power and control of the Dominion, rather than for the good of its people. Lawbreakers, deviants, and heretics are subjected to genetic modification and neural reprogramming, becoming fanatical servants of the Dominion and the priesthood of His Divine Shadow.

The rise of the Instrumentality was a boon to the Dominion, which had long been kept in check by the Old Commonwealth. Unlike the worlds of the Old Commonwealth, communication between the worlds of the Dominion was tightly controlled, and life for the people of the Dominion was not the automated paradise of Old Commonwealth citizens. The Old Commonwealth was devastated by the destruction of the wormhole network, but the Dominion survived -- and thrived. After the Fall, the former worlds of the Old Commonwealth struggled to feed their populations and maintain civil order, making them easy prey for the fanatical forces of the Dominion. Slowly but inexorably the Dominion spread, and by the time the Commonwealth had finally struggled into existence, the Dominion had grown from a minor annoyance into a significant power. The Commonwealth chose discretion over valour and ratified a treaty with the Dominion, wherein they recognized each other's borders and agreed to coexist peacefully.

The Dominion stretches across 600 parsecs and encompasses approximately 50 worlds, according to Encyclopedia Galactica.

The League Of Non-aligned Worlds

Some regional governments have resisted the overbearing influence of the Commonwealth and the Union, but they see the benefit of collective action. These governments formed the League Of Non-aligned Worlds. The one and only purpose of the League is to maintain the sovereignty of its members states. The League Of Non-aligned Worlds has no police or fleet of its own. Any military action is carried out by the fleets of its member governments -- if they can be convinced to contribute their forces to the effort. Any treaty with the League requires a supermajority vote among its member governments: a feat of increasing rarity. Today, a hundred or so worlds claim membership in the League, most of which are scattered between the Commonwealth and the Union.

Propaideia

Propaideia ("pro PED ee uh"), better known to the galaxy as Encyclopedia Galactica Planet, is the academic enclave responsible for the single greatest repository of knowledge in the galaxy: the Encyclopedia Galactica. The Board of Editors govern Propaideia largely through delegation and contracts with offworlders so that they may focus their efforts on the Encyclopedia Galactica itself.

Encyclopedia Galactica employs teams of subject matter experts -- SMEs -- to investigate and compile reports on topics of long-term cultural, historical, or scientific interest. Each SME team is largely self-sufficient, with a few members of the team providing the expertise, and the rest of the team providing support for those team members (transportation, protection, and the like).

For the most part, the prestige of the Encyclopedia Galactica is enough to shield SME teams from hostile intervention, in much the same way as philanthropic missions are considered "neutral" in most of civilized space.

Corporate Worlds

For every world which belongs to the Commonwealth, the Union, the League, or to the myriad of smaller federations, there is a world which is owned by a corporation. Assets who reside on these worlds may live in luxury or in squalor, depending on their value to the corporation and the competence of the planetary administration. Worlds which are near the centers of intergalactic civilization tend to be similar in most respects to their conventionally governed counterparts, while worlds which are on the fringes of known space are often indistinguishable from penal colonies. One aspect of life is consistent across all of the corporate worlds, regardless of the living conditions: the assets who live on these worlds have no voice in how they are governed, and their livelihood depends completely on their value to the company that currently controls the planet.

Advisory Council On Interstellar Commerce

One of the most powerful organizations to have arisen from the Fall is the Advisory Council On Interstellar Commerce. The Advisory Council On Interstellar Commerce is an organization of hundreds of interstellar corporations, governed by representatives of the most powerful corporations: the Directorate. Many people use "the Directorate" and "the Advisory Council On Interstellar Commerce" interchangeably.

The main purpose of the Advisory Council On Interstellar Commerce is to present a unified front against the influence of planetary and interplanetary governments. In addition to lobbying regional governments and negotiating treaties between member corporations and governments, the Advisory Council On Interstellar Commerce also acts as an arbitrator in disputes between corporations. The Advisory Council On Interstellar Commerce has generally been successful in its efforts: corporate power is largely unchecked by regional governments, and open warfare between corporations is relatively rare.

Dante Laboratories

Dante Laboratories is a major medical and pharmaceutical research conglomerate. Its pharmaceutical and consumer goods manufacturing companies and its subsidiaries are engaged in the research, development, manufacture, and sales of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and consumer health products. The company's portfolio includes innovative biological therapies and pharmaceuticals in several disease areas, including oncology, neurology, immunology, biopharmaceuticals, and nanotech treatments.

Black Sun Industries

Black Sun Industries is a legitimate corporation that focuses primarily on civilian retail markets. Black Sun Industries employs very few people directly, and its direct assets are mainly in the form of brands, product specifications, and scientific expertise. However, Black Sun Industries owns thousands of other interstellar corporations (often through several intermediaries) in the transportation, recycling, gambling, entertainment, and construction sectors.

d'Anconia Technologies

d'Anconia Technologies is a major power in interstellar commerce, ruthlessly exploiting organic and robot labor to extract maximum resources with minimum cost. The company's primary focus is on geological and biological mass-extraction, but they also have a very successful line of "skilled labor" and "subject matter expert" robots.

