LIBRARY DATA

[The data in this sector is valid for the date 052-1107]

The following information is intended as a brief background for several
important concepts in Beyond.

BEAUFORT LINES, LIMITED: Established 984 by Samuel, later Sir Samuel,
Beaufort of Guildheim/Liberty Hall.  Beaufort Lines is unique in the fact
that its ships are all Imperial-crewed and, while registered in Beyond,
all of its masters are reserve officers in the Imperial Navy.  Beaufort
is one of the major shipping lines operating in Beyond with established
routes from the Mal'Gnar Radiant through die Weltbund and Liberty Hall
and rimward into Metchi'Alagwa and the Northeast Middle Beyond.  It
connects with Parallel Lines, Unlimited, at Xeres/Zydar, at the extreme
coreward edge of Zydar Subsector.
    Sir Samuel's policies of subtle Imperial influence and paternal advice
resulted in Beaufort being the sole line granted entrance into the Mal'Gnar
Radiant, which fact probably influenced Emperor Gavin in his decision to
bestow the title of Knight of the Imperium in 1000 upon Beaufort.  To this
date, Sir Samuel's policies remain in effect and ho commercial line has
succeeded in entering the Radiant.
    Most of Beaufort Lines is composed of ex-Imperial navy vessels,
especially those of larger tonnages.  But there is a new tendency towards
the utilization of the Delta Research Type SX Wind Class Scout/Couriers,
no doubt a continuance of Sir Samuel's unique sense of humor.  To date,
some twelve Type SX's have been delivered and have been christened, rather
whimsically: Calm; Light Air; Light Breeze; Gentle Breeze; Moderate Breeze;
Fresh Breeze; Strong Breeze; Moderate Gale; Fresh Gale; Whole Gale; Storm;
and Hurricane.
    Beaufort Lines remains a family company with stock divided approximately
as follows: Beaufort Family--60%; investment trusts--15%; corporate
employees--15%; Imperial Family--2.5%; and public (individuals)--7.5%.

BELLAKCHAN/PALDORAN ENTERPRISES, GmbH: An interworld conglomerate registered
in 1037 at Intercourse in Delta.  BPE maintains controlling interests in
several businesses.  Notable among these are Parallel Line, Unlimited, of
Intercourse/Delta; Sorenson Arms Group, Limited, of Beaumonde/Mapepire;
Precision Research Aeronautics and Navigation Group of Guildheim/Liberty
Hall; and Trondheim Aeronautics, Incorporated, of Varen's Planet/Trelyn
in the Vanguard Reaches.  Ownership seems to be divided between Sharlec
hault-Bellakchan (50%) and Padua P. Paldoran (50%).

CHURCH OF RESURGENT ANTHROPOMORPHIC PHILOSOPHY: Founded in 3 F.S. at Paradise
in Subsector Delta by Louis Farbes.  The church now controls Paradise and
seeks to convert others to its tenets through the use of loud arguments,
threats, promises, kidnappings, psychological intimidation, and other less
subtle means.  The primary tenet is that God created all "true sentients"
in His physical image.  the fact that there are over twelve known sentient
races, not including the various races of Humaniti, seems to have no bearing
upon the church's adherence to the first tenet.  Throughout Beyond, the
followers are derogatively referred to as "Crappies".

COMSENTIENT ALLIANCE: From "com", in equal combination; and "sentient", a
person or thing which feels.  The Comsentient Alliance, or "Alliance" as it
is popularly called, was conceived in 705 as an equitable answer to the
admittedly arbitrary major race/minor race theory embraced by the Imperium.
It encompasses an area some 37 parsecs in diameter, largely in Beyond and
the Vanguard Reaches, although member worlds may be found in other sectors
as well.  The Alliance recognizes both in theory and in practice the concept
of equal rights and responsibilities of all sentient races, regardless of
technological level or achievement.  Each member or associate member world
is represented in the Grand Council of the Great Hall at Rabanitas/Zydar
based upon its population expressed in exponential terms.  Thus a world
with a population of 1.5793 x 10(6) would be represented by six councilbeings.
In simplest terms, the number of councilbeings in residence may be expressed
by the UPP population index.  At this date, there are approximately 800 +
worlds represented in the Grand Assembly by over 6,400 councilbeings.

