Voiders Vol. 1: Field Supplement

Attn: ACG Kenzie, 8th Voiders

Subject: Classified field guide, Antellier

September 9th, 3486

Message:

Adjutant Career-Grade Kenzie,

Attached is a glossary of terminology you should be familiar with in preparation for your upcoming mission.

Good luck.

Career-Grade 4 Kirilenko

Attachment:

Organizations

Deep-Space Pilot’s Union:

Primary contractor for interstellar, orbital, and suborbital pilots. The organization takes pride in their political neutrality and have refused several lucrativetakeover attempts by industrial giants such as MarCom.

HotSpark:

Major security contractor with a reputation for accepting any job if the price is right. HotSpark agents are always equipped with the latest in defense technology and are known for spending lavishly to remain the top contractors in the deep-space security segment.

ISI:

Interstellar Industries. The oldest interstellar company still in operation, and 2nd largest in terms of yearly profit. ISI deals in resources mining and transportation, medical research, and farming. The reclusive Alphonse Argento is the president of ISI and is rumored to be over one hundred-thirty years old.

MarCom:

Mars Commercial Inc. The largest corporation in the current era, MarCom has an annual gross revenue greater than that of the top three wealthiest nations combined. Initially, the company’s interests were solely in mineral resources. MarCom has exclusive mineral rights to over 200 celestial bodies. During the past five decades, MarCom has expanded into military technology, shipbuilding, medical research, and star port construction.

MarSec:

MarCom’s internal security force. Deployed across known space in various roles connected with protecting MarCom’s interests and property. In terms of fleet size and arsenal, MarSec alone is larger than any national armed force in existence.

Voiders:

A specialty search, rescue, and salvage (occasionally security) unit founded in 3243 CE. There are currently (3486 CE) eighteen active Voider teams of between eight and fourteen Voiders. Two teams, 5 and 13, have been permanently retired. A “company” contains four to five teams, although a company-wide deployment is exceptionally rare and Voider teams operate independently on virtually all deployments.

The organization also includes an executive suite of former Voiders, a headquarters element, a contracts and negotiations board, and a civilian financial and human resources branch. All Voiders serve voluntarily and initially commit to a six-year contract. Piloting services are contracted out from the Deep-Space Pilot’s Union as the Voiders do not offer a piloting vocation.

Voider rankings (followed by general timeframes for promotion)

Trainee (12-18 months):

A volunteer is eligible for Voider training after meeting a number of prerequisites, chief among which is serving a full year in one of the conditional forces (MarSec, various armed forces units, state police, internal investigation, foreign investigation, terrestrial search and rescue) OR the individual has obtained a vocational degree from an accredited university in an approved field.

A trainee will undergo basic field, firearms, and medical training followed by a unit of focused vocational training in their selected Voider specialty. The Voider vocations are: mechanical engineer, software engineer, medic, weatherman, scout, communications, various others depending on era and political climate.

The trainee period lasts between twelve and eighteen months depending on vocation. The combined training units are collectively known as “Voider School.”

Applicant (1-2 years):

An applicant is a Voider School graduate who has been assigned to a temporary team. They will perform regular vocational duties during this evaluation period and should expect up to three deployments. Assessments include overall performance, vocational-specific performance, team integration, attentiveness, timeliness, general aptitude. The M1 or M2 of the applicant’s unit will provide an evaluation and recommendation for an applicant’s promotion or dismissal from the Voiders organization. A dismissed applicant is colloquially known as a “washout,” and may be eligible for another term as an applicant after an appeal process. Successful appeals are uncommon.

Applicants wear a gray “V” device on their left shoulder. Application is generally a six- month process.

Field Tree

Junior Grade 1 (3 years):

Most junior full-fledged Voider. After successful application, a J1 is selected to their permanent team. They wear the blue “V” device on the left shoulder with pride. A J1 is just learning the ropes but is an integral and trusted part of their team. Junior Grade 1s are usually promoted to J2 within a year of joining their permanent unit.

Junior Grade 2 (4-5 years):

Most common Voider grade in today’s organization. The blue-collar worker in the teams. The J2 demonstrates adequate skills in their vocation, is receptive to instruction, and should expect a full day’s work whether they are deployed, in transit, or in reserve. These Voiders are a rough-cut gem in the process of being polished.

Junior Grade 3 (5-6 years):

J3s are expected to be strongly-skilled in their vocation, and should display all of the characteristics in the Voider code as an example for their junior team members.

Junior grade 3 is a special, evaluation rank lasting twelve months during which this Voider will decide whether to conclude their service at the end of their six-year contract without pension, apply to the command tree, or continue their career as a field-grade Voider.

Most (more than ninety percent) career-grades are recruited from the J3 ranks. Approximately ten percent of J3s choose to apply to the command tree, seventy percent choose to exit the Voider organization, and twenty percent choose to continue their career as an S1. A Voider’s six-year contract is the only contract they are required to sign, and their continued employment as a Voider is at-will.

