Identification Chips: A number of states require their citizens to carry implanted personal Identification chips containing identity, biometric and credit rating data. Failure to do so, or chip tapering, is usually a criminal offence on these worlds. Most notably, the Republic of New Venus is the most extensive user of personal ICs - all Venerian citizens are chipped.

Identification of Ships:
All registered ships have a device known as a 'ping transponder' which is 'tamper-proof' - a kind of electronic registration plate. Space traffic control and ship's nav-com can interrogate ('ping') the transponder and it comes back with current course, velocity, mass, port of origin, owner etc.
Military ships can turn their ping off, but civilian ships cannot. A ship not responding to a ping is always considered hostile until proven otherwise - and the absence of ping is a clue that it might be a military ship (or a badly maintained civilian ship). As to removing the transponder altogether - its illegal - in virtually all polities, non-ping ships are impounded and confiscated and the crew imprisoned or worse.
However, it is possible to build up a sort of sensor fingerprint of a ship, but these are not recorded and can vary with time - the spectrum of the ship's main engine burn is one of the most obvious indicators - these tend to be slightly different between military and civilian vessels - though identification is seldom certain.
Other indicators are the frequency range and efficiency of its navigation radar, the ships radar albedo etc - these tell something about who manufactured the ship, possibly.
Of course, successful pirates are able to 'tamper' with the ping transponder and set up fake ID for their ship - sometimes several (though it's expensive - they need to find a highly skilled but crooked electronics engineer - they don't come cheap).
However, even then fake ID is still risky - the ID has to be of a real registered ship - and there is a tiny but real chance of encountering the original owner of the ID at a port somewhere.

Illuminated Ones. "...a global secret society called the Illuminati (the "Illuminated Ones" as they call themselves) have been holding the reigns of power in the world since ancient times, expanding their power out of the Middle and Near East (and other centres) to control first Europe and then, thanks to the British Empire and other European empires, to take over in the Americas, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and elsewhere. " David Icke 2663.
There remain stories, first identified over 500 years ago by the possibly legendary classical writer and visionary, David Icke, of a clandestine cabal running the universe. Most sensible people have dismissed this because no hard evidence has ever come to light. But then if there were a secret cabal of 12-foot lizard men running the Universe, it wouldn't, would it?

Imperial Audit Office. The primary force for governance and oversight in the Earth Empire. This organisation has had an increasing influence over the EMpire's operation and policy in recent years - especially since the appointment of a senior ex-IAO man as First Minister.

Imperial Star: The highest award for bravery in the Earth Empire - awarded to military personnel rescuing friendly forces at the risk of their own lives, or any other act of outstanding daring and/or bravery. This is only awarded by the Emperor.

International Forerunner Foundation (IFF): Formed by interstellar treaty in 3202, this foundation is jointly funded by major polities. Its task is to pool all forerunner research and analysis and share the knowledge gained. Its headquarters is on New Venus.

Interplanetary Strategic Missile. A very long range missile capable of being launched from the surface on a planet and delivering a nuclear warhead to a target on another planet in the same system. Range about 4 AU.

Interstellar Archivists Institute. A very ancient organisation to which 99% of all professional archivists in all polities belong. Formed after the Second Dark Age 2831-2856, to ensure that future generations never have to face such a loss of cultural and scientific information ever again. Dedicated to the quality and efficiency of archives thoughout the universe, they are the keepers of knowledge old and new - and are highly expert at data mining and information management.

Interstellar Association for the Advancement of Science for the Benefit of Mankind (IAASBM): See article.

Interstellar Brotherhood of Magicians:
An ancient and mysterious cult, dedicated to the performance of and excellence in stage magic. It has been in existence for over 400 years. Membership is open to anyone who is recommended by two existing members, and who passes a stringent test of magical ability. Local branches of the cult are called 'Rings'.

Interstellar Election Commision. See Election Supervision

Interstellar Monetary Unit (IMU') - see Currency.

Interstellar Potato Fan Club (IPFC) - Founded officially on Disney World in 3177, this club was initially small and composed of dedicated fans of Alphie Potato's early media performances. As Potato gained populatity, and some notoriety as a politician, so his fanbase grew substantially. Chapters of the IPFC, or 'Potato Heads' as they became affectionately known, spread throughout Q0. Posting to Quadrant 5 did nothing to diminish Potato's popularity, and Chapters now exist in nearly every Esteeler world in the universe, and in quite a few non-Esteeler worlds. The largest IPFC Chapter is in fact on Earth, with a membership of 7 million. The IPFC has grown almost exponentially since Potato was inaugurated as President, and the former star has never been more popular.

Interstellar Sleeper. Long range personnel transporter equipped with large numbers of deep sleep hibernation capsules. Intended for long distance carriage of personnel. Used more when HS speeds were low and trips to quadrants might take years. Deep sleep technology contains a small but significant risk of terminal failure - so is little used these days.

Interstellar Special Constabulary. An elite interstellar police service that operates within the Venerian Republic. It is famed for its ruthless pursuit of criminals - it is said that the "ISC always gets its perp". Certainly it has an impressive arrest record.

'Invisible' Aliens: (CLASSIFIED)

Io:  Independent subsistence colony in Quadrant 3