Raising Evzen - Prologue. Glossary

Terms related to time

Breath- the shortest measure of time in the Empire, measured as the Lidikrys breathes. Forty breaths make up approximately one minute in Alliance time.

Bell- A bell consists of 600 breaths. It is about 15 minutes long, and serves as an Imperial hour.

Storm- 24 bells long, a storm is an Imperial day, about six hours long in Alliance time.

Drak- The Imperial year. On a tidally locked planet, the inhabitants turn to the constellations for the measure of their years. It takes approximately 568 storms, or 142 days, for the constellation Drak to reappear in the skies of Země. This means a drak is less than half a year in Alliance time.

Drak (Seasonal)- The seasonal Drak refers to when the Dragon constellation is present in the sky. it is 160 storms long, and is closest to winter on Earth, though the temperature only falls 10 degrees Celsius on average.

Před Kudlankou (Pre Kudlanka)- The season between the end of Drak and the beginning of Kudlanka; it is equivalent to Earth's spring and is 132 storms long.

Kudlanka- The season during which the Mantis constellation is in the sky. This season is 126 storms long, and is equivalent to summer on Earth.

Před Drakem (Pre Drak)- The season after the Kudlanka leaves the sky, but before the Drak takes its place. It is 150 storms long, and is equivalent to autumn on Earth.

Celestial Objects

Kinesi- The Imperial home system. A triple star system 3 years (6 draks) from Alliance space. The main star is a Class F star similar to Sol, 23 light-minutes from Země.

Slunce- The brown dwarf star Země is tidally locked to; one light minute away from Země.

Hvězda- The third star in the Kinesi system; a brown dwarf star 22 light-minutes from Země.

Země- An Earth-like world tidally locked to Slunce, and ringed by the remnants of a moon called Prsteny. Buffeted regularly by strong winds, especially in the area known as the Twilight Zone, where eternal twilight holds sway. The regular rising and ebbing of storms in the region give the Lidikrys their system of time. Most life is relegated to the dark side of the planet, where the temperature holds at about 41 degrees Celsius.

The Arena

Císařský- Imperial league. This league of the arena is the highest league in the Empire. Fights take place with wooden weapons, and death is rare. Only the best fighters may enter a Císařský match.

Střední- The lower league of the arena. Losing here means death. Weapons are made of steel, little protection is worn. It is more common to see Daknar in these matches.

Dolní- The lowest form of arena fights. This league is not mentioned in polite company. Similar to the Císařský, these matches take place with wooden weapons. Combatants duel for the upper hand, and once the upper hand is gained, the victor rapes the loser. This is the only league where Egaro are seen with any frequency.

Smrt Páru- Death of a Couple. These fights take place in Střední matches, when bonded Daknar are forced to fight each other. None are expected to survive. These matches are generally reserved for punishment.

(The following pictures are references for Aleksander and Evzen Novak.)