Secondborn (Secondborn #1)(101)

head case. A mentally unstable person.

heartwood. An escalator-like machine that carries occupants up or down levels through a vertical tube within a Forest Base Tree.

helium-suckers. A derogatory term meaning morons.

Heritage Council. A committee comprised of firstborn members of the Sword aristocracy. The leader of the council is the firstborn heir to The Sword. It’s a junior council of sorts in which firstborn heirs hold positions of power until they assume their parents’ roles as the leaders of the Sword aristocracy.

hover. An abbreviated term for hovercar.

hoverbin. A programmable drone that carries items from one place to another.

hovercar. A wheelless vehicle that hovers above the ground and is propelled by various means.

hoverstretcher. An automated, self-propelled stretcher that floats above the ground. It carries wounded people from one place to another.

hovertaxi. An automated hovercar for hire.

hovertruck. A large wheelless vehicle that hovers above the ground and is propelled by various means.

humpback. A hovering garbage truck that has a collection unit that resembles a whale belly.

hydroblade. A hydrogen-powered swordlike weapon.

Hyperion. A demigod known as the god of water.

Iono. A rank in the firstborn Sword military. Soldiers are tasked in the role of protecting heads of Fates, primarily Clarities from the nine Fates. Gray uniform. Dune is an Iono soldier.

Iron. A city in the Fate of Swords where the Stone Forest Base is located.

kill tallies. These black line tattoos extend from the corners of the eyes to the hairline of Census agents, denoting the number of thirdborn kills each agent has amassed. The marks can also be found notched on the necks of agents.

Killian Abbey. An abbey and collection of tombs where heads of the Fate of Swords are buried. Roselle’s grandfather is buried there.

Lenity. A city in the Fate of Virtues. Home to the wealthiest country estates. It is considered the “sister city” of Purity.

mag. A holder for ammunition cartridges.

maginot. A canine-like cyborg that resembles a wolfhound. They patrol the grounds of the Sword Palace, acting as sentinels.

magnetizer. A feature on an Anthroscope airship.

medical drone. An automated robot with a silver metal outer casing. It’s shaped like a cylinder. It uses a blue-lighted laser scanner to x-ray wounded soldiers in combat by hovering over the body of the fallen soldier. It has mechanical arms, which project from the underside of the robot. The mechanical arms can administer medication and perform triage. The drone is summoned by a red-blinking “medical-drone beacon” or “med-drone beacon” that emits a high-pitched sound, prompting a drone response. Once the drone performs triage on a soldier, it inflates a hoverstretcher containing a homing mechanism. It places the soldier on the hoverstretcher for transport to a rescue airship.

medical-drone beacon (or med-drone beacon). A red, disc-shaped device the size of a thumbnail. It blinks with light and emits a high-pitched frequency that summons a medical drone. The device is placed on wounded soldiers who need medical attention from a medical drone.

Meso. A secondborn Sword soldier rank in the military. It is two levels above a Tropo and one level below a Thermo. Royal blue uniforms. (Tropo, Strato, Meso, Thermo.)

moncalate. A tool used to surgically implant a moniker beneath the flesh.

moniker. Each person receives a symbol implant at birth that denotes class/caste. It is a brand that covers a holographic chip. The chip is loaded with the person’s identification and other vital information, such as rank, family members, district, status, and so on. The holographic chips can be activated at checkpoints manned by security personnel. They are used to track people entering and leaving districts, to process secondborns, to denote firstborn status, and more.

ol’ boy. A slang term for a firstborn.

ol’ man. A slang term for a firstborn.

Old Towne. The historic district in the city of Forge in the Fate of Swords.

oosay. A motivational cry used by Swords.

Patr?n. A term of respect, like sir.

phloem. A pipeline or tube that transports items of cargo up or down levels via forced air within a Forest Base Tree.

Platinum Forest Base. A military Sword-Fated Base consisting of treelike structures upon which air-barracks ships dock. It’s located in the Fate of Stones.

Protium 445. A Twilight Forest Base air-barracks ship and unit of infantry soldiers. Their armor is embossed with a lavender-colored emblem.

Purity. The capital city of Virtues.

Recovener. An aircraft with both hovercar and airship capabilities. Bullet shaped in design, it is the most expensive small-craft airship in production.

reg. An abbreviation for regiment.

Rose Garden Society. A secret club dedicated to the preservation and welfare of Roselle St. Sismode. They have a vested interest in seeing her become The Sword (Clarity of the Fate of Swords). One of the most influential members is Clifton Salloway (firstborn Sword aristocracy), an arms dealer who owns Salloway Munitions Conglomerate. Members are called Rose Gardeners.

Rose Gardener. A member of the Rose Garden Society.

Roselyn. Tyburn’s lover, known for wearing roses in her hair. Her statue is part of the Tyburn Fountain located in Westerbane Heath. She points to the secret door that leads to the hidden passage to Tyburn’s Temple located inside the grounds of the Sword Palace.

Rush. A highly addictive drug that causes paranoia and delusions of grandeur.