Only Superhuman (47 page)

precession:
Gradual reorientation of a space habitat’s axis to keep its solar cells, mirrors, and radiators properly oriented toward the Sun as it orbits. The rotation of a habitat creates a gyroscope effect that resists precession. Different habitat types employ different means of addressing this problem (see
Bernal sphere
,
O’Neill Cylinder
,
Stanford Torus
).

regolith:
A layer of loose surface material such as dust, pebbles, dirt, etc.

selfone:
Personal communication/data device; primary means of identification and financial transactions. From “cell phone” seen as an extension of the self.

shock laser:
Reduced-lethality weapon using an ultraviolet laser to ionize the air, creating a path for an electric discharge calibrated to induce loss of muscle control and neural disorientation. Can also short out electrical systems.

smart matter:
Also known as programmable matter or wellstone. Through quantum confinement of its electrons, smart matter can be programmed to simulate the chemical, optical, and thermal properties of any element or compound, including ones not found in nature. It is useful for energy collection, storage, and projection, and is used in sensory devices, video displays, thermal clothing,
soligrams
, and many other technologies.

soligram:
Informal term (solid + hologram) for a display/simulation mechanism using a shape-changing
smart matter
gel that can simulate the appearance, texture, and density of virtually any substance. Often used in place of virtual reality due to the eyestrain and nearsightedness that extended use of VR visors or contacts can cause.

spinward:
In the direction toward which a habitat or body is rotating. Sometimes called “east.”

Stanford Torus:
Space habitat design, generally a small toroidal ring. Can be expanded by adding parallel rings. Main docking and industrial facilities are at the hub, generally nonrotating, and are accessed by spokelike radial shafts. Usually aligned with the axis perpendicular to the orbital plane, with a mirror at a 45-degree angle reflecting sunlight into a ring of secondary mirrors that direct it into the habitat ring or rings. This way, only the mirror needs to undergo
precession
.

Strider:
Inhabitant of the
Main Belt
or
Trojan Asteroids
. Corruption of earlier “stroider.”

stroid:
Asteroid.

symbot:
Former brand name, now generic, for performance-enhancing robotic exoskeletons. Available in various models for construction, combat, sports, medical support, etc. Lightweight models are compact and close-fitting, but heavy-duty models are armored and provide full life support.

therianthrope, therian:
Human modified with animal attributes. Literally “beast-man.”

Trojan Asteroids:
Asteroid clusters occupying the L4 and L5 points of Jupiter’s orbit. Roughly as numerous as the
Main Belt
asteroids, though not as heavily settled to date.

FOREIGN TERMS, SLANG, AND EXPLETIVES

Different cultures and eras have different profanities, depending on their different values, taboos, and fears. For instance, in Elizabethan times, “golly” was a serious obscenity because it was short for “God’s body,” a reference considered blasphemous.

Strider profanity relates mainly to the dangers and discomforts facing space-dwellers. Scatological terms retain their impact and literal “dirtiness.” Sexual terms are less common as profanities, since Striders typically have a fairly open attitude toward sex. The word “fuck” has long since lost its shock value through overuse; among Striders it is simply an informal term for sex rather than a general-purpose obscenity. Some Strider curses retain a secondary sexual element, however.

aiya:
Chinese, “Damn it!”

bu:
Chinese, “No.”

Chinglish:
Chinese-English pidgin common on Mars and the Cislunar States.

dong:
Chinglish, “to understand.” From
dong ma,
“do you understand?”

flare:
Expletive. As in a solar flare or coronal mass ejection. Used as a noun, verb, or (as “flaring”) adjective.

free:
2090s teen slang. Literally free-falling. Used to mean happy, not weighted down by concerns.

furo:
Traditional Japanese bath.

gasmic:
2090s teen slang. Short for “orgasmic,” meaning wonderful, excellent, cool.

hijab:
Arabic, “veil.” Refers to the general practice of covering the head, body, and limbs for modesty.

hose-clog:
Expletive. An obstruction of a space suit’s oxygen hose or urine catheter. Personal epithet implying that the subject is an unwelcome menace or obstruction, most likely consisting of some unpleasant and worthless substance.

lao-tian:
Chinese, “My God!”

leak:
Expletive. Refers to an atmosphere leak, as well as urination. Often an adjective as “leaking.”

