Dakhaari, late of the planet Lissei, is a Sieran-class autonymous VTOL ground support/tactical fighter aircraft. She is propelled by twin vectored-thrust engines and supplementary gravitic suspensors nested in cowlings at her wing roots and has a tandem seat compartment for two passengers,although the rear seat is occupied by a Martin spruce-top twelve-string guitar in a hardshell case, the legacy of a late friend. Her armament consists of a  laser, a "FireCat" laser cannon system, two 30mm machine guns and her missile ordnance at any given time consists of several shapes and flavours of air-to- air and air-to-ground missiles (depending on duty status) In peacetime her weapons load is relatively light but still discreetly evident. Her colour scheme is a deep shade of Japanese maple red (the predominant foilage colour of her native world) with the subtle lustre of a multi-coat paint job. If you look inside her cockpit you find a  well-secured mesh bag stuffed with filk tapes, SF books, alternative 'zines and wierd little knickknacks, as well as a Darwin Fish deodorizer hanging off her instrument panel. She is attended by a floating drone unit which is her pair of hands and her proxy when the rest of her is absent.

Not exactly the standard character, but I figured it'd make a great icebreaker. Good bozo filter too, ifuknowhutimean...Missiles tend to make a statement. Those were the original reasons why I brought Dakhaari into being. But, over time, she started telling me her own life story and her own mindset and perceptions slowly emerged. With the help of some knowledgeable friends I started drawing up what she and her class-mates would look like. Sure, she's an alien but aerodynamic principles never change from world to world. What is different, though, is that where she comes from, sentient cybernetic constructs have full legal and social equality with all other sapient beings in a society that never grew up with the tradition of slavery. As a military type Dakhaari's had more than her fair share of violent conflict but never had any illusions about it being the best way to do things. The military and civil cultures of Lissei, her home world, live much closer together and are better integrated than is the situation on Earth. She finds the dissonance here strange and a little disturbing. In Dak's view, too much has been allowed to go wrong in this place. Nevertheless, 30mm guns make nice souvenirs to take back home, heheheh... Since Dakhaari's sheer size would present problems when going to some places in FurToonia, I equipped her with a drone to be her eyes, ears and hands wherever the other 98.5% of her simply wouldn't fit in the room, let alone through the door. Makes a neat morph, anyway. It lets Dak get into that music store to snap up the Suzanne Vega CD she's been missing. Folk music she LIKE! Despite her bristly 31-flavor armament and ordnance assortment, Dak is very approachable and friendly to peaceable coatis, possums, foxes, raccoons and other forms of life and doesn't mind them sitting on her from time to time.

ATMOSPHERE: OXYGEN/NITROGEN (Oxygen count 5% higher than Earth's)

GRAVITY: .95G

DRY LAND AREA: 120 million hectares

LAND MASSES OF NOTE: Kolyena (300 million hectares, continent straddling the equatorial zone through the East and into the West Hemisphere), Ydreni ( 245 million hectares, continent in the South Hemisphere east-south-est of Kolyena), Shaa'ohn (285 million hectares, continent west-north-west of Kolyena and the only one extending  north of the subtropic zone) Brissa Maliun ("Allmother's Jewels", island chain extending from Kolyena to Shaa'ohn).

TOPOGRAPHY: The continents of Lissei are characterized most distinctly by the predominance of highly fertile coastal plains, lush, hilly volcanic regions, high interior mountain ranges and vast expanses of old-growth  rain forest in Ydreni and equatorial Kolyena and tall deciduous forest in south Shaa'ohn. In middle to northern Shaa'ohn, chapparal, tallgrass prairies and steppe-lands predominate, especially in the interior, with desert conditions in the coastal areas and tundra in the extreme north, the only such area on the planet. This planet is a bread basket in the truest sense of the word, not only because of its inborn gifts but because of the continued careful management of its resources by its population.

