Frdste: Spanner. It was originally a Diaglon word.
Garda: The regular army of the country known as Argyll, back on Planet Rybak.
Gig: A small two-person armed surface vehicle. Historically a light carriage pulled by a horse.
Goebbels: Paul Joseph Goebbels (1897-1945) was a German politician and Minister for Propaganda in Nazi Germany (1933-1945).
Gtran: Large vicious cat-like predators that inhabited the snowy mountain ranges on Planet Rybak.
Gtrathlin: (Diaglon) Ruler of a landmass or planet.
Gtrathlin: (Lind) Senior Lind Elda and overall leader of all the rtaths (packs) of the Lind.
Gingrootbeer: Spicy soft drink, non-alcoholic and a great favourite with Vada cadets..
Gtrathlin: Leader of the Gtratha, the High Council of the Lind.
High Hill: A hill not far away from Stronghold.
Holad: Medical section of pack
Ibon trail: A trail left behind a space ship when it travels through outer space.
Inner Sanctum : The room within the Vada Stronghold back on Planet Rybak where the Vada kept the records of those serving and who have once served with the Vada. It also contained the books containing those vadeln who had died in the pursuit of their duty
Instant memory: Photographic memory.
Jandalu ecrana: (Diaglon) environment specialist.
Jeza: Eat. It was originally a Diaglon word.
Jezdic: Zebra like intractable animal.
Jus: Allies of the Diaglon and the Vlon. They are not so technologically advanced. They are cold-blooded, reptilian creatures who are formidable warriors.
Kell: (Diaglon) Measurement of around a metre.
Kellran: (Diaglon) Measurement of a hundred metres.
Kohortangan: (Larg) Army commander.
Kala: Caffeine drink made from the nuts of the allst tree of Rybak. On Tak an approximation of the drink is brewed.
Kepi: Cap worn by the Vada.
Kohort: (Larg ) Kohort of Larg warriors, usually numbering at least 800.
Kura: Docile, woolly, short-legged goat-like animal.
Lai: Legendary beings of Lind mythology up to the beginning of the seventh century when they came out of hiding to assist the other inhabitants, two-legged and four in their quest to destroy the renegade Dglai who were invading Rybak - Lai is used in both singular and plural.
Larg: Warlike wolf-like denizens of southern continent - Larg is used in both singular and plural.
Largan: (Larg) Leader of all the Larg.
Lian: Woods or forests.
LAWS: Laser Weapon System.
Limokko: Space ship of the Diaglon on which Thalia, Daniel and others travelled to Tak.
Lin: Litter of Lind pups
Lind: Peace loving wolf-like denizens of northern continent - Lind is used in both singular and plural.
Lindar: Warrior section of Lind pack. All Lind, male and female over thirteen summers fight in one of the three ryz of the Lindar of their pack.
Lindar’s Paws: A tavern in Stronghold and a favourite of Vada personnel.
Lindish: The language of the Lind.
Lis: Sister.
Lisya: Other litter of Lind pups from the same parents.
Ltscta: Lind youngling.
Lai: Golden skinned rtath of the Daiglon.
Nad: Lai – Outer Space. It was originally a Diaglon word.
Nahoko: (Diaglon) Fact finding space probe of the Diaglon, five of them landed on Rybak in the middle of AL 607, sent by the renegade Dglai.
Nad: Nothing. It can also mean land on which there are no trees. It was originally a Diaglon word.
Nadlians of the Larg: Lands of the Larg.
New Earth: The headquarters planet of the Community.
New York: Paula’s planet of birth.
Orlando The Community name for Planet Orum.
Orum: What the Orumcek call their home planet. In their language it means ‘home’.
Orumcek: A spider-like species native to Planet Orum.
Prozent: Percent.
PW: Personal Weapon.
PWLR: Personal Weapon Laser Rifle.
Quorko (Diaglon) Scout ship.
Racoven: (Diaglon) Transport carrier (space ship) what accompany task forces and supply them. Unlike the verustas they can land on a planetary surface.
Rai: Blue skinned lost rtath of the Diaglon.
Riders of the Apocalypse: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are described in the Christian Bible. For centuries the four riders have been seen as the symbols for conquest, was, famine and death.
Riga: A planet two days spaceflight from Texas.
Rtath: Pack. It was originally a Diaglon word.