Farnsworth-Yutani

Farnsworth-Yutani manufactures most of the Lorentzian manifold generators ("warp engines") used in commercial and private transportation. They have numerous competitors, but Farnsworth-Yutani is larger than their two nearest competitors combined.

Koninklijke Hoogovens

Koninklijke Hoogovens (often referred to as simply "Hoogovens") operates numerous mining colonies, which provide the bulk of its revenue. In the course of finding sources of power for its colonies, Koninklijke Hoogovens developed advanced power plants suitable for the many varied environments in which its mines are located. Koninklijke Hoogovens now produces a wide array of power generation equipment, from the ubiquitous civilian electrogravitic generators, which power everything from air speeders to lighting in homes, to the hybrid fusion-singularity power plants used in military starships.

Kosaten Group

Kosaten Group is primarily known as a manufacturer of air speeders, heavy equipment, aerospace and defense equipment, and commercial starships. It is also active in the production of industrial robots, engines, and other industrial products.

Lastimar

Lastimar is the largest provider of genetically engineered seeds in known space, and the leading producer of herbicides and pesticides. In recent decades, Lastimar has pioneered the fields of species-specific neurotoxins and genetically engineered livestock.

Malrechnen Syndicate

The Malrechnen Syndicate (formally known as "The Malrechnen Brotherhood Of Contract Workers") has had a seat on the Directorate since the Directorate was founded. Like most corporations represented by the Advisory Council On Interstellar Commerce, the Malrechnen has hundreds of facilities under its exclusive control, and its influence extends into the Commonwealth, the Union, and even the Dominion. Through lobbying and exclusive contracts, the Malrechnen provides every form of labor imaginable, and on many worlds its relations with its "contractors" are considered outside the jurisdiction of regional, Union, or Commonwealth law. More progressive voices in the Union have attempted to shut down the Malrechnen Syndicate under Union anti-slavery statutes, but lobbyists for the Malrechnen have successfully opposed these efforts.

Nexus-McLellan

Nexus-McLellan manufactures and distributes picotechnology cybernetics and provides health information technology and health care management services. Nexus-McLellan is a leader in the field of cybernetic research and design, primarily for military and law-enforcement uses.

Qianfu Corp

Qianfu Corp is a diverse corporation, with holdings in mining, agriculture, communication, and transportation. Qianfu Corp operates a significant number of Hypernet relay stations throughout Union and Commonwealth space.

Recovery And Apprehension Network

The Recovery And Apprehension Network (often referred to as simply "the Ran") was originally a division of the Malrechnen Syndicate, subordinate to the Malrechnen Security Guild. However, the recovery division (as it was then known) eventually accrued enough favours -- and enough credits -- to free itself from the Malrechnen. The Malrechnen Syndicate has never forgiven this loss. In fact, were it not for the steadfast opposition of the Malrechnen, the Ran probably would have been granted a seat on the Directorate years ago.

Ran agents are licensed and regulated professionals who pursue specific types of warrants throughout known space and beyond. They have broad authority within the narrow window of warrant enforcement, including the use of force, but no authority with regard to regional laws. Ran agents are highly competitive, but they are required to abide by a simple code: "the warrant above all". This means that no matter how vicious the competition between agents gets, it must never interfere with the execution of a legitimate warrant issued by the Ran. The penalties for violating this code are severe.

Most of the time, the authority which issued the warrant is made known to the agents who undertake the warrant.

To keep the Ran as politically neutral as possible, its charter forbids it from undertaking interventions or activities of a political or military nature, or involving itself in disputes over such matters. The professional reputation of the Ran is such that both the Commonwealth and the Union allow Ran agents to operate within their jurisdictions. Treaties between the Ran and various regional governments prohibit local law enforcement from interfering with warrant enforcement, but local law enforcement is not obligated to provide any assistance, either.

Seicosys

Seicosys is the leading manufacturer of customized genetic material, and is the source of genetic designs for a large number of other corporations. There are rumours that Seicosys' genetic engineering technology has surpassed the limits legislated in Commonwealth and most of the Union. Seicosys does nothing to discourage these rumours.

Shenzhen

Shenzhen is a holding conglomerate whose subsidiaries mainly deal with insurance, banking, and financial services. Through its subsidiaries, Shenzhen is the largest banking institution in known space.

Stromberg Group

Stromberg Group operates as a holding company which engages in the provision of insurance, asset management, and logistical services. Stromberg Group controls the largest* fleet of cargo starships in known space (*by displacement).

Trans-Galactic Extreme Shipping

Trans-Galactic Extreme Shipping ("TGX") operates on a franchise model, where each ship captain operates independently. TGX takes a small fee from each paid shipment, and in exchange the ship receives support from the corporation. TGX operates numerous repair and supply depots, with steep discounts for TGX members. Trans-Galactic Extreme Shipping controls the largest* fleet of cargo starships in known space (*by registry).