Senior Grade 1 (7-8 years):

S1. This Voider has made a commitment to field work, having decided that career-grade is not for them, or having washed out from command tree application but wanting to continue life as a Voider. S1s will begin to be introduced to field command duties while also fulfilling their vocational role. An S1 is still a work-in-progress, and higher grades should expect to see their S1s struggling as they learn to juggle additional responsibilities.

Senior Grade 2 (8-9):

S2s carry a full slate of responsibility. They are expected to have an encyclopedic knowledge of their vocation and should also be prepared to lead a small squad during a deployment. They occupy the middle ground between student and master.

Senior Grade 3 (9-10):

An S3 is a master in their vocation and is ready to groom less-experienced Voiders. Their role is beginning to shift from being an excellent craftsman to a teacher who can take some of the load off of their often-overburdened M2. Commonly tasked with heading smaller squads of 2-4 Voiders for specialized objectives.

Master Grade 1 (10-11):

M1. This Voider will shed their vocational duties to become a leader in the field, usually under the tutelage of a more experienced M2 who is in his or her final phase of field duty.

Master Grade 2 (11+):

Viewed as the backbone of the Voider teams. This grade is an experienced veteran tasked with the delicate role of advocating for the field-grades while executing the career-grade's vision. A competent M2 leads by example, can be entrusted with any task, and maintains morale in the face of adversity. M2s who prefer field work frequently refuse promotion to M3 as M2 is the highest field-tree rank to see deployment. Eighty percent of M2s choose to retire over graduating to a headquarters role.

Master Grade 3 (15+):

Master Grade 3 Voiders are headquarters staff who advocate for their field team, oversee supply chains, participate in contract negotiations, and serve as advisors for the command board. Each team has one M3 representative at HQ.

Command Tree

Adjutant Career Grade (7 years):

ACG, similar to the applicant rank, is a transitional rank during which a Voider who has applied for and been selected to the command tree is evaluated for career-grade qualities. They will serve as an assistant for the Career Grade 1 or 2 of their unit and learn the requirements of living day-to-day as themost senior-ranking Voider of a field team. ACGs are former J3s who have passed a thorough screening and have received a recommendation from their former CG. Approximately sixty percent of J3s who apply for the command tree are accepted as newlyminted ACGs. Of those, typically seventy percent graduate to full CG. Those who are not cut out for a full CG rating are offered a role in the field tree as S1s.

Career Grade 1 (10-12 years):

The most common command-tree grade. The commander of his or her team. The buck stops with the CG1. This Voider is responsible for all of the details of a deployment, from ensuring the right number of supplies are available to directing the actions of his or her team in the theater.

Career Grade 2 (12-15+ years):

The highest field rank, CG2 is sometimes considered a transitional position and teams will only have a CG1 or a CG2 attached, not both. There are two types of CG2: those who choose to continue their career to a full 20 years of service in the field, and those who chose to pursue a promotion to a headquarters staff position. More than eighty percent of Voider command-grade careers are terminal at CG2. Retirement with a pension based on years served is the alternative to promotion to CG3.

Career Grade 3 (15-18 years):

Generally, only four Voiders will occupy this rank at any given time, each serving as the head of four to five Voider teams (a company). CG3s oversee their company’s supply chain, budget, rotation periods, field-tree promotions, R and R allocation, and manage outsourcing contracts. CG3 is a demanding position with potential for great reward and also heavy consequences. They answer to the higher tiers of command for team performances, budgets, Voider fatalities, and mission outcomes.

Career Grade 4 (20+ years):

The highest graded Voider rank, CG4s comprise the command board that oversees all company-level Voider operations. CG4s determine which teams go where, who is in command of each team, and which assets are allocated to a deployment. CG4s have the authority to rearrange team structures and make career-grade promotions. A CG4 is accountable only to the Commandant.

Commandant of the Voiders:

A special position for the highest-ranking Voider in the organization. In most circumstances, this individual will have served for more than 25 years. The Commandant is selected from the Career Grade 3 or 4 ranks by a popular vote among all Career Grades (ACGs do not vote). The Commandant’s primary duty is to interface with the other branches of the organization, shield the Voider ranks from political distractions, and to present him or herself as the public face of the Voiders at press conferences or during negotiations.

Equipment and Tech

autocast:

a self-setting, self-adjusting medical device used for broken bones in extremities. Once fitted, the autocast can support the damaged limb in such a way as to make it immediately usable (for instance, the wearer will be able to walk on a recentlybroken ankle). With its onboard diagnostic computer, the autocast makes micro adjustments as a bone heals to provide outcomes that are substantially superior to those of traditional casts.

autodoc:

computer-controlled surgical unit that is very popular in remote outposts and onboard transports due to its light weight and ease of deployment. The autodoc makes complex surgical procedures possible in environments that would otherwise require evacuation to a full hospital. It is not a replacement for a field medic but rather a useful tool meant to complement their skill set. Its complexity makes thorough training a necessity for operators.

Dermaquid:

a liquid containing micropolymers that bond into a mesh closely resembling human skin when applied to wounds.

grav core:

gravity-generating device common on transport ships and shuttles with human passengers. Shipboard gravity helps negate the deterioration of the human physiology caused by extended periods in freefall.

