A - Z Glossary

**AI NO KUSABI: GLOSSARY**
A fan-made compendium of A-Z facts and quotes taken directly from Volumes 1 - 8 of Rieko Yoshihara's novel Ai no Kusabi -- The Spaces Between.

Contradictions\*
\*\*Missing in text citations (?!)\*\*

A

Abis Think Tank: see Amoi, see Tanagura

Aden's [Bar]: a place to go for drinks (V5 p14) Possibly in Ceres (?!)

Air cars/ Aerocars: hovercars used privately and commercially alike on Amoi.

Alec: Riki's partner in the Black Market.

Alita: see Sex Toy

AMOI: the 12th planet in the Garan star system. (V1 P89) On navigational charts the world of Amoi lies on the far edge of the Salinas Galaxy. Under the rule of Tanagura, Amoi is a resort world only for those with the time and wealth to partake of its delights. (V8 p9)

Androids: "The Blondies aren't androids. Their bodies may be machine, but their brains -- their minds -- are entirely human. Don't ever forget that." (V8 p60)

Apatia: In Midas, the only Area where personal property was permitted. (V7 p105, 120-121) "The residential area for the very, very elite." (V8 p13) While no one could be certain of it, it was understood that Apatia was where the privileged of Tanagura kept their lovers. (V8 p13) It was not as luxurious as Eos, but the accommodations were the epitome of chic nonetheless. (V8 p29)

Aphrodisiacs: The table in the center of the [pet] cage was well stocked with a variety of cocktails and mixed drinks, all spiked with aphrodisiacs. (V6 p110) ...Used to train pets and stimulate them for Bacchanalia and breeding parties. (V7 p122-3)

Artificial insemination: "Everybody knows there's a shortage of women [in Ceres]... They ought to be using artificial insemination. Men and women are born in Midas using artificial wombs, right? Natural birth is a fucking relic." (v3 p51)

Athos: see Couriers

Aurora Coin: see Pet Currency

B

Balado: a special spice produced on the planet Aquos. (V3 p85-86)

see Guinevere

Bison: Riki and Guy....created Bison out of nothing. Its small and select membership, recruited from the very best, gave no quarter to the vultures who'd settle for easy pickings. (V4 p96)

Black Market / Underworld: The illegal trade business of Amoi.

Black Moon: A powerful narcotic, with a reputation for being used for suicide. (V8 p158)

Blondies: The 'elite of the elite' with the authority to communicate directly with Jupiter... (V1 P95) Jupiter created them to be the pinnacle of human beauty, strength and intellect, ever immortal. (V8 p98)

Bouillon Cubes: instant soup, eaten in Ceres.

C

Capsule cars: These capsule cars were automatic drones utilized for more routine tasks and business purposes. As cargo transports, they were plain and unappealing in appearance. As they were not used in the tourist trade, they could be directed anywhere on the map [via mobile devices], even to places in the red zone prohibited to tourists [like the Midas Police Center]. [P] Moreover, they were free. (V5 p88) They weren't exactly user-friendly transportation. (V5 p89)

see Subway

CERES: The scorned "Crotch of Midas" (V1, P29). To live in Ceres was to no longer be a human being (V1 P61).

CHALAZA / KAZARA: the underground network that tied Midas' subterranean shelters together. The emergency evacuation tunnels were not marked on any tourist's map. In fact, they were unknown to the bulk of the civilian population. (V4 p99)

Certificate of Adult Status: The card issued when leaving the Guardian foster center, showing certified proof of adult status. (V4 p127)

Certificate of Breeding: see Pet Ownership

Cigarettes: Comes in several brands, including Black Moon and the Shelagh brand Amka cigarettes

Clarissa Mellow Lavinia: A gaudy flower with seven colors to its name. (V7 p40) Mimea's favorite, "Isn't it beautiful?" (V7 p40)

see Eos Garden Level

see Mimea Incident

Commonwealth, Galactic: (?!) (V6 p21)

Couriers: there were two kinds of couriers in the black market. According to Midas class system they were assigned (according by bloodline) to the Megisto, or were independently employed by the mercenary Athos. (V2 p68)

Currency: the money of Amoi.

D

DANA-BAHN / DANA-BURN: old mines, Dana-Burn had once been a sanctuary to those 'resisting' Midas. Now it was a forgotten artifact. It'd grown too big and soaked up too much capital to simply sell for scrap. So it sat there, neglected. (V6 p14) It wasn't so much a building as a monument to the defeated. It was banished from sight and memory, a ruin without value. (V8 p68)

Darkmen: a phalanx of armed men, dressed in all black...a military squad and the laser lights of weapons... (V5 p27) The self-acknowledged elite of Midas law enforcement(V5 p79) Midas Police Constables (V7 p16)

Daryl Incident: Iason's furniture had hacked the security network and allowed Riki to escape. Eos security was hacked by a piece of furniture. That alone was a serious blow that rocked the confidence of the elite as a whole. (V3 p58)

Dingo: an informant or databroker (V1 P102, 111. V7 p15).

