SYSTEMS: The third subdivision of the Empire; the 1,431 with more than one inhabited planet are ruled by counts.
T
T/CT: Terrene/Contra-Terrene, a more accurate term for what is often called matter/anti-matter (since both are actually matter, simply in different forms). The reaction between the two forms liberates all the energy both contain, making it by far the most efficient and least polluting energy source available. For this reason, T/CT is used almost exclusively for planetary and large-craft energy needs.
TALENT: Psionic ability strong enough to be trained into a reliable skill. Always includes a mind screen (sometimes powerful enough to be called a mind shield) and telepathy. It may also include telekinesis, darlas, clairvoyance, teleportation, psychometry, rarely precognition, and (so far only in humans) healing. There may be other aspects also, as yet undefined. On Irschcha, it has been searched for and trained by the White Order since circa 3000 BCE; the first human so trained was Ranger James Medart, in 2569.
Talent is uncommon among humans, only about half of one percent having mind shields, though perhaps twice as many have the weaker screens. Among Sandemans, Talent of shield level is fifty percent, ninety-five percent for warriors. Very few Sandemans, however, are willing to take Talent training, seeing it as a violation of privacy, so there is no way of telling what other aspects they might have.
TARLAC, Esteban: (2533-2568) Imperial Ranger, 2553-2568. His first solo mission was stopping the Nemran revolt. He was almost killed when the rebels poisoned him with stingweed, but he was rescued and kept alive, until Imperial forces arrived with medical help, by 14-year old David M. Scanlon, who was made a Life Duke for the feat.
Tarlac's greatest accomplishment, though, was his almost single-handed ending of the Traiti War. He agreed to submit to the Traiti Ordeal of Honor and succeeded, returning to Terra with the Traiti leaders, who claimed their rightful place (thanks to their Terran origin) as Imperial citizens. Tarlac was assassinated during the ceremony, by a Humanity First fanatic. The Traiti maintain, however, that he actually died of his Scarring seconds after completing the Ordeal, and became the last member of the Circle of Lords, their gods; they revere him as the Peacelord.
TARLAC, Subsector 6-G:
No. systems: 44 Sector: Scorpio
with 3 inhabited planets: 0 Ruled by:
with 2 inhabited planets: 10
with 1 inhabited planet: 23
TEACHING TAPE: A standard reading tape "overprinted" with electronic impulses which can be played directly into a human brain to provide instant memorization of facts. The recipient must still learn to work with those facts (e.g., how to pronounce and otherwise use the words and grammatical rules of a language), but is saved the considerable time @ would normally have wasted in rote memorization.