This Page
Last Updated
|
Orions are bipedal, pseudo-mammals who outwardly resemble humanoid Terran felines, though they are, of course, the product of a totally separate evolutionary line. Orions range in height from 1.5 to just under 2 meters, with upright, tufted ears. They are covered in short, plushy fur, ranging in color from sandy tan to purest black, and their faces feature rudimentary muzzles with long whiskers and eyes with slittedslifted, vertical pupils. Orion vocal apparatus is very poorly suited to producing the sounds of Terran languages, and vice-versa. Indeed, the very name "Orion" is a human substitution for Zheeerlikou'valkhannaieee, the name by which the Orions call themselves.
The historical Orion family structure was highly patriarchal, but this has been changing gradually for the last several centuries. Property and hereditary rights, which once descended exclusively through the male line, now descend to the eldest child, regardless of sex, with the exception of hiri'kolusaee, or patents of nobility. These "lordships" may be earned only through military prowess and, unless earned initially by a female, descend only in the male line.
The Orion family tends to be large, with multiple births the rule rather than the exception, and all offspring of the same mated pair are referred to as "littermates," though the term originally applied only to offspring of the same birth. Traditionally, Orion children were raised by their mothers to an age of approximately 10 Terran Standard years and thereafter by their fathers. The mother was responsible for the "womanish" tasks of litterbreaking the cubs and teaching them the language and family heritage, while the father was responsible for the "serious" tasks of teaching discipline, martial prowess, and the proper Orion honor concepts. This division of responsibility persists in more traditional families but is eroding rapidly as Orion females enter more and more into the mainstream of Orion public and professional society.
The Orions retain a generally pantheistic religious view, although the size of the pantheon has declined over the past several centuries. The foremost Orion deity is Hiranow'khanark, the patron of war and ruler of the gods, who is also the embodiment of Orion honor concepts. Although religious fervor is not at a premium among Orions, the deference to Hiranow'khanark which colors the entire Orion lifestyle clearly shapes the culture's attitude towards life in general.
The Orion political structure, which has no popular vote or assembly, is headed by a semi-deified ruler, the Khan'a'khanaaeee (or, in Terran usage, "Khan") who is, in theory, an absolute ruler. The Khan exercises his power arbitrarily, and any order he issues is, by definition, legal and binding. His decrees may take two forms: the Hirikrinzi (civilian directive) or Hirikolus (military directive). In practice, there is no difference between the two forms, yet the Hirikolus has implications of honor and tradition which are not attached to the Hirikrinzi. It might be most accurate to say that the Hirikrinzi is a bureaucratic directive from the head of state to any Orion subject whereas the Hirikolus derives from the liege-vassal relationship which lies at the heart of the complex code of Orion military obligations.
Although the Khan is theoretically absolute, there are political structures which exercise effective checks upon him. Foremost among them is the Khanhath'vilkshathaaeee (literally, "the Khan's Blood Balancers," though usually translated "the Caste of Assassins"), a uniquely Orion institution founded by Khan Zhiarnofus'krizinjki, the Orion general who ended the pre-space Unification Wars and established the modern Orion state on Old Valkha. Despite the unsavory (to Terran ears) implications of the term "assassin," membership in the Caste of Assassins is a tremendous honor, for it is equivalent to making an individual a keeper of Zheeerlikou'valkhannaieee'hir, or "The Honor of Orion." Membership is open only to the most skilled and successful of all Orion duelists, and then only if those duelists fully exemplify (in the unanimous judgment of all current members of the Caste) the Orion honor code. Admission to the Caste requires an Orion to relinquish all other political posts, aspirations, and ideologies, for he must remain strictly neutral in all political questions. This prohibition is enforced by his fellow Caste members, who do not hesitate to challenge any Assassin who seems inclined to political partisanship.
The Caste's function is to remove the Khan - by execution - if it becomes evident he is failing in his duty to rule strongly and efficiently. The Caste doesn't care about policies or political niceties; it is concerned only with eliminating weak khans who might jeopardize the security of the Khanate. This is a solemn and weighty matter, not to be undertaken lightly, but the office of the Caste of Assassins has been executed nine times in the last three centuries, most recently in 2227 A.D. (Terran Standard Reckoning).