CLIMACTIC RANGE: Subtropical to tropical in most inhabited areas except for the extreme north of Shaa'ohn, which is temperate to subarctic. Mean temperatures in the tropic and subtropic zones where the bulk of the population is located are 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit) in the dry season and 21 degrees celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit) during the monsoon season. During the monsoon season rainfall averages 8 mm per day and tropical storms do occur, although they are not as violent as Earth's hurricanes and cyclones. The dry season is the longer of the two and  tends to be clear, calm and predictable -  "almost boring" as one Terran visitor put it.

SENTIENT POPULATION: Druhihn ("Mother Race") 487 million; Voaa (defining outworld-originating races descended from refugees) 21 million; Inei (sentient cybernetic constructs of all types) 220 million,728 million altogether

SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: There is no federal or universal political system although there are bodies and procedures in place for co-ordinating affairs of worldwide importance. The continents and islands are divided into autonymous cantonments which in turn make up regional blocs for larger purposes. Every cantonment has a local seat, and every seat sends a representative to a periodic regional meeting which rotates between canton seats. Representatives are elected by guild and kin group members for each cantonment. There is little beurocracy here; the hierarchy is fairly "flat" and close to home...

CULTURE: The basis of Lisseiji culture is a grouping which depending on its makeup may be a guild, a collective or an extended kin group - closest analogy on Earth would be the Israeli *Kibbutzim* , a collective or a co-op. These groups may be based on ethnic ties, blood relationship, profession, social or sexual preference or religion. However group-oriented this may be, there is nevertheless a significant respect for the "inner space" of a person, made necessary by the customary commonality of sleeping, living and kitchen facilities (private acommodations are rare) and the need to maintain a level of peace and order that an intrusive or argumentative person may put at risk. The dominant spiritual outlook is one of technologically advanced and enlightened animism; nature in all its forms is revered as the glory of Allmother, a diety who must be placated and compensated for every resource that is taken. There is no tradition of colonialism or slavery in Lisseiji society; the first region to develop technology had abundant resources, so had no cause to go looting anyone else's. By the time a shortage would have become a problem they were already mining their two moons and reaching into the asteroid belt between them and Kcel, the gas giant that is the fifth out of seven planets in their system. Conversely the lack of a tradition of servitude led to a decidedly different attitude towards cybernetic beings than is evident on Earth. To the Lisseiji, all beings that demonstrate sapience are people, not property. "Robots" as we would know them have full legal and social equality along with the other major groups that they share Lissei with. These people are also distinguished by the extremely high degree of social cohesiveness. If a Lisseiji anywhere is in distress, fellow nationals in the general vicinity will not hesitate to rally to his or her aid, even if they don't know that individual personally (this also applies to friends and allies). If necessary, they will redress a wrong done in a decisive and well-organized fashion. Taking on the Lisseiji is like taking a world of Kennedys!. As Oprah Winfrey would say, "Don't go there!"

DRUHIHN (NATIVE RACE) CHARACTERISTICS: Druhihn ("Drew-heen") are humanoid in appearance, averaging 160-180cm in height and 30-35kg in mass (adults). They are slender in build, high-metabolic, and covered in a fine velvet-like fur ranging from light cream to apricot in colour and occasionally darker at the extremities. They have a four-digit hand. Characteristics universal to all Druhihn are black-rimmed eyes, long, straight head hair, a nose leather, dark pads on the palms and soles and dewclaws on the wrists and above the heel - double dewclaws are not uncommon. Other striking aspects are the vibrant jewel-like tones of their eyes, including a spectacular pearly-irridescent tint with prismatic highlights. There is a lesser degree of sexual dimorphism among Druhihn then there is among Earth humans; those new to the race may mistake them all for females! The swell of hip and bust and the difference of an octave or two in the voice are the best ways to tell. There is one other characteristic that is essential to know about...all members of the race past puberty are capable of spitting a paralyzing (but generally nonlethal) venom from a gland beneath the tongue, to a distance of 4m or more. This is the other reason why, even in the worst neigborhoods in the galaxy, Druhihn can generally go about their business undisturbed.