Medvyéd:
Russian, “bear.”

mete:
A meteoroid or micrometeoroid.

no guanshee:
Chinglish, “no problem,” “never mind.” From Chinese
mei guanxi
, “It doesn’t matter.”

oyamah:
Japanese, “Good heavens!”

peeghole:
Chinglish, “asshole.” From
pigu,
buttocks.

punk:
Expletive, generally a transitive verb. Short for “puncture,” as of a hull or space suit. Sometimes used as a vulgar synonym for “copulate.” A
punkhole
is a micrometeoroid puncture, and can also mean a vagina.

rageous:
2090s teen slang. Short for “outrageous,” but generally used in a positive sense.

Sensei:
Japanese, “teacher.”

Shashu:
Japanese, “archer.”

suck:
Expletive. In addition to its traditional sexual meaning, this refers to the vacuum sucking atmosphere out of a breached ship or suit. “Dirtsucker” is a common slur against Terrans.

tatakai no heiwa:
Japanese, “peace of battle.”

Tenshi:
Japanese, “angel.”

vack:
Expletive. Short for vacuum, as in “vack-sucker” or “vackhead,” or as a verb meaning to expel something into vacuum, as in “Go vack yourself.” Largely interchangeable with
suck
, but more widely used due to its harsher sound.

zaogao:
Chinese, “Damn!” (Literally “spoiled cake.”)

APPENDIX B

Sol System Geography

Bodies are ordered by mean distance from Sol (semimajor axis) in astronomical units (AU). Habitats mentioned in
Only Superhuman
are listed alongside the bodies or orbital regions they are associated with. This list is far from comprehensive.

Acknowledgments

This is a book that’s been over two decades in the making, and it would be impossible to remember all the people who’ve influenced or advised me along the way. But I need to single out a few people for special thanks. Xuân Stanek (formerly Blair) was a major source of inspiration and a marvelous sounding board in the early years of the process, and I owe her for details ranging from hairstyling issues to the spiritual impact of a difficult childbirth. Thanks also to Angela Gaylor and Nikki Jenkins for inspiring Psyche’s beauty and the sweeter side of her character.

Chester Edwards deserves credit for getting me into comic books. Back in college, he drew me into his ambitious (but ultimately unrealized) plans to start a comic-book company, and I had dreams of doing an Emerald Blair comic series to supplement the novels. Eventually I reworked my plans from scratch, and many of the best ideas I conceived for the comics ended up as parts of this novel. The preexisting comic-book heroes that Chester helped introduce me to have also been influences on this work.

My college astronomy professor, Dr. Michael Sitko, contributed a lot to my understanding of Sol System. More recently, Paul Woodmansee of JPL was a good source of ideas about spacecraft propulsion, and Laura Woodmansee’s book
Sex in Space
was most informative as well. I owe a great deal to Dr. Gerard O’Neill’s seminal book
The High Frontier: Human Colonies in Space
, as well as to Winchell Chung’s “Atomic Rockets” website at
http://www.ProjectRho.com/rocket/index.html
. My understanding of the Coriolis force and its effects owes greatly to John G. Cramer’s “Artificial Gravity: Which Way is Up?” originally published in the February 1987
Analog Science Fiction and Fact
. “Orpheus” on the Ex Isle BBS provided much insight into the technical problems of reading or copying the human brain, as well as advice on asteroidal gems. And special thanks are due to Selden Ball and the person who posts as “bdm” on the Celestia Forum, both of whom were kind enough to create asteroid data files for the Celestia space simulator upon my request. Those files have proven invaluable in helping me understand Emerald’s world and plot her journeys through it.