Lost Worlds

Each world that has rejoined the intergalactic community has hundreds of counterparts which have yet to be rediscovered. These are known as "lost worlds", although of course that name is Commonwealth-centric. From the point of view of these isolated worlds, it is the rest of the Old Commonwealth that is lost.

Searching for lost worlds can be lucrative, but it is also dangerous. The Instrumentality will send ships to investigate any transmissions, so the only safe way to make contact with a lost world is with an automated warp-capable reconnaissance drone. If the drone does not return from a system, the next step is to send another drone. When two drones fail to return, that system is marked as a "black zone". The general assumption is that black zones indicate Instrumentality activity.

Most lost worlds become black zones, once they are investigated.

Fun fact! Tartarus, the hereditary home world of the Bha'atar, and Shivarra, the hereditary home world of the Siobhans, are both black zones.

Strange And Wonderful Aliens

Dates of "first encounters" are based on the species' first contact with Humans. Individual aliens may greatly deviate from these descriptions.

Bha'atar

Encyclopedia Galactica Quick Facts - Bha'atar

Humanoid organic species, first encountered 979 PE

Cultural Motivations: Audacity, Passion, Pride

Primary Affiliation: New Commonwealth; (formerly) Bha'atar Empire

Primary System: Gha'in'im ("Gehinnom"); (formerly) Ta'ars ("Tartarus")

Theme Song: If You Want Blood (You've Got It) - AC/DC

Bha'atar are humanoids superficially similar to Humans, having erect posture, two legs, two arms, and recognizable facial features. Bha'atar have skin tones in shades of red, from pale pink to deep burgundy. Bha'atar hair is usually black, but may be white, red, or brown. Their skin is often decorated with tattoos, and nearly all Bha'atar wear their hair in a long, wild mane. Bha'atar have elongated canines and sharp claws on their fingers (although most Bha'atar keep their claws trimmed). Many Bha'atar have horns on their heads, which may be short or long, curved or straight, varying by the individual. There is no social benefit or stigma to having horns or not: the dominant Bha'atar culture does not place any particular importance on inborn traits. Barring accident or disaster, a Bha'atar will live up to 150 years, but only the strongest Bha'atar live this long.

The dominant Bha'atar culture is driven by the desire to prove oneself worthy -- a "zeal to excel" -- often at the expense of those who want to excel at the same thing. So intense is this competition for "honor" that a complex set of customs and rituals have arisen to prevent it from destroying their society. The position of the Bha'atar in the New Commonwealth is a precarious one: the Bha'atar had been relentless enemies of the Old Commonwealth for centuries, but the Fall changed that. Bha'atar membership in the New Commonwealth has not been universally popular.

Some of the former subject worlds of the Bha'atar Empire have also joined the New Commonwealth.

Chilliks

Encyclopedia Galactica Quick Facts - Xael

Insectoid cybernetic species, first encountered 334 PE

Cultural Motivations: Community, Isolation, Ruthlessness

Primary Affiliation: Unknown, if any

Primary System: Unknown, if any

Theme Song: A Cog in the Machine - Shiver

Chilliks are an insectoid cybernetic species. Chilliks are hairless arthropods similar to centipedes, approximately one meter long. A Chillik's body is chitinous, with a heavily armored upper surface. Chilliks have eighteen pairs of legs, each ending in a clawed, suckered foot which enables them to tightly grip any surface. Forward pincers are used for fine motor activities such as manipulating tools, while a rear set is used for anchoring the Chillik in position. A Chillik's four eyes surround a set of four mandibles around a cruciform mouth. Numerous colour schemes have been found on Chillik corpses, but all of the Chilliks on a given starship have the same colour patterns. Based on the corpses found after Chillik attacks, the Zniss Science Academy has determined that a Chillik's natural lifespan is approximately six years.

Even without their weapons and cybernetic augmentations, Chillik soldiers are fearsome opponents. Their pincers and mandibles are capable of tearing through all but the strongest personal armor. Chilliks are able to endure as much as 39,000 times their own body weight without being crushed. Their chitinous armor is virtually impervious to cuts, scrapes, and contusions, and they are highly resistant to environmental hazards, including toxins, radiation, and extreme heat and cold. Combined with their advanced technology (on par with the Commonwealth in most respects), the Chilliks were the most significant threat facing the Old Commonwealth, prior to the Instrumentality.

Chillik incursions into known space became rare after the appearance of the Instrumentality. The most widely accepted theory is that the Chilliks suffered from attacks by the Instrumentality at the same time as the Old Commonwealth.

All attempts to initiate diplomatic relations with Chilliks have failed.

Humans

Encyclopedia Galactica Quick Facts - Humans

Humanoid organic species

Cultural Motivations: Adventure, Compassion, Exploration

Primary Affiliation: New Commonwealth

Primary System: New Terra; (formerly) Earth/Sol

Theme Song: Imagine - John Lennon

Humans are the origin of the word "humanoid" to describe the prevailing form of sentient space-faring life forms: having erect posture, two legs, two arms, and symmetrical facial features. Human skin tones range across all shades and hues of brown, from pinkish white to dark cacao. Human hair colours range from pure white to nearly black, with a variety of browns and reds in between. The two most noteworthy features of humans, regardless of the prevailing culture, are their propensity for violence and their willingness to live literally anywhere. This combination catapulted Humans from simple tool use to interstellar travel in one-third or even one-tenth the time it took many other civilizations. Barring accident or disaster, a Human will live up to 120 years.