KETI (STEPPE-DWELLER) CHARACTERISTICS: The Keti were brought to Lissei as slaves by a planetary invasion force from the Enotene Dynasty twelve centuries ago. After this invasion was repelled, the newly liberated slaves resumed their former way of life as high-plains nomads in northern Shaa'ohn. They are tiny even compared to the Druhihn, paraprocyonids approximately 85-110cm in height. They are excellent stockherds and animal handlers, known for their ability to gentle almost any non-sapient beast.

DAIIMA (SAVANNAH-DWELLER) CHARACTERISTICS: The Daiima, at first glance, resemble huge-eyed, twin-trunked baby elephants in mottled tones of slate blue and cream. They have been around since the dawn of recorded history on Lissei, having come down in a vessel sent by the spirits according to ancient legend. They occupy the savannahs and lowlands of the Chain of Valleys in north-central Ydreni.

INEI (ARTIFICIAL BEINGS) Literally meaning "Children of the Hand" (meaning manufactured rather than born), this term encompasses all shapes and flavours of sentient robots, androids, computers and artificial intelligences. They either coexist with members of the other races, especially Druhihn, or work and reside in their own communities spread throughout the developed areas of the planet.

EXPORTS: Cybertechnology, Biotech (plants and seeds), avionics, materials for space-based industry and settlement, refined and fissionable metals, jewels, esp. rare and industrial diamonds, textiles, clothing, dyestuffs, organic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, livestock, cereals, fruits and vegetables, specialty foods, durable consumer goods, art objects and other cultural commodities.

IMPORTS: Precious metals, petrochemicals, pulp and paper, livestock for breeding purposes, esp. ruminants and ungulates, seed stocks, clothing, specialty foods, entertainment and information media and cultural/creative goods, e.g. musical instruments, etc.

TOURISM/TRAVEL: Lissei is a very hospitable world for the informed and considerate traveller. There are plenty of hostels, lodges and inns for acommodations and excellent intraregional and interregional public transportation systems. Travellers from Earth should remember that service workers here are proud and skilled professionals and deserve due respect. They should also keep in mind that "refined" does NOT mean "soft", "small" does NOT mean "weak" and "robot" does NOT mean "slave" in this society. "Please" and "Thank You" apply everywhere and to everyone.

Those fortunate enough to visit are in for a sensory feast; magenta skies, crimson-tinged foliage, cliffs streaked by veins of agate, lapis lazuli and opal adorned by climbing flowering vines and waterfalls, cities of vibrantly toned marble, glass and ceramics and an architechtural/design esthetic that brings to mind the airy fantasies of Gaudi and the wildest dreams of Art Nouveau. If you ever see Guadi's buildings in Barcelona you'll get a hint of what I mean. Salvador Dali would have loved it here. Another characteristic of note: In Lisseiji design - homes, furniture, even machines - the motif of the face is everywhere (Dak's 'face' manifests as a stylized but uniquely individual image that appears on her Head-Up Display (HUD) and other visual interfaces, such as the image projector her drone is equipped with). The presence of a facial aspect is considered essential for the expression of an article's soul; to deny it that is considered very unlucky! Fortunately, for those who may find that discomfiting, the faces are in general benign, friendly and protective ones, and some a little more abstract than others. The dreamlike atmosphere by no means indicates an impractical nature, however. Lisseiji are among the hardest-working, most intellectually astute and most ecomomically successful cultures among the 412 worlds of the Sharali Covenant.

SOME THINGS THAT LISSEIJI JUST DON'T DO 

They don't eat red meat (fish and fowl only
 
They don't ake much stock in overly centralized governments/regimes

They don't make  paper from wood (fibrous cash-crop plants are grown for that purpose). Timber is 
 reserved exclusively for durable goods and housing. In their mind, turning trees into
 bum fodder would be a grave insult to the guardian spirits of the forest.

Nobody jokes about financial matters. Questioning a person's or organization's solvency is one
of the few things that can prompt a Lissei to see red or be gravely embarrassed.

They never physically abuse or neglect animals (again, an insult to patron gods and spirits)
Make all that many leather products from the skin of land mammals. Most Lisseiji
 leather is cured fishhide.

They don't use corporal punishment on children (they apply gentle teasing and pressure the way
some indigenous tribes in the Americas were known to do before European intervention.