Rtatha: Pack-range. It was originally a Diaglon word.
Rtathen: Pack-mates. It was originally a Diaglon word.
Rtathlian: Pack-woods. It was originally a Diaglon word.
Rudtka and Vuz: Small, burrowing, rabbit like animals native to Rybak. They resemble rabbits although they do not have long ears. The southern rudtka is slightly larger than the northern vuz. There are similar burrowing animals on Tak. These are called vuz and rudka too, the rudka being the larger of the two.
Ruza: Hero.
Rybak: Planet Wolf, home of the Lind and the Larg and the Lai and named after the James Rybak who found it after the cosmic storm that sent his colony ship spinning through space.
Ryz: Battle line.
Ryzck: Company of Vada - made up of thirty-four vadeln-pairs and one commanding vadeln-pair.
Ryzcka: Vada Company (Ryzck) Commander. It is usually an experienced, older vadeln. His or her Lind shares the command.
Salle: The French word for 'hall', 'room' or 'auditorium’. The salle is a building used to teach weapon fighting in inclement weather. On Tak, as in Rybak, it is run by the Weaponsmaster and his assistants.
Sbnai: Red skinned lost rtath of the Daiglon
Scarbie: Clue (slang). (I haven’t got a ‘clue’. I haven’t got a ‘scarbie’).
Sitting duck: Something/someone vulnerable to an attack, usually a physical one. It alludes to a duck paddling in the water and unaware that a predator or hunter is approaching.
Smaha: Red numbing medicinal root native to Rybak.
Standard: Language spoken by the humans when they arrived on Rybak – as the years progressed the language has shifted to take account of words in Lindish, of the Larg and of the Diaglon.
Stewarton: A city within the country of Argyll on Planet Rybak.
Sun Tzu: (BC 544-496) was a Chinese military general, strategist and philosopher He is traditionally credited as the author of ‘The Art of War’, an influential book on military stratagems.
Susa (Diaglon) Captain of a space ship.
Susa: Commander of a Lindar, of the Vada and of the three sections of the Avuzdel.
Susa’s Own: The Fifty-first Ryzck of the Vada, under the direct command of the Susa and the only one which contains more than one Ryzcka and four Vadryzkas.
Susyc: (Diaglon) Commander of a fleet of space ships.
Susyc: Overall Commander of the Armies of the North, made up of troops from Argyll, Vadath and the Rtathlians.
Standard: Language spoken by the humans when they arrived on Rybak – as the years progressed the language has shifted to take account of words of Lindish and of the Larg.
Sword of Honour: Sword given to the best Vada Cadets on their graduation.
Tenday: A week. The ten day week came into being back on Rybak where a month was made up of four then day cycles and there were ten months in a year.
Tenha: A planet names so by the Diaglon when they explored it three hundred years ago. The word, in Turkish, means ‘desolate’. The word, in Diaglon, means ‘growth will come’.
Texas: A planet two days spaceflight from Riga.
Tipi: (Diaglon) Tent.
Township: The town where most of the humans live on Tak.
Tvan: (Diaglon) Around a minute.
Vada: The Vada is a Lind/human cavalry force d
edicated to fighting evil and protecting those who must be protected. It has been in existence for 816 years, 808 of them on Planet Rybak. It is made up of 51 Ryzcks (Companies) of 35 vadeln-pairs each plus support and training personnel.
Vada: Town back on Rybak, in Vadath where the Vada lived. Their enclosure was called ‘the stronghold’.
Vada sword: This is a light, slender, slightly curved weapon and very sharp. It is a cavalry sword similar to those used by nineteenth cavalry Lancers on Planet Earth. The practice swords are made of wood but are identical as to size, weight and shape.
Vadath: Country between Argyll and Lind on the northern continent, ruled jointly by humans and Lind
Vadeln-pair: Paired life-mate (Lind/human), often shortened to vadeln or pair
Verusta: (Diaglon) Defence space ships of their space-fleet. They can also be used to attack enemies. The use the term ‘defence’ because they only attack to defend.
Verassi(ng): Swear word derived from the (human) Dutch word for surprise ‘verassing’.
Vlon: Insectoid, highly intelligent, technologically advanced, allies of the Diaglon.
Vlonak: Leader of the Vlon.
Volat: Needless slaying of any creature. It was originally a Diaglon word.
