M.TXT

      Magic: Phenomena that modern science can not explain.



      Makhidkarun: Vilani megacorporation. This firm specializes in the

entertainment and communications industries. It produces musical recordings,

two and three-dimensional movies, books, magazines, and art reproductions.

      The Communication Division produces a wide variety of data processing,

storage, and retrieval equipment. The Gourmet Foods Division trades in all

manner of rare and expensive foods, wines, and delicacies. The Arean Transport

subsidiary operates luxury liners which set the standard for fine cuisine and

cruises throughout the Imperium.

      The mists of the Long Night hide the origin of this company, but its

founding definitely predates the Third Imperium. The name, at least, belonged

to a Vilani corporation-cum-government bureau during the First Imperium.

      Interests: Communications, computers, entertainment, recreation.

      Robots: Makhidkarun is the most innovative robot manufacturer. Its

research staff is responsible for many of the Imperium's significant

breakthroughs in synaptic processing. In 298, Makhidkarun introduced the first

line of tech level 13 robot brains. It revolutionized the popularity of robots

in the Third Imperium by making robots usable by every citizen. In 711, it

created the first prototype tech level 14 robot brain.

      Trade operations: Its Arean Transport subsidiary operates luxury liners

which set the standard for fine cuisine and cruises throughout the Imperium.

Makhidkarun provides passenger and freight services to all the Imperium.

Operations are confined to established trade routes.

      Home Port: Vland (Vland 1717) Its territory is the Imperium and coreward

border sectors including Provence, Windhorn, Meshan, Mendan, and Amdukan.

      Stock ownership: Imperial family, 5%; Noble families, 28%; Hortalez et

Cie, 28%; Investment trusts, 25%; Private, 14%.



      Maneuver drives: "Tech level requirements for maneuver drives are

imposed to cover the grav plates integral to most ship decks, and which allow

high-G maneuvers while interior G-fields remain normal."



      Marines: Units normally assigned to squadrons or fleets to give them a

military reaction capability. They are under navy jurisdiction.



      Megacorporations: Only a very few commercial enterprises grow large

enough to extend their activities to every corner of the Imperium. The 13

megacorporations dominate interstellar commerce on the grand scale. Their

brands, trade names, and service marks have come to be almost universally

recognized throughout the Imperium.



      Menderes Corporation: A bi-racial megacorporation involved in

manufacturing and transportation. Based in the Julain Protectorate. Their

merchants range from Vargr Enclaves and Antares sector to the Windhorn Rift.



      Mercenaries: Small military units staffed by veterans and available to

the highest bidder. They provide their own basic equipment, but employers must

supply any special mission needs. Most mercenary units are no larger than

companies or battalions.



      Merchant Cruiser: Generic term applied to vessels assigned to

independent missions, the prime objective of which is market discovery and

acquisition. Design parameters include all possible backup systems, high

structural integrity, and a high level of weaponry and auxiliary boats in

proportion to their cargo capacity.



      Mercy General: Huge medical cartel. Its transportable tissue division,

Isoplastics Inc., was heavily fined for diverting blood shipments and causing

at least one death.



      Meson Gun: ("Gashukubi": "certain death" in Vilani.) Create high energy

mesons and direct them at targets. The collision of an electron and a positron

creates a pi neutral meson. Mesons have short lives, which can be prolonged to

precise duration by accelerating them to relativistic speeds. Range is set by

varying the velocity of the mesons.

      Mesons can pass through armor and matter without resistance. Mesons do

not interact significantly with other particles, and matter is therefore

transparent to them.

      Mesons, however, decay in a short time into high-energy particles which

do interact. If the point of decay is manipulated to occur inside the target

ship, the result is high energy explosions and radiation damage. In a meson

beam, the mesons travel to its target where they decay and release a large

amount of energy.



      Meson Screen: A variation of the nuclear damper which provides specific

protection against meson gun fire. The device projects an interruption of the

strong nuclear force, causing premature decay of incoming mesons.



      Mining School of Glisten: A practical training institution that supports

the asteroid mining industry: a basic prospector's orientation, advanced

mining techniques training, and seminars for mining managers. The school is

sponsored by mining companies in Glisten Belt (Glisten/Spinward Marches.)



      Minlad: Minor race declared sentient in 1114, on  Kaiid/Shuna Lishun

0621).



      Misjump: Sometimes a jump goes wrong. Catastrophic failures destroy ship

and crew. Other failures can destroy a drive or send a ship in the wrong

direction. Sometimes a misjump will reduce a jump-6 to a mere jump-1, or

convert a jump-1 into a jump-10, 20, or higher.



      Missile boats (MB): small, cheaply produced hulls with missile launching

equipment installed. They have jump drives, but lack endurance.



      Missiles: are available in two types: nuclear and conventional. Nuclear

missiles cause surface damage and radiation effects, while conventional

missiles cause only surface damage.

      Missile racks are launchers for small anti-ship missiles. The typical

missile is a homing type which constantly seeks the target ship, ultimately

being destroyed by the target's defenses or exploding and doing damage to it.

Such missiles may also be converted to planetary surface bombs, or to

surveillance drones (mechanical and electrical skill would apply in such

cases.) Individual missiles weigh about 50 kg and cost cr50,000 each.



      Monitor: A large spacecraft with armament equivalent to a battleship

(i.e. spinal mount, extensive secondary batteries). Used for system defense

roles. Generally a planetoid, and so automatically unstreamlined. Because of

the large size, it is very difficult or impossible to move these craft. Like

Battle Riders, this craft is in a conquer-or-die situation if facing superior

forces. Its deterrent value is therefore fragile as well as powerful.



      Moot: The only deliberative body of the Third Imperium. It was

theoretically composed of all Imperial nobles: in practice, the nobles present

at Capital held most votes through proxies. The Moot's approval was required

before an Emperor's ascension to the Iridium Throne was recognized.



      Moroyanga, Asak (818-881): An Imperial physicist, Moroyanga is today

known for both his eccentricity and his dubious breakthroughs in temporal

physics.

      While employed at the Jumpspace Institute in his early thirties,

Moroyanga became convinced that the fundamental concepts of time were hidden

within the principles governing jumpspace. He dedicated his life to

discovering those concepts and their applications.

      Moroyanga died under mysterious circumstances while involved in

classified work for the Imperial Navy. A closed hearing dismissed foul play as

the cause, but rumors of Moroyanga's assassination still circulate.

      Although Moroyanga's research was purely theoretical, the sector

government was intrigued with its potential. Research Station Zeta at Pashus

(1432  A232455-G) was opened in 885 to continue Moroyanga's work.



      Mwawmbijebe: Minor race on Kualakhtaea (location unknown). The world is

reserved by an Aslan clan, and it is not generally known that it is inhabited.