Space Rangers (TV Series) - Other Terminology

Other Terminology

Banshees

A space-faring predator. They teleport aboard spaceships as they travel at lightspeed. They are violent, impervious to regular weapons and teleport away as suddenly as they arrive. They also emit a high pitched sonic "scream" that can disorient a person in close quarters, which is where they get their name from. If they manage to kill everyone aboard the ship they will envelope it in an organic cocoon and teleport it with them back to their hyperspace hive.

Bellysnappers

A single person escape pod. They are used to travel to a planet's surface. They are called "bellysnappers" because they tend to give their passengers rough rides and make them sick to their stomachs.

Central

The higher echelons of command back on Earth, respected but often considered meddlesome, inefficient and out of touch with the facts of frontier life. The term also refers to the distant core of human civilization in general.

Hazard pay

When a situation is above and beyond the level of danger that a sane person might elect to encounter, the Corps have been known to entice volunteers for missions with a bonus in Rangers' pay-checks. Boon's team is offered "triple" hazard pay if they could capture a Banshee for scientists to study. Doc has mentioned to the others that he is still waiting for hazard pay-checks from two other missions and does not expect to ever see them.

Lightspeed rings

Large orbital ringed structures, they are designed to "slingshot" spaceships into hyperspace from one planet to another. Some ships, such as Slingships, are capable of reaching light speed without the usage of the lightspeed rings.

Runabouts

Small, but swift and highly maneuverable interplanetary craft often stolen by smugglers to be used for their runs.

Slingships

The interceptor spaceship of choice used by the Space Rangers. Unlike other ships, it does not need a lightspeed ring to achieve hyperspace as it can use a planet's orbital gravity to sling itself. It can still use lightspeed rings to conserve fuel. Captain John Boon's team are assigned Ranger Slingship #377. It has been nicknamed "Tin Lizzie" by its flight engineer Doc Kreuger and there are shark teeth nose art, much like pilots did to their fighter planes back in Earth's World War II-era. Slingship #377 has seen better days as Doc has had to jury rig many of the ships parts and systems to keep it online, as budget cuts have prevented them from always getting the proper parts and repairs.

Zulu

A traditional drink at Fort Hope's Officers' Club which is consumed after returning from a successful mission.