Vadryz : Troop of Vada - made up of eight vadeln-pairs. There are four Vadryz in a Ryzck.
Vadryzka: Vada troop commander. There are four in each Ryzck. His or her Lind shares the command.
Vuz and Rudtka: Small, burrowing, rabbit like animals native to Rybak. They resemble rabbits although they do not have long ears. The southern rudtka is slightly larger than the northern vuz. There are similar burrowing animals on Tak. These are called vuz and rudtka as well, the rudtka being the larger of the two.
Vuz-beetle: A nasty little slimy beetle-like creature that likes warm, dark places.
Wilco: Military term for ‘will comply’.
Wrigglies: Worms.
Wulf: Anglo-Saxon word for wolf.
Wral: Large bear-like animals native to Rybak that inhabit the riverbanks of the snowy mountains.
Xanu: (Diaglon) Year.
Yllatys: Swear word derived from Lindish - originally meaning ‘surprise’, now used to denote surprise in a horrible way.
Zarova: Long necked camel-like meat animal.
* * * * *
Appendices
Ryzck Badges of the Vada
First Ryzck: Allst tree - Second Ryzck: Vada sword - Third Ryzck: Lind head - Fourth Ryzck: Red flag (original flag of the Vada) - Fifth Ryzck: Lind paw print - Fifteenth Ryzck: Lai in flight - Sixteenth Ryzck : Double swords - Eighteenth Ryzck: Kura - Thirty-eighth: Knife - Fifty-first Ryzck (Susa’s Own): Lai watching.
The Express: Messenger service. Yellow lightning bolt on a red circle - Supply Stations: leaf of walda grass (all grass native to Rybak is a mauve-ochre colour) - Holad: Red cross (Doctors - on white background)(Medics - on blue background).
The Year
First Month of Summer – Dunrhed : Second Month of Summer - Vadrhed : Third Month of Summer - Lokrhed : Fourth Month of Summer - Sanrhed : Fifth Month of Summer - Rakrhed : Sixth Month of Summer - Olfrhed: First Month of Winter – Dunthed : Second Month of Winter - Vadthed : Third Month of Winter - Lokthed : Fourth Month of Winter - Santhed : Fifth Month of Winter - Rakthed: Sixth Month of Winter - Olfthed.
A Rybakian year was ten months long. There were only two seasons, summer and winter. The year begins with Dunrhed, the first month of summer because tradition states that this was the month of landing. There were four weeks, each ten days long, in a Rybakian month. A week is called a tenday. On Tak, this system was amended and used, adding two more months, one in summer and one in winter. It helped to keep everyone from feeling homesick.
The Seasons
Winter Season : thedhrehl - Summer Season : Rhedhrehl - Moon (night) : tran - Sun (day) : rhan - Hot : rhed - Cold : thed - Season : dhrehl.
The Day
On Rybak the day was split into bells. This system is used on Tak with some changes as both the days and nights are different.
Midnight Bell - First Nightbell - Second Nightbell- Third Nightbell - Fourth Nightbell – Fifth Nightbell - Sixth Nightbell – Seventh Nightbell - Eighth Nightbell – Ninth Nightbell - Tenth Nightbell - Eleventh Nightbell - Twelfth (Dawn) Bell - First Bell - Second Bell - Third Bell - Fourth Bell – Fifth Bell - Sixth (Noon) Bell – Seventh Bell – Eighth Bell – Ninth Bell – Tenth (Eve) Bell – Eleventh Bell – Midnight Bell.
Numbers
Numbers 1-10 ; dun, vad, lok, san, rak, olf, tak, zan, echt, duntan
Ducal Family of Hallam - remained on Rybak (%)
Duke Paul Hallam (b760) (%) m. Princess Elizabeth (b762) (%)
* Elizabeth Hallam (b784) m. Baron Charles Karovitz (779-808) (killed before boarding the Limokko)
** Charles (b803)
**Michael (b807)
*Duke-Heir Liam Hallam (b786) (%) m. Contessa Marie Brentwood (b789) (%)
**Robain (b807) (%)
*Count Robain Hallam (b788) m. Duchess-Heir Pauline Gardiner (b788)
**Paul (b809) (born on board the Limokko, on the journey to Tak)
**Elizabeth (b811) (born on board the Limokko, on the journey to Tak)
**Marie (b813) (born on board the Limokko, on the journey to Tak)
*Judith (b790) (%)
*Jill (b792) m. Daniel Ross (b788)
* * * * *
Short Story
Daniel and Deceit
What follows is the story about what happened between Thalia Josensdochter and Daniel Ross towards the end of their eight-year journey from Planet Rybak to Planet Tak.