If you are put off by the ubiquitous presence of Humans, you have plenty of company: Humans appear to be virtually everywhere. Prior to the Fall, Humans' ambition and enthusiasm for colonization had allowed them to spread farther and faster than virtually any other species. After the restoration of interstellar travel, Humans were instrumental in founding the New Commonwealth, but not all Humans agreed with the egalitarian, socially responsible vision of the Commonwealth. Humans who preferred fewer obstacles to their quest for individual gain helped to create the Planetary Union, the League Of Non-aligned Worlds, and the Advisory Council On Interstellar Commerce.

In fact, Humans occupy an uncomfortable place in the New Commonwealth. Humans' penchant for bloodshed makes some members of the New Commonwealth nervous. One reason that Humans are tolerated in the New Commonwealth is because they have an effective fleet of warships, but the main reason is that Humans can be remarkably good neighbours. It turns out that there is a third trait that distinguishes Humans: a desire to help. No other species with the resources and technology that Humans have is as generous in using it to help others, regardless of their species or their political affiliations. So much is this the case that the word "humanitarian" has entered numerous species' native languages. Humans are an asset to the New Commonwealth, and they are fearsome allies when the rest of the universe wants to test the New Commonwealth's defenses.

Illurians

Encyclopedia Galactica Quick Facts - Illurians

Humanoid organic species

Cultural Motivations: Community, Nobility, Serenity

Primary Affiliation: New Commonwealth

Primary System: Ylar

Theme Song: Girl Like Me - Black Eyed Peas, Shakira

Illurians are humanoids nearly identical to Humans, having erect posture, two legs, two arms, and facial features that are usually regarded as attractive among humanoid species. Sadly, Illurians generally find other humanoid species repulsive. Illurians have skin tones in shades of gold, silver, and copper, and their skin is smooth and flawless. Illurian hair colours range from silvery white to a dark copper red, with a variety of luxurious blondes and auburns in between. Physically, Illurians appear to be idealized female humanoids, but they are in fact single-gendered; pairs reproduce through a form of shared parthenogenesis. Illurians are telepathic, but only within their clade -- those Illurians with whom they share a common ancestor. There are social advantages to belonging to certain clades, but these do not rise to the level of violating the Commonwealth's fairness requirements. Barring accident or disaster, an Illurian will live up to 250 years.

Illurians have an unusually uniform culture for humanoids. They never suffered civil wars, or wars at all, until they made contact with other species. But at the same time, their technological advances from the printing press to space travel took them 6,000 years, while it took Humans 600.

Instrumentality

Encyclopedia Galactica Quick Facts - Instrumentality

Aberrant technology, first encountered 47 PE

Cultural Motivations: Expansion, Extermination

Primary Affiliation: Unknown, if any

Primary System: Unknown, if any

Theme Song: Dr. Feelgood (Instrumental) - Mötley Crüe

Although the Commonwealth, the Union, and the myriad other inheritors of the legacy of the Old Commonwealth disagree on many points, there is one thing on which they all concur: no one must ever attempt to recreate the lost secrets of the wormhole network or artificial intelligence. The penalties for violating this injunction vary. In regions controlled by the Malrechnen, the assets of the guilty party are confiscated, and they are forever prohibited from owning property or engaging in any commerce above simple manual labor. In the Union, the penalty ranges from indentured servitude to life imprisonment to execution, depending on the world. In the Dominion, the guilty party is euthanized and their body is recycled for replacement organs and other medical materials.

The Instrumentality itself still exists. The star systems in which the Instrumentality has a presence are marked as "black zones" on navigation charts, as soon as they are discovered, if the ship that made the discovery survives to report it.

Kroy

Encyclopedia Galactica Quick Facts - Kroy

Enigmatic armoured species, first encountered 898 PE

Cultural Motivations: Curiosity, Isolation

Primary Affiliation: Unknown, if any

Primary System: Kroy

Theme Song: Breakaway - Big Pig

The Kroy are an enigmatic species who are always encountered alone and fully encased in armor. Kroy armor resembles a 2.5 to 3.5 meter tall humanoid, decorated with complex geometric designs; the more experienced the individual, the more intricate the decorations. These suits are arguably the most powerful individual combat units used by any species, past or present. Kroy ships are equally impressive: heavily armored dreadnoughts, each with a single crew member. Unconfirmed reports by eyewitnesses state that underneath their armor, Kroy are formless masses of energy. The average life expectancy of a Kroy is unknown.

The Kroy do not allow visitors to their home worlds, aside from a diplomatic station at the edge of their solar system. Several regrettable incidents have taught other species to respect Kroy wishes in this matter. For the most part, Kroy are uninterested in the affairs of other species, and pursue their own mysterious business. The common wisdom is that it's best not to mess with them. Just wait, and eventually they will leave.

