The interface between our universe and an adjacent universe. Although matter cannot leave the universe and cross over into another one, matter can transit into this boundary region and achieve speeds far faster than the speed of light. The application of thrust in Meta-Space has an effect that is orders of magnitude greater than in Normal Space.

Super-Jovian planet found in Tor-Emmi planetary system.

A habitable planet orbiting Eta Cassiopeiae A. It is home to a Sesseem colony and to an important Human naval base.

ESDF's equivalent to the Air Force or Naval Aviation. Operates high-speed small craft and small logistics vessels. Typically crewed by persons equipped with alien Implants allowing direct control of alien technologies. The 77the Pursuit Squadron is an Aviation Corps unit assigned to Earth Planetary Defense.

The principal backbone of the ESDF. Operates deep space battleships capable of taking on Enemy rings and Slave cruisers. They are primarily deployed toward the front lines, not around Earth. Ships are built from alien scrap metals and parts purchased from alien sources, with as much human technology and material as is practical to use.

Pronounced "See". Meta-Space velocity unit equal to Normal Space speed of light 

Earth System Defense Force. An international military organization that is on the Allied side of the war. It is kept hidden from the public due to Enemy influence that is still pervasive on Earth.

A life preservation method installed in the bodies of pilots and scouts, exceedingly expensive and only provided when the investment of alien technology in the person is high enough to justify it. Upon Freeze-up, the body enters a state of suspended animation from which it is possible to revive, up to twenty years later, once the body is located.

By no means a sure-fire method; it is at best a last hope for pilots lost in interstellar space.

A human-sized alien species, very lightly built and capable of flight on their native world. Gr'ts'ck are responsible for pushing the Enemy out of the space surrounding Earth, which they did at great expense (over one million dead) after discovering the Human race. Although very alien and unable to communicate directly with Humans, they are our strongest ally.

Gr'ts'ck also use fighter craft, and their primary type is adapted by the Humans as the "Luna Moth" long range patrol fighter.

An alien race. Members of the Alliance. Individuals are very small (around the size of a chihuahua.) Their spaceships are extremely nimble and small, and are bought by the ESDF in order to adapt into the fighter craft known as 'Banshees'.

Executive Officer (second-in-command of a unit or ship)

An alien race which has made Earth its substitute home, after the Enemy destroyed its native world. The Zindavoor are alien in appearance, resembling meerkats or weasels, and are incapable of speech, but are all Sensitives (i.e. telepaths). They help their neighbors the Humans by giving the ESDF the psychic powers it does not otherwise have, since Human Sensitives are exceedingly rare.

Zindavoor work among humans using Manikins, which are android-like vehicles that they live inside and control via VR.

A person with telepathic powers. Many alien species within the Alliance use communication forms and thought processes that are difficult to handle by other species. Sensitives bridge this gap, being capable of direct mental contact. Human Sensitives are exceedingly rare, and for them this task is largely handled by the Zindavoor residents of Earth.

The category term for all the alien species serving on the Enemy side except the Enemy itself. It is generally believed all such races are serving involuntarily, or at least were forced to join and brainwashed into loyalty.

The Enemy is a hive mind species of unclear nature. Humanity has no name

for the species other than 'Enemy'. When they face forces on the

ground, it is generally against Slave races rather than the Enemy

itself, but the Enemy is encountered in space often, in the form of

massive starships known as Rings.

Human single-seat fighter created from a common Sesseem ship hull. Banshees come in pursuit, patrol and attacker versions. The 77th flies primarily the pursuit version, but includes one attacker (Rissa Lee's Banshee) for anti-shipping attacks.

A phenomenon, neither matter nor energy, found in Meta-Space, which has properties both of light and gas. It emits out of stars, which is the reason it is named after light, but is much more like a faster-than-light solar wind. Because of its density, it combines into currents in Meta-Space, and is used, along with the effects of gravity, for 'sailing' between stars.

A field generated by an interstellar vessel for propulsion, by means of catching the pressure of Hyperlight. It can be reconfigured as a 'tail', which is effectively a drag chute, in order to reduce velocity. This is especially effective while coming in toward a star, which will be producing a 'headwind' of hyperlight for the spaceship to use.

The longer distance version of the alien faster-than-light communication technology used by the ESDF. Although it has a longer range, it is still not capable of interstellar distances, thanks to hyperlight background noise, but it can reach out many light-hours farther than the voice communicators used between spaceships. However, it is limited to text messages.

For interstellar distances, communications must be sent by communicator drones and mail packet spaceships.

Ship of the primary opponent alien race (the Enemy).  Rings range in size from Class A, around large Cruiser size, to the rumored Class F, which is more than twenty times the size of the largest Human ships.

An ESDF small space-to-space vehicle and emergency lander. One of the only spacecraft used by the ESDF that is primarily Human technology. Adapted from NASA's X38 CRV prototype.