P.TXT

      Pan-Galactic Friends of Life: A dedicated, positive-action group

concerned with protecting endangered species and threatened ecologies. Once

considered a lunatic fringe group, they have acquired a good deal of public

respect and support.



      Particle accelerator: Device for accelerating a particle of matter to

speeds approaching the speed of light. Most use gravitic acceleration

mechanisms to accelerate electrons or hydrogen nuclei. Hits produce surface

and radiation damage.



      Petroglyphs: Ancient images carved into rock.



      Pidgin: Pidgin is a language unique to a locale. It forms when children

learning more than one language merge parts of them to form another. It is

usually almost impossible for a non-native adult to learn the local pidgin.



      Pinnace: Small craft of interplanetary (not interstellar) capability.

Approximate displacement: 40 tons.



      Planetoid: An astronomical body too small to be considered a planet.

Generally any object less than 500 kilometers in diameter is considered an

asteroid, although it may be called a moon if it is a satellite of a planet.



      Planetoid Belt: An accumulation of small chunks of rock or ice too small

to be considered planets. Most consist of between 1,000 and 10,000 planetoids.

(q.v. asteroid belt.)



      Porozlo, Battle of (980): The Zhodani thrust (in the Third Frontier War)

through Vilis and Lanth subsectors toward Rhylanor met an expected problem -

Rhylanor has no gas giant, although it does have a strong naval base to defend

it. Neighboring Porozlo (Spinward Marches 1905) had a gas giant for quick

refueling, and a naval base of potential great use to invading naval forces.

   The battle began when a single, large Zhodani task force appeared off

Porozlo's primary: it proceeded directly to the larger of the system's two gas

giants. The local naval base reacted promptly, even admirably considering that

there was no warning of Zhodani approaches this far from the front lines. As

the first Zhodani task force refuelled, portions of it engaged the local

defenses, preoccupying them as a second task force appeared and drove straight

for Porozlo. The threat of naval action against the planetary defenses and

facilities prompted the world organization to declare Porozlo an open world.

Naval forces either surrendered or jumped to safety at Rhylanor.

   The fall of Porozlo gave the Zhodani a supporting base for their siege of

Rhylanor. Ships could easily refuel at the gas giants, jump-1 to Rhylanor for

raids, attacks, or patrol missions, and still have enough fuel for a jump-1

back to Porozlo. There, a class A starport and the captured naval base stood

ready to repair any damage immediately.

   The naval defenses of Porozlo have been considerably increased since 986.



      Positron: The (positively charged) antiparticle of the electron.



      Postal Union: A group of political units associated to a greater or

lesser degree for the purpose of communication among citizens, businesses, and

governmental units. Nearly all star systems belong to one postal union or

another. Governments cooperate along their borders in order to allow the

efficient flow of information between them. The fastest available

transportation set the average speed of communication, usually about three or

four parsecs a week.



      Preantepenultimate: fourth from last.



      Prosthetics: mass-produced, mechanical body parts, surgically installed

by a medical professional.



      Proton: The positively charged particles that make up roughly half the

particles in the nucleus of most atoms.



      Prt': Minor race from Prt', in Spica sector.



      Pseudo-Reality Communications: Allows a computer to query you

extensively and act as your stand-in when delivering the message. The

recipient can discuss the message with your computer image just as if you were

there. Available at tech level 15.



      Psionics:  Use of mental powers to manipulate matter and energy, to

sense, and to communicate. It has been demonstrated that minds (human or non-

human, conscious or unconscious, intelligent or unintelligent) contain some

capacity to operate without apparent use of physical facilities.

      Study during the Long Night revealed the empirical nature of the

phenomena. Although it assumed scientific validity, the principles involved

remain little understood. Study has not advanced beyond the understanding

achieved c. 650.



      Psychohistory: The science of historical prediction and macro-social

manipulation. The main thesis is that the actions of trillions of individuals

take on a fluidity and predictability which can be compared to that of

molecules in gas. The very size of the population being dealt with factors out

individual peculiarities, and allows prediction of behavior. The ability to

predict reactions to specific stimuli should bring the ability to manipulate.

      It began as a combination of public relations/advertising techniques and

behavioral science. Although techniques have been put on a more rigorous

footing, the basic principles are still not well understood. A number of minor

experiments have confirmed the general validity of the science, but it was

also shown to be too expensive to be of any practical utility. Research

continues at a small number of Imperial universities.



      Pyramid: A traditional construction form which is considered the

simplest form of large scale architecture, because of its ease of assembly and

load bearing strength. Most worlds that have passed through tech level 1 have

seen pyramid construction. Many examples remain, because of the structure's

massive strength.

      Pyramid structures of all sizes have been believed to serve as foci for

psionic (or cosmic) power. They are said to sharpen dull edges, cure diseases,

and generally work miracles.