Drugs: From the best legal shit to the dregs -- 'greed', 'speed', 'rally', and 'angel high' -- a patron wanting to fly high without leaving the ground could buy it [on the backstreets of Lhassa, off the Orange Road, at 24-hour drug stores]. (V4 p10)

D-type Pet Ring: There sat a velvet box. Inside it was a ring, glimmering brightly. It was larger than a finger ring, but not as large as a bracelet, and at first glance seemed like a normal platinum band. Upon closer inspection, however, a series of characters was etched along the surface: 'Z-107M'. Riki's pet registration number. Iason took the ring and slipped it onto Riki's limp member. (V3 p31) see Pet Ring

E

Elites: The ruling class of Amoi, these sentient androids were created through artificial biotech and nanotech means by the supercomputer AI Jupiter. As per its will, the elites see to Jupiter's affairs, and dominate the humans of the planet.

EOS: where the elites of Tanagura live, in Eos Palace Tower.

EOS GARDEN LEVEL: encompassing the level was a verdant space with an endless expanse of soothing flowers. (V7 p39)

Eos Security: the safeguards imposed there were as tight as any other setting in Tanagura. (V3 p58)

F

Fin: a type of junk food A thin, lard-smeared, crepe-thin, reconstituted meat product on bread. (V2 P74)

Flatbed: A snazzy little flatbed was sitting in front of door H-010. It wasn't the same kind of service forklift that [Riki] and Alec were using. Considering the vehicle, it seemed a reasonable assumption that these [three] guys were somehow related to the cargo owners, not the delivery boys. (V2 p154) see Vehicles

Food and Beverages

Furniture: Furniture was a household appliance, a consumable good; there was no need to treat furniture like people. And yet in Eos, automated to the hilt with state-of-the-art technology, without the furniture there to care for them, the pets would starve to death while sleeping in rags. Nobody ever asked or wondered why. (V3 p16)

G

G:05: [The Darkmen's] internal code for Riki. (V5 p69)

GALACTIC SPACE: the Ai no Kusabi's known universe.

Gangs: The fractious denizens of Ceres. (V8 p11)

Gazer: a type of melanin pigmentation drug. Since it was only a popular 'fashion supplement', consumed orally to change hair and eye color, it wasn't very expensive. Most brands were legal and didn't have any severe side effects or long-term toxicities. (V3 p88)

Gorgon Wool: Riki's usual light coat had been replaced with an all-weather, [waterproof] metallic blue motorcycle jacket over a Gorgon wool turtleneck. Hardly atypical for the slums, he could even be considered under-dressed -- and compared to the typical Midas riches, he was very plain. (V5 p111, V5 p45)

GUARDIAN: the only so-called garden in Ceres. In its true form, it was a giant experimental organ farm under the direct control of Tanagura. (V2 p159, V4 p103).

Guinevere: an alcoholic beverage sometimes spiked with Balado, a pricey spice.

H

Harems and Brothels: often where disposed of Eos pets get sent, to work as sex dolls for hire.

Herma: "[Kirie would have] a big blowout a Herma's place. No, not Herma. Herma had been taken down to a pile of rubble by those Jeeks brats. Then where? Where did [one] go for a good stout?" (V6 p74) see Gangs: Jeeks

I

Iason MinkIce Man: Iason Mink's feared reputation in the black market.

Interstellar Transport Business: see Courier

J

Jet bikes/ Aerobikes: Customized, battle-scarred aerobikes were the ride of choice in gang warfare; expensive, pristine factory machines had no place in Ceres other than to be stolen for parts. (V8 p10)

Judd Kuger: Patriarch of the Kuger clan (V4 p112) and Chairman of Guardian (v4 p120-1)

Juice: served at island bars to pets. Flavors include chamomile and cherry. (V6 p66)

Juma: a term of respect for an elder [in Ceres]. Most of the time it was 'old man' or something worse.... Now hearing... [a prefix] honorific, Buczka was stunned. (V8 p66) see Characters: Buczka

Jupiter/Lambda 3000: [The androids'] omnipotent creator was the giant artificial intelligence known as Lambda 3000. (V6 p80)

K

Karin star system: The kind of fascists who branded Riki 'sewer trash' would use the same epithets on an immigrant from the Karin star system.... (V2 p130)

Karinese: With their empathic abilities, Karinese were renowned as a race of healers. But because of these abilities, others feared that if touched by one of them their thoughts and intentions would be revealed. (V2 p130)