Druhihn do not copulate at any old time the way humans do. There is a distinct breeding
season in the spring.

They dont' 'eat out' the way people on Earth do. You can buy prepared food from street vendors, but there are few sit-in restaurants - the closest equivalents would be beer halls,  taverns and boarding lodges. 'Eating out' would in most cases mean being guests at another  hold for the midday meal.

They don't consume a large meal in the evening - Noon is the big mealtime.

Druhihn are not particularly active in the late afternoon (they tend to be most active
in the morning and evening hours). The cybers and outworld visitors are often the only ones going out and about at this time of the day.

They would never in a million years make  unsolicited comments about race or religion in public to non-familiars. When they do take you into confidence about such opinions, they are accepting you as a family intimate and showing the private side of themselves.

They don't live  in nuclear family units on their homeworld. Extended clan and guild housing tends  to be the rule. The 'motherhold' is the basic unit of society

They would be "Kaele-damned" if they sent children away to school on their homeworld. They have a sort of homeschooling network and the clan system lends itself to there being many adults and elders to bring up and educate children.
 
 

Even before dawn breaks in a Kolyenese coastal village, people are already awake and active - working, doing errands, shopping in the markets, riding the mass-transit system to other destinations, etc. As sunlight comes up, people visit the courtyards of one anothers' holds, the courtyard being the center of social activity and the first thing you see when you enter through the hold gates. Elders sit and smoke their pipes on fleeced skins taken from stock animals that died of natural causes. Children climb about on the trees and roof and hang upside-down from the branches. Someone drops off a message with the hold's domestic computer in the lodge anteroom. In the office and conference rooms that open onto the colourful tiled areas of the court, day-to-day business is conducted. Fish swim placidly in the court's reflecting pool. Depending on its level of wealth, the complex may be built of anything from wood and shutters to polished agate-veined stone with glittering windows of bevelled and stained glass. You will see a lot of intricate ceramic tile work - mosaics, painted tiles and the like. Themes from nature tend to predominate in these patterns. Even wooden edifices may be painted or stained to resemble marble and tile.

In another part of town, just off the market district, a court of justice seeks to resolve a boundary dispute between neighboring holds. All judiciary matters, even thefts and homicides, are treated as torts and handled on a local basis. The court sessions are held in the open air in an ampitheatre-like enclosure directly adjacent to the local market or public commons with a judge (read: referee), the disputing parties and their supporters and any number of observers. Some attend regularly as a form of entertainment. A judge may be any respectable town resident of mature years, selected by lottery to serve on given dates. If an offense has been committed, it is the judge's duty to hear testimony, weigh the facts and decide restitution. They don't have professional lawyers here. The closest equivalent of police would be members of the canton's Public Safety Association doing after-dark and siesta-time patrols. These are for the most part volunteers who rotate these duties from hold to hold. The only paid professionals in this area of endeavor would be specialized emergency measures units and SWAT teams.

At the docks, the fishing-crews are bringing in the first catch of the day - fish, shellfish and small squid-like animals which are considered a delicacy. Some goes straight to the market, some is flash-frozen and sent to other centers for sale. Not much is canned, maybe a small amount for the export market but most that is preserved is pickled or dried if not frozen. Lisseiji prefer fresh foods. The public market, a clean, modern and attractive establishment, throngs with people examining fish, fowl and produce. No red meat is ever seen here. They just don't eat it, period.

At the outskirts of town, you will see industrial park areas (millholds) and military establishments. Lissei does not have a centralized military force. Most are small, canton-based companies and autonymous regimental units, in many cases bearing more of a resemblance to a militia or home guard than a full army, at least at first glance. If there is a large campaign offworld, several companies with complementary functions will join forces according to a pre-arranged protocol - for example, an alliance of units specializing in infantry, cavalry(armoured units) air superiority/attack and logistics/transport respectively. Other than that, they tend to mind their own affairs and live as part of the community.