What had gone wrong? When Daniel had appeared at her and Josei’s side shortly before the space ship Limokko had blasted of from the surface of Rybak, she hadn’t been happier. They had gone through so many dangers and adventures together - spent so much time in each other’s company - she had believed she had known him almost as well as she knew herself. Now she wasn’t so sure. They had been so very much in love as they had watched their birth planet grow smaller and smaller as the Limokko picked up speed.
The voice came out from nowhere and Thalia jumped. Looking through the miniscule porthole, gazing at nothing, lost in her thoughts and dreams, she hadn’t heard Josei’s paws clicking on the metal passageway.
: I have been looking for you : he ‘said’ in a reproachful ‘voice’.
Thalia turned.
: I’m thinking : she telepathed back.
: We could think together : Josei suggested, padding closer : two heads are better than one. I believe you have said this to me on more than one occasion :
: I don’t think you can help Josei. Not this time :
: Try me : Josei invited : It is Daniel? :
Thalia smiled ruefully. There was no way she would be able to forget that her and Josei’s thoughts were not entirely private. It had been so since she and he had mind and life bonded. “It’s no use keeping any secrets from you? Is there?” Her voice was without inflexion.
“None whatsoever,” he agreed as he came to stand beside her. She could feel the warmth of his body through her thin ship-suit. He looked out of the viewing window, nudging his life-mate’s head as he positioned himself. “Nothing,” he growled, stepping back, “as usual.”
“You knew there wouldn’t be,” Thalia told him, amused by his words despite her pensive, sad thoughts. “Maru told us the Limokko is travelling between solar systems. It’ll be like this for the next year or so.”
Josei moved his paws restlessly.
“I know it is a necessary thing if we are to reach our new planet,” he observed, “but that is not to say that I have to like it. Remember that last day before we boarded the ship, when we went running over the grass?”
Thalia did.
“Katie and Kenlei were there and Zeb with Vya.” Animation was returning to her voice as thoughts about Daniel began to recede. “So were the Larg, Aeolvaldr and Danavdr. It was fun, wasn’t it?”
/> “You said that it was the most wonderful feeling in the entire world,” he remembered.
“So I did. The memory is as clear as if it was yesterday and not seven years ago.”
“I’ve almost forgotten what it feels like to feel the wind on my fur,” agreed Josei wistfully. “The rain too, I never thought I’d forget what it feels like either and I am in great danger of forgetting.”
“And the snow and mountain cold?” teased Thalia. “You used to complain all the time about having to wear those snow boots to protect your chelas.”
“I miss it all,” he answered simply.
“So do I, but there’s nothing we can do about it. We’ve still got about another one and a half years of journeying to go, Rybak time.”
She understood why Josei was so disgruntled. All the Lind and Larg on board the Limokko were becoming more and more restless about the necessity of being confined inside the space ship. It was not as if there was not room enough to live in, their quarters were not cramped, far from it, the metal walled dagas were roomy, comfortable and warm, it was that there was no place to run. The Lind, and to a lesser extent, their cousins, the Larg, loved to run.
“I wish they could drop us off on a planet, leave us there for a while and a later ship could pick us up,” said Josei.
“This is the later ship,” answered Thalia in a sympathetic attempt to cheer him up. “The Limokko was the very last to leave.” She scrunched the fur behind Josei’s ears and was opening her mouth to continue when a resounding bang reverberated loud in her ears. Josei’s ears flipped back and he winced.
“That blasted air compressor again,” Thalia noted, patting Josei’s head. “And … I’m due at sword-practice with Artem this bell. Are you coming to watch?”
“There’s little else to do,” he commented discontentedly as he followed her out through the doorway.
* * * * *
“Are you sure she doesn’t suspect?” the girl whispered.
“I’m sure,” Daniel reassured her. “I really love you Jill.”
“You love Thalia,” she accused, although she was pressing her body into his and anyone who was passing would have been excused from deducing that quite the opposite was true. Jill knew it quite well. She just liked to hear Daniel say it.