Kario/Credits: Amoian currency. See Pet Currency for more

Karuga-84 Facility: The monthly medical checks required of pets were held at the Karuga-84 facility. (V7 p25)

Katze:Katze had a corner on almost every market involving Ceres. He fenced the cash and credit cards and stolen goods lifted from the Midas tourist trade. He was the agent for Guardian. A distributor in the drug trade. And a few fingers in many other pots. He was, as Iason called him, a man for all seasons. The right person in the right place at the right time. The slum mongrel who uniquely made good. (V4 p110) see Subzero Scarface

Keeler's Lab: Where Raoul Am works, outside of Eos (V3 p58) see Religionists

Kelly's hangout: (V8 p11) Retired Bison's new hangout post-downfall after the incident with the Darkmen. (V8 p25)

Klaxon: The security alarms at Guardian. (V5 p152, 162)

L

Lanaya Ugo

Laura's Hideout: see Bison

M

Manon Sol Kuger: son of the Chairman of Guardian, Judd Kuger, and heir of the Kuger Clan.

Martians: those who dared to challenge those walls [of the slums], even knowing they would be slapped down, were derisively called 'Martians', after the Roman god of war. Drinking themselves into depravity in rages of self-pity, those hiding behind these words knew the shoes of these 'Martians' would never fit them. (V1 P51-52)

Megisto: see Couriers

Mermaid: full description (V2 p162-5). An experimental prototype. Getting the improved version ready for military use is going to take some time. (V2 p166)

MIDAS: Midas was one big pleasure palace. There [one] could eat, play, and shop until he was dead on his feet, sleep it off, and start all over again. But only if he had money and an ID. (V4 p132)

Midas Division of Public Safety: The job of the Midas police was to ensure the safety and well-being of the citizens and tourists. They were comprised of beat cops dressed in silver-grey uniforms, the secret service details that guarded the VIPs, and the black-clad security guards infamously known as the 'Darkmen'. (V5 p29)

Midas Police Center: the black hole of every slum mongrel's nightmares. Nobody left there with everything still intact... Anyone brought there would become an object lesson for the rest of them. (V5 p57)

Midas Vigilante Corps: Without a doubt, the slum mongrels saw the [MVC] as their true enemy....they were more dreaded than even the Darkmen.

Mimea Incident: description (V1 Chapter 1 entirety). Brief mentions (V3 p43, 63). Riki's dream/PoV (V3 p138-145). Garden Level (V7 p40)
see Eos Garden Level

Mind Tampering, Grey Matter: If [the Darkmen] didn't want to listen to what anybody had to say, they could have gone in with the memory retrieval drugs from the start and rummaged around in the grey matter all they wanted. (V5 p65)

Minos Bar's Love Hotel: where Riki propositioned Iason to keep the Blondie's silence, after Riki was caught pickpocketing in Midas.

Mongrels / Slumdogs: The warped, males-only demographic of the [Ceres] Colony, incapable of reproducing their own kind, festered in that permanent state. (V5 p9-10)

N

NEAL DARTS: A maze of illegally constructed buildings. (V7 p89) The only reason Tanagura suffered Nier Darts to exist was because it served to draw in espionage services from offworld where they could be closely monitored. (V7 p101)

NGO: The Commonwealth human rights NGO's and lobbying groups were intimidated by [Tanagura's] presence, and all too willing to give the problems of Ceres a pass.

NORAM: see Elites: Hair Color

O

Organ Farm: secret scientific experiments performed by the black market at Guardian under Tanagura's direction and supervision

P

Pairing Partner: An inseparable 'significant other' that existed beyond love and affection, beyond contracts or obligations, and was untroubled by the presence of no-strings-attached 'sex friends'. (V1 P84)

PAM: In Midas, in lieu of an ID card, every citizen had a five millimeter Personal Access Memory (PAM) biochip embedded behind their earlobe. The creation of a system designed to manage the entire populace had also resulted in a system that controlled the behavior of each person with remarkable precision. (V2 P26)

Passcase: Iason extracted a passcase from his breast pocket and flipped it open and held it up.... A pet license with the holy seal of Tanagura affixed. (V4 p66)
see Pet Ownership
see Pet Law

Pets: the objects referred to as 'pets' were more specifically sex dolls produced in licensed breeding facilities for the purpose of providing domesticated playthings to clientele. Sex dolls were genetically identical to humans, but were and remained manufactured toys. (V3 p9)

Pet Currency: the money exclusively used by pets. (V2 p126) see Aurora Coins

Pet Law: The Eos Pet Code consisting of 9 Articles. (V7 p44) The rules were more than a set of regulations governing the elites who reared pets as a kind of status symbol; they were how aristocrats favored by Jupiter could call attention to their chosen status. (V3 p9)