It should be noted that while it is called the Caste of Assassins, Caste members do not strike secretly or resort to simple murder. Rather an incompetent Khan is challenged to open combat by the current champion of the Caste - a challenge which, under the unwritten Orion constitution, he may not decline. Since the Caste consists of the finest living Orion duelists and the champion wins and holds his position by besting all other Caste members in non-lethal combat, even the most skilled Khan is unlikely to defeat his opponent. If, however, he should do so, he is exempt from further challenge for one Orion year (approximately 6.5 Terran Standard months), in which he may, by changes in policy and conduct, correct the weaknesses which led to the challenge in the first place. This grace period reflects the belief that triumph in battle is an indication of Hiarnow'khanark's favor.
Besides the Caste of Assassins, other powerful groups within the Khanate include the Order of Merchants, the Fangs of the Realm, and the Hands of the Khan. Respectively, these represent the merchants, the military, and the civil bureaucracy, and the heads of these segments of the Khanate are charged with petitioning the Khan for redress of grievances and correction of wrongs. These petitions have no force in law; in custom, however, the Caste of Assassins use the Khan's responses to them as a yardstick of his effectiveness in meeting the pressing problems of his realm. Again, the Caste is unconcerned with the political implications of the Khan's granting one petition and refusing another; it is the pattern of self-assurance, strength, and readiness to grapple with problems that the Caste looks for.
In addition, the Khan relies heavily upon his Kholokhanzir, or "Grand Vizier" (the bureaucrat charged with the day-to-day management of civil affairs in accordance with the Khan's directives), and the Kimhakaa'ia'Khan'a'khanaaeee, or "Conscience of the Khan." The Kimhakaa is a body of counselors and advisers which consists of the fourteen senior nobles of the Khanate plus advisors and Honor Mates selected by the Khan himself. Although the Kimhakaa has no legal authority, a wise Khan listens closely to it. Sensitivity to the Kimhakaa's advice and counsel is not considered a weakness in a Khan. Indeed, more than one Khan has been removed for his reluctance to consult with his Kimhakaa.
Needless to say, the Khanate of Orion is a highly militaristic society. The highest social honors are reserved for those who excel and are victorious in military actions or duels, and Orion military leaders are, almost by definition, courageous and determined. Neither birth nor wealth will give an Orion precedence over another who has won greater honor in battle.
Birth does, however, provide a sub-level of stratification within Orion society, where warrior bloodlines are a source of tremendous pride. It is generally believed that superior qualities are passed along such family lines, and certainly some Orion clans, such as Clan Sheerino, have produced entirely disproportionate numbers of great military leaders, yet no extent of breeding will preserve the social position of an individual who fails upon the field of battle. Largely as a result of this tradition, the courage and determination of an Orion military commander can be taken almost for granted, though differences in skill and competency are something else again.
The last and least important major stratifier of Orion society is wealth. Interestingly, the newly wealthy actually have more status than those who have inherited wealth but not added to it.
The Orion code of honor hinges upon two paramount obligations: shirnask, or absolute fidelity to the sworn word, and theernowlus, or the taking of risks.
Orions do not lie - or, at least, one who does lie does not live long after others learn that he does, unless he is an exceptionally skilled duelist. Shirnowmak ("oath breaker") is the worst insult (short of theermish or hiri'k'now, explained below) an Orion can be offered. The charge of shirnow ("oath breaking") can be removed only by blood on the dueling ground, and such duels are always to the death, yet the prohibition against shirnow does not extend to matters of state. The Khan is held to rigorous shirnask in his personal dealings, and, should he commit his personal honor to a treaty obligation, is expected to meet that obligation to the letter. As a general rule, however, he is permitted, as head of state, to lie or break treaties. This is probably a recognition of the realities of interstellar power politics, but it is not a matter Orions will willingly discuss.