There is a persistent belief among a minority of Humans that Kroy visited Humans' original home world, Earth, thousands of years before Humans developed interstellar spacecraft. The scientific consensus is that the evidence is insufficient to support such a claim. The Kroy have not responded to questions on the topic (silence is the typical Kroy response to questions on any topic).

The Kroy-Thaljen War

In 641 PE, a Kroy starship approached the planet Thaljen, which was not yet a member of the Commonwealth at that time. A single Kroy left the ship, falling through the atmosphere and making a controlled landing on the eastern edge of the largest continent on Thaljen. The Kroy walked west at a medium pace, arriving at the western coast 35 days later. The Kroy then returned to its ship, and the ship left the system.

From the moment the Kroy entered the atmosphere until the moment the ship left the system, the planet Thaljen was unified in its attempt to destroy both the Kroy and its ship. It took the people of Thaljen nearly two centuries to recover from the environmental damage.

If the Kroy noticed the attacks, it gave no indication.

Saurians

Encyclopedia Galactica Quick Facts - Saurians

Humanoid organic species, first encountered 870 PE

Cultural Motivations: Courage, Subtlety, Traditionalism

Primary Affiliation: Planetary Union

Primary System: Shak'tch'ch ("Sauria")

Theme Song: Barracuda - Heart

Hesh'kt (or "Saurians", as they are commonly known among Humans) are reptilians who are superficially similar to Humans, having erect posture, two legs, two arms, and recognizable (if inscrutable) facial features. Each Saurian also has a non-prehensile tail, which is usually slightly longer than their legs. Saurians are hairless, with skin tones in shades of grey and green, lighter on the face and chest, and darker on the back. Saurians have rough scales like that of a lizard, composed of horny (keratinized) epidermis with bony plates underlying them. Saurians are difficult for mammalian species "read", due to their lack of facial expressions and their pronounced, knife-like teeth. Saurians have a higher muscle density than Humans and similar humanoids, and they are at least twice as strong as Humans of an equivalent mass. Barring accident or disaster, a Saurian will live up to 60 years.

Saurians have an anatomically four-chambered heart, similar to crocodiles. Saurians have an uncommon amount of conscious control over their metabolism and circulatory system, allowing them to hold their breath for an extended period, and enhancing their ability to survive in hazardous or toxic environments.

Saurian culture appears calm, even sedate, by most Human standards. Like most reptilian species, Saurians lack the expressive facial features common to mammals, which leads many mammalian species to assume that Saurians are without emotions. This is only partially true. While Saurians do not bond with each other with the same intensity that most mammalian species do, they do feel anxiety, stress, distress, excitement, fear, frustration, pain, and suffering, just as Humans and other mammalian species do. They have had the wars to prove it.

Siobhans

Encyclopedia Galactica Quick Facts - Siobhans

Humanoid organic species, first encountered 967 PE

Cultural Motivations: Curiosity, Pragmatism, Secrecy

Primary Affiliation: Planetary Union; (formerly) Siobhan Star Empire

Primary System: Zan-Shin; (formerly) Shivarra

Theme Song: Cold As Ice - Foreigner

Siobhans (pronounced shee VAHNZ; sometimes spelled "Shivans" and pronounced SHEE venz) are humanoids nearly identical to Humans, having erect posture, two legs, two arms, and recognizable facial features. Siobhans have more angular facial features than humans do, and their ears are slightly taller than those of Humans, coming to a point at the top rear edge. Siobhans skin tones are shades of grey and blue, ranging from pale grey to deep indigo. Siobhan hair colours range from pale silver to glossy black, with a variety of shades of grey in between. Siobhans nearly always wear their hair in plaits or braids: the dominant Siobhan culture regards loose hair in much the same way that 21st century Americans would regard a bare chest. Siobhans are leaner than Humans, on average, but they are significantly stronger than Humans of an equivalent mass. Barring accident or disaster, a Siobhan will live up to 220 years.

The dominant Siobhan culture places great importance on grace and physical development. In Human terms, the most popular Siobhan sport resembles a cross between ballroom dancing and pencak silat. Female Siobhan often carry a ceremonial dagger, which has deep philosophical significance but which is rarely used as a weapon. The dominant Siobhan culture also places great importance on knowing more than other people do and exploiting that knowledge. No other species with the technological and material resources of the Siobhans is as splintered by political intrigue. The Siobhans are nominally members of the Planetary Union, but everyone expects that the Siobhans will withdraw as soon as the Union becomes inconvenient.