DARK GODDESSES: A shipping/transport line owned and operated by females of
every known race within Beyond, with the exception of Sred*Ni.  The Dark
Goddess ships ply the uncharted routes, usually in the Storm Subsector,
the Darkling Regions, the I-Glathriel and the Zydar Subsectors.  While
there is no definitely established link, as yet, it is generally supposed
that the Dark Goddesses work in concert with the Webrunners--as pirates
and freebooters--although the Goddesses do not bother with such niceties
as Letters of Marque.

DELTA CEPHEI/SPINWARD DRIFT: (pronounced "cee-fee-eye") A double star, the
brighter component of what is the historically important variable star which
gave its name to the class of stars known as the "cepheids".  Delta Cephei
was discovered in -2737, or 1784 A.D. in Terran dating.  Thirty times the
diameter of Sol, its apparent magnitude varies from a maximum of 3.3 to a
minimum of 4.5 in highly regular periods of 5 days, 8 hours, 47 minutes
and 39 seconds T.S. (Terran Standard).  It is the oldest of the known
cepheids.  Orbiting Delta Cephei and its companion in a highly eccentric
orbit is Delta Cephei Base/Spinward Drift (0402-B85232D-A), established as
a research station to determine whether Humaniti can adapt to such variations
in a primary.  Delta Cephei's dim companion is a blue star, nicknamed "Old
Blue" by the base's chief astronomer, which has an apparent magnitude of
7.5.

DELTA RESEARCH: Established in 437 at Sha'anoe/Delta as Delta Products
Corporation, it was purchased in 1086 by Storm and renamed Delta Research.
From approximately 705, Delta Products specialized in the production of
vessels based upon their 100- to 1000-ton hulls.  With its purchase by
Storm, Delta's product lime underwent a dramatic metamorphosis.  Added to
the standard line of hulls was a 150 ton "stretched" or "extended" hull.
Storm also diversified: maneuver drives designed and built by Delta Research
replaced the older, contracted LSP units; computer peripherals were
announced in 1088; the Types S and SX Scout/Couriers were laid down in 1090;
and the Type A2 Far Trader was first flown in 1094.  Storms uncontrolled
enthusiasm drove the company to the edge of receivership, but in 1101, at
Delta Centre/Metchi'Alagwa, a major breakthrough in computer technology
was made when "Mad" Marvin Hauk successfully grew organic brain cells in
vitro making possible the Logical Heuristic Processor (Organic) series of
computers.  The LHeP(Or)s proved the turning point in Delta's fortunes.
    In 1104, using a specially augmented version of their own LHeP(Or)IX/Imp,
Delta Research turned out the first successful E-Circuit Modules.  The
testing and subsequent installation of the seventh E-Circuit Module on an
Imperial courier in 1106, "Suki", resulted in the title of Noble Baron being
bestowed upon Storm, now hault-Storm.
    Delta Research continues to be rigidly controlled by hault-Storm with
stock ownership as follows: hault-Storm--70%; investment trusts--15%;
corporate employees--10%; Imperial Family--2.5%; and public (individuals)--
2.5%.

ESLYAT MAGISTRACY: Ruled by the Selyin Nobility since formal establishment
in 657, this interstellar government includes all known Eslyat. The race
is on good terms with the Comsentient Alliance, and all members of the
Magistracy are also members of the Alliance.  The Eslyat received
interstellar drives from the Imperium exploration craft in approximately
600.  Numerous clashes between the Trelyn Domain and the Magistracy have
occurred as a result of territorial disputes in Trelyn Subsector/Vanguard
Reaches.