Theernowlus ("risk bearing") is the portion of the Orion honor code which says that any act (short of oath-breaking) which an Orion may commit to further his own interests of those of his race is honorable if - and only if - that act exposes him to direct, personal risk. Thus a merchant may attempt to crush a competitor in cutthroat competition if in so doing he exposes himself to retaliation. Theernowlus also carries over into Orion military tradition, for an Orion cannot gain honor from a battle which he plans, be it ever so successful, unless he risks his own life and safety in the execution of his plan. Even today, a military commander who does not personally carry out his own plan is guilty of theermish ("risk shirking"), the second most heinous honor offense an Orion can commit. Theernowlus also helps explain the Orion use of smaller warships throughout the First and into the Second Interstellar Wars, for the "safety" of capital ships was seen as a sort of theermish.
The worst offense an Orion can possibly commit is hiri'k'now, the violation of hirikolus, the liege-vassal oath of obedience. An Orion who is hiri'kn'maka is cast out from Orion society and driven out by his own littermates. He is cut off from his clan name and Fathers and Mothers in Honor, for he is dirguasha, "the beast not yet dead"-an animal who may be slain by anyone in any way.
Theernowlus and shirnask dominate Orion life (hiri'k'now is seen as a particularly depraved version of shirnow), and this fact may help explain the fact that the Field of Honor takes precedence over any court of law except the Court of Treason.
The Orion legal system is unitary; that is, all courts derive their power directly from the Khan, and all judges serve at the Khan's pleasure and may be arbitrarily removed by him.
Orion law prohibits crimes of violence and property, and penalties are stringent. Orion legal tradition enshrines the principle of "punitive balance" - that is, penalties are far more severe versions of criminals' crimes. Arsonists are burned alive, poisoners are poisoned, embezzlers are stripped of all possessions, etc.
Aside from the Court of Treason, however, any individual convicted by an Orion court may appeal to the Field of Honor for a reversal of the verdict. Each lower Orion court maintains a champion, a professional duelist who receives a stipend to serve as the court's honor surrogate. An Orion convicted by the court may challenge its champion to combat to the death. If he wins, his conviction is expunged and all penalty is remitted; if he loses, of course, he is dead.
Orion law forbids a convicted criminal to challenge his accuser, even if he defeats the court champion and reverses his conviction. But if the court's original verdict exonerates him, he may - and often does - challenge. As a result, Orion courts' caseloads are low, for Orions are very careful about accusing any individual of whose guilt they are not absolutely positive.
The only possible sentences of the Court of Treason are acquittal and death, and its verdicts may never be appealed to the Field of Honor. The Khan himself presides over the Court of Treason, and his judgments (which must be endorsed by a majority of the senior judges who form the court's "jury") are final. This reflects the Orion view that anyone guilty of treason must, by definition, be at least shirnowmak and is probably hiri'kn'maka, and dirguasha have no honor rights.
The traditional Orion galactic view is a drastic version of the Terran philosophy of Social Darwinism. Orions see the galaxy as a battleground of unending strife in which only the strong and valiant can (or deserve to) survive. And since they, of course, are the most valiant and warlike of all races, they are the galaxy's natural rulers.
This view suffered considerable damage after their defeat in ISW-1 and ISW-2, which led to the removal of Khan Liahrnousik V by the Caste of Assassins and his replacement by his littermate Liharnow. Since ISW-2, the Gorm Incident and later Grand Alliance against the Rigelians have created a counter viewpoint. Conservatives continue to insist their race is fated to rule the galaxy and ought to avenge itself upon the chofaki ("dirt-eaters") who have humiliated them. More moderate Orions share Liharnow's evident view that other races, though very different from Orions, may be equally valiant and honorable in their own ways and that coexistence is the proper course. The Terran-Theban War has strengthened the latter view even further, and, at the moment, the moderates are in the ascendant, but this dispute is far from resolved.
Orions regard the military as the highest possible calling. Military personnel (male or female) are seen as honor surrogates of the entire Orion race, and, needless to say, all are volunteers.