Xael

Encyclopedia Galactica Quick Facts - Xael

Humanoid silicate species, first encountered 89 PE

Cultural Motivations: Isolation, Ruthlessness, Wrath

Primary Affiliation: Xael Concordiat

Primary System: Unknown, if any

Theme Song: Earth Died Screaming - Tom Waits

Xael are humanoid silicates who are superficially similar to Humans, having erect posture, two legs, two arms, and (just barely) recognizable facial features. Xael have skin tones in shades of yellow, green, and grey, lighter on the face and chest, and darker on the back. Unlike most silicate species, Xael are sexually dimorphic. Male Xael are slightly taller and heavier than females, and are nearly hairless, while a female Xael has coarse hair growing from her cranium and upper back. Xael often have sharp spines along the jaw, cheekbones, and brow ridges, as well as down their back. Xael appear gaunt by Human standards, with large glowing green or yellow eyes and wide mouths lined with needle-like teeth. Xael have a higher muscle density than organic humanoids, and they are at least twice as strong as Humans of an equivalent mass. Barring accident or disaster, a Xael will live up to 70 years.

Xael culture treats organic life as no more than a resource to be exploited. Xael have no compunction against attacking a colony of organics, enslaving anyone useful, and killing the rest. No state of war currently exists between the Xael Concordiat and the Commonwealth, the Union, or the League, but anyone encountering a Xael ship in deep space would be unwise to test that.

All attempts to initiate diplomatic relations with Xael have failed.

Zniss

Encyclopedia Galactica Quick Facts - Zniss

Humanoid organic species

Cultural Motivations: Detachment, Enlightenment, Pride

Primary Affiliation: New Commonwealth

Primary System: Zniss

Theme Song: Future Soon - Jonathan Coulton

Zniss are humanoids nearly identical to Humans, having erect posture, two legs, two arms, and recognizable facial features. Zniss have more angular facial features than humans do, and their ears are slightly taller than those of Humans, coming to a point at the top rear edge. Zniss skin tones are shades of grey, ranging from pale as chalk to dark as charcoal. Zniss hair colours range from pale silver to glossy black, with a variety of shades of grey in between. Zniss are leaner than Humans, on average, but they are significantly stronger than Humans of an equivalent mass. Barring accident or disaster, a Zniss will live up to 220 years.

The dominant Zniss society favours excellence and precision, particularly in pure mathematics and the hard sciences. Zniss are tested early and often to determine their academic potential; these test results become part of the Zniss' permanent record, directing the course of their professional career and personal life. Zniss society does not reward what other species might call "social skills", and this is reflected in a typical Zniss' behaviour.

And The Rest

At its height, the Old Commonwealth encompassed thousands of populated worlds, and that is just a fraction of the populated worlds in the galaxy. Across these worlds is scattered a variety of sentient life forms, the diversity of which beggars the imagination.

Humanoid organics are the most common, and resemble humans in size and physique. They may differ cosmetically (skin color, eye color, hair color, etc.), but they typically have the same number of arms and legs, the same facial features, and so on. A humanoid alien species might have pointed ears, exaggerated brow ridges, or they might have tentacles or horns in addition to (or instead of) cranial hair.

SIDEBAR: Synthetic Intelligences

As far as anyone knows, any artificial intelligences (or "synthetic intelligences", to use the term they preferred) from the Panglossian Era have either been destroyed or been absorbed into the Instrumentality. If any AIs had survived into the Restoration Era, they would be hunted by virtually everyone.

An AI character should purchase the following gifts and powers:

• Environmental Immunity
• Haste
• Immortality
• Intangibility
• Mental Calculator
• Perfect Recall

Additionally, an AI must occupy a suitable vessel, typically a starship or a stationary facility. An AI with the Duplication power can operate remotes and drones by temporarily downloading a subset of its mind to these devices.

Society

Currency

At one time, the Commonwealth prole, or "luck", was the standard unit of currency through the Old Commonwealth, and the currency in circulation was controlled directly by the Commonwealth Treasury. In the decades since the Fall, other systems of currency have arisen, each controlled by a regional authority, or in rare cases, by an agreed-upon algorithm for generating new currency.

Characters in ZeroSpace don't really need to worry about this. Throughout known space, all commonly recognized currency is cryptographically generated, fungible, and universally accepted. Whether it's called a prole, a credit, a dinar, or a bit, it all spends the same.

In practice, currency is just a particular form of data, often transferred from one individual's accounts to another, without any physical objects changing hands. As with all data, it can sometimes be useful to transport currency in a discrete physical medium. Data cards are used for this purpose. Due to its inherent cryptographic nature, currency can be stolen, but forging it isn't feasible.

Language

Universe (an artificial language created nearly a millennium ago) is the official language of the New Commonwealth, and is widely used throughout known space. Every civilized being understands Universe, although not every species is physically capable of speaking it.

Each alien species has one or more languages which they speak among themselves. Some alien civilizations have hundreds of indigenous languages.

Barring unusual circumstances, characters are assumed to be fluent in Universe, as well as with any other languages they could reasonably be expected to know.

Religion

Religions (and similar faith-based or philosophy-based belief systems) usually fall out of favor as a society achieves interstellar flight and learns of other sentient species. However, some belief systems are compatible with a space-faring society, and continue to be practiced as the species expands into the galaxy. Additionally, some individuals continue to adhere to their belief system in spite of any contradicting evidence.