HAULT-BELLAKCHAN, SHARLEC: Sharlec hault-Bellakchan (1058--) first came
to the attention of the Imperium in 1083, during the so-called "False War".
The then-lieutenant Sharlec Bellakchan distinguished himself in the many
skirmishes between Imperial Naval Forces and those of the Zhodani.  While
there were those at court no doubt jealous of young Bellakchan's successes
who maintained the daring lieutenant was a Zhodani sympathizer, the Emperor
would hear none of it.  Bellakchan was awarded a barony in Beyond,
Trayfowen/Mapepire, where he resides.

IDENTIDISC: A subminiaturized micro-circuitry, device, usually installed
in a service-issued belt buckle, which positively identifies the individual
to whom it was issued.  Among the most widely recognized of these in Beyond
are the winged serpent of the Scout Service; the crossed spaceship and
fouled anchor of the Merchant Service; the crossed lance and laser of the
Marines; the Navy's famous ringed anchor on a stylized sunburst; and the
battle helmet-surmounted crest of crossed lasers of the Army.

INTERWORLD DIVISION OF ENFORCEMENT SERVICES: Founded in 832 during the
enlightened reign of Empress Paula II by Sir Robert Leslie Ian Alexander
March, it is knownb throughout the Imperium as "The IDES of March".  IDES
was conceived as a private organization operating strictly on a contractual
basis in those areas where the only laws are local (planetary) mores, taboos
and laws--i.e., beyond the effective range of the Imperium.  Functioning as
a performance or results oriented contractual organization, IDES operates
independently of but in conjunction with the Imperium or with bona fide
government factions: planetary, subsector and sector.  The major advantages
of IDES are readily apparent: the standardization of policies and procedures;
the development and use of the most recent technology; a centralized office
or ioffices for the filing, indexing and cross-reference of data; unified
control; and a pride in profession which serves to eliminate once and for
all the alleged "police mentality".  IDES is financed solely through its
Imperial contracts and through service contracts with other law enforcement
agencies and companies throughout the sentient worlds.
    Operating in Beyond, IDES is forced to engage the services of skilled
operatives, known as "Marchers".  IDES Central keeps the identities and the
number of its operatives shrouded in secrecy.  It is rumored that several
are, in fact, actively serving the Imperium and the Alliance in the various
service arms.
    IDES facilities may be found on worlds with a law level of 8+ and a
technological level of A+.

I'SRED*NI HEPTAD: (pronounced "ee-shred-knee") The seven-worlded capital
of the I'Sred*Ni Web of Worlds in the Middle Beyond and the Subsector known
as the I'Sred*Ni Heptad.  The Heptad maintains three subcapitals, or
consulates, as well: at Beriel/Northeast Middle Beyond; at Lesser Dismal/
Darkling Regions; and at Stormedge/Storm (although the latter two are the
subject of a long-standing dispute in the Great Hall of the Comsentient
Al;liance).  The Heptad worlds are all considered interdicted and carry
TAS Red Zone clasifications, as do the six (artificially created?) asteroid
belts which surround I'Sred*Nispr/I'Sred*Ni.

MAL'GNAR: (pronounced "mal-nyar") Descendants of early Terran homo pekinensis
transported to the Mal'Gnar Radiant by the Ancients according to legend.  The
Mal'Gnar were the subjects of a lengthy experiment in genetoevolutionary
engineering, the results of which were the development of long, supple,
feathered wings and retractable-taloned feet.  This manipulation no doubt
accounts for the intense desire exhibited by the Mal'Gnar to remain aloof
from the rest of Humaniti and their equally intense dislike of the Droyne.
While they are incapable of lifting their own body weight from the planetary
surface by their wings alone, once airborne the Mal'Gnar are masters of
soaring.
    The Mal'Gnar social structure centers arounf the concept of an Echelon
Quintad: five individuals who function together as a single, multi-purpose,
unit.  Each of the five members of an Echelon Quintad is drawn from one or
more of the six echelons which divide the Mal'Gnar society: Advisors,
Hunters, Leaders, Multi-Echeloned Ones, Priests and Technicians.  Only two
of these echelons are sexually restrictive: Priests are always male, while
the Advisors are always female.  Each Quintad must contain one and only one
Advisor from which the Quintad takes its name.
    Like the Zhodani, the Mal'Gnar are a race of Humaniti, inter-fertile
with the so-called "Six Known Races of the Imperium".

