Rital of Proof (42 page)

bed straps—
used to secure the name-bearer on the fastening night.

bellytwaddle—
complaining.

beta-baize—
gamboling game table.

biocrobe—
engineered microbe.

bioforms—
life form.

Bladeswoman—
a female proficient with the meteor-blade.

Blanock Lifting—
intricate form of the Gle Kiang-ten.

blanock—
multicolored, small Forus creatures. Humans are especially partial to their song.

blaze-dragon—
a difficult but beautiful creature of fiery disposition, indigenous to Forus.

bus-bit—
response to piece of information that is disbelieved.

by-life—
life form that is the by-product of another experiment.

Capitol Town—
central city.

Captain, the—
also the Founder, Cybella Reynard.

chasing the velvet veil—
looking for sex, as in promiscuous, i.e., "She's chasing the velvet veil, isn't she?"

chum-off—bugger off.

cilia twig—
fibrous twig.

cit ways—
cosmopolitan.

code-sealed—
electronically sealed.

coil-winder—
poisonous creature.

come-out—
a veil who is entering the bid circuit.

coophand—
takes care of Kloo and Klee.

coop-keeper—
takes care of the coops.

coops—
stables for the Kloo and Klee.

crawlsinthedark—
a night creature best left unexplained, but which makes a damn good soup.

cross-blades—
type of weapon.

cysystem—
used by Forus architects to construct single abodes or entire cities.

damselle—
young, unfastened female from an aristocratic family.

darkmatter—
a man who does not quite fit in, someone who is inscrutable.

dim-bit—
a young dim-nit.

dim-nit—
a stupid one.

Dreamtree—
beautiful plant with colorful night blooms.

emotive vision—
a vision that is accompanied by its own unique emotion.

ex-veil
—one who is no longer a veil.

fasten—
marry.

fasten-off—marry
off.

fil-Duchene
—son or grandson of a Duchene.

fil-Earlene Shazi—
son of Earlene Shazi.

firewings—
glowing, small-winged creatures.

first-seasoners—
young come-outs in their first season.

fiowercream—
delicious cream of pressed flowers, has a lovely scent and delicate taste.

foremothers—
ancestresses.

Forfeiture duel—
the winner takes all.

Torus—
moon that revolves around Arkeus.

founder—
Cybella Reynard.

fuzzle-muzzle cream—
this really is made from fuzzle muzzles.

Gardens, the—
a shady part of town.

gen-en—
genetical environment.

ginny trail—
leads west.

Gle Kiang-ten—
a form of martial art practiced on Forus.

glinty—
ostentatious.

Golden Master—
adept of the Gle Kiang-ten.

good way to you—
have a nice day.

grav assists—
used to aid handicapped.

Hadley Tip—
edge of the Southern Region.

half-blade—
small weapon.

hdmeeri—
liquor.

handheld—
viewer.

high-held—has airs.

hocked—
drunk.

hock-top—
drunkard.

hok—
the sap from this plant is used in fermenting brew.

holofari—
picturesque fan.

Honor Forfeiture—
the injured party receives either money or property to assuage their honor.

hormomitor—
registers hormonal levels.

House of She-Lords—
government arena, where popular issues are debated by the titled women.

hukka—
grain crop that must be harvested before it flowers.

Inez ranges—
mountains.

insult barter—
price paid to injured party when a bed price is reneged on.

jacama—
a spice, also a settlement in the west.

jakakoos—
hopping critters.

jickne—
glutinous critter.

jinto
—a plant-life of Forus; the giant leaves are interwoven into Forus myth.

joined septille—a dance.

keeping room—
front parlor.

kitchenkeeper—
servant responsible for overseeing the kitchens.

Klee—
animal native to Forus, noted for its speed and unpredictable nature.

Kloo—
fussy sister animal to the Klee, noted for endurance and for being nosy.

Kloo Balcony set—
elite, showy group who frequent Almacks, the Later and sit in the choice seats by the mirastone walls. The name derived from the Kloo's well-known love of drama.

Kloo hand—
handles Kloo.