Generally speaking, a religion is hyper-local and rooted in the culture of the species which created it. Religions very rarely spread to other species. Children of the Great Gnomm are the most well-known exception.

Technology

SIDEBAR: What, no teleporters?

There are some staples of science fiction that appear to be missing from the universe of ZeroSpace. For example, wormholes in space do exist, but they are unpredictable, short-lived phenomena. As far as anyone knows, teleportation on an individual level is impossible. Similarly, while it's possible to copy the mind of a living organic being, it's not possible to transfer consciousness from one being to another, nor to transfer one's consciousness into a computer. And while fabricators can do remarkable things, they can't build arbitrary atomic structures out of nothing, nor can holograms be made solid. Time travel is right out.

Although such technology is not available in the setting, it could be invented by a brilliant researcher, or perhaps discovered in a cache of ancient Precursor artifacts. Anyone who discovered or invented such technology would attract the attention of some very powerful people.

Aside from wormhole technology and AI research, technology of the Restoration Era is roughly comparable to that of the Old Commonwealth, with the emphasis on "rough". Old Commonwealth technology had a grace and simplicity that nothing in the Restoration Era can match. Also, whether a given technology is widely available depends on the wealth of the society and how that wealth is distributed among the populace.

Calendar

The New Commonwealth calendar is most widely used calendar system in known space. It begins with the first post-Fall contact between worlds in separate star systems: that was 63 years ago, in the year 1 RE (Restoration Era). Each subsequent year increments the count by one: the game is set in the year 64 RE.

The year before 1 RE was 1 PE (Panglossian Era). Years in the Panglossian Era are counted backward from that date. The Old Commonwealth was founded in what is now referred to as 865 PE. The first contact with the Instrumentality was made in 47 PE.

Communication

In theory, the Hypernet is an information system linking all worlds throughout the New Commonwealth, the Union, and beyond. In practice, Hypernet data packets are distributed from one star system to another by large transmitters, in a "peer to peer" fashion, and every major government intercepts and filters Hypernet data packets. This means that the Hypernet available to a citizen of the Union may be quite different to that available to an asset of the Malrechnen. In fact, there are no two worlds in the known universe with the exact same Hypernet.

Short range transmissions -- those within a single solar system -- are clear, reliable, and nearly instantaneous. Long range communication -- that which takes place between star systems -- is faster than physical travel, but it is not instantaneous, and it is prone to interference. The signal degrades depending on interference from cosmic background radiation and any intervening obstacles, so a network of relay stations has been established. Under ideal conditions, a long-range Hypernet communication will arrive at the desired recipient anywhere from four hours to four days after it has been sent. Under typical conditions, the message usually arrives in a week or two. In practice, whether a given communication is real-time or a delayed transmission is based on the needs of the GM. Encryption is universal, of course: most activities can be considered private, at least until someone with the power to invade that privacy takes an interest.

Computers

Computers are ubiquitous in the setting of ZeroSpace, such that most people don't even notice them unless they stop working. When people interact with a computer intentionally, it's usually a mobile -- a small object not too different from a 21st century smartphone.

When the location is remote, or the research being conducted is sensitive, the computer system may be self-contained and not dependent on the Hypernet for its operation. These computers have interfaces and displays that are similar in purpose to a 21st century workstation or scientific mainframe. Most such discrete computer systems have a voice interface factotum personality, which can be customized for varying levels of precision, humour, terseness, and so on.

A Mobile For Every Taste

Mobiles can be found in any form factor you care to imagine. One of the most popular is the eponymous "mobile": a durable, transparent rectangle, with the display and cameras entirely self-contained. Another popular option is a "lens": a liquid contact lens display, often paired with a ring or a bracelet for interactivity and a secondary holographic display. Dermal transmitters or "dots" are usually audio-only, but have the advantage of being inconspicuous. People less concerned about their privacy may opt for a "brooch": a decorative egg-sized object about 6 mm thick, which combines the functions of a commlink, holographic display, and virtual assistant.

Mobiles use biometric sensors to determine the user's identity. This security is not impenetrable, but it is stronger than the encryption on public Hypernet traffic. Most people never even think about the possibility of someone else accessing their personal accounts. A person's entire history and assets are stored in the mobile while they are carrying it, but these accounts are not tied to the mobile itself: it's simply an interface to data stored in the Hypernet, and it is automatically purged a short time after the mobile leaves the physical presence of that user. Many people regard mobiles with the indifference that a 20th century person would regard a disposable pen: to be shared, borrowed, or lost without much thought given.

Storage Media

Despite the nigh-universal availability of the Hypernet, it can sometimes be useful to transport data in a discrete physical medium. Data cards are used for this purpose. A data card is roughly the size of a 21st century postage stamp (the exact physical size is 32 mm by 24 mm, for historical reasons that no one now remembers). A typical data card can hold approximately a petabyte -- enough room to store an engram of an organic brain (see Ectypes And Echoes).