MAPEPIRE CLUSTER: (pronounced "mah-pay-pee-ray") A loose coalition of worlds
grouped more as a tourist delight than as a political faction.  The Cluster
receives its name from the fact that each of its worlds are accessible to
vessels with only jump-1 capability and the snake-like commercial route
which connects them.  The cluster is considered de rigueur for Beyond's
wealthier citizens.

NORTHSTAR INTERWORLD TECHNOLOGICAL SERVICES: Founded by Marcus Gozpodon
Smyth in 594, during the expansion of the Rimward Fringe under Empress
Jacqueline II, as a cost-effective service for the gathering, collation,
extrapolation and dissemination of data relating to the Empress' economic
policies.  This was accomplished largely through the development of the
Licensed Information/Communication Exchanges established on Imperial worlds
with technological levels of 9+.  Today, NITS maintains facilities on most
Imperial worlds and on many non-Imperial worlds as well (throw 11+ on NITS
facility to exist, DMs apply: +1 for every tech level above 10).
    Each NITS facility contains eight information sections, each of which
is designated by a distinguishing color: red for Research and Development;
yellow for Financial Services; blue for General Information Retrieval; green
for Xenological Services; orange for Personnel and Recruiting Services;
purple for Imperial Resources and Services; silver for Non-Imperial Resources
and Services; and black for Security Information Retrieval.  A voice-actuated
computer link in the lobby of each NITS facility, programmed in Common and
the local languages and dialects, will assist any traveller who might be
unsure of the services or section required.  Charges for inquiries are
standardized throughout the NITS network and will vary due only to the
fluctuation of the Imperial Credit based upon the local planetary rate of
exchange.  Simple inquiries cost CR25, a more detailed inquiry with accesses
to more than a single data base may run as high as CR2,000.  A hardcopy
printout of the inquiry will cost CR10 per page or portion thereof, plus
an additional CR50 for each fotofac required.  A security request, provided
a need to know has been adequately established, will cost between CR1,000
and CR5,000; however, the establishment of NTK clearance will result in
automatic security inquiries into the requesting individual's personal file
and an automatic logging of the individual's name, UPP, personal
identification data, query and response to the query with both NITS and IDES.
    Analysis of NITS charges since accessibility was granted to individuals
in 703 shows the average cost of an inquiry to be CR137.2193 and the average
charge per inquiry to be CR143.9788.  This gives NITS a profit of CR6.7595
per inquiry, of 4.69%.

PALDORAN, PADUA P.: few facts are known of Paldoran.  He maintains a
residence at Paldoran/Middle Beyond; he is formally recognized as the lover
of the Lady Lysilph Kunseba; and he has never served in either Imperial or
Alliance branches of any service arms.  Rumors link Paldoran with the
notorious Paldoren Family of Port Xanatath in the Ventura Quadrant (Xanatath
is a widely known "free port", i.e., a sanctuary for pirates and rogues
of all kinds).  Paldoran is believed to be of Mal'Gnar descent, a rogue
hunter of approximately 44 TS years of age.  The Lady Lysilph, five years
his senior, is very obviously human.

PARALLEL LINES, UNLIMITED: Established in 1037, Parallel Lines is a relative
newcomer to Beyond's shipping industry.  It services only Subsector Delta,
Liberty Hall and the Mapepire Cluster.  While other lines also serve
Subsector Delta, Parallel Lines provides the only service to Paradise/Delta.
The corporate headquarters are located on Intercourse/Delta, the subsector
capital.
    Parallel Lines is controlled by a conglomerate, registered on
Intercourse/Delta under the name of Bellakchan/Paldoran Enterprises, GmbH.
Stock ownership is as follows: BPE--97.5% and Imperial Family--2.5%.