Kloo mirrors—
ornate mirrors named after the vain Kloo.

kloobroth—
gossip, rumor.

lexa beast—
a fierce hunter, this animal becomes tame when offered a balum fruit.

lillacia—
a flower, lilac hybrid.

limo juice—
tart nectar of the limo fruit.

lineage scrolls—
carried by Forus females.

link circuit, the—
society eligibles.

lumpies—
breakfast of champions.

mack-mock—
foolish talk.

majordoma—
female butler.

Male Tragedy Paradox—
(MTP) affliction that befalls an aroused male.

masoglass—
hard translucent building material.

mesh-pond—
sentient plant system that grows over its own secreted fluid.

meteor-blade—
lethal weapon, as potentially dangerous to the wielder as it is to its target.

midwoman—
caretaker.

mirastone—
reflective surface.

monkery—
cloistered place for intractable veils, where they devote their lives to meditation.

name-bearer—
fastened male.

name-giver—
fastened female.

natal accelerator—
taken to speed up gestation.

needle-wing—
biting, flying creature.

NEOFEM—
also called the Seed Ship, this ship transported the women to Forus.

neon night part of town—
refers to the Gardens, a racy section.

new-breed—
daughter of an aristocrat, who is free to experience the pleasures of the Top Slice.

newi—
the bristles of this plant are used for brushes.

nightbloomers—
Forus plants that bloom at night.

nightsong—
the sound of Forus night.

nod-bod—
boring person.

nog-twist—
idiot.

nolocharge—
no penalty; slate wiped clean.

Number 99 (at the Gardens)—
a disreputable club.

Oath of Proof—
taken at the Ritual of Proof, given by the potential name-bearer.

on the prime lattice—
refers to a veil's potential high worth in a bid, i.e. "He's on the prime lattice." The term originated with Santorini's work on genetic alteration.

OneNation—
the largest country on Forus.

ore-rocks—
Forus rocks that attract arcs.

Originpoint—
Earth.

outwolf—
loner, an unflattering term for an unfastened male.

patrona—
woman who keeps a pleasurer.

pharmkit—
medicine chest, bag.

placardview—
flat, envelope viewer.

placed pond—
woman-made pond.

plantrooms—
conservatory.

plat-coin—
currency.

platinum class—
refers to expertise of warrior.

pleasurer—
male prostitute.

pocket envoy—
messaging system.

postfastening
—day after the fastening.

prebids—
sometimes entertained by mothers, not as binding as a true bid, however prebids guarantee that the actual bid will be given some favor.

primary port (to be of)—
refers to a top bloodline, as in "She's primary port."

protector—
guard.

psillacyb—
hallucinogen.

Ramagi—
a silklike material.

razor rock—
potentially dangerous life form that protects itself with a circumference of razor-sharp shards.

repairer—
medic, engineer, etc.

Ritual of Proof—
ceremony of a man's purity.

roseyal—
hybrid flower plant.

Rue de la Nuit—
section of town where favored pleasurers are housed by their patronas.

ruling of conveyance—
verdict by Septibunal in matters of dispute.

rut-bid—
epithet, meaning bulls **t.

sam'on talk—
used in the western provinces.

Santorini—
brilliant geneticist, mother of selective gen-en.

sassbit—
a younger person full of fight, who tries to give sass to their elders.

scinose—
a male duenna; a dogsbody.
screech wings—
carnivorous life-form, flies.

Season, the—
the time of year devoted to finding and securing a name-bearer; the Season lasts more than a season.

Seed Ship—NEOFEM.

Select Quarter, the—
the top fourth of the aristocracy; descendants of the original bridge crew of the
NEOFEM.

selective gen-en—
sensitive genetical environment; technique developed by Santorini for producing superior male children.

Sensitive—
a male who displays heightened awareness.

Septibunal—
top governing body.

Septille—
a dance.

sheensui bark—
placed over fastening beds, it slowly grows and entwines, forming unique patterns.

Shredder—
a southern game of chance played with portions of the shredder plant.

sleek-cut—
makes a fashion statement.

sleep houses—
servants' quarters.

Slice (Top Slice)—
the creme de la creme of the aristocracy.