Pet Rings: The A-type was a finger ring. The B-type was a necklace. The C-type was an earring. These jewelery pet rings, with their glittering, inlaid gemstones, tickled the fancies of the pets and set them apart from the rest. [P] But the D-type was different. (V3 p32) Riki and Daryl's PoV on rings and access (V3 p132-7)

see D-type Pet Ring

Pet Salon: "The salon is the one place where pets may do as they wish. For the most part, what goes on in there is given a free pass." (V3 p124)

PRAGE: "[Riki] did get as far as Prage, though. Everybody was quite impressed." (V3 p59, 64)

Q

R

Religionists: Raoul Am was one of Tanagura's biotechnology specialists. The hardheaded Commonwealth bureaucrats -- and especially those calling themselves 'religionists' -- referred to him as a mad scientist who didn't even fear God. (V3 p56)

Riki the Black/Dark

Roget's [Bar]: Roget's was the bar [Bison] frequented. (V5 p100)

Royal Center Building: "Come to room three, top floor of the Royal Center Building." (V6 p60-62) The top floor penthouse required a heavy-[duty biometric code on top of a general-purpose ID. (V6 p63) (Possibly the same as Iason's office (V6 p55) (?!) Is clearly not in Eos, however. Perhaps Midas?)

S

Sex Androids/Sexaroids: warm, breathless imitations of humanity programmed solely for pleasure, entirely without life. (V8 p58)

Sex Dolls: Sex dolls were indicators of social class, merely disposable goods. Pursuing the next new thing was the only real excitement in Eos. (V6 p128)

Shock Eyes: the slum moniker for the silver nightstick tasers carried by the Midas Division of Public Safety. see DarkmenShuttle Buses: There was the free, twenty-four hour tourist shuttle bus that ran through each sector. (V5 p87)

Sight, the: A kind of premonition [one] couldn't quite put a finger on. Not quite a flash of insight. Not a signpost pointing him in the right direction either. And neither did he feel it all the time. It came unpredictably, out of nowhere. (V2 p158)

Sinkers: Among the sightseers visiting Midas there were those who, for whatever reason, say behind in defiance of the immigration laws. Those 'refugees' who overstayed their visas and couldn't go home again if they wanted to, were maligned as 'sinkers'.

Sleepers: Tanagura undercover cops and informants.

Slums: The slums is a monster that devours the souls of youth and spits out the gristle. (V1 p51) see Ceres

SPACEPORT / AEROSPACE PORT: the Amoian public airport (V2 p15, V2 p150)

Stout: The stout was brewed as an off-label stimulant.

Subway: this access way was the only connection linking the eternally hostile states of Midas and Ceres together. (V4 p99)

Subzero Scarface: Katze's handle in the black market (V2 p105)

Syndicate: the illegal underground black markets of Amoi, run by the Ice Man, Iason Mink, and his Tanagura representative, Katze, the Subzero Scarface.

Synthfood: see Food and Beverages

T

TANAGURA: the metallic city of the Elites, the ruling class of Amoi. (V1 P90-91, V2 p75, V3 p45) A digitized megapolis of perfect, mechanic order, where the mark of time is flawless, implacable. (V7 p9, V8 p17)

Technology, Advanced or Modern

Tripper: a bottle of hard, hallucinatory stout (V1 p43)

U

V

Varja / Vajra: a beast of prey that could crush a limb to the bone with a single chomp of its steel jaw or razor-sharp fangs. A disdainful chimera taking to the air with four wings on its back, its coat glowing a bewitching black luster. (V1, p32) see Riki the Dark

Vartan, Vintage: an expensive beverage. (V1 p134)

Veela: The naked nymphs decorating the frieze [of Midas' entryway arch/gate] were derived from the mythic motifs found in the stories of the Veela... It was they who possessed the divine purity of virgins who knew no sin, and at the same time represented depraved harlots whose sweet poisons would lead a man's heart down into hell. (V2 P15)

Veran star system (V2 p114) see Galactic Space for more

W

Wine: Zico sat down at the bar on the wall and poured a glass of wine for himself. Not to celebrate new business, but to clear his head. (V7 p98) see Food and Beverages

X

Y

Z

Z-107M: Riki's Pet ID, checked against his retinal scans (at the Midas Police Center). (V5 p72)

Zein: Shackled by inheritance to the class system known as 'Zein', [the people of Midas] were not free to choose occupations in disregard to class differences. They were also not free to love whom they chose to love. Nevertheless, rather than causing trouble or bucking the establishment and losing their ID cards, they all knew that the far better course was to follow the rules and keep their mouths shut. (V1 P61)

AI NO KUSABI GLOSSARY
A fan-made compendium of A-Z facts and quotes taken directly from Volumes 1 -

Contradictions\*
\*\*Missing in text citations (?!)\*\*