At midday, the major meal of the day is consumed in the courtyards and at local gathering places. Then most activity lets up for a few hours while Druhihn take a siesta. This is a quiet, lazy time. In the early evening things wake up again and go on until midnight. Most social life at this time is in the hold courtyards, in the beer halls, and in the street where people stop and exchange gossip. Streets built in modern times tend to be wide to accomodate large cybers - even a small aerocyber could wend its way into the center of town without problems. Every population center has at least a flat, graded and clearly marked area for air-borne vehicles to alight and depart. Cybers also have a sort of night-life - 'juice warrens' where they get a recharge, play network games and watch the world go by. Some of these places might be little more than a garage-like structure where any number of cybers may hang out and chew the fat, either in person or dronewise. Others may be every bit as fancy as the best beer halls. Occasionally a beer-hall and a juice-warren may be directly adjacent and situated as to lend themselves to cross-socializing.

Religious life and worship generally take place at the hold's shrine in the courtyard. Some holds are entirely religious orders in the tradition of monasteries or ashrams. Others may be quasi-religious and specialize in such areas as mediation and diplomacy, spirit-magick, high justice, sacred arts and crafts and conservation. The Green Order, for example, are professional go-betweens and handle many of Lissei's external affairs tasks. The Grey Order handles spirit-magic, the Blue Order deals with spells and hexes and the Gold Order conducts high-level jurisprudence. The difference between them and other holds is that they tend to be composed of recruits rather than relatives, although some families may be known for members who serve with distinction in a particular Order.

Outside the towns, agriculture also tends to be run by holds. Farmholds tend to be diversified operations, often growing produce, fish, fowl, wood and cash crops. Large livestock are bred mainly for milk, wool and muscle power, never for meat, and a family hold knows the name, pedigree and personality of each animal in its herds. Such animals may be Lahal (yak-like ruminants), Meriijen (great, muscular tusked boar-like beasts often used as draft animals) and some outworld species such as Terran horses, sheep and cattle. Whenever an animal dies, its skin will be carefully tanned and branded with the beast's name, the names of its sire and dam, and the dates of its birth and death. Such a skin is a valued heirloom and if given to someone outside the hold is a precious gift. Alliances between holds of different specialties are not uncommon. Even military companies may enter into joint holdings with farmers and/or industrial co-ops. There is no particular stigma associated with weapons. Guns and knives are tools to Lisseiji - hazardous tools to be treated with respect, but not things to project 'good' or 'evil' upon and, unless a given article has historical or religious significance, certainly not fetish objects by any means. They think the shrill debate over gun control on Earth is hilarious no matter which side they're looking at. Lisseiji approach the use of deadly force in the same sober and deliberate fashion that is evident in a farmer or ranger who must put a rabid beast out of its misery. They are proud to the extent that they are competent in their skills, but don't rattle sabers or beat breasts or blare trumpets to proclaim their might. It's not their style. Bragging about fights is especially guache, even among fellow soldiers. When going off to war, they just get ready, say their goodbyes, have a prayer service at the staging area then  go wherever they have to go and do whatever they have to do.  A safe return, on the other hand, is the appropriate time for celebration. Even then, these tend to be local rather than state affairs.

In the hold itself, a senior female tends to hold pride of place. Even if the official position belongs to someone else, they will hesitate to cross the 'holdmother' in a social situation. All others outside of her immediate offspring, siblings, parents (if surviving) or designated heirs are 'grandchildren' to her, and everyone in a hold - be they Druhihn, Daiima, Keti, Inei (cybers), Voaa and others - are legally cousins (if not more closely related) to one another and to everyone else but the elders, who are 'grandmothers' and 'grandfathers'. If a hold has members with irreconcilable differences, it may break up and the results can be acrimonious. Much of the sensitivity about solvency issues stems from a desire to project an image of stability in an organization.

Space travel tends to be handled by specific guilds and company holds. If military units are travelling in space, they are either a specialized space company or a planetary unit that is allied with a logistics unit or they have hired or contracted a transport. The ship will have its own AI in most cases and a small permanent crew. This area of the business tends to be dominated by cybers. Since Lissei is a member of the Sharali Covenant, the main reason a military unit would be travelling to another Covenant world in peacetime would be to participate in joint exercises or training or a conference.