SORAG: (pronounced "soar-ag") A special-purpose, para military division
of the Zhodani Consulate Combined Interstellar Forces.  The name is an
acronym for Study and Operations Recording Activities Group.  The stated
purpose of SORAG is to observe the progress of emerging interstellar
societies, using overt surveillance methods.  Most of the activities of
the organization consists of gathering civilian transmissions of various
types and recording and cross-referencing the data therein.  By this method,
SORAG is able to keep the Zhodani abreast of the changes in government and
technological levels within the Consulate and its Client States.  Although
employees are paid via a pay scale similar to most military systems, SORAG
is not directly affiliated with any military organization.

SRED*NI: (pronounced "shred-knee") An arachnid-like mammalian lifeform native
to I'Sred*Ni and similar to the "trappers" of Fulacin/Rhylanor in the
Spinward Marches.  The Sred*Ni are fully sentient, although they evidence
a conmmunal mind which is telepathically linked and augmented.  Due to
their mental communality, the Sred*Ni are unable to recognize and appreciate
the subtleties of such concepts as: "free will"; "individuality"; "personal
property"; "individual rights and responsibilities"; and similar
individual-oriented concepts.
    Sred*Ni society is octamerous, consisting of three i-Zreen ("classes"),
subdivided into eight percipiences: The Tertiary i-Zreen consisting of
Breeders and Technicians; The Secondary i-Zreen of Merchants, Hunters and
Warriors; and The Primary i-Zreen consisting of Leaders, Sages and
Coalescers.  Any decision made, in order to be binding to all, must be
sponsored and arbitrated by a selected "consciousness" composed of one
of each of the latter seven percipiences, breeders having no decision-making
responsibilities.

STARBASE ARCTURUS II/I-GLATHRIEL: Established by the Imperium in 759 in
order to observe the fluctuations of Delta Cephei from a distance of 7.5
parsecs, or 24.45 light years, the starbase maintains communications with
Capital via xboat through a 100-year leasing agreement, of sorts, with the
Comsentient Alliance.
    Arcturus II has a long and rather bloody history.  Originally established
as Starbase Orion and later changed to Arcturus under the command of
Commander Hlury Harog, it was the scene of one of the Imperium's bloodiest
mutinies in recorded history.  Although the mutiny was quelled, Commander
Harog was removed from his position for "insubordination and gross
disobedience" and exiled to a frontier post in the Out Rim Void.  The
starbase was renamed Arcturus II in 1106 and placed under Commodore
vice-Aaron's command.
    Interestingly enough, Starbase Arcturus II is located within I-Glathriel
and occupies a strategic location between the Aslan Hierate Colonial States
and the Comsentient Alliance: thus while able to observe the fluctuations
of Delta Cephei, it also keeps an eye on the combined threat of an
expanding Aslan colonial thrust and the cohesive anti-Imperium influence
of the Alliance.

STORM: Owner of Delta Research at Sha'anoe/Delta.  Recently knighted by the
Emperor Strephon and granted the title of Noble Baron of the Imperium,
his full title is Senior Master Scout Sir Storm, Baron Cahokia, OC, ODM
(although he prefers his close friends simply refer to him as "Storm").

WEBRUNNERS: A group of free- and far-traders, acting in concert, providing
shipping and communications within the I'Sred*Ni Heptad and among its
colonies.  IDES have been investigating several well-founded charges that
the Webrunners are in reality a highly organized coalition of freebooters
and pirates operating under Letters of Marque granted by the Zydarian
Codominium.

ZYDARIAN CODOMINIUM: A confederation of some 20 worlds located at the
junction of the Zydar and I-Glathriel Subsectors, the Middle Beyond, and
the Spinward Drift.  Too small to directly challenge the Comsentient
Alliance, it is nevertheless known to be a haven for criminals, malcontents,
rebels, and pirates.
