Houix

Pronounced: *"hwiks" (single syllable).*

Houix is the native name for the planet Mars in the sci-fi novel, '*8113*'. The name derives from the Chinese word for the planet, *Huǒxīng,* since the earliest settlers responsible for establishing colonies, farms, and ultimately terraforming of the planet were largely from China and South-East Asia. Houix is considered a socialist republic, but has a borderline dictatorship style of leadership, controlled by the Trixona. 'Houixen' is the term used to describe both the denizens of Houix and their native spoken language, although Colonists often use the Anglicized term, 'Martian', which is considered derogatory.

Since admitting defeat to the United Federation of Colonies after signing the Declaration of Mons in 2323 UMT (8094 AD), Houix has been under heavy economic sanctions that limits their access to ore, leaving their nation in a perpetual state of poverty and hardship. Their citizens are also restricted on where they can travel, and they are not allowed to establish any terrestrial bases beyond their own planet and moons. Political tensions between the UFC and Houix remain high. UFC intelligence fears Houix is hording ore in an attempt to create weapons of mass destruction similar to the device that destroyed Epoch during the Fourth War. Their government is also suspected of using spies equipped with ghost impurities in order to carry out secret operations against the UFC.

Notable Houixen in the story include Tum Gow VII and others of the Chengdite pedigree.

## Basic information

   **Official name:** The People's Socialist Republic of Houix (*Houix Tonkju Dexuon Hujaraa*)

**Demonym:** Houixen (singular and plural)

**Capital:** Mons (economic); Zizshan Palace (political).

**Languages:** Houixen (verbal/written); *Maa* (pantomime).

**Population:** 10.5 billion

**Government:** One-party socialist (Trixona)

* Party General Secretary: the Nidyon
* Economy Chairman: the Jinvasata
* Industry Chairman: the Huydoa
* Military Chairman: the Unxani

   **Currency:** Goan

**Religion:** Paragonism

**Calendar conversion to UMT:** Martian time converter - 58

## History

**Colonization and pre-unification:**

During the mid-21st Century, a space race to colonize and inhabit Mars ensued between China and several Western nations, largely the USA. While the Americans arrived first, Chinese colonists arrived in much larger numbers, and by 2070 AD had a team of almost 20,000 Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Bangladeshi workers building habitats, factories, and greenhouses. Due to language barriers and insufficient radio communication, the colonists formed a pantomime-style of language called *Maa.* Western colonies relied on robots to establish much of their infrastructure, but sandstorms and poor solar power resulted in numerous costly disruptions which ultimately led them to abandon the mission and focus on the construction of orbital space stations instead. A new Martian Calendar was fully adopted in 2081, reversed to 1 UMT (Universal Martian Time).

Multiple colonies were established across the planet and began operating as individual states, initially as domed habitats and greenhouses until an atmosphere was created using ore-powered generators. In 2233 AD (81 UMT), the leaders of each colony unified the planet under one flag, established the Trixona, and renamed their country Houix.

**Terraformation:**

Early Houixen cities, such as Mons, still persisted under artificial domes due to a lack of breathable air and safe atmosphere. When ore was discovered on Mercury, its usefulness in generating artificial magnetospheres greatly accelerated the terraformation process. Geodynamic generators were established on the peaks of Houix's tallest mountain tops: Mons, Rural (Graxick), Peacock (Konmor) and Forest (Janlin), as well as the South Pole, in order to cover as much of the planet as possible in a magnetic 'net' that withheld heat and prevented harsh radiation from penetrating. The atmosphere is weakest in the lowlands where the net is weaker and radiation is more penetrable (similar to the effect of an ozone hole). This led to majority of cities being established at the base of the mountains, in order to be closest to the safety of the generators.

The creation of an atmosphere over Houix eventually allowed for the establishment of a permanent ocean and a breathable atmosphere, and cities no longer required any constraints. Farming grew exponentially over the decades, as did infrastructure, biodiversity, and the planet's population (the Exodus movement also saw a massive hike in immigration between 117 UMT (2300 AD) and 170 UMT (2400 AD).

**Exodus tensions with the UFC:**

Rivalry between Houix and the UFC persisted throughout the Exodus period, during which a strict vetting process by the Trixona heavily favored immigrants from communist nations, while actively rejecting Western applicants. The process was described as xenophobic and prejudicial. The UFC, with limited space for the fleeing people, argued Houix's strict entry requirements resulted in the unnecessary deaths of millions who were essentially left behind, but the Trixona remained adamant that it did not want their planet to be tainted by incompatible Western ideals. A deal was reached that Houix would accept more applicants in return for a substantial amount of ore. By 3207 UMT (8113 AD), Houix's population is over 10.5 billion, with <1% of those being of non-Asian decent.

## Houix's role in the Seven Wars

Houix initiated almost all of the Seven Wars against the UFC, beginning in 2189 UMT (7843 AD), when Houixen scientists attempted to warn Mercurian miners (employed by Vaux Refineries and operated by the UFC) that ore mining was taking place at an unsafe and unsustainable pace. Their pleas were ignored and Mercury collapsed in on itself, killing more than 4,000 UFC and Houixen miners and causing a brief economic crisis. Vaux Refineries already had a protocol in place to move onto mining Venus, but Houix no longer trusted the UFC to handle their ore, and initiated a standoff on Module-1, taking miners hostage (the First War). Negotiations ended peacefully, but Houix initiated a second wave of protest by forming a military blockage around Venus, attempting to capture the planet for themselves (the Second War). Military intervention was required, and after a brief few months of conflict, Houix was defeated and barred from assisting in ore mining from thereon.