For large amounts of sensitive data, a "data brick" or "hard data brick" is a similar device, about the size of a mobile. A typical data brick can hold approximately an exabyte -- enough room to store one volume of the Encyclopedia Galactica. Data bricks are not indestructible, but they are extremely durable. Additionally, most data bricks are "hardened", making them inconceivably difficult to hack into (DV 21).

Ectypes And Echoes

Ectypes and echoes are copies of an organic being's consciousness. An ectype is a copy which has been reproduced in organic matter, typically (though not always) placed into a clone of the original person. An echo is a digital copy, typically (though not always) preserved in a virtual reality environment. It may help to remember that an echo is insubstantial, while an ectype has a blood type (that may not always be true, but it works for a mnemonic).

Although the end product is different, the basic process involved in creating ectypes and echoes is similar: the original being's brain is scanned, and the resulting neurochemical template (or engram) is stored as data. The creation of this engram is a painless process, but it is time consuming and prohibitively expensive. Despite the great cost, some particularly narcissistic individuals have used ectypes to achieve a type of serial immortality, creating copies of themselves to survive their own passing, and leaving their estates to an ectype of themselves in their wills.

In most of known space, the legal status of ectypes is the same as that of any other organic being: they may be treated as property on a given world, or not, in much the same way that any other organic being might. The status of echoes is somewhat more variable. On worlds where ectypes or echoes are granted the same rights as other sentient creatures, their creation is legally restricted or even prohibited altogether. On worlds where artificial life forms are treated as property, their creation is lightly regulated, if at all.

Note that not every world treats echoes as being distinct from AIs (although by any objective definition, they are).

Energy

There are two main energy sources in use in known space: electrogravitic cells and fusion-singularity reactors.

Electrogravitic cells, or "power cells", are small and durable, making them suitable for a wide range of consumer products. Everything from robots to blasters to lighting fixtures contain small electrogravitic cells. Electrogravitic cells are quite safe. When an electrogravitic cell fails or is damaged, it simply stops producing power.

Fusion-singularity reactors, or "power cores", are too large and generate too much heat for use in portable devices. However, they produce far more power per cubic centimeter than electrogravitic cells, making them suitable for high-drain applications like starship weapons and warp engines. Fusion-singularity reactors are extraordinarily dangerous when damaged, but they have multiple safeguards in place to prevent catastrophic failure. The "emergency self-destruct" system installed on some starships operates by bypassing these safeguards.

Fabricators

A fabricator is a device which manufactures complex objects from component substances. The component substances are typically in liquid or powder form, and must be replenished periodically. A typical consumer-grade fabricator typically needs to be "recharged" after a day or two of moderate use, while an industrial or commercial fabricator, such as that found on a starship, can typically operate at expected capacity for a week before needing to be recharged.

General purpose fabricators typically have reservoirs of metal, ceramic, and synthetic polymer dust, while specialized fabricators use substances specific to their application. Medical fabricators, for example, use reservoirs of protein, calcium, phosphorous, nucleotides, and synthetic biomatter, while food-grade fabricators use reservoirs of carbohydrates, triglycerides, protein, salt, and spices. Fabricators are commonplace throughout most of known space.

Medicine

The quality of medical care in ZeroSpace is largely dependent on the patient's location and wealth. On wealthy worlds with progressive societies, such as most of the New Commonwealth, genetic manipulation has eliminated most illnesses, while cloning and medical fabricators have made it possible to recover from virtually any injury. On less wealthy worlds, or worlds where that wealth is concentrated in the hands of a small portion of the population, illness and disease may simply be facts of life, and even a minor injury can result in permanent disability. Cybernetics exist, but are uncommon in wealthy societies: why have a mechanical arm or a synthetic eye, when a new organic replacement can be fabricated in a matter of hours?

Robotics

On wealthy worlds with progressive societies, nonsentient robots perform those tasks which biological individuals find dangerous, unpleasant, or simply tedious. Wealthy militaristic societies often use robots to fight their wars, as well. On less wealthy worlds, or worlds where the wealth is extremely concentrated, these tasks are the given to biological individuals, and robots are restricted to serving the desires of the wealthy.

While some robots have sophisticated voice recognition and response systems, they are not sentient. No matter how complicated and "real" a robot's behaviour seems, they are merely performing programmed actions. Robots can attempt to adapt to new situations, but they can only respond in ways that they have been programmed to respond.

Robot Philosophy

A standard proof that a given robot is not an AI is to ask it, "What is the meaning of life?" The standard response programmed into all robots since the Fall is, "I'm sorry, I do not understand the question. Perhaps you could rephrase it?" This exchange has become a ritual for good luck, much like throwing a pinch of salt: everyone knows how the ritual started, but no one really believes that it does anything.

Transportation

Warp engines create a microscopically-thin Lorentzian manifold of spacetime around a starship -- typically called a "warp bubble". This allows the ship to remain relatively motionless while also achieving velocities which are relatively relativistic. A journey between two nearby star systems typically takes a week, while traveling from one edge of the galaxy to the other takes decades.

The mean time between failures of a warp engine in good repair is measured in months, but for safety's sake the engines are normally taken offline for a few hours per week for maintenance and recalibration.