LISSEIJI CALENDAR AND ALMANAC 

A year is 360 days and is referred to as a 'turn'

There are ten months in the year which are 36 days each. These are 'moons'

There are nine days in a Lisseiji week

There are 26 hours in a day

In all inhabited regions but the subarctic steppe areas, semi-tropical to tropical weather tends to prevail. There is a monsoon season from late winter to early spring, a dry season and a transitional season of unsettled weather.

Holidays of the year

Biren - The Lisseiji New Year starts at the end of the monsoon season; the New Year holiday lasts for three days. Lots of feasting and carrying-on, music, exchanging of gifts, holds vieing with each other for elaborate decorations and parties.

Palanein - Breeding Season - late spring, lasts for two weeks. They might as well declare a holiday; nothing else will be done for that time, at least not by Druhihn.

Meiinhall'Ret - Sacred Games - Vernal equinox, the greatest sporting and cultural events take place at this time.

Harvest festival - fall equinox. Contests, feasting, mummery, dancing, tomfoolery and spectacular fireworks. Puts one in mind of Mardi Gras, German *fasching* or Latin American Samba festivals. Referred to as Okaiia in Kolyenese.

Ny'Dahr -Remembrance - Winter solstice. The most sacred day of the year when according to popular belief the spirits of that year's dead depart from their locales and go to the Higher Coast. It is believed that they hang around their place of origin until then. It's sort of like a traditional New Orleans jazz-band funeral - dark and sombre in the days leading up to the solstice and then bright and joyous because the spirits have gone on their heavenly reward.

LISSEI'S DEFENCE ESTABLISHMENT 

There is no unified standing armed service on Lissei. There is a network of independent specialist units of varying size which are organizationally capable of coordinated action in the event of a crisis. The closest analogue to be found on Earth (in terms of heirarchy) would be local militia units and the police and fire departments of various municipalities. Outside of wartime actions they have joint maneuvers, training exercises and conventions at which networks are forged and standards agreed upon. They tend to have a strong identification with their native regions (like the old regiments of the British army). The bulk of their personnel tend to be either born into 'the family' or recruited from the vicinity. They are as close-knit and as cohesive as clans. While there has not been any armed conflict on Lissei since the last days of the Enotene Occupation, Lisseiji units have been involved in a number of outworld missions both on their own and under the auspices of the Sharali Covenant.

There is no restriction on what deals a unit may cut with any other party outside of Covenant business. A unit dealing on its own, however, is expected to assume sole liability for any collateral damage it may incur, and is as open to torts as any other party. Therefore they have an incentive to end a conflict as quickly as possible with the least amount of casualties. That does not mean they won't kick somebody's ass with requisite force if the offending party is clearly in the wrong, in which case their liability is limited to losses suffered by uninvolved third parties. Tangible assets belonging to the offender (which have been accounted for and not looted from someone else) which fall into the company's hands may be siezed for reparations and disposed of any legal way the company sees fit. Enemy personnel that are captured are removed from the war zone and paroled in the nearest safe area. In the case of conscripts, it may be more attractive to surrender to Lisseiji forces than to remain under a command that they don't want to serve - if they can claim they too were wronged by the offender (forced servitude, etc.) they might be eligible for a share of the reparations.That makes sense because the elements who don't have their hearts in it will likely desert and leave only the hardcore opposition to deal with.

When a zone is secured, Lisseiji combatants will go through the area tallying up noncombatant losses so that liability may be assessed. It takes more than a bit of tact to mollify an angry farmer who just lost half his livestock! The enemy will be held liable for two-thirds of the collateral property damage and incidental casualties incurred if they have occupied third-party territory and 100% liable for any offenses deliberately committed against people. Asset siezure applies not only to the immediate area but to any assets the enemy may have in Covenant-member territory or any area that has signed treaties with Lissei. The belligerent who provokes Lisseiji forces had better watch his pocketbook as well as his battle lines. Those who aid the enemy in hiding assets either in anticipation of a war of agression or after it has begun may find themselves being sued for collusion! Their jurists are as sharp as their soldiers are and Lisseiji law (on which Covenant law is modelled) is built on the tort, so look out!