The Khanate of Orion Space Arm (KOSA), which was formed by merging all earlier branches of the military immediately after the first successful Orion warp transit, consists of:
(1) The Khanate of Orion Navy (KON)
(2) The Khanate of Orion Galactography Command (KOGC)
(3) The Khanate of Orion Atmospheric Combat Command (KOACC)
(4) The Khanate of Orion Tax Patrol (KOTP)
The Navy is the senior service and receives 80% of the total military budget. The KON is overwhelmingly geared for offensive combat, and its war plans and construction policies reflect this. The KON is responsible for all war planning outside atmosphere, and its R&D and construction bureaus are responsible for all space-going weaponry research and the designs of all starships and orbital fortifications. In addition, the KON mans all OWPs and asteroid forts, though it is not responsible for manning ground-side planetary defenses.
The Khanate was poorly served by its survey crews in ISW-1 and ISW-2. Because the Prohibition of Howmarsi (2157 AD, Terran Standard) had forbidden further expansion, the KON's survey techniques were both clumsy and out of date when ISW-1 (2205 AD) forced abandonment of the Prohibition. Following the Gorm Incident, the KOSA created the semi-autonomous KOGC, whose highly specialized personnel are responsible for all survey work. Although one of the smallest service branches, the KOGC receives the second highest percentage of the KOSA's total funding.
The KOACC is responsible for all "in-atmosphere" combat. It provides all standing planetary combat forces (including "wet navy" units and aircraft), mans planetary defense centers, and also supplies the "marine" complements of all KON warships. Note that this "marine" component, while technically part of an "atmosphere environment" combat force, is also found fighting on asteroids and moons. In terms of manpower, the KOACC is only slightly smaller than the KON, yet it receives a smaller funding allocation (in peacetime, at least) than the KOGC, since planetary combat equipment is so much less costly than starships.
The final KOSA branch, the KOTP, is the one least respected by other KOSA personnel, who regard its members as jumped-up policemen who do not deserve the deference earned by warriors. It should be noted, however, that individuals outside the KOSA give the KOTP almost as much respect as the fighting services, since the police protection of society is also a laudable and honorable calling. (It has been suggested that the KOTP's name was carefully chosen by the KOSA to be less than dashing compared to its other branches.)
Since all military personnel come under a single unifiedunifed command, all branches use the same ranks. Orion rank structures do not exactly mirror Terran ranks even in a functional sense, much less an absolute or conceptual sense, but the closest equivalents are:
| Orion Rank* | Terran Rank |
| Litter Cub | Midshipman |
| Cub of the Khan | Lieutenant (JG/SG) |
| Son/Daughter of the Khan | Lieutenant Commander |
| Least Claw of the Khan | Captain |
| Small Claw of the Khan | Commodore |
| Claw of the Khan | No Terran Equiv |
| Great Claw of the Khan | Rear Admiral |
| Least Fang of the Khan | Vice Admiral |
| Small Fang of the Khan | Admiral |
| Great Fang of the Khan | Fleet Admiral |
| First Fang of the Khan | Sky Marshal |
*Approximate Terran Standard English translation
At one time, the only officer ranks were Claw of the Khan and Fang of the Khan, with a numeric designation to denote relative seniority. Thus "Two-Hundred-Third Claw of the Khan" was senior to "Three-Hundred-Twelfth Claw of the Khan." This was a cumbersome system which also led to problems in determining inter-service seniority when the KOSA finally ran into someone (the Terrans) it could not conquer and with whom it eventually had to conduct joint operations. After a study of Terran ranks (which the KOSA still regards as entirely too complex), the Khanate undertook a reorganization of its own ranks. The numeric designators still apply within each rank, automatically defining the exact seniority of any officer, but only the First Fang of the Khan remains as an "official" and unchanging holdover from the old system.
It should be noted that the "Claw of the Khan" rank falls between the Terran ranks of Commodore and Rear Admiral. The Claws of the Khan represent a step in the command structure that is peculiar to the Orions. They are datagroup commanders but never task force commanders - highly specialized officers trained in rapid assimilation and utilization of combat data below the task force level. Generally speaking, promotionpromoition above Claw of the Khan is very slow, and it usually indicates that a Claw is beginning to lose the quickness of mind and body required by a datagroup commander. Seventy percent of all Claws of the Khan resign their commissions and retire rather than accept promotion, even though the Great Claws are very respected officers. This resignation rate reflects two points: (1) there, are (relatively speaking) very few active KOSA officers above the rank of Claw of the Khan, which means room for further promotion is limited, and (2) there really is no higher rank that offers the challenge and personal danger (theernowlus) of the Claw of the Khan's duties. The KOACC and KOTP do not use the rank of Claw of the Khan.
Recruiting is never a problem for the KOSA. Indeed, there is tremendous competition for admittance to the military. Approximately 10% of the KOSA officer corps is drawn from the hereditary nobility. (More would be, but there are few inherited titles in the Khanate.) Promotion, however, does not favor the noble over the non-noble, and many Orion military personnel (not all of them officers) are awarded lifetime patents of nobility for bravery or success in combat.
The 90% of the officer corps which is not drawn from the hereditary nobility is selected on a merit basis by competitive testing and consideration of service records, but this process is not as impartial as it sounds. The aristocratic and wealthy classes are able to provide far better basic education for their young, and this gives them a tremendous initial advantage. In addition, KOSA promotion policies make "experienced judgment" on the promotion board's part almost equivalent to test data for determination purposes. Thus the officer corps' "meritocracy" status is somewhat less than overwhelming.
All KOSA off icers are trained at the Academy of the Khan on Valkha'zeeranda ("New Valkha"). The curriculum is identical for the first two (Orion) years, then diverges into different tracks for the separate branches for the remaining six (Orion) years. The acknowledged seniority of the KON means its officers are legally senior to officers of the same rank in any other service branch.
KOSA protocol is largely dictated by the Orion honor code. Military law respects the code duello but permits off icers to challenge only those of their own rank or below. Thus no Least Claw could ever challenge a Small Claw, but the most junior Least Claw could challenge the most senior Least Claw. Senior officers may always challenge junior officers, but this is frowned upon and happens very infrequently. Even more rarely, a junior who is legally forbidden to challenge a senior will contrive a personal insult outside military channels. When this happens, the senior has no choice but to challenge his junior, thus providing a sub rosasubrosa challenge procedure for the junior. One extremely important aspect of KOSA military law, however, provides that no officer may advance in rank as the result of a duel in which he participated. Thus if a junior kills or incapacitates a senior in a duel, the officer next junior to him will advance two levels of seniority to fill any gap created. He himself will not advance - a provision intended to prevent the use of challenge procedures to further one's career.
Orion clothing is minimal. Since Orions are covered with furry pelts, the function of most clothing is ornamental and "garments" run to belts and harnesses of jeweled metal or leather which, in the military's case, take on a functional role for rank and service identification.
The KOSA "dress uniform" consists of flared, pauldronlike "shoulders" of semi-precious metal (plated, for enlisted ranks) with crossed metal harness straps on chest and back (for officers; enlisted men use leather harnesses). Orions have extendible toe claws, and so prefer an open-toed sandal with magnetic foot plates to the Terran uniform spaceboot. The Orion defargo ("honor dirk"), or edged-steel sidearm, is worn only by officers. More modern sidearms are not standard uniform items. Com helmets are official headgear for both dress and undress uniform for all ranks, but there are "dress" and "undress" helmets. Both are fully functional, but the dress helmet is plated with semi-precious metals and buffed to a mirror-like finish.
For space use, combat uniform is a protective vac suit, while most planetary combat uniforms consist of protective clothing of one sort or another - pressure suits, powered armor, camouflaged smocks, etc.
KOSA rank insignia consists of intricately worked patterns of metal thread which are quite difficult for non-Orions to distinguish. As a result, KOSA personnel on detached duty to non-Orion forces adopt the closest equivalent "host" rank badges during their assignments. The various "fang" ranks, however, can be clearly distinguished from all lesser rank insignia by the white, ivory fang slashed across the thread badge. In addition to the rank symbol itself, each KOSA rank marking bears a seniority number, as well. Only the First Fang has no numerical seniority designator on his rank badges.
Back
|