LAICES:

Light-Armored, Insulated Combat Environment Suit. Useful on moons, protoplanets, andplanets with substantial atmospheric pressure, this suit is light and flexible, making it preferable in many instances to its heavier counterparts like the heavy combat suit, atmosphere, or EVA suits. The LAICES does not fully pressurize nor does it come standard with its own oxygen system, but it does utilize an advanced filter and recycler, making surprisingly hostile environments survivable for the wearer.

magrifle:

a projectile weapon powered by a series of electromagnetic elements that guide a weighted projectile through a rifled barrel. Magrifles are effectively silent and can function in a vacuum, making them an ideal choice for Voiders who operate in a variety of theaters. Standard features include passive and manual safeties, select-fire, and manual wattage control.

nanobot:

microscopic medical robots that perform their programmed function as a part of treating wounds to encourage better outcomes in surgical procedures. Nanobots are deployed in a gel that is applied to the wounded region. Usually, several types of nanobots are deployed at the same time, each with its specific function. For instance, bone types will target damaged bones and perform tasks at the cell-level that would otherwise be left up to the body’s (imperfect) immune system. When their tasks have been completed, nanobots “die,” and are then excreted in normal bodily waste.

plasma rifle:a two-handed weapon that fires directed, superheated gas instead of a traditional projectile. A popular choice for shipboard combat due its wide field of fire and unlikelihood that the plasma will cause damage to a ship’s inner hull.

smartscope:

a weapon-mounted targeting telescope with variable zoom. The key feature of the smartscope is the onboard computer which can assist the user with tracking a target using an array of range-finding lasers. The computer automatically compensates the animated reticle for projectile drop, while servos adjust the scope for windage. Pertinent information is displayed in the viewfinder as a low-profile overlay. A multiband feature allows the user to easily flip through several modes such as infrared, ultraviolet, visible spectrum, and more.

typhine:

synthetic painkiller administered intravenously; typhine has slowly replaced opioids in the field over the last century. The drug is exceptional at easing pain but also triggers an addictive euphoria, leaving many medical professionals questioning exactly what typhine’s advantages over older painkillers are. MarCom owning the patent for typhine might be the answer.

Aliens

acrosidea:

ancient alien race believed to have been entangled in a mortal feud with the xenophets around 20,000 years ago. The acrosidea were a highly advanced, spacefaring species with weaponry beyond current human capabilities. Their space vessels may have traveled at or beyond light speed through some loophole in spacetime. For comparison, faster-than-light travel is only theoretical speculation for our most cutting-edge physicists. We have yet to identify definite physical characteristics of the acrosidea as our only reference for their existence lies in the convoluted, ancient hieroglyphs in the xenophet temples on Antellier.

androvore:

ancient alien race discovered to inhabit the moon Antellier. Comprised of a handful of subspecies. The androvore does not demonstrate advanced intelligence, but exhibits unique organization among the subspecies, akin to ants or bees. Some research suggests genetic tampering in the DNA of the androvore, with several top scientists believing they were engineered to serve a higher, unknown function at the behest of the acrosidea. Currently present in unknown numbers on Antellier.

xenophet:

ancient alien race discovered to have inhabited the moon Antellier as recently as 20,000 years ago. Research indicates the xenophets were a technologically advanced race capable of spaceflight and controlling nuclear power. It is believed that the xenophets were not native to Antellier, but rather chose it as a secondary home world for unknown reasons. Believed to be extinct on Antellier.

Materials

flexalloy:

cutting-edge metal construction material with incredible strength-to-weight ratio. As the name suggests, flexalloy can bend without folding with characteristics more commonly seen in rubber. Commonly used in suspension bridges, outer skins for spacecraft and aircraft, and even special-purpose clothing.

petrocrete:

a common construction material for remote outposts due to its inexpensiveness and durability. Petrocrete sets extremely hard yet molds cooperatively and is practically invulnerable to the elements due to its robust micro-matrix of organic compounds.Environmental activists commonly protest the use of petrocrete on otherwise untouched natural satellites due to its virtual immunity to biodegradation.

plastex:

standard alternative to glass, especially in high-wear applications. Plastex has a high torsional flexibility, is practically indestructible in the face of the elements, is projectile and melt-resistant to an extreme degree, and is lighter by volume than even transparent aluminum. Plastex is commonly used for viewscreens and portholes on spacefaring vessels.

Miscellany

Bit Credit:

unit of currency recognized across interstellar lines.

forceball:

a competitive sport popular across interstellar space. Some argue that hyperball is more popular, but with viewer count virtually impossible to calculate due to the relativistic distances involved in broadcasting events, this looks to remain a debate for generations to come.

martyr:

vulgar slang common among colonists and the deep-space working class. “Martyr” or “martyrs” is a reference to the death of four cult figures on 28th century Mars who developed a massive following that only grew in the wake of their public executions. Shortly thereafter, a rift in the Christian church known as “Tearful Solemnity” led to the founding of a new form of Christianity with the teachings of the Four Martyrs as a foundation. Within two centuries of their deaths, “Tetranity” had become the most practiced organized religion in populated space, and it remains so to this day. Although the number of practitioners is down significantly from its peak, this is a reflection of overall diminished interest in religion among the populace.