Lissei military people find the Terran military and intelligence establishments' preoccupations with hierarchies of security clearances and papers locked away in safes highly amusing; how foolish to call attention to the very things one wants to conceal! The Lisseiji view of what is and what is not sensitive information rides on the concept of personal initiative; the goal and purpose may be known to all but the tactics and movements are up to the discretion of the smaller units, perhaps even the individuals themselves. How can the enemy second-guess an armoured cavalry group after its members dissolve into the bush and scatter, each making its own course to the objective? Whatever you keep close to your breast and whatever you can tell changes with time and those keeping secrets don't let on that they are keeping secrets. If a question is asked that happens to get into that territory, they just just shrug or say something that sounds plausible on the surface but which is completely irrelevant in content, or just a simple "I wouldn't know...".

LISSEIJI RANK SYSTEM (EXAMPLE) 

Here is a rank system for a tactical air company. Exact titles may vary from unit to unit. These short forms of the titles are common to all members regardless of their function or 'species'. The specialty of a person comes in the suffix added to the short form to make a single word, though it is often omitted for brevity.

Lowest rank (by everyone else): first names. There is no equivalent to 'private'. First names may also be used by rank-peers to address each other or a subordinate. Subordinates address superiors by their rank-titles.

Next lowest : Tal (equivalent to 'corporal'). May be in charge of a couple of other personnel.

Mihn (equivalent to 'seargeant')

Xev  (equivalent to 'second lieutenant')

Xev-Rahn (equivalent to 'first lieutenant')

Drei (equivalent to 'Captain' or 'Major', depending on organization)

Drei-Taiinan (equivalent to 'Colonel')

Johl (vice-commander, responsible to a detatchment head)

Chel-Rahn(arch-commander, usually in charge of a detatchment)

Taiiana (company commander, usually the highest in the unit)
 
Leish (informal) title accorded to a senior female who assumes the 'elder mother' role if she is not the company head. Even if she was of lower rank, not even the Taiiana would dare to cross her in a social situation. Crankiness, eyes in the back of your head and an ability to keep on top of everyone else's business seem to be prerequisites for the job, although some of them are sharper than others. The Leish - Druhihn, Voaa or Inei - is there mainly to snap, cackle and keep everyone else on their toes.

FUNCTION SUFFIXES: 

Again, these would be typical of an air company. Function is what you are and what sort of work you do.

for example:
 
 

Xevionshihalan is divided into three parts:  Xev (generic rank)  Ionshi (aerocyber)  Halan (ground attack/fighter role)	Dreiaientanmilahr  Drei (generic rank)  Aientan (supply management/logistics Milahr (transport)
Talmeshanteimal  Tal (generic rank)  Meshan (technical)  Teimal (ground crew)	Chelnihaunakoleshin-Rahn  Chel-Rahn (generic rank)  Nihauna (intelligence)  Koleshin (field operations)

 

There is are at most a handful of staff devoted specifically to office and administrative tasks; their primary function is to delegate paperwork to whoever's turn it is to help out with such chores that week. When the unit is at peace, everyone lends a hand. All the office workstations are clustered in small, highly flexible groups around common network nodes or revolving circular file bins. Everyone is encouraged to know as much about that business as possible so that they won't be constantly bleating back to the home office when they're in the field. In their viewpoint, helping to keep track of things like procurements and expenses and invoices and compensations makes personnel aware of where things are coming from, where they're going and how much they cost. If someone spies a bargain or an opportunity somewhere, even if they're just poking around in the local market, they do the company's buyers a favor to let them know about it. If they find something rather suspect about a supplier or a product, same thing (and they'll tell all their associates!). You won't hear any horror stories about $75 screwdrivers or $800 toilet seats here! Non-durable goods (including ammunition and single-use weapons) tend to be bought in unit quantities rather than contracted for, haggling is expected and the bargaining is very hard. Contract negotiations are the same.
 
 

Talk to Dak's Mommy :)