The shift from Mercurian to Venusian ore was a long, drawn-out process with numerous snags in operation (since Venus' atmosphere was far harsher than that of Mercury's, and mining was a lot more difficult). An economic depression swept both the UFC and Houix, with limited ore resulting in an epidemic of rust that claimed the lives of millions of Houixen, and a growing ozone hole as generators began running out of power. Out of desperation, the Trixona banded together a large army and blamed the UFC for their hardships. The Third War was initiated until again Houix was forced to concede. Houix managed to gain control of other terrestrial objects in the Solar System, in pursuit of their own source of ore, such as Ceres. The Venusian mines gradually became operational and the burden of ore was lifted, however, severe economic sanctions were laced on Houix that severely limited their access to Venusian ore, and their situation did not improve.

The Fourth War was won by Houix (their only victory against the UFC). Sanctions remained problematic and after numerous failed negotiations, Houix retaliated against the UFC by destroying the colony of Epoch using an ore-powered weapon built on Ceres. Almost 2 million UFC civilian lives were lost. The UFC were forced to lift the sanctions and allow Houix access to more adequate importation of ore, under the restriction that it cannot be weaponized like that again. Houix claimed to have shut down the weapons factory on Ceres, but did not. Houix was also accused of committing other violations, such as the use of human cloning to boost its military numbers. The Trixona held peaceful political talks with UFC ambassadors and Senators over a number of months at Zizshan Palace, as well as in the Consortium on Capitol, where new treaties, trade negotiations, and international laws were established (the Talking War). Human cloning was universally outlawed, including total human printing. Houixen citizens were granted leniency if they wished to travel to the UFC, and Houixen miners returned to help the efforts on Venus. However, attempts to inspect Ceres for traces of ongoing weapons manufacturing were met by stern protests.

The Burning of Garden City (the Sixth War) was also initiated by Houix, when attempts to establish mutual colonies on Earth failed. The death of the visiting Nidyon to Earth was thought to be the fault of UFC Rangers acting as political assassins, and in retaliation, a domed establishment called Garden City was attacked and burned to the ground. In reality, the Nidyon was assassinated by the other members of the Trixona, who believed their leader was too soft and accommodating of the UFC. Had it been successful, Houix would have gained control of the largest ore repository in the Solar System. This attack made it clear that illegal weapons manufacturing was still ongoing, forcing the UFC to invade the planet and other territories (Ceres) and capture Mons (the Seventh War). Under threat of more civilian deaths, the Trixona was forced to sign a declaration of defeat and was once again placed under strict sanctions. Many arrests took place, and the UFC established a temporary puppet government until Houix could reform the Trixona to meet their standards (which, while seemingly democratic in appearance, still remained a one-party system). Factories on Ceres were torn down. UFC tried and executed many Houixen leaders and generals believed to be responsible for the genocide that took place on Epoch, but amongst them, the mastermind of the devastating weapon, Hu Giam Cheng, was never found.

## Timekeeping

The Martian calendar uses UMT (Universal Martian Time), which uses the conversion equation of:

*AD - 2115 --> Darian - 250*

NOTE: The starting date of the story (March 31st, 8113 AD) equates to 16th Arka, 2333 UMT.

Martian time uses 24-hour days, 6 or 7-day weeks, multi-day seasons, and 24-month years. A year is 668 days, with 1 additional leap day every 4 years. A series of neologisms are used in Houixen to describe each:

**Xol and Jtu**

One *xol* (day) lasts roughly 24 hours, 35 minutes, and just over 35 seconds, but is rounded to 24 hours. There are seven xols in a *jtu* (week):

* Lunix (Monday)
* Martix (Tuesday)
* Merxurii (Wednesday)
* Joxis (Thursday)
* Venuxis (Friday)
* Saturnix (Saturday)
* Xois (Sunday)

Every second Xois is skipped, meaning the length of a jtu alternates between 6 and 7 xols in length. This is to balance out the yearly calendar. Once every four years, an intercalary day, Vrixika Xois, is celebrated at the end of the year as an additional holiday (essentially Leap Sunday).

**Yeet and Nisa**

There are 24 *yeet* (months) in a *nisa* (Martian year), from beginning to end:

* Sagit; start of spring
* Danux
* Capkak
* Makara
* Aquxi
* Kumbah
* Pimush
* Mina; start of summer
* Axi
* Mesha
* Tusaa
* Rixhaba
* Gemju
* Mithuna; start of autumn
* Kankada
* Arka
* Zher
* Zimha
* Vrikee; start of winter
* Anya
* Lixa
* Tula
* Bijuju
* Vrixika

## Paragonism

Paragonism is a pseudo-religion of native Houixen. It is a scoring system out of 500 that describes a person's personality based on the alignment of their character traits with five legendary spirits (or Paragons):

* *Bashi*, the lion: a sign of leadership, pride, ferocity.
* *Xihan*, the elephant: a sign of intelligence, cunning, playfulness.
* *Unu*, the buffalo: a sign of concentration, perception, calmness.
* *Obox,* the leopard: a sign of agility, rage, wit, and deception.
* *Xinu*, the rhinoceros: a sign of durability, stubbornness, and strength.

The Paragons are referenced in the story in times of dissecting personality, such as when Nith Ya is diagnosing Tum Gow's depression, or when Sho Zai decides how to torture